CHAPTER VI
THE STOLEN BIPLANE
The alarming words spoken by Hiram were sufficient to at once bringElmer out of bed and onto his feet. Speedy as Elmer was, however, Hiramwas outside, shoeless and hatless, almost before his drowsy companionhad drawn on his sweater.
“What’s the trouble?” panted Elmer, trailing after his companion aminute later.
His eyes grew big with wonder and suspense as he noticed Dave and thehangar man running around to the rear of the portable biplane shelter.In front he saw Hiram posed like a statue and staring hard.
“The _Comet_ is gone!” announced Hiram. “Look there—gone!”
He spoke in a tone of voice as if the whole world was slipping away fromthem. Elmer, gaining his side, saw that the hangar was empty.
“Oh, say!” he gasped, “you don’t mean to say——”
“Stolen? Yes! That is sure,” came in Dave’s tones, and the young aviatorhurried around to the spot.
“You see, whoever took it drew the steel frames and canvas out of thewhole back,” the hangar man was explaining. “The wheel marks yonder runabout twenty feet. Whoever did it knew his business. There was no wastedfooling around—up and away was the programme.”
Dave stood silent, thinking hard. Elmer came up to him, worried andanxious. By this time Hiram had got full steam of excitement on.
“See here, Dave,” he cried, “what is this—a trick, or somethingserious?”
“It’s pretty serious,” answered the young airman. “Whoever ran away withthe _Comet_ had a bad motive in view—I feel certain of that.”
“You mean, to keep us from making the start in the race?” inquiredElmer, anxiously.
“Just that,” assented Dave, positively. “No ordinary thief would stealthe biplane, for he couldn’t sell it. Professionals do not meddle withother people’s machines. I’ve got a lot of suspicions about thismysterious piece of business, but there’s no time to lose intheorizing.”
“No, we must get on the track of the _Comet_ right away,” declaredHiram, adding, “but how?”
Dave gave a few rapid, undertoned directions to the hangar man. Then hehurried back to the living tent, followed by his friends, and allcompleted dressing. Then, Dave piloting the way, they made a brisk runfor the office building of the club in control of the meet.
The young airman was lucky in running across the manager, a man who knewhis business thoroughly. Inside of an hour, with his perfect knowledgeof details, he had telegraphed every aviator and practice station in theEast to be on the watch for the stolen machine. Dave was leaving theoffice building when they met Mr. Brackett.
“Oh, father!” exclaimed his son, in distress, “the _Comet_ has beenstolen!”
The aeroplane manufacturer was stunned by the announcement. Davemotioned him instantly to one side. Hiram’s heart took hope as he notedthe business-like look on Dave’s face.
“He’s got some plan worked out already,” announced Hiram to Elmer. “Daveisn’t telling us all he has guessed out.”
Whatever information the young airman was imparting to Mr. Brackett, thelatter seemed greatly interested, and his troubled face cleared somewhatas Dave proceeded. Soon the manufacturer hurried away. Dave consultedhis watch and came briskly up to his young fellow aviators.
“There’s just time to get our breakfast,” he announced.
The boys had about completed the meal, when an automobile drove up infront of the restaurant and the aeroplane manufacturer got out. Davehurried to his side. There was a brief consultation, and our herobeckoned to his friends.
“You had better come with me, Hiram,” said the young aviator; “I shallneed you. If you will keep track of things around the hangar, Elmer, itwill help out.”
Dave waved his hand to the manufacturer and his son, and told Hiram tojump into the seat beside him. They made a quick spin for the office ofthe manager. The young airman came out with several telegrams in hishand. He read these over carefully while his companion was cranking themachine. Then he thrust them into his pocket and took charge of thewheel.
“Say,” began Hiram, as they left the aero grounds and started down alonely country road; “tell me are you going on a hunt for the _Comet_?”
“Yes,” replied the young airman. “I don’t know that there is much chanceof running down the people who stole the biplane, but they can’t sailfar without being reported.”
“What is their object in stealing it, anyhow?” asked Hiram.
“If you want my honest opinion, I think they are trying to keep us outof the race,” replied Dave.
“Oh!” exclaimed his companion, “then you think it’s professionals whoare at the bottom of this mischief?”
“It was certainly an expert airman who piloted the _Comet_ away sosnugly,” declared Dave. “I believe, though, that he was hired byothers.”
“Why, Dave, what do you mean?” inquired the puzzled Hiram.
“I can’t explain everything to you just now,” replied Dave. “I am nottrying to throw any air of mystery about this strange disappearance ofthe _Comet_, but you remember telling me about seeing that schemer,Vernon, come out of the Hampton Flats in the city?”
“Why, yes,” assented Hiram, with a start of enlightenment.
“Well, I have reason to believe that he is mixed up with this affair.”
“You don’t say so! Bound to bother the Bracketts to the last limit, ishe?”
“No, I believe his motives lead in an entirely different direction thistime,” replied Dave, but he would say no more on the topic just then. Heresumed: “Of course, we must find the _Comet_ by this time to-morrow, orstart in the race with another machine.”
“Oh, then we’ll go anyway?” asked Hiram, brightening up. “Say, that’sgreat!” and he uttered an immense sigh of relief.
“Mr. Brackett has telegraphed for the _Zephyr_, which is at Baltimore,”explained Dave. “It will be on the grounds before night.”
“Have you any clue as to what has become of the _Comet_?” asked Hiram.
“I have a very strong theory,” replied the young aviator. “Whoever madeaway with the _Comet_ did not venture to fly north—too many machineswere on their way to the meet, and they would be seen. The manager wiredin every direction. An unknown airship was sighted twice, early thismorning, both times about fifty miles from Washington, going southwestand making for the mountain districts.”
“What do you guess from that, Dave?” inquired Hiram, eagerly.
“I think they are trying to hide or lose the _Comet_ until it is toolate to start in the race. Of course, hopeless as it may seem, we musttry and recover the machine.”
“Yes, the _Zephyr_ cannot begin to compare with our special machine,”said Hiram.
“Besides that,” added Dave, “I hope to find out who ran away with thebiplane. If Vernon is indeed back of it, that discovery would throw agood deal of light on a certain subject in which I am greatly interestedat the present time.”
Hiram was prudently silent. He wondered to himself, however, if thesubject at which his companion hinted had anything to do with the younglady in the automobile and Dave’s visit to the Hampton Flats.
It was about eleven o’clock when the young airman stopped at a townnamed Wayne. He made a second stop at a little settlement ten milesbeyond. The automobile had now gotten well in among the hills, and thescenery had grown wilder and wilder.
“Some airship passed over here just before daylight this morning,” Davefinally reported to Hiram.
“Do you know the direction it went in?” asked the latter.
“Yes. We will keep on and make Tarryford. If we get no informationthere, I guess we will have to give up the hunt.”
It was shortly after noon when they passed an old farmhouse. As theywhizzed by, Hiram remarked some sheds in ruins, and smoking yet as ifrecently consumed by fire. He called the attention of his comrade to thefact. They sped on. Less than half a mile acco
mplished, they saw ahead asteep, high hill. By the side of the road, seated on a level rock, was aman holding a rifle between his knees.
Something about the grim, watchful manner of the farmer attracted thecurious attention of both of the boys. Dave brought the machine to ahalt at the side of the road.
“Say, my man,” he called out, pleasantly, “have you seen or heard of anairship anywhere around here this morning?”
It was quite startling the way the farmer came to his feet. His eyesflashed and he handled his weapon in a menacing way.
“Have I?” he cried, fiercely. “I reckon so, and I’m ready to riddle thetroublesome old contraption the minute she shows herself again!”