ng inspiring in the sight of the vast bulks of the balloons, skimming along through the air like gigantic birds. They seemed to demonstrate man's conquest

, and then they all headed in the same direction, for, as And

a battle in the air, and the propellers whirled about

near one another. Then, in a graceful sweep, they headed for a dist

teeple and return to the grounds was to win a valuable prize. In order to distinguish the airsh

ed away toward the goal. They were so far distant now that

ie Horton. "That looks as if it wo

a pretty one at that," replied Jerry, bowing

so large, nor seemingly as powerful as any of the others, but Jerry had reasons of his own for

uld follow them," said Ned. "See,

ee the finish. Besides, they'll come back quicker than t

k they'll return mor

with the wind to their sheds or tents. A fellow who is helping one of the owners of a dirigible told me that. It's one of the tricks of contests like this. You

. "You are getting ready f

a motor ship?" asked Alice

ell," returned Ned. "Stran

ning to you boys," commented Helen. "But

will in our

h ladder to pick cherries, and I know I'd faint if I was eve

e dirigible balloons, which were no

head?" a

tance," said Jerry. "But th

was some distance off, that the time passed quickly. Almost before t

ming back!"

e can see which one will win. None of

of the waiting crowd the sounds of the moto

ng to win!" cried

ou selected the wrong

as all Je

oon suddenly shoot up into the air. The o

ing that for?

current of air," said Jerry. "He knows I

eclared Andy, changing his mind. "Se

of the five, would come in ahead. It was rapidly shooting forward,

r friends soon learned. Number five balloon, which had ascended to a considerable height, was sudd

motor has stopped! The gas

as a small black object, did not seem to be alarme

o win," said

oo sure," c

e," was Je

agle swooping down from the heights it fell toward the earth, and a little later it h

presently all the other ships of the clouds had finished the course, and were hovering in the air above the heads of

e did it?" asked

on," replied Ned. "How did he ma

ich the others were shooting along. Then, when he was near enough to the line, he pointed the nose of his balloon downward by shifting the elevation rudder

g about ballooning," re

wish we had one like that dirigible, with the planes on either side of it. Let's go over a

too," suddenly said a man s

He was rather young-looking, but he ha

a balloon like

uld go farther and stay up longer-but

critically. A daring pla