"Why, there's an airship meet going on down there," said Dick.
"Look, there are a lot of monoplanes and some biplanes."
"Let's go down a bit and salute them," suggested Larry.
"Down she is!" cried Innis, as he pulled over the lever of the
deflecting rudder. "Say when, Dick."
"Oh, keep her up about two thousand feet. We don't want to
interfere with any of their evolutions."
But the advent of the Abaris seemed welcomed by the other airships
that were taking part in the evolutions below. Two of them, which
had been flying high, at once pointed their noses upward, and raced
forward to get in line with Dick's craft.
"They're going to race us!" Paul shouted.
"Come on, Dick, now's your chance!"
"Shall I?" the young millionaire asked of Mr. Vardon.
"Yes, go ahead. Let's see what we can do to them. Though they are
probably much swifter than we are."
"Take the wheel, Dick!" cried Innis. "I want to see you beat 'em."
The implied challenge was at once accepted, and in another moment
the impromptu race was under way.
CHAPTER XXIV
GRIT'S GRIP
Two large biplanes were in the race with Dick Hamilton's airship.
They were of the latest type, as could be noted by the young
millionaire, and were swift craft. They had come up from behind,
on a long, upward slant, and were now about in line with each other,
and on a par with the Abaris, though considerably below her.
"Say, look at that crowd of people!" exclaimed Paul, as he stood at
the side of Dick who was at the wheel.
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