Tom, it ain't him. I knows dat blessin' man good an' proper.
I jest wish he'd bless mah mule Boomerang some day, an' take some oh
de temper out ob him. No, sah, it ain't Massa Damon. De gen'man's in de
airship shed waitin' fo' you."

"In the airship shed! No strangers are allowed in there, Rad."

"I knows it, Massa Tom, but he done persisted his se'f inter it, an'
he wouldn't come out when I told him; an' your pa an' Mr. Jackson ain't
home."

"I'll see about this," exclaimed Tom, striding to the large shed, where
the Red Cloud was kept. As he entered it he saw a man looking over the
wonderful craft.

"Did you want to see me?" asked Tom, sharply, for he did not like
strangers prowling around.

"I did, and I apologize for entering here, but I am interested in
airships, and I thought you might want to hire a pilot. I am in need
of employment, and I have had considerable to do with balloons and
aeroplanes, but never with an airship like this, which combines the two
features. Do you wish to hire any one."

"No, I don't!" replied Tom, sharply, for he did not like the looks of
the man.

"I was told that you did," was the rather surprising answer.

"Who told you?"

The man looked all around the shed, before replying, as if fearful of
being overheard. Then, stepping close to Tom, he whispered:

"Mr. Jenks told me!"

"Mr. Jenks?" Tom could not conceal his astonishment.

"Yes. Mr. Barcoe Jenks. But I did not come here to merely ask you for
employment. I would like to hire out to you, but the real object of my
visit was to say this to you."

The man approached still closer to Tom, and, in a lower voice, and one
that could scarcely be heard, he fairly hissed:

"Don't go with Barcoe Jenks to seek the diamond makers!"

Then, before Tom could put out a hand to detain him, had the lad so
wished, the man turned suddenly, and fairly ran from the shed.

CHAPTER VI--MR. DAMON IS ON HAND

The young inventor stood almost spellbound for a few moments. Then
recovering himself he made a dash for the door through which the
mysterious man had disappeared. Tom saw him sprinting down the road, and
was half-minded to take after him, but a cooler thought warned him that
he had better not.

"He may be one of those men who are on Mr. Jenks' trail," reasoned Tom,
in which case it might not be altogether safe to attempt to stop him,
and make him explain. Or he may be a lunatic, and in that case it
wouldn't be altogether hea