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near the front of the ship. It was made mostly of wood painted gold with brass accents around the port holes and edges. Aft of the ramp on the outside of the ship, a great propeller powered by a steam engine hung suspended from a massive wooden arm. I remembered seeing this on both sides of the ship from afar when it was airborne, along with an additional three propellers in the very back of the ship. The huge propeller in the center and two smaller ones on either side had to be how the ship was steered in the air. They all looked much more impressive and quite colossal once one got closer.
    It boggled the mind!
    As I stepped into the main part of the ship, my eyes were further amazed. Directly in front of me was a grand staircase, similar to that which I ascended last evening with my tasty treat. The interior was made with the finest materials and adornments. It was a wonder they allowed commoners on this boat. They must have had a dedicated crew to keep a watchful eye during those daytime tours. The room in which this staircase began was rather small, considering, and all the guests were being ushered upstairs. I ascended the steps, pleasantly reminiscent of last night, onto the next deck. This was, again, only the front half of the ship. The entire aft of the ship had to be the mechanics of the thing. This middle deck was a large ballroom. A string quartet played in the corner and couples were already swirling across the floor to the music. A buffet table full of the finest meats, cheeses, fruits, and breads lined the far wall. Formally dressed waiters wandered the room offering goodies to the wallflowers and refilling their wine glasses.
    After ascending a second, less ornate staircase, I reached the uppermost deck, open to the night. The stars and moon were all obscured by the massive balloon overhead, but the view of the park from this height was already amazing. This deck was quite roomier, set aside for the use of guests, although a good third of the aft portion was reserved for what I could only assume to be the control room. More waiters dressed in black dinner jackets wove between the astonished guests offering snacks and drink.
    The airship captain stood on the bow with his hands on his hips, looking the part perfectly.
    His long scarf blew in the wind and his goggles were set just above his eyebrows. Around the edge of one lens, an arm protruded about an inch with three distinct separate glass discs attached at the end of additional arms. Each could rotate over the lens individually or together. It was brilliant. It acted as if one had a telescope and magnifying glass all in one device and all hands-free.
    “Cap’n!” I heard a small voice from behind me call. “Cap’n! Cap’n!”
    The impressive man turned around. His nose was significant, yet proportionate on his strong face. He wore friendly mutton chops down the sides that quite suited him.
    “Cap’n!”
    “Yes, boy. What is it?” The captain replied.
    “Getting a strange reading on the pressure valve, sir.”
    “Which one?”

    “Behind the intake cylinder.”
    “That one again? Where’s Williams? He’s the Chief Engineer after all.”
    “Um,” the boy said with a sideways glance at me.
    “Nevermind, I’ll have a look at it presently, lad. Call the all aboard. We’ll be lifting off presently.”
    “Aye, aye, Cap’n,” the lad said with a quick salute.
    “Get some coffee in Williams,” the captain added as he strode past me. He moved with assurance and confidence. Ever commanding, which was appropriate for the captain of a ship.
    The boy trotted behind him, his gait revealing just the opposite.
    “Aye, aye” I heard the boy reply just as they approached the control room.
    “Arthur!” I heard to my left. I turned to see Hazel, Eliza, and Emily along with another woman whose back was turned to me, as she was looking over the side of the ship. She was exquisitely dressed in a deep burgundy jacket accented with golden stripes. Its