CHAPTER II. FRANK MAKES A DECISION.

The captain shifted his quid again and then smiled at the earnest look in Frank’s eyes. The young inventor was intensely interested.

“How did we get wet?” interrogated the captain. “Water of course. It was all before us. It had come down upon us with the force of a hurricane.

“We waited where we were until the light of day came. Then we beheld an appalling scene. A mighty expanse of water lay before us.

“The lake had come back. The basin was full of water. Evidently it had a trick of doing this. That it was of the transient kind there was no doubt.

“I won’t attempt any theorizing or explanation of the phenomenon. I describe it to you just as it occurred. That is all. You’ll have to guess the rest.

“What of our shipmates and the gold? I don’t know. We never saw them again. We could do nothing but push on to the northward. For months we wandered until we came to a great river leading down to the Paraguay. Thence we made our way to Parana and shipped home. This is my story.”

Frank drew a deep breath.

For a moment after the captain had finished he could not speak. At length he managed to say:

“You think the gold is still at the bottom of that lake?”

“Yes.”

“And that the lake is transient, or has spells of changing its basin?”

“Just so, mate!”

Frank was thoughtful for a moment. Finally he said:

“Do you think it would be easy to find that locality again?”

“Oh, there’s the rub,” said Beere, rubbing his hands; “in my lifetime I have made six attempts and failed. But, of course, we traveled overland.”

The same thought came to each.

“Then you think the air-ship—on account of a better view of the earth, could locate it?”

“I do,” replied Nicodemus. “Now you have the whole thing in a nutshell, Frank. The moment I looked at your air-ship, I saw a possible way to visit the mysterious country and locate the Transient Lake.”

Frank Reade, Jr., seemed for a moment in a glow. His eyes shone like blazing stars, and his manner was all eagerness.

“By Jove, you have done it, Captain Nicodemus!” he declared. “I have been trying to decide upon a new trip with the Spectre, and to visit the Transient Lake is just the thing. It promises eager anticipation, excitement and thrilling adventure.”

The captain leaned over the table.

“You will go?” he asked, tensely.

“Yes,” replied Frank.

“And—will you allow me to go with you?”

“I would not think of going without you!” declared Frank.

“Thank you! I had quit the sea, and never thought to take another voyage. But a cruise in the air—that’s different, mate. When shall I report?”

“We will start within a week,” declared Frank; “it will not take long to get things in readiness. I will have Barney and Pomp put stores on board at once.”

We will not dwell upon the further conversation which followed. Suffice it to say that before the old captain left Readestown all arrangements were made.

Barney O’Shea was a jolly Irish boy, who had been long in the employ of Frank Reade, Jr. Pomp was a negro valet who was as devoted to Frank as man could be.

Wherever Frank traveled these two faithful chaps accompanied him.

Frank’s first move after the departure of Captain Nicodemus was to ring a bell. Instantly it was answered by Barney.

The Celt stood in the doorway and ducked his red head in response to Frank’s call.

“Shure, here I am, sor!” he declared.

“Where is Pomp?” asked Frank.

The Celt gave a queer little whistle. Almost instantly a comical little darky appeared beside him.

“Here I is, sah!” he said, with a scrape and a grin.

“Well, you jolly rascals,” said Frank, with a laugh. “I have some good news for you.”

“Golly, Marse Frank, wha’ am it?”

“Bejabers, it’s glad we are to hear that, sor!”

“Well,” said Frank, quickly, “I want you to have the Spectre ready for a quick departure. We are bound for a cruise to South America.”

Barney threw a handspring, and Pomp cut a pigeon-wing.

“Hi, hi!” cried the darky; “dat am jes’ too good news fo’ anyfing!”

“Be me sowl, I’m deloighted!”

“Put provisions aboard the Spectre at once,” ordered Frank. “See that she is completely equipped for a long cruise. You know what to do.”

Away scampered the two jolly fellows. So high were their spirits that they bubbled over, and before the yard of the machine works was crossed they fell to wrestling with each other.

“Hi, hi, chile!” sputtered Pomp, getting a grapevine on the Celt; “I kin trow yo’ jes’ as easy as yo’ like. Look out dar fo’ squalls!”

“Not much, me friend,” retorted Barney, securing an elbow lock. “One—two—three—an’ over yez go!”

They rolled around the yard for somewhile like a couple of monkeys. Neither desisted until they were completely exhausted; then each sped away to do Frank’s bidding.

“I git square wif yo’ yet, yo’ no ’count I’ishman,” cried Pomp.

“Yez aren’t the soize,” retorted Barney.

In the great, high-roofed storehouse the Spectre rested upon her stocks.

She was a marvel of beauty and symmetry. Her lines were somewhat like those of a government cruiser, yet more narrow of beam and slender.

The hull was of thinly rolled composition of aluminum and steel to insure lightness and make it impervious to a bullet. The hull was pierced just below the rail with a number of dead-eye windows, which admitted light to the hold.

Above the deck there arose two cabins. The forward cabin was richly furnished, and contained the dining saloon and the living quarters of the ship’s company.

The after cabin contained the staterooms and berths. It was provided with dead-eye windows, and could be made airtight in the event of the air-ship ascending into the rarefied atmosphere above the clouds, where human life could not be supported.

Forward was the pilot-house, a dome-shaped structure with heavy plate glass windows. In this were the steering gear and electric keyboard, with all nautical and scientific instruments suitable for navigation in the air.

The propelling power of the air-ship was furnished by electric motors placed in the hold. These drove a huge fan propeller at the stern.

Also they drove the four powerful helices placed upon revolving masts above the deck. These furnished the lifting power of the air-ship, which was most tremendous.

Everything about the Spectre was ship-shape and elegant, from the polished brass-work to the silver-bladed helices and shiny steel masts. It was a marvel of beauty and grace and appointment.

Having said this much we will close this brief and incomplete description of the great air-ship, leaving the reader to gather a more correct impression from the accurate representation of the artist.

A few evenings thereafter Frank received the following telegram from Captain Nicodemus:

“Dear Frank—Am all ready for the start. Shall I come to Readestown or will you stop for me at New Orleans, where I am at present? Wire me.
“Yours, ? ? ? Nicodemus Beere.”

Frank at once answered that he would pick the captain up at New Orleans on the way to the Gulf. Then he hastened preparations for the start.

It was not long before the air-ship was rolled out into the great yard and was all ready for the start.

Then the people of Readestown rose en masse to give their distinguished fellow-citizen an ovation and a grand farewell to speed him on his journey.

The fame of the undertaking had traveled far and wide and from every part of the country people flocked to Readestown.

Their curiosity was most powerful to see the man who had mastered so easily the great problem of aerial navigation.

Frank was obliged to decline all invitations to events given in his honor. His full time was occupied in preparations for the start.

And at last all was ready.

Frank wired Beere at New Orleans and then went aboard the air-ship. Barney and Pomp accompanied him.

It was a beautiful August morning. A mighty crowd thronged the streets of Readestown to get a look at the air-ship as it mounted in the air.

None of them were disappointed.

Exactly at the hour named the Spectre leaped upward into the clouds. The people cheered and the bands played and cannon roared. And away sailed the Spectre.

Into space she sped, every moment growing smaller, until soon she was lost to sight altogether.

The great journey was begun.

The voyagers were destined to meet with many thrilling adventures ere they should see home again. What these were it will be our duty to chronicle.

“Begorra, she sails foine!” said Barney with delight, as he trimmed the course of the air-ship a bit; “she’ll niver be beat, Misther Frank!”

“I think myself that she sails well,” said the critical young inventor. “I shall not try to beat her this year.”

“Golly, Marse Frank, yo’ don’t hab no need ter,” declared Pomp; “she am good fo’ a long voyage, sah!”

“Begorra, phwere is it we will be afther meetin’ the other man?” asked Barney.

“At New Orleans,” replied Frank.

“An’ how far is that, sor?”

“About a thousand miles. We will make it in two days easy enough.”

“It is on our course, sor?”

“Yes.”

The air-ship sailed on over a mighty panorama of mountain and valley, hill and plain, lake and forest and river. Great cities alternated with little towns. It was a mighty spectacle from the air-ship’s deck.