"It will take bigger amounts than we three put together can earn just to get the plans of the giant airship on paper," said Mr. King, with an indulgent smile at his loyal young friends. "If I go to any regular aero promoters they will want all the proceeds. I can raise a few thousand dollars myself and do as much more among my friends but, all put together, the amount wouldn't make even a beginning." "How much will it take, Mr. King?" asked Dave seriously. "At least twenty-five thousand dollars." "Whew!" whistled Hiram. "It's no child's play. It's a big risk, and there's no doing it half way," declared Mr. King. "Last night while I was planning over it, a sudden idea came to me. Dashaway, you remember that fellow who stole my watch and money and medal from you?" "You mean the young thief who called himself Briggs, and then Gregg?" "Exactly." "Yes, Mr. King." "And how he used some letters sent to your father from a great friend of his?" "Mr. Dale?" nodded Dave, wondering what all this had to do with the giant airship scheme. "Well, as you know, that young scamp, Gregg, had gone to Mr. Dale, who had never seen you, and by means of the letters stolen from you made him believe that he was the son of his old friend. So delighted was Mr. Dale, that he practically adopted young Gregg. In fact, he was on the point of making the pretended Dave Dashaway heir to all his fortune." "You told me about that," said Dave. "When we left Dayton to come here, we had to make a hurried jump to fill our contract, as you know. I let Gregg go, after recovering my stolen property from him, but I got a written confession of his bold imposture, first. You know my plan was for you and me to go where Mr. Dale lives, and introduce him to the real Dave Dashaway. You see, although I have managed to scare that old tyrant guardian of yours, Silas Warner, into leaving you alone, I feared he might work some trick to get you back in his clutches again." "I've thought a good deal about that lately," said Dave. "My plan was to have this Mr. Dale go to Brookville, show up Warner, and apply for your guardianship." "Yes, then I would feel safe," said Dave. "Well, Mr. Dale, having been an old balloonist, would probably not object to your remaining in the same line of business in which your father was famous." "I should think he would be pleased," remarked Hiram, who was always interested and active in any conversation going on.