"She has to be able to carry all you want to take in her," said the aviator. "But she'll be speedy for all of that, for the engine will be very powerful." "Will she be safe?" asked Dick. "As safe as any airship. I am going to incorporate in her my gyroscope equilibrizer, or stabilizer, as you suggested." "Oh, yes, I want that!" said Dick, in a decided tone. "It is very good of you to allow me to demonstrate my patent on your craft," the inventor said. "It will be a fine thing for me if you win the prize, and it is known that my stabilizer was aboard to aid you," he said, with shining, eager eyes. "Well, I'm only too glad I can help you in that small way," spoke Dick. "I'm sure your patent is a valuable one." "And I am now positive that it will work properly," went on Mr. Vardon. "And I'll take precious good care that no sneak, like Larson, gets a chance to tamper with it!" exclaimed Jack Butt. "You must not make such positive statements," warned his chief. "It may not have been Larson." "Well, your machine was tampered with; wasn't it, just before we sank into the river?" "Yes, and that was what made us fall." "Well, I'm sure Larson monkeyed with it, and no one can make me believe anything else," said Jack, positively. "If he comes around here--" "He isn't likely to," interrupted Dick. "The army aviators were sent to Texas, I believe, to give some demonstrations at a post there." "You never can tell where Larson will turn up," murmured Jack. Dick was shown the progress of the work, and was consulted about several small changes from the original, tentative plans. He agreed to them, and then, as it was only a question of waiting until his craft was done, he decided to call on some of his friends at Hamilton Corners. Innis and Paul arrived in due season, and were delighted at the sight of Dick's big, new aircraft, which, by the time they saw it, had assumed more definite shape. Mr. Vardon and his men had worked rapidly. "And that cabin is where we'll stay; is that it?" asked Paul, as he looked at the framework. "That's to be our quarters," answered the young millionaire. Paul was looking carefully on all sides of it. "Something missing?" asked Dick, noting his chum's anxiety. "I was looking for the fire escape." "Fire escape!" cried Dick. "What in the world would you do with a fire escape on an airship?" "Well, you're going to carry a lot of gasolene, you say. If that gets afire we'll want to escape; won't we? I suggest a sort of rope ladder, that can be uncoiled and let down to the ground. That might answer." "Oh, slosh!" cried Dick. "There's going to be no fire aboard the--say, fellows, I haven't named her yet! I wonder what I'd better call her? "Call her the Abaris," suggested Innis, "though he wasn't a lady." "Who was he?" asked Dick. "That name sounds well."