"Is that so, now?"

"Yes. You know Mr. Price, don't you?"

"Perhaps I do."

"And you are on the lookout for an airship, but not this machine.
Let me explain briefly, and see if we cannot come to an
understanding."

Dave surmised that the stranger must be one of the assistants of Mr.
Price, the revenue officer. In a very few minutes he knew that this
was true. Assured from Dave's talk that he was not the Dawson boy, and
that the hydro-aeroplane before him was not the Drifter, the man became
very friendly.

It seemed that he was one of the agents of the revenue service. He
made his headquarters at Millville, and had received a telegram from
Mr. Price the day previous to look out for the stolen airship. This
was before Mr. Price had met Dave at Bolton, but immediately after
Mr. King at Columbus had told him of the discovery that the Dawsons
had made away with the Drifter.

So far as the man knew, none of the many assistants of Mr. Price had
found any traces of the missing aero-hydroplane. Dave did not
enlighten him as to his plans and destination, for the man's present
duties were simply those of a lookout at Millville.

The stranger stayed and chatted with the boys for over two hours,
and then went away. Dave had told him that they would not start out