“Will cabin hold four men safely? Answer, Rush. Mackworth.”
The reply was:
“Six or eight, four in comfort. Frank.”
In two more days came another letter. It was this that turned the Graham household upside down, almost drove Mrs. Ewing into a panic and threw Frank and Phil into what was little short of a delirium of joy. The surprising communication was as follows:
“My Dear Nephew:
“I am addressing this to you, but it is in reality written as much for your mother and father. I see no reason why the idea cannot be carried out. That is, I see no good reason although I suppose your parents will find a number of objections. It will be my business in a few days to debate those reasons in person, if they are presented, for I shall be in Grand Rapids within a week.
“It is my plan to utilize you and your chum and the monoplane on a hunting expedition. My English friends have arrived and I find they are set on an expedition after the rare Rocky Mountain sheep—the Bighorn. You know, I presume, how these animals are usually hunted. In the valleys and canyons, beneath their craggy haunts, hunters crawl from day to day, armed with binoculars, searching each rocky height, point and crag for some sign of the animal. If they are fortunate enough to get a glimpse of one, they then begin the real work of trailing it up the mountain sides, stalking the wary beast until on some almost unscalable bench or summit they can get a shot. That is what we used to do. Modern ideas, I have decided, make this method obsolete. You, your chum, my two friends and I are going to carry the Loon into the mountains and hunt the Bighorn with the airship. Prepare to dismount your machine, make cases for its parts and, after my talk with your parents, we’ll be off for the west. Tell your father to let you have what money you need and charge it to me. And, of course, if you have any ideas of changes to be made—any additions that will improve the monoplane for the work I’ve planned—don’t hesitate to make them. Spare no expense to help me give my friends a successful trip. Don’t bother about provisions or equipment as Jake will be with us and see to them. Sam Skinner, one of my old guides, will also be with us.
“Your uncle,
“Guy Mackworth.”