CHAPTER IX--THE AIRSHIP INVENTOR
Morse, the inventor, made a grab for his eye-goggles. He had become ashade paler. He did not take up the goggles, however. Instead, he turnedhis back on Andy.
Our hero had a right to be startled. He stood staring and spellbound,for he had recognized the inventor in an instant. He was the handcuffedman he had poled down the river from Princeville the night of the flightfrom the Talbots, and who had given him the very watch he now carried inhis pocket with such pride and satisfaction.
The man had shaved off his full beard since Andy had first met him. Thismade him look different. It was the large, restless eyes, however, thathad betrayed his identity. Andy would know them anywhere. He at oncerealized that the inventor had sought to disguise himself. Probably,Andy reasoned, he had caught him off his guard with the goggles off hiseyes.
"What did you say 'oh, my!' for?" suddenly demanded the inventor.
"I--I thought I recognized you--I thought I knew you," said Andy.
"Do you think so now?" inquired the inventor, turning sharply faceabout.
"I certainly thought I knew you."
"And suppose you was right?"
"If you were really the person I supposed," replied Andy, "I would havedone just exactly what I promised to do when I last saw that person."
"And what was that?"
"To forget it."
"You'd keep your word, eh?"
"I generally try to."
The man's eyes seemed riveted on Andy in a peculiar way that made theboy squirm. There was something uncanny about it all. Andy experienced adecidedly disagreeable creeping sensation. The inventor was silent for amoment or two. Then he asked:
"Who sent you here?"
"I wasn't sent by any one. I just came."
"How?"
"With Mr. Parks--in his airship."
"Are you going to stay here?"
"He has hired me at ten dollars a week and board," proudly announcedAndy.
"He's a good man," said Morse. "I don't think he'd pick you out if youwere a bad boy. What time is it?"
This question was so significant that it flustered Andy. He drew out hiswatch in a blundering sort of a way, fancying that he detected the faintshadow of a smile on the face of his interlocutor.
"It's half-past seven," he reported.
"Watch keep good time?"
"Yes, sir. The man who gave it to me was the man whom I took you for."
"Good timepiece."
"Splendid."
"U-m. What's your name?"
"Andy Nelson."
"I'm going to trust you, Andy Nelson; I don't think I will have anyreason to regret it."
"I will try to deserve your confidence, Mr. Morse."
"Oh, you know my name?"
"Yes, sir. I heard Mr. Parks speak of you."
"I see--of course. I must be cautious after this, though. I had an ideathat shaving off my beard would change my appearance, but as yourecognized me, I must not be seen by outsiders without my goggles. Andy,I do not wish Mr. Parks to know anything about that handcuff affair ofmine."
"All right, sir."
"I suppose it struck you suspiciously."
"It did at first," confessed Andy. "When I came to think it over,though, I remembered that I was in trouble and acting suspiciouslymyself. I knew that I was right in my motives, and I hoped you were."
"I'll tell you something, Andy," said the inventor. "It won't be muchfor the present, but later I may tell you a good deal more. A bad crowdhave a hold on me, a certain power that has enabled them to scare me androb me at times. I am an inventor. They knew that I was getting up a newairship. They captured me and locked me up. They demanded a price for myliberty--that I would disclose my plan to them. I consented. They evenforced me to make a working model. The night before the day I intendedto complete it I made my escape, but handcuffed. You came along andhelped me on the way to freedom. After I left the barge on the creek Igot to the home of a friend, disguised myself, and came here and hiredout with Mr. Parks."
"But your invention the rascals got away from you?"
"Let them keep it," responded the inventor, "so long as they do nottrouble me again. There was a defect in the model they stole from me.Unless they are smart enough to remedy it, they may find out theyhaven't made so big a haul as they anticipate. Look here, Andy."
Mr. Morse beckoned our hero over to the work-bench and showed him adrawing.
"The work you see in the big room," he said, "is the skeleton of thismachine. I am basing great hopes on it. I want to make a record inaviation, for I believe it will be the most promising field forinventors for many years to come. If you are going to work with us, youshould know what is going on. This is my new model."
As Mr. Morse spoke, he became intent and eloquent. He lost himself inhis enthusiasm as an inventor. Andy was a ready listener, and it wasdelightful to him to explore this marvel of machines.
"What I hope to accomplish," explained Mr. Morse, "is to construct acombined steerer and balancer on one lever. I aim to make this lever notonly tilt the flyer to which it is attached on a transverse axis, butalso on a longitudinal axis. It is called a double-action horizontalrudder, and if I succeed will give instantaneous control of aflying-machine under all conditions, be it a high wind or the failing ofmotive power. I combine with it a self-righting automatic balance. It isa brand-new idea. I thought those villains I have told you about hadstolen my greatest idea, but this beats it two to one."
"Will they try to use the invention they stole from you?" inquired Andy.
"Of course they will--to their cost--if they are too rash," declared theinventor seriously. "That was a rudder idea, too."
"Tell me about it, Mr. Morse," pleaded Andy; "I am greatly interested init all."
"I am going to tell you, Andy," responded the inventor, "because Ibelieve the men who imprisoned me will try to enter the prize contest,and I want to keep track of them. I don't dare venture among themmyself, but I may ask you to seek them out and bring me some news."
"Yes, sir," said Andy.
"The head man of the crowd is an old circus man named Duske. It is agood name for him, for he is dark in looks and deed. The idea they havestolen from me is this: In place of the conventional airship rudder, Iplanned to equip the aeroplane with movable rear sections of pipe, themain sections of this pipe to extend the full length of the craft.Suction wheels at each end of the main tube force the air backwardsthrough the tube, the force of this air explosion driving the nose ofthe craft into the air when the movable section of the tube is raised,lowering it when it is pointed downwards, and providing for its lateralprogress on the same principle. Do you follow me?"
"I can almost see the machine right before my eyes, the way you tellabout it!" said Andy, with breathless enthusiasm.