FIGURING IT ALL OUT
"It begins to look as though you were right, Andy, and that these
strangers certainly feel an uncommon interest in what we've been doing
up here," said Frank, seriously.
"Oh! I don't take much of the credit for hitting on that idea, Frank,"
declared the other Bird boy, quickly. "You kept watching that Marsh
right from the start. I could see a question in your eye every time
you looked at him. And it spurred me on to keeping closer tab over his
ways."
"Are they still up there, d'ye think?" queried Frank; while Larry,
Elephant, and Stuttering Nat hung around, saying nothing, but listening
for all they were worth.
"No," replied Andy; "I've got an idea they began to suspect some of you
were looking that way. Anyhow, I saw Marsh duck his head, and think
they came down. No use going in to take a shy at 'em now."
"I'd give a fit to know what they are up to?" mused Frank, a thoughtful
look on his face.
"Well, perhaps we can hit somewhere near the facts if we start
guessing," remarked Andy, with a knowing nod.
"Look here, you've been turning it over your mind, then?" asked his
cousin.
"Sure I have," grinned Andy, promptly. "Never could bear to let
anything puzzle me long. Used to lie awake half the night trying to
clinch a name that had just slipped a cog in my memory."
"All right. Suppose you give us the benefit of what you decided might
be the answer to this problem. Who are these two men, Andy?"
"You know they admit being well up in aviation?" the other remarked as
a preliminary.
"So Larry and Elephant said," Frank replied.
"And that not only had they attended many meets but admitted being well
acquainted with a lot of people whose names we see in the papers every
day--men who have done things along the line of aviation. Get that,
Frank?"
"I have. Now go on with your answer," nodded the other, encouragingly.
"These gentlemen have been sent up here for a purpose! Perhaps they
are in the pay of some unscrupulous manufacturer of aeroplanes, who
would not be above stealing the ideas of two boys, and applying them to
his up-to-date machines, placed on the market, and for sale to the
public!"
"Gosh!" exclaimed Elephant.
"That sounds all to the good to me!" remarked Larry; while Nat tried to
express himself intelligently along similar lines; but being suddenly
seized with one of his spasms, was obliged to take it out in numerous
mouthings, and a working of his facial muscles, all the while making
unintelligible sounds.
Frank seemed to consider this startling proposition of his cousin, for
there were lines about his forehead, and his eyes took on a reflective
look.
"Now, I can see already that you don't agree with me wholly," Andy
said, quickly for he was accustomed to studying that countenance of his
cousin, and could read between the lines.
"Well, I'd hate to think that any maker of aeroplanes could descend
that low as to want to steal ideas from any one," Frank answered.
"They are few in number, and so far as we know, honorable men. If they
wanted to get something that you and I, or any other fellow, had
happened to hit on, and which would be of value to aviators, the
chances are they'd send somebody to open up negotiations, and offer to
buy the improvement outright, or take it on a royalty basis."
"Perhaps you're right, Frank," admitted the other; "but all the same
there was something I didn't like about that Mr. Marsh. I warrant you
he's a sharp one in a dicker. He looked it. But see here, what've you
got to offer in place of my poor little kicked-out suggestion? There's
some sort of answer to the puzzle; and five to one you've guessed it."
Frank laughed as he replied:
"Hold on, now, I may be just as far off as you are. As usual we look
at things on opposite sides, you know, Andy. But we never disagree,
and that's one good thing about our partnership. Either you convince
me, or I show you."
"Sure we do, Frank; and nine times out of ten it's your game. When I
make a hit it's a great day for Andy Bird. But please hurry up, and
tell us what you think!"
"Yes," said Larry, who had been moving restlessly about, being consumed
with the fever of curiosity, "who do you say Mr. Marsh and his friend
are, Frank?"
"To begin with, just as you did, the fact that they admit knowing many
people connected with the game, strengthens my suspicion. I too
believe they may be connected with some maker of aeroplanes like the
Wrights; but instead of being sent up here to steal our ideas, they
have come as detectives, to find out if the Bird boys have been lifting
any patented inventions belonging to their employers!"
"Whew! that takes my breath away!" gasped Andy.
"It's sure a screamer, that's what!" cried Larry.
"Frank, go up head!" said Elephant, solemnly.
Stammering Nat wanted to say something the worst kind; but being still
under the domination of his nervous excitement, he could only work his
jaws and violently nod his head; but then that stood for acclamation on
his part, and so they all understood it.
"Frank, I begin to cave already," declared Andy. "Because that would
account for the way they stared so hard at our hydroplane, and the
aluminum pontoons under the body. But we bought those from the
patentee, and have the bill of sale to show for it."
"And there isn't a single stolen idea about the machine," Frank went
on. "I've been mighty careful about that. I believe in an inventor
having full credit for his work. If ever I do happen on a valuable
device, I would want to feel that it couldn't be stolen away from me."
"Listen, boys," Larry spoke up. "That would account for something that
Mr. Marsh said when we were talking to them, before little Tommy took
our attention. As near as I can remember I'd been telling them about
your shop, and how you fellows just haunted it all winter, working on
lots of ideas. He turned to his friend, and he says, says he:
'Longley, they might be willing to let us have a little peep into that
wonderful shop of theirs, eh?'"
"Yes, that sounds interesting," remarked Frank. "Go on, Larry. What
did you say to that?"
"Oh! Elephant here took the words right out of my mouth, Frank. He up
and says: 'I wouldn't bank too much on that, mister. Both of us are
chums of the Bird boys; and if they wouldn't let us come inside their
shop all winter, I guess they ain't inviting strangers there!'"
"How did they take that?" continued Frank.
"Mr. Marsh just laughed, and asked the other man what he thought of
that. Said it was mighty interesting to run across a couple of bright
young inventors so unexpectedly; and that Wright and Curtiss ought to
know the Bird boys. Also remarked, as he winked at Longley, that you
might be induced to join the big aeroplane makers' trust that was being
talked of; but I believed he was just joshing when he said that, Frank."
"It's all in the wash, though, and mighty interesting," Frank
continued, still thoughtful.
"And you can take it from me, them gentlemen never just happened on
Bloomsbury, like they said," Elephant declared, emphatically.
"I agree with you there, Elephant," Frank echoed. "They came here to
do something. It may be as Andy said, to steal our thunder, if so be
we had anything worth lifting; and then again my idea may be the right
one, and that they represent owners of patents who are determined to
protect their rights in things they've spent time and money in
perfecting. Perhaps we may never know the truth. And then again
before many days, or even hours, we might run across the answer."
"Well," remarked Andy, complacently, "one thing sure, we've got to take
extra measures to protect our shop, and keep prying fingers from
meddling. I'll speak to my father and Colonel Josiah about it. They
may hire old Shea again to watch of nights."
Colonel Josiah Whympers had been Andy's guardian during the time he
believed his father to be dead. The old man was lame, and used a
crutch; but he was a great admirer of the Bird boys, and ready to back
anything they advocated. Once a great traveler he had been to every
corner of the world, and was full of the most thrilling stories of what
had happened to him during his forty years of roving in queer places.
"Excuse me from Shea," laughed Frank. "Don't you remember how he
failed us last year, and was caught napping. He's as honest as the day
is long, but a mighty poor guard. No, we'll have to do just what we
did before, take up our lodgings right here in the shop, where we can
defend our property."
"That suits me OK," returned the jovial Andy. "And so we'll consider
it settled, Frank, that so long as these mysterious strangers are
around Bloomsbury we'll just camp out here."
"And then some," continued the other; "because, you see, they might
guess what we had up our sleeve, and just pretend to move along."
"It's a measly shame, that's what!" grumbled Larry.
Elephant immediately fell upon him and shook his hand vigorously.
"Me too!" he exclaimed, looking unusually sad.
"What's all this row about, fellows?" demanded Frank, pretending not to
understand.
"It's ghastly to have all the good things pass us by, that's what!"
Larry declared.
"Meaning what?" Andy inquired.
"Think of the bully good times you two can have here, playing at
camping out. You've even got a stove handy, and a whole outfit of
aluminum cooking ware to be carried along with your aeroplane when you
go off a long ways. There never was a luckier pair than you two Bird
boys, that's what," and Larry groaned again to express the envy that
was burning in his boyish soul.
"If you'd only let us bring over our blankets, and sleep here with you,
it would lighten things up a heap, I tell you, Frank," said Elephant.
"We wouldn't occupy much room," went on Larry, eagerly, thinking he saw
signs of giving in on the other's face. "Why, you could chuck Elephant
under the workbench and never find him again. And I'd sling a hammock
in a corner. Looky here, if you say no I'll feel like jumping in the
lake right away."
Frank and Andy exchanged glances. They were genuinely fond of the
strangely mated pair; and besides, there was no longer any reason why
these old chums should be longer refused the liberty they had once
enjoyed, of entering the workshop as they pleased.
"It's a go, Larry; eh, Andy?" said the taller of the Bird boys.
With that the two favored ones indulged in sundry whoops and leaps to
express the joy that Frank's announcement had given; even Stammering
Nat grinned, and no doubt wished he had been included in the
invitation; though he knew there would be no room for a further
increase in the guardians of the shop.
"I'm going right home and get my blankets," said Elephant, eagerly.
"And me ditto," echoed Larry. "Hey, fellows, you know what dandy
doughnuts my mother makes; shall I fetch a bunch along, with a loaf of
bread?"
"Fine," laughed Andy, "and be off with you."
"Hold on, boys," Frank broke in just then. "Let's see what this
procession coming along the road means. Two hay wagons, and each
loaded with some crates of merchandise. Beside each driver I notice a
second figure, and unless I'm mistaken the first one is Percy Shelley
Carberry."
"That's right," remarked Larry. "And it's his crony, Sandy
Hollingshead, on the second wagon. Say, you're gazing right now on the
wonderful new aeroplane which your rival Percy has sent for, and in
which he means to make you fellows look like two cents. Hey! what's
this I see?"
"They've stopped short, that's all," observed Andy. "An automobile has
blocked the road, and Percy seems to be having a confab with one of the
parties in the car. Frank, do you see who whose men are? The very
gents we were talking about. And now they've struck another scent, for
they seem to be bent on learning all about who these boys carrying a
crated aeroplane in parts can be. The mystery grows! My word! but
there's going to be lots doing around here soon!"