Mr. Henderson, for whom he had worked a good many years.

No one remained long abed Monday morning. Even Washington was up early
in spite of the interest he had lost in the professor's voyage.

"I jest wants t' see yo' start fer that place where they buries live
folks," he said.

In order to properly test the Flying Mermaid it was necessary to move
the craft from the shed from which place it had never been taken since
it's construction was started. It had been built on big rollers in
anticipation of this need, so that all which was now necessary was to
open the doors at the end, and roll the craft out.

This was accomplished with no small amount of labor, and it was nearly
noon before the big ship was moved into the open. It was shoved along
to a little clearing in front of the shed, where no trees would
interfere with its possible upward movement.

Everyone was bustling about. The professor was busiest of all. He went
from one machine to another; from this apparatus to that, testing
here, turning wheels there, adjusting valves and seeing that all was
in readiness for the generating of the powerful gas.

As the airship was half round on the bottom and as it rested in a sort
of semi-circular cradle; it brought the entrance some distance above
the ground. To make it easier to get in and out while preparations for
the trial were going on, Bill and Tom had made an improvised pair of
steps, which were tied to the side of the ship with ropes.