The Motor Boys After a Fortune; or, The Hut on Snake Island
Page 19
CHAPTER XVIII
ON THE TRAIL
“How in the world does it happen that you have an airship, just whenone is most needed?” asked Jerry, as he and his chums seated themselvesnear Mr. Montrose.
“I admit it does sound like a fairy story,” said that gentleman with asmile, “but I assure you it is all plain facts. I am not an aviator,nor am I a dealer in airships. I’m a banker here in Denver. The quietlife for mine. I’d no more think of going up in an airship than I wouldof putting on a diver’s outfit, and going to the bottom of the sea. Andyet I own what I am told is one of the best biplanes made. You see, itwas this way:
“When we had this meet, for aeroplanes and balloons out in BuffaloPark, there were a number of cranks, as there always are at an affairof that kind.
“Some of them came to me, with plans for airships that I could easilysee would never fly. Others seemed to have good ideas. They all wantedmoney to build their craft.
“There was one young fellow who seemed to have a plan for a good sortof airship, and I took quite a notion to him. I got an engineer to lookover the drawings, and, on his report, I advanced the money for theyoung man to build his biplane. It was a success from the start, and hemade several preliminary flights, and won some prizes in the meet.
“Then he met with an accident, and not, as you might suppose, while upin the air. He was coming to the park one day to give an exhibitionflight, when he was struck by a trolley car, and so badly injured thathe died in a few days. That left me with a first-class airship on myhands, for I took it away from the grounds, and had it stored in mybarn.
“That’s how it happens that I have a biplane in good working order,and if it is of any service to you boys, you are welcome to her. I’ddo anything for you, after what you did for me and I hope that you canmake use of this craft.”
“It is very kind of you to offer it to us,” spoke Jerry, “and I thinkit will be just the thing we need. Of course we don’t know anythingabout the engine, or how the biplane will sail, nor how fast. But I’msure it will help us in our hunt for Noddy Nixon.”
“Then suppose you come out to my place and look her over,” suggestedMr. Montrose. “I have my auto out in front, and it won’t take long toget to my house. Besides, I want you boys to pay me a visit, anyhow.Get your baggage from the hotel, and be my guests.”
The boys could not refuse. They paid their bill at the hotel, and hadtheir baggage taken to Mr. Montrose’s fine big house. As soon as theprofessor arrived there, he hurried out to a fish pond, with a smallnet, and was not seen again until night, when he came in with morespecimens.
As for the boys, their first visit was to the barn where the airshipwas stored. Mr. Montrose went with them, and he smiled in appreciationat what the three chums said.
For perhaps two minutes they examined it carefully, Jerry payingparticular attention to the engine. Then Bob burst out with:
“Well, it’s not so bad. I see a place where we can fasten a box on tocarry some lunch.”
“Trust Chunky for that,” murmured Ned.
“The engine is powerful,” was Jerry’s opinion, “and the propellers arewell made. She has speed all right.”
“And she’ll carry the three of us,” added Ned. “Of course we’ll have tocome down after every trip of about a hundred miles, for she doesn’tcarry gasolene for much more than that. But we can chase Noddy in‘century’ stretches, and gasolene is easy to get around here. I say,let’s take her, and have a try.”
“We can stop for lunch anywhere if we happen to run short,” proposedBob.
“If you say lunch again, I’ll make you eat an onion!” cried Jerry,knowing how Bob hated them.
“Do you think it will do?” asked Mr. Montrose, full of interest in theproject of the motor boys.
“Do? It’s just fine!” cried Ned. “We can’t thank you enough.”
“It is I who am in your debt,” spoke the banker. “You are welcome tothe machine. I don’t know anything about them, and you may be taking abig risk to run it, but I hope not.”
“Oh, she’ll run all right,” answered Jerry, looking over the craft witha critical eye. “We’ll give it a try-out now.”
The professor being engaged in capturing specimens, the boys had thetest to themselves. They wheeled the aeroplane out in a big field,and, after trying the engine, and finding that it worked almost toperfection, got ready for a flight. Mr. Montrose and his wife, whocould sit up in an easy chair, and Gladys, with her wounded doll,watched the lads from a safe distance.
“Of course this isn’t like our _Comet_,” said Jerry to his chums.“It’s just a straight aeroplane, and if the engine stops we’ve got tovolplane down. But I think she’ll enable us to get on Noddy’s trail.We’ll go up for a short flight, and then if she’s all right, we’llstart out, and go as far as we can before dark.”
“Which way?” asked Bob.
“Toward the Grand Canyon,” answered Jerry. “That’s where Noddy and hiscrew will head for.”
“Get busy then!” cried Ned. “We’re on Noddy’s trail once more!”
Our motor boys were too experienced hands with all forms of airshipsto have much trouble with the fine one the unfortunate young man hadperfected. It worked perfectly, and carried the three with ease. Ofcourse it was nothing like the _Comet_, and could remain aloft but acomparatively short time. But it was a great help in an emergency.
The lads soared upward, circled around over Mr. Montrose’s house, andthen started straight away. They covered several miles and returned.
“Now for the chase!” cried Jerry grimly, as they made a descent.
“Oh, what wonderful boys!” cried Mrs. Montrose. “You are so daring!”
“No danger at all,” Ned assured her.
It did not take them long to pack a few articles of clothing, a lightlunch and a few other necessaries on the aeroplane, which they namedthe _Chaser_. They planned to travel as far as they could before dark,and then stop at some hotel or farmhouse over night. In the morningthey would renew the pursuit of Noddy. Professor Snodgrass was toremain at the Montrose home, seeking specimens, and the boys promisedto call back for him when they had succeeded in their quest, or hadproved to their own satisfaction that they could not catch Noddy.
“But we’ll get him!” cried Ned, as he and his companions took theirplaces in the _Chaser_.
“Come back to Annabell and me!” cried Gladys after them.
“We will,” promised Bob.
There was the clattering racket of the explosions in the cylinders.The big propellers whizzed around with terrific force. The biplanetrembled, and then began to roll slowly across the smooth lawn on herbicycle wheels.
“Good luck!” cried Mr. Montrose.
His wife and daughter waved their hands to the motor boys.
A moment later the stanch little machine rose into the air, and soaredaway over the treetops on the quest after the unprincipled bully whohad taken away the _Comet_.
“Now we’re on his trail!” cried Bob, as he looked to see that thelunch basket was securely fastened.
“I hope we catch him soon,” murmured Jerry, as he grasped thesteering-wheel with a firmer grip, and peered ahead for a glimpse oftheir own beloved craft.