scientific facts.

"Therefore, if you will permit me, I will be very glad to accompany you
and Mr. Damon. I shall be delighted, in short, and I can start as soon
as you are ready."

"There's no hope for it!" thought Tom, dismally. "I suppose he'll wake
up every morning, and predict that before night the world will come to
an end, or he'll prophesy that the airship will blow up, and vanish,
when about seven miles above the clouds. Well, there's no way out of it,
so here goes."

Thereupon Tom welcomed the scientist as cordially as he could, and
invited him to form one of the party that would set off in the airship
to search for Phantom Mountain.

"Bless my jewelry box!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, when this formality was
over. "Tell me more about it, Tom."

Which our hero did, stating the need of maintaining secrecy on account
of the danger to Mr. Jenks. Mr. Damon and Mr. Parker both agreed to say
nothing about the matter, and then the scientist became much interested
in the Red Cloud, which he closely examined. He even complimented Tom on
the skill shown in making it, and, contrary to our hero's expectation,
did not predict that it would blow up the next time it was used.

"How did you happen to arrive just at this time, Mr. Damon?" asked Tom.

"It was partly due to Mr. Parker," was the answer. "I had not seen him
since we were rescued from the island, until a few days ago he called
on me at my home. I happened to mention that you lived near here, and
suggested that he might like to see some of your inventions. He agreed,
and we came over in my auto. And now, bless my liver-pin! I find you
about to start off on another trip."

"And have you fully decided to go with me?" asked Tom. "There may be
danger, and I don't like the way that mysterious man behaved."

"Oh, bless my revolver!" cried Mr. Damon. "I'm used to danger by this
time. Of course I'm going, and so is Mr. Parker. Do you know," and the
man, who was always blessing something, came closer to the lad, and
whispered: "Do you know, Tom, Mr. Parker is a very peculiar individual."

"I'm sure of it," answered the young inventor, looking at the gentleman
in question, who was then inside the airship cabin.

"But he's all right, even if he is predicting unpleasant things," went
on Mr. Damon. "I think we'll get better acquainted with him after a
bit."

"I hope so," agreed Tom, but he did not realize then how close his
companionship with Mr. Parker was to be, nor wh