“Come with me, Dashaway,” said Mr. King. “I have a lot to talk over with you.”
Mr. Dale remained at the aerodrome until Leblance could hunt up one of his workmen and place him on watchman’s duty. The aviator led his young friend to the boarding house. Dave declared that he was not hungry, but his host would not consent to this impending talk until he had dispatched a good meal. Then he took him to his own room, locked the door to secure them from interruption, and made him take a comfortable armchair.
“You have arrived in the nick of time, Dashaway,” said Mr. King. “I’ve felt the need of you for some days.”
“I can’t be of much assistance until the airship is finished, I should think,” suggested the young aviator.
“That is true so far as the Albatross is concerned,” agreed Mr. King. “That end of the proposition is in capable hands, I am glad to say. We have been very fortunate in securing the services of Leblance. He is an expert in airship construction, helped to build several models in Europe, and has some splendid new ideas. I am now satisfied that the Albatross will be all that we have hoped for.”
“That is good,” said Dave.
“It seems that our project has made quite a stir in the aviation world,” proceeded Mr. King. “All the clubs are interested, the central association has taken the matter up, and there is a chance of a bulk prize of at least fifty thousand dollars being offered.”
“Grand!” commented Dave, with sparkling eyes. “It’s worth trying for, isn’t it, Mr. King?”
“And we will get it, if there’s no miss in our plans—and no trickery, Dashaway,” asserted the veteran airman, confidently. “I have counted all the risks and chances. Given fair conditions, I believe our group will successfully make the first airship voyage across the Atlantic. To-morrow I will show you how far we have progressed, and how carefully Leblance is planning to turn out the finest dirigible ever constructed. It will make you as hopeful and enthusiastic as myself.”
“I’m that already,” insisted the young aviator.