CHAPTER VI
THE AIRSHIP RECOVERED
For a moment after Jerry's announcement to his chums, who were in thecar, neither of them spoke. Then Ned said:
"Come on, let's start at once for Platville."
"Yes," agreed Bob, and, to his credit be it said that he did notpropose stopping for supper, though he was very hungry.
"I think we'll have a bite to eat first," suggested Jerry. "We want tobe in shape to tackle Noddy and Jack if we come up to them. It won'ttake long to have a meal, and then we'll go on."
Bob looked gratefully at his chum, and his face, that was beginning towear a woe-begone expression, took on a more cheerful cast.
"I guess that will be a good plan," he said, and Ned laughed.
Platville was about fifty miles farther on, and they knew that in thedarkness, for night was approaching, and over unfamiliar roads, theywould hardly get there before morning. But this suited them, as theyknew they could scarcely do anything toward recovering the airship inthe dark.
They went to a hotel where, while they were getting supper, the autowas looked over by a man from the garage, and some adjustments made.Then, with a fresh supply of gasolene and oil, the seekers after the_Comet_ prepared to resume their journey. They inquired as to the bestroad to take, and Jerry sent a telegram to the chief of police ofPlatville, stating that the real owners of the airship were on theirway to claim it. The chief was requested to send some one out to guardthe craft, and see that the present occupants of it did not get awaywith it. To this telegram there was no answer.
The night journey was begun, and, while it was pleasant enough at thestart, it was soon made miserable, for it began to rain, and the roadswere slippery and dangerous, necessitating slow progress. At midnightthey stopped at a roadside-inn to get something to eat, and inquireas to the progress they had made. The distance covered was ratherdisappointing.
"At this rate we won't get there until nearly noon," said Jerry.
"Well, there's one consolation. If the storm keeps up Noddy won't belikely to go off in the airship," remarked Ned. "He probably thinkshe's far enough off now so that we can't catch him."
They kept on, the storm becoming worse as they proceeded. About twoo'clock that morning they ran into a deep mud hole and it took them anhour to work the auto out.
When they had managed to extricate it, they were all wet through fromthe driving rain, and there was no chance to don dry garments, whichthey had in their suit cases.
"This is fierce!" exclaimed Jerry, as he resumed his place at thesteering wheel. "If I had Noddy Nixon here now, I'd stick him, headfirst, in that mud puddle."
"Let me drive it for a while," suggested Ned, "and you go back in thetonneau with Bob."
To this Jerry agreed, for he was very tired and there was someprotection under the top that covered the tonneau. He managed to get alittle broken sleep, by curling up on the seat, while Ned directed thecar along the muddy roads.
Morning came at last, and with it the spirits of the three boys rosesomewhat. By signposts they learned that they were within ten miles ofPlatville, and, as they got on a highway that was not so soft, theycould make better speed. They were soon in sight of the city, whichnestled in a small valley.
"Now for a good hot breakfast!" exclaimed Bob, as he stretched out inhis wet garments. "Then we'll feel better."
"The airship first!" insisted Ned, with a look at Jerry forconfirmation.
"Oh, I think we can afford to change our clothes and get on some drygarments," said the older lad. "If the ship is disabled I don't fancyNoddy can repair it in a hurry."
"If it's damaged he'll pay for it!" exploded Bob vindictively, and hischums nodded.
They went to a hotel, and arranged for a room, for they could not tellhow long they would have to stay. The clerk looked a little askance atthe three rain-soaked lads who entered the lobby that early morning,but when he knew that they were autoists a different expression cameover his face, and his manner was more cordial.
"Which means that he'll about double our bill," commented Jerry, as heand his chums went to their rooms.
They made hasty toilets, and, after a quick breakfast they drove tothe office of the chief of police.
"I don't know whether it's the machine you want or not," remarked thatofficial, when they told their errand, "but there's an aeroplane downin a field about two miles outside of town. It came there yesterdayafternoon, and seems to be out of kilter."
"Did you send a man out to guard it?" asked Jerry, anxiously.
"Man to guard it? No."
"We telegraphed you, asking you to do that," went on the widow's son."The chaps who stole it may take a notion to keep on with it, afterthey get it fixed."
"I never got that second telegram," said the police officer. "I'msorry. But I'll go right out with you now, and do all I can to help youget it back. Stealing airships, eh? What will happen next, I wonder?"
It was with anxious hearts that the three chums, accompanied by thechief, drove out in the auto to the field where the _Comet_ wassupposed to be. Would it still be there, or had Noddy and Jack managedto repair it, and continue their flight? These were questions that eachof the three lads asked himself.
"Did you see the airship?" asked Jerry, of the chief.
"Yes, I went out to take a look at it yesterday afternoon, when I gotyour message," replied the official. "But as you didn't say that it wasstolen, I didn't take any action. I supposed you were only one of theowners interested in seeing how far it had traveled."
"Who was in it?" asked Ned, eagerly.
"Well, there were two young fellows, and an old man. And the old mandidn't seem to know much about airships. He was very quiet, but the twoyoung men were quarreling between themselves as to who was responsiblefor the accident. It seems they lost the gas from the bag, and incoming down they broke one of the wings, if that's what you call 'em."
"I guess you mean one of the side planes," spoke Jerry. "Well, ifthat's all the damage, we can soon fix it. So Mr. Bell is still withthem, eh? But we'll soon explain matters to him, and I guess he won'twant anything more to do with Noddy Nixon and Jack Pender."
The auto swung around a bend in the road. The storm had ceased, andthe weather was fine. As the boys looked off to the right they saw,glittering in the sun, in a big field, a shape that was familiar tothem. Bob uttered a cry.
"The _Comet_!"
"There she is!" shouted Ned enthusiastically.
"And not so badly damaged as I feared," added Jerry as his eyes took inthe outlines of the airship.
"Better leave the auto here," suggested the chief. "That meadow issoft, after the rain, and you'll sink in."
They dismounted from the car, and eagerly ran across the field towardthe airship, the chief following more slowly.
"There was quite a crowd out to see it yesterday," the officialremarked, "but one of the boys, Pixon or Snixon I think his namewas,--he acted so mean, and talked of shooting anyone who came tooclose,--that the crowd thought it would be healthier to keep away.Then, too, he said the gas was dangerous, and might kill people."
"Nonsense," said Jerry. "The only way it could kill anyone would be forthat person to be shut up in a room full of it. There is no danger.But that's just like Noddy Nixon. I guess he didn't want news that theairship was here to get out."
"The man who owns the field made him pay for leaving it here overnight," went on the chief of police.
As the three chums approached nearer and nearer to the craft theylooked for signs of life about it. The _Comet_ was resting on nearly aneven "keel" in the midst of a big green meadow. But, look as they did,the motor boys saw no one.
Jerry, who was in the lead, was now within twenty-five feet of the_Comet_. He was narrowly watching it, and suddenly he saw a figureemerge from the cabin.
"Hi there! Jack Pender!" cried the tall lad, as he broke into a run.
Jack Pender gave one look, uttered a warning yell, and then leapedover the side of the airship and ran
across the meadow at full speed.An instant later another figure emerged from the cabin. It was that ofNoddy Nixon. He, too, took in the situation at a glance, and saw thethree motor boys and the chief of police.
Noddy tried to follow the example of Pender, his crony. He leapedover the side of the craft, but he was not so lucky in recovering hisbalance. Before he could run Jerry was upon him.
"Now I've got you!" cried the tall lad, shaking Noddy by the collar."I'll teach you to steal our airship!"
"You let me alone!" blustered Noddy, and he began to punch Jerry. Thiswas more than Jerry could stand, and he turned in and gave the bullythe best thrashing he had received in some time. It did not take long,either, for Jerry was thoroughly and righteously angry, and Noddy waslike a lump of putty when it came to fighting. By the time Ned, Bob andthe chief had come up, the bully was in a pitiable state.
"There, you get out of this, and thank your stars that you're notarrested on a serious charge," said Jerry indignantly, as he gave theugly-faced lad a shove that sent him head-first into a puddle of water.
"You wait, Jerry Hopkins!" spluttered Noddy, as he got up. "I'll fixyou for this," but he did not stay to talk further, for Jerry advancedtoward him. Off over the fields, after Jack Pender, ran the discomfitedbully.
"See anything of Mr. Bell?" inquired Ned, as he, with Bob and thechief, followed Jerry into the cabin of the airship.
"He doesn't seem to be around," was the answer.
It needed but a glance about the _Comet_ to show that the hermit wasnot aboard.
"I guess he must have gone away in the night," said Bob.
"Probably he couldn't stand Noddy and Jack, or else he found out thetrick they had played," suggested Jerry. "But now let's see what damagehas been done, for we have our airship back again, and have routed theenemy," and he smiled as if something pleased him.
"Here's something that may give you a clew to things," commented thechief of police, handing a letter to Jerry.
"Where did you get it?" asked the lad.
"That chap dropped it when he was having that little argument withyou," replied the official with a smile, as he thought of the strenuous"argument" that had taken place between Jerry and Noddy.
"It's a letter, addressed to Noddy," said Jerry, as he looked at it. "Ithink we're justified in reading it. Only part of it is here, but itmay interest us." He read the fragment rapidly and a change came overhis face.
"What is it?" asked Bob anxiously.
"This letter is from Tom Dalsett," replied Jerry. "Tom Dalsett, whowith Noddy, Jack Pender, and some others of that gang, made troublefor us in Mexico and at our Western mine. Dalsett writes to Noddy tocome on out west, as he says he thinks there is a chance to beat us outof our claim to the gold mine, and put Jim Nestor, our foreman, out ofpossession."
"The idea!" cried Ned.
"Fellows," went on Jerry eagerly, "this is why Noddy was so anxious toget out West! He wants to steal our gold mine away from us, with thehelp of Dalsett and his gang. This letter is a valuable clew."
"But what of Jackson Bell, the hermit?" asked Ned.
"I don't know," answered Jerry, somewhat puzzled. "That is another partof the mystery. But we've got our work cut out for us now, boys. We'vegot to go West and protect our mine from the same gang who tried, oncebefore, to get it away from us. We'll go in the airship, as soon asit's repaired. We caught Noddy just in time."
"And will we let Mr. Bell's friends, in the mysterious valley, suffer?"asked Bob.
"No, we'll save them, too, if we can. There are plenty of adventuresahead of us," finished Jerry, as he folded the letter and put it in hispocket.
"Do you want to arrest those two fellows?" asked the chief, pointingin the direction taken by Noddy and Jack.
"No, let them go," advised Jerry. "We'll see if we can find Mr. Bell,and then we'll repair the ship and start for the West."
The Motor Boys Over the Rockies; Or, A Mystery of the Air Page 7