The Flight of the Silver Ship: Around the World Aboard a Giant Dirgible

at one of the small tables for two. He found himself seated across from a thin, dark young man a little older than himself. His pleasant good-morning was returned by a mumbled greeting as

. When he laid it down, the stranger leaned across and remarke

of the fast train, opened the folder. David had marked stops and changes, and

David's nod he continued, "That's where I

on," said David,

ts of the World War.' There is a pilot in that book named Ellison. A great chap; absolutely fearless; did the most amazing things. His caree

it would,"

not new suit, his correct but worn hat, his well-kept but muscular hands. He pu

you got?"

large fat silver timepiece on the turnip order, and

sked Cram com

ther's," re

hick of a grandfather, a farmer out in the sticks. He had one of tho

the jungles of South America? It had lived in China, had skirted the steppes of Russia, had been shipwrecked, and shot at. The dent on its fat back was the mark of a poisoned arrow in Aus

een too friendly, he rose abruptly, nodded and with a brief "See you la

David with a pair of keen blue eyes, around which curled thick fair lashes. His shock of reddish-gold hair had been struggl

here, Buddy?" h

aid David, smi

id the blond husk

avid, warming at once to th

rd anxiously. "These here mennoos!" he groaned. "What makes 'em have so many things to pick

on and eggs, and cakes,

same," he said, waving a comprehensive hand toward Da

king to Lord Cr

es," said David.

blic school on account of the Mex and Indians fightin' him so because of the way he yelled. Beat any Indian war cry you ever heard. Then his grandfather struck o

hio," sa

und. That's funny! By golly, I bet you are both

. "I don't know about Cram. He

ght jump off the train ahead of him, and get the first taxi, a

g there, too?

can't keep away from the flying machines, Ellison, and," he added, thrusting out a stubborn jaw, "if I get a chance down at Goodlow's, I'll be

get in. We'll see something of each other if we do. I

n, beaming. "I camp in

David lea

if I can read a man, and a gentleman born. As my mother says, the mar

id found Cram reading a mag

urn my time-table,

it is. I did take it, did

ight," said D

. I'd like to talk to you. I am w

ked on my time-tab

that you are going down for the e

s an aviator?" laughed David. "As a mat

edentials, letters from your teachers, and congressmen, and senators, and so on. No? Well, they tell me it is going to take a lot of pull to get in, a darned lot o

anxiety. "I can't show a letter from a single senator. I had

hasn't a show th

ave you got?

hand on D

credentials. I have enough to paper a

ily. "I will have to depend on

ce of Cram was funny, yet it stuck in David's mind. He was glad to wander into the smo

to be quite a shark at his books, and he's had a small plane, so he can talk smooth

brother?"

Ryan. "Hav

No; I have t

rt, though. My oldest brother was a chaplain in the army through the war. I wanted to enlist last year, and told him so; and he said, 'Red Ryan, you no-account, if you go enlistin' in the army for thirty a month and found, I'll find ye and I'll not leave one strip

g to get in. I have got to pass; and if I fail this time, I'll g

up on nobody's shoulders. And Red Ryan's the lad that's goi

flying an easy way of escaping the grind of ordinary toil. These soon faded out of the picture, when they found out a little of the requireme

s of the Apocalypse; the flying steeds of Zeus; Pegasus, beautiful and free, winging his glorious way toward the dawn, outracing the Flying Carpet; eager young Icarus, his wings of wax melting in the sun. Ever aspiring, the dreamers passed, laughing at Dar

, one part to be absorbed again into the arteries of the cities, the other part to face the final q

at they would be enrolled as student apprentices, was unaware of the good impression he had made on the examining boa

Rick Elli

, sir," s

f aces. His death, coming at that last moment of the war, was doubly a tragedy a

you don't mind-well, sir, wou

Ellison's boy would seem like doing something for him; and

s too big for me. I want to see if I can't make good without leaning on his record. If it leaks out now

kill dragons and rescue fair ladies carrying plain shields, so nobody would know that

riend, for his own sake as well as for the sake of his father." He shook David's hand and as the boy went out

f his success ticked gaily off to his mother. Then taking his suitcase, he r

am sitting outside the General Of

lad news, Cra

looke

now just which class to put me in. They told me to wait un

all your dope

t it was such a scramble. I don't believe I touched on the oil. Ready money, Ellison. A few

k out sooner or later," said

suitcase in hand, hurrying toward the taxi stand. David shouted, bu

decision?"

as livid; his

scholastically and technically qualified. Politics in it so

other's bitter disappointment roused a

y, all I wanted was to make a name for mysel

ck next year, and try again. If you want any he

. He smoothed his ruffled

r Indians. Some grud

and don't tomahawk anybody unt

walked hastily away. David turned to see the cause of

cked him out,

t C

Wants to kill someone. Wants

kicked

" said David. He re

riest, I'd do better not to rejoice as I could. But if he's go