work burnished till it shone and sparkled like newly-minted silver. Amidships on the craft, the general construction of which is familiar to readers of

shop were to be caught. The smaller wires underneath were connected with the metal work of the

ft. The Wondership, then, was a combination of dirigible balloon, automobile and boat. Her motive power was furnished by engines driven by an explosive volatile gas which w

hen it was desired to take to the air the balloon bag, which was neatly folded on a framework supported by upright stanch

y sealed panels could be drawn together, completely enclosing the body and making the craft a water-tight "bottle." Ventilation was provided in such a case by a hollow telescopic tube which reached twenty-five feet into the air. It was divided in two. Fresh

raft to shoot upward to the sky. When all was ready a test of the instruments was made and they were found to be working p

," said Mr. Chadwick, who looked pale and ill after

o climb into the machine above which the big yellow balloon bag wa

, when he had climbed into the driver's seat, in fro

my boy?" aske

tever the result may be, y

hard, I guess, but in the excitement of perfecting the radio te

you well," declared Jack, a

good luck," s

waved th

, Tom?" ha

the bag. Jack pulled a lever. The big motors roared and a queer, sickly smell of burned gas filled the

ion, dere she go!" crie

next moment Jack had her on an even keel. In an incredibly short space of time those watching below saw her

id Mr. Chadwick, as he

or's face, worn by his anxious vigils at his experiments, was as keen as a hawk's, whi

grain fields and stretches of woodland. They were too far up to distinguish figures, but they could see the

e horizon. Both lads were in high spirits. It seemed good to be navigating the air again. Every now and the

e of rapid motion, stationary objects must be in sight. In the lonely air it was hard to tell that they were moving at all ex

the boys. Jack devoted his attention to testing a new steering appliance he had equipped t

ed the young engine

arograph on the dashb

usand feet

t the alternator?" sa

frequency currents in contact with the motor by means of a friction f

ntained the microphone, transformers and inductance tuning coil. Tuning in the a?rial apparatus was effected by means of a small knob projecting through a slit in the met

a station on land. He and Tom had sent plenty of wireless messages while soaring through the ether, but somehow, the dot and

iver, and with his hand on the tunin

High T

. But then came a faint buzz like the humming of a drowsy bee. Suddenly, sharp an

ul

. Three thousand feet i

, my boy. It's a

we do now?

tion of Rayburn, and try to kee

ed Jack, and altered the

ars as he flew along. From time to time he exchanged conversation with his father. So far everything appeared to

e a startling interrup

is ears as if a small cannon