"Well, what in the name of the great horn-spoon air you boys doing
here," he gasped, for Harry and Billy had now come forward and were
warmly shaking his hand.

"Well, answer us first: what are you doing here?" demanded Frank.

"Coming mighty near my finish like my poor mate," was the reply.

"Perhaps your friend had better come in the cabin and have something
to eat while he talks," suggested Captain Hazzard to the boys.

All agreed that that would be a good idea and the castaway was
escorted to the cabin table on which Hiram Scroggs the Vermonter soon
spread a fine meal.

"Wall, first and foremost," began Ben, the meal being dispatched, "I
'spose you want to know how I come to be out here skydoodling around
in a dirigible?"

"That's it," cried Billy.

"It's just this way," resumed the old sailor drawing out his aged
pipe. "Yer see, my pardner, James Melville,--that's the poor feller
that's dead,--and me was trying out his new air-craft when we got
blown out ter sea. We'd been goin' fer two days when you picked up the
wireless call for help he was sending out. I used ter say that
wireless was a fool thing ter have on an air-ship, but I owe my life
ter it all right.

"Ter go back a bit, I met Melville soon after we got back from the