“I’m sorry,” began Frank, “but I don’t think you understand.”
“I understand perfectly,” went on Mr. Mackworth, “because I’ve had the same experience. And there’ll come a time when you’ll know better.”
“Gee,” whispered Phil to Frank a little later. “I’m glad he don’t know what we expected his friends to look like.”
The boys soon had a lasting illustration that frock coats and silk hats don’t necessarily make one less a man. When the party reached Mr. Graham’s lumberyard and the airship shed, it was time for the boys to take charge of the program. And from the moment that the big doors were thrown open, the retired and quiet spot burst into a beelike murmur of buzzing questions and answers.
The bronzelike planes of the stout monoplane stretched out like the wings of a metallic beetle. The composition windows—clear and dustless—were all in place. Each observation instrument and recorder also hung in place. The grapnel lines and rope ladder lay in shipshape coils on the floor. The exposed metal of the engine glowed like the barrel of a Tommy Atkins’ rifle. The aluminum body and the aluminum varnished struts and braces of the car resembled Chinese lacquer in smoothness.
“Would you believe it, Captain?” exclaimed Lord Pelton at once in enthusiastic admiration. “Quite a bit better than our dirty military machines at home. What?”
“I not only will believe it,” was Captain Ludington’s rejoinder, “but I do. Young gentlemen,” he continued, “am I to understand that you actually made all of this marvelous craft except the engine?”
“Wherever we found a better mechanic in this town,” acknowledged Frank, “we hired him to do parts—cabinet workers and metal workers. But they worked on our plans and models.”
“Well,” continued the captain, “of course, I haven’t had the widest acquaintance with such craft, although we already have a corps at work in India and I have attended a few trials by the military squad at home. But, I know enough to appreciate what is before me. I desire to congratulate and compliment you. I must also again thank Mr. Mackworth. I can see we are to get both pleasure and profit from your genius.”