, too. You know you promised that."

"Yes, I suppose so," sighed Uncle Ezra. "More money! And that skunk
Hank Crittenden got ten dollars out of me! I'll never hear the last of
that. I'd rather have landed anywhere but on his land. Oh, this is
awful! I wish I'd never gone into it."

"But think of the twenty thousand dollars," said the former army man
quickly. It would not do to have his employer get too much
discouraged. And the aviator wanted more money--very much more.

The airship was repaired in the next few days, though there was a
constant finding of fault on the part of Uncle Ezra. He parted with
cash most reluctantly.

However, he had officially made his entry for the government prize, and
he could not withdraw now. He must keep on. Lieutenant Larson
arranged with one of the army aviators to accompany them on the
prospective trip from coast to coast, and finally Larson announced that
he was ready to start for New York, where the flight would officially
begin.

"Well, Ezra," said his wife, as he climbed into the machine on the day
appointed, "I don't like to be a discourager, and throw cold water on
you, but I don't reckon I'll ever see you again, Ezra," and she wiped
her eyes.

"Oh, pshaw! Of course you'll see me again!" her husband cried. "I'm
going to come back with that twenty thousand dollars. And I--I'll buy
a new carriage;--that's what I will!"

"That's awful good of you, Ezra," she said. "But I'm not countin' on
it. I'm afraid you'll never come back," she sighed.

"Oh, yes, I will!" he declared. "Good-bye!"

They were to pick up the army officer in New York, and so Larson and
Uncle Ezra made the first part of the journey alone. They had
considerable trouble on the way, having to come down a number of times.

"Say, if she's going to work this way what will happen when we start
for San Francisco?" asked Mr. Larabee.

"Oh, it will be all right when I make a few changes in her," the
lieutenant said. "And when we have another man aboard she'll ride
easier."

"Well, I hope so," murmured Uncle Ezra. "But more changes! Will
they--er--cost money?"

"A little."

Uncle Ezra groaned.

However, New York was eventually reached, and after some repairs and
changes were made, the airship was taken to the same place where Dick's
had started from, and with the army representative aboard, the journey
for the Pacific coast was begun. The beginning of the flight was
auspicious enough, b