he
platform, rolling under the lowest of the guard rails.

"There he goes!" cried Paul.

Dick gave a gasp of despair. Grit let out a howl of fear.

And then, as Larry Dexter leaned over the side, he gave a cry of
surprise.

"Look!" he shouted. "Grit's caught by a rope and he's hanging there by
his teeth!"

And, as Dick looked, he saw a strange sight. Trailing over the side of
the airship deck was a piece of rope, that had become loosed. And, in
his fall, Grit had caught hold of this in his strong jaws. To this he
clung like grim death, his grip alone keeping him from falling into
space.

CHAPTER XXV

A FORCED LANDING

"Hold on there, old boy! Don't let go!" begged Dick of his pet, who
swung to and fro, dangling like some grotesque pendulum over the side
of the airship. "Hold on, Grit!"

And Grit held on, you may be sure of that. His jaws were made for just
that purpose. The dog made queer gurgling noises in his throat, for he
dare not open his mouth to bark. Probably he knew just what sort of
death would await him if he dropped into the vast space below him.

"How we going to get him up?" asked Larry.

"I'll show you!" cried Dick, as he stretched out at full length on the
deck, and made his way to the edge where his head and shoulders
projected over the dizzying space. The airship was still rushing on.

"Grab his legs--somebody!" exclaimed Paul. "I'll sit on you, Dick!"

"That's right! Anchor me down, old man!" Dick cried. "I'm going to
get Grit!"

"Are you going to make a landing to save him?" asked Larry.

"No, though I would if I had to," Dick replied. "I'm just going to
haul him up by the rope. Keep a good hold, old boy!" he encouraged his
pet, and Grit gurgled his answer.

And then Dick, leaning over the edge of the deck, while Paul sat on his
backward-stretched legs to hold him in place, hauled up the bulldog
hand over hand, by means of the rope the intelligent animal had so
fortunately grasped.

Inch by inch Grit was raised until Larry, who had come to the edge to
help Dick, reached out, and helped to haul the dog in.

"There he is!" cried Dick, as he slid back.

"Well, old boy, you had a close call!"

Grit let go the rope and barked. And then a strange fit of trembling
seized him. It was the first time he had ever showed fear. He never
ventured near the edge of the deck again, always taking a position as
near the centre as possible, and lying down at full length, t