CHAPTER XII
NEW USE FOR AN AIRSHIP
Indeed it did seem as if a miniature battle was in progress, but thepeople fired at did not appear to be in any fear. There was only aslight movement among them, though the boys and the professor in theairship could plainly see a black object, which they took to be acannon ball, speeding across the wide, turgid, rushing river. Butthe projectile fell short, and landed about twenty feet from shore,splashing the water high.
Immediately there was a flash of flame and a puff of smoke from theother side of the stream, and the fire was returned, another blackobject speeding toward the crowd that had first discharged a cannon.
"It's a regular battle!" cried the professor. "Don't go any lower,boys. They may fire on us!"
But Jerry, Ned and Bob were too interested in the curious fight goingon below them, to want to steer out of the way. The airship was slowedup, and hovered over the queer scene.
"The second projectile fell short, too," remarked Ned, as he saw itsplash into the water, twenty-five feet from the western shore. "Whydon't they put in more powder if they want 'em to reach across?"
"But why are they firing at each other, anyhow?" questioned Bob, toointerested, for the time being, to think of eating. "Two towns can't beat war with one another."
"We'll soon see what it is," said Jerry. "They are getting ready tofire again."
Indeed preparations could be noticed among the group of men surroundinga small brass cannon. But, just as they were loading it several in thecrowd uttered cries of astonishment, and pointed upward. Instantlythe two throngs on either side of the river seemed to forget theiranimosity toward one another, and began making excited motions to thosein the airship.
"They evidently want us to come down," said Bob.
"Don't you do it," urged the professor. "They only want something elseto shoot at. They may elevate their cannon any minute and fire uponus."
"I don't believe so," was Jerry's opinion. "There's something queergoing on, and I want to find out what it is."
The people continued to make motions to the boys, as if urging them toland. They were apparently calling out something, but the height atwhich the _Comet_ was precluded the voices being heard distinctly, andJerry, anxious as he was to learn the cause for the shooting, was notquite ready to descend.
Finally one man on the ground improvised a megaphone out of somenewspapers, and pointing it at the airship yelled:
"Come down and help us! The bridge has washed away!"
"The bridge has washed away!" repeated Bob. "Well, what can we do? Andwhy should they fire at one another, unless some one in either crowdcut the bridge loose, and started a fight?"
"The high water probably carried the bridge away," said Jerry. "What wecan do for them I don't see. However, we'll go down. Don't you think wemight venture, Professor?"
"Well," answered the scientist slowly, "seeing that they have invitedus, they will hardly fire on us now. Besides, I might possibly find theflying lizard there. Yes, go down, by all means."
A few minutes later, while the crowds on either side of the streamlooked on in wonder, Jerry brought the airship to earth, on the westernshore. The craft was immediately surrounded by an excited throng.
"You're just in time!" cried one man, the same one who had used themegaphone. "We've tried everything we could--kites, swimmers, rats, andeven the cannon--but nothing seems to do any good."
"What are you trying to do?" asked Jerry, much puzzled, as, indeed,were his chums.
"Get a line across to the other shore, to establish communication,"replied the man. "You see, our town and the other one were connectedby a bridge. This is Wakedell, on this side, and Eaton on the otherside of the river. Lots of our people work in factories in Eaton, butsince the bridge washed away, day before yesterday, there is no way ofgetting across."
"Haven't you got any boats?" asked Ned.
"Yes, we had several, and when the bridge washed down stream we gotthem out. But the current is so swift, and there are so many rocks inthe river that it's dangerous. Besides, if we start a boat on thisside, and head it for Eaton, it's likely to bring up a mile down on theother side, in a patch of lonesome woods. Then several boats upset,and were lost, and we barely saved the people.
"So we decided to try a new plan. We knew if we could get a strongwire cable from shore to shore we could run boats across by means ofthat, and with little danger, until we got a new bridge built, or untilthe water went down. You see, there are a lot of people who live herecaught on the other side, and we have a lot of Eaton folks here, whowant to get home, but can't, as there's no other bridge standing onthis river now, within fifty miles; all washed away."
"Can't you get the cable over?" asked Jerry.
"No," replied the man. "As I said, we've tried everything. We tried toget a rope across by flying a kite, but the wind wasn't right. Thenwe tried tying a light string to a big muskrat, and threw him as faracross as we could, thinking he would swim to the other side, but therat swam right back here. The folks on the other side have tried to geta line to us, but couldn't. One man tried to swim over, but it was toodangerous, and he had to turn back. We even tried a toy balloon, anddid manage to get a light cord over. But when we tried to pull over aheavier one, the light cord broke.
"Then we thought of the cannon. We each had one, for Fourth of Julycelebrations, and we took turns firing. We used pieces of iron forprojectiles, and tied cords to them, thinking we could shoot themacross the river."
"You don't use enough powder," said Bob.
"Well, we did at first," replied the man. "We put in heavy enoughcharges, but they blew the cords off the projectiles, and we were asbadly off as before. Then we reduced the charge, but the pieces ofiron fall short every time. We were about to give up, when we saw yourairship. Then I thought of a plan."
"What is it?" asked Jerry.
"Could you carry a rope over the river for us?" asked the man eagerly."If you will, we can soon haul a wire cable across, and fasten itfirmly on either shore. Then we can run a big flat-bottom boat back andforth until the bridge is built. That's the only way I see, so folksfrom Eaton can get here, and so we can get over there. Things are in abad way. Husbands are separated from their wives, and the factories areshort of hands. Will you do it?"
"Of course we will!" cried Jerry heartily. "It's a new use for anairship, but I guess it's a good one. Get the rope and we'll flyacross with it in quick time."
"I hoped you would," spoke the man earnestly. "It was the last chance Isaw. Hurrah, folks!" he shouted. "The airship will take a rope acrossfor us. No need to fire the cannon any more," and there was set up acheer, which was echoed from the throng on the other bank, nearly amile away, for the people there understood that relief measures wereunder way.
"Get busy, boys," said Jerry to his chums. "This is a new job for us,but I guess we can do it."
The Motor Boys Over the Rockies; Or, A Mystery of the Air Page 13