CHAPTER XXV
QUEER ACTIONS
Ned and Bob were already out in the rain, getting ready to make theanchor ropes fast to the nearest firm objects. They gazed somewhatcuriously after Jerry, wondering where he was going with the farmer.Professor Snodgrass, after seeing that all his specimen boxes weresafely put away, had come out and was helping the two boys.
"I'll have to give them a hand," shouted Jerry above the noise of thestorm. "Can we wheel the airship under the shed? I see you have one bythe barn."
"Not that shed--the one over here," answered Mr. Rossmore pointing toanother, somewhat removed from the big barn. "That shed ain't safe. Itmight tumble down and smash your air machine. Wheel it over to thatother shed, and then come in the house. Land sakes! This is a fearfulstorm."
He made another grab for Jerry's arm, but the tall lad avoided thegrasp, at the same time wondering at the strange behavior of the farmer.
"He wants to be hospitable all right," mused the widow's son, "but hetakes a queer way of showing it. Wait a minute," he called to Bob andNed, "I'll give you a hand. We're going to put her under the shed. Iguess it's big enough."
"Bur-r-r-r-r! It's awful wet rain!" exclaimed Ned, as a stream of waterran down his neck. "Who's your friend, Jerry?"
"Hush. I don't know, except that his name's Hiram Rossmore. He wants usto come in the house. He's a bit queer. Here he comes."
The farmer had followed Jerry as the latter turned back toward theairship; and Mr. Rossmore, together with the boys and ProfessorSnodgrass, wheeled the _Comet_ toward a big wagon shed, whichfortunately proved large enough to accommodate the craft. Not that rainwould spoil it, but in a terrific thunder storm, such as was now inprogress, and with a stiff wind blowing, there was danger of damage tothe somewhat frail machine.
It was soon under shelter and well secured with ropes, while Jerry wentinside to make a quick inspection of the broken brace.
"It will need a blacksmith shop to repair it," he reported to his chums.
"Wa'al, can ye come in th' house now?" asked Mr. Rossmore, as he stoodunder the shed, at the side of the motorship. "This is a bigger shebangthan the other--I mean it's the biggest one I've ever seen."
"Oh, then you've seen one before?" asked Jerry with a quick and warningglance at his chums.
"Yes, I saw one on exhibition at our county fair," was the disappointinganswer. "It wasn't so big as this, and was some different."
"We are looking for an airship that belongs to--er--well, to some menwe know," spoke Jerry. "It may be sailing around here. We're lookingfor it."
"Wa'al, I guess you won't find it here," said the man, with ratheran uneasy laugh. "Now come on in the house and dry off. I live allalone exceptin' for the hired man, and he's gone to town to-day, sowe'll have the place to ourselves. Come on in the house. That barn'sdangerous in a thunderstorm--in fact it's dangerous most any time. It'slikely to fall. I wouldn't go too near it if I was you."
Jerry looked at the barn in question. It seemed well made, and solid,being in good repair. He looked at Mr. Rossmore. The farmer wasglancing anxiously about, as though to assure himself that all fourairship travelers were following him. Then, as if apparently satisfiedon this point, he hurriedly led the way through the pelting rain to thefarmhouse.
Jerry and the boys looked about them. Save for the clearing in whichthe house and other structures stood they were surrounded by a greatforest. It was a very lonesome place.
"Did you have some accident?" asked the man, as he opened the door of aspacious farmhouse, and ushered them in.
"Yes, we broke one of the main braces of the motor," answered Jerry."Is there a blacksmith shop around here? Or have you a portable forgewe could use?"
"No, I haven't any. But there's a shop about ten miles away. You mightgo there after the storm is over. But stay in the house until it is.You see I come here for solitude. I don't have much of a farm. This wasa big one once, but it's mostly growed up to second growth now, and Isell some lumber. I don't farm it."
"It's a pretty nice place for a bachelor," observed Jerry, lookingaround, and noting that the house showed a woman's care. There weremany evidences that other hands than those of men had to do with theplace.
"Oh, I ain't a bachelor," was the quick answer. "My wife's gone tovisit some relations, and I let the hired man have a vacation too. SoI'm all alone. But make yourselves to home. Peel off your wet things ifyou want to. I'll get some blankets you can wrap up in, and there's agood fire in the kitchen. Then I'll get you something to eat."
"That'll be good!" exclaimed Bob, so earnestly that his chums laughed.
"You mustn't mind him," apologized Jerry to the farmer. "It's his onefailing to be always hungry."
"Better tell some of your own," murmured the stout lad.
Mr. Rossmore laughed and left the room, soon returning with a pile ofblankets. The boys and the professor, going out in front of the bigkitchen stove, divested themselves of their outer garments, and weresoon warm and comfortable, while their wet clothes were drying beforethe oven.
"Now, for a meal," went on the farmer. "I'll do my best for you. I justcooked some chicken, so I'll warm it up."
Bob's eyes sparkled in anticipation. They were left to themselves for afew minutes while they heard Mr. Rossmore rummaging about down in thecellar, evidently after the victuals.
"Does anything strike you as peculiar?" asked Jerry of his chums, ashe noted that Professor Snodgrass was trying to capture a fly that wasbuzzing on the window pane.
"About what?" asked Ned.
"About this farmer--and this place."
"It looks comfortable," remarked Bob. "Comfortable, and--and a goodplace to stay. He's going to feed us well, too!"
"Oh, that's all you think of, Chunky! I mean doesn't Mr. Rossmorestrike you as rather odd?"
"It was kind of funny, him not wanting you to go out in the barn," saidNed.
"That's what I mean. Now I think----" and Jerry drew closer to hiscompanions.
But what Jerry thought he did not at that moment say, for at thatinstant there sounded outside, and above the noise of the rain on theroof, a loud cry.
"That came from the barn!" cried Bob.
"Sure!" assented Ned.
Their voices were silenced in a terrific clap of thunder that followeda vivid flash. Professor Snodgrass jumped back from the window in somealarm.
"Look!" cried Jerry pointing outside where the rain was coming down intorrents. What he saw, and what the others saw was Mr. Rossmore rushingtoward the barn at full speed--toward the barn against which he hadwarned our heroes.