“Of course, Sir John. The _Cavalier_ sails in a fortnight, I believe.” “Yes,” answered Alan, “and I am going to take fourteen days real rest, and then—well, off to Kalvar again, only this time of my own free will.” The longed-for moment had come! Hector was in the mechanic’s seat, while Masters navigated the great ship down the grassy slope. Gracefully she slid out of the hangar, and down the incline and stopped on the level. Sir John was very excited. “You are sure you want to test her?” he asked. “Remember she has never been up before—you have only my word for it that she’s safe. Desmond, don’t you think you had better stay with Mavis, in case—” But Mavis interposed. “Nonsense, Uncle John. This is _the_ day of my life. Now give me your hand,” and she gracefully swung herself up the ladder and on to the lower deck. Sir John followed suit, and they stood side by side, watching the cousins ascend the ladder. At last! They were all aboard and the six persons entrusted themselves to the aluminium bird that shone brightly in the sunshine. They hauled the grappling irons in, Masters touched a lever, and they started. Slowly they ascended at first—but climbed higher and higher, faster and faster until the hangar was lost to sight and they saw only broad expanses of country below them. “Oh!” said Mavis breathlessly. “We’re off. Where are we going?” “I want to make a circuit of the British Isles, and then home to Dalmyrnie.” “But shall we have time?” “At express speed we ought to do it in about four hours.” “Only four hours?” in amazement. “Well, we shall only go from Dalmyrnie—we shan’t touch further north to-day.” “Now,” went on Mavis impatiently. “I want you to take me all over this wonderful ship. I want to see everything. I want to know how it is possible to navigate and propel such a tremendous vessel by the work of only two men.” “Then we’ll start right now,” laughed Sir John. “Come, boys, we’ll explore the Argenta, and then have some tea.” CHAPTER III THE AIRSHIP “It’s wonderful, Uncle John! It’s almost beyond belief!” Mavis had walked the whole length of the vessel on the under deck in silence. Her husband’s arm was about her waist, her face was radiant, flushed with excitement. Alan, too, was bereft of words; even his wildest dreams had never imagined a vessel so perfect, so magnificent, so sensitive to touch that two men could manage it with comfort and ease, and should necessity arise, even one man could manipulate the tiny levers and navigate it. With a torpedo body some nine hundred feet long, its nose narrowed to three feet, giving it a grace unusual in such a monster aircraft. The entire body was composed of an alloy of aluminium, the formula of which was discovered by much hard work and research by Sir John and Masters. An upper and lower deck ran round the entire ship, about six feet wide, which was covered with a fibre, and had bulwarks of aluminium.