In ten
minutes Alan had secured permission to be off for the remainder of
the day and the two boys hurried away for luncheon, to revel in
dreams of their great opportunity.
By night Mrs. Napier had consented, though with tears, to Ned's
going, and later Alan's father reluctantly did the same. As Ned was
to leave the next afternoon and had to see Major Honeywell and Senor
Oje in the morning it was a busy evening that the two boys spent in
Ned's workshop.
At one o'clock in the morning Alan's work in Chicago was outlined
and Ned's needs in the East were all listed.
"And now," exclaimed the tired but exuberant Alan, "it is all
arranged but the name. What are we to call the air ship?"
"The 'Cibola,'" answered Ned without hesitation, "the dream of the
Spanish invaders and our hope of success."
CHAPTER V
A DINNER PARTY ON THE PLACIDA
The long, heavy, limited train on which the young air ship boys were
at last embarked on their extraordinary mission pulled slowly out of
the station.
Ned made a quick survey of the Placida. Coming out of the baggage
end he passed first into a drawing room.
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