s in the
forest, to guide the Nihilists to her, now that she was up in the air,
and in motion, it was feared that her presence would become known to
the authorities of the town, so even these had been extinguished.

"After we get well away we can turn on the electrics," remarked Tom,
"and if they see us at a distance they may take us for a meteor. But,
so close as this, they'd get wise in a minute."

Mr. Damon, who had done all that Tom needed in the starting of the
craft, went to the forward port rail, and idly looked down on the black
forest they were leaving. He could just make out the clearing where
they had rested for over a week, and he was startled to see lights
bobbing in it.

"I say, Mr. Petrofsky!" he called. "Did we leave any of our lanterns
behind us?"

"I don't believe so," answered the exile. "I'll ask Tom."

"Lanterns? No," answered the young inventor. "Before we started I took
down the only one we had out. I'll take a look."

Setting the automatic steering apparatus, he joined Mr. Damon and the
Russian. The lights were now dimly visible, moving about in the forest
clearing.

"It's just as if they were looking for something," said Tom. "Can it be
that any of your Nihilist friends, Mr. Petrofsky are--"

"Friends--no friends--enemies!" cried the Russian. "I understand now!
We got away just in time. Those are police agents who are looking for
us! They must have received word about our being there. Androwsky and
the others never carry lights when they go about. They know the country
too well, and then, too, it leads to detection. No, those are police
spies. A few minutes later, and we would have been discovered."

"As it is we're right over their heads, and they don't know it,"
chuckled Tom. The airship was moving silently along before a good
breeze, the propellers not having been started, and Tom let her drift
for several miles, as he did not want to give the police spies a clew
by the noise of the motor.

The twinkling lights in the forest clearing disappeared from sight, and
the seekers went on in the darkness.

"Well, we've got the hardest part of our work yet ahead of us,"
remarked Tom several hours later when, the lights having been set
aglow, they were gathered in the main cabin. There was no danger of
being seen now, for they were quite high.

"We've done pretty well, so far," commented Ned. "I think we will have
easier work rescuing Mr. Petrofsky's brother than in locating the mine.