illing Mr. Larabee all over the landscape.

Mrs. Larabee renewed her objections in the morning, but her husband was
firm. He had decided to have an airship built to compete for the big
prize, and Larson was going to do the work.

Just what arguments the aviator had used to win over Uncle Ezra none
but he himself knew. I rather think it was the harping constantly on
the twenty thousand dollar prize.

That Mr. Larabee was hard to convince may easily be imagined. In fact
it was learned, afterward, that the lieutenant almost gave up the
attempt at one time. But he was persistent, to gain his own ends at
least, and talked earnestly. Finally Uncle Ezra gave a rather grudging
consent to the scheme, but he stipulated that only a certain sum be
spent, and that a comparatively small one.

To this the lieutenant agreed, but I fancy with a mental reservation
which meant that he would get more if he could.

At any rate preparations for building the craft, in an unused part of
Uncle Ezra's woolen mill at Dankville, went on apace.

I say apace, and yet I must change that. Uncle Ezra, with his usual
"closeness" regarding money, rather hampered Larson's plans.

"What do you reckon an airship ought to cost?" Mr. Larabee had asked
when he first decided he would undertake it.

"Oh, I can make a good one for three thousand dollars," had been the
answer of the former lieutenant.

"Three thousand dollars!" whistled Uncle Ezra. "That's a pot of money!"

"But you'll get twenty thousand dollars in return."

"That's so. Well, go ahead. I guess I can stand it." But it was not
without many a sigh that the crabbed old man drew out the money from
the bank, in small installments.

The work was started, but almost at once Larson demanded more than the
original three thousand. Uncle Ezra "went up in the air," so to speak.

"More money!" he cried. "I shan't spend another cent!"

"But you'll have to. We want this airship to win the prize, and get
ahead of the one your nephew is building. I have decided on some
changes, and they will cost money."

Uncle Ezra sighed--and gave in. The truth was that Larson was little
better than a sharper, and, though he did know something about
aeroplanes, he knew more about how to fleece his victims.

And though Uncle Ezra furnished more money he tried to save it in other
ways. He skimped on his table, until even Aunt Samantha, used as she
was to "closeness," objected. Then Mr. Larabee an