"We're off!" cried Paul, excitedly.
"Not quite yet," answered Dick. "I want more power than we've got now."
He had it, almost in a moment, for the airship increased her speed across the slightly downward slope. Faster and faster she rolled along on the rubber-tired wheels.
"Now!", cried Dick, with his hand on the lever of the elevating rudder. "Look out for yourselves, fellows!"
He gave a backward pull. A thrill seemed to go through the whole craft. Her nose rose in the air. The forward wheels left the ground. Then the back ones tilted up.
Up shot the Abaris at an easy angle. Up and up! Higher and higher!
"We're doing it!" cried Dick, as he looked from the pilot house window to the earth fast falling below him. "Fellows, she's a success! We're going up toward the clouds!"