CHAPTER XIV
BUILDING THE AIRSHIP
Fortunately the waterbottles had been well saddled on the burro, and itcarried them safely to the top of the mountain, in spite of its wildflight from the lion. Everything now being ready, the troop of Scoutsreturned to where the luncheon had been spread and sat around and ate.Of course the lion was the chief subject of conversation at the dinner.Mr. and Mrs. Turman both declared they were surprised at its appearance,as they had not heard of any of its kind in that part of the country forseveral years. Naturally, too, the statement of Mrs. Turman that she hadseen a moving object that might have been a man on top of Flatheaddirected some interest toward that mountain.
"It seemed to be walking erect like a man," she said in reply to furtherquestions; "but it might 'ave been the painter. I couldn't make surewhat it was. I wish I'd had a pair of glasses like some of you boyshave."
"I've heard it said that there's some cliff-dwellers' houses over onthat mountain," volunteered Uncle Sam. "I don't know where the storycame from, for there's nobody around here now that's ever been up there.I don't see how anybody could climb that mountain."
"Let's examine it with our glasses," suggested Byron, who had a pairslung over his shoulder.
Half a dozen binoculars were quickly unslung, and the holders were soonsearching the singular upheaval of stones and earth more than a mile tothe east.
"I see something that looks like some houses right in the side of themountain," announced Byron.
"Oh, yes, there are some cliff houses," replied Mr. Turman. "There's abig hollow place right in the side of the mountain about thirty feet up.There's a regular cliff there, and you can see where pieces of wood weredriven in to make a ladder to climb up."
"Is that so?" Dr. Byrd exclaimed in surprise. "I never knew that."
"Yes; there's no road or trail along that side of the mountain andhardly anybody ever goes near it."
"Well! This is a surprise to me," declared the doctor. "I thought I knewthis country pretty thoroughly, but it seems that a very importantfeature has escaped me."
Mr. Frankland and Mr. Porter knew just as little, and the faculty of theschool at once decided that a trip of investigation should be made inthe near future.
A search of the plateau, or mesa, on Flathead, with the aid of theglasses, produced little result of special interest. The doctorexpressed considerable surprise on finding it so large. There was apatch of timber on the farther half, while the nearer half was made upof several hills and ravines and a few rocky elevations and bluffs.
"I'd give a good deal to get up there and examine that mesa," said Dr.Byrd. "We might find something interesting. There's a glittering spotnear the middle that looks as if it might be water shining in thesunlight."
"I know how we can get up there," Hal announced with sudden eagerness.Everybody turned toward him.
"How?" asked Pickles.
"In Mr. Miles' airship when it's finished."
"That's a brilliant idea," laughed the doctor. "Well, Hal, if anybodybesides Mr. Miles himself makes that trip, you ought to be allowed to."
"Can I?" Kenyon asked eagerly.
"No, of course not. I was only joking. Really, I'd like to see you allmake the trip, but you know it's out of the question."
Three hours were spent by the Scout company on the top of the mountain.They visited the shafts that had been sunk by the aged miner and heardhim tell of how wealthy he might have become had it not been for peoplewho schemed against him. They traveled over every foot of the woodedpeak, making note of curious formations and conditions and gaining muchinformation.
Then they set out on their return, making the descent a little to thewest of their ascent. During all their stay on the mountain and theirreturn to Lakefarm they kept a keen lookout for the panther, but sawnothing of it.
"When Mr. Miles gets well and his new airship is finished, maybe he'llhunt the mountain lion like an eagle," suggested Hal to several of theboys on the way down.
"My! wouldn't it be great if we could go with him," said Lee Huff withexplosive enthusiasm.
"If they don't chain me to the earth, I don't see how I'll keep fromrunning off with the airship," said Frank Bowler.
"Yes, you'd do wonders, you would," Pickles sniffed.
"He'd likely turn acrobat and tumble into the canyon," Hal suggested.
"Then he'd he stuck up on Flathead for another mummy," chuckledFerdinand.
"Aw! close your face or I'll clip you one," Frank snapped, a littleprovoked. He was forgetting his voluntary promise not to make any moresuch rash threats. If Dr. Byrd had heard this threat, doubtless Badwould have been reminded of his resolution.
They arrived at the school without further incident, and next day theaviator listened to a chorus of stories of their experiences on themountain.
When the suggestion was repeated that he hunt the mountain lion in hisnew airship as soon as it was finished, Mr. Miles replied:
"That's a good idea and I promise you I'll follow it."
But the sportsmen of the town were not content to sit idly by and waitfor an injured stranger to recover, build an aeroplane, and carry offsuch rare game, together with all honors. No sooner did they hear of thepresence of a puma in the neighborhood than hunting parties began toform and to scour the mountains in search of the big cat.
Several days went by but the results were uniformly unsatisfactory, forno trace of the puma was discovered. The boys of the school desired totake part in the search, but Dr. Byrd would not grant permission. He didnot regard it safe for so many boys to be at large in the mountains withguns, and no guns were kept at the school. They would have been glad totake part in the hunt with clubs and bows and arrows, for they wereskilled in the use of the latter, but the doctor did not take kindly tothis suggestion either.
Meanwhile the parts of the new airship arrived at the school. They werecarefully crated and were conveyed over the government road from thenearest railroad station in two wagons. It was a day of much excitementwhen they arrived, interest in the mountain lion being almost entirelyeclipsed.
Then the work of putting together the parts of the novel aeroplanebegan. Perhaps forty-four boys never before worked so industriously.There was little use of expecting them to do much of anything elseduring the period and consequently Dr. Byrd wisely suspended temporarilythe ordinary routine of the school. The institution was transformed intoan airship factory for several days, the work progressing slowly inorder that a thorough study of aviation might be made along with themechanical construction.
Finally the task was completed, and a temporary hangar was put up at onecorner of the campus. In fact this structure was the last, or finishingshop of the factory, for it was here that the final preparations forflying were made.
Mr. Miles was able to walk with the leg that had been broken, but hestill used a crutch, and did little but superintend the job. One morningthe new air vessel was wheeled out of the hangar and onto the campus,and as the forty-four Boy Scouts circled around and gazed upon theresult of their work, a ringing cheer of triumph awoke the echoes of thedistant hills.
"Fly, Mr. Miles, fly!" yelled one youthful enthusiast.
"Not yet," replied the convalescent aviator. "Wait until these bonesmend good and solid, and then I'll soar around those mountains like aneagle. I'll explore Flathead and I'll find the mountain lion too, if hehasn't left this part of the country."