, dear!" groaned Uncle Ezra. "More money! This airship business
will ruin me. Ten dollars!"

"Not a cent less!" declared Hank.

"Won't you call it eight?" asked the crabbed old miser.

"Ten dollars if you want to take away your machine, and then you can
consider yourselves lucky that I don't sue you for trespass. Hand over
ten dollars!"

"Never!" declared Ezra Larabee.

"I really think you had better," advised the aviator, and then with a
wry face, and much reluctance, Dick's uncle passed over the money.

"Now, you kin go!" cried Hank, "but if I ketch you on my property ag'in
you won't git off so easy. You can go back, boys; I won't need you
this time," he added grimly.

The hired men departed, and Mr. Crittenden, pocketing the money,
watched the lieutenant and Uncle Ezra wheel the biplane out to an open
place where a start could be made.

The machine was somewhat damaged, but it could still be operated. The
motor, however, was obstinate, and would not start. Hank added insult
to injury, at least in the opinion of Uncle Ezra, by laughing at the
efforts of the lieutenant. And finally when the motor did consent to
"mote," it went so slowly that not enough momentum could be obtained to
make the airship rise. It simply rolled slowly over the ground.

"Ha! Ha! That's a fine flyin' machine you've got there!" cried Hank,
laughing heartily. "You'd better walk if you're goin' t' git any
gov'ment prize!"

"Oh, dry up!" spluttered Uncle Ezra, who was now "real mad" as he
admitted later. He and the lieutenant wheeled the machine back to have
another try, and this time they were successful in getting up in the
air. The aviator circled about and headed for Dankville, the airship
having come down about three miles from Uncle Ezra's place.

"Well, you're flyin' that's a fact!" cried Mr. Crittenden, as he looked
aloft at them. "But I wouldn't be surprised t' see 'em come smashin'
down ag'in any minute," he added pessimistically. "Anyhow, I got ten
dollars out of Ezra Larabee!" he concluded, with a chuckle.

Mr. Larabee looked glum when he and the lieutenant got back to the
airship shed.

"This is costing me a terrible pile of money!" said the crabbed old
man. "A terrible pile! And I reckon you'll have to spend more for
fixing her up; won't you?" he asked, in a tone that seemed to indicate
he hoped for a negative answer.

"Oh, yes, we'll have to fix her up," said the lieutenant, "and buy a
new carburetor