for
the planes will serve their purpose. Of course they could damage us,
and maybe put some of our machinery out of business, and that would be
a serious thing. But what puzzles me is why they fired at us at all."

"It couldn't be out of pure mischief; could it?" asked the young
inventor.

"Hardly. If we were in a savage country I could understand the natives
firing at some such object as this airship, but the people of that city
must have known what our craft was. They probably have read something
about it in the news papers, and to deliberately fire on us, with the
chance of disabling us, seems worse than barbarous."

"Well, we won't give 'em another opportunity," commented Mr. Damon.

"No, indeed, not this city, but who knows but what the example may
spread? We may be fired at the next town we sail over."

"Then steer clear of the towns," advised Tom.

"Impossible. We must pass over some, but I'd like to solve this
mystery."

The day passed without further incident, though they did not go low
enough down over any city to drop any messages. It was decided that it
would not be safe.

"We'll take a chance at night," suggested Tom, and that evening,
approaching a good-sized town in the dusk, several of the weighted
envelopes were dropped overboard. Doubtless persons walking along the
street, who were startled by hearing something fall with a "thud" at
their feet, were much startled to look up and see, dimly, a great,
ghostly shape moving in the air. But there was no shooting, and,
eventually, some of the messages reached Mr. Swift, in Shopton. But he
could not answer them for the airship kept on the move.

The night was spent floating in the air, with the engine stopped, and
the Red Cloud floating lazily this way and that as the gentle winds
shifted, for it was calm. The "anchorage" if such it may be called, was
above a sparsely settled part of the country, and if the lights of the
airship were seen from below, the farmers doubtless took them for some
new stars or, possibly, a comet.

"Now then for a fast, straight run!" cried Tom, after breakfast had
been served, and the big motor, with its twenty cylinders, started.
"We'll be able to make the turn to-day, and then make for home, won't
we, Mr. Sharp?"

"Well, we could do it, Tom," was the answer, "but I like this mode of
traveling so that I think I'll lengthen the voyage. Instead of turning
at Atlanta, what do you say to making for Key West, and then star