Ned, making a tour of the Mars, as she swayed gently in the big
shed, saw where several aluminum pedestals were mounted, fore and
aft and on either beam of the ship.
"They look just like places where you intend to mount guns,"
said Ned to Tom.
"And that's exactly what they are," the young inventor replied.
"I have the guns nearly ready for mounting, but I can't seem to
think of a way of providing for the recoil. And if I don't take
care of that, I'm likely to find my ship coming apart under me,
after we bombard the enemy with a broadside or two."
"Then you intend to fight with this ship?" asked Ned.
"Well, no; not exactly personally. I was thinking of offering
it to the United States Government. Foreign nations are getting
ready large fleets of aerial warships, so why shouldn't we?
Matters in Europe are mighty uncertain. There may be a great war
there in which aerial craft will play a big part. I am conceited
enough to think I can build one that will measure up to the
foreign ones, and I'll soon be in a position to know."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I have already communicated with our government
experts, and they are soon to come and inspect this craft.
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