CHAPTER XX
A GAME IN THE AIR
With a pull on the lever of the ascending rudder, Jerry sent the_Chaser_ shooting upward into the air. He made the craft take a longslant, for he had seen that the _Comet_ was going up more vertically,and Jerry figured on getting under the stolen airship, and then, whenonce in advance, turning, and so approaching head on.
“They’re going up fast!” commented Ned, watching their own craftnarrowly.
“Yes,” assented Jerry. “They’re using all the gas the generator canturn out. I only hope they don’t burst the bag, or ruin the machinery.”
“If they do, we’ll make Noddy pay for it!” cried Bob.
“That would be more bother than it would be worth,” was Jerry’sopinion. “We’ll try to get the machine away from him before he has achance to do much damage.”
Upward the _Comet_ mounted steadily, for those on board were evidentlypushing her to the utmost. On account of the limited facilities on theaeroplane, Jerry and his chums could not go up on such a sharp slantas could their enemies, but this suited our heroes just as well.
The two airships were now comparatively close together. The _Comet_ wasstill shooting upward, and the _Chaser_ was directly below her.
Suddenly, from the upper craft, came a cry of alarm.
“They’ve discovered us!” was Bob’s opinion.
“No, they did that some time ago,” said Jerry. “I’m afraid somethinghas happened.”
“It does seem so,” agreed Ned. “Look at that smoke!” he yelled. “She’son fire!”
“No, it isn’t that,” was Jerry’s retort, after a quick glance at theircraft through the glasses. “They’ve been using too much lifting gas,and the generator is choked. It’s escaping through the safety valve.She won’t go any higher now, but she can still go forward. We haven’tgot ’em yet.”
As if to prove his words, the _Comet_, now that she had reached thelimit of her climbing powers, darted forward. But Jerry had made gooduse of his opportunity, and he was now ahead of the _Comet_, thoughstill slightly below her.
“What are you going to do now?” asked Ned, as he saw his chum put hisfoot on a pedal that connected with the motor.
“I’m going to use the last notch of speed, and see if I can stop ’em!”
With a rush the _Chaser_ mounted upward and, a few minutes later, shewas on the same level as was the _Comet_, and considerably in advance.Both craft were moving with considerable speed, but, owing to thefact that her gas bag was so choked with vapor, causing a big windresistance, the _Comet_ must necessarily move more slowly than the_Chaser_.
“What are you going to do, Jerry?” asked Ned, as he saw his chum reachfor a rudder control lever.
“Turn around, and come back at him head on,” answered the tall lad.“This is going to be a game of tag, and I’m going to make Noddy ‘it.’To do that I’ve got to head him off. He’ll try to dodge, I expect, butI think I can nab him.”
Then began what was perhaps the most risky and sensational game of“tag” that was ever played--a game in the air, nearly a mile above theearth.
Turning quickly to the left, Jerry sent the _Chaser_ directly at the_Comet_. As he had expected, Noddy, who was managing the craft from thepilot house, tried to dodge to one side. He could go no higher becausethe gas retort was choked. But Jerry was ready for him, and met theshift quickly. Once more Noddy dodged, this time on the other side, butJerry was right there.
The two craft were slowly coming nearer each other, for both hadreduced their forward speed. They were like two big birds of the air,facing each other, hovering, twisting and turning, dodging this way andthat, one seeking to escape, and the other endeavoring to catch herantagonist.
First on one side and then on the other, Noddy dodged, but every timeJerry was there facing him. The _Comet_ could not get past.
“He’ll have to go down soon!” cried Ned.
“That’s what I want him to do,” answered Jerry grimly. “Once they areon the ground, we can deal with ’em.”
“Where’s Bill and that fake doctor?” asked Bob.
“In the motor room, probably,” answered the steersman. “I hope theydon’t do any more damage to the machinery.”
The game was nearing an end now. Noddy and his cronies were gettingdesperate. The bully made one last attempt to dodge past Jerry, but ourhero was ever on the alert.
Head on, the two ships of the air were almost nose and nose together.Noddy could not possibly get past.
“Go down! Go down!” yelled Jerry. “Go down before I force you, and, ifI do, I won’t be responsible for the consequences!”
There was no help for it. Noddy’s unpleasant face, scowling in anger,peered from the window of the pilot house. Jerry saw him pull the leverof the deflecting rudder, for the bully had sneaked around the shopof the motor boys often enough to learn the rudiments of running the_Comet_.
Down and down she went, fairly forced by the _Chaser_ above her, by the_Chaser_, that frail little craft of the air, compared to which the_Comet_ was like a battleship opposed to a torpedo destroyer. But thoseon the little ship knew their business, and, after all, brains andskill told.
“Can he get by?” asked Bob.
“I don’t believe so,” answered Jerry, watching every move of his rival.But Noddy had given up the fight. He was beaten at his own game.
Still downward he forced the _Comet_, while Jerry and his chumsprepared to alight the moment their craft touched the earth, to driveaway their enemies.
Bounding lightly, the _Comet_ landed on the ground. A moment later theaeroplane followed, and Jerry let her run along on the bicycle wheels,the propellers urging her on, until she was almost in contact withthe big craft. Then the tall lad yanked on the brake lever, and the_Chaser_ came to a stop.
“Come on!” cried Jerry, leaping out of his seat. Bob and Ned followed.
Noddy Nixon lost no time in leaving the pilot house on the run, andfrom the motor room emerged Bill Berry and the college man. They leapedover the rail, and joined Noddy in flight.
“If we ever catch ’em!” panted fat Bob, as he ran as fast as he could.“We’ll--make--’em--pay--for--this!”