CHAPTER XX
A LION IN POSSESSION
The crippled craft of the air settled down gently on the hot sands,skillfully guided by Jerry. As soon as it was stationary, for it neededno guy ropes to hold it, since most of the gas was out of the bag, thetravelers climbed from the cabin to the surface of the desert.
"Whew, but it's hot!" exclaimed Bob. "I wouldn't mind an ice cream conejust now."
"Dry up, Chunky," advised Ned, puckering up his lips.
"That's what we'll all do if we stay here long enough," replied thestout lad. "Whew! I'm going to take off some of my clothes."
"Yes, and you and I'd better do the same, Ned," added Jerry. "We'llhave to get on our overalls and see if we can fix the engine."
"Is it badly smashed?" inquired Ned.
"I'm afraid it is. Two of the cylinders seem to be cracked," repliedJerry, who had made a hasty examination.
"I'm so sorry," put in Professor Snodgrass. "I didn't mean to do it."
"Oh, it was an accident," replied Jerry pleasantly. "It's partly myfault, for I should not have left the monkey wrench on the shelf whereit was likely to get knocked off. But perhaps we can make repairs."
"If you can't, we'll be in a bad way," declared Jim Nestor in a lowvoice to Jerry.
"Why so?" asked the tall lad.
"Because this is a big desert, and there's no water on it. Unlessyou've got plenty to last until you can start again, there's liable tobe trouble."
"We have plenty, I think," replied Jerry. "We'll get right to work onthe engine."
He was interrupted by a cry from Bob, who was on the other side of theairship.
"What's the matter, Chunky?" called Ned.
"I've found a spring of water," answered the stout youth. "Let's get adrink."
Jerry hurried to where his two chums were. There on the sands of thedesert was a damp place, as if water was present. It needed but aglance from Jerry's quick eyes, however, to cause him to hurry backinto the airship.
"It's a leak in one of our water tanks!" he cried. "That is no spring!Hurry, here, fellows, and help me to transfer this water! Lively now!"
He did not speak of the vital need of saving every drop of the preciousfluid, but Ned and Bob must have guessed, for they worked quickly,and the water from the leaking tank, in which a hole had been punchedby a piece of one of the broken cylinders, was emptied into anotherreceptacle. But several gallons had leaked away, and Jerry looked moreserious than before.
"I wish I could do something to make up for my carelessness," suggestedthe scientist. "But I fear my knowledge of machinery----"
"That's all right, Mr. Snodgrass," replied Jerry. "We will be ableto get the engine in shape, I think. I'll cut out the two brokencylinders, and run on eight," for the motor was a ten-cylinder one. "Wewon't be able to go so fast," added the youth, "but it will serve."
"Then as long as I can't do anything, I may as well be on the hunt forthe flying lizard," decided the scientist, and he set off over thedesert, with his net and his specimen box.
"Is there anything we can do?" inquired Tod, as he and Jim Nestorapproached Jerry.
"Nothing, I guess," replied the tall lad. "Ned and Bob will help mewith the engine."
"Then we'll go off prospecting a bit," said Jim. "We may find a placeto catch some fish," and he winked at Jerry, to indicate to him that heand Tod would hunt for water. And, indeed, Jerry knew there might soonbe need of it, before the engine was repaired.
But nothing was said to either Ned, Bob or the professor on this score.Jerry did not want any needless alarm.
"Now, fellows," he exclaimed cheerfully, when the three chums werealone beside the ship, "let's get busy. It's going to be quite a job totake out those broken cylinders."
It was, indeed, as they soon found. The two cylinders which had beencracked by the flying wrench were in the centre of the motor. To getthem out it was necessary to uncouple a number of pipes, cams, gearsand wires. Fortunately there were the necessary tools on board, and allthree of the lads had had considerable experience in machine work. But,even with all this, they were all day getting the two cylinders out.
"Now," announced Jerry, "it remains to be seen whether we canconnect up the other eight, and use the water-cooling system to goodadvantage," for the motor was not an air-cooled one. "We're going tohave trouble connecting the water pipes," he predicted, as he wipedthe perspiration from his face.
It had been hard work--doubly so under the broiling sun of the desert.At noon Nestor and Tod had returned, but it did not need a negativenod of Nestor's head to tell Jerry that their quest for water had beenunsuccessful. They set off again in the afternoon. Professor Snodgrasshad not come back to lunch, but there was nothing remarkable in this.Often in his search for a curious insect he had been known to go allday without food, and he never minded it.
Late that afternoon, while Ned and Bob were toiling away, helpingJerry, Bob went to the water tank, and, after taking a big drink, hethrew away what liquid remained in the glass.
"Don't do that!" exclaimed Jerry quickly.
"Why not?"
"Because we might need it. No telling how long we will be here, andwater doesn't grow on every bush." He tried to speak lightly, but Nedand Bob must have guessed what he meant, for after that it was observedthat both took very small drinks.
After a restless night spent in the airship, the professor havingreturned just before dark, the boys started in the next day to connectup the eight good cylinders. They found it a harder task than evenJerry had anticipated. All day they hammered, bored and filed metal.They made fitting after fitting, only to discover a leak, and then theyhad to do it all over again. They toiled until the perspiration oftheir hands and faces, mingling with the grease and grime, made themlook like foundrymen. But they did not give up. After several failures,Jerry remarked:
"Say, let's knock off a bit and take a walk over the desert. It willrest us, and we can work better when we come back."
"What? Walk in that broiling sun?" asked Bob, shaking some drops ofperspiration from the end of his fat nose.
"It will do you good--dry you off," declared Ned. "Come on, Jerry. I'mready."
Professor Snodgrass was again off on a hunt for the flying lizard, andthe two miners had disappeared over a little ledge of rock in search ofwater. The three boys started across the hot sands.
They found that the walk did rest their tired arms and cramped legs,and though there was nothing to see, and it was very hot, they ratherenjoyed the stroll. They went on for a mile or more, and then turnedto go back, as night was approaching and they did not want to be awayafter dark.
"There comes Tod and Nestor," remarked Bob, pointing to the figuresof the two miners, who were approaching the stalled airship from thesoutheast.
"Yes, and I s'pose the professor will be along presently. When do youthink we can start again, Jerry?" asked Ned.
"I think we'll have the motor in shape to-morrow," remarked the talllad. "I'll cut some new washers for the water pipes, and I think thatwill do away with the leaks."
The three lads soon joined Tod and Nestor, and the five proceededtoward the _Comet_. In the hot, thin air of the desert it looked to benot more than a hundred yards away, but they were still over half amile from their craft.
Suddenly Bob, who was walking a little in advance, called out:
"Did you see anything move then?"
"Move? Where?" inquired Jerry, with a laugh.
"On the airship. I'm sure I saw some one on deck."
"Maybe the professor is aboard?" suggested Ned.
"No, there he comes now," said Tod, pointing off to the left, where thescientist could be observed stalking across the sand, his net over hisshoulder, and his green specimen box dangling at his side.
"Somebody surely is on board," insisted Bob. "I saw him move again."
"That's right," agreed Nestor. "I saw something move, too, then."
They quickened their pace, and in a little while they were near enoughso
that all five could observe some shadowy form moving about on theafter deck.
"If it's a man, he's going about on all fours," said Ned.
"Perhaps it's Mr. Bell," came from Bob. "Maybe he's gone crazy from theheat."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Jerry, breaking into a run. The others followed.But when they were within a short distance of the craft they came to asudden halt.
For from the airship there now came a series of ugly snarls and roars.
"What in the world is that?" cried Bob.
There was no need to answer him, for a moment later there sprang intoview, in the background of a vivid sunset, a big mountain lion, whopaced back and forth on the forward deck. The beast was in possessionof the _Comet_.