Shut down! Quick!" cried Mr. Vardon. "Throw over the storage battery
switch. That will run the lights until that shaft cools. It must have
run out of oil."

The dynamo was stopped and as the storage battery was not powerful
enough to operate all the lights for very long, only part of the
incandescents were used, so that the interior of the ship was only
dimly lighted.

"Use your portable electric torches to examine the machinery in the
dark places," directed the aviator. "We'll use the dynamo again as
soon it cools."

This machine, going out of commission, had no effect on the progress of
the airship. She was still fighting her way upward, with Dick at the
wheel, and Grit crouching uneasily near him. The dog gave voice,
occasionally, to pitiful whines.

"What is it, old boy?" asked Dick. "Is something wrong?"

And Grit's manner showed very plainly that there was. But what it was
no one could guess.

"How is she coming, Dick?" asked Innis, a little later. "Can I relieve
you?"

"No, I'm not tired. It's only a nervous sort of feeling. I feel as if
I were trying to push the airship along."

"I know how it is," murmured the cadet.

"But just take it easy. How is she doing?"

"Better, I think. We seem to be gaining a little. If we could only
get above the gale we'd be all right. But it's hard forcing her up.
I'd just like to know how Uncle Ezra is making out."

As a matter of fact, as Dick learned later, his relative had no easy
time of it. He had gotten off in fair weather, and under good
circumstances, but engine trouble developed after the first few hours,
and, while he and Larson, with the army man, did not have to come down,
they could only fly at slow speed.

"I don't know what's the matter with the thing," said Larson. "I'm
afraid we'll have to use even a different carburetor."

"What! And spend more money!" cried Uncle Ezra. "I guess not! No,
sir! Up to date this machine has cost me nigh on to eleven thousand
dollars! I've got it all down."

"But you'll double your money, and have a fine machine to sell to the
government," said Larson. "It will be all right. Give me money for a
larger carburetor."

"Well, if I have to I have to, I suppose," sighed the miserly old man.
"But try and make this one do."

It would not answer, however, and after trying in vain to get more
speed out of the craft, Larson was obliged to use one of the two
allowed descents, and go down to readjust th