Up went the big airship. Up and up,
flying onward. Her fall had been checked.
And only just in time, for they went over the brow of the hill but
with a scant twenty feet to spare. So close had they come to making
a landing.
"I congratulate you!" cried Lieutenant McBride. "I thought surely
you would go down." He had out his pencil and paper to make a note
of the time of landing. It would have been the last one allowed,
and it would seriously have handicapped Dick. But he had escaped,
and still had some reserve to his credit.
"And now I guess we can eat," said the young millionaire, with a
sigh of relief.
"A quick bite, only," stipulated Mr. Vardon. "Some of those wires
I put in last are a disgrace to an electrician. I want to change
them right away. They won't stand the vibration."
"Well, coffee and sandwiches, anyhow," said Dick, and the simple
meal was soon in progress.
Steadily the airship again climbed up toward the clouds, from which
she had so nearly fallen. And with a sandwich and a cup of coffee
beside him, Mr. Vardon worked at the wires, putting in permanent
ones in place of the temporary conductors. This could be done
without stopping the motor.
"I wonder if it was the fire Grit was anticipating all the while he
acted so queer?" asked Innis.
"I don't know--but it was something," Dick said. "I shouldn't
wonder but what he did have some premonition of it. Anyhow, you
gave the alarm in time, old boy!" and he patted his pet on the back.
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