n our speed to about twenty miles an hour,
and I don't want to force the engine too much."

"No," agreed Dick. "It isn't worth while, especially as the gale is
serving the other craft just as it is us."

CHAPTER XXVIII

ABLAZE IN THE CLOUDS

There was small consolation, however, for those aboard Dick's craft, in
the thought that other competing airships were in the same plight as
themselves. For, as the night wore on, the wind seemed to increase in
power. Only the mechanical strength of the Abaris enabled her to
weather the storm.

"We could not possible do it were it not for the gyroscope stabilizer,"
declared Lieutenant McBride. "We would be on our beams ends all the
while. It's a great invention."

"Well, this certainly is a good test of it," agreed Mr. Vardon, with
pardonable pride.

Indeed, no more severe strain could have been put upon the apparatus.
There would come a great gust of the tornado, and the ship would begin
to heel over. But the marvelous power of the gyroscope would force her
back again.

On through the night and through the gale went the airship. So severe
was the storm that it was not deemed wise for any one to remain in his
bunk. So everyone spent the hours of darkness in wakeful watching and
waiting.

"We want to be ready to act in any emergency," explained Mr. Vardon.
"There's no telling when something may give way under the strain."

"Well, then we ought to go over all the machinery every ten minutes or
so, and see if anything is wrong," suggested Dick. "We might see the
trouble starting in time to prevent it."

"Good idea!" cried the lieutenant. "We'll make periodical inspections.
Everyone on the job, as the boys say."

The task of looking after the machinery was divided up among the young
aviators, and, as the craft was swayed this way and that by the gale,
eager and anxious eyes watched every revolution of the gear wheels,
pistons were minutely inspected in the light of electric torches, and
valves adjusted when they showed the least sign of going wrong.

Poor Grit seemed to be afraid, which was something new for him. He
would not leave Dick for an instant, but kept at his heels, even when
his master went near the sparking motors and dynamos, which the bulldog
had good reason to fear. But now he seemed more afraid of something
else than the machines that had shocked him.

"I wonder what's the matter?" spoke the young millionaire. "I never
saw him act this