CHAPTER II
WARNED AWAY
"Well," observed Bob, after an eloquent silence, during which knivesand forks had been industriously plied. "Now I'm ready to talkbusiness. When do you think we can go to that meet, Jerry?"
"As soon as we like, or, rather, as soon as it opens, which isn't fortwo weeks."
"Will you try for a prize?" asked Ned.
"I don't see why we can't," was the opinion of the tall lad. "Iwish they had some water there, so we could do some stunts with ourhydroplanes, as we did when we rescued Mr. Jackson. That was a tripworth taking."
"It sure was," agreed his chums. "Maybe we can soon take another likeit."
And they fell to talking of their adventures in the past, and of thosehoped for in the future.
While they are thus engaged I will take the opportunity of telling yousomething more about the boys, for I may not get another chance, asthey are such rapid-fire chaps. Those of you who have read the previousbooks in the series need no introduction to the motor boys, but newreaders may wish to be formally presented to them.
The boys were Jerry Hopkins, the son of Mrs. Julia Hopkins, a wealthywidow, Bob Baker, whose father, Andrew Baker, was a prominent banker,and Ned Slade. Ned's father, Mr. Aaron Slade, owned a large departmentstore. The boys had been chums ever since they were in the primaryschool, and when they were old enough to have motorcycles theirfriendship was more than ever firmly cemented, for they had manyadventures together, as told in the first volume of this series,entitled "The Motor Boys." Later they got an auto, and made a long tripoverland, and some time afterward, in company with Professor UriahSnodgrass, they went to Mexico to discover a buried city.
Coming home from Mexico across the plains they had more adventures.With some money they had made in a gold mine they had located, theybought a fine motor boat, and in that they spent many pleasant hours.The fifth volume of our series, entitled "The Motor Boys Afloat,"details some of them. In their craft the _Dartaway_, they took quitea trip along the Atlantic coast, and also down in the everglades ofFlorida. Later they voyaged on the Pacific ocean, in search of amysterious derelict.
But staying on the earth, or afloat on the water did not long contentour heroes. Airships were coming more and more into prominence, and itwas not long before our friends had a fine motorship called the _Comet_.
You will find this air-craft fully described in the ninth volume of theseries, entitled "The Motor Boys in the Clouds," so I will not take upspace to tell of it here. Sufficient to say that it was a combinationof a dirigible balloon and an aeroplane, and could sail for many mileswithout coming down. In it our friends had many adventures, nearlyalways accompanied by Professor Snodgrass, who was an enthusiasticcollector of bugs, reptiles, and scientific specimens of various kinds,for a museum.
It was not always easy sailing for our heroes, for in their town ofCresville, not far from Boston, there lived a bully, Noddy Nixon byname, who with his crony, Bill Berry, made much trouble for them. Butour friends generally got the best of Noddy in the end.
The motor boys made a long trip over the Rockies in their motorship,and helped to rescue a band of white persons who were held captives bya strange tribe of Indians. Later, Jerry and his chums, as told in theeleventh book of the series made a flight over the ocean, and succeededin rescuing a Mr. Jackson, who with some friends and a crew wereunconscious in a dirigible balloon that had become disabled at sea.Mr. Jackson, as told in the story "The Motor Boys Over the Ocean," wasbeing sought by Mr. Slade, to aid him in his department store business,which was on the verge of failure. And Ned and his chums rescued Mr.Jackson just in time, not only to save his life, but to prevent theruin of Mr. Slade's business.
The boys had been back from this trip over the ocean some time now,and, after a winter spent at their studies, they were, with the arrivalof summer, ready for fresh adventures.
They had been out for a spin in their auto when the events narrated inthe first chapter took place, and now we will resume their acquaintancein the hotel where they are just finishing dinner.
"Well, shall we go on?" asked Jerry, as he and his chums arose from thetable.
"Oh, let's sit around a while and rest," proposed Bob. "It's bad fordigestion to hustle around right after a meal."
"There's nothing the matter with _your_ digestion," declared Jerry witha laugh. "But I guess it won't hurt us to sit around a bit. Who's gotthat paper about the aviation meet?"
"Here it is," replied Bob, passing it to his tall friend.
"I see you are interested in airships," remarked the hotel clerk, forthe lads were talking in front of the desk where they had paid fortheir meal. "We have other guests here today who are what you call'birdmen' I guess."
"What, some aviators here?" exclaimed Ned, and he and his two chumsshowed the interest they felt.
"Who are they?" demanded Jerry. "I didn't see any one in the diningroom that I've ever met in a dirigible or aeroplane."
"Well, perhaps these fellows are amateurs, but they came sailing hereall right in one of those air machines--I don't know enough about 'emto tell whether or not it's a dirigible balloon or a monoplane," saidthe clerk with a laugh. "But they're here."
"Who are they?" asked Jerry again.
"Those two dark-complexioned men standing over near the door," repliedthe clerk, nodding his head in that direction.
"What? Not Brown and Black?" exclaimed Ned.
"I think those are their names," went on the clerk, as he looked at theregister. "We had quite a crowd here to-day--yes, it's Brown and Blackall right, though I don't know which is which."
"Brown and Black," mused Jerry. "I never heard of their doing any greatstunts in a dirigible balloon or aeroplane."
"No, they're only amateurs, they told me that when they arrived," wenton the clerk. "They came out from Boston, and are going back soon. It'sa trial flight for them."
"Where's their machine?" asked Bob eagerly.
"Yes, could we get a look at it?" put in Jerry.
"I don't know," spoke the clerk doubtfully. "They told me they didn'twant to be bothered with a crowd, and they stored their machine in anenclosed lot back of the carriage sheds. There is a high fence allaround it, and the gate is locked. But as long as you boys are airnavigators yourselves I guess Mr. Brown and Mr. Black won't mind if Ilet you look at their machine. They are busy talking now, anyhow, soyou can slip out and take a peep at it. Here's the key to the gate. Goout this back door, down the alley, and open the first gate you cometo. Don't let any one else in."
The boys eagerly promised, and making sure that the two strange menwere deep in a conversation, our friends slipped out of the hotel reardoor, Jerry taking the key.
"Who'd ever think those fellows were birdmen?" asked Bob, as they wentalong.
"No one," agreed Ned. "There's something mysterious about them. Why arethey so afraid of any one seeing their machine?"
"Give it up," answered Jerry. "We'll soon have a peep at it, andperhaps we can tell then. But I don't blame them for not wanting alot of farmers crowding around when they're trying to land or make aflight. You know what trouble we've had at times."
"That's right," agreed Ned. "Well, there's the gate in the fence. Nowfor a look."
In the midst of a small enclosure they saw the air machine--alarge-sized biplane of an up-to-date model. It took but a glance todisclose this, and with expressions of admiration the boys hurried upto it, to inspect it more carefully.
"Say, that's a beaut all right!" declared Bob.
"Some class to it," exclaimed Ned. "Look at that engine! Why it'salmost as powerful as the first one we had."
"Yes, it's a good machine--of its kind," admitted Jerry. "Of course itisn't like ours, but it's got a lot of speed and power, I'll wager. Andlook at that gasolene tank. Why they could go several hundred mileswith one filling."
"The _Silver Star_," read Bob, as he saw the name of the aeroplanepainted on one of the side planes, and on the vertical rudder. "Rathera classy name; eh?
"
"It sure is a good machine," went on Jerry, as he took in the variousdetails. "I wonder if those fellows--Brown and Black--made itthemselves, or who did? There are some points about it that are worthcopying, if they aren't patented."
"Let's ask 'em," proposed Bob.
Jerry did not answer. He was looking at the double seat of theaeroplane--for it was built to carry two--and near one of theimprovised chairs was a small box, evidently for tools.
The cover of the box was partly raised, and with pardonable curiosityJerry tilted it all the way back. He was anxious to see all the detailspossible of the machine that had so interested him and his chums.
As he got a glimpse inside the tool box Jerry uttered a half-suppressedcry of astonishment.
"Look here, fellows!" he exclaimed. "See these queer tools? First timeI ever knew an aeroplane operator to carry anything like them."
"What are they?" asked Bob, peering over his chum's shoulder.
"Why here's a powerful drill, some lead hammers, another of copper, anda drill, to be attached to an electric light circuit. And here's somesort of a fusing torch, to melt or fuse a hole through steel. What inthe world can they want with these tools in an aeroplane?"
"Maybe they're afraid of a break-down," suggested Ned.
"What good would an electric drill or a fusing torch do even if theydid get a break-down?" demanded Jerry. "No, there's something queerhere, and----"
"Hi there! Get away from that machine!"
"Clear out, you fellows! What are you doing there?" interrupted twoangry voices, and our heroes looked up to see the two men--Brown andBlack--running towards them across the enclosed field.