CHAPTER XVIII
UNCLE EZRA FLIES
"Well, Mr. Larabee, we are almost ready for a flight."
"Humph! It's about time. I've sunk almost enough money in thatshebang to dig a gold mine, and I haven't got any out yet--not a cent,and I'm losing interest all the while."
"Well, but think of the twenty thousand dollars!"
"Yes, I s'pose I've got to. That's the only consolation I have left."
The above conversation took place one afternoon between Ezra Larabeeand Lieutenant Larson. The airship with the mercury stabilizers wasnearly completed. But a few touches remained to be put on her, to makeher, according to Larson, ready for the flight across the continent.
"I presume you will go with me when me make the first ascent; will younot?" the lieutenant inquired.
"Who, me? No, I don't reckon I'll go up first," said Uncle Ezraslowly. "I'll wait until I see if you don't break your neck. If youdon't I'll take a chance."
"That's consoling," was the answer, with a grim laugh. "But I am notafraid. I know the craft will fly. You will not regret havingcommissioned me to build her."
"Wa'al, I should hope not," said Uncle Ezra, dryly. "So far I've puteight thousand, four hundred thirty-two dollars and sixteen cents intothis shebang, and I ain't got a penny out yet. It just seems to chawup money."
"They all do," said the lieutenant. "It is a costly sport. But thinkof the twenty-thousand-dollar prize!"
"I do," said Uncle Ezra, softly. "That's all that keeps me fromthinking what a plumb idiot I've been--thinking of that twenty thousanddollars."
"Oh, you'll get it!" the lieutenant asserted.
"Maybe--yes. If my nephew doesn't get ahead of me," was the grim reply.
"Oh, he never will. We'll win that prize," the lieutenant assured him."Now there's one other little matter I must speak of. I need some moremoney."
"More money! Good land, man! I gave you three dollars and a half lastweek to buy something!" cried Uncle Ezra.
"Yes, I know, but that went for guy wires and bolts. I need about tendollars for an auxiliary steering wheel."
"A steering wheel?" questioned Uncle Ezra. "You mean a wheel to twist?"
"That's it. There must be two. We have only one."
"Well, if it's only a wheel, I can fix you up about that all right, andwithout spending a cent, either!" exclaimed the stingy old man with achuckle. "There's an old sewing machine of my wife's down cellar.It's busted, all but the big wheel. We had an accident with it, but Imade the company give me a new machine, and I kept the old one.
"Now that's got a big, round, iron wheel on it, and we can take thatoff, just as well as not, and use it on the airship. That's whatyou've got to do in this world--save money. I've spent a terriblepile, but we'll save some by using the sewing machine wheel."
"It won't do," said the lieutenant. "It's far too heavy. I must haveone made to order of wood. It will cost ten dollars."
"Oh, dear!" groaned Uncle Ezra. "More money," and he lookeddistressed. Then his face brightened.
"I say!" he cried. "There's a busted mowing machine out in the barn.That's got a wooden wheel on it. Can't you use that?"
Lieutenant Larson shook his bead.
"It's no use trying to use make-shift wheels if we are to have aperfect machine, and win the prize," he said. "I must have the properone. I need ten dollars."
"Oh, dear!" moaned Uncle Ezra, as he took out his wallet, and carefullycounted out ten one-dollar bills.
"Couldn't you look around and get a second-hand one?" he askedhopefully.
"No; we haven't time. We must soon start on the prize trip. We don'twant to be late."
"No, I s'pose not. Wa'al, take the money," and he parted with it,after a long look. Then he made a memoranda of it in his pocketcash-book, and sighed again.
Several times after this Lieutenant Larson had to have more money--or,at least, he said he needed it, and Uncle Ezra brought it forth withmany sighs and groans. But he "gave up."
To give Larson credit, he had really produced a good aircraft. Ofcourse it was nothing like Dick's, and, after all, the former army manwas more interested in his stabilizers than he was in the airshipitself. But he had to build it right and properly to give his patent agood test, and he used his best ideas on the subject.
In general Uncle Ezra's machine was a biplane, a little larger thanusual, and with a sort of auxiliary cabin and platform where one couldrest when not in the seats. Three passengers could be carried,together with some food and supplies of gasolene and oil. It was anairship built for quick, continuous flight, and it really had a chancefor the prize; perhaps not as good a chance as had Dick's, but a goodchance compared with others in its class. The one weak point, and thisLieutenant Larson kept to himself, was the fact that it was only withthe best of luck that the flight could be made with but two landings.
Finally the former army man announced that the craft was ready for aflight. He had spent all the money Uncle Ezra would give him--nearlyten thousand dollars--and I suspect that Larson himself had lined hisown pockets well.
"She's ready," he announced to Uncle Ezra, one day.
"Well, take her up."
"Will you come?"
"Not till I see how you fare. Go ahead."
"Ezra, be you goin' up in that contraption?" asked Aunt Samantha, asshe came out in the meadow where a starting ground had been laid out.
"I'm aiming to, if he comes back alive with it," Uncle Ezra madeanswer, grimly.
"Well, as I said before, it's flyin' in the face of Providence,"declared Mrs. Larabee. "I might as well order my mourning now, and bedone with it."
"Oh, I ain't aiming to be killed," chuckled Uncle Ezra. "I guess it'ssafe enough. I've got to get my money back out of this thing."
Lieutenant Larson, with one of the helpers, made the first flight. Hedid not go very high, so that Uncle Ezra would have confidence. When hecame back to the starting point he asked:
"Well, will you take a chance?"
"I--I guess so," replied Mr. Larabee, and his voice was not very steady.
"I'm goin' in the house," announced Mrs. Larabee. "I don't want to seeit!"
Uncle Ezra took his place.
"I've got accident insurance in case anything happens," he said, slowly.
"I don't believe your policy covers airship flights," the lieutenantreturned.
"Then let me out!" cried Uncle Ezra. "I'll have the policy changed!I'm not going to take any such chances!"
"It's too late!" cried Larson. "Here we go!" The engine wasthundering away, and a moment later the craft shot over the ground andinto the air. Uncle Ezra was flying at last.