QUEER ACTIONS
Ned and Bob were already out in the rain, getting ready to make the
anchor ropes fast to the nearest firm objects. They gazed somewhat
curiously after Jerry, wondering where he was going with the farmer.
Professor Snodgrass, after seeing that all his specimen boxes were
safely put away, had come out and was helping the two boys.
“I’ll have to give them a hand,” shouted Jerry above the noise of the
storm. “Can we wheel the airship under the shed? I see you have one by
the barn.”
“Not that shed--the one over here,” answered Mr. Rossmore pointing to
another, somewhat removed from the big barn. “That shed ain’t safe. It
might tumble down and smash your air machine. Wheel it over to that
other shed, and then come in the house. Land sakes! This is a fearful
storm.”
He made another grab for Jerry’s arm, but the tall lad avoided the
grasp, at the same time wondering at the strange behavior of the farmer.
“He wants to be hospitable all right,” mused the widow’s son, “but he
takes a queer way of showing it. Wait a minute,” he called to Bob and
Ned, “I’ll give you a hand. We’re going to put her under the shed. I
guess it’s big enough.”
“Bur-r-r-r-r! It’s awful wet rain!” exclaimed Ned, as a stream of water
ran down his neck. “Who’s your friend, Jerry?”
“Hush. I don’t know, except that his name’s Hiram Rossmore. He wants us
to come in the house. He’s a bit queer. Here he comes.”
The farmer had followed Jerry as the latter turned back toward the
airship; and Mr. Rossmore, together with the boys and Professor
Snodgrass, wheeled the _Comet_ toward a big wagon shed, which
fortunately proved large enough to accommodate the craft. Not that rain
would spoil it, but in a terrific thunder storm, such as was now in
progress, and with a stiff wind blowing, there was danger of damage to
the somewhat frail machine.
It was soon under shelter and well secured with ropes, while Jerry went
inside to make a quick inspection of the broken brace.
“It will need a blacksmith shop to repair it,” he reported to his chums.
“Wa’al, can ye come in th’ house now?” asked Mr. Rossmore, as he stood
under the shed, at the side of the motorship. “This is a bigger shebang
than the other--I mean it’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen.”
“Oh, then you’ve seen one before?” asked Jerry with a quick and warning
glance at his chums.
“Yes, I saw one on exhibition at our county fair,” was the disappointing
answer. “It wasn’t so big as this, and was some different.”
“We are looking for an airship that belongs to--er--well, to some men
we know,” spoke Jerry. “It may be sailing around here. We’re looking
for it.”
“Wa’al, I guess you won’t find it here,” said the man, with rather
an uneasy laugh. “Now come on in the house and dry off. I live all
alone exceptin’ for the hired man, and he’s gone to town to-day, so
we’ll have the place to ourselves. Come on in the house. That barn’s
dangerous in a thunderstorm--in fact it’s dangerous most any time. It’s
likely to fall. I wouldn’t go too near it if I was you.”
Jerry looked at the barn in question. It seemed well made, and solid,
being in good repair. He looked at Mr. Rossmore. The farmer was
glancing anxiously about, as though to assure himself that all four
airship travelers were following him. Then, as if apparently satisfied
on this point, he hurriedly led the way through the pelting rain to the
farmhouse.
Jerry and the boys looked about them. Save for the clearing in which
the house and other structures stood they were surrounded by a great
forest. It was a very lonesome place.
“Did you have some accident?” asked the man, as he opened the door of a
spacious farmhouse, and ushered them in.
“Yes, we broke one of the main braces of the motor,” answered Jerry.
“Is there a blacksmith shop around here? Or have you a portable forge
we could use?”
“No, I haven’t any. But there’s a shop about ten miles away. You might
go there after the storm is over. But stay in the house until it is.
You see I come here for solitude. I don’t have much of a farm. This was
a big one once, but it’s mostly growed up to second growth now, and I
sell some lumber. I don’t farm it.”
“It’s a pretty nice place for a bachelor,” observed Jerry, looking
around, and noting that the house showed a woman’s care. There were
many evidences that other hands than those of men had to do with the
place.
“Oh, I ain’t a bachelor,” was the quick answer. “My wife’s gone to
visit some relations, and I let the hired man have a vacation too. So
I’m all alone. But make yourselves to home. Peel off your wet things if
you want to. I’ll get some blankets you can wrap up in, and there’s a
good fire in the kitchen. Then I’ll get you something to eat.”
“That’ll be good!” exclaimed Bob, so earnestly that his chums laughed.
“You mustn’t mind him,” apologized Jerry to the farmer. “It’s his one
failing to be always hungry.”
“Better tell some of your own,” murmured the stout lad.
Mr. Rossmore laughed and left the room, soon returning with a pile of
blankets. The boys and the professor, going out in front of the big
kitchen stove, divested themselves of their outer garments, and were
soon warm and comfortable, while their wet clothes were drying before
the oven.
“Now, for a meal,” went on the farmer. “I’ll do my best for you. I just
cooked some chicken, so I’ll warm it up.”
Bob’s eyes sparkled in anticipation. They were left to themselves for a
few minutes while they heard Mr. Rossmore rummaging about down in the
cellar, evidently after the victuals.
“Does anything strike you as peculiar?” asked Jerry of his chums, as
he noted that Professor Snodgrass was trying to capture a fly that was
buzzing on the window pane.
“About what?” asked Ned.
“About this farmer--and this place.”
“It looks comfortable,” remarked Bob. “Comfortable, and--and a good
place to stay. He’s going to feed us well, too!”
“Oh, that’s all you think of, Chunky! I mean doesn’t Mr. Rossmore
strike you as rather odd?”
“It was kind of funny, him not wanting you to go out in the barn,” said
Ned.
“That’s what I mean. Now I think----” and Jerry drew closer to his
companions.
But what Jerry thought he did not at that moment say, for at that
instant there sounded outside, and above the noise of the rain on the
roof, a loud cry.
“That came from the barn!” cried Bob.
“Sure!” assented Ned.
Their voices were silenced in a terrific clap of thunder that followed
a vivid flash. Professor Snodgrass jumped back from the window in some
alarm.
“Look!” cried Jerry pointing outside where the rain was coming down in
torrents. What he saw, and what the others saw was Mr. Rossmore rushing
toward the barn at full speed--toward the barn against which he had
warned our heroes.