CHAPTER X
SUSPICIOUS CONVERSATION
There was intense excitement aboard the _Comet_. So, for that matter,was there also on the _Winner_, for at first Noddy and Bill did notknow but that their own craft had been damaged. But, as they kept onrising, in response to the uptilted rudder, Noddy was sure they wereall right. He quickly brought his craft up on a level keel, and thenswept around in a big circle to see what was happening to the _Comet_.
"Lively, boys!" cried Jerry. "Turn on the machine at full speed, Ned,and that will check us until we can get under way," for they weremotionless when the accident occurred.
Ned had acted the instant he heard Jerry's call, and now a doublequantity of the lifting gas was pouring into the ripped bag.
Though the rent was a large one, the bag was made in a number ofcompartments, so that only the two that were ripped open by the_Winner_ lost their vapor. The others were more fully distended andserved to check the downward rush of the airship.
After a sickening plunge the _Comet_ gradually slowed up in herdescent, and when within a few hundred feet of the earth she glidedahead as an aeroplane, her propellers forcing her onward.
But there was not chance enough to get up much momentum, and, as theyran into an adverse current of air, which continued to force themearthward, and, as for some reason the main motor was not working well,Jerry concluded to make a full descent, so he could see what damage hadbeen done, and then rise again.
"Stand by to make a landing!" he called to his chums; and a momentlater the _Comet_ came to rest on the level green meadow while aboveher the _Winner_ winged her flight through the air.
"Well, wouldn't that jar you!" exclaimed Ned in great disgust.
"I should say so," remarked Bob. "It's just like Noddy Nixon'sfreshness. He ought to learn how to run an aeroplane in thekindergarten class before he comes out with the high school boys."
"I'll make him pay for our damaged bag!" declared Jerry firmly. "Heought to have known better than to try that stunt. I'll make him soakup for it all right."
The boys were standing beside their craft, and Jerry was peering upwardtrying to discover the extent of the tear in the gas bag.
"I'm afraid it was all my fault," said Andy Rush, more quietly than heusually spoke. "If I hadn't challenged Noddy the way I did it might nothave happened."
"Oh, well, you didn't mean anything," consoled Ned. "Besides, Noddymight have done it anyhow. Even if you did call to him he ought to haveknown better than to try to cross over us so close. I guess Bill Berryput him up to it. Don't worry Andy. Is it very bad, Jerry?"
The tall lad had climbed up in the rigging that held the bag, and wascritically examining it.
"Two of the compartments are all ripped to pieces, and there's asmall tear in a third one," Jerry reported. "We'll have to put on bigpatches. I'll make Noddy pay for this."
"Can we get home?" asked Bob.
"Of course. You forget that as an aeroplane we're as good as ever,"responded Ned. "Say, look at Noddy though, he's flying high."
Indeed, the bully and his crony were making a successful flight, andwere now but a mere speck in the sky.
"He's doing better than I ever expected he would," remarked Jerry. "Ihope he steers clear of us after this. He needs half the upper regionto navigate in. If he goes to the Colton meet we won't enter any of theevents he's in."
"I should say not!" exclaimed Ned earnestly.
There was nothing that could be done toward repairing the _Comet_ now,so, after letting all the gas out of the bag, and seeing to the defectin the main motor, which was in the ignition system, the boys madeready to fly home as an aeroplane.
The propellers were started, and the motorship skimmed over the meadow.It was rather an uneven course, and the boys were pretty well joltedup, but they managed to acquire enough speed to lift their craft, andonce in the air the machine soared high. In ten minutes they were infront of the hangar, and the _Comet_ had been wheeled inside.
"Are you really going to tackle Noddy about paying for the damage?"asked Ned, as he walked beside Jerry toward the latter's house.
"I sure am! I'm going over there to-night, and if he won't pay I'llsee his father. It's time that bully found out that he can't haveeverything his own way."
"Want Bob or me to come along?"
"No, I think I can do better alone, thanks. If we all go we might getinto a quarrel. I'll tackle him alone."
In accordance with his plan, Jerry set off that evening, leavingProfessor Snodgrass at home classifying some of the specimens he hadcaught that day. There were many lights in the Nixon mansion, which wasset in the midst of extensive grounds, for Mr. Nixon was quite wealthy.
"Looks as if they had company," mused Jerry. "I guess I'll find Noddyhome. He always is if there's any eating going on--like Bob," and hesmiled in the darkness.
But Noddy was not at home--at least, that is what the maid said whoanswered Jerry's ring. The tall lad was right in his surmise thatsomething was going on at the Nixon home, for he could see many guestsin the parlors, and he caught the strains of music.
"Is Mr. Nixon in?" he asked, determined to make an appeal to Noddy'sfather.
"He is, but he's very busy. I doubt if he'll see you," was the reply,and, after thinking it over Jerry concluded that it was an inopportunetime to make his demand.
"I'll see him to-morrow," he said as he turned away.
The shed where Noddy kept his aeroplane was some distance from thehouse, but on the same street, for Mr. Nixon owned a large piece ofproperty adjoining his residence. It was in front of this shed thatJerry found himself a few minutes later.
He gazed up at the big, dark building, and his thoughts were not verypleasant as he recalled the damage the bully had done to the _Comet_that afternoon.
"I wonder where Noddy is?" mused the tall lad. "He and Bill areprobably off somewhere together. I wonder if he could be in here?"
Jerry paused. There was no light visible in the shed, and our herowas about to pass on, when something--some impulse he could notdefine,--caused him to turn and advance a little way inside the fencethat surrounded the building. The gate was open.
"Oh, pshaw! They can't be in there," thought Jerry. "I might as well gohome."
But at that instant there came to his ears the sound of voices incautious conversation. He listened intently.
"I tell you it's too risky," he heard some one say, and in a moment heknew it was the tones of Bill Berry.
"Oh get out! You're afraid!" retorted Noddy Nixon. "We can easily doit, and get safely away."
"But the police?" objected Bill.
"Bah! They'll never suspect that we're going to do anything like that.And, even if they do we'll have the job done and get away before theyknow anything about it. I tell you it's perfectly safe. Isn't it worthtrying for?"
"Yes, I s'pose it is--but if we're nabbed?"
"We won't be I tell you," and Noddy seemed half angry. "Most of thepolice will be at the Colton meet, anyhow."
"Do you think you can handle the machine well enough?" asked Bill.
"I know I can. Look what I did to-day."
"Yes, you did cut it pretty fine," admitted Bill.
"And I guess I gave those fellows a scare they won't soon forget!"chuckled Noddy.
Jerry clenched his hands in anger. But he was not yet ready to make hispresence known.
"Then you'll go in with me on it?" asked Noddy, after a pause.
"Oh, I suppose so. If we're caught it can't be----"
"We'll not get caught!" declared Noddy again. "The Harmolet police aretoo sleepy for anything like that to happen. There'll be a big surprisewhen they wake up in the morning and find it gone," and he chuckledagain.
Then the voices died away, and it seemed as if the two cronies had goneinside the shed, outside of which they had evidently been standing inthe darkness when Jerry overheard their conversation.
The tall lad hesitated a moment, uncertain what to do. Then he murmured:
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sp; "I guess I won't say anything to Noddy to-night. I'll wait and see whatsort of a game he's up to. It sounds suspicious to me."
The Motor Boys on the Wing; Or, Seeking the Airship Treasure Page 10