"I'm sure of
that. But I don't guarantee that you'll win the prize money."
"What's that? What's that?" asked Uncle Ezra in surprise. He was
all attention when it came to a matter of money. "What prize did
you speak of?"
"Didn't you hear, Uncle Ezra?" inquired Dick. "Why, the United
States government, to increase the interest in aviation, and to
encourage inventors, has offered a prize of twenty thousand dollars
to the first person who takes his airship from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, or rather, from New York to San Francisco with but two
landings. I'm going to have a try for that prize!"
"Yes, and he's going to win it, too!" cried Paul.
"And we're at least going to share in the glory of it," added Innis.
"Twenty thousand dollars!" murmured Uncle Ezra. "Is it possible?"
"Oh, it's true enough, sir," put in Mr. Vardon. "The offer has been
formally made. I know several of my aviator friends who are going
to have a try for it. I intended to myself, but for the accident
in which my craft was smashed. Only for the kindness of your nephew
in engaging me on this work I don't know what I should be doing
now."
"That's all right!" interrupted Dick, who disliked praise. "I'm
doing MYSELF as much a favor in having you build this airship as I
am YOU. I intend to have a good time in this craft, even if I don't
win the prize."
"Twenty thousand dollars," murmured Uncle Ezra again, slowly. "It's
an awful lot of money--an awful lot," he added in an awed tone of
voice.
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