“Just the condition I want him in,” Jerry said to his chums as they went to bed that night.
Two days later the airship was ready for a flight. The engine had been tried and worked perfectly. The boys had gone off as usual in their automobile and now, as the hour of noon approached, they awaited the favorable moment for approaching and hovering over Square Z ranch.
“Well, let her go,” said Jerry as he and his chums took their seats in the airship. The powerful motor hummed, the craft hesitated a moment and then shot swiftly over the smooth ground. Jerry turned on more gas, gave the control of the elevating rudder a shift and, as lightly and airily as a bird, the craft soared.
“Feels like old times!” shouted Bob in Jerry’s ear, but the engine, muffled as it was, made so much noise that the tall lad barely heard. He nodded his head in answer.
“They’re all there!” the lips of Ned formed as they came near the group of ranch houses. Looking down the boys could see the cowboys relaxing after dinner. Out of the air swooped down toward them the flying craft.
[CHAPTER XVI]
THE WRONG PONY
“What’s that noise?” asked Gimp, seated with the other cowboys, most of whom were smoking.
“What noise?” asked the Parson, lazily flicking the ashes from his cigarette.