Mr. Greatorex and Tom had a long talk in the study that night. Up to the present the longest journey the aeroplane had taken without descending was, as Tom estimated, about forty miles. Then something had always occurred to make a descent necessary. The principal stumbling-block had been the overheating of the motors. But Tom suggested that if he were content with a speed of about twenty-five miles an hour, a greater distance might be covered without this risk. The practical question was, could the machine be brought so near the place of the envoy’s captivity as to make a dash upon it practicable? From the latest report, in the evening paper, it appeared that the prisoner was held in a mountain fastness some eighty miles from the Atlantic seaboard. Tom got out a map and pointed out the spot. It did not seem impossible to reach it by means of the airship from some convenient place on the coast. “D’you know what occurs to me?” said Tom. “You were talking of a yachting cruise in the _Dandy Dinmont_ in September. Why not make it a little earlier? I could then go in the airship and you in the yacht; and we could make that a kind of floating base, taking in it all materials necessary for repairs.” “But you couldn’t repair the thing without letting it down on the deck.” “I could do that, I think. To-day I came down within a few feet of the spot I aimed at, and I could let the machine down on deck if the yacht were not rolling or pitching too much.” “But _hang_ it all, Tom, the deck _wasn’t made_ for such a purpose.” “No; but it wouldn’t take long to rig up a temporary wooden platform and framework over the after-part of the vessel to serve as a landing-stage.” “You appear to have thought it all out,” said Mr. Greatorex. “D’you want to rush me off my _feet_?” “Not a bit,” replied Tom smiling. “You’ll be safe on deck.” “Well, how long will it take to get everything ready?” “A week.” “Very well. I’ll write off to Bodgers to-night to trim the yacht. The rest I leave to you. And mind, not a _word_ to a soul.” “I think I shall have to tell Oliphant. In fact, it was he who put it into my head.” “That’s a nuisance! Well, we’ll have him to dinner to-morrow. I want to take stock of him. Not a _word_ till I have sized him up.” Oliphant came to dinner with his sister and was approved. Mrs. Greatorex afterwards pronounced him to be “quite a nice boy.” Mr. Greatorex used different terms. “He’s no _fool_, and don’t _talk_ too much,” he said. The three had a very animated discussion as they walked in the cool of the evening. Mr. Greatorex was very emphatic on the point of secrecy.