"Oh, that's different. Bless my pocket knife, but I thought you meant
we might be dashed to pieces, and incapable of eating any dinner."

"Hardly," remarked Mr. Sharp. "The Red Cloud is not that kind of an
airship, I hope. But get aboard, if you please."

Tom and Mr. Damon entered the car. It was resting on the ground, on
the small wheels used to start the airship when the gas inflation
method was not used. In this case, however, it had been decided to
rise in the air by means of the powerful vapor, and not to use the
wings and planes until another time. Consequently the ship was swaying
slightly, and tugging at the restraining cables.

As Tom and Mr. Damon entered the cabin there drove into the Swift yard
a dilapidated wagon, drawn by a bony mule, and it did not need the
addition of a colored man's voice, calling: "Whoa, dar, Boomerang!" to
tell Tom that his friend Eradicate Sampson was on hand. As for
Eradicate, as soon as he saw the great airship, which he had never
before beheld fully rigged, all ready for a flight, his eyes became
big with wonder.

"Is dat yo' flyin' machine, Mistah Swift?" he asked.

"That's it, Rad," answered Tom. "Don't you want to come and take a
ride with us?"

"Me? Good land a' massy! No indeedy, Mistah Swift," and the
whitewasher, who had descended from his wagon, edged away, as if the
airship might suddenly put out a pair of hands and grab him. "No