“Naturally,” Ned rejoined loyally. “You would not waste your time on anything mediocre, I am sure.”
“Many, many thanks,” returned Tom, getting up to bow to his treasurer.
“But tell me more about it. Let’s have the particulars,” said Ned, with interest.
“I will give you a few figures to consider,” Tom said promptly, picking up a paper from his desk and reading from it. “The boat will be sixty feet long. That is about the length of the keel. She will have cabin space for ten or twelve people. I plan to have the wings spread at least one hundred and ten feet. She will be driven by two Liberty motors, each of four hundred horsepower. If I can’t get a hundred miles an hour speed out of her I shall be gravely disappointed.”
“Whew! Some boat!” muttered Ned. “But if it is practical, we may make some money out of it.”
“Miser!” chuckled Tom.
“That’s all right. Just spending money for the fun of it will get you nowhere,” said Ned soberly. “It is going to cost a pretty penny. But if you can sell it to the Government, for instance; or some government——”
“Whatever I build, is at the service of our country,” Tom said promptly. “But I am not going to peddle my inventions to other nations. I don’t need to.”
“‘Pride goeth before a fall,’” quoted Ned Newton. “The time may come when the Swift Construction Company will need cash. Then these experiments of yours will breed some ducats.”
“This flying boat is my pet project, Ned,” Tom said soberly. “I believe a deal of experimenting is going on all over the world in the constructing of seaplanes. It is the most practical end of the flying game.”