“No, Massa Tom, it ain’t him.  I knows dat blessin’ man good an’ proper.  I jest wish he’d bless mah mule Boomerang some day, an’ take some oh de temper out ob him.  No, sah, it ain’t Massa Damon.  De gen’man’s in de airship shed waitin’ fo’ you.”

“In the airship shed!  No strangers are allowed in there, Rad.”

“I knows it, Massa Tom, but he done persisted his se’f inter it, an’ he wouldn’t come out when I told him; an’ your pa an’ Mr. Jackson ain’t home.”

“I’ll see about this,” exclaimed Tom, striding to the large shed, where the Red Cloud was kept.  As he entered it he saw a man looking over the wonderful craft.

“Did you want to see me?” asked Tom, sharply, for he did not like strangers prowling around.

“I did, and I apologize for entering here, but I am interested in airships, and I thought you might want to hire a pilot.  I am in need of employment, and I have had considerable to do with balloons and aeroplanes, but never with an airship like this, which combines the two features.  Do you wish to hire any one.”

“No, I don’t!” replied Tom, sharply, for he did not like the looks of the man.

“I was told that you did,” was the rather surprising answer.

“Who told you?”

The man looked all around the shed, before replying, as if fearful of being overheard.  Then, stepping close to Tom, he whispered: 

“Mr. Jenks told me!”

“Mr. Jenks?” Tom could not conceal his astonishment.

“Yes.  Mr. Barcoe Jenks.  But I did not come here to merely ask you for employment.  I would like to hire out to you, but the real object of my visit was to say this to you.”

The man approached still closer to Tom, and, in a lower voice, and one that could scarcely be heard, he fairly hissed: 

“Don’t go with Barcoe Jenks to seek the diamond makers!”

Then, before Tom could put out a hand to detain him, had the lad so wished, the man turned suddenly, and fairly ran from the shed.

CHAPTER VI-MR. DAMON IS ON HAND

The young inventor stood almost spellbound for a few moments.  Then recovering himself he made a dash for the door through which the mysterious man had disappeared.  Tom saw him sprinting down the road, and was half-minded to take after him, but a cooler thought warned him that he had better not.

“He may be one of those men who are on Mr. Jenks’ trail,” reasoned Tom, in which case it might not be altogether safe to attempt to stop him, and make him explain.  Or he may be a lunatic, and in that case it wouldn’t be altogether healthy to interfere with him.

“I’ll just let him go, and tell Mr. Jenks about him when he comes to-night.  But I must warn Rad never to let him in here again.  He might damage the airship.”

Calling to the colored man, Tom pointed to the stranger, who was almost out of sight down the road, and said earnestly: