"Oh, nonsense! It isn't anything of the sort," protested Dick. "I've got to have somebody build my airship, and I'd rather it would be your cousin than anyone else." "It's fine and dandy!" Innis exclaimed. "Come on; let's find him and tell him. He needs something to cheer him up, for he's got the blues horribly. Come along, Dick." To say that Mr. Vardon was delighted to accept Dick's offer is putting it mildly. Yet he was not too demonstrative. "This is the best news I've heard in a long while," he said. "I guess my cousin has told you I'm pretty badly embarrassed financially," he added. "Yes," assented Dick. "Well, I happen to have plenty of money, through no fault of my own, and we'll do this airship business up properly. "I'd like you to get started at it as soon as you can, and as there will be preliminary expenses, I'm going to advance you some cash. You'll have to order certain parts made up, won't you?" he asked. "Yes, I presume so," agreed the aviator. "And, of course, I'll want your stabilizer on my craft." "That's very good of you to say. It will give me a fine chance to demonstrate it," said Mr. Vardon. Later in the day, Dick, his chums, the aviator and Larry Dexter were talking about some of the flights made in the army machines that afternoon. "Can you arrange to have a wireless outfit on my airship?" asked the young millionaire, as an exchange of wireless talk had been a feature of the exhibition that day. "Oh, yes, that can easily be done," assented the birdman. "Say, you're going to have a fine outfit!" complimented Paul. "Might as well have a good one while I'm at it," answered Dick, with a laugh. "I've got to make good on dad's account anyhow. I can't stand him laughing at me. I wish I had my airship now." "I'll start building it, soon," promised Mr. Vardon. "I'll want it in time for the summer vacation," went on Dick. "I'm going to spend a lot of time in the air." "Why don't you make a try for the prize?" suggested Mr. Vardon. "What prize?" Dick wanted to know. "Why the United States Government, to increase interest in airship navigation, and construction, especially for army purposes, has offered a prize of twenty thousand dollars for the first flight from the Atlantic to the Pacific, or from New York to San Francisco, by an airship carrying at least three persons. Only two landings are allowed during the flight, to take on gasolene, or make repairs. Why don't you try for that?" "What, me try for that prize in the first airship I ever owned!" exclaimed Dick. "I wouldn't have the nerve! I guess the government doesn't want amateurs in the trans-continental flight."