“When did you first suspect me?” asked Serge. “Almost as soon as you arrived,” admitted Andy. “If you remember I questioned you about Friedrichshafen and suggested that you might know Karl Staab? When you admitted that you knew Staab I decided something was wrong for as far as I know Staab never existed outside of my own mind.”
“But I really have been at Friedrichshafen,” replied Serge.
“I believed that,” said Andy, “for your technical knowledge showed you had been trained with the Germans. Now let’s go over to the hotel and see Dad and Captain Harkins.”
The conference at the hotel was interesting and successful and before the long evening drew to a close it was agreed that Serge Larko, who had assumed his real identity, should become a permanent member of the Goliath’s crew.
Even though the next day promised to be unusually busy, it was midnight before they were in bed but they were up at the crack of dawn.
Serge was happier than he had been in months and Andy felt that a great weight had been lifted from his mind. There was no further danger to the Goliath from inside sources and they were practically ready for the test flights.
Lieut. Jim Crummit, in command of the army pursuit ships at Bellevue, stopped them as they left the hotel.
“Will you want us to stand by this afternoon in case you decide to take the Goliath aloft?” he asked Captain Harkins.
“I hardly think that will be necessary, Lieutenant!” replied the commander of the Goliath. “Any flight we might make would be confined to the limits of the field.”
“Right, sir,” said the army officer as he turned and walked toward the hangars which housed the army ships.