s for which the young inventor could not exactly fathom a
use. He did not think the machine would fly far, if at all. But Andy
was hurrying here and there, getting the triplane in place on a
level stretch of ground, as if he intended to capture some great
prize.

"Are you going to tackle him about stealing a copy of that map?"
asked Ned.

"I will if I get a chance," answered Tom, in a low voice.

He got his opportunity a few minutes later. Andy, hurrying here and
there, came face to face with the young inventor.

"Hello, Andy," spoke Tom, good-naturedly. "So you're going to make a
flight, eh?"

"Yes, I am, and I s'pose you came around to see if you could get any
ideas; didn't you?" sneered Andy.

"Of course," admitted Tom, with an easy laugh. "My airship doesn't
fly, you know, Andy, and I want to see what's wrong with it."

There was a laugh in the crowd, at this, for Tom's success was well
known.

"Are you going to Alaska?" suddenly asked Tom, in a low voice, of
the bully.

"To Alaska? I--I don't--I don't know what you mean?" stammered Andy,
as he turned aside.

"Yes, you do know what I mean," insisted Tom. "And I want to tell
you that the map you have won't be of much use to you. Why, do you
think," he went on, "that Abe would carry the real map around with
him that way? It's easy to make a copy look like an original, Andy,
and also very easy to put false distances and directions on a map
that may fall into the hands of an enemy."

The shot told. Andy's face turned first red and then pale.

"A--a false map!" he stammered. "Wrong directions?"

"Yes--on the copy you made of the map you took from Mr.
Abercrombie," went on Tom.

"I--I didn't make any--Oh, I'm not going to talk to you!" blustered
Andy. "Get out of my way! I'm going to fly my airship."

The bully pushed past Tom, and started toward the triplane. But Tom
had found out what he wanted to know. Andy had made a copy of the
map. From now on there would be every danger that the bully would
make an effort to get to the valley of gold.

But other matters held Andy's attention now. He wanted to try his
airship. With the help of his two cronies, and the machinists, the
machine was gone over, oiled up, and finally, after several false
starts, the motor was set going.

It made a terrific racket, and the whole machine vibrated as though
it would shake apart.

"He hasn't got if well enough braced," said Tom to Ned.

"Out of the way, now, everybo