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

ssed since the day David had been enrolled as a student in the Goodlow school for apprentices; three years of hard and often discouraging work, but the work had developed him. He was no longe

ng magical repairs on some weak or broken part. It never occurred to Red that his own uncanny cleverness had set him apart as the best mechanic on the l

f the place, and the ship's tremendous bulk seemed to deaden the noise of hammers and bolts. She seemed to float there in the hangar. To David she seemed already restless to be away. He imagined a

David's ent

she makes good on her trial flight, I'm just goin' to lay right down

David, snapping out of his dream.

f important work on that ship. I don't believe you app

laughing. "Everyone in the s

closer to

ead down from the observer's seat on the top of the ship. The other fella had to go clear over to the storehouse for some wire. So I laid there tryin' to think out a

mself?" as

ug; the pap

an Mr. Hammon

t. That's

e doing here now? I thou

a good Christian b'y; but so be you do chance to hear anything, give it strict attention, and be sure to get the straight of it.' So I did. They come teeteri

done here?' say

answer. Then there was some little ta

warmly in his honest heart; payment in full for many hours of gril

ve ever come across. I believe he could make every part and a

ond had

He may be useful

at?" asked Dav

, 'What sorta mechanics yo

says the

Stuff. 'Better bounce 'e

ciency expert spent three days checkin' up on that b'y, and he figured it out that the fella had saved the

!" exploded D

blue eyes were w

you always lie in a bro

o says it. Only, can a mechanic, first-class, stoop to the killin' of a mere apprentice? If you'd only shut

it if you know anything. I need something

on David's arm

The Big Fella is plannin' no less than a r

world!" bre

talked free. It seems that Mr. Hammond wants an American ship that will beat the Graf Zeppelin's time. And he thinks here's the s

, I wish I cou

at trip if you was disguised as a tin of biscuit. There will be milli

"But I can't help wishi

hand from here to Japan, and then merely shift to the

ship. Men scrambled about her, p

g buckaroo, keep it under your hat.' But he wouldn't have counted you, David. 'Keep it to yourself,' says he. 'If it is trash, don't clutter the h

ed David. "You certainly like

but he's sure a murderin' cuss, so be you don't walk straight whilst you'r

a worn notebook from his pocket and

ed. "Leap into the Rolls-Wor

one. "They are going to save lots of worry, Red, and it's certain they won't give. That old blimp we tried it on with rips here and there t

t down

she yelled, 'My, what a horrid noise! Isn't it just awful?' and I thought how nice it would be to tap her with a wrench, but I didn't. I let that engine answer. I tuned her up and you couldn't hear yourself think. Oh, but they are pre

imental Irishma

n that wants a

t engine in place this aftern

cally finished. Just woodwork to wipe, and furniture t

t they have named

t she was the

henandoah, poor girl, and the Dawn, and the Sun God, and the res

. "I give the girl credit. The Moonbeam!

d. "Pretty, and easy t

us. They just got to let me go when she takes her first try-out. I'd no sooner le

r you, you conceited devil! They thi

ells sound sweeter. And so it did, so long as they thought so. You can't say your engine is a fine old piece of bits and parts. You've got to love it. You remember last summer, when we flew east? I ran over to Providence to see my brother. Well, one night I wandered into the engine room at Brown & Sharpe's, and the chief engineer showed me

und the aged car,

ond over there? Do you see who is w

d lo

e chap with hi

know that strut, and those skinny leg

him," dec

this lot, immediate! If they don't, there's cloud ban

"Well, what of it? He ha

go, and didn't he fail? Watch out, me lad! He hasn't change

lowly approaching. "Honestly, Red, why do you let that man get your go

cular devil to torture and tantalize him. I feel shame, Davie, but Walter Cram see

nd moved with nervous alertness. He wore glasses, and they disguised the shadows under his eyes; violet shadows, that hinted of escapades that he would not care to publish. For Wally

wore his own features. Lindbergh, winging his lonely way to France; Byrd, exploring a frozen world; Andrews, forcing the Gobi desert t

nd idea-a magnificent idea. At once he called his lawyers in Oklahoma City on long distance, and held

walking through the lobby of th

ter Cram!

t's good!" ejaculated Cram.

e world in two weeks, and naturally dad is going. He says I can't go; isn't that wet? In the meantime I am seeing that he takes his bicarb after meals, and making him lay off hot dogs, and pop

don't you

ady Drummond Hay wasn't a bother. I met her in New York, and she told me their trip was just too galumptious. And I am just as

ve just invested a lot of money in the Moonbeam; enough, I hope, to get me a bert

y. Oh, Wally, the ship is too beautiful for w

The dirigible is not

him a scor

d soul," she said

up with the usual crew, and Mr. Hammond and Captain Fraine and half a dozen others as passengers. David, to his surprise, was put in full charge of the ship, Captain Frai

ok him

that ship just because they loved you. And there's older

d the door of the great passenger gondola. Every bag, cord, wire, seam, every bolt and screw had been tested and retes

an awful kick out of 'em. And the Moonbeam; ain't she a goddess? Those old goddesses used to pick up a mortal like they were nothin' and carry them off. And here's a silver ship, just waiti

d son. Come on to quarters. I'm dog

her there, automobiles began to gather, street-car lines disgorged curious sightseers, and for hours a big

rought to David. He read its contents unbeli

rs Aeronau

Zeppelin

e,

l, Assistant P

llison, Pil

Zeppelin

fill the position of assistant pilot on the dirigible Moonbeam, on its first trip

headquarters, at nine o

Paine

ighter-than

Zeppelin

hile he struggled with his surprise and delight, hardly believing the go

to his own, appointing Red as chief mechanic on the round-the-world flight of the Moonb

out and, crossing the great landing field to the hangar

us away over land and sea, rough mountains and sweet valleys-round the

said David, smiling. "Well, I mu

l just say to him, 'Your Reverence, the ugly duckling has become a swan. Am startin' on a world cruis

"Around the world, Red! Get it? Seeing all those countries, and meetin

ep an eye on them, day and night. Going full blast, and me with an ear

oward the nearest soda fountain, its fenders flapping, its body squeaking and ratt

lowed over the din. "Sometimes the work has seemed pretty stiff,

Dave, even when I was a kid there was something in me pushing up, and reaching out, for something I couldn't reach or see." His voice grew bitter. "I knew a fella once who smoked and caroused too much, and one day he went down and out. He'd never taken anyb

ave, I'd give anything for the chance, now. Now I see what I've thrown away. And I need it; Lord, how I need it! It means that I've got to ma

I say, 'Smoke if you like, and drink if you want to be a fool; but lay off long enough to get yourself t