“Mother darling,” said David gently, “I know how you must feel, but this is not war time. It is peace that needs the dirigible. It is the greatest invention; the greatest—Oh, I am crazy about it! Father would tell me to go on, wouldn’t he, mother?” “Yes, he would indeed,” Mrs. Ellison said proudly, with a tremulous smile. “When do you have to start, Davie?” asked his younger sister, Patty. “Patty seems to have decided it,” laughed Mrs. Ellison. “The examinations for enrollment are only four days from today,” said David ruefully. “At Ayre, Ohio!” cried Lydia. “My goodness! Dave, you will have to start tonight. And what will you start on? Has anybody got any money?” “I have the Liberty Bond father bought me,” said David. Mrs. Ellison’s eyes filled, but Lydia jumped up and danced around the room. “The very thing!” she cried. “Oh, that’s wonderful! Father would so love to stake you in this. Come on, mother, get out his bond, and while you and David go out and get somebody to cash it, I will pack his things, and see to reservations.” She looked at her mother, and sensed something wrong. “You approve, don’t you, mother? You will let him fly? We will be so proud of him. Why, this is better than a dozen colleges.” “A school for apprentices,” mused Mrs. Ellison. “That really means greater safety for future ships, doesn’t it? It is a wonderful thing.” “It is not a new idea,” said David. “They opened one in Friedrichshafen, Germany, during the war. It has been a great success. Friedrichshafen is the cradle of the dirigible. We have army and navy schools here in this country, but this school is to fit civilians for commercial flying, and is run on what you might call a co-operative basis. I wondered if we would ever wake up over here to the necessity of schools like that. And now—well, I bet in three or four years there will be a dozen schools scattered all over the United States.” “Dave, it’s just great!” cried Lydia. David looked anxiously toward his mother. “Well, what’s the good word, mother? Do I go?” For a long moment Mrs. Ellison seemed lost in thought. This boy was her only son. How much safer it would be to “measure coffee, and count sugar sacks.” Her only son; but he was his father’s son as well! Brave, intrepid Rick Ellison had a share in this boy. So she spoke for them both, and smiled. “Go, of course, David,” she said. CHAPTER II LORD CRAM