ould take ten hours to the metropolis.

Of course the journey could have been made in much less time than that,
for Dick's motor was calculated to give a maximum speed of one hundred
miles an hour. But this was straining it to its capacity. It would be
much more feasible, at, least on this trial trip, to use half that
speed. Later, if need be, they could go to the limit.

They had started late in the afternoon, and by journeying at fifty
miles an hour they would reach the upper part of New York city in the
morning; that is if nothing occurred to delay them. But the weather
predictions were favorable, and no storms were in prospect.

"I think I'll take her up a bit," remarked Dick, when they had passed
out over the open country, lying outside of Hamilton Corners. "We might
as well get used to good heights, for when we cross the Rocky Mountains
we'll have to ascend some."

"That's right," agreed the lieutenant. "Take her up, Dick."

The young millionaire pulled over the lever of the vertical rudder, and
as the nose of the Abaris was inclined upward, she shot aloft, her big
propellers in the rear pushing her ahead.

"I'm going out on the outer deck and see how it seems," said Larry. "I
want to get some new impressions for the paper. I told the editor we'd
pull off a lot of new stunts. So I guess I'll go outside."

"No, you won't," said Lieutenant McBride, laying a detaining hand on
the arm of the reporter. "Do you see that notice?"

He pointed to one over the door. It read:

"No one will be allowed on the outer deck while the airship is
ascending or descending."

"What's that for?" Larry wanted to know.

"So you won't roll off into space," replied Lieutenant McBride. "You
see the deck is much tilted, when we are going up or down, and that
makes it dangerous. Of course the cabin floor is tilted also, but
there are walls here to save you from taking a tumble in case you slip.
Outside there is only a railing."

"I see," spoke Larry. "Well, I'll stay inside until we get up as high
as Dick wants to take us."

"Not very high this time," the young millionaire answered. "About six
thousand feet will be enough. We haven't gone quite a mile yet, and it
will be a good test for us."

Steadily the aircraft climbed upward until, when he had noted from the
barograph that they were at a height of nearly six thousand feet, Dick
"straightened her out," and let her glide along on a level keel.

"You may now