"Say, she's bigger than I thought she was!"

Thus the young cadets commented on the appearance of the craft as
it was hauled out. Word had been sent to Mr. Vardon and his helper
to come and look at the salvaged wreck, and they were goon on the
scene, together with Larry Dexter, who, as usual, was always on hand
when there was a chance to get an item of news.

"I'll get another scoop out of this for my paper!" he exclaimed to
Dick. "Then I guess I'd better be getting back to New York. They
may want to send me on some other assignment, for it doesn't look
as though I'd do any more flying through the air in that machine."

"Say, don't be in too much of a hurry to go away," remarked Dick,
as he ceased from pulling on the rope attached to the wrecked
airship.

"Why not?" asked Larry. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're not on any regular news stunt just now; are you?"
inquired Dick, of the young reporter. "That is, you don't have to
report back to the office at any special time."

"No," replied Larry. "I'm a sort of free lance. I'm supposed to
be learning how to run an airship so I can qualify, and get a
license, and be able to help out the paper on such a stunt if they
need me. They assigned me to this Mr. Vardon because it looked as
though he had a good thing. Now that it's busted I suppose I'll be
sent out with some other aviator, and I'd better be getting back to