"Say, that was some little excitement," remarked the young millionaire, as he wiped the beads of perspiration from his forehead. "I thought poor old Grit was sure a goner." "It did look so," admitted Paul. "He's an intelligent beast, all right." "Takes after me," laughed Dick. "Well, let's see how Innis made out while we were at the rescue." "I was all ready to send her down quick, if you'd given the word," said the cadet in the pilot house, when the party went inside the cabin. "But she's still on her course," he added, after a glance at the compass. "I'm glad we didn't have to go down," Dick remarked. "As we only have two landings we can make I want to save my reserve until we are actually forced to use it. I wonder about where we are, anyhow? Let's make a calculation." By figuring out the rate of speed, and comparing the elapsed time, and then by figuring on a scale map, it was estimated, as dusk settled down, that they were about on the border line between Pennsylvania and Ohio. "We'll cross the state of Ohio tonight," spoke Dick, "and by morning we ought to be in Indiana. Not so bad, considering that we haven't really pushed the machine to the limit yet, except in that little brush with the other airships." "Yes, we are doing very well," said Mr. Vardon. "I wonder how some of our competitors are making out? I'd like to get some news of them." "So would I," went on Dick. "Particularly my Uncle Ezra." Had he but known it, Mr. Larabee, in his airship with Larson and the army man, was following close after him. For really the big biplane, with the mercury stabilizers, which Larson had constructed, was a fine craft, and capable. That Larson had cheated Mr. Larabee out of considerable money in the building had nothing to do with the working of the apparatus. But of Uncle Ezra and his aircraft more later. "We'll get some news the first landing we make," suggested Lieutenant McBride. "Well, I would like to get news all right," admitted Dick. "But I don't want to go down until I have to. Now for supper. Anything you fellows would like, especially?" "Green turtle soup for mine!" sung out Larry. "I'll have pickled eels' feet," laughed Innis, who had relinquished the wheel to Mr. Vardon. "Wait a bit, Dick, and I'll drop a line overboard and catch a few." "And I'll see if I can't shoot a mock turtle," came from Paul. "Nothing but roast turkey for mine," insisted Lieutenant McBride. "But I guess we'll have to compromise on capsule soup and condensed sandwiches." "Oh, I can give you canned chicken," promised the young millionaire, "and perhaps I can make it hot for you." "Not too much tabasco sauce though, the way you dosed up the stuff for the last Freshman dinner!" objected Paul. "I ate some of that by mistake, and I drank nothing but iced water for a week after." "That's right--it was a hot old time!" cried Dick, with a laugh at the recollection.