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Reading the article he found even more matter to hold his attention. The item was dated Miami, Fla., and read as follows: "Much curiosity has been excited here by the sudden appearance of a tent housing a huge air-ship. The aerial camp is located at a point several miles south of town. The tent is guarded by men armed with shotguns and no one is allowed to approach anywhere near it.
Had they been British, they would have answered the flag flying at the peak of the yacht. "Steamer coming down from the nor'ard, sir!" suddenly sang out a man whom Tremayne had just stationed in the fore cross-trees to look out for the air-ship that was now so anxiously expected.
The morning the letter was published an elderly gentleman, a retired officer of the navy, called at my rooms. His son, he said, was an aviator, and for a month of him no word had come. His mother was distressed. Could I describe the air-ship I had seen? I was not keen to play the messenger of ill tidings, so I tried to gain time. "What make of aeroplane does your son drive?" I asked.
There's not an air-ship of any kind that can go more than two weeks at the very uttermost without touching solid earth, and then it must be mighty sparing of its power. If we can save mankind now, and give it another chance, perhaps the time will come when power can be drawn out of the ether of space, and men can float in the air as long as they choose.
They can play together, the children of our Nation, but they seem unable to "pretend" together. They are perhaps too self-conscious. It is a significant circumstance that yearly there are published in America a large number of books for children telling them "how to make" various things. A great part of their play consists in making something from a sunken garden to an air-ship.
An enormous shed was erected on the northern slopes of the park, but visitors to the Alexandra Palace, intent on a peep at the monster air-ship under construction, were sorely disappointed, as the utmost secrecy in the building of the craft was maintained. The huge balloon was 43 feet in diameter and 176 feet long, with a gas capacity of 235,000 cubic feet.
I had watched the passengers with a eagle vision but no Josiah embarked, but the air-ship sailed off, the earth receeded, we wuz in the clouds, anon we passed through a big thunder storm, I wuz almost lost in thought watchin' sea and ocean when the captain called out: "The Moon! the Moon!" And we alighted and got off, I a-thinkin' what and who wuz I to see in thet place I'd always hankered for.
"Glad that you stood that that torture so well; several men have died in that chair and some went mad." "I remembered your advice; that saved me." "I have a plan for us to try to rescue your friend." "Ah, I had forgotten him! what is it?" "Captain Tradmos likes you and has consented to aid us. We shall need an air-ship and he has one at his disposal which is used only for governmental purposes."
When they attained their full speed they looked like solid wheels, and then the air-ship rose, at first slowly, and then more and more swiftly, straight up from the table, until it strained hard at the piece of cord which prevented it from reaching the roof.
Yet it was the professor who took prompt action, speaking sharply as he darted across to where the air-ship rested: "Come; get aboard, and let us do what lies in our power. It was criminal to send the poor lad into the jaws of death, but now hasten, there may be a chance, even yet!"
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