e hours. He heard, as he walked along the streets, many persons
discussing the appearance of the airship that morning, and he was glad
they had planned to land after dark, for more than one citizen was
regretting that he had not had a chance to get the five thousand
dollars reward offered for the arrest of the passengers in the Red
Cloud.

Tom found the sheriff, Mr. Durkin by name, a genial personage. At the
mention of the airship the official grew somewhat excited.

"Are you one of the fellows that looted the bank?" he inquired, when
Tom told him how he and his friends had arrived at Shagmon.

The young inventor denied the impeachment, and told his story. He ended
up with a request for the sheriff's aid, at the same time asking if the
officer knew where such a gang as the Happy Harry one might be in
hiding.

"You've come just at the right time, young man," was the answer of
Sheriff Durkin, when he was assured of the honesty of Tom's statements.
"I've been on the point, for the last week, of raiding a camp of men,
who have settled at a disused summer resort about ten miles from here.
I think they're running a gambling game. But I haven't been able to get
any evidence, and every time I sent out a posse some one warns the men,
and we can find nothing wrong. I believe these men are the very ones
you want. If we could only get to them without their suspecting it, I
think I'd have them right."

"We can do that, Sheriff."

"How?"

"Go in our airship! You come with us, and we'll put you right over
their camp, where you can drop down on their heads."

"Good land, I never rode in an automobile even, let alone an airship!"
went on the officer. "I'd be scared out of my wits, and so would my
deputies."

"Send the deputies on ahead," suggested Tom.

The sheriff hesitated. Then he slapped his thigh with his big hand.

"By golly! I'll go you!" he declared. "I'll try capturing criminals in
an airship for the first, time in my life! Lead the way, young man!"

An hour later Sheriff Durkin was aboard the Red Cloud, and plans were
being talked of for the capture of the bank robbers, or at least for
raiding the camp where the men were supposed to be.

Chapter 23

On To The Camp

"Well, you sure have got a fine craft here," remarked Sheriff Durkin,
as he looked over the airship after Tom and his friends had told of
their voyage. "It will be quite up-to-date to raid a gang of bank
robbers in a flying machine, but I