many other things that struck his fancy.
The airship was wheeled out of the shed, and Tom gave her a final
inspection.

"It's all right," he declared. "All aboard!"

"Now, do be careful," begged Mr. Swift. "Don't take too many chances,
Tom."

"I'll not."

The adventurers were in the forward part of the ship, and Tom had taken
his place at the wheels and levers in the pilot house. As he was about
to start the motor he looked toward the road, and saw a horse and
carriage. In the vehicle was a girlish figure, at the sight of which Tom
blushed and smiled. He waved his hand.

"I came to wish you good luck!" cried Mary Nestor, for it was she in the
carriage.

"Thanks!" cried Tom, leaning from the window of the pilot house. "It was
good of you to get up so early."

"Oh. I'm always up early," she informed him.

"Look out that the motor doesn't scare your horse," Tom warned her.

"Old Dobbin doesn't mind anything," was her answer. "I'll see that he
doesn't run away with me, as long as you're not on earth to rescue me.
Good-by, Tom!"

"Good-by!" he called, and then he pulled the lever that set in motion
the motor, and whirled the great propellers about. They whizzed around
with a roar, and the Red Cloud, shivering and trembling with the
vibration, rose in the air like some great bird.

"We're off for the West and Phantom Mountain!" called Tom to his
companions.

As the airship soared upward, Eradicate Sampson ran forward from where
he had been standing near his mule Boomerang. He waved his hands, and
shouted something.

"Bless my hatband! What does he want?" asked Mr. Damon, watching him
curiously.

"It sounds as if he were calling to us to come back," spoke Mr. Parker.

"It's too late now," decided Tom. "Maybe he forgot to tell us good-by,"
but, he felt a vague wonder at Eradicate's odd motions; for the colored
man was pointing toward the stern of the airship, as if there was
something wrong there. But the Red Cloud soared on.

CHAPTER IX--A WARNING BY WIRELESS

Rapidly the airship ascended, and, when it was high over the town of
Shopton, Tom headed the craft due west. Looking down he tried to descry
Mary Nestor, in her carriage, but the trees were in the way, their
interlocking branches hiding the girl. Tom did see crowds of other
persons, though, thronging the streets of Shopton, for, though the young
inventor had made many flights, there was always a novelty about them,
that brought out the cu