last train
back to Dankville, listening to your talk about airships--foolish talk
it seems to me--I will have to stay all night."

"Oh, certainly!" exclaimed Dick, remembering that he must play the
host. "Go right in, Uncle Ezra and tell the butler to get you a lunch.
I'll be in immediately."

"Well, I could eat a little snack," admitted the crabbed old man. "I
did think of stopping in the restaurant at the railroad depot on my way
here, and getting a sandwich. But the girl said sandwiches were ten
cents, and they didn't look worth it to me.

"I asked her if she didn't have some made with stale bread, that she
could let me have for five cents, but she said they didn't sell stale
sandwiches. She seemed real put-out about it, too. She needn't have.
Stale bread's better for you than fresh, anyhow.

"But I didn't buy one. I wasn't going to throw away ten cents. That's
the interest money on a dollar for two whole years."

Then he started back to the house.

"Isn't he the limit!" cried Dick, in despair. "He's got almost as much
money as we have, and he's so afraid of spending a cent that he
actually goes hungry, I believe. And his house--why he's got a fine
one, but the only rooms he and Aunt Samantha ever open are the kitchen
and one bedroom. I had to spend some time there once, as I guess you
fellows know, and say--good-night!" cried Dick, with a tragic gesture.

"He seemed interested in airships," ventured Paul.

"It was the twenty thousand dollars he was interested in," laughed
Dick. "I wonder if he--"

"What?" asked Innis, as the young millionaire paused.

"Oh, nothing," was the answer. "I just thought of something, but it's
too preposterous to mention. Say, Mr. Vardon, when do you expect our
engine?"

"Oh, in about a week now. I won't be ready for it before then. We can
give it a try-out on the blocks before we mount it, to see if it
develops enough speed and power. But have you made your official entry
for the prize yet?"

"No, and I think I'd better," Dick said. "I'll do it at once."

Dick and his chums had their lunch, and then went for a ride in Dick's
motor-boat, which had been brought on from Kentfield. They had a jolly
time, and later in the afternoon returned to watch the construction of
the airship.

The building of the Abaris, as Dick had decided to call his craft, went
on apace during the days that followed. Uncle Ezra was more interested
than Dick had believed possible, and