being, to devote all his time to the solution of the mystery.
Tom and Ned had been away from Shopton for three days, following the most promising clue they had yet received. But it had failed at the end, and one afternoon they found themselves in a small town, about a hundred miles from Shopton. They had been motoring.
"I think I'll call up the house," said Tom. "Dad may have received some news, or Mrs. Damon may have sent him some word. I'll get my father on the wire."
Connection to Tom's house was soon made, and Ned, who was listening to his chum's remarks, was startled to hear him cry out:
"What's that you say? My airship taken again? When did it happen? Yes, I'm listening. Go on, Father!"
Then followed a silence while Tom listened, breaking in now and then with an excited remark. Suddenly he called:
"Good-by, Dad! I'm coming right home!"
Tom hung up the receiver with a bang, and turned to his chum.
"What do you think!" he cried. "The Eagle was taken again last night! The same way as before. Nobody got a glimpse of the thieves, though. Dad has been trying to get in communi-
