Chapter 21
On The Trail
"What's the matter, Tom?" asked Mr. Sharp, as the lad came hurryingalong the roof, having taken the precaution to fasten the scuttle dooras well as he could. "You seem excited." "So would you, if you hadheard what I did."
"What? You don't mean that some of the gang is down there?"
"Yes, and what's more I'm on the trail of the thieves who robbed theShopton Bank of the seventy-five thousand dollars!"
"No! You don't mean it!"
"I certainly do."
"Then we'd better tell Mr. Damon. He's in the cabin."
"Of course I'll tell him. He's as much concerned as I am. He wants tobe vindicated. Isn't it great luck, though?"
"But you haven't landed the men yet. Do you mean to say that the samegang--the Happy Harry crowd--robbed the bank?"
"I think so, from what I heard. But come inside and I'll tell you allabout it."
"Suppose we start the ship first? It's ready to run. There wasn't asmuch the matter with it as I feared. The storm is over now, and we'llbe safer up in the air than on this roof. Did you get all theinformation you could?"
"All I dared to. The men were coming out, so I had to run. They werequarreling, and when that happens among thieves--"
"Why honest men get their dues, everyone knows that proverb,"interrupted Mr. Damon, again emerging from the cabin. "But bless myquotation marks, I should think you'd have something better to do thanstand there talking proverbs."
"We have," replied Mr. Sharp quickly. "We're going to start the ship,and then we have some news for you. Tom, you take the steering wheel,and I'll start the gas machine. We'll rise to some distance beforestarting the propellers, and then we won't create any excitement."
"But what news are you going to tell me?" asked Mr. Damon. "Bless myvery existence, but you get me all excited, and then you won't gratifymy curiosity."
"In a little while we will," responded Mr. Sharp. "Lively now, Tom.Some one may see this airship on top of the building, as it's gettingso much lighter now, after the storm."
The outburst of the elements was almost over and Tom taking anotherlook over the edge of the roof, could see persons moving about in thestreet below. The storm clouds were passing and a faint haze showedwhere a moon would soon make its appearance, thus disclosing the craftso oddly perched upon the roof. There was need of haste.
Fortunately the Red Cloud could be sent aloft without the use of thepropellers, for the gas would serve to lift her. It had been found thatlightning had struck the big, red aluminum container, but the shock hadbeen a comparatively slight one, and, as the tank was insulated fromthe rest of the ship no danger resulted to the occupants. A rent wasmade in two or three of the gas compartments, but the others remainedintact, and, when an increased pressure of the vapor was used the shipwas almost as buoyant as before.
Into the cabin the three travelers hurried, dripping water at everystep, for there was no time to change clothes. Then, with Tom and Mr.Sharp managing the machinery, the craft slowly rose. It was well thatthey had started for, when a few hundred feet above the roof, the moonsuddenly shone from behind a bank of clouds and would most certainlyhave revealed their position to persons in the street. As it wasseveral were attracted by the sight of some great object in the air.They called the attention of others to it, but, by the time glasses andtelescopes had been brought to bear, the Red Cloud was far away.
"Dry clothes now, some hot drinks, and then Tom will tell us hissecret," remarked Mr. Sharp, and, with the great ship swaying highabove the city of Middleville Tom told what he had heard in the officebuilding.
"They are the thieves who looted the bank, and caused us to be unjustlyaccused," he finished. "If we can capture them we'll get the reward,and turn a neat trick on Andy Foger and his cronies."
"But how can you capture them?" asked Mr. Damon. "You don't know wherethey are."
"Perhaps not where Morse and the men who have the money are. But I havea plan. It's this: We'll go to some quiet place, leave the airship, andthen inform the authorities of our suspicions. They can come here andarrest the men who still seem to be hanging out in Morse's office. Thenwe can get on the trail of this Shagmon, who seems to be the person inauthority this time, though I never heard of him before."
"He seems to have the money, according to what one of the men in theoffice said, and he's the man we want."
"Shagmon!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Yes, Shagmon. The fellow I heardtalking 'said he'd go to Shagmon and make Morse whack up. Shagmon maybe the real head of the gang."
"Ha! I have it!" cried Mr. Damon suddenly. "I wonder I didn't think ofit before. Shagmon is the headquarters, not the head of the gang!"
"What do you mean?" asked Tom, much excited.
"I mean that there's a town called Shagmon about fifty miles from here.That's what the fellow in the office meant. He is going to the town ofShagmon and make Morse whack up. That's where Morse is! That's wherethe gang is hiding! That's where the money is! Hurrah, Tom, we're onthe trail!"