A BIG REWARD
There were several more events to come off in the aviation meet, but
our friends were unable to take part in them because they found it
a harder and longer task to put in the new cylinder than they had
anticipated. But they had time to stop occasionally, and watch the
birdmen in their dizzy flights high in the air or about the big valley
where the contests were held.
Jerry and his chums finished work on the engine one afternoon, the day
before the close of the meet, and yielding to the entreaties of the
secretary and the other officials they gave an exhibition flight that
was greeted with cheers.
“And this is the end of the meet,” remarked Jerry as they sat in their
tent that night, for the next day would come the awarding of such
prizes as had not previously been given out, and then the affair would
be over.
“Well, what are we going to do?” asked Bob. “Have you made up your
mind any further regarding Noddy and the robbery, Jerry?”
“No, and I can hardly say what we ought to do. Sometimes I feel like
telling President Carter and the detectives everything, and again,
suppose I should be wrong? It wouldn’t be very nice falsely to accuse
even a fellow like Noddy Nixon.”
“Why don’t you tell the facts in the case, and let people draw their
own conclusions,” suggested Ned. “You can tell of the conversation you
heard between Bill and Noddy, and about the tires on Noddy’s machine.
Then drop out of it, and tell them to work the clews as they see fit.”
“I believe that would be a good way out of it,” assented the tall lad.
“I’ll do it. We’ll go to the bank to-morrow, and then we’ll start
on a trip out west and see if we can’t get that flying frog for the
professor.”
“Oh, you don’t know how anxious I am to start on that quest!” cried the
scientist. “I can hardly wait! And so we will go to-morrow. Still, I
can’t complain. I caught a pink striped June bug to-day, a very rare
and valuable specimen,” and then the little man began poring over his
note books.
There was little of interest to our heroes at the aviation grounds the
next day, and Jerry and his chums made a trip in to Harmolet with the
intention of having an interview with the bank president and the chief
detective.
As they neared the bank building they saw in front of it almost as
large a crowd as had been there the morning after the robbery.
“Hello!” exclaimed Ned. “I guess the run is still keeping up. Let’s get
off the car and see what’s doing.”
“Maybe the robbers came back for the silver they didn’t take,”
suggested Bob with a laugh.
By dint of pushing this way and that, the lads managed to get to a
place where they could read a notice, which, printed in large type,
posted on the side of the bank building. It caught Jerry’s eyes at
once. The notice read:
$10,000 REWARD!
The above reward will be paid to any person or persons who
shall cause the arrest and conviction of the robber or robbers
who, on the night of July 15, broke into this bank, and stole
bank notes to the amount of sixty thousand dollars, and
negotiable securities to the amount of one hundred and fifty
thousand. About four thousand dollars in gold was also taken.
It is believed that the robbers used an aeroplane to land on
the roof and in which to make their escape. The above reward
will be paid immediately on the conviction of the robbers.
THOMAS CARTER,
President.
“Well, they’ve officially adopted our airship theory,” remarked Ned,
with a smile at his chums.
“Yes, and I guess now will be as good a time as any to tell what more
we know,” suggested Jerry. “Come on, we’ll ask to see Mr. Carter.”
They were making their way through the press of people and finding it
no easy matter, when Ned almost knocked down a boy who, with three
small bicycle tires hanging over his shoulder was standing on his
tiptoes, trying to look over the heads of the crowd to read the reward
notice.
“I beg your pardon!” exclaimed Ned. “Did I hurt you?”
“Naw, not a bit!” exclaimed the lad good naturedly. He was a typical
errand boy, always glad of an excuse to stop and “kill” time. “Dat’s a
swell reward de bank is offerin’,” he volunteered. “I wish I could cop
it.”
“Yes, it wouldn’t be bad,” said Bob. As for Ned, after the first shock
of the collision, and his apology, he was looking at the lad in a
curious fashion--yet not so much at the boy as at the bicycle tires he
carried.
“Look!” whispered Ned to Jerry, pointing to the rubber circlets. “Those
are tires for aeroplane wheels,” went on the merchant’s son, “and
they’re marked just like those Noddy had on his machine. Jerry, here’s
a clew right under our noses!”