"I can drive a
mowing-machine, and a thresher, but I'm not going to try an airship
yet. I hired you to run her. All I want is that
twenty-thousand-dollar prize, and the chance to sell airships like
this after we've proved them the best for actual use."
"And we can easily do that," declared Larson. "My mercury
stabilizer is working to perfection."
"When can we start on the race?" Mr. Larabee wanted to know.
"Oh, soon now. You see it isn't exactly a race. That is the
competing airships do not have to start at the same time."
"No?" questioned Uncle Ezra.
"No. You see each competing craft is allowed to start when the
pilot pleases, provided an army officer is aboard during the entire
flight to check the results, and the time consumed. Two landings
will be allowed, and only the actual flying time will be counted.
"That is if the trip is finished within a certain prescribed time.
I think it is a month. In other words we could start now, fly as
far as we could, and if we had to come down because of some
accident, or to get supplies, we could stay down several days. Then
we could start again, and come down the second time. But after that
we would be allowed no more landings, and the total time consumed
in flying would be computed by the army officer."
"Oh, that's the way of it?" asked Uncle Ezra.
"Yes, and the craft that has used the smallest number of hours will
win the prize," went on Larson. "I'm sure we can do it, for this
is a fast machine.
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