the subject by asking:
"How much do you suppose this machine weighs?"

"I have been in smaller ones which weighed, unloaded, as much as three
thousand pounds," admitted John Ross, with a peculiar smile. "Put your
hands under the Sky-Bird's nose here and see if you can lift her, Mr.
Giddings."

"Don't joke that way, John," expostulated Mr. Giddings. "Why, her
engines are right above this portion of her, and I couldn't lift one of
them alone."

"Just try it anyhow, dad," persisted Bob, who also wore that queer
smile.

More to accommodate them than because he expected to accomplish
anything, the publisher half-heartedly braced himself in a crouching
position and pushed upward on the airplane's front. To his amazement
the whole forward part of the machine rose upward a foot in the air, as
if it were made of paper.

"My word!" exclaimed Mr. Giddings, letting the craft back upon its
wheels. "Who would have thought such a thing? I had faith in this
principle of the hollow wings and helium-gas, boys, but I never thought
it could reduce the normal weight of the plane to such a vast extent,
It is truly a wonderful idea."

"You might not believe it, but the Sky-Bird weighs less than two
hundred pounds as she stands," said Paul. "Just before you came today,
Mr. Giddings, Bob and I, one at each end, easily lifted her clear off
the floor."

"It's what we aimed for, and we've got it," added John with
satisfaction, while Tom Meeks nodded his head and ejaculated, "I'd say
so! I'd say so!" his whole broad face abeam. "This feather lightness
means great lift, great speed, and great cruising range."

"I should think so surely," was the decided response of the newspaper
man. "I notice you have installed that 'automatic pilot' too. And
what's that up here in front on top of the cabin? A searchlight, as I
live!"

"Yes, dad," said Bob; "we thought that would be a good thing in case we
do any night traveling on this tour of the world. It ought to have
good power, being operated with current from the storage batteries of
the wireless wind-dynamo."

After a little more inspection and further questions, Mr. Giddings took
his departure, promising to be on hand at the hangar the following
morning for the test flight.

CHAPTER IX

THE TEST FLIGHT

John, Paul, and Tom reached the fairgrounds a good full hour ahead of
the scheduled start that Saturday morning. In fact, Mrs. Ross had
given them an earlier breakfast