e and take a ride
with us?"

"Me? Good land a' massy! No indeedy, Mistah Swift," and the
whitewasher, who had descended from his wagon, edged away, as if the
airship might suddenly put out a pair of hands and grab him. "No
indeedy I doant! I come t' do a little whitewashin' an' when I do dat
I'se gwine on mah way. But dat's a pow'ful fine ship; it suah am!"

"Better come and try a flight, Rad," added Mr. Damon. "I'll look after
you."

"No, sag, an' I doan't take it kind ob yo' all t' tempt me dat way,
nuther," spoke Eradicate. But, when he saw that the craft was
stationary, he ventured to approach closer. Gingerly he put out one
hand and touched the framework of the wheels, just forward of the
cabin. The negro grasped the timber, and lifted it slightly. To his
astonishment the whole front of the airship tilted up, for it was about
ready to fly, and a child might have lifted it, so buoyant was it. But
Eradicate did not know this. Wonderingly he looked at the great bulk of
the ship, looming above him, then he glanced at his arm. Once more,
noting that the attention of his friends was elsewhere, he lifted the
craft. Then he cried "Look yeah, Mistah Swift! Look yeah! No wonder
day calls me Sampson. I done lifted dis monstrousness airship wif one
hand, See, I kin do it! I kin do it!"

Once more he raised the Red Cloud slightly, and a delighted grin, not
unmixed with a look of awe, spread over his honest countenance.

"I suppose you'll give up whitewashing and join a circus as a strong
man, now," observed Mr. Sharp, with a wink at his companions.

"Days what I will!" announced Eradicate proudly. "I neber knowed I was
dat strong, but ob course I allers knowed I had some muscle. Golly, I
must hab growed strong ober night! Now, Boomerang, yo' suah has got t'
look out fo' yo' sef. No mo' ob yo' cuttin' up capers, or I'll jest
lift you up, an' sot yo' down on yo' back, I suah will," and the negro
feeling of his biceps walked over to where the mule stood, with its
eyes closed.

"I guess you can cast off, Tom," called Mr. Sharp, as he entered the
car, having seen that everything was all right. "We'll not go up very
far at first, until Mr. Damon gets used to the thin air."

"Bless my soul, I believe I'm getting nervous," announced the eccentric
man. "Bless my liver, but I hope nothing happens."

"Nothing will happen," Mr. Sharp assured him. "Just keep calm, when it
feels as if the bottom was dropping out of everything an