CHAPTER VIII
NODDY'S AEROPLANE
How long the race might have continued no one could have told, butunfortunately several pedestrians got in the path of Andy and he wasforced to slacken speed. His youth and fleetness gave him an advantage,but the professor was used to chasing after flitting butterflies andelusive insects, and this training stood him in good stead. So in a fewminutes he caught up to Andy, and grasped him by the shoulder.
"Did it get away? Is it still on you?" Jerry and his chums heard thescientist ask the small chap.
"Did what get away? Is what still on me?" gasped Andy. "Didn't you--?"Words failed him. He could only look and pant.
"Ha! I have it!" cried the professor. "The little beauty didn't getaway. One moment, Andy, and I'll secure it."
He made a sudden motion, and caught something that had been perched onthe small lad's shoulder.
"A red ant, one of the largest of its kind, and a very fine specimen,"observed the professor, as he carefully put the insect in a small boxthat he took from his pocket. "You have unconsciously been a great aidto the advancement of science to-day, Andy. That red ant is worth atleast five dollars."
"A red ant! Five dollars!" gasped Andy Rush. "Is that why you werechasing me?"
"Yes, to be sure. What else did you think I was running after you for?"demanded Mr. Snodgrass.
"I thought--that is--the flying frog--I thought that you thought Iwas--Oh, I guess it's all right!" exclaimed the small chap quickly."You jumped at me so I was afraid I had offended you."
"Offended me? I guess not, especially when you had a valuable red anton you!" cried the professor heartily.
"You thought he was going to scalp you; didn't you, Andy?" asked Ned ina low voice.
"That's what I did! I couldn't stand for that green flying frog. Ithought he was making a joke, and I was going to say something funny.I'm glad I didn't--but he scared me just the same."
"The professor never jokes," said Bob. "If he says there is a flyingfrog you can depend on it that there is one."
"Come on in, fellows," invited Jerry to Ned and Bob, as they reachedhis house. "We'll hear what the professor has to say about his plansfor catching the flying frog, and then we'll tell him what we are goingto do. We'll have to make up some sort of a program."
The next hour was spent in talk, the scientist giving some facts aboutthe curious frog, which he stated, could glide from the ground to lowbushes and down again, in search of its insect food.
"But what about this aviation meet?" asked the professor. "I must notbe selfish and monopolize all the talk."
They told him of their plans, and also mentioned meeting the two queermen--Brown and Black.
"If we run across them at the meet I'm going to give them a wideberth," declared Ned. "I don't cotton to 'em."
"Me either," agreed Jerry.
"And so your old enemy, Noddy Nixon, is also to have an aeroplane?"asked the professor, that fact having been mentioned. "Do you expect torace with him?"
"Not if we can avoid it," declared Jerry. "He may enter his craft inthe meet though, but we haven't seen anything of it as yet. Perhapsit's only a rumor."
But it was more than that, as our friends found a few days later, whenas they went down to the freight office to get some duplicate parts fortheir motor, which they had ordered from the factory, they saw severallarge packing cases on the platform. The boxes were addressed to NoddyNixon, and were marked--"Fragile--Handle with Care."
"Maybe that's his aeroplane that Andy Rush was telling us about,"suggested Bob.
"Shouldn't wonder," agreed Jerry. "Let's see if we can tell where it'sfrom. There are several firms making them now."
They saw no harm in looking at the shipping tag to ascertain what typeof aircraft Noddy was getting, and they had just located the card,tacked on the end of one of the boxes, when a rough voice exclaimed:
"Here, get away from there! What are you trying to do; damage ourmachine?"
The boys turned quickly to observe the unprepossessing countenance ofBill Berry gazing at them. He had come up unheard.
"Your machine?" murmured Jerry.
"Yes, mine--mine and Noddy's. I've got an interest in it. It can carrytwo. You needn't think you're the only ones in town with an aeroplane,"and Bill sneered.
"We were just looking to see where it came from," said Bob.
"You needn't give yourselves the trouble," went on the bully's crony."Just keep away from our property. We can do all the looking that'snecessary."
"What's the matter? What were they doing?" demanded the angry voice ofNoddy himself, as he came quickly from the direction of the freightoffice, and mounted the platform. He had gone to sign a receipt for hisproperty. "What were they doing, Bill?"
"Oh, snooping around, as usual."
"That's not so!" cried Ned hotly.
"Say, if you bother with my aeroplane I'll have you arrested!"threatened Noddy, with a bluster. "I intend to make a lot of flights,and if you get in my way there'll be trouble."
"Don't worry; we'll take good care to keep out of your way," saidJerry significantly. "Come on, fellows. And the next time Noddy gets ina mud hole we'll let him stick."
"I guess Noddy means business as far as flying goes," remarked Ned,when they were on their way home. "That firm he bought his machine frommakes good aeroplanes."
"Yes, he'll fly if he doesn't break it the first time he goes out,"said Jerry. "Well, he needn't trouble us--there's plenty space to flyin. We'll go off on a little trip, and take the professor with us whenwe get the motor fixed." For the engine of the _Comet_ had developed aslight defect, and it was decided to remedy it before going to the meet.
In the meanwhile the boys worked on other parts of their air machine,while Professor Snodgrass put in his time seeking various insects inCresville. He had agreed to go to the aeroplane meet with the boys, andlater they planned to take a short flight out West, to see if therewas any truth in the Professor's theory that the flying frog might bediscovered there.
They heard some reports of Noddy's aeroplane. An expert from thefactory where it was made had come on to Cresville to assemble it, andalso to give Noddy lessons in running it. Noddy knew something ofaeronautics, though his first attempt at flight in his tin fly had beenmost disastrous.
"He means business," said Jerry one day to his chums. "I went pastyesterday afternoon, and Andy and Bill were making a trip over Mr.Nixon's big meadow. Noddy will fly all right."
"Did he go up high?" inquired Bob.
"Not very. He was just about snipping the tops off the daisies--regulargrass-cutting work. Afraid to go up, I guess. But say, I thought ofmaking a trip to-morrow. Will you fellows come?"
"Sure," agreed Ned. "We'll take the professor, too. He hasn't had aride since he came."
"Can't we take considerable food along, and stay several days?" askedBob.
"No, it's too near the time for the meet," decided Jerry. "There areseveral little changes I want to make in the _Comet_ before we enterher for a prize, and if we go scooting off around the country we can'tget them done. Besides, there's always the danger of an accident thatmight put us out of the race. We'll postpone our trip until after themeet."
His companions agreed with him, and the next morning, in company withthe professor, they started off on a day's flight, planning to returnto Cresville before nightfall.
"Noddy Nixon went off in his machine early this morning," was theinformation Andy Rush brought when he appeared at the big shed, for hehad been invited to make the trip with our heroes.
"He did, eh?" spoke Ned. "Well, I guess he won't go far. Come on now,Andy, hop in. We're ready to start."
The professor, carrying a number of specimen boxes, and an extralong-handled net with which he hoped to capture insects of the upperregions, entered the cabin of the _Comet_. Jerry was in the pilothouse, with Ned and Bob standing by to give their aid.
"Let her go!" cried the tall lad, as he turned on the power, whileNed turned over the auxiliary
fly wheel that was connected with thebig propellers. They whirred around with great swiftness, the _Comet_skimmed lightly over the ground, and a moment later had mounted easilyup into the air.
"Whoop! La-la!" cried Andy Rush. "Here we go! Up in the air! Never saydie! Never come down! Go on like the _Flying Dutchman_! Whoop! La-la!"