CHAPTER II
AN UNCONSCIOUS WATCHMAN
After the first moment of hesitation, the boys, including Andy Rush,stepped within the big shed. It was as if they hoped to see the _Comet_concealed somewhere in the place, but the expanse of the airshipplanes, and the immense, bulging, gas bag did not greet their eyes.
"How long ago did you come past here, Andy?" asked Jerry, recoveringsome of his usual calmness.
"Not ten minutes ago," replied the little chap. "I was on my way totown, and I thought I'd take this short cut. As soon as I came withinsight of the shed, I saw the open doors."
"And what did you do?" asked Bob.
"Looked in, to see if you were going off on a trip," replied Andy. "Ithought maybe you'd give me a ride. Then, when I saw the airship gone,and noticed that the doors were broken open, I knew something must havehappened. I hurried off to find you--saw you sitting on the grass asif nothing had happened--great excitement--airship stolen--robbers init--Noddy Nixon, maybe--airship wrecked--maybe--whoop!" and Andy endedup with a gasp, so rapid had been his utterance.
"Now just calm yourself," begged Jerry. "Tell us all you can, Andy."
"That's all I know," replied the small, excitable chap.
"The bars on the doors are broken," called Bob, as he made anexamination. "How do you s'pose that happened?"
"That's so," admitted Jerry, who had overlooked this part of Andy'saccount. "And I wonder where Sud Snuffles is? He ought to be around.He's paid enough to watch this place."
"That's right; where is Sud?" inquired Ned. "Maybe he went off in theairship with the thieves."
"Nonsense," exclaimed Jerry. "Let's look around."
The boys proceeded to make an examination of the interior of the shed.As Andy had related, it was in some confusion. Tools of various kindswere scattered about, and several boxes and chests had been brokenopen, and the contents, consisting of supplies for the craft, somecanned food stuffs and spare parts, had been taken out. A big hammernear the front doors showed how the latter had been broken open.
"Those doors were smashed from inside!" cried Ned, after a more carefulscrutiny.
"What makes you think so?" asked Jerry.
"Because the hammer's thrown down inside, and the way the bolts arebent shows that the force was from within."
"From within, eh?" murmured Jerry. "That's interesting."
"What does it indicate?" inquired Bob, who was not always so quick tosee a point as were his two chums.
"Why it shows that the robbers, whoever they were, got into this shedfrom some other entrance than the big doors," went on Jerry.
"Of course!" cried Ned. "The small door at the back! Why didn't wethink of it before? That's the way Sud Snuffles goes in and out nights.I remember he said it was too much trouble to open the big doubledoors, and Sud was never very fond of work."
"Come on; we must look for Sud, and see if the side door has beenforced," decided Jerry.
As they hurried through the big shed, to a small portal in the rear,Andy Rush remarked:
"I wonder how the thieves dare take the airship in broad daylight?Everyone around here knows it belongs to you fellows, and if NoddyNixon or anyone else was seen in it, the police would be notified. Itwas a risky thing to do!"
"Maybe it wasn't done in daylight," suggested Jerry. "I was down herelast evening, before dusk, and everything was all right, and Sud was onguard. He always stays all night. It may be that the ship was stolenlast night, and Andy was the first one to notice it this morning."
"I guess you're right," agreed Ned. "But now to find Sud, and see whatexplanation he has to make. If he has deserted his place, and gone off,we'll discharge him."
By this time the lads were at the small door. Near it was a chair and acot, on which the watchman was in the habit of sitting or lying duringthe night. Sud Snuffles had been hired by the motor boys shortly aftertheir return from their first long trip, for as the airship was ina shed, some distance away from the nearest house, they feared somemischievous persons might try to damage it. But, up to the present,there had been no trouble. Sud was an odd character, somewhatshiftless, and not much given to holding a steady position. He wasvery fond of traveling, and the night job just suited him, because hecould roam about in the daytime, when there was no necessity for beingon guard. He seemed to have a faculty of getting into all sorts oftrouble, and slipping out again with ease.
"I don't see anything of Sud," remarked Jerry, peering about.
"Then he's gone with the thieves!" decided Andy. "He's in a conspiracywith them! Helped steal the airship--gone off on a trip--he's fond oftraveling--he'd go ten thousand miles--never come back--whoop!"
"Andy, _will_ you be quiet," begged Jerry. "This may be a seriousmatter. Look around and see if you can find any traces of Sud, boys."
"He seems to have slept in the cot," observed Bob. "The clothes are allmussed up."
They began a hasty search of the rear of the shop, Andy joining in.But though they looked in several closets where tools or supplies werekept, and peered into all sorts of odd nooks and corners, there was nosign of the watchman.
"I'm afraid he has gone off," began Jerry, but, the next moment, he andthe others were startled by hearing a groan.
"What's that?" cried Bob.
"Somebody's killed!" gasped Andy, his face turning pale.
"Nonsense!" cried Jerry.
"It sounded from under the cot," observed Ned.
His words were a signal for all to rush to the little bed. Jerry liftedup the clothes that draped over the front edge, concealing a viewunderneath. As the lad raised the coverlets, there was disclosed apitiful sight.
Old Sud Snuffles, tied with numerous ropes, his head enveloped in abag, lay under the cot. He was as helpless as a baby, and, as the boyslooked at him in wonder and alarm, a stifled groan came from the bag.At the same time Jerry sniffed the air suspiciously.
"Boys!" he cried, "Sud has been drugged--chloroformed! We must bringhim to consciousness, and then, maybe, he can tell us about the theftof our airship. There's been some queer goings-on here!"