CHAPTER VI
DICK'S FIRST FLIGHT
Mr. Vardon gave his helper a quick and warning glance.
"Hush!" he exclaimed, as he looked to see if Lieutenant Larson hadheard what Jack had said. But the army man evidently had not. He gavethe machinist a glance, however, that was not the most pleasant in theworld. It was evident that there was some feeling between the two.Dick wondered what it was, and what Jack's ominous words meant.
Having put away the two biplanes, and requested the cadets to look atthem as much as they liked, but not to meddle with the apparatus, thetwo lieutenants left the sheds, to report to their respective captains.Mr. Vardon and his helper remained with Dick and his chums.
"Very fine machines," said the aviator. "Compared to my poor pile ofjunk, very fine machines indeed!"
"But part of yours is good; isn't it?" asked Dick. "You can use partof it, I should think."
"Very little," was the hopeless reply. "The damage was worse than Ithought. My gyroscope attachment is a total wreck, and it will costmoney to build a new one."
"Yes, and that gyroscope was tampered with before we started on thislast flight!" declared Jack, with conviction. "And I'm sure HE didit!" he added, pointing an accusing finger at the retreating form ofLieutenant Larson.
"You must not say such things!" cried the aviator. "You have no proof!"
"I have all the proof I want as far as he is concerned," declared Jack."Maybe he didn't intend to kill us, or hurt us, but he sure did want towreck the machine when he tampered with the gyroscope."
"What is the gyroscope?" asked Dick.
"It is an invention of mine, and one over which Lieutenant Larson and Ihad some argument," said Mr. Vardon.
"You probably know," the aviator went on, while Dick, Paul, and Innis,with several other cadets, listened interestedly, "you probably knowthat one of the great problems of aviation is how to keep a machinefrom turning turtle, or turning over, when it strikes an unexpectedcurrent, or 'air pocket' in the upper regions. Of course a birdmanmay, by warping his wings, or changing the elevation of his rudder,come out safely, but there is always a chance of danger or death.
"If there was some automatic arrangement by which the airship wouldright itself, and take care of the unexpected tilting, there would bepractically no danger.
"I realized that as soon as I began making airships, and so I devisedwhat I call a gyroscope equilibrizer or stabilizer. A gyroscope, youknow, is a heavy wheel, spinning at enormous speed, on an anti-frictionaxle. Its great speed tends to keep it in stable equilibrium, and, ifdisplaced by outside forces, it will return to its original position.
"You have probably seen toy ones; a heavy lead wheel inside a ring.When the wheel is spinning that, and the ring in which it is contained,may be placed in almost any position, on a very slender support andthey will remain stable, or at rest.
"So I put a gyroscope on my airship, and I found that it kept themachine in a state of equilibrium no matter what position we wereforced to take by reason of adverse currents. Of course it was not anentire success, but I was coming to that.
"In the biplane which was wrecked in the river I had my latestgyroscope. It seemed to be perfect, and, with Jack and Harry, I hadmade a number of beautiful flights. I even flew alone upside down, andhad no trouble.
"Before that I had made the acquaintance of Lieutenant Larson, who isalso an expert aviator. He worked for me before he went in the army.He had his own ideas about equilibrium, and his plan, which he wantedme to adopt, consists of tubes of mercury that can automatically betilted at different angles. I do not believe they will ever work, andI told him so. I refused to use them, and he and I parted, not thebest of friends. He wanted his invention exploited, but I refused totry it, as I thought it dangerous.
"When my gyroscope worked fairly well, I presume Lieutenant Larson wasprofessionally jealous. At any rate he, left me, and I am glad of it."
"But he was around our workshop just before we made this last flight!"insisted Jack. "He came in pretending he had left some of hisimportant drawings behind when he went away, but I noticed that he hungaround the airship a good bit. I saw him looking at, and running thegyroscope, and I'm sure he did something to it that caused it to failto work, and so wrecked us."
"You should not say such things," chided Mr. Vardon.
"Well, I believe it's true," insisted Jack. "And you found somethingwrong with the gyroscope, when you took it from the airship; didn'tyou?"
"Yes, but that may have occurred in the wreck."
"No, that gyroscope began to act wrong before we started to fall," wenton the helper. "I noticed it, and I believe that mean lieutenantmonkeyed with it. He wanted you to think your plans were failures."
"I should dislike to believe that of anyone," spoke Mr. Vardon,seriously.
"Well, I'm going to keep my eye on him," said Jack. "He won't getanother chance at any of our machines."
It was a day or so after this conversation that Dick came upon his chumInnis, talking to Mr. Vardon. They seemed very much in earnest, and atDick's approach the aviator strolled away. Innis stood regarding him amoment, and remarked, in a low tone:
"Poor chap!"
"What's the trouble?" asked Dick, quickly. "Has anything happened tohim?"
"Yes, Dick, a whole lot of things!" replied Innis earnestly. "I feelmighty sorry for him. You know how his airship was wrecked, but that'sonly one of his troubles. He's practically lost every cent he has inthe world, and he's deeply in debt, for he borrowed money to build hisaircraft, and perfect his stabilizer. He's just about down and out,poor chap, and he feels mighty blue, I can tell you.
"When you came up I was just trying to figure out a way to help him.But I don't see how I can. My dad hasn't any too much money himself,since some of his investments failed, or he'd pull my cousin out ofthis hole. But, as it is, I don't see what's to be done. And hisgyroscope stabilizer will work, too, only he won't get a chance toprove it, now."
Dick was silent a moment, and then he asked:
"Say, Innis, would it help your cousin any if he had a contract tobuild airships, and could install his stabilizer on one of them?"
"Why, of course it would, Dick! That would be just the very thing he'dwant. But who'd give him such a contract, especially after thisaccident? And he hasn't any money to back up his claims. In fact he'sa bankrupt. Nobody would give him such a chance."
"Yes, I think someone would," said Dick, quietly.
"Who?" asked Innis, quickly.
"I would. It's this way," the young millionaire went on. "I've fullymade up my mind to have an airship, since dad consented, though Ibelieve he's secretly laughing at me. Now the kind of craft I wantdoesn't come ready made--it will have to be built to order.
"So why can't I contract with your cousin to make my airship for me?I'd be willing to pay all expenses and whatever his services wereworth, so he could make some money that way. I'd a good deal rathergive him a chance on the work, than some stranger. Besides, I like hisidea of a gyroscope, and, even if he doesn't want to build my craft,I'd like to arrange to buy one of his stabilizers. Do yon think hewould like to take the contract from me?"
"Do I?" cried Innis earnestly. "Say, he'll jump at the chance! You tryhim, and see! Say, this is fine of you, old man!"
"Oh, nonsense! It isn't anything of the sort," protested Dick. "I'vegot to have somebody build my airship, and I'd rather it would be yourcousin than anyone else."
"It's fine and dandy!" Innis exclaimed. "Come on; let's find him andtell him. He needs something to cheer him up, for he's got the blueshorribly. Come along, Dick."
To say that Mr. Vardon was delighted to accept Dick's offer is puttingit mildly. Yet he was not too demonstrative.
"This is the best news I've heard in a long while," he said. "I guessmy cousin has told you I'm pretty badly embarrassed financially," headded.
"Yes," assented Dick. "Well, I happen to have plenty of money, through
no fault of my own, and we'll do this airship business up properly.
"I'd like you to get started at it as soon as you can, and as therewill be preliminary expenses, I'm going to advance you some cash.You'll have to order certain parts made up, won't you?" he asked.
"Yes, I presume so," agreed the aviator.
"And, of course, I'll want your stabilizer on my craft."
"That's very good of you to say. It will give me a fine chance todemonstrate it," said Mr. Vardon.
Later in the day, Dick, his chums, the aviator and Larry Dexter weretalking about some of the flights made in the army machines thatafternoon.
"Can you arrange to have a wireless outfit on my airship?" asked theyoung millionaire, as an exchange of wireless talk had been a featureof the exhibition that day.
"Oh, yes, that can easily be done," assented the birdman.
"Say, you're going to have a fine outfit!" complimented Paul.
"Might as well have a good one while I'm at it," answered Dick, with alaugh. "I've got to make good on dad's account anyhow. I can't standhim laughing at me. I wish I had my airship now."
"I'll start building it, soon," promised Mr. Vardon.
"I'll want it in time for the summer vacation," went on Dick. "I'mgoing to spend a lot of time in the air."
"Why don't you make a try for the prize?" suggested Mr. Vardon.
"What prize?" Dick wanted to know.
"Why the United States Government, to increase interest in airshipnavigation, and construction, especially for army purposes, has offereda prize of twenty thousand dollars for the first flight from theAtlantic to the Pacific, or from New York to San Francisco, by anairship carrying at least three persons. Only two landings are allowedduring the flight, to take on gasolene, or make repairs. Why don't youtry for that?"
"What, me try for that prize in the first airship I ever owned!"exclaimed Dick. "I wouldn't have the nerve! I guess the governmentdoesn't want amateurs in the trans-continental flight."
"It doesn't make a bit of difference," declared Mr. Vardon. "It isgoing to be an open competition. And, let me tell you, amateurs havedone as much, if not more, than the professionals, to advance andimprove aviation. Why, as a matter of fact, we're all amateurs. We arelearning something new every day. The art, or business, of flying istoo new to have in it anything but amateurs. Don't let that stop you,Dick."
"Well, I'll think about it," said the young millionaire.
Dick obtained some detailed information, and entry blanks for thegovernment prize contest, and a little later announced to his chums:
"Well, fellows, in view of what Mr. Vardon said about amateurs, maybe Iwill have a try for that prize. It will give us an object, instead ofmerely flying aimlessly about. And if I should win, wouldn't I havethe laugh on dad! Yes, I'll make a try for it!" he added.
"And we'll help you!" cried Paul.
"And I'll make a good story of it," promised Larry Dexter.
"I guess we'd better get the airship first," suggested Innis, dryly.
"Oh, I'll look after that," promised his aviator cousin.
The days that followed were busy ones at Kentfield Academy. A courseof instruction was arranged concerning the making and flying ofairships. In the former Mr. Vardon was the chief lecturer, as he hadhad more practical experience in building the aircraft than had eitherof the army captains.
But the army men had made a study of air currents, and the managementof biplanes and monoplanes, and were equal to Mr. Vardon in thisrespect. And so the cadets looked on and listened, watching the armyaviators test their machines, run them over the starting ground, andfinally, by a tilting of the rudders, send the machines up like bigbirds.
"Young gentlemen," announced Colonel Masterly after chapel exercisesone morning, "I have an important announcement to make. You have beenstudying aviation for some time now, and it is necessary, if you keepon with it, to have practical work. Therefore we have decided that,taking turns, those cadets in this course will make a flight, beginningwith today. You will go up, one in each aeroplane, with the two armyofficers, who will look after and instruct you.
"I will now call for volunteers to make the first flight. Don't allspeak at once," added the colonel, with a grim smile.
There was a moment of breathless pause, and then, from where he sat,Dick arose. With a salute he said:
"I'll volunteer, sir."
"Good!" came in whispered comment that the colonel did not try to check.
"And I'll also volunteer!" spoke Innis, quickly.
"So will I!" added Paul, and then several more announced theirintention.
That afternoon came around very quickly, it seemed. Out on thestarting ground were the two big machines, being looked over by thearmy men. The cadets were drawn up in files.
"All ready, sir," announced Captain Grantly to Major Rockford. "Thefirst cadet will take his place."
"Dick Hamilton!" called the commandant, and our hero stepped forwardfor his first airship flight.