Chapter 8
Winning a Prize
"Well, Tom, what happened?" asked Mr. Sharp, as he saw the trio runningaway. "Looks as if you had had an exciting time here."
"No, those fellows had all the excitement," declared Ned. "We had thefun." And the two lads proceeded to relate what had taken place.
"Tried to damage the airship, eh?" asked Mr. Sharp. "I wish I'd caughtthem at it; the scoundrels! But perhaps you handled them as well as Icould have done."
"I guess so," assented Tom. "I must see if they did cut any of thewires."
But the young inventor and his chum had acted too quickly, and it wasfound that nothing had been done to the Red Cloud.
A little later the airship was taken out of the shed, and made readyfor a trip. The gas ascension was first used, and Ned and Mr. Swiftwere passengers with Tom and Mr. Sharp. The machine went about athousand feet up in the air, and then was sent in various directions,to the no small delight of a large crowd that gathered in the meadowback of the Swift property; for it only required the sight of theairship looming its bulk above the fence and buildings, to attract athrong. It is safe to say this time, however, that Andy Foger and hiscronies were not in the audience. They were probably too busy removingthe soot and red paint.
Although it was the first time Mr. Swift had ever been in an airship,he evinced no great astonishment. In fact he seemed to be thinkingdeeply, and on some subject not connected with aeronautics. Tom noticedthe abstraction of his father, and shook his head. Clearly the agedinventor was not his usual self.
As for Ned Newton his delight knew no bounds, At first he was a bitapprehensive as the big ship went higher and higher, and swung about,but he soon lost his fear, and enjoyed the experience as much as didTom. The young inventor was busy helping Mr. Sharp manage themachinery, rudders-planes and motor.
A flight of several miles was made, and Tom was wishing they might payanother visit to the Rocksmond Seminary, but Mr. Sharp, aftercompleting several evolutions, designed to test the steering qualitiesof the craft, put back home.
"We'll land in the meadow and try rising by the planes alone," he said.In this evolution it was deemed best for Mr. Swift and Ned to alight,as there was no telling just how the craft would behave. Tom's fatherwas very willing to get out, but Ned would have remained in, only forthe desire of his friend.
With the two propellers whirring at a tremendous speed, and all the gasout of the aluminum container, the Red Cloud shot forward, running overthe level ground of the meadow, where a starting course had been laidout.
"Clear the track!" cried Mr. Sharp, as he saw the crowd closing up infront of him. The men, boys, several girls and women made a livinglane. Through this shot the craft, and then, when sufficient momentumhad been obtained, Tom, at a command from the aeronaut, pulled thelever of the elevation rudder. Up into the air shot the nose of the RedCloud as the wind struck the slanting surface of the planes, and, amoment later it was sailing high above the heads of the throng.
"That's the stuff!" cried Mr. Sharp. "It works as well that way as itdoes with the gas!"
Higher and higher it went, and then, coming to a level keel, the craftwas sent here and there, darting about like a bird, and going about inhuge circles.
"Start the gas machine, and we'll come to rest in the air," said theballoonist, and Tom did so. As the powerful vapor filled the containerthe ship acquired a buoyancy, and there was no need of going at highspeed in order to sustain it. The propellers were stopped, and the RedCloud floated two thousand feet in the air, only a little distancebelow some fleecy, white masses from which she took her name. Thedemonstration was a great success. The gas was again allowed to escape,the propellers set in motion, and purely as an aeroplane, the ship wasagain sent forward. By means of the planes and rudders a perfectlanding was made in the meadow, a short distance from where the starthad been made. The crowd cheered the plucky youth and Mr. Sharp.
"Now I'm ready to go on a long trip any time you are, Tom," said theaeronaut that night.
"We'll fit up the car and get ready," agreed the 'youth. "How aboutyou, dad?"
"Me? Oh, well--er--that is, you see; well, I'll think about it," andMr. Swift went to his own room, carrying with him a package of papers,containing intricate calculations.
Tom shook his head, but said nothing. He could not understand hisfather's conduct.
Work was started the next day on fitting up the car, or cabin, of theairship, so that several persons could live, eat and sleep in it fortwo weeks, if necessary. The third day after this task had beencommenced the mail brought an unusual communication to Tom and Mr.Sharp. It was from an aero club of Blakeville, a city distant about ahundred miles, and stated that a competition for aeroplanes anddirigible balloons was to be held in the course of two weeks. Theaffair was designed to further interest in the sport, and also todemonstrate what progress had been made in the art of conquering theair. Prizes were to be given, and the inventors of the Red Cloud, theachievements of which the committee of arrangements had heard, wereinvited to compete.
"Shall we go in for it, Tom?" asked the balloonist.
"I'm willing if you are."
"Then let's do it. We'll see how our craft shows up alongside ofothers. I know something of this club. It is all right, but thecarnival is likely to be a small one. Once I gave a balloon exhibitionfor them. The managers are all right. Well, we'll have a try at it.Won't do us any harm to win a prize. Then for a long trip!"
As it was not necessary to have the car, or cabin, completely fitted upin order to compete for the prize, work in that direction was suspendedfor the time being, and more attention was paid to the engine, theplanes and rudders. Some changes were made and, a week later the RedCloud departed for Blakeville. As the rules of the contest requiredthree passengers, Ned Newton was taken along, Mr. Swift having arrangedwith the bank president so that the lad could have a few days off.
The Red Cloud arrived at the carnival grounds in the evening, havingbeen delayed on the trip by a broken cog wheel, which was mended inmid-air. As the three navigators approached, they saw a small machineflying around the grounds.
"Look!" cried Ned excitedly. "What a small airship."
"That's a monoplane," declared Tom, who was getting to be quite anexpert.
"Yes, the same kind that was used to cross the English Channel,"interjected Mr. Sharp. "They're too uncertain for my purposes, though;they are all right under certain conditions."
Hardly had he spoken than a puff of wind caused the daring manipulatorof the monoplane to swerve to one side. He had to make a quickdescent--so rapid was it, in fact, that the tips of one of his planeswas smashed.
"It'll take him a day to repair that," commented the aeronaut dryly.
The Red Cloud created a sensation as she slowly settled down in frontof the big tent assigned to her. Tom's craft was easily the best one atthe carnival, so far, though the managers said other machines were onthe way.
The exhibition opened the next day, but no flights were to be attempteduntil the day following. Two more crafts arrived, a large triplane, anda dirigible balloon. There were many visitors to the ground, and Tom,Ned and Mr. Sharp were kept busy answering questions put by those whocrowded into their tent. Toward the close of the day a fussy littleFrenchman entered, and, making his way to where Tom stood, asked:
"Air you ze ownair of zis machine?"
"One of them," replied the lad.
"Ha! Sacre! Zen I challenge you to a race. I have a monoplane zat is zeswiftest evaire! One thousand francs will I wager you, zat I can flyhigher and farther zan you."
"Shall we take him up, Mr. Sharp?" asked Tom.
"We'll race with him, after we get through with the club entries,"decided the aeronaut. "But not for money. It's against my principles,and I don't believe your father would like it. Racing for prizes is adifferent thing."
"Well, we will devote ze money to charity," conceded the Frenchman.This was a different matter, and one to which Mr. Sharp did not object
,so it was arranged that a trial should take place after the regularaffairs.
That night was spent in getting the Red Cloud in shape for the contestsof the next day. She was "groomed" until every wire was taut and everycog, lever and valve working perfectly. Ned Newton helped all he could.So much has appeared in the newspapers of the races at Blakeville thatI will not devote much space here to them. Suffice it to say that theRed Cloud easily distanced the big dirigible from which much wasexpected. It was a closer contest with the large triplane, but Tom'sairship won, and was given the prize, a fine silver cup.
As the carnival was a small one, no other craft in a class with the RedCloud had been entered, so Tom and Mr. Sharp had to be content with theone race they won. There were other contests among monoplanes andbiplanes, and the little Frenchman won two races.
"Now for ze affaire wis ze monstaire balloon of ze rouge color!" hecried, as he alighted from his monoplane while an assistant filled thegasolene tank. "I will in circles go around you, up and down, zis sidezen ze ozzer, and presto! I am back at ze starting place, before youhave begun. Zen charity shall be ze richair!"
"All right, wait and see," said Tom, easily. But, though he showed muchconfidence he asked Mr. Sharp in private, just before the impromptucontest: "Do you think we can beat him?"
"Well," said the aeronaut, shrugging his shoulders, "you can't tellmuch about the air. His machine certainly goes very fast, but too muchwind will be the undoing of him, while it will only help us. And Ithink," he added, "that we're going to get a breeze."
It was arranged that the Red Cloud would start from the ground, withoutthe use of the gas, so as to make the machines more even. At the signaloff they started, the motors making a great racket. The monoplane withthe little Frenchman in the seat got up first.
"Ah, ha!" he cried gaily, "I leave you in ze rear! Catch me if you can!"
"Don't let him beat us," implored Ned.
"Can't you speed her up any more?" inquired Tom of Mr. Sharp.
The aeronaut nodded grimly, and turned more gasolene into thetwenty-cylindered engine. Like a flash the Red Cloud darted forward.But the Frenchman also increased his speed and did, actually, at first,circle around the bigger machine, for his affair was much lighter. Butwhen he tried to repeat that feat he found that he was being leftbehind.
"That's the stuff! We're winning!" yelled Tom, Ned joining in the shout.
Then came a puff of wind. The monoplane had to descend, for it was indanger of turning turtle. Still the navigator was not going to give up.He flew along at a lower level. Then Mr. Sharp opened up the RedCloud's engine at full speed, and it was the big machine which nowsailed around the other.
"I protest! I protest!" cried the Frenchman, above the explosions ofhis motor. "Ze wind is too strong for me!"
Mr. Sharp said nothing, but, with a queer smile on his face he sent theairship down toward the earth. A moment later he was directly under themonoplane. Then, quickly rising, he fairly caught the Frenchman'smachine on top of a square platform of the gas container, the bicyclewheels of the monoplane resting on the flat surface. And, so swiftlydid the Red Cloud fly along that it carried the monoplane with it, tothe chagrin of the French navigator.
"A trick! A trick!" he cried. "Eet is not fair!"
Then, dropping down, Mr. Sharp allowed the monoplane to proceed underits own power, while he raced on to the finish mark, winning, ofcourse, by a large margin.
"Ha! A trick! I race you to-morrow and again to-morrow!" cried thebeaten Frenchman as he alighted.
"No, thanks," answered Tom. "We've had enough. I guess charity will besatisfied."
The little Frenchman was a good loser, and paid over the money, whichwas given to the Blakeville Hospital, the institution receiving itgladly.
At the request of the carnival committee, Mr. Sharp and Tom gave anexhibition of high and long flights the next day, and created no littleastonishment by their daring feats.
"Well, I think we have reason to be proud of our ship," remarked Mr.Sharp that night. "We won the first contest we were ever in, and beatthat speedy monoplane, which was no small thing to do, as they are veryfast."
"But wait until we go on our trip," added Tom, as he looked at the cupthey had won. He little realized what danger they were to meet with inthe flight that was before them.