The Dreadnought of the Air

e circumstances under which Dacres had left the Service; he was aware that the young man was

sential he was used to navigating a ship and could determine his position by either solar or stellar observation. The coolness with which he had followed

at his companion was even better pleased.

ons do you lay

lled upon to assist in committing any acts pre

tails as to the nature of my masterpiece I ought to expla

," assent

tired? Would yo

t. Fire away; I

se, of Valderia?" bega

n republic that owes its very existence

of Spanish, Negro, and Indian blood. You may remember President Santobar? He was assassinated about two years ago-in March, 1917, to be correct. He was a most able ruler as far as order and progress went. Under his presidency Valderia became prosp

hirty miles from the capital, Naocuanha. He was held in great esteem by Preside

South American republics; and since Santobar was of a peace-loving disposition, there was a revolution and he was de

tent of coast-line, possessing several deep and land-locked harbours, while a semi-circle of lofty snow-capped mountains, breaking off

at terraces that lie between the sea and the Sierras. Not only is there abundant mineral we

y, within a few years, have become the most prosperous state of South America, but their a

h American republic; four ocean-going destroyers were bought from the Vulkan Yard at Stettin, and six semi-obsolete submarines were obtained

, and drilled by ex-non-commissioned officers of the German army. Of course, President

autics. Before he left England for Valderia we prepared plans in duplicate of a veritable

ient money he was to return home, and both of us

d sending for my brother offered him immense sums if he would superintend th

t more than enough to defray the cost of building and maintaining the projected airship. He was

bar. Gerald point-blank refused to have any truck with Zaypuru; and because of th

lutches of President Zaypuru that my Dreadnought of the Air-the

narrative, "surely the British government would take up the matt

would strike and explain afterwards. Now a long-winded and generally futile course of diplomatic relations is the order of things. My own opinion is that sooner

tory of Valderia. You remember, of c

iscovered dead somewhere in Portuguese East Africa. Yes,

was in the Dutch East Indies, and, when the 'Vorwartz' was captured, the renegade's

rascal, from all accounts, for on being pushed out of Sumatra-he managed, by the by, to get clear with a tidy sum of

managed to build a large airship from the plans which had been found in Gerald's house. Of course that airship does not embody

t to the same type as the renowned 'Aphrodite.' And with this object in view, I hear from a very trustworthy source-from one of my brother's native assistan

es s

r impracticability of his scheme. His appearance, his accent, woul

speaks English perfectly. He is as wily as a fox, and since he has ample funds-well, there have bee

lty ought t

he 'Meteor' has now passed her final trials. In a few days I mean to offer my services to the Admiralty and to ask for a letter of marque to d

. The republic has been recognize

s branded as an outlaw-for the declaration by the Great Powers against Karl von Harburg and his

efuge in a neu

ttinghame grimly. "Suppose we knock off now;

ught flashing across his mind. "

n't. I've a photograph of h

t tro

t all. Have a

e room, soon to return with a

. Dacres took the photograph

ngo," he remarked. "He is not on the high seas: he's in England. I t