THE FLYING MACHINE.
Dick looked closely at Herr Doodlebrod, as if to see if the German had a
bomb concealed about him, for the millionaire's son believed the man was
another of the unfortunate persons who had some impossible scheme he
wanted aid in perfecting.
"You vill like der airship, yes?" went on the smiling, little, old man.
"Ah, he is a beautiful airship!--so strong, so graceful, und he sails
along so just like a bird!"
Again he smiled, and then he laughed, as though he had just told Dick a
very funny story. The German's good nature was catching, and Dick also
smiled.
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand you," the boy said.
"Ach! Dot is easy!" replied Herr Doodlebrod. "See, listen, it is dis
vay. I am de greatest inventor of an airships vot efer vas," and he said
it as if he meant it, with child-like directness, "I haf der ship vot
all der scientists haf long been vaiting for. I haf bring him to your
town und I show you how he vorks."
"But why did you bring it to me?" asked Dick.
"Vhy? Because, listen," and the little man approached closer and began
whispering. "I read about you in der papers. Iss it nod so?" and he
smiled broadly. "You are der richest young man vot efer vos. Ach, I
know!" and he winked one eye at Dick, as though the millionaire's son
had tried to conceal something.
"So, now I proceed. I hear of your great wealth. I learn you vos a young
mans. You are bright, quick, smart. Yes, iss it not? Vell, I invent der
airships. I am a shoemaker in my city, many miles from here. Vun day der
great ideas comes to me. I see a bat fly. Quick, I say, I will make me a
airships like der bat. He is heavier as a bird, yet he flies. So I stop
making shoes und I make airships. Iss it not so?" and once more the
smile illuminated the kindly face.
"Did you succeed?" asked Dick.
"Not at first," replied the German, gravely. "Many, many times I t'ink I
fly into der air, but I falls to der ground. Sometimes it hurts. Vunce I
breaks my leg. But dot iss noddings. Ven I get vell I make improvements.
Now I haf der great machine vot flies; yes?"
"Where is it?" asked Dick, becoming interested in the queer little man.
Then Herr Doodlebrod proceeded to explain. He said he had heard of
Dick's wealth, and, needing money to make some improvements in his
ship, he had taken it apart, shipped it to Hamilton Corners, and
followed the machine. The airship was now at the freight station, he
added, and he was about to put it together and give a demonstration.
"What for?" asked Dick.
"To show you how he vorks. Den you vill believe. You vill invest some
money in it, I shall make der improvements, get a better motor, und ve
win der government prize of ten thousand dollars."
"Government prize?" repeated Dick.
The German explained at greater length. The United States Government, in
common with other nations, recognizing the future in flying machines for
war purposes, had established a sort of competitive test, with a
substantial prize for the machine which successfully fulfilled the
conditions. The chief ones were that the apparatus must move through the
air at a certain distance above the ground, must carry two passengers,
must be under perfect control, and must stay up a certain length of
time. The German said his machine answered nearly all these
requirements, but that he needed some new materials in it, and, more
than anything else, a new motor. He had used up all his savings and had
tried in vain to get someone to help him. So, hearing of Dick, he had
decided to appeal to the millionaire's son.
"It iss not so much dot I need," he went on. "If I had five hundred
dollars it would be enough. My dear young frient, I appeal to you. I do
not ask you for dot moneys. I say just invest it in my machine und ve
vill be successful und get der ten thousand dollars. You shall haf five
thousand. Iss not dot a good investment?"
A sudden idea came to Dick. An investment, promising quick returns was
just what he needed. He had tried in vain to find one, and the time was
daily growing shorter. Here might be the very chance he desired. But
there was one important thing. He must be sure that the airship would
fly. If it did not the prize would not be won and he would be out five
hundred dollars. Herr Doodlebrod saw the doubt pictured on Dick's face.
"I do not ask you to take my word," he said, gravely. "I only ask for a
chance to show you. See, I vill bring my machine here. I vill put him
togeder und I vill fly in him. Der trouble iss dot I cannot go far
enough or stay up long enough vid der motor dot I haf. Wid a new vun I
can. I need der money for der new motor. Vill you invest it?"
"I will!" exclaimed Dick, suddenly.
"Ach! Bless you, my young friend!" and Herr Doodlebrod rushed over to
the millionaire's son and threw his arms about Dick, an embrace somewhat
difficult to escape from, so hearty was it.
"But I must first talk to my father," went on Dick, when Herr
Doodlebrod's enthusiasm had somewhat cooled down. "If the ship is a
success so far, and by investing five hundred dollars a better one can
be entered for the prize, so that I can win part of it, I'm sure he
would have no objections."
"I go for my airship," said the German. "I bring him here und in two
days he is ready to fly."
"Better not bring it here," advised Dick. "There isn't much room to try
it around the house, and too big a crowd would gather. We'll go off in
the country somewhere. My father owns some property about five miles
from here. It's a big level field, and I think that will be the best
place."
"Der very t'ing," assented the German, and Dick told him how to get to
it. Herr Doodlebrod hurried off to the freight station to arrange for
having his dismantled flying machine brought to the place where the test
was to be made.
"This may be the very thing I've been looking for," reasoned Dick.
"Winning five thousand dollars on an investment of five hundred is
pretty good. I guess that will fulfill the conditions of mother's will.
The question is: will it fly? But if it doesn't at the first test I'm
out nothing. And if it flies with his present engine it surely will with
a better one. I must tell dad about it."
Mr. Hamilton was not much impressed with Herr Doodlebrod's plan. He
admitted that the government had offered a prize for a successful
airship, but he thought an old shoemaker was hardly a possible person to
win it.
"Scientific men have devoted many years of study to the problem," he
said, "and they have not solved it yet. Still, of course, there's a
chance. As you say, you're out nothing if it doesn't work the first
time. But how about after you have put the five hundred dollars in, and
the ship doesn't sail?"
"If it sails with the old engine it surely ought to with the new,"
declared Dick, repeating his favorite argument.
Mr. Hamilton consented that Dick might make the investment. It was a
queer one, he said, but he agreed that if Herr Doodlebrod won the prize,
and gave Dick half, the terms of Mrs. Hamilton's will would have been
complied with.
"I'll get out of going to Uncle Ezra's yet," said the millionaire's son.
"The mine failed, the milk company failed, but the airship will beat
them all."
Herr Doodlebrod was a quick worker. In less time than Dick had believed
possible he had the parts of the machine at the place decided on for the
test. There, under the inventor's directions, men aided him in putting
it together.
In shape it looked like a huge bat, and was built on the principle of an
aeroplane. At the stern an immense rudder was turned by a small gasolene
motor, and there were several smaller rudders for directing the course
of the apparatus. There was a little car, of basket-work, amidships,
where the operator sat.
It was three days before the German was satisfied that all was in
readiness for the preliminary test that was to tell if Dick would spend
five hundred dollars on improvements. In spite of the attempt to keep
the matter quiet the news leaked out, and a big crowd gathered to see
Herr Doodlebrod make an attempt to fly.
"I do not promise so much to-day," he said, as he saw that all was in
readiness. "I vill go up, circle about for a vile, und den I haf to come
down. My engine iss not powerful enough. But vid der new one! Ach, den
ve vill fly far und vin der prize!"
He climbed into the little basket-car. Giving a look over the various
handles and levers, and seeing that all was clear ahead, Herr Doodlebrod
started the motor. It began to revolve rapidly, crackling like a battery
of Gatling guns.
"Now I fly!" exclaimed the German, as he threw on the clutch that
operated the propeller. The big airship trembled as the massive blades
whizzed through the air, and all eyes were fixed on it to detect the
moment when it might leave the earth and sail aloft.