OVER THE OCEAN
For a few moments after this unexpected announcement neither of the
motor boys knew what to say. Nor did Professor Snodgrass seem able to
utter anything in keeping with the seriousness of the occasion. As for
Mr. Durkin, and the officers of the meet, who were anxious for our
heroes to start on the rescue expedition, they gazed blankly at the
sheriff’s officer, whom they correctly guessed the man to be.
“Do you mean that we can’t leave in our own motor-ship?” demanded
Jerry, stepping out on deck.
“That’s exactly what I mean,” was the reply. “I’m Deputy Sheriff
Morton, and I’ve got an attachment on this airship, or whatever you
call it. I’m in possession now, and I forbid you to leave this place
with the ship,” saying which Mr. Morton jumped aboard.
“I guess you fellers will sing a different tune now!” exclaimed
another voice, and pushing through the crowd came Mr. Muggins himself,
a grim smile on his wrinkled features. “You thought you’d git ahead of
me, sneakin’ off in th’ night, but I allowed as how you’d point fer
this balloon fair. So I jest hitched up, went t’ th’ sheriff an’ swore
out an attachment ag’in ye, an’ here I be. Ye don’t stir till ye pay my
thousand dollars.”
“But we don’t owe you a thousand dollars!” exclaimed Ned, to whom every
moment of delay seemed an hour, so anxious was he to do something to
save his father’s business.
“Ye damaged my barn that amount, an’ ye’ve got t’ pay it; ain’t they,
Mr. Morton?”
“That’s what th’ law says. I’m in possession,” and the sheriff’s
deputy coolly took a seat in the cabin of the motor-ship, and looked
through the opened windows at the crowd. There had been murmurs of
indignation when Mr. Morton prevented the ship from leaving, but at
this explanation several inquiries were made as to how the affair had
originated.
Jerry briefly explained the accident, stating that the barn was only
slightly damaged, and he told of the shabby treatment accorded him and
his chums by Mr. Muggins.
“But you don’t seem to understand the seriousness of this, my dear
man,” said Mr. Durkin to the farmer. “Are you aware that you may be
the cause of a number of persons losing their lives in the balloon
_Manhattan_, unless these lads are allowed to go to the rescue? Do you
realize that?”
“I don’t realize nothin’, but that I want a thousand dollars,” asserted
Mr. Muggins.
“No, I guess money is all you ever do realize,” murmured Bob.
“I appeal to you,” pleaded Mr. Durkin, to the sheriff’s deputy. “Can’t
you let this airship go? You will be responsible for the deaths of
several people if you prevent the rescue.”
“No use appealing to me,” declared Mr. Morton. “I ain’t responsible
for anything but my duty. I have to do as the law says, and as I’ve
sworn to do. Pay the thousand dollars, and I’ll take off the legal
attachment, and the craft can go. But I ain’t allowed to do otherwise.”
Clearly he was within his rights.
“If Mr. Muggins will release his claim temporarily, I won’t say a
word,” went on Mr. Morton. “It’s up to him. I can vacate the attachment
if he says so.”
“Well, I don’t say so!” cried the disagreeable man. “I know my rights
an’ I’m goin’ t’ have ’em! I want a thousand dollars fer damages t’ my
barn!”
There seemed to be no way of getting around it, and it looked as if the
_Comet_ would have to stay there, for the boys did not have a thousand
dollars, and it would take some time to procure it from home, even if
they were disposed to allow themselves to be swindled in that fashion.
“Can’t we make a sudden dash, and get away?” whispered Ned to Jerry.
“We could take the sheriff’s man with us if we had to.”
Jerry shook his head.
“It would be too risky,” the tall lad decided. “He might draw a gun,
and fire at the gas bag, or something. Besides it would mean an extra
person on board, and if we rescue Mr. Jackson and his friend and crew,
we’re going to be pretty well crowded as it is. I dare not chance it.”
Gloom settled on Ned’s face. Bob did not know what to do. Jerry was at
a loss. Professor Snodgrass seemingly had put all thoughts of trouble
out of his mind, and was poring over his note-books. Suddenly, however,
the little scientist looked up, and, addressing Mr. Morton, asked:
“Couldn’t we give a bond of indemnity for double the amount of the
damages--say for two thousand dollars? If we did that, guaranteeing
the payment to Mr. Muggins of his claim when it was properly proved,
couldn’t we be allowed to go?”
“Yes, that might be done,” admitted the deputy. “I am authorized to
accept a good bond. But who would give it?”
“I would,” said Mr. Snodgrass eagerly. Hope showed on the faces of the
motor boys. But the sheriff’s man shook his head.
“I don’t know you. You’re a stranger to me,” he declared. “I don’t know
whether you’re good for the bond or not.”
“But I tell you that I _am_, and these boys know it,” said the
scientist innocently.
“That won’t do,” declared the officer.
“How about _my_ bond?” suddenly asked Mr. Durkin. “You know me. I’ll
sign the bond for two thousand dollars so these boys can go to the
rescue. Will you take it?”
“Yes, I’ll take _your_ bond,” agreed the officer.
“Then come over to the office, and I’ll sign it!” went on Mr. Durkin
eagerly. “There’s no time to lose. Get started, boys!”
The deputy came slowly down from the airship. Mr. Muggins looked
puzzled and disappointed. He did not understand the matter of the
bond. He wanted the cash.
“Now’s your time, Jerry!” exclaimed Ned suddenly, as he saw the officer
alight on the ground. “Start her up!”
“Sure! Everything is clear!” added Bob eagerly.
Jerry nodded comprehendingly. With a last look to see that everything
was in order he yanked the starting lever toward him. The _Comet_ shot
forward across the smooth ground on her bicycle wheels, for the boys
were going to send her aloft as an aeroplane, saving their lifting gas
for emergencies. Faster and faster the craft moved, the crowd parting
to make way for her. Mr. Muggins saw his prize getting away from him.
“Here!” he cried. “Here! Come back! I want my thousand dollars!”
After the _Comet_ he ran, his coat tails flying in the wind, while,
over and over again, he cried:
“Come back! Come back! I want my money! The money for my barn. Hi! Mr.
Sheriff, them fellers is escapin’!”
“Faster Jerry!” cried Ned. “He may catch us, and hang on!”
“Not much!” remarked the tall lad grimly. He put on more speed. Then,
seeing that they were going fast enough to rise in the air, he pulled
the elevating rudder lever.
Up shot the _Comet_, while the crowd cheered. Up and up she went,
leaving a much chagrined farmer running breathlessly and uselessly
after it, meanwhile shaking his fists at our heroes in the air.
“Off at last!” murmured Ned with a sigh of relief. “Off to the rescue!”
“Yes, and I hope we’ll be in time to save them,” added Jerry somewhat
solemnly.
“I hope we get the singing fish,” spoke the professor. “That is,” he
went on quickly, “after we save those poor people in the balloon!”
Higher and higher into the air went the _Comet_. The tents and
buildings in the aviation park looked like tiny structures now. Soon
the grounds had disappeared from sight. The great city of New York and
her surrounding boroughs loomed up in the distance.
In a little while they were over the great city, but so high up that
the boys could not see the wondering crowds which they knew must be
watching their progress.
“Over the Hudson,” remarked Bob, as they flew high above that historic
river. Then they proceeded down toward the Battery, out over the
Narrows, faster and ever faster, past the forts at the entrance to the
harbor, out beyond Coney Island, leaving Atlantic Highlands on their
right, out past Sandy Hook, on and on, the water widening more and more
until finally Jerry announced.
“Over the ocean at last! Now, fellows, we’ve got to keep up our spunk
and courage, and depend on ourselves. This is the riskiest trip we’ve
ever undertaken. All hands keep a sharp watch out for the runaway
balloon!”
Onward they sped, and they little knew what was before them.