Dick
himself, and his two chums, Innis Beeby and Paul Drew, had joined
forces with Mr. Vardon in helping on the completion of the Abaris.
"We've got to get a move on!" Dick had said, after he had sent in
his application to compete for the twenty thousand dollar government
prize. "We don't want to be held back at the last minute. Boys,
we've got to work on this airship ourselves."
"We're with you!" cried Innis and Paul, eagerly.
And so, after some preliminary instructions from Mr. Vardon, the
cadets had taken the tools and started to work.
It did not come so unhandily to them as might have been imagined.
At the Kentfield Military Academy they had been called upon to do
much manual labor, in preparation for a military life.
There had been pontoon bridges to build across streams, by means of
floats and boats. There had been other bridges to throw across
defiles and chasms. There were artillery and baggage wagons to
transport along poor roads. And all this, done for practice, now
stood Dick and his chums in good stead.
They knew how to employ their hands, which is the best training in
the world for a young man, and they could also use tools to
advantage.
So now we find Dick, Paul and Innis laboring over the new airship,
in which the young millionaire hoped to make a flight across the
United States, from ocean to ocean.
"That's what I like to see!" exclaimed Uncle Ezra, as he came out
to the shed just before he started back for Dankville.
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