le. Good-bye dad. I'll bring you back
a souvenir, Mrs. Baggert," he called to the housekeeper. "Sorry
you're not coming, Rad, but I'll take you next time."

"Dat's all right, Massa Tom. I doan't laik dem smugger-fellers,
nohow. Good-bye an' good luck!"

"Bless my grab bag!" gasped Mr. Damon. "You certainly do things,
Tom."

"That's the only way to get things done," replied the young
inventor. "How about you, Ned? Motor all right?"

"Sure."

"Then let her go!"

A moment later Ned had started the machinery, and Tom, in the pilot
house, had pulled the lever of the elevating rudder. Whizzing along,
but making scarcely any sound, the noiseless airship mounted upward,
and was off on her flight to capture the men who were cheating Uncle
Sam.

"What are you going to do first, when you get there, Tom?" asked
Ned, as he joined his chum in the pilot house, having set the motor
and other apparatus to working automatically. "I mean in
Logansville?"

"I don't know. I'll have to wait and see how things develop."

"That's where Mr. Foger lives, you know."

"Yes, but I doubt if he is there now. He and Andy are probably still
in the old house here, though what they are doing is beyond me to
guess."

"What do you suppose this new clew is that Mr. Whitford wired you
about?"

"Haven't any idea. If he wants us to get after it he'll let us know.
It won't take us long to get there at this rate. But I think I'll
slow down a bit, for the motor is warmed up now, and there's no use
racking it to pieces. But we're moving nicely; aren't we, Ned?"

"I should say so. This is the best all-around airship you've got."

"It is since I put the new motor in. Well, I wonder what will happen
when we get chasing around nights after the smugglers? It isn't
going to be easy work, I can tell you."

"I should say not. How you going to manage it?"

"Well, I haven't just decided. I'm going to have a talk with the
customs men, and then I'll go out night after night and cruise
around at the most likely place where they'll rush goods across the
border. As soon as I see the outlines of an airship in the darkness,
or hear the throb of her motor, I'll take after her, and--"

"Yes, and you can do it, too, Tom, for she can't hear you coming and
you can flash the big light on her and the smugglers will think the
end of the world has come. Cracky! Its going to be great, Tom! I'm
glad I came along. Maybe they'll fight, and fire at us! If they have
guns