airships, they can do that easily, and not get a bit hurt. That will
put them out of the race, and I can keep on after the big ship. I
fancy that carries the more valuable cargo."

"I presume so. Well, don't bring the one to earth until you get over
Uncle Sam's territory, and then maybe there will be a chance to
capture them, and the goods too."

"I will," promised Tom. They were still over Canadian territory, but
were rapidly approaching the border.

"I think I will send a wireless to my men in Logansville, to start
out and try to pick up the crippled airship after you disable her,"
decided Mr. Whitford, and as Tom agreed that this was a good plan,
the wireless was soon cracking away, the government agent being an
adept in its use.

"I've told them we'd give another signal to tell them, as nearly as
possible where we made them take to earth," he said to Tom, and the
young inventor nodded in agreement.

"Ned in them ship?" asked Koku, as he came back from the pilot house
to report that Mr. Damon was all right, and needed no help.

"Yes, I think Ned is in one of them," said Tom. "The big one most
likely. Poor Ned a prisoner! Well, I'll soon have him away from
them--if nothing happens," and Tom looked about the motor room, to
make sure that every piece of apparatus was working perfectly.

The two airships of the smugglers were hanging close together, and
it was evident that the larger one had to make her pace slow, so as
not to get ahead of the small craft. Tom followed on relentlessly,
not using half his speed, but creeping on silently in the darkness.

"We're over the United States now," said Mr. Whitford, after a
glance earthward through the binoculars. "Let 'em get a little
farther over the line before you pop 'em with your electric rifle,
Tom."

Our hero nodded, and looked out of a side window to note the
progress of the smugglers. For several miles the chase was thus kept
up, and then, suddenly the smaller craft was seen to swerve to one
side.

"They are separating!" cried Mr. Whitford, at the same time Mr.
Damon called through the tube from the pilot house:

"Which one shall I follow, Tom?"

"The big one," the youth answered. "I'll take care of the other!"
With a quick motion he flashed the current into the great
searchlight, and, calling to Mr. Whitford to hold it so that the
beams played on the small aeroplane, Tom leveled his wonderful
electric rifle at the big stretch of canvas. He pressed the