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Then he said, with deep earnestness: "Young men, a great load has been removed from my mind by this recent performance of the Sky-Bird II. I have now not the slightest doubts of her adaptability to make a round-the-world trip, and if she performs then as she did this morning, we are not only going to defeat the Clarion's crew, but we are going to smash all existing records for a journey of the kind.
"It is the one that is going to fly against you." "Who is in charge of it?" inquired John Ross. "Five arrived in it. Four of them are to be in the contest, they say. The other gentleman is Mr. Wrenn, of the New York Clarion." A few minutes later, when they pushed the Sky-Bird into one of the big double hangars, their suspicions were conclusively clinched.
Giddings and Bob also took out their watches. Paul set the little Sky-Bird down on the hard earth, in a spot where there was no grass or other obstacle, and with his finger on the air-valve, said: "Practically all rubber-band motors require starting the model airplane off by picking it up and tossing it away from you up into the air; but I think this machine will rise from the ground like a large plane, on account of its great lightness and unusual power.
"It's a gust of wind striking it," remarked John uneasily. "I hope she weathers it. If there was only a pilot in her now, he could " But even as he spoke the Sky-Bird seemed to recover her balance. Making a pretty circle, away she sped on her course, neither rising nor falling.
But we've shown we could outspeed them when the Sky-Bird was all right, and now we ought to be about an even match for them," said John. "That means a nip-and-tuck race of it, then, the rest of the way," commented Paul. At this point a bright idea struck Bob. "Say, fellows," he cried, "why can't we send a wire message from here to Mr.
John, who was at the throttle, opened the Sky-Bird up to 165, and at this gait they skimmed swiftly along over the blue-green waters of the big Pacific. "This speed ought to bring us in by twelve-thirty a good half-hour ahead of our limit, so there's no need of rushing matters," said John, to which sentiment his comrades agreed. By eleven o'clock all were keenly on the look-out.
As may be imagined, however, the two youths did not shut their eyes immediately. There was much to think about and to talk about before even fatigue could get the better of them. Tom put the Sky-Bird through on a straight course for Aden as fast as he dared run the night engine, which was very close to its limit, now that it had had a chance to cool off and was well supplied with water.
Her sons laughed good-naturedly; then Paul turned to his brother. "Come on down in the basement, John," he said; "I wish to show you our latest miniature model, the Sky-Bird. Another day's work ought to finish it." John followed him downstairs.
Now my proposition is just this: I will meet every expense of making a first-class full-sized airplane like the Sky-Bird, and pay you, John, a wage equal to that which the government allowed you as a pilot, if you three young men here will do the construction work secretly, and if Robert may be allowed a one-third interest in the venture, both in the plane to be made, and in any future benefits to be derived from the patent rights."
He continued to watch this silently, after calling his chum's attention to it, until, under an increase of speed, the Sky-Bird had drawn close enough for them to observe that it was what they suspected an airplane. In another hour they were near enough to recognize in it the unmistakable outlines of the Clarion.
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