“All right!” cried Nicodemus, studying the shore a moment. “North by east, skipper!”

Barney started the air-ship forward in the direction indicated. Soon the lake bed was beneath them.

As the Spectre sailed on over the sands, suddenly Nicodemus clutched Frank’s arm and said:

“There they are!”

A body of men were seen rushing rapidly across the lake bed. They were Dooley and his gang.

They could not help but see the air-ship, and even at that distance fired a number of shots at it. But of course they were without effect.

Meanwhile the Spectre rapidly left them out of sight.

Three miles was a distance easily covered by the air-ship, and suddenly Nicodemus clutched Frank’s arm and cried:

“There is the spot! Between those round hills! See it?”

Frank sprang to the keyboard and taking the lever from Barney, steered the air-ship down between the little hills of wet sand.