The engine was working perfectly as the _Golden Eagle_ rushed onward. Its steady song delighted the young voyagers. Harry, with watchful eyes, looked after the lubrication, while Frank kept the craft steady on her course. On and on they flew, the autos beneath seeming specks in clouds of dust. The dirigible was about two miles behind and the _Despatch’s_ aeroplane was a short distance in front of it. The boys, therefore, had a good lead.
“That’s a good start. We’re beating them already,” exclaimed Harry.
“Two miles isn’t much in a race of this length,” he remarked. “We’ve only started, Harry. We’ll have lots of ups and downs before we’ve finished.”
How prophetic his words were neither of the boys realized at that time.
As it grew dusk the boys found themselves flying high above a pleasant wooded country, dotted here and there with small villages and prosperous looking farms. From their lofty station they could see men and women rush out below them waving their arms in excited amazement as the contestants in the big race swept along. Cattle and horses, too, tore about their pastures mad with terror at what they doubtless thought were terrible destroying birds of enormous size.
Occasionally, too, they would fly above rivers and railroads and by noting these carefully they managed to keep their bearings clear. The _Despatch_ aeroplane was now far behind and the dirigible had taken up second place. The auto had been lost sight of also.
“Send out a wireless. We must locate Billy and the others,” said Frank.
The instrument clicked off the message, its blue spark leaping and crackling across the gap like a tongue of living fire.
“We are now passing Cresston, Pennsylvania. Land and wait for us at Remson. You can tell it by its red brick church tower.”
“There it is off there to the north about five miles,” cried Harry, pointing to where a tall red tower stood out against the sky.
“I hope we can find a good landing place there,” said Frank, setting his rudder over a bit. The airship answered like an obedient steed. Round to the north she swung, her gyroscopic balancing device keeping her from heeling over, even at the sharp angle at which Frank guided her round.
As they drew near Remson the greatest excitement prevailed. People could be seen scurrying out in all directions and pointing upward. Suddenly a deep-toned “ding-dong” was borne upward to the young sky navigators.