“That’s the stuff!  She’s better than ever!  Climb up Ned, and we’ll start off.  You can turn her over, Rad; can’t you?”

“Suah, Massa Tom,” was the reply, for Eradicate had been on so many trips with Tom, and had had so much to do with airships, that to merely start one was child’s play for him.

The two youths had scarcely taken their seats, and the colored man was about to twist around the fan-like blades of the big propeller in front, when from behind there came a hail.

“Hold on there!  Wait a minute, Tom Swift!  Bless my admission ticket, don’t go!  I’ve got something important to tell you!  Hold on!”

“Humph!  I know who that is!” cried Tom, motioning to Eradicate to cease trying to start the motor.

“Mr. Damon, of course,” agreed Ned.  “I wonder what he wants?”

“A ride, maybe,” went on Tom.  “If he does we’ve got to take the Scooter instead of this one.  That holds four.  Well, we may as well see what he wants.”

He jumped lightly from his seat in the monoplane and was followed by Ned.  They saw coming toward them, from the direction of the house, a stout man, who seemed very much excited.  He was walking so fast that he fairly waddled, and he was smiling at the lads, for he was one of their best friends.

“Glad I caught you, Tom.” he panted, for his haste had almost deprived him of breath.  “I’ve got something important to tell you.  I hurried over as soon as I heard about it.”

“Well, you’re just in time,” commented Ned with a laugh.  “In another minute we’d have been up in the clouds.”

“What is it, Mr. Damon?” asked Tom.  “Have you got wind of a city of diamonds, or has some one sent you a map telling where we can go to pick up ten thousand dollar bills by the basket?”

“Neither one; Tom, neither one.  It’s something better than either of those, and if you don’t jump at the chance I’m mistaken in you, that’s all I’ve got to say.  Come over here.”

He turned a quick glance over his shoulder as he spoke and advanced toward the two lads on tiptoe as though he feared some one would see or hear him.  Yet it was broad daylight, the place was the starting ground for Tom’s aeroplanes and save Eradicate there was no one present except Mr. Damon, Ned and the young inventor himself.

“What’s up?” asked Tom in wonderment.

“Hush!” cautioned the odd gentleman.  “Bless my walking stick, Tom! but this is going to be a great chance for you—­for us,—­for I’m going along.”

“Going where, Mr. Damon?”

“I’ll tell you in a minute.  Is there any one here?”

“No one but us?”

“You are sure that Andy Foger isn’t around.”

“Sure.  He’s out of town, you know.”

“Yes, but you never can tell when he’s going to appear on the scene.  Come over here,” and taking hold of the coat of each of the youths, Mr. Damon led them behind the big swinging door of the aeroplane shed.