d hurried back to his friends in the
fair-grounds, his heart beating jubilantly at the splendid results of
the flight. He hugged the small airplane to his heart as if it were
the most precious possession in the world, as indeed it was to him.

Mr. Giddings and Bob were loud in their praise, and John smiled in that
quiet way that told the younger brother how well pleased he was. It
was found that the Sky-Bird had passed over the lower fence in just one
minute and three seconds, which was certainly good speed for such a
diminutive contrivance. Several other flights were then made, all of
which were equally successful. At the conclusion Bob Giddings was so
excited that he could hardly stand still.

"Dad, isn't this little thing simply a wonder?" he exclaimed. "I'd
give anything in the world if I could own a big fellow built on this
principle. I'll bet it would pass anything now made."

His father looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, turning to the Ross
brothers, he observed:

"Do you think, boys, that these features could be successfully applied
to a full-sized airplane?"

"There's no doubt at all about it, to my mind, sir," replied John Ross.
"That's the next thing Paul and I propose doing, although I expect we
shall have a hard time getting enough money to meet the expense of
materials. Of course we shall have the regular type of gasoline engine
in place of this pneumatic arrangement, as this principle won't apply
to big machines. I figure a 400 horse-power Liberty engine would carry
such a machine two hundred miles an hour."

Again Mr. Giddings was silent a moment. Then he resumed: "John, I hear
that you have been laid off from your Air Mail job. Is that right?"

"It is, sir."

"Well, then, I am going to make a proposition to you and Paul, and in a
way Robert may consider himself involved, too, I expect. As you may
know, Robert plans to be an electrical engineer, and Mrs. Giddings and
myself are anxious to encourage him in every way we can. For some time
he has been experimenting with wireless telegraph and telephone
apparatus, and has made some sets of the latter which it seems to me
are an improvement over anything now on the market, particularly a set
for airplane use, which he has no means of properly testing out on
account of the lack of the airplane. Now my proposition is just this:
I will meet every expense of making a first-class full-sized airplane
like the Sky-Bird, and pay you, John, a