UNCLE EZRA'S VISIT
Dick and his father had much to talk about concerning the airship. Dick
explained his plans, and described the new stabilizer.
"Well, now that you have explained it to me, I don't see but what it
may be possible," said Mr. Hamilton, after carefully considering the
matter. "It isn't so much the expense, since you have your own
fortune, but, of course, there is the element of danger to be
considered."
"Well, there's danger in anything," agreed Dick. "But I think I have a
lucky streak in me,--after the way we came out of that pig-pen
accident," and he laughed.
"Yes, you were fortunate," conceded Mr. Hamilton. "But, don't take too
many risks, my son. Go in and win, if you can, but don't be rash. I
am still from Missouri, and you've got to show me. Now I've got a lot
of business to attend to, and so I'll have to leave you to your own
devices. You say Paul and Innis are coming on?"
"Yes, they'll be here in a few days and stay until the airship is
completed. Then they'll fly with me."
"Anybody else going?"
"Yes, Larry Dexter--you remember him?"
"Oh, sure! The young reporter."
"And I think I'll take Mr. Vardon along. We may need his help in an
emergency."
"A good idea. Well, I wish you luck!"
A large barn on the Hamilton property had been set aside for the use of
the aviator and his men, for he had engaged several more besides Jack
Butt to hurry along the work on Dick's new aircraft. The order had been
placed for the motor, and that, it was promised, would be ready in time.
Dick, having had lunch, went out to see how his airship was
progressing. Grit raced here and there, glad to be back home again,
though he would probably miss the many horses and grooms at Kentfield.
For Grit loved to be around the stables, and the hostlers made much of
him.
"How are you coming on?" asked the young millionaire, as he surveyed
the framework of the big craft that, he hoped, would carry him across
the continent and win for him the twenty thousand dollar prize.
"Fine, Dick!" exclaimed Mr. Vardon. "Everything is working out well.
Come in and look. You can get an idea of the machine now."
Dick Hamilton's airship was radically different from any craft
previously built, yet fundamentally, it was on the same principle as a
biplane. But it was more than three times as large as the average
biplane, and was built in two sections.
That is there were four sets of double planes, or eight in all, and
between them was an enclosed cabin containing the motor, the various
controls, places to sleep and eat, the cabin also forming the storage
room for the oil, gasolene and other supplies.
This cabin was not yet built, but, as I have said, it would be
"amidship" if one may use that term concerning an airship. Thus the
occupants would be protected from the elements, and could move about in
comfort, not being obliged to sit rigidly in a seat for hours at a time.
"She's going to be pretty big," remarked Dick, as he walked about the
skeleton of his new craft.
"She has to be able to carry all you want to take in her," said the
aviator. "But she'll be speedy for all of that, for the engine will be
very powerful."
"Will she be safe?" asked Dick.
"As safe as any airship. I am going to incorporate in her my gyroscope
equilibrizer, or stabilizer, as you suggested."
"Oh, yes, I want that!" said Dick, in a decided tone.
"It is very good of you to allow me to demonstrate my patent on your
craft," the inventor said. "It will be a fine thing for me if you win
the prize, and it is known that my stabilizer was aboard to aid you,"
he said, with shining, eager eyes.
"Well, I'm only too glad I can help you in that small way," spoke Dick.
"I'm sure your patent is a valuable one."
"And I am now positive that it will work properly," went on Mr. Vardon.
"And I'll take precious good care that no sneak, like Larson, gets a
chance to tamper with it!" exclaimed Jack Butt.
"You must not make such positive statements," warned his chief. "It may
not have been Larson."
"Well, your machine was tampered with; wasn't it, just before we sank
into the river?"
"Yes, and that was what made us fall."
"Well, I'm sure Larson monkeyed with it, and no one can make me believe
anything else," said Jack, positively. "If he comes around here--"
"He isn't likely to," interrupted Dick. "The army aviators were sent
to Texas, I believe, to give some demonstrations at a post there."
"You never can tell where Larson will turn up," murmured Jack.
Dick was shown the progress of the work, and was consulted about
several small changes from the original, tentative plans. He agreed to
them, and then, as it was only a question of waiting until his craft
was done, he decided to call on some of his friends at Hamilton Corners.
Innis and Paul arrived in due season, and were delighted at the sight
of Dick's big, new aircraft, which, by the time they saw it, had
assumed more definite shape. Mr. Vardon and his men had worked rapidly.
"And that cabin is where we'll stay; is that it?" asked Paul, as he
looked at the framework.
"That's to be our quarters," answered the young millionaire.
Paul was looking carefully on all sides of it.
"Something missing?" asked Dick, noting his chum's anxiety.
"I was looking for the fire escape."
"Fire escape!" cried Dick. "What in the world would you do with a fire
escape on an airship?"
"Well, you're going to carry a lot of gasolene, you say. If that gets
afire we'll want to escape; won't we? I suggest a sort of rope ladder,
that can be uncoiled and let down to the ground. That might answer."
"Oh, slosh!" cried Dick. "There's going to be no fire aboard the--say,
fellows, I haven't named her yet! I wonder what I'd better call her?
"Call her the Abaris," suggested Innis, "though he wasn't a lady."
"Who was he?" asked Dick. "That name sounds well."
"Abaris, if you will look in the back of your dictionary, you will note
was a Scythian priest of Apollo," said Innis, with a patronizing air at
his display of knowledge. "He is said to have ridden through the air
on an arrow. Isn't that a good name for your craft, Dick?"
"It sure is. I'll christen her Abaris as soon as she's ready to
launch. Good idea, Innis."
"Oh, I'm full of 'em," boasted the cadet, strutting about.
"You're full of conceit--that's what you are," laughed Paul.
Suddenly there came a menacing growl from Grit, who was outside the
airship shed, and Dick called a warning.
"Who's there?" he asked, thinking it might be a stranger.
A rasping voice answered:
"It's me! Are you there, Nephew Richard? I went all through the
house, but nobody seemed to be home."
"It's Uncle Ezra!" whispered Dick, making a pretense to faint.
"I've come to pay you a little visit," went on the crabbed old miser.
"Where's your pa?"
"Why, he's gone to New York."
"Ha! Another sinful and useless waste of money! I never did see the
beat!"
"He had to go, on business," answered Dick.
"Humph! Couldn't he write? A two cent stamp is a heap sight cheaper
than an excursion ticket to New York. But Mortimer never did know the
value of money," sighed Uncle Ezra.
Grit growled again.
"Nephew Richard, if your dog bites me I'll make you pay the doctor
bills," warned Mr. Ezra Larabee.
"Here, Grit! Quiet!" cried Dick, and the animal came inside, looking
very much disgusted.
Uncle Ezra looked in at the door of the shed, and saw the outlines of
the airship.
"What foolishness is this?" he asked, seeming to take it for granted
that all Dick did was foolish.
"It's my new airship," answered the young millionaire.
"An airship! Nephew Richard Hamilton! Do you mean to tell me that you
are sinfully wasting money on such a thing as that--on something that
will never go, and will only be a heap of junk?" and Uncle Ezra, of
Dankville, looked as though his nephew were a fit subject for a lunatic
asylum.