It
seemed to have grown larger. Me peered at it steadily for several
seconds.
"Is it a bird?" asked Mr. Damon.
"Jove! It's another airship--a big biplane!" cried Tom, "and there seems
to be three men in her."
"An aeroplane!" gasped Ned.
"Bless my deflecting rudder!" cried Mr. Damon. "An airship in this
out-of-the-way place?" for they were flying over a desolate country.
"And they're coming right after us," added Tom, as he continued to gaze.
"I thought so," was the quiet comment of Mr. Petrofsky. "That is what I
started to say a few days ago," he went on, "when I stopped, as I hardly
believed it possible. I thought they might possibly send an aeroplane
after us, as both the French and Russian armies have a number of fast
ones. So they are pursuing us. I'm afraid my presence will bring you no
end of trouble."
"Let it come!" cried Tom. "If they can catch up to us they've got a good
machine. Come on, Ned, let's speed her up, and make them take more of
our star dust."
"Wait a minute," advised the Russian, as he took the telescope from Tom,
and viewed the ever-increasing speck behind them. "Are you sure of the
speed of this craft?" he asked a moment later.
"I never saw the one yet I couldn't pull away from, even after giving
them a start," answered the young inventor proudly.
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