claimed Mr. Damon. "It's all Greek to me.
Suppose you let us see it, Tom? I like to see wheels go 'round, but I'm
not much of a hand for chemical terms."

"If you're sure you're not hurt by the airship smash, I will," declared
the lad.

"Oh, we're not hurt a bit," insisted Mr. Sharp. "As I said we were
moving slow, for I knew it was about time to land. Mr. Damon was
steering--"

"Yes I thought I'd try my hand at it, as it seemed so easy,"
interrupted the eccentric man. "But never again--not for mine! I
couldn't see the house, and, before I knew it we were right over the
roof. Then the chimney seemed to stick itself up suddenly in front of
us, and--well, you know the rest. I'm willing to pay for any damage I
caused."

"Oh, not at all!" replied Tom. "It's easy enough to put on a new plane,
or, for that matter, we can operate the Red Cloud without it. But come
on, I'll show you my sample battery."

"Here, take umbrellas!" Mrs. Baggert called after them as they started
toward the shop, for it was still raining.

"We don't mind getting wet," replied the young inventor. "It's in the
interests of science."

"Maybe it is. You don't mind a wetting, but I mind you coming in and
dripping water all over the carpets!" retorted the housekeeper.

"Bless my overshoes, I'm afraid we have wet the carpets a trifle now,"
admitted Mr. Damon ruefully, as he looked down at a puddle, which had
formed where he had been standing.

"That's the reason I want you to take umbrellas this trip," insisted
Mrs. Baggert.

They complied, and were soon in the shop, where Tom explained his
battery. The small motor was still running and had, as the lad had
said, gone the equivalent of over two hundred miles.

"If a small battery does as well as that, what will a larger one do?"
asked Mr. Damon.

"Much better, I hope," replied the youth. "But Dad doesn't seem to have
much faith in them."

"Well," admitted Mr. Swift, "I must say I am skeptical. Still, I
acknowledge Tom has done some pretty good work along electrical lines.
He helped me with the positive and negative plates on the submarine,
and, maybe--well, we'll wait and see," he concluded.

"If you build a car I hope you give me a ride in it," said Mr. Damon.
"I've ridden fast in the air, and swiftly on top of, and under, the
water. Now I'd like to ride rapidly on top of the earth. The gasolene
auto doesn't go very fast."

"I'll give you a ride that will make your hair stand up!" prophe