John Ross spoke up at once.  "Mr. Giddings," he said, "I think you have the right idea.  Bob and Paul can't help me much from now on, and if we take that trip around the world next summer this machine must be done some weeks ahead, so that we can have a chance to test her out and tune her up.  Now, it happens that Paul and I have a cousin--Tom Meeks--who is about my age and who flew in the same squadron with me over on the French front during the war.  I will vouch for Tom's ability as a mechanic and flyer, also as to his trustworthiness.  It happens my mother just received a letter from Tom's folks in Illinois the other day in which she said the factory had closed down in which he was working and he was out of a job."