“Well, we have escaped the thieves this time, Lawrence, and I do feel relieved! I am growing a little too old for this sort of thing. If I had been engaged in escaping bandits all my life, I suppose I would have an appetite for it. It must be the way some people like big doses of pepper in their food. But I am a peaceful man, and I would rather do ’most anything than go scooting around the world with a pack of hyenas on my trail. Perhaps if I had sons, a son like you, Lawrence, things would be different. Both Mrs. Ridgeway and myself would feel that there was more to live for. But the death of our sons sort of took the zest of living away from us. I have had to live for my wife and she for me. We never mention our loss. You must be careful of that, Lawrence. She cannot bear it even now. You noticed her picture in the library, did you not? It is a good one, but I carry a better one with me.” He undid his heavy leather coat and fumbled in an inside pocket just as the indicator announced that the wireless was working. Mr. Ridgeway buttoned his coat again, and turned to the wireless table.
“O’Brien is calling,” he said.
Lawrence put a hand on his arm.
“Mr. Ridgeway, be sure that it is O’Brien, and not someone else,” he begged. “I don’t feel good about that ship behind there. I suppose it is, O’Brien, but there is something that keeps telling me to be careful.”
Mr. Ridgeway smiled. “I wish I had known before that you were anxious, my dear boy,” he said. “The simplest way to settle that is to ask a question or two. We might have called yesterday and saved you the anxiety.”
He took up the instrument and adjusted it. In a moment the message from the other ship commenced to flow smoothly in. O’Brien greeted his chief and asked for a little help. Before they passed over the cliffs, would Mr. Ridgeway please slow down and allow him to come up? He could not make the speed that the Barnegat airship could make. Indeed he was straining his engine to keep in sight.
Mr. Ridgeway agreed to do as O’Brien asked. He hoped there was nothing wrong with O’Brien’s engine. Nothing serious, came the reply.
“Is anyone following?” asked Mr. Ridgeway.
“Yes,” answered the wireless. “We are followed by another dirigible. I suppose Smith is driving it, but they are far behind and cannot catch up before you cross England. They think they are following you. I will lead them toward the north as soon as we are well over the land.”
“That is satisfactory,” answered Mr. Ridgeway.