"I shall certainly report as to the wisdom of having such an apparatus on every airship the United States uses," declared Lieutenant McBride. "No matter whether Dick Hamilton's craft wins the prize or not,--and I certainly hope he does--the gyroscope must be used." "I am glad to hear you say so," spoke the inventor, "but I never would have been able to perfect it had it not been for my friend Dick Hamilton." "Why don't you blush, Dick?" asked Innis, playfully. "I don't take any credit to myself at all," said the young millionaire. "Well, I'm going to give it to you," declared the aviator. "From now on the gyroscope stabilizer will be known as the Vardon-Hamilton, and some additional patents I contemplate taking out will be in our joint names." "Thanks," said Dick, "but I'll accept only on one condition." "What is that?" "It is that no money from this invention comes to me. If I win the twenty thousand dollar prize I'll be content." "What are you going to do with the money?" asked Paul Drew, for Dick really had no need of it. "I'll build a new gym, at Kentfield," was the reply. "Our present one is too small. We need an indoor baseball cage too." "Good for you!" cried Innis. "You're a real sport!" In the evolutions of the airship each one aboard was given a chance to pilot her. He was also allowed to stop and start the machinery, since it could not be told at what moment, in an emergency, someone would have to jump into the breech. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon, when Dick's ship was nearing the Western borders of Pennsylvania, that Paul, who was looking down through the celluloid floor in the cabin, cried out: "Something going on down below us, boys!" All save Innis, who was steering, crowded around the odd window. "Why, there's an airship meet going on down there," said Dick. "Look, there are a lot of monoplanes and some biplanes." "Let's go down a bit and salute them," suggested Larry. "Down she is!" cried Innis, as he pulled over the lever of the deflecting rudder. "Say when, Dick." "Oh, keep her up about two thousand feet. We don't want to interfere with any of their evolutions." But the advent of the Abaris seemed welcomed by the other airships that were taking part in the evolutions below. Two of them, which had been flying high, at once pointed their noses upward, and raced forward to get in line with Dick's craft. "They're going to race us!" Paul shouted. "Come on, Dick, now's your chance!" "Shall I?" the young millionaire asked of Mr. Vardon. "Yes, go ahead. Let's see what we can do to them. Though they are probably much swifter than we are." "Take the wheel, Dick!" cried Innis. "I want to see you beat 'em." The implied challenge was at once accepted, and in another moment the impromptu race was under way. CHAPTER XXIV GRIT'S GRIP