But there was no further disturbance that night, and, when Tom and Ned
ceased work, they had made good progress toward finishing the air
glider.
The big airship was almost ready to be given a trial flight, with her
motors tuned up to give more power, and as soon as the Russian exile had
a little more definite information as to the possible whereabouts of his
brother, they could start.
In the days that followed Tom and his friends worked hard. The air
glider was made as nearly perfect as any machine is, and in a fairly
stiff gale, that blew up about a week later, Tom did some things in it
that made his friends open their eyes. The young inventor had it under
nearly as good control as he had his dirigible balloons or aeroplanes.
The big airship, too, was made ready for the long voyage, extra large
storage tanks for gasolene being built in, as it was doubtful if they
could get a supply in Siberia without arranging for it in advance, and
this they did not want to do. Besides there was the long ocean flight to
provide for.
"But if worst comes to worst I can burn kerosene in my motor," Tom
explained, for he had perfected an attachment to this end. "You can get
kerosene almost anywhere in Russia."
At last word was received from Russia, from some Revolutionist friends
of the exile, stating that his brother was supposed to be working in a
certain sulphur mine north of the Iablonnoi mountains, and half way
between that range and the city of Iakutsk.
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