A DISCLOSURE
Frank tore open the envelope, handed the messenger a tip, and quickly
glanced over the enclosed note. Then he gave vent to a sharp whistle.
"Well, what is it?" cried Pep, impetuously. "Don't keep all the good
news to yourself."
"Is it good news?" asked Randy.
"Of a sort, yes," admitted Frank. "It's from Mr. Bullard," he went on.
"More about--er--our friend?" asked Pep, shading off from mentioning
the name just in time, for the messenger was still near the open door,
out in the corridor.
"No, this concerns strictly ourselves," Frank said. "It's about a
concession in the fair."
"Has he got a place for us in the Zone?" cried Pep. "Hurray! That's the
ticket! I knew a way would be found out of all our trouble."
"Not so fast," cautioned Frank. "This is a note half-promising, at
least, a place for a motion picture theatre at the fair, but it isn't
in the Zone. It's out in one of the government buildings, and Mr.
Bullard wants us to come and see it."
"I'm afraid that won't do," said Randy, shaking his head. "You know
we've got to be where the largest crowds are."
"Well, it won't do any harm to take a look," proposed Frank. "You
see," he went on to Albert, "we did, or tried to do, this Mr. Bullard,
a government agent, a favor. He wants to repay the kindness, and he
is trying to get us space at the fair. It is very good of him, for he
knows what a pickle we are in. He must have pulled some wires for us,
as he promised to do, to get some of the government men to consent to
share their space."
"Well, perhaps we can make it do," suggested Pep. "Let's go out and
take a look, anyhow."
"Yes," agreed Hank Strapp, "and it won't do any harm to tap up that
director again. He may have heard something by this time."
"Well, I can't go out," said Ben Jolly. "I heard of a second-hand pipe
organ that was for sale, and I want to look at it. If we do get a place
we may be able to work this organ in. I'll go see what it amounts to.
It might save us buying a new one."
"And I promised to call on an old mining friend of mine," said Strapp,
"so you'll have to excuse me. You boys will have to decide on the
place, anyhow, as you know what would, or wouldn't, do for a motion
picture theatre."
"Then we four will go," suggested Pep, with a look at Albert.
"I haven't finished all the letters yet," objected the lad who had been
befriended by the chums.
"There's no great hurry about them," suggested Frank. "Come along with
us, and enjoy yourself."
Together the four friends started for the fair grounds. The place was
becoming more and more busy each day, as the opening date came nearer.
Mr. Bullard had named one of the government buildings where he would
meet the boys, and thither they directed their steps.
The United States had planned to outdo all previous efforts in
doing its share to make the Panama Exposition a success, and the
appropriation was liberal. It was to be a sort of résumé of what Uncle
Sam had done, was doing and intended to do along many lines of human
endeavor, and there were scores of buildings to hold the government
exhibits.
Nor had other nations neglected the opportunity to be represented. Even
those who for war, or other reasons, were not as well represented by
products peculiar to their special countries had done something, so
that those who came to the big fair would not forget them.
Many individual states of the United States had buildings of their own,
and that for New York, for which the chums felt a special fondness, was
looked at in admiration as they passed it.
The government and state buildings were some distance removed from the
vicinity of the Zone, and when Frank saw how far this distance was he
shook his head doubtfully.
"I'm afraid it won't do, no matter how much space we can be given," he
thought.
The boys had gone in at the Scott Street entrance, and had walked
along the wonderful Avenue of Palms, past the Horticulture Palace to
Administration Avenue, on which fronted the artificial lake and the
beautiful Fine Arts Palace.
They paused for a moment to admire this, beautiful as it was, in its
yet unfinished state, and then they swung along the Avenue of Nations,
to the Esplanade. Along that, and along the parallel Avenue of the
States, were ranged the various buildings of the political divisions
from Maine to California.
"Mr. Bullard said he'd be in the Missouri building," stated Frank.
"That's his native state, it seems."
"There he is now," called Pep, as he caught sight of the figure of the
government man. Mr. Bullard waved to the chums.
"Glad you came," was his greeting. "This is the best I have been able
to do for you, in return for what you did for me, and even now I don't
know if it will suit you. Come and have a look at it."
"It is very good of you to go to all this trouble," spoke Frank, when
Albert had been introduced.
"No trouble at all. I was only too glad to do it for you. But, as I
say, wait and see it. I'm afraid it won't suit."
And it did not. It needed but a glance from the motion picture chums
to tell them that the building Mr. Bullard had obtained for their use
would never answer as a picture playhouse. In the first place, it was
off to one side of the main United States government structure, near
the section devoted to the live stock exhibit. True enough, this was
at the end of the ground where the aviation and athletic field was
located, but Frank and the others felt that there would be too much
competition between the airships and their "show" to enable them to do
good business, except at night, and they needed day crowds as well as
those that would come after dark.
"What do you think of it?" asked Mr. Bullard, as he pointed the place
out to the chums.
"It's large enough," said Randy, hopefully.
"Yes, and I can get permission for you to alter the interior in any way
you like, as long as it conforms to the fire regulations," went on Mr.
Bullard. "Some of my government friends were only glad enough to enable
me to do you this favor in return for what you did for me."
"It certainly is very good of you," said Frank, "and we thank you very
much, but I'm afraid we can't use it. Out here we would not be able to
make expenses, and those new films are costing us a lot of money."
"Well, I was rather afraid there'd be a slip-up somewhere!" exclaimed
Mr. Bullard. "Might have known I couldn't do you a favor when I wanted
to."
"Oh, it isn't your fault!" cried Pep. "It's just conditions. The Zone
is the only place for us, and we can't get there."
"No, I'm afraid I can't help you to get a place there," said Mr.
Bullard. "Places in the Zone are at a premium. Well, there's no use
staying here any longer."
"No," agreed Frank. "And we will have to decide, pretty soon, whether
we are going to stay in San Francisco, or go back East."
"I don't want to see you have your trip for nothing," went on Mr.
Bullard. "But I can't, for the life of me, think of a plan----"
"Look!" suddenly cried Randy, pointing upward. "An aeroplane!"
"So it is!" exclaimed Frank.
The boys gazed upward at the flying machine. It was that of one of the
foreign "birdmen" who were to give an exhibition at the fair. He had
come over early, to get a month or so of practice over the new aviation
field.
"Say! That's great!" cried Pep.
"It certainly is," agreed Albert. "That's the first one I've ever seen."
This was not so in regard to the motion picture chums, for they had
often witnessed airships in flight at meets, and once they had been
invited guests when a celebrated aviator gave an exhibition where
motion pictures of his "stunts" were taken. Afterward the boys showed
the films in their various theatres.
For some little time the chums watched the man high up in the air.
Suddenly the bird-like craft was seen to hover for a moment, and then
dart suddenly downward.
"He's falling! He'll be killed!" cried Albert.
"No, he's only volplaning down," explained Frank.
"Oh, but look! He's upside down!" almost screamed Albert, so excited
was he.
"That's only another stunt!" said Pep. "He's looping the loop. But I've
seen it done better than that."
Albert marveled that anyone could speak so when such a wonderful
operation was being done high in the air. But, as I have said, the
motion picture chums were rather sophisticated.
Suddenly from the monoplane something white was seen to detach itself
and fall.
"There he goes!" cried Albert. "He'll be killed."
"It's only a dust-bomb!" explained Frank. "He is probably going into
the bomb-dropping contests, and this is his way of practicing."
A few seconds later something dropped with a thud near the boys. They
all started, but only a cloud of harmless white chalk dust arose.
The bomb was made of light material, intended to burst on striking, and
scatter a cloud of dust so that the aviator, high in the air, could see
where his missile had dropped, and correct his mistake in distance, if
he had made any.
After dropping the "bomb," and righting himself after the loop-the-loop
position, the aviator sailed off and was lost to sight in the clouds.
"Well, I can't do anything more for you boys right away," said Mr.
Bullard, "and I'm truly sorry. Especially as I may have to ask you to
do me another favor."
"In regard to that same party?" asked Pep.
"Yes. I haven't been able to 'land' him yet. He is a slippery customer.
But I'll get him yet."
"Call on us whenever you need us," said Pep. "We'll probably stay here
a little longer yet; anyhow, until we exhaust every chance of getting a
place. We'll do all we can for you."
"I know you will, boys, and I appreciate it."
The government man left the chums to their own devices. They strolled
about for a while, vainly trying to decide what was best to do.
"I know one thing we might take a chance on," suggested Frank.
"What's that?" asked Pep.
"Getting a motion picture concern to make some films showing the work
going on at the fair grounds right now. Views could be made showing
the various buildings being completed, and the grounds being laid out.
The Zone, too, would make fine pictures with all the odd amusement
enterprises being prepared there.
"It wouldn't be taking much of a chance to have those pictures made,"
Pep agreed. "And if we didn't use 'em here we could in some of our
theatres."
"Then I think I'll do it," Frank decided. "There is a good concern here
in San Francisco, with whom we have done business before. I'll give
them an order. It's worth taking a chance on."
The boys were strolling back, intending to go to their hotel. As they
passed along the Avenue of Palms Albert, who was walking a little in
advance, with Pep, started back, and grasped the arm of his companion.
"What's the matter--see a snake?" asked Pep, with a laugh.
"No--but look--that man!" stammered Albert "See him!" and he pointed to
one sitting on a bench not far in advance.
"What about him?" asked Frank, in a curious voice.
"Why he is the man my uncle went to see in New York, and came back
ruined and insane. That man was the one who petitioned to have my uncle
put in the asylum!"
"You don't say so!" cried Frank. "Why, that's Royston! What's going to
come of this, anyhow?"