It's a good thing for all of you
to learn to manage the craft alone. So start in."
Paul found it easier than he expected, and he said, in spite of her
bulk, that the Abaris really steered easier than one of the smaller
biplanes they had gotten used to at Kentfield.
Back and forth over the fields, meadows and woods in the vicinity
of Hamilton Corners the airship was taken, in charge of first one
and then another of the party aboard. Larry Dexter was perhaps the
one least familiar with the workings of the machine, yet even he did
well, with Dick and Mr. Vardon at his side to coach him.
"Now we'll give the gyroscope stabilizer a test!" said Mr. Vardon,
when each, including himself, had had a turn. "I want to make sure
that it will stand any strain we can put on it."
"What are you going to do?" asked Dick.
"I'm going to tilt the craft suddenly at an angle that would turn
her over if it were not for the stabilizer," was the answer.
Dick looked at the barograph, or height-recording gage. It
registered thirty-eight hundred feet. They had gone up a
considerable distance in making their experiments.
"Maybe you'd better wait," suggested the young millionaire, pointing
to the hand of the dial, "until we go down a bit."
"No," decided the aviator. "If she's going to work at all she'll
do it up at this distance as well, if not better, than she would
five hundred, or one hundred feet, from the ground."
"But it might be safer--" began Paul.
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