CHAPTER III
AMID THE AIRSHIPS
"Say, it's quite an affair, isn't it?" said Jerry, when, late thatSaturday night, they rode past the grounds where the airship exhibitionwas to take place. The boys were on their way to the hotel, wherethey had engaged rooms in advance, a necessary precaution, as such acrowd flocked to Broadlands that the accommodations of the place werestretched to the utmost.
"I guess it's going to be a first-rate show," commented Ned. "I thoughtit might be a fake from the way the handbills read."
"Oh, it's the real thing, all right," declared Bob. "An organization ofwealthy men is back of it, I heard dad say, and they've got some realgood machines here. They're going to give prizes, too."
"I don't see any airships flying around," objected Andy, who, as Jerryhalted the machine outside of the grounds, was gazing anxiously aloft.
"Of course not," replied Ned. "They aren't going to bring them outbefore the show opens. I suppose all of them are not here yet. Butthere are tents and sheds enough to house half a hundred."
Certainly there were a number of big buildings and tents on thegrounds. The buildings were of the flimsiest character, but were allthat were needed to shelter dirigible balloons or aeroplanes.
"I wonder where Noddy's _Firefly_ is?" asked Bob.
"Did he ship it?" asked Ned.
"Oh, yes, he sent it off, all right," answered Jerry. "I was asking Mr.Hitter, the freight agent at the depot, about it. He said Noddy fussedand fretted for fear it would get broken on the road. It was all takenapart and boxed up, and Noddy threatened to sue the railroad if onepiece of his machine was lost or damaged. Mr. Hitter said he nearlybothered the life out of him."
"I'd like to see it," said Ned. "I wonder which tent or shed is his?"
"We'll inquire later," said Jerry. "But first we'd better get to thehotel and see about our rooms. There's such a crowd here they may notreserve them for us if we don't claim them soon."
Indeed, they did not arrive at the hotel any too quickly, for the clerkwas about to ignore the reservation they had telegraphed for, and givetheir rooms to newcomers. The boys, however, secured two nice, largeones, and were soon installed in them with their suitcases, which heldtheir clothing.
"Let's go out to the grounds," proposed Bob, when they had unpacked andenjoyed a good wash, to remove some of the grime and dust of their autotrip.
"I'm with you," said Jerry. "We'll see if we can spot Noddy's_Firefly_."
The four boys got into the auto and were soon at the carnival grounds.The place was open, as it was necessary to have such a large field, forthe operations of the balloons and aeroplanes, that it would have beenimpossible to enclose it with a fence. But though the spectators couldfreely view the ships of the air when they were in flight, they wereprevented from noting them at rest, as every one was under some tent orhoused in a temporary building.
The place was somewhat in confusion, as new exhibits were constantlyarriving; stand owners, who hoped to sell refreshments, were engaged inputting up the booths; and men with big trucks were driving here andthere, with immense boxes on their vehicles.
These last were, evidently, parts of airships and were to be assembledunder one of the many tents or other structures that dotted the ground.
Here and there could be seen nervous men, who were anxious for the fateof some weird machine that a careless truckman had agreed to deliver.One such man was admonishing the driver of a big wagon, on which was alarge case.
"Now be very careful of that--very careful," the owner was saying."The least jar will displace some of the delicate springs, and shiftthe center of gravity, besides disturbing the equilibrium of thecentrifugal planes. Careful, now--look out!"
The ground was uneven, and, in driving, the truckman reined his horsesinto a hollow. The vehicle careened, and the big case was on the vergeof falling off.
"Oh! Oh! Catch it! Quick! It will be smashed! The work of ten yearswill be ruined!" cried the inventor.
He was walking alongside the truck, and he tried to hold the case fromsliding off the inclined platform by bracing his hands against it. Butit was too heavy for him and continued to move toward the ground.
"Let's help him," suggested Jerry, and with one accord the boys jumpedfrom the auto, which Jerry had stopped, and ran to the aid of the man.They managed to stop the case from sliding off, and by that time thedriver had urged his horses to a level place.
"I don't know how to thank you!" exclaimed the inventor to Andy and themotor boys. "If that case had fallen to the ground my airship wouldhave been smashed. I am a thousand times obliged to you. That is mytent over there. Now, be very careful, truckman."
"Aw, sure I'll be careful. But I never see such uneven ground. Whatsort of an airship is it, anyhow, if a little fall like that will smashit? Sure, what'll yez do when ye falls from the sky? Answer me that."
Clearly he was not a firm believer in the future of airships.
"A fall, no matter from what height, will not matter when my ship is inoperation, for the centrifugal planes and the equalizing balances willrender any descent harmless," declared the inventor. "Now, continueon, Mr. Truckman, if you please. I am very much obliged to you younggentlemen. Are you exhibiting here? If so I may have a race in the airwith you."
"No, we're only here out of curiosity," answered Jerry. "But we arevery much interested in airships. What kind is yours?"
"Ah, that's a great secret," replied the inventor with a sly look."I can't tell you. But I will astonish the crowds Monday by makingthe most successful flight. I don't mind admitting that my machine isbuilt on the principle of the flying grasshopper. It acquires a startby means of two long shafts, made on the model of the hind legs of agrasshopper. By means of powerful springs my machine is launched intothe air, just as a grasshopper leaps forward. Then his wings sustainhim, just as the wings, the centrifugal planes and the equalizingweights, will hold up my airship with me on it. I have a greatinvention. I must go now and put it together. I hope it is not damaged.It is a great risk to bring it here, but I expect to win the grandprize."
"Do you know anything about any other airships that are here?" inquiredNed as the boys started back to their auto.
"Not much. Why?"
"A fellow from our town has one here. He is Noddy Nixon, and he callshis machine the _Firefly_. We wanted to see it."
"The _Firefly_? Oh, yes, I know about it. Young Nixon was telling meabout it. He is a smart youth, but his machine will never fly."
"That's what we think," declared Bob.
"No, it will never fly," went on the inventor of the machine built onthe plan of a grasshopper. "He has the wrong idea. The wings of his flyare not large enough, and are too heavy. But my machine will work. I ampositive of it. Come and see me after my first flight, and I may letyou go up. Just ask for Morris Abernot. I will be in this tent here,"and he indicated one toward which the truck was slowly being driven.
"Do you know where the _Firefly_ is kept?" asked Ned.
"Yes. Right over in that tent with the yellow flag," and Mr. Abernotpointed to a canvas shelter some distance away.
"Let's go over, fellows," proposed Jerry. "I'd like to see what Noddyreally has."
"Maybe he'll make trouble," suggested Bob. "He's mad at us."
"Oh, he's always that way," put in Ned. "That's nothing new. I'd liketo see the _Firefly_, too. Maybe he isn't there, and we can peep intothe tent."
"More likely he's charging admission to see his freak," was Jerry'scomment. "That's what some of these fake inventors are doing. They knowtheir machines will never leave the ground, and their only chance tomake money is to charge admission. I'll bet that's what Noddy is doing."
They went over to the tent with the yellow flag, threading their wayin the auto between rows of booths and new buildings. When they gotnear enough they saw that the yellow flag bore the initials "N. N." forNoddy Nixon.
"He's doing the thing up in style," remarked Bob. "Let's get out of thecar and walk over. It's too
rough riding here."
They approached the large tent where the _Firefly_ was kept. About itwas a curious throng, as, indeed, there was about every place where anairship was housed. On the front of the tent was a large sign reading:
NIXON'S WONDERFUL FIREFLY AIRSHIP. NONE LIKE IT. ADMISSION 25 CENTS.
"Let's go in," said Jerry. "I've got change. I want to see what Noddyis capable of."
"He's got nerve, asking a quarter," commented Bob. "Most of the placesonly charge ten cents."
"'None like it,'" remarked Ned. "I guess that's true, all right, unlessit's Professor Abernot's grasshopper. Well, let's go in."
They started for the entrance to the tent and purchased four ticketsof the man who stood at the flap. Something about the fellow attractedJerry's attention as he paid over the money.
"It's Bill Berry," he whispered to his chums. "I know him, even if he'sshaved off his moustache. I haven't seen him since he tried to wreckthe steamer. I wonder how he dare come around here?"
"Maybe the government has given up trying to prosecute him for changingthe lanterns in the lighthouse," suggested Bob. "He's in with Noddyagain, that's evident. Well, they're a fine team."
Bill Berry was a town ne'er-do-well, who more than once had aided Noddyin his schemes to make trouble for the motor boys. But this time Bill,if indeed it was he at the tent flap, seemed to think the boys wouldnot recognize him, for he betrayed no uneasiness.
The four lads passed into the tent, another man being stationed justinside the entrance to take up their tickets. They handed him thepasteboard slips, and had just taken a glimpse of a curious machine inthe center of the canvas enclosure, when they saw Noddy Nixon rushingtoward them.
"Get out of here!" cried the bully. "I don't want you in my tent! Youcan't come here and make fun of my invention!"
"We paid for our admission," said Jerry.
"I don't care if you did! I'm not going to let you in! Get out!"
Noddy drew back his fist to strike Jerry, while the other boys crowdedup closer.