The Motor Boys in the Clouds; or, A Trip for Fame and Fortune

by Clarence Young

  CHAPTER XI

  BUILDING THE COMET

  One evening, about a week after this, Jerry Hopkins was seen hurryingdown the main street of Cresville. He walked fast and hardly lookedfrom right to left.

  "Hello, Jerry," called Frank Merton, one of his town friends, "comeover and have a plate of ice cream."

  "No, thanks. Haven't time, Frank. I'm in a hurry to catch Bob and Ned.Haven't seen either of them around, have you?"

  "No. If I see 'em I'll tell 'em you were lookin' for 'em."

  "I wish you would. It's quite important."

  "Those motor boys are up to some new scheme, I'll bet a lemon,"remarked Frank as he strolled on. "They're always goin' off somewhere,or havin' a good time. I wish I was in their crowd."

  Which is what a number of other boys, not only of Cresville, but ofother places, have also wished.

  Jerry hurried on, but he did not catch sight of either of his chums.He proceeded to Ned Slade's house, and there, on the big front porch,comfortably swinging in hammocks, were the two lads.

  "Well, I must say you're taking it easy," observed Jerry.

  "Sure. Why not?" asked Bob. "What's your rush? You look as if you'dbeen walking fast."

  "So I have. I've been looking for you two. He's come."

  "Who's come?" asked Ned.

  "Mr. Glassford, the man who's going to build our motor ship for us.He arrived at my house half an hour ago. He was delayed in gettinghis model shipped, and that's why he wasn't here yesterday, when weexpected him."

  "Has he got the model now?" inquired Ned.

  "Yes, and it's a dandy."

  "Did he bring plans, so he can build a big one for us?" demanded Bob.

  "He sure did. Come on and look 'em over. That's why I came for you. Didyou tell your folks about our plans?"

  "You mean building an airship?" asked Ned.

  "Sure."

  "I did," declared Bob. "My mother thinks it's all talk, but we'll showher."

  "My dad doesn't take much stock in it," remarked Ned. "I guess hethinks it will fizzle out."

  "Wait until they see the plans and the model," said Jerry. "That willshow we mean business. But come on. I told Mr. Glassford I'd come rightback with you."

  All enthusiasm, the two boys leaped from the hammocks, and weresoon accompanying Jerry back to his house. There they found theiracquaintance of the carnival, but what attracted their attention assoon as they entered the library where he was sitting was a completemodel of a curious airship, about three feet long, which was suspendedfrom the chandelier.

  "There's a small size model of the future _Comet_," exclaimed Jerry."You see, I've named our motor ship already, just as I did our motorboat."

  "_Comet's_ a good name," was Mr. Glassford's opinion. "Now, if you boyswill draw up your chairs I'll briefly explain my plans for a motorship."

  With the aid of diagrams, blue-prints, sketches, profiles and somesimple tables of calculations, Mr. Glassford demonstrated, by frequentreferences to the model, just how it would be possible to sail throughthe air for a long time in a ship built on the lines of his invention.

  The motor ship was to consist of a big cigar-shaped bag of very strongmaterial to hold the gas. It was divided into several compartments, sothat in case one or even three or four were punctured there would beenough sustaining power to keep the ship and its crew afloat. The gasused was a combination of hydrogen and another vapor, the secret ofwhich Mr. Glassford would not disclose. Sufficient to say that it was avery powerful combination.

  The gas bag fitted inside a light but very strong framework, bracedwith piano wire, and on either side of this frame, standing at rightangles to the long bag, were several planes, made of light canvas,stretched over poles of bamboo. These, in effect, made a combinedballoon and aeroplane, giving the advantages of both, and somewhatneutralizing the defects of each one.

  Below the bag, with the framework supporting the planes, was thebody of the ship--the car--containing the motor and the devices foroperating it, as well as the rudders, propellers and planes, whichcould be shifted.

  The car was large, or, rather, the plans called for a good-sized one.There would be a comfortable cabin, in which the travelers would liveduring the day, doing their cooking on a stove which utilized theexhaust gas from the motor. There was also another room, where fivesmall berths provided sleeping accommodations. These berths could befolded up during the day, and as the room containing them was wellforward, it made a good place to sit when the ship was in motion, foran excellent view could be had from the big windows.

  The entire car was enclosed, so that storms would not affect thetravelers. The motor was in a small room by itself, and there was alittle pilot house, on top of the bunk room, in which the operatorstood, being able to control, stop or start the motor from there, aswell as adjust the two rudders or shift the planes.

  There were two sets of rudders, though one, as has been explained, wasmore like a big box-kite than a rudder. This controlled the depressionor elevation of the ship. The other, shaped like a fish-tail, sent itto right or left.

  The planes on either side of the gas bag were intended to betterbalance the motor ship, to render it less liable to be sent out of itscourse by contrary winds, and to support it in case of accidents. Theplanes were on the same principle as a bird's wings when it is glidingor swooping down from a great height.

  There was ample store room for supplies, provisions, some ballast anda few duplicate parts of the motor. Water was carried in a large tank,and there was another for a plentiful supply of gasolene. The motorship had many novel features, and there were so many points of interestabout it, as Mr. Glassford explained to them, that the boys hardlynoted them all at the time of going over the plans.

  "It certainly seems as if it would work," remarked Bob at length.

  "Oh, it will work," declared the inventor quickly. "Why, the gas bag,with the peculiar vapor I put into it, would lift twice as much weightas I intend to carry."

  "And you say it will not cost more than six thousand dollars to buildit?" asked Jerry.

  "I think I can easily do it for five thousand. That is less than youpaid for your touring car, you told me."

  "Yes; with the improvements we've put on it the cost has run beyondthat," admitted Jerry. "Well, fellows, what do you say? Shall we usepart of our income from the gold mine, and build the _Comet_?"

  "Sure," replied Ned quickly.

  "Every time," added Bob. "I want a trip through the air."

  "Then the next thing is to tell your folks, and get their consent tospend the money," went on Jerry. "I have already won my mother over."

  Though the boys had a considerable sum at their disposal, from a goldmine which they had been fortunate enough to help an old prospector todiscover on one of their trips, they never spent an unusual sum withoutobtaining the consent of their parents.

  "When can you let me know?" asked Mr. Glassford somewhat anxiously.

  "To-morrow," replied Bob, and Ned nodded to indicate that he too wouldhave an answer by then.

  "How long will it take to build it after we provide the money?" askedJerry.

  "About a month. You see, much of the material I will need is alreadyin stock in shops that make a specialty of airship supplies. The motorI can easily get, and the principal work will be putting the shiptogether. You boys can help me on it, and in a month, at the most, weought to be able to make our first trip."

  "That's the stuff!" cried Bob.

  "I'm going home now, and see dad," said Ned, as he got up. "I'm soanxious I can't wait."

  "Bring your parents here, and let me explain my plans to them,"proposed Mr. Glassford, and this was voted a good idea.

  At first Ned's and Bob's folks only laughed at their sons' pleas, butas the boys insisted that they really meant to have an airship, Mr. andMrs. Slade and Mr. and Mrs. Baker finally gave in, and accompanied thelads to Jerry's house. There Mr. Glassford went over all the detailsagain, explaining how it was practically impossible to run a
ny seriousrisk.

  Not without some misgivings, however, did the respective parents givetheir consent. But they finally did, which was all the boys caredabout, and a contract was drawn up and signed by Mr. Glassford and Mrs.Hopkins, Mr. Baker and Mr. Slade, the boys being barred because theywere not of legal age.

  It was arranged that Mr. Glassford should have the use of a big loft ina storage building owned by Mr. Slade, where he kept some of the goodssold in his department store. There the work of building the airshipcould be started. When it had progressed as far as was possible inthere, it was to be taken out and a large tent erected in a vacantlot. There the gas bag could be inflated, the planes and car attached,and all made ready for a flight.

  Mr. Glassford lost no time, once the money was provided, and in lessthan a week from his arrival in Cresville he was at work on the ship,with three enthusiastic boys to aid him--no, four boys, for Andy Rushwas allowed to come in, though he talked more than he worked.