adopted that style as being the best adapted to allow of rapid flight
through the air; and the young inventor had determined that he would
clip many minutes from the best record yet made.

The body of his craft, between the forward wings and the rear ones,
where the rudders were located, was shaped like a cigar, with side wings
somewhat like the fin keels of the ocean liner to prevent a rolling
motion. In addition, Tom had an ingenious device to automatically adapt
his monoplane to sudden currents of air that might overturn it, and this
device was one of the points which he kept secret.

The motor, which was air-cooled, was located forward, and was just above
the heads of the operator and the passenger who sat beside him. The
single propeller, which was ten feet in diameter, gave a minimum thrust
of one thousand pounds at two thousand revolutions per minute.

This was one feature wherein Tom's craft differed from others. The usual
aeroplane propeller is eight feet in diameter, and gives from four to
five hundred pounds thrust at about one thousand revolutions per minute,
so it can be readily seen wherein Tom had an advantage.

"But I'm building this for speed," he said to Mr. Jackson, "and I'm
going to get it! We'll make a hundred miles an hour without trouble."

"I believe you," replied the engineer. "The motor you and your father
have made is a wonder for lightness and power."

In fact, the whole monoplane was so light and frail as to give one the
idea of a rather large model, instead of a real craft, intended for
service. But a careful inspection showed the great strength it had, for