Floating on the surface of Lake Michigan was like being on the ocean, for they were out of sight of land, and there were no water craft in view. The Abaris seemed to have the lake to herself, though doubtless beyond the wall of the slight haze that hemmed her in there were other vessels. "Well, now to see what the trouble is," suggested Dick. "It must be somewhere in the connecting joints of the levers, for the rudder itself seems to be all right." "But we'd better begin out there and make sure," suggested Mr. Vardon. He pointed to the rudder, which projected some distance back of the stern of the aircraft. "How you going to get at it to inspect it?" asked Paul. "It isn't as if we were on solid ground." "And no one has long enough a reach to stretch to it from the deck," added Innis. "You forget our collapsible lifeboat," Dick answered. One of those useful craft was aboard the airship. It could be inflated with air, and would sustain a considerable weight. "I'll go out in that and see what's the trouble," Dick went on. "It will tell us where we've got to begin." "Perhaps we had better wait until morning," suggested Lieutenant McBride. "It is fast getting dark, and you can do much better work in daylight. Besides, you are not pressed for time, as your stay here will not count against you. I think you had better wait until morning." "And stay here all night?" asked Dick. "I think so. You have proved that your hydroplanes are all right. Why not rest on the surface of the lake until morning? You can't anchor, it is true, but you can use a drag, and there seems to be no wind, so you will not be blown ashore. Besides, you can, to a certain extent, control yourself with the propellers." "I think we will wait then," decided the young millionaire captain. "As you say we can make a drag anchor to keep us from drifting too much." By means of a long rope a drag anchor was tossed out at the stern of the aircraft. This would serve to hold her back. Then, as nothing further could be done, preparations were made for supper. "Well, this aeroplaning has its ups and downs," said Paul, with a laugh, as he sat at table. "Last night we were eating up in the air, and now we're on the water." "And it's lucky we're not IN the water!" exclaimed Innis. "Regular Hamilton luck, I call it." "No, it's Vardon luck," Dick insisted. "He planned the hydroplanes that made it possible." Lights were set aglow to show the position of the craft on the water. "We don't want to be run down in the night," Dick said, as he noted the red and green side lights as well as the white ones at bow and stern. For, in the water, the Abaris was subject to the same rules as were other lake craft. It was only when in the air that she was largely a law unto herself. The night passed quietly enough, though it came on to blow a little toward morning. But the drag anchor worked well.