r offered.

"And be killed?" asked Mr. Vardon.

"Not necessarily. You could run the airship over some lake, or river,
lower it as close as possible, and we could drop into the water. We
can all swim and dive. You could drop us near shore, we could get out
and make our way to the nearest town. That would leave you with less
load to carry."

"I wouldn't think of it!" cried Dick.

"Why not?" asked Innis.

"In the first place I want my airship to do what I built it for--carry
this party across the continent. If it can't do that, and in time to
at least give me a chance for the government prize, I'm going to have
one that can. In the second place, even if your going off would help
me to win, I wouldn't let you take the risk.

"No, we'll stick together. I think I can get away from Uncle Ezra, if
that's who is in that biplane. We can run up our speed considerable.
We haven't touched the extreme limit yet."

"Well, if you won't you won't--that settles it," said Paul. "But if
you're going to speed you'd better begin. He is sure coming on."

Indeed the other aircraft was rushing toward them at a rapid rate. It
had been some distance in the rear when first sighted, but now the
three figures aboard were plainly discernable with the naked eye.

"Speed her up!" called Dick. "We've got to leave him if we can."

Gradually the Abaris forged on more rapidly. But it seemed as if those
in the other craft were waiting for something like this. For they,
too, put on more power, and were soon overhauling the larger airship.

"They've got an awful lot of force in a light craft," observed
Lieutenant McBride. "She's over engined, and isn't safe. Even if your
uncle gets in ahead of you, Dick, I will still maintain that you have
the better outfit, and the most practical. I don't see how they can
live aboard that frail craft."

It certainly did not look very comfortable, and afterward Uncle Ezra
confessed that he endured many torments during the trip.

The race was on in earnest. They were over the Rockies now, and at the
present rate of speed it would be only a comparatively short time
before they would be at the Pacific coast.

"If I only knew how many landings he had made I wouldn't be so
worried," said Dick. "If he's had more than two he's out of it,
anyhow, and I wouldn't strain my engine."

"We'd better keep on," advised Mr. Vardon, and they all agreed to this.

Toward the close of the afternoon the Larabee