The weather was pleasant, and the voyage very enjoyable. Tom
and the others had little to do, and they were getting rather
impatient for the time to come when they could put the airship
together, and sail off over the jungle, to get moving pictures of
the elephants.

"Have you any films in the camera now?" asked Ned of his chum
on day, as they sat on deck together.

"Yes, it's all ready for instant use. Even the storage battery
is charged. Why?"

"Oh, I was just wondering. I was thinking we might somehow see
something we could take pictures of."

"Not much out here," said Tom, as he looked across the watery
expanse. As he did so, he saw a haze of smoke dead ahead. "We'll
pass a steamer soon," he went on, "but that wouldn't make a good
picture. It's too common."

As the two lads watched, the smoke became blacker, and the
cloud it formed grew much larger.

"They're burning a lot of coal on that ship," remarked Ned.
"Must be trying for a speed record."

A little later a sailor stationed himself in the crow's nest,
and focused a telescope on the smoke. An officer, on deck, seemed
to be waiting for a report from the man aloft.