"And did you ever try calling the rooster back, when he starts to play truant, with all that mouthful of words?" queried the amused Mark. "Yes, indeedy," said Washington, seriously. "Don't he mind, then?" "I should think he'd be struck motionless in his tracks," chuckled Jack. "No, sah," said Washington. "Dat's de only fault I kin fin' with dat name--it don't 'pear to stop him. An' befo' I kin git it all out he's ginerally out ob sight!" That sent both boys off into another paroxysm of laughter. Meanwhile the darkey had come into the great shed and was slowly walking around the flying machine. "What do you think of her, Wash, now that she's finished?" asked Mark. "Is she done done?" queried the darkey, wonderingly. "She certainly is," agreed Jack. "De chile is bawn and done named Nebbercudsneezer, heh? Well! well!" "No; it's named the _Snowbird_," Mark retorted. "And to-morrow morning, bright and early, we shall sail on its trial trip. The professor is going with us, Washington. Of course, you will come, too?" "Lawsy me! don't see how I kin!" stammered Washington White, who always wished to be considered very brave, but who was really as timid as a hare. "Yo' see, Massa Mark, I'spect I shall be right busy." "What will you be busy at?" demanded Jack. "Well--well, sah," said Wash, "if dat Shanghai don't come back befo', I shall hab ter go snoopin' aroun' de kentry a-huntin' fo' him. He'll be crowin' 'bout sun-up, an' he suah can't disguise his crow." "If Andy was here, he would surely want to go with us," declared Jack to Mark. "Andy Sudds isn't afraid of anything." "My! my!" cried Washington. "Yo' don't fo' one moment suppose, Massa Jack, dat I's afeared; does yo'?" "No, you're not afraid, Wash," returned Jack, chuckling. "You're only scared to death. But you go ahead and hunt your rooster. See that you keep him from flying too high, however, or we'll run him down in the _Snowbird_." "Pshaw!" said Mark. "That rooster is so fat he couldn't fly high, anyway." "And perhaps the _Snowbird_ won't fly very high; eh?" retorted Jack, letting a little anxiety creep into his voice. "But dat rooster suah _kin_ fly high," said Washington White, eagerly. "Yo' gemmens knows dat he's flowed as high as de moon--he, he!" "And 'flowed' is a mighty good word, Wash," chuckled Jack. "Ah! here is the professor, Mark." Professor Henderson was an aged man with snow white hair and beard. Although he was not physically as strong as he once was, his brain and energy were not in the least impaired by advancing years. He had taken the two lads, Jack Darrow and Mark Sampson, both orphans, under his care some years before, and under his tuition and by his aid they were much farther advanced in knowledge of the practical sciences than other boys of their age.