CHAPTER V
SOMETHING WRONG
The boys stood perfectly still. The crouching man had not heard themcoming nor did he see them now. He half rested on one elbow and oneknee, close up to the end of the tent. It looked as if he had beenposted there for some time, as if peering into the tent through somebreak in the canvas and listening to what had been spoken inside.
Just now he was guardedly looking past the corner of the tent andfollowing Dave and the automobile with his eyes. It was fast gettingdark, but the glint of the headlight of the auto as it turned towardsthe entrance to the grounds swept over him, and Elmer gave a greatstart.
“Why,” he spoke suddenly, “Hiram, it’s that man—Vernon!”
“You don’t say so,” returned Hiram. “Are you sure of it?”
“Yes, I am,” declared Elmer, in a disturbed way. “He is after me again,and may make all kinds of new trouble for us.”
“He won’t,” asserted Hiram, with a quick snap of his lips, and the oldfarmer-boy fight and determination in his face. “Get ready to help me.”
“What are you going to do?” inquired Elmer, as his companion began toroll up his coat cuffs.
“I’m going to nail that fellow, good and sure,” pronounced Hiram. “Maybeyour father would like to see him. Now then!”
Hiram made a spring. He landed on the shoulders of the crouching figure,Elmer close at his heels. The unsuspecting spy went flat, the nimbleHiram astride of him.
“What are you up to, and who are you?” demanded Hiram. “You needn’ttell,” he added swiftly, as his prisoner squirmed about and his facecame into view. “You’re that mean rascal Vernon, and we’re going to knowwhat you are plotting this time before we let you go. Grab him, Elmer.”
Each seized an arm of the squirming captive. Hiram arose to his feetwithout letting Vernon go, although the latter struggled fiercely. Hemanaged to break the grasp of Elmer, but Hiram held on to him—would haveheld on to him if he had dragged him all over the field.
“What’s this?” cried Mr. Brackett, attracted to the spot by the noise ofthe struggle. Then he recognized Vernon. “Ah, it’s you is it?” he said,bending his brows at the prisoner. “I have something to say to you,” andhe seized the man by his coat collar and assisted Hiram in dragging himaround to the front of the tent.
“Oh, you have?” sneered Vernon, ceasing to struggle as he found hisefforts in that direction vain. “Well, you want to say it quick andshort.”
“What are you doing around here?” demanded the aeroplane manufacturer,sternly.
“What do you suppose?” retorted the schemer boldly, thinking brag andbluster only would serve him now. “I’m in the market with information,and you had better buy it.”
“You sit there,” ordered Mr. Brackett, forcing the miscreant upon astool with the gesture of disgust. Then he motioned to Hiram and Elmerto guard the doorway and sat down facing the captive. “You have gone tothe last length, my man, in persecuting my son. There is not a vestigeof accusation against him that you can press legally.”
“Oh, I think I can make you a little uneasy,” boasted the consciencelessone.
“We shall see. It is only a few days since my lawyer reported to me thefacts of an investigation into your career. I have a few questions toask you. After that, I fancy you will be glad to get away from us andstay away in the future.”
“Oh, is that so?” said Vernon, coldly.
“My lawyer has placed certain documents and information in my hands,”continued Mr. Brackett. “One of them,” and he reached into his pocketand produced a photograph, “is a picture of a man who served a prisonterm. Do you recognize it?” and the speaker held up the photograph fullin the lamp light.
Vernon changed color. He quaked and wriggled about, but he was silent,for it was his own portrait, in prison garb.
“How far the word of a convict will go against that of my son, whom youduped into signing notes he could not pay, and which I will never pay,for no consideration was involved, I do not know,” proceeded theaeroplane manufacturer. “I do know, however, that you dare not makeanother move. This document,” and he showed a folded paper, “describesyou as the man who is wanted in Boston for forfeiting a bail bond. Ihave only to send word to the authorities there of your whereabouts tohave you shut up for some time to come. Now go. If I so much as hear ofyour hanging around this vicinity, I will telegraph to the people whoare searching for you.”
Mr. Brackett pointed to the doorway. Vernon arose and like a whipped curslunk through it. An expression of relief crossed Elmer Brackett’s face.
“I only hope we are rid of him for good,” he said, fervently.
“There seems to be no doubt of that,” declared Hiram, with a satisfiedsmile. “Say, though, I wonder why he was sneaking around the hangarhere?”
“To pick up what information he could about our plans, to disturb themif he could, I suppose,” said Elmer.
Just then Dave appeared. His friends noticed that he was somewhatthoughtful. No one alluded to the visit of the girl whom the youngaviator had just escorted to the automobile. Dave did not seem to haveany explanations to make. The others told him about the discovery ofVernon and his summary disappearance. Then the incident was dismissedfrom their minds as they all went over to the restaurant at the otherend of the big aviation grounds for supper.
Dave told his young assistants that he had an engagement in the city thenext morning. There were some little purchases to make for the _Comet_,and he took Hiram along with him.
“I am going to call upon the friends of the young lady you saw lastevening, Hiram,” he confided to his friend. “They live at the HamptonFlats,” and he gave Hiram the location. “If you like, after you getthrough with your shopping you can call there for me. Then we can goback to the park together.”
“All right,” assented Hiram, “I shan’t be busy for more than an hour.”
It was about eleven o’clock when Hiram started for the Hampton Flats. Hefinally turned into the street where the building was located. As heneared it, a man came hurriedly down its steps, passed down the street,and disappeared from view around the corner.
“Well, I’ll be bumped!” exclaimed Hiram, forcibly.
He came to a dead stop, irresolute as to the course he ought to pursue.Hiram had recognized the man as Vernon. He wondered how the rascal cameto be in the building where his airman friend was.
“Why, he’s nagging Dave, that’s sure,” declared Hiram. “But why? Itwon’t do any good to run after him. I must tell Dave about it, though,and—there he is now.”
The young aviator appeared at just that moment. He looked up and downthe street and then advanced towards Hiram as he made him out. Thelatter fancied he had never seen Dave look so grave and thoughtful, butour hero roused up into instant interest as Hiram said:
“I saw Vernon come out of that building just before you did.”
“What’s that!” challenged Dave. “Out of that building?”
“Yes, he did, Dave. Now what do you suppose he was doing there?”
The young airman did not reply. He walked along in silence. Hiram sawthat he was a good deal stirred up, but all Dave said about the incidentwas:
“I’m glad you discovered this, Hiram, and told me about it. We want tolook out for that fellow.”
All that day, Hiram noticed that the pilot of the _Comet_ seemed to bepreoccupied. The hum and bustle of the approaching event, however, tookup the attention of all hands. They had a busy day of it, and Hiram wasso tired out by nightfall that he had well-nigh forgotten all about theunexplained incident of the earlier hours of the day.
Just after daylight the next morning Elmer stirred on his sleeping cotand drowsily cried out:
“What’s up? I thought I heard some one call for Dave.”
“You did,” replied Hiram, jumping from under the bedclothes. “I justroused up to see one of the hangar men scurrying out of here, and Dave,half d
ressed, rushing after him. Hurry up, get your clothes on.”
“What for?” inquired Elmer, sitting up in his cot and rubbing his eyessleepily.
“Because I caught a remark the hangar man made.”
“What was it?”
“‘Something wrong with the _Comet_!’”