[Illustration: “THE AEROPLANE WAS NOW WITHIN TEN FEET OF THE PLATFORM.”]
THE MOTOR BOYS
IN THE CLOUDS
Or
A Trip for Fame and Fortune
BY
CLARENCE YOUNG
AUTHOR OF “THE MOTOR BOYS,” “THE MOTOR BOYS OVERLAND,”
“THE MOTOR BOYS AFLOAT,” “JACK RANGER’S SCHOOLDAYS,”
“JACK RANGER’S OCEAN CRUISE,” ETC.
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
BOOKS BY CLARENCE YOUNG
=THE MOTOR BOYS SERIES=
(=Trade Mark, Reg. U. S. Patent Office.=)
12mo. Illustrated
Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid
THE MOTOR BOYS
Or Chums Through Thick and Thin
THE MOTOR BOYS OVERLAND
Or A Long Trip for Fun and Fortune
THE MOTOR BOYS IN MEXICO
Or The Secret of the Buried City
THE MOTOR BOYS ACROSS THE PLAINS
Or The Hermit of Lost Lake
THE MOTOR BOYS AFLOAT
Or The Stirring Cruise of the Dartaway
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE ATLANTIC
Or The Mystery of the Lighthouse
THE MOTOR BOYS IN STRANGE WATERS
Or Lost in a Floating Forest
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE PACIFIC
Or The Young Derelict Hunters
THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE CLOUDS
Or A Trip for Fame and Fortune
=THE JACK RANGER SERIES=
12mo. Finely Illustrated
Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid
JACK RANGER’S SCHOOLDAYS
Or The Rivals of Washington Hall
JACK RANGER’S WESTERN TRIP
Or From Boarding School to Ranch and Range
JACK RANGER’S SCHOOL VICTORIES
Or Track, Gridiron and Diamond
JACK RANGER’S OCEAN CRUISE
Or The Wreck of the Polly Ann
JACK RANGER’S GUN CLUB
Or From Schoolroom to Camp and Trail
Copyright, 1910, by
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE CLOUDS
PREFACE
DEAR BOYS:
In this, the ninth of the books in the “Motor Boys Series,” Jerry, Ned
and Bob decide that as they have had a number of adventures on land and
water, the only place left for them to see sights is up in the air,
above the clouds. At first this plan was considered rather dubious, as,
though considerable progress has been made toward men sailing about in
the upper regions by means of dirigible balloons or aeroplanes, the
science is still far from perfected.
But when the boys had attended an aero carnival, and witnessed the
flight of a large dirigible balloon, they decided there was nothing for
them to do but to attempt a trip that way themselves.
They formed the acquaintance of a veteran balloon constructor, who had
a plan for a novel motor ship. This combined a dirigible balloon and
an aeroplane, and after some consideration the boys furnished him the
money to build one.
All was not smooth sailing, literally as well as figuratively speaking.
They had a number of difficulties, not the least of which were caused
by their old enemy, Noddy Nixon. How they finally started, the accidents
that befell them, and the long trip they made for fame, and not a little
fortune, in the shape of a substantial prize, you will find set down in
the succeeding pages.
The welcome you boys have accorded the previous books in this series
makes me hope that you will also like this one. The conquest of the air
is coming nearer every year, and who knows but that the Motor Boys may
be the ones who will be among the first to solve it.
Yours cordially,
CLARENCE YOUNG.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I NODDY NIXON’S TIN FLY 1
II OFF TO THE CARNIVAL 11
III AMID THE AIRSHIPS 19
IV THE FAT MAN’S WAGER 29
V A DISASTROUS FLIGHT 39
VI NODDY IN A ROW 47
VII IN GREAT PERIL 54
VIII THE DIRIGIBLE BALLOONS 66
IX A RACE IN THE AIR 74
X PLANNING A MOTOR SHIP 81
XI BUILDING THE COMET 87
XII NODDY MAKES TROUBLE 96
XIII JOFFY SEES A “GHOST” 105
XIV PROFESSOR SNODGRASS ON HAND 113
XV THE MOTOR SHIP SAILS 121
XVI NODDY’S PLOT 130
XVII A SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT 141
XVIII A PERILOUS TRIP 150
XIX STARTING FOR THE RACE 159
XX HELD UP 166
XXI SEARCHING FOR EVIDENCE 175
XXII NODDY IS TRAPPED 184
XXIII THE STOLEN LEVER 190
XXIV “THEY’RE OFF!” 198
XXV NODDY GETS HIS DESERTS 208
XXVI IN A HEAVY STORM 214
XXVII AFTER A STRANGE BIRD 222
XXVIII THE RED BALLOON 228
XXIX OVER THE MISSISSIPPI 235
XXX WINNING THE PRIZES--CONCLUSION 240
THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE CLOUDS
CHAPTER I
NODDY NIXON’S TIN FLY
“Hello, Ned! Say, Jerry, have you heard the news?”
“What news, Chunky?”
“Why, about the carnival. It’s going to be great. I thought sure you’d
heard about it. Why, there’s going to be----”
“Look here, Bob Baker,” remarked Jerry Hopkins, rolling over in the
grass, where he was stretched out under a big maple tree, “do you know
it’s about ninety in the shade to-day?”
“Sure I know it,” replied Bob, breathing rather quickly, for he was
quite stout, as his nickname of “Chunky” implied; and he had hurried
from his house to see his two chums, Jerry Hopkins and Ned Slade.
“Well, then, if you’re aware of that interesting and very evident fact,
why do you come around here, puffing like a steam engine, and making
all sorts of a row, while Ned and I are trying to keep cool and improve
our minds?” asked Jerry, pretending to be angry. “Why do you do it, I
ask?”
“I thought you’d be anxious to hear the news.”
“What news?”
“Oh, don’t bother, Chunky,” put in Ned, stretching and yawning. “The
best news you could tell us now would be that there was a freezer full
of ice cream somewhere within easy reach. If you’re not ready to tell
us something like that, why, take a stretch down here in the shade, and
don’t puff so. You make me warm.”
“Well, say, if you don’t want to hear this, all right,” replied Bob,
a little put out at the manner in which his announcement had been
received.
“Oh, don’t bother with him, Chunky,” yawned Jerry. “If you have any
news to tell, let it go. I’m listening. What’s it about? Has our gold
mine failed, or has Professor Snodgrass discovered some new species of
man-eating hoptoad?”
“It’s got nothing to do with Professor Snodgrass, or our gold mine,
either,” responded Bob. “But there’s going to be a great carnival at
Broadlands, and I thought maybe----”
“Carnival? You mean a county fair, I suppose,” interrupted Ned. “Excuse
me. I can see all the cattle and mowing machines I want right here at
home.”
“I guess your dad must have made you mow the front lawn this morning,
eh, Ned?” inquired Jerry with a grin.
“That’s what he did, and it’s no front parlor of a lawn, either. I
don’t ever want to see a lawn-mower again. But here comes Bob, all
excited over a county fair, where all they have to eat is frankfurters,
popcorn and ice cream cones.”
“Oh, is that so?” retorted the stout youth rather indignantly. “Well,
if you’re so smart, did you ever hear of a county fair in July, before
the crops are in?”
“He’s got you there, Ned,” said Jerry.
“Well, what kind of a carnival is it?” asked the youth who had
endeavored to discount Bob’s news. “Why don’t you tell us your story,
instead of hemming and hawing around here, like an automobile that’s
run out of gasolene and has a spark-plug that’s gone on the fritz? Why
don’t you, eh?”
“I will, if you’ll give me a chance. There’s going to be a carnival
over at Broadlands and----”
“You said that once before,” reminded Ned.
“Go ahead, don’t mind him,” advised Jerry.
“It’s going to be a balloon and aeroplane carnival,” went on Chunky.
“All sorts of airships are to be exhibited, and there are going to be
races. It’s going to be great! They’re just putting up the posters all
around town.”
“Is that straight?” asked Ned, for Bob was sometimes inclined to joke.
“Sure it is. Come on and I’ll show you the posters. There’s one on our
side fence. I let the man stick it there.”
“And maybe your dad will make you take it off,” said Jerry.
“I don’t care. I wanted to have a chance to read it. But this carnival
is going to be all right. As soon as I heard of it I ran to find
you two fellows. Why can’t we go and take it in? It’s only about
seventy-five miles to Broadlands. There are good roads, and we can go
in our auto.”
“That’s the stuff! When is it?” asked Jerry.
“Next week. It lasts six days.”
“If it’s as hot as this the gas balloons will explode with the heat,”
predicted Ned.
“Oh, it’ll cool off before then,” declared Jerry. “But what else, Bob?
Did you look to see who any of the entries were by? Are the Wright
brothers going to compete? Will Zeppelin send his big, long aluminum
balloon over from Germany? Captain Baldwin ought to be on hand, anyhow.”
“I didn’t notice any of those names. I don’t believe any of those big
inventors will be on hand, but I can tell you one person who’s going to
have an entry.”
Bob’s manner was so earnest, and he seemed so worked up over his news,
that both Ned and Jerry lost their half-bantering air, and began to be
seriously interested.
“Who is it?” inquired Jerry.
“Noddy Nixon.”
“What? Noddy? That chump going to exhibit an airship?”
“I don’t know that it’s exactly an airship,” answered Bob. “But it’s
some sort of a machine for sailing above the earth, or it wouldn’t be
allowed at the carnival.”
“But Noddy Nixon, of all the fellows in the world!” commented Jerry.
“It does seem sort of queer,” admitted Bob. “That’s what drew my
attention to the posters. I saw Noddy’s name on them.”
“Is his name on the posters?” chorused his two companions.
“Sure. He’s one of the entrants; I believe that’s the proper word,”
said Bob, grinning. “His machine is called the _Firefly_.”
“Does he expect to sail it himself?”
“What sort of a shebang is it?”
“Why didn’t you tell us before?”
“Queer we didn’t hear anything about it. He must have been keeping it
quiet.”
“Where did he get the gumption to invent it?”
These, and other questions and comments, Bob’s two chums asked of him
so quickly that he had no chance to reply.
“That’s all I know about it,” he said, when Ned and Jerry had to stop
to get their breaths. “What’s the matter with taking a run over to
Broadlands and finding out more about it? Maybe we could get up a
machine ourselves.”
“Not if the carnival takes place next week,” replied Jerry, though
there was a new look on his face--a look which his companions knew
indicated that he was thinking deeply. Indeed, Bob’s news had created
quite an impression on Jerry, and in a measure it was responsible for a
series of strange happenings which took place after that, and in which
the motor boys played conspicuous parts.
“And is that all you can tell us?” asked Ned. “What sort of a machine
has Noddy?”
The interest of Ned and his two companions, in what Noddy was about to
take part in, was not lessened by the fact that young Nixon, the town
bully, was their enemy, and, in the past, had done much to annoy and
injure them, though, usually, his mean schemes went for naught, because
of the bravery and activity of the three boys against whom he had a
grudge.
“That’s all I know--what the posters said,” replied Ned. “His name is
only one of about twenty, I guess. There are pictures of all sorts of
airships, but I didn’t see any that looked like a firefly.”
“Queer,” murmured Jerry. “I wonder what sort of a machine Noddy has?”
“I can tell you,” exclaimed a voice behind the motor boys. “It’s
great--regular fly--tin wings--flop up and down--faster than you can
count--whoop! there they go--up goes the machine--down again--round
in a circle--flip-flap-flop! Start the motor--twist the rudder--look
out--here she comes--that’s the way!”
And the speaker, a small youth, very much excited, had to stop, for he
was out of breath, so rapidly had he talked.
“Oh, it’s Andy Rush. No need to turn around to tell that, boys,”
remarked Jerry, stretching out in the grass again. “Well, Andy, aren’t
some of your cylinders hot after that sprint?”
“I guess so--I don’t know--heard you talking about Noddy Nixon--his
airship--thought you wouldn’t mind--I came up closer--I heard about
it--I’ve seen it--it’s great--say----”
“Have an ice-cream soda,” interrupted Ned, pretending to hand one to
the excited little fellow.
“Aw, quit,” begged Andy reproachfully.
“That’s right, let him tell us about it,” suggested Jerry. “Now just
shut off a little of your gasolene, retard your spark a bit, and you’ll
do better. How did you come to know about Noddy’s machine?”
“Because he wanted me to try a flight in it. He needs some one who is
light, and he asked me. But I wouldn’t do it. I’m afraid,” answered
Andy Rush.
“Did you see it?” asked Ned eagerly.
“Sure. He had it built in Jenkinson’s machine shop. But he’s been
keeping quiet about it. I guess he didn’t want you fellows to get on to
it, for fear you’d beat him out. He’s been working on it for some time.
Ever since he heard about the carnival.”
Andy was speaking more quietly now, and his three auditors listened
intently.
“And is it really shaped like a fly?” asked Jerry.
“It sure is. He took me over and showed it to me yesterday. That’s when
he wanted me to sail it for him. It’s a big tin fly, with wings and
everything. Oh, it’s a queer-looking shebang. It’s big, too.”
“How does it run?” asked Bob.
“He’s got a little motor on it, one he took out of his old auto, I
guess. It makes the wings flap up and down.”
“And he really thinks he can fly in it?” asked Ned.
“He’s sure of it,” replied Andy. “He told me how many flaps the wings
made every second, but I’ve forgotten.”
“What does he expect will make the machine rise in the air?” asked
Jerry. “Has he aeroplanes or a balloon attached to it?”
“Nope. Nothing but a sort of car, shaped like a fly’s body, and two
wings on each side, with a tail in back like that of a fish. He says
the flopping of the wings will make it rise up, same as a bird flies.”
“Well, if that isn’t the limit!” exclaimed Jerry. “He must be crazy. It
is a heavy machine, Andy?”
“Sure. It takes four men to lift it.”
“And he expects to make it rise up by vibrating tin wings,” went on
Jerry. “Well, he is a chump!”
“I am, eh? Well, maybe when you see me sailing along through the air
you won’t be so fresh!” exclaimed a new voice, and the four boys,
looking up, saw Noddy Nixon, their enemy, standing not far away. He
had come up through the fields back of Jerry Hopkins’ house, where the
chums were resting in the shade of a little grove, and he had overheard
the closing sentences of their conversation.
“I’m a chump, am I?” he went on angrily. “Well, I’ve gotten the best of
you more than once, Jerry Hopkins, and I’ll do it again. The _Firefly_
will fly, and I know it, and if you slander me or my machine any more
I’ll sue you for damages. I’ll fix you, Andy Rush, for giving my
secrets away!” and with an angry look on his mean, crafty face, Noddy
Nixon advanced toward the little fellow.