Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-03
they were silently Joined by a

Presently they were silently Joined by g
third.
The airship, as she rested before them in
that vast, high Enclosure. was, indeed,
strange enough te inspire dumb, not to say
''dumfounded," admiration.
Five mouths had realized the great ex-
pectations of a few excited and daring men.
The Hennepin, or, rather, let us saw, the
Wilder airship, after several trials, had been
quietly pronounced by Sergeant Willtwig to
be perfect for the purpose. And now, under
the muniheent patronage of the public
spirited millionaires, under the sublime en-
ergy of the Arctic explorer, under the
mighty faith of the inventor, under the
scientific suggestions of the youthful
astronomical tutor, and under the
enthusiastic urgings of the two yery
young gentlemen of the party, the
preparations for an aerial voyage were about
completed. The attainment of the North
Pole was believed by every one OF the six
men to be a sure thing, "only the e1pedi-
tion must, above all things, be secret one, -
the merchant had said before they separated
at the dinner ''If successful, will claim
q share in the honor for Chicago. If not
silence" In this case, as in so many others,
the man who paid decided, and SO it hap
pened that on that June morning only six
men in the world had an inkling of the most
daring project OF the century.
The younger men had overcome the OBJ
stacles TO taking a personal share in this
dangerous expedition, each in his own way.
- m going a short trip to the West
and expect TO be back in Julv," wrote ROYAL
Sterne TO his guardian in Boston; and as the
Young man had moderate fortune of his
own, was usually able TO look out for him.
self, and was moreover to come of age in a
week. that guardian asked no questions.
He had only seven davs of authority left,
and took it for granted that Royal was fish
ing or trapping. If he had known the
truth, it is doubtful if he would have offered
anv objections. He and his ward we're both
sons OF the first State in the Union," and
the good man would probably have said,
81 guess a fellow that's born in Maine can
stand the North Pole"
Jack Hardy was quite his own master.
81 hayn't anybody but a jolly old aunt" )"
be had confided to Royal
'eWhat will she say?" asked ROYAL.
"She?" cried Jack Hardy. "She's been
through Africa! She'd go herself if she
could. We're a family of travellers and
explorers. My grandfather fell down
Tesuvius. ] had a great-uncle who froze
trapping in British America. My father
and mother went round Cape Horn when
i
in the blood. We all go somewhere. Aunt
Maria wouldn't carep'
As for Frederick Ball, the tutor, he said
goodby to his mother and went ION an as
Economical trip to the North" He never
prevaricated
So the three young men had met in Rock
ford had been driven at night to Prof
Wilder's inclosed workshop, five miles up
the river, and now they stood on the morn
ing of the 1st of July In tremor of wonder
before the vehicle of their dreams
''When is it? Twelve to-day?" asked
Royal
YES" said Jack, with an assumption of
indifference 81 believe that's the time we
start Seems to me-, added he, 'I'd rather
trust myself in balloon. This
"No YOU wouldn't" interrupted the
tutor mot bit of it. The conquest of the
air is Just as possible as the conquest of the
sea. Since the time of the first ascension
bv Montgolphier IN 17S3-is that right 2"
"I won't contradict you. Go aheadr'
said Royal lightly.
AT zny rate since then the dream of
mankind has been to fly. We have come to
the time when the public demands a
medium of motion where friction is prac-
tically a minus quantity, and where cor
porations build no tracks, get no grants and
have no.
Collisions" suggested Royal.
well. suppose there will be q col
lision or two, unless different elevations
are set apart by law for different direc-
tions"
rs that idea patentable?" asked Jack
Hardy.