ss
the continent and win for him the twenty thousand dollar prize.

"Fine, Dick!" exclaimed Mr. Vardon. "Everything is working out well.
Come in and look. You can get an idea of the machine now."

Dick Hamilton's airship was radically different from any craft
previously built, yet fundamentally, it was on the same principle as a
biplane. But it was more than three times as large as the average
biplane, and was built in two sections.

That is there were four sets of double planes, or eight in all, and
between them was an enclosed cabin containing the motor, the various
controls, places to sleep and eat, the cabin also forming the storage
room for the oil, gasolene and other supplies.

This cabin was not yet built, but, as I have said, it would be
"amidship" if one may use that term concerning an airship. Thus the
occupants would be protected from the elements, and could move about in
comfort, not being obliged to sit rigidly in a seat for hours at a time.

"She's going to be pretty big," remarked Dick, as he walked about the
skeleton of his new craft.

"She has to be able to carry all you want to take in her," said the
aviator. "But she'll be speedy for all of that, for the engine will be
very powerful."

"Will she be safe?" asked Dick.

"As safe as any airship. I am going to incorporate in her my gyroscope
equilibrizer, or stabilizer, as you suggested."

"Oh, yes, I want that!" said Dick, in a decided tone.

"It is very good of you to allow me to demonstrate my patent on your
craft," the inventor said. "It will be a fine thing for me if you win
the prize, and it is known that my stabilizer was aboard to aid you,"
he said, with shining, eager eyes.

"Well, I'm only too glad I can help you in that small way," spoke Dick.
"I'm sure your patent is a valuable one."

"And I am now positive that it will work properly," went on Mr. Vardon.

"And I'll take precious good care that no sneak, like Larson, gets a
chance to tamper with it!" exclaimed Jack Butt.

"You must not make such positive statements," warned his chief. "It may
not have been Larson."

"Well, your machine was tampered with; wasn't it, just before we sank
into the river?"

"Yes, and that was what made us fall."

"Well, I'm sure Larson monkeyed with it, and no one can make me believe
anything else," said Jack, positively. "If he comes around here--"

"He isn't likely to," interrupted Dick. "The army aviators were sent
to Texas, I bel