Dick Hamilton's Airship; Or, A Young Millionaire in the Clouds — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Dick Hamilton's Airship; Or, A Young Millionaire in the Clouds
John Stuart Mill · en
"Yes, and cook 'em, too," answered the young millionaire. "Paul, show
Larry where the galley is," for the reporter had not called at Hamilton
Corners in some time, and on the last occasion the airship had been far
from complete.
"Say, this is great!" Larry cried, as he saw the electrical appliances
for cooking. "This is the limit! I'm glad I came along."
"We won't stop to cook now," said Mr. Vardon. "I want to see the
various controls tested, to know if we have to make any changes. Now
we'll try a few evolutions."
In order that all aboard might become familiar with the workings of the
machinery, it was decided that there should be turn and turn about in
the matter of steering and operating the craft. Reaching a height of
three thousand feet, as Dick ascertained by the barograph, the young
millionaire straightened his craft out on a level keel, and kept her
there, sending her ahead, and in curves, at an increasing speed.
"There you go now, Paul," he called. "Suppose you take her for a
while."
"Well, if you want an accident, just let me monkey with some of the
works," laughed the jolly cadet. "I can do it to the queen's taste."
"You'll have to go out of your way, then," said Mr. Vardon. "I've
arranged the controls so they are as nearly careless proof as possible.
Just think a little bit about what you are going to do, and you won't
have any trouble. It's a good thing for all of you to learn to manage
the craft alone. So start in."
Paul found it easier than he expected, and he said, in spite of her
bulk, that the Abaris really steered easier than one of the smaller
biplanes they had gotten used to at Kentfield.
Back and forth over the fields, meadows and woods in the vicinity of
Hamilton Corners the airship was taken, in charge of first one and then
another of the party aboard. Larry Dexter was perhaps the one least
familiar with the workings of the machine, yet even he did well, with
Dick and Mr. Vardon at his side to coach him.
"Now we'll give the gyroscope stabilizer a test!" said Mr. Vardon, when
each, including himself, had had a turn. "I want to make sure that it
will stand any strain we can put on it."
"What are you going to do?" asked Dick.
"I'm going to tilt the craft suddenly at an angle that would turn her
over if it were not for the stabilizer," was the answer.
Dick looked at the barograph, or height-recording gage. It registered
thirty-eight hundred feet. They had gone up a considerable distance in
making their experiments.
"Maybe you'd better wait," suggested the young millionaire, pointing to
the hand of the dial, "until we go down a bit."
"No," decided the aviator. "If she's going to work at all she'll do it
up at this distance as well, if not better, than she would five
hundred, or one hundred feet, from the ground."
"But it might be safer--" began Paul.
"There won't be any danger--it will work, I'm sure of it," said Mr.
Vardon, confidently.