A PRECARIOUS POSITION
Airship travel was scarcely a novelty to our heroes now, but, like many
other things, there was always some new feature to it. Just as on an
auto trip you never can tell what is going to happen, and just as two
auto trips are never the same, so with travel in a motor-ship.
“We may start off all right, and we may get there all right,” said
Jerry, “but you never can tell what is going to happen in the
meanwhile.”
The start of our friends was auspicious enough. Rising high above the
country surrounding their home town, they soon found themselves in
a favorable current, and then, allowing some of the gas to flow out
of the bag, and into the compression container, Jerry speeded up the
propellers so that the _Comet_ was sailing along now as a regular
aeroplane, depending on her forward motion and on the pressure of air
on the surfaces of the wing planes for support.
“We want to get used to travelling both ways,” remarked Jerry to his
chums, “for it will be wise to save our gas for emergencies. Anyhow
the _Comet_ is as good an aeroplane as she is a dirigible balloon,
and we can go faster in the former shape, as there is not so much air
resistance when the gas bag is not fully inflated.”
There were many small tasks to do after they had gotten well under way,
and the better part of the morning was taken up in performing them.
Jerry looked to the machinery, which, in spite of several adjustments,
needed some attention. Bob saw to it that his provisions were all in
place, and Ned checked over his stores, to make sure he had forgotten
nothing.
As for Uriah Snodgrass, it mattered little to him where he was, whether
in the air, or on the earth or water, save that in the air there were
not so many chances of gathering specimens. However, when he could not
capture bugs he could look over those already in his specimen boxes,
arrange and classify them, and jot down notes concerning them. It was
this latter work which now occupied him.
“Where is Mr. Snodgrass?” asked Ned when Bob, after a time spent in the
kitchen, announced supper.
“He was in the main cabin a few minutes ago, writing in his note-book,”
said Jerry. “I saw him as I passed through.”
A glance into the cabin showed that the professor was not there.
“Perhaps he’s already eating, in the dining-room,” remarked Bob. “He
might have gotten hungry, and couldn’t wait.”
“Oh, I guess he’s not like you,” retorted Ned. Still he looked into the
cabin where the table was set, but no scientist appeared. The motor
room was equally unproductive, and the boys now looked anxiously at one
another.
“Can he have fallen overboard?” asked Bob, his voice trembling with
apprehension.
“We’d have heard him cry if he fell,” said Jerry. Still, he went to the
rail and looked down. They were passing over a broad stretch of meadow
land, and there was no evidence that their friend had tumbled down.
“The storeroom,” suggested Ned. They hurried there, but found no
professor!
Suddenly Bob, who had gone out on the after deck, uttered a cry of
alarm. His companions hastened toward him, and looked to where he
pointed.
There, lying face downward on the projecting stern of the motor-ship,
his head and shoulders out of sight, was the missing professor, in a
most precarious position!