nnis, from the pilot-house, as he noted the
height gage, and saw that the hand was constantly receding. "We're
falling, Dick!"

"I know it--no help for it," answered our hero, hopelessly.

The Abaris was certainly going down. When the propellers had ceased to
urge her forward she began to dip toward the earth, even as a stone
falls when the initial impulse from the sling, or the hand of the
thrower, is lost.

Foot by foot she dropped, and those aboard her looked helplessly at one
another. They had made a brave fight against the fire, but it seemed
to have gone for naught. They could not keep up with the motor stalled
as it was.

"I guess we'll have to make another landing," said Innis, as he
remained at the wheel.

Of course they were entitled to one more, but it would be the last, and
a long and hard part of their trans-continental flight was still ahead
of them. If they went down this time, and, after making repairs, came
up into the air once more, they would not, under the rules, be allowed
to land again before reaching San Francisco.

"It's tough luck, but I guess we'll have to do it," said Larry Dexter.

"Maybe not!" Dick cried. "I have an idea."

"What is it? Tell us quick!" begged Innis, for he, as well as all of
Dick's friends, wanted to see him win the prize.

"I think the insulation has been burning off some of the wires of the
motor," was his answer. "That would make a short circuit and put it
out of business. Now if we can only keep afloat long enough to change
those wires, we may be able to start the motor again, and keep on our
way before we touch ground."

"You've struck it!" cried Mr. Vardon. "Dick, you take charge of the
wheel--you and any of your friends you want. I'll look over the motor,
and make repairs if I can."

"And they'll have to be made pretty soon," called out Innis from the
pilot-house. "We're falling fast."

"Throw her nose up," cried Dick. "That's what we've got to do to save
ourselves. We'll volplane down, and maybe we can keep up long enough
to have Mr. Vardon put in new wires in place of the burned-out ones.
If he can do that, and if we can start the motor--"

"It sounds too good to be true," said Innis. "But get in here, Dick,
and see what you can do. You've got to volplane as you never did
before."

"And I'm going to do it!" cried the young millionaire.

The motor-room was now free from smoke, and the fire was out. A pile
of charred waste in one c