David pushed back his chair; he could not eat. They went out and, crossing the great landing field to the hangar, they sat down on a truck and looked at the closed doors. “She’s in there, Dave, safe and sound! And in two weeks she will carry us away over land and sea, rough mountains and sweet valleys—round the world, and home again. You and me, David; assistant pilot and mechanic!” “Chief mechanic, as I read it,” said David, smiling. “Well, I must wire my mother the good news.” “That’s right, and I must telegraph my mother, too, and that blackguard brother of mine, as well. I’ll just say to him, ‘Your Reverence, the ugly duckling has become a swan. Am startin’ on a world cruise in the Moonbeam on the fifteenth of June. What’s to be done about it?’ That will stop him all right.” “I can’t think of a greater thing to have happen to us,” mused David. “Around the world, Red! Get it? Seeing all those countries, and meeting so many people. The first American dirigible to fly around the world!” “Yes,” said Red, “and having those blessed engines right where I can keep an eye on them, day and night. Going full blast, and me with an ear for every beat. I’m just crazy with joy, Dave. Let’s go and get a sody.” They climbed into their jointly owned and jointly loved roadster, and started it toward the nearest soda fountain, its fenders flapping, its body squeaking and rattling as though in proud defiance of its softly purring motor—Red’s “favorite child.” “We have come a good way in the past four years, Red,” David bellowed over the din. “Sometimes the work has seemed pretty stiff, but I’d work twice as hard, if possible, for what I have gained.” “Yeah!” said Red, nodding his bright head. “And sometimes I feel that it just isn’t so. All this. I’ll wake up, and find myself a kid; in bed listenin’ to a worn awning rope rattlin’, and a freight train grumblin’ on the sidin’ across the street. You know, Dave, even when I was a kid there was something in me pushing up, and reaching out, for something I couldn’t reach or see.” His voice grew bitter. “I knew a fella once who smoked and caroused too much, and one day he went down and out. He’d never taken anybody’s advice about taking care of himself. Well, after his heart cracked on him, the poor devil just went around beggin’ the rest of his gang to lay off, and go to bed once in a while. However, one day his poor old engine stopped, and that was the end of him. “I was like that about school. Everybody tellin’ me I ought to finish high school, and me knowin’ better than the whole of ’em. I tell you, Dave, I’d give anything for the chance, now. Now I see what I’ve thrown away. And I need it; Lord, how I need it! It means that I’ve got to make it up, sweating and groaning. Night schools, and correspondence schools, and study. Because, so help me, Dave, I won’t disgrace my engines.