Why are you so careful about it now?"
"Because we've got secrets about it," replied Mr. Larabee. "There's
secret inventions on my airship that haven't been patented yet, and
I don't want you going in there, Nephew Richard, and taking some of
my builder's ideas and using 'em on your airship. I won't have it!
That's why I won't let you in. I'm not going to have you taking our
ideas, not by a jugful!"
"There's no danger," answered Dick quietly, though he wanted to
laugh. "My airship is all finished. We've used her, and she's all
right. I wouldn't change her no matter what I saw on yours."
"Wa'al, you might think so now, but I can't trust nobody--not even
you, so you can't come in," said Uncle Ezra.
"Oh, we won't insist," answered Dick, as he passed over the bonds.
"Father said you wanted these, Uncle Ezra."
"Yes, I do," and an expression, as of pain, passed over the man's
face. "I've got to raise a little money to pay for this airship.
It's costing a terrible pile; a terrible pile!" and he sighed in
despair. "But then, of course, I'll get the twenty thousand
dollars, and that will help some. After that I'm going to sell
plans and models of my successful airship, and I'll make a lot more
that way. So of course I'll get it all back.
"But it's costing me a terrible pile! Why, would you believe it,"
he said, looking around to see that the door to the factory was
securely closed, "would you believe I've already spent five
thousand, six hundred twenty-seven dollars and forty-nine cents on
this airship? And it ain't quite done yet.
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