WINNING THE PRIZES--CONCLUSION
Aided by a favorable wind, the _Comet_ sailed on and on. Mr. Glassford
was now running the motor to the limit of speed, as he wanted to cover
as much ground as possible, and he knew that his gas would not last
much longer and that his gasolene was getting low.
“We made two hundred and fifty miles to-day,” he announced one evening
to the boys. “If we do as well to-morrow we shall have almost crossed
Texas.”
After breakfast the next morning, Mr. Glassford made an inspection
of various gages and registering instruments, and then came into the
cabin. Jerry was in the tower, steering.
“Well, boys,” said the inventor. “I think we’ll land pretty soon.”
“Why?” asked Ned.
“Because we’re on the last pint of gasolene. I shall be content to drop
down now. I think we have gone over a large extent of territory.”
There came a sort of gasp from the motor. The explosion suddenly
ceased. Mr. Glassford hurried to the pilot house, but before he reached
it Jerry called out:
“Gasolene’s gone. I guess we’ll have to go down, Mr. Glassford.”
“Wait a minute. Don’t open the gas valves, Jerry.”
“Why not?”
“Because there’s a good stiff breeze, and it will carry us several
miles yet. We want to make all the distance we can.”
Her own motive power having given out, the _Comet_ was now carried
forward by the wind. The motor ship proved a good craft, even under
these conditions, but toward afternoon the wind died away, and after
taking an observation through the telescope and seeing a good-sized
town a few miles ahead, Mr. Glassford depressed the elevation rudder
and opened the gas valves.
Down, down, down, on a long slant, started the airship, after her
lengthy voyage. She was at such an elevation that the slanting descent
carried the craft to the very center of the town, the inhabitants
flocking out by hundreds to see the wonderful sight.
Mr. Glassford so manipulated the aeroplanes that the _Comet_ landed
almost as gently as a feather. Then, in order that it might not take
flight again when the passengers alighted, all the gas was let out of
the bag. The motor ship’s voyage was over for the time being.
“Where ye from, strangers?” cried a big man as he pushed his way
through the throng that had gathered about the airship.
“From Park Haven, Indiana,” replied Mr. Glassford. “Ours is one of the
ships that took part in the race. Have you seen any others out this
way?”
“Nary a one, stranger, and we don’t want to see any more. It pretty
nigh frightened all our people to death, and half the hosses in town
bolted when ye come sailin’ down from the sky.”
“Where are we?” asked Mr. Glassford.
“Albemarle, Texas.”
“What part of Texas?”
“Within two miles of the Rio Grande. You’re not far from Mexico.”
“Then we had a longer flight than I thought,” said the inventor. “Come,
boys, we must send some messages.”
“Do you think it will be safe to leave the airship here?” asked Jerry.
“I think so. We will not be gone long.”
“Ah, Santa Maria! The saints be praised! If it is not my very good
friends the motor boys! And the little professor! Let me embrace them!
It is a thousand years since I have seen them!”
A man, who had every appearance of being a Mexican, pushed his way
through the throng. He was smoking a cigarette, but as he advanced he
threw it away and held open his arms as if in welcome. The boys stared
at him in some wonderment.
“Ah, do not say you have forgotten me!” cried the Mexican. “Do you not
recall the terrible storm, and how you crashed into my houseboat?”
“It is Don Alvarzo!” cried Jerry.
“Ah! I knew they would not forget!” cried the man. “I am indeed Don
Miguel Fernandez Alvarzo, your most devoted servant,” and he took off
his sombrero, heavy with silver braid, and made a low bow. “How are you
all?” he asked.
“Is he a friend of yours?” asked Mr. Glassford in a low voice of
Ned, for the man had hold of Jerry’s two hands and was shaking them
frantically.
“We met him when we made a trip through Mexico,” said Ned as he
recalled what had happened at the Don’s house, as told in the third
volume of this series, “The Motor Boys in Mexico.”
The Mexican shook hands, in turn, with the other boys, the professor,
and Mr. Glassford. He explained that he was now traveling about, buying
wool, and in the course of his travels he had arrived at this Texas
town.
“You must be my guests while you are here,” he said, and he would not
take no for an answer. He insisted on the aeronauts coming to the hotel
where he was stopping, and thither they went, followed by a curious
throng.
The boys sent telegrams to their parents, announcing their safe
arrival, and Mr. Glassford wired to the secretary of the aero carnival,
reporting how many miles they had covered, and how long they had been
in the air.
“Now we’ll wait for an answer,” he said, “and see if we have won a
prize.”
“In the meanwhile, you must have some refreshment,” declared the Don,
and he insisted on an elaborate meal being served, to which he invited
all the city officials, and made the boys, Mr. Glassford and Professor
Snodgrass guests of honor.
In the midst of the banquet a boy brought in a telegram for Mr.
Glassford. He read it quickly.
“Good news, boys!” he cried. “We win!”
“Do we get a prize?” asked Bob.
“Two of them,” replied the inventor. “We win the long-distance prize,
for we traveled two hundred and sixty-five miles farther than the big
red balloon, and we were in the air four hours and a half longer!”
“Hurrah!” cried Ned. “That’s the stuff!”
“Señors!” exclaimed Don Alvarzo, “I call for three American cheers for
the brave travelers of the upper air!”
The cheers were given with a will.
A little later telegrams of congratulation were received from the
boys’ parents. One of the telegrams, from Mrs. Hopkins, stated that
the pocketbook Jerry had dropped from the airship had been found by a
farmer living near Broadlands, and he had returned the same with its
contents, and claimed the reward.
“That’s all right!” declared Jerry, highly pleased. “I was afraid I’d
never hear of that money again.”
The rest of the day was spent in an impromptu celebration, the whole
town, in which lived many Mexican friends of the Don, joining in, glad
of any excuse to have a holiday.
That night the airship was packed for transportation, and though the
Don urged the travelers to make their visit longer, they departed for
Cresville the next morning.
“Well, it was a success,” said Jerry as they were rapidly steaming
north. “I didn’t think we would get both prizes. It more than pays us
for the expenses we were under.”
“Then we can take more trips,” said Bob quickly. “We will try a longer
flight next time.”
“Oh, yes; I hope our adventures in the air have only just begun,” added
Ned.
The boys did have further adventures, as will be related in the next
book of the series, to be entitled “The Motor Boys Across the Rockies;
Or, A Mystery of the Air.” In that story we shall meet all of our
friends again in adventures even more thrilling than those encountered
in the past. We shall also see what Noddy Nixon, who escaped from the
hands of the law, did to injure them.
There was a great crowd at the Cresville depot waiting to welcome the
motor boys and their friends, for Jerry had sent a telegram home,
telling his mother when they would arrive, and the news spread.
“Hurrah! You’re the stuff! Win two prizes! Shoot through the air! Never
come down! I wish I had been there! Whoop-la!”
This was, of course, little Andy Rush.
“Let’s form a procession!” he cried. “Come on, strike up the band!”
And sure enough, a small brass band, which the irrepressible youth had
hired, began to play “See the Conquering Hero Comes!”
“March ’em through town!” went on Andy. “Here they are, girls!”
“Oh, weren’t you dreadfully frightened?” cried Mollie Horton, who, with
Alice Vines and Helen Gale, besides several other girls, had come down
to the station to greet the boys.
“Not a bit!” cried Bob.
Then the band struck up another air, Andy ran to form the procession,
taking his place at the head of it, and, though they did not exactly
like it, the motor boys were forced to allow themselves to be thus
honored.
The procession moved away from the depot and crossed the little square
where the flagpole was set up.
“Speech! speech!” cried several as they caught sight of the band-stand.
“Give us a speech about your trip.”
“I’m not going to make any speech,” murmured Jerry, who was rather
bashful. Nor was Mr. Glassford accustomed to talking in public.
“Professor Snodgrass!” cried Andy.
“Certainly, I shall be delighted,” replied the scientist. “Friends,”
he went on, stepping forward and making a low bow, “we had a most
wonderful trip. High up among the clouds as we were, far above the
earth, skimming along with the speed of the wind, free, unhampered,
masters of the upper regions, there----”
“Hurrah!” cried the crowd.
“There, if I may be permitted to continue,” went on the scientist, “I
found more kinds of bugs than I ever imagined there were. It was a most
delightful trip.”
“Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!” shouted the throng, half of the people not
hearing what Mr. Snodgrass was saying.
But the scientist had said all he cared to. He bowed, the crowd cheered
again, and Jerry whispered to his chums:
“Come on, let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough.”
They slipped from the platform, and before those who sought to honor
them could interpose, the motor boys were hastening toward their homes,
greatly pleased with their first trip in the clouds.
THE END
_The Boy Hunters Series_
_By Captain Ralph Bonehill_
Cloth. 12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid
[Illustration]
FOUR BOY HUNTERS
_Or, The Outing of the Gun Club_
A fine, breezy story of the woods and waters, of adventures in search
of game, and of great times around the campfire, told in Captain
Bonehill’s best style. In the book are given full directions for
camping out.
GUNS AND SNOWSHOES
_Or, The Winter Outing of the Young Hunters_
In this volume the young hunters leave home for a winter outing on the
shores of a small lake. They hunt and trap to their heart’s content,
and have adventures in plenty, all calculated to make boys “sit up
and take notice.” A good healthy book; one with the odor of the pine
forests and the glare of the welcome campfire in every chapter.
YOUNG HUNTERS OF THE LAKE
_Or, Out with Rod and Gun_
Another tale of woods and waters, with some strong hunting scenes and a
good deal of mystery. The three volumes make a splendid outdoor series.
OUT WITH GUN AND CAMERA
_Or, The Boy Hunters in the Mountains_
Takes up the new fad of photographing wild animals as well as shooting
them. An escaped circus chimpanzee and an escaped lion add to the
interest of the narrative.
CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
_The Great Marvel Series_
_By Roy Rockwood_
12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid
[Illustration]
Through the Air to the North Pole
_Or, The Wonderful Cruise of the Electric Monarch_
Since the days of Jules Verne, tales of flying machines and submarine
boats have enjoyed increasing popularity. Now that airships and
submarines are in actual existence, this story seems perfectly natural.
Full of adventures in strange places, with strange people and strange
animals.
Under the Ocean to the South Pole
_Or, The Strange Cruise of the Submarine Wonder_
The vessel moves from the coast of Maine to the boiling sea of the
South Pole, and during the trip the voyagers visit the bottom of
the ocean--the graveyard of many ships--and have numerous stirring
encounters with deep-sea monsters.
Five Thousand Miles Underground
_Or, The Mystery of the Centre of the Earth_
A craft is built which will sail both in the air and under the water,
and in this the adventurers descend to the interior of our globe by
means of a hole found at an island in the ocean.
Through Space to Mars
_Or, The Longest Journey on Record_
A thrilling tale of a visit to the planet Mars. The adventurers meet
with many happenings out of the ordinary. The volume reads like the
record of a real trip.
Lost on the Moon
_Or, In Quest of the Field of Diamonds_
In a like manner to their visit to Mars, the heroes visit the Moon.
They search for a field of diamonds and find the moon to be a land of
desolation and silence. They almost perish from cold and hunger. A
startling romance that will hold and charm every reader.
CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
Transcriber’s Notes:
--Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_); text in
bold by “equal” signs (=bold=).
--Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.
--Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
--Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Motor Boys in the Clouds, by Clarence Young