THE MOTOR SHIP SAILS
Though Jerry had told Professor Snodgrass that the _Comet_ would have a
trial flight in about three days, it was not until five had passed that
all was in readiness. Almost at the last moment Mr. Glassford decided
on changes which took some time to make.
However, the professor was in no hurry, if the boys were. He was a
guest at Jerry’s house, and his time was fully occupied in catching
strange insects, or getting new specimens of old ones. For the
professor was employed by a prominent museum to gather materials for
exhibit and for experimental purposes. His latest exploit had been to
accompany the boys on their trip to California, where he went in search
of a horned toad, which he captured after considerable trouble.
“Well, professor, are you all ready for a flight through the air?”
asked Jerry one evening.
“I think so. Why?”
“We are scheduled to make our first trial trip to-morrow. That is,
if Mr. Glassford doesn’t find something else that needs changing. I
suppose you’ll be on hand?”
“Oh, yes. I have had a new style of net made, with a very long handle,
to enable me to reach out and capture any curious insects I may see
in the upper regions. How high do you think you will go; two or three
miles?”
“Mercy, Jerry, I hope you don’t go as high as that!” exclaimed Mrs.
Hopkins, who was listening to the talk.
“Don’t worry, mother. We’re not likely to go more than a few hundred
feet in the trial.”
“Oh, Jerry, I wish I had never consented to this. I am afraid something
will happen.”
“Don’t be alarmed, Mrs. Hopkins,” said Uriah Snodgrass. “There is
really little danger with such a competent person as Mr. Glassford
managing matters. It is practically impossible for the balloon to fall,
with its gas bag and the planes in addition. That is a very novel
combination.”
“But they may get caught in the upper air, and not be able to get down.”
“Then all we’d have to do would be to let out a little gas, mother. Oh,
we have all emergencies provided for.”
“I’m sure I hope so,” murmured Jerry’s mother. “I shall be nervous
until I hear that the ascent is safely made.”
“Well, you’ll know by this time to-morrow,” said Jerry. “Now I
think I’ll go to bed. I want to get up early, for there’ll probably
be something unexpected to do at the last minute. How about you,
professor?”
“I think I shall stay up a while yet. I want to get a new specimen of a
lightning-bug I noticed in the garden. It was a rare kind, and I almost
had one when a mosquito bit me and I had to let the lightning-bug go.
But I shall catch it. I will be with you in the morning.”
Jerry once more reassured his mother that there was no danger in what
he and his chums were about to undertake, and then he retired.
There was a big crowd about the tent early the next morning, for news
had spread that the _Comet_ was to be “launched,” if that is the proper
term for floating an airship. Probably “floated” would be better.
“Well, is everything in good shape?” asked Jerry of Mr. Glassford, as
he greeted the inventor in the canvas shelter.
“I think so. The motor seems to work perfectly. That was my greatest
anxiety. I will now proceed to generate the gas necessary to completely
fill the bag. I suppose all three of you boys are coming along?”
“Of course; and so is Professor Snodgrass.”
“That will make a nice party, and we will not have to carry so much
ballast. Just go over all the cords, see that none are tangled, and
test the wire stays and the braces. We don’t want any accident to
happen.”
The boys were a trifle nervous, now that the time was at hand for the
great test. Would the airship rise? Would she sail through the upper
atmosphere--or come down like a stone?
The big gas bag seemed to promise that at least they would go up,
but whether they could advance, and whether the _Comet_ would allow
herself to be directed in response to the influences of her propellers
and the rudders was another matter. Mr. Glassford was busy at the
gas-generating machine. The long, cigar-shaped bag began to distend
more and more. The frame of the ship quivered as the lifting power of
the gas began to make itself felt. But for the weight of many bags of
sand, attached to the lower part of the car, it might have risen right
in the tent.
“Oh, it’ll go up, all right,” declared Bob earnestly.
“That’s what it will!” exclaimed Andy Rush. “Gee, but I wish I was
going!”
“Perhaps next time, Andy,” spoke Jerry kindly to the little fellow.
“It’s too much of a risk yet.”
Mr. Glassford hurried about, looking at the various parts. He seemed as
nervous as did the boys. Outside could be heard the murmur of a vast
throng.
“Well, I guess we may as well take it out of the tent,” remarked the
inventor at length, as he shut off the supply of gas and closed the
valves. “Open the tent, men.”
A number of helpers had been engaged, and these now busied themselves
opening the whole front of the tent, which was so arranged that the
airship could be easily taken out.
“Here they come!” yelled a score of voices as the blunt nose of the
_Comet_ was seen emerging from the tent. The lifting power of the gas
was so great that even with all the ballast on, and men holding the
motor ship down, it evinced a tendency to sail aloft.
“I guess we’ll go up, all right,” murmured Mr. Glassford, a hopeful
look coming into his face. “Get ready, boys. Keep the crowd back, men.
I don’t want any one to get hurt.”
The ship was now completely out of the tent. On all sides were heard
murmurs of admiration.
“She’s a dandy!” was the general opinion of the boys in the crowd,
while the men could be heard speaking words of praise.
“Them motor boys do beat the Dutch!” exclaimed an old resident. “When
they had them there motor cycles I thought that was about as fur as
they’d go, but land o’ Goshen, look at ’em now! About t’ sail in th’
air like eagles! Well, well, it’s a great age!”
“That’s a hot airship!” exclaimed Noddy Nixon to Jack Pender, one of
his old-time cronies. “I’ll bet it won’t go up.”
Little Andy Rush heard what the bully said.
“You wait and see,” he said. “It’ll beat your tin fly all to pieces.”
“You mind your business,” retorted Noddy, but he could not conceal his
envy at the fine motor ship which the boys possessed. He disliked them
more than ever.
“You wait here,” Andy heard Noddy say in a low voice to Jack. “If that
thing gets up in the air, maybe I can make it come down again. Wait for
me.”
“What are you going to do?” asked Jack in a whisper.
“You wait,” was all Noddy replied. “I’ll get even with ’em.”
“I guess I’ll keep my eye on you, Noddy Nixon,” said Andy to himself.
“You’ll bear watching.”
By this time the airship had been taken to a place whence it was
decided to make the ascent. The crowd was finally induced to stand far
enough back so that the men could get it in position. Mr. Glassford
went all around it, looking for possible flaws. He seemed to find none.
“Get in, boys,” he said in a low voice.
Jerry, Ned and Bob, with rather queer feelings, entered the car hanging
from the _Comet_. The car was just off the ground, but by the way the
big gas bag was tugging it would evidently shoot skyward as soon as the
score of men holding it released their grip and some of the ballast was
cast off.
“Now you, professor,” called the inventor, and Uriah Snodgrass took his
place in the main cabin.
Mr. Glassford climbed into the operating tower. He tested various
wheels and levers. Then he gave a glance over the whole ship. There was
a moment’s silence, while those in the crowd looked anxiously on. Were
they to see success or failure?
“Let go!” cried Mr. Glassford suddenly.
The men released their holds and leaped back. An assistant pulled on a
cord which released the necessary number of ballast bags.
Up into the air, like a frightened bird, shot the _Comet_. Up and up
she went, while to the boys and the professor it seemed as if the
earth, the crowd and all below them, suddenly dropped away. To them it
was as if they were standing still and the earth was receding.
“There she goes!” cried the crowd, as if there was any doubt of it.
Up and up went the _Comet_, until it was five hundred feet above the
ground. Then it seemed to come to a stop, for Mr. Glassford had so
regulated the supply of gas and the weight that no great height would
be attained.
Suddenly the stillness all about the ship was broken by the rattling
exhaust as the motor started. The big propellers began to revolve,
whirling around like streaks of light. Faster and faster they went.
“We’re moving! We’re moving!” cried Jerry, looking from a side window
in the cabin down toward the earth.
“I thought we would,” replied Mr. Glassford quietly.
He began to steer the ship. There was scarcely any wind, and the
_Comet_ moved from right to left at will. The inventor went around in
a circle, and cut a figure eight above the heads of the crowd. Then he
descended a little by tilting the elevation rudder, and when some cried
out in fear that he was dropping upon their heads, he shifted a lever,
and the balloon aeroplane shot upward again. It seemed to be under
perfect control.
All at once, above the rattle of the motor was heard another sound. The
cabin windows were open, and Jerry heard something whizz past his ear
with a curious, singing tone.
“What’s that?” cried Professor Snodgrass, who had not said a word since
they started, seeming to take it all as a matter of course. “Is that a
new kind of mosquito? I must catch it. Where is my net?”
“It sounded more like a bullet,” said Ned.
“That’s what it was,” declared Jerry. “A bullet or a shot. Some one is
firing at us!”
He looked down. There seemed to be some commotion in the crowd. They
could hear shouting.
Then came another of those curious, whining, whizzing sounds. Jerry
leaped to his feet.
“They’re shooting at us, Mr. Glassford!” he cried.
At that moment the motor stopped, and the airship began to descend
rapidly.