The youth and the colored man grasped the rear supports of the long,
tail-like part of the monoplane while Tom stepped to the front to
twist the propeller blades. The first two times there was no
explosion as he swung the delicate wooden blades about, but the
third time the engine started off with a roar, and a succession of
explosions that were deafening, until Tom switched in the muffler,
thereby cutting down the noise. Faster and faster the propeller
whirled about as the motor warmed up, until the young inventor
exclaimed:

"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