“Yes,” went on Mr. Halling.  “I have been having some trouble with my motor, and I thought perhaps you could tell me what was wrong.  My friend, Mr. Wakefield Damon, sent me to you.”

“What!  Do you know Mr. Damon?” cried Tom.

“I’ve known’ him for some years.  I met him in the West, but I hadn’t seen him lately, until I came East.  He sent me to see you, and said you would help me.”

“Well, any friend of Mr. Damon’s is a friend of mine!” exclaimed Tom, genially.  “I’ll have a look at your machine as soon as Koku gets it down.  How is Mr. Damon, anyhow?  I haven’t seen him in over two weeks.”

“I’m sorry to say he isn’t very well, Mr. Swift.”

“Is he ill?  What is the trouble?”

“He isn’t exactly ill,” went on Mr. Halling, “but he is fretting himself into a sickness, worrying over his lost fortune.”

“His lost fortune!” cried Tom, in surprise at the bad news concerning his friend.  “I didn’t know he had lost his money!”

“He hasn’t yet, but he’s in a fair way to, he says.  It’s something about bad investments, and he did speak of the trickery of one man, I didn’t get the particulars.  But he certainly feels very badly over it.”

“I should think he would,” put in Mr. Swift.  “Tom, we must look into this.  If we can help Mr. Damon—­”

“We certainly will,” interrupted Tom.  “Now come in the house, Mr. Halling.  I’m sure you must be quite shaken up by your upset.”

“I am, to tell you the truth, though it isn’t the first accident I’ve had in my airship.”

They were proceeding toward the house, when there came a cry from Koku, who had fastened a rope about the airship to lower it.

“Master!  Master!” cried the giant.  “The rope am slippin’.  Grab the end of it!”

CHAPTER III

TOM’S FAILURE

“Come on!” cried Tom, quickly, as, turning’, he saw the accident about to happen.  “Your craft will surely be smashed if she slips to the ground, Mr. Halling!”

“You’re right!  This seems to be my unlucky day!” The birdman, limping slightly from his fall, hurried with Tom to where a rope trailed on the ground.  Koku had fastened one end to the airship, and had taken a turn of the cable about the chimney.  He had been lowering the biplane to the ground, but he had not allowed for its great weight, and the rope had slipped from his big hands.

But Tom and Mr. Halling were just in time.  They grabbed the slipping hempen strands, and thus checked the falling craft until Koku could get a better grip.

“All right now,” said the giant, when he had made fast the rope.  “Me fix now.  Master can go.”

“Think he can lower it?” asked Mr. Halling, doubtfully.

“Oh, surely,” said Tom.  “Koku’s as strong as a horse.  You needn’t worry.  He’ll get it down all right.  But you are limping.”

“Yes, I jammed my leg a little.”