ent anyhow, about half-way across, to
take on more oil and gasolene," Mr. Vardon said. "And we will be very
lucky if we don't have to come down but once more on the way. But we
may have luck."

"I think we will!" cried Dick.

While the young millionaire was at the wheel, taking the airship higher
and higher, and Westward on her journey. Mr. Vardon and Lieutenant
McBride arranged a schedule of work, so that each one would have an
opportunity of steering.

"And while you're at it," suggested Innis, "I wish you'd arrange a
schedule for the cooking. Have I got to do it all?"

"Indeed not," said Dick. "We'll put Paul and Larry to work in the
galley."

"Not me!" exclaimed Paul. "I can't even cook water without burning it."

"Get out! Don't you always do your share of the camp cooking when we
go off on hikes and practice marches?" objected Innis, to his cadet
chum. "Indeed and you'll do your share of it here all right! I'll see
to that."

"I guess I'm caught!" admitted Paul.

The start had been made about ten o'clock in the morning, and before
noon more than ninety miles had been covered, as registered on the
distance gage. This took the party across New Jersey.

They had passed over Newark, and the Orange mountains. The rule
against flying over a city had bothered Dick who argued that it would
take him much out of his air line, and consume more time if he always
had to pick out an unpopulated section.

So the rule was abrogated as far as the aviation association was
concerned.

"And if the policemen of any cities we fly over want to take a chance
and chase us in an aerial motor cycle, let 'em come!" laughed the young
millionaire.

Dinner was served at a height of about eight thousand feet. Dick
wanted to get himself and his companions accustomed to great heights,
as they would have to fly high over the Rockies. There was some little
discomfort, at first, in the rarefied atmosphere, but they soon got
used to it, and liked it. Grit, however, suffered considerably, and
did not seem to care for aeroplaning. But he was made so much of, and
everyone was so fond of, him that he seemed, after a while, to forget
his troubles. He wanted to be near Dick all the time.

Mr. Vardon was a veteran aviator, and heights did not bother him.
Lieutenant McBride, too, had had considerable experience.

Afternoon found the Abaris over Pennsylvania, which state would require
about six hours to cross at the speed of fi