"Good. We'll have fine weather by that time. Are you going all
the way by your airship?"

"No, I think it will be best to take that apart, ship it by
steamer, and go that way ourselves. I can put the airship
together in India, and then use it to get to any other part of
Europe, Asia or Africa you happen to want pictures from."

"Good! Well, get to work now, and I'll see you again."

In the days that followed, Tom and Ned were kept busy. There
was considerable to do on the airship, in the way of overhauling
it. This craft was Tom's largest, and was almost like the one in
which he had gone to the caves of ice, where it was wrecked. It
had been, however, much improved.

The craft was a sort of combined dirigible balloon, and
aeroplane, and could be used as either. There was a machine on
board for generating gas, to use in the balloon part of it, and
the ship, which was named the Flyer, could carry several persons.

"Bless my shoe laces!" cried Mr. Damon one day as he looked at
Koku. "If we take him along in the airship, will we be able to
float, Tom?"

"Oh, yes. The airship is plenty big enough. Besides, we are not
going to take along a very large party, and the camera is not
heavy. Oh, we'll be all right. I suppose you'll be on hand to-
morrow, Mr. Damon?"