The Motor Boys on the Wing; Or, Seeking the Airship Treasure

by Clarence Young

  CHAPTER III

  A SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE

  Startled, the boys moved back somewhat from the aeroplane, and waited,not without a little apprehension, the arrival of the two strange men.The strangers increased their speed, and came up on the run, theirfaces showing the evident anger they felt.

  "What--what are you doing at our machine?" panted Black, the taller ofthe twain.

  "Just looking at it," replied Jerry calmly. "We haven't done anydamage. We're aviators ourselves."

  "We've made lots of flights," put in Ned.

  "And we know enough not to monkey with another man's apparatus," addedBob. "We were only looking at it."

  "What right had you to come in here?" demanded Mr. Brown, in surlytones.

  "Yes, who let you in?" added his companion.

  "The hotel clerk," answered Jerry, for the key of the gate in his handwas rather incriminating evidence. "He didn't mean any harm, but wewere very much interested when we heard that you had come in a biplane,and we wanted to see what type it was. We saw you were busy talking, sowe didn't bother you. We just came out here to have a look."

  "It was mighty fresh of you!" growled Mr. Black.

  "Yes, and we'll report that hotel clerk, too," added Mr. Brown. "He hadno business to give you the key."

  "Oh, it--it wasn't altogether his fault," said Bob, hoping that theirfriend at the desk would not be blamed.

  "We know whose fault it was, all right," snarled Mr. Black. "Now youfellows clear out of here. We arranged, when we put up at the hotel,that we shouldn't be annoyed by snooping crowds, and now----"

  "We're not a crowd," remarked Ned with a smile.

  "None of your back-talk!" exclaimed the shorter of the aeroplanists."We know our own business best. Now make tracks out of here,quick--give me that key!" and he fairly snatched it from Jerry's hand.The tall lad seemed about to say something, but he thought better ofit, and held his tongue.

  "Go on--move!" ordered Mr. Black, as the boys showed no inclination towalk away. "Get a hustle on you!"

  By this time Mr. Black had caught sight of the opened tool box. A flashof rage seemed to pass over his face.

  "Who opened that box?" he snarled.

  "I did," replied Jerry calmly.

  "Did you--did you take anything out?" demanded the man, striding towardour hero.

  "I did not," was the quiet rejoinder.

  "Did you dare unlock it?" demanded Mr. Brown.

  "It was unlocked, and the cover was partly raised when we got here,"went on Jerry. "We wanted to see what kind of tools you carried, so Iopened it. We meant no harm, and I trust we did none. We are sorry youtake our harmless investigation in this spirit."

  "Are you sure the box was open?" persisted Mr. Black.

  "It was," declared Jerry, his face flushing at this implied doubt ofhis word.

  "I--I guess I unlocked it, and forgot to close it," put in Mr. Brown.

  "Huh! Mighty careless of you--Jake--I mean James," said Mr. Black,hastily correcting himself. "Now you fellows clear out," he went on."We's going to make a flight, and we don't want to be bothered."

  Silently Jerry and his chums left the enclosure. Mr. Black followed,and locked the gate after them. Our heroes returned to the hotel lobby.

  "Say, they're regular fire-eaters," declared Ned.

  "Yes, they get on their ears mighty quick," said Jerry.

  They found the hotel clerk quite disturbed.

  "Say, did they make much of a fuss?" he asked anxiously. "They camefor the key of the gate directly after you boys left, and I tried toput them off. But they wouldn't have it, and then I told them someaeroplanists were out looking at their machine. Whew! They ran out asthough the sheriff was after them. Did they raise much of a row?"

  "Oh, not an awful lot," said Ned, not wanting to make the good-naturedclerk worry any more than was necessary. "I guess it'll blow over."

  "I hope so," murmured the hotel man.

  The queer aviators did not seem disposed to make any further trouble,for presently a stable man appeared with the gate key, saying that thetwo men were about to leave in their airship.

  "They hadn't time to come in an' bring the key," he explained. "I'mgoin' out an' see 'em fly."

  The news soon spread around through the hotel that an airship wasgoing up, and a crowd rushed out to see the start. The high fenceof the enclosure prevented the ground-maneuvers from being viewed,but presently there was a clatter as the motor started, and soon abird-like shape arose above the fence.

  "There they go!" cried the throng, and our heroes and the others sawthe two men seated in their machine mounting rapidly upward.

  "I hope we've seen the last of 'em--they're so unpleasant," remarkedJerry. But he and his chums were destined to meet the two strange menagain, and under queer circumstances.

  Discussing their encounter with Messrs. Brown and Black, talking of theaeroplane _Silver Star_, and planning what they would do when they tooktheir own motorship _Comet_ to the coming aviation meet, Jerry and hischums were soon speeding back toward Cresville in their auto.

  "Maybe we'll see Brown and Black at the Colton doings, fellows,"suggested Bob. "They seemed to be on the alert as soon as we mentionedHarmolet."

  "Well, they may be there," agreed Jerry. "They certainly have a goodmachine of its class, though I believe ours would beat it in a race."

  "I'm sure of it," declared Ned, who took great pride in the _Comet_."But I can't get over the queer tools those fellows carried."

  "Me neither," went on Jerry. "It looked to be a lot of useless weight."

  This gave a new turn to the conversation, and one thing led to another,so that almost before our friends realized it they were near Cresville.

  As they approached a turn in the road, they heard behind them frantictooting of an auto horn, and the loud throbbing of a cut-out muffler.

  "Some one's in a hurry," observed Jerry, steering over to one side.

  "Maybe it's a doctor on an emergency case," suggested Bob.

  "Doctor nothing!" retorted Ned, after a look to the rear. "It's NoddyNixon, and he's coming on at a terrific clip. Look out Jerry! He'll dosomething spiteful just for fun. Keep over."

  "I'm over as far as I dare go," replied the tall lad. "I don't wantto slide into the ditch," for the road at this point was bordered bydeep marshy gutters on either side. It had rained that morning, and thehollows of the road were filled with muddy water.

  On came Noddy, his horn wildly tooting, and his cut-out mufflerthundering like a battery of small guns. His machine was increasing itsspeed every moment.

  "He'd better look out on the turn," said Jerry to his chums, as heslowed up.

  With a whizz and a roar the machine of the bully passed the onecontaining our heroes. This was at a point on the road where there wasa big puddle. Into it splashed the big-tired wheels of Noddy's car, andinstantly a shower of dirty water was sprayed all over our friends,drenching them, and soiling their trim car.

  "Wow!" yelled Noddy in derision as he passed. "Wow! Look out for me!I'm a terror!"

  "You're a sneaking coward! That's what you are!" shouted Ned, wipingthe muddy drops from his face.

  "By Jinks! Look at my clothes!" wailed Bob.

  "The sneak!" burst out Jerry. "I'll fix him for that!"

  "Take after him!" urged Ned. "We can beat his car all to pieces!Overtake him, and we'll haul him out and rub his nose in the mud! Thecad!"

  "I'll catch him all right!" declared Jerry grimly. "We'll get even withhim for this, all right."

  It was the work of but an instant to turn on more power, and thespeedy car of our motor boys shot ahead down the road after thefast-disappearing vehicle of the bully.

  "There! He made the turn!" cried Ned.

  "And on two wheels," murmured Jerry. "He's taking chances."

  On thundered the pursuing auto. Jerry slowed up at the turn, but eventhen he took it at such speed that the machine skidded unpleasantly.

  Once more they swung out into a str
aight stretch, and as they did sothere came a simultaneous cry of surprise from the three boys.

  For there before them, off to one side, and stuck deep in the muddyroad-side ditch, was the car of Noddy Nixon. But the bully was not init, nor was he in sight. He had suddenly disappeared.