Of course each one of them had been in an aeroplane before. Mr. Vardon and his helper had made many flights, not all of them successful, and Dick and his fellow cadets had gone up quite often, though they were, as yet, only amateurs. Larry Dexter was perhaps less familiar with aeroplanes than any of them, but he seemed to take it as a matter of course. "Say, this is great! Just great!" cried Dick, as he slipped the lever of the elevating rudder into a notch to hold it in place. He intended going up considerably higher. "It sure is great, old man!" cried Paul. "I congratulate you." "Oh, the praise belongs to Mr. Vardon," said Dick, modestly. "I couldn't have done anything without him." "And if it hadn't been for your money, I couldn't have done anything," declared the aviator. "It all worked together." "Say, how high are you going to take us?" asked Innis. "Not getting scared, are you?" asked Dick, with a glance at the barograph, to ascertain the height above the earth. "We're only up about two thousand feet. I want to make it three." He looked at Mr. Vardon for confirmation. "Three thousand won't be any too much," agreed the aviator. "She'll handle better at that distance, or higher. But until we give her a work out, it's best not to get too high." The big propellers were whirling more and more rapidly as the motor warmed-up to its work. The craft was vibrating with the strain of the great power, but the vibration had been reduced to a minimum by means of special spring devices. "Now we'll try a spiral ascent," said Dick, as he moved the lever of the horizontal rudder. The Abaris responded instantly, and began a spiral climb, which is usually the method employed by birdmen. They also generally descend in spirals, especially when volplaning. Up and up went the big aircraft. There was a section of the cabin floor made of thick transparent celluloid, and through this a view could be had of the earth below. "We're leaving your place behind, Dick," said Paul, as he noted the decreasing size of the home of the young millionaire. "Well, we'll come back to it--I hope," Dick answered. "Don't you fellows want to try your hand at steering?" "Wait until you've been at it a while, and see how it goes," suggested Innis. "We don't want to wreck the outfit." But the Abaris seemed a stanch craft indeed, especially for an airship. "Say, this is a heap-sight better than sitting strapped in a small seat, with the wind cutting in your face!" exclaimed Larry, as he moved about the enclosed cabin. "It sure is mighty comfortable--the last word in aeroplaning, just as Dick's touring car was in autoing," declared Paul, who had taken a seat at a side window and was looking out at some low-lying clouds. "All we want now is a meal, and we'll be all to the merry!" Dick exclaimed. "A meal!" cried Larry. "Are you going to serve meals aboard here?"