, which they were all sure
was the name of the craft in the rear, came on with a rush. Her speed
seemed increased by half, and she would, it was now seen, quickly pass
the Abaris.

"Well, they're going ahead of us," sighed Dick. "Uncle Ezra did better
than I thought he would."

Neither he nor any of the others were prepared for what happened. For
suddenly the other airship swooped toward Dick's craft, in what was
clearly a savage attack. Straight at the Abaris, using all her speed,
came Uncle Ezra's airship.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE WRECK

"What do they mean?"

"What's their game, anyhow?"

"They'll ram us if they don't look out!"

"Maybe they've lost control of her!"

"Dick, if that's your uncle, tell him to watch where he's going!"

Thus cried those aboard the aircraft of the young millionaire as they
watched the oncoming of the rival craft. She was certainly coming
straight at them. It was intentional, too, for Mr. Vardon, who was at
the wheel of the Abaris, quickly changed her course when he saw what
was about to happen, and the other pilot could have had plenty of room
to pass in the air.

Instead he altered his direction so as to coincide with that of Dick's
craft.

"They must be crazy!"

"If they'll hit us we'll go to smash, even if she is a lighter machine
than ours!"

Thus cried Paul and Innis as they stood beside Dick.

"It's my Uncle Ezra, all right," murmured the wealthy youth. "I can
recognize him now, in spite of his helmet and goggles. But what in the
world is he up to, anyhow? He can't really mean to ram us, but it does
look so."

The two airships were now but a short distance apart, and in spite of
what Mr. Vardon could do, a collision seemed inevitable. The fact of
the matter was that the Larabee, being smaller and lighter, answered
more readily to her rudders than did the Abaris.

"We've got to have more speed, Dick!" called the aviator. "I'm going
to turn about and go down. It's the only way to get out of their way.
They're either crazy, or bent on their own destruction, as well as
ours. Give me more speed, Dick! All you can!"

"All right!" answered the young millionaire. "We'll do our best to get
out of your way, Uncle Ezra!"

As Dick hastened to the motor-room, Grit trotted after him, growling in
his deep voice at the mention of the name of the man he so disliked.

Dick realized the emergency, and turned the gasolene throttle wide
open. With a throb and a ro