"Tie him to a parachute and drop him overboard as soon as we are over the land again," shouted the captain in angry tones. "I won’t have any stowaways aboard my ship." This was said more to frighten the little imp than with real intent, though the air-skipper spoke in angry tones, as if he meant what he said. He was evidently very much annoyed at this discovery. "He’s half-frozen, sir," interposed the chief officer in more kindly tones. "Humph! Of course he is," added the captain. "This keen, biting wind at three thousand feet above the sea must have turned his marrow cold. Besides, he hasn’t enough clothes to cover a rabbit decently. Just look at him!" The little chap’s eyes sparkled, and his face flushed a little at this reference to his scant wardrobe. But he knew by the changed tone in the captain’s voice that the worst was now over. He had not even heard a reference to the proverbial rope’s-end, a vision which he had always associated in his mind with stowaways. "My word, he’s a plucky little urchin, Crabtree!" declared the air-skipper at length, his anger settling down, and his admiration for the adventurous little gamin asserting itself as he gazed at the ragged but sharp-eyed little fellow. "What is your name, Sonny?" he asked at length. "Gadget, sir," whipped out the stowaway. "Good enough!" returned the captain smiling. "We’ve plenty of gadgets aboard the airship, and I guess another won’t make much difference. What do you say, Crabtree?" "Oh, we’ll find something for him to do, sir. And we’ll make him earn his keep. He’s an intelligent little shrimp, anyhow." "How old are you, Gadget?" asked the captain. "Twelve, sir!" replied the gamin. "Father and mother dead, I suppose?" "Yes, sir." "Been left to look after yourself, Gadget, I reckon, haven’t you?" said the skipper kindly, as he gave one more searching glance at the small urchin, and noted how the little blue lips quivered, despite the brave young heart behind them. There was no reply this time, for even the poor, ill-treated lad could not bring himself to speak of his up-bringing. "Never mind, Gadget...!" interposed the skipper, changing the subject. "So you determined to see the world, did you, my boy?" "Yessir!" came the reply, and again the sharp eyes twinkled. "Well, you shall go round the world with me, if you are a good boy. But, if you don’t behave, mark my words"--and here the captain raised his voice as if in anger--"I’ll drop you overboard by parachute, and leave you behind! Do you understand?" The urchin promised to behave himself, and, in language redolent of Whitechapel, began to thank the captain effusively. "There, that will do! Take him away, and get him a proper rig-out, Crabtree," said the skipper impatiently. "I never saw such a tatterdemalion in all my life."