ON THE TRAIL
“How in the world does it happen that you have an airship, just when
one is most needed?” asked Jerry, as he and his chums seated themselves
near Mr. Montrose.
“I admit it does sound like a fairy story,” said that gentleman with a
smile, “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 quiet
life for mine. I’d no more think of going up in an airship than I would
of putting on a diver’s outfit, and going to the bottom of the sea. And
yet I own what I am told is one of the best biplanes made. You see, it
was this way:
“When we had this meet, for aeroplanes and balloons out in Buffalo
Park, there were a number of cranks, as there always are at an affair
of that kind.
“Some of them came to me, with plans for airships that I could easily
see would never fly. Others seemed to have good ideas. They all wanted
money to build their craft.
“There was one young fellow who seemed to have a plan for a good sort
of airship, and I took quite a notion to him. I got an engineer to look
over the drawings, and, on his report, I advanced the money for the
young man to build his biplane. It was a success from the start, and he
made several preliminary flights, and won some prizes in the meet.
“Then he met with an accident, and not, as you might suppose, while up
in the air. He was coming to the park one day to give an exhibition
flight, when he was struck by a trolley car, and so badly injured that
he died in a few days. That left me with a first-class airship on my
hands, for I took it away from the grounds, and had it stored in my
barn.
“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’d
do anything for you, after what you did for me and I hope that you can
make use of this craft.”
“It is very kind of you to offer it to us,” spoke Jerry, “and I think
it will be just the thing we need. Of course we don’t know anything
about the engine, or how the biplane will sail, nor how fast. But I’m
sure it will help us in our hunt for Noddy Nixon.”
“Then suppose you come out to my place and look her over,” suggested
Mr. Montrose. “I have my auto out in front, and it won’t take long to
get 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 had
their baggage taken to Mr. Montrose’s fine big house. As soon as the
professor arrived there, he hurried out to a fish pond, with a small
net, and was not seen again until night, when he came in with more
specimens.
As for the boys, their first visit was to the barn where the airship
was stored. Mr. Montrose went with them, and he smiled in appreciation
at what the three chums said.
For perhaps two minutes they examined it carefully, Jerry paying
particular 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 to
carry some lunch.”
“Trust Chunky for that,” murmured Ned.
“The engine is powerful,” was Jerry’s opinion, “and the propellers are
well made. She has speed all right.”
“And she’ll carry the three of us,” added Ned. “Of course we’ll have to
come down after every trip of about a hundred miles, for she doesn’t
carry 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,” proposed
Bob.
“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 the
project 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 to
the machine. I don’t know anything about them, and you may be taking a
big risk to run it, but I hope not.”
“Oh, she’ll run all right,” answered Jerry, looking over the craft with
a critical eye. “We’ll give it a try-out now.”
The professor being engaged in capturing specimens, the boys had the
test to themselves. They wheeled the aeroplane out in a big field,
and, after trying the engine, and finding that it worked almost to
perfection, got ready for a flight. Mr. Montrose and his wife, who
could 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 to
volplane 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’ll
start 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 his
crew 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 airships
to have much trouble with the fine one the unfortunate young man had
perfected. It worked perfectly, and carried the three with ease. Of
course it was nothing like the _Comet_, and could remain aloft but a
comparatively short time. But it was a great help in an emergency.
The lads soared upward, circled around over Mr. Montrose’s house, and
then 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 light
lunch and a few other necessaries on the aeroplane, which they named
the _Chaser_. They planned to travel as far as they could before dark,
and then stop at some hotel or farmhouse over night. In the morning
they would renew the pursuit of Noddy. Professor Snodgrass was to
remain at the Montrose home, seeking specimens, and the boys promised
to call back for him when they had succeeded in their quest, or had
proved to their own satisfaction that they could not catch Noddy.
“But we’ll get him!” cried Ned, as he and his companions took their
places 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 biplane
trembled, and then began to roll slowly across the smooth lawn on her
bicycle 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 soared
away over the treetops on the quest after the unprincipled bully who
had taken away the _Comet_.
“Now we’re on his trail!” cried Bob, as he looked to see that the
lunch basket was securely fastened.
“I hope we catch him soon,” murmured Jerry, as he grasped the
steering-wheel with a firmer grip, and peered ahead for a glimpse of
their own beloved craft.