style="font-size:15px;"> “He needn’t be,” declared Hiram, reassuringly. “There he is now. It’s all right, Mr. Brackett,” added Hiram, advancing to meet the wealthy manufacturer. “They didn’t get Elmer, and, what’s more, they won’t get him very soon.”
Dave Dashaway led the way into the little portable house adjoining the Comet hangar where the boys slept nights. All sat down on camp stools.
“I hope this new trouble is not going to disturb your plans,” spoke Mr. Brackett.
“Not a bit of it,” replied Hiram. “Elmer is safely out of the way, and everything is arranged to keep that miscreant, Vernon, from annoying him.”
Hiram recounted all that had transpired. The cloud of uneasiness passed from the brow of the president of the Interstate Aero Company. He smiled approvingly at the keen-witted narrator.
“Elmer will take a train and go right on to an arranged rendezvous,” explained Hiram. “He will be on hand for the start, Mr. Brackett.”
“I shall start for Washington,” announced the manufacturer. “I want to see the Comet begin the big race in which I feel Dashaway and his friends will win new laurels.”
“Thank you for your confidence in us,” said the young airman. “I expect to deserve it. There’s a reason – you have given us a biplane that is a marvel.”
“Yes,” declared Hiram, enthusiastically, “there will be nothing in the field that can even begin to compare with the Comet.”
Our hero and his assistant spent some time going over the splendid piece of mechanism, after Mr. Brackett had gone away. The highest skill had been employed in the construction of the Comet. From barograph to breeches buoy it was as nearly perfect and thoroughly equipped as money and intelligence could make it.
The biplane was of original design. It had a tube mechanism and universal bearing that were entirely new in the aviation field. The arrangements for gasoline, oil and water had been the main consideration. The capacity for carrying extra weight the second. The coverings were rubberized fabric, the machine had the very newest shock absorbers, and the double-control system admitted of a manipulation that not only divided the operation work, but added to the safety of navigation.
As to the superb balancing and self-righting powers of the Comet, the boys had demonstrated these merits only the day previous. With a ripping crash the machine had entered the perimeter of a corkscrew glide. Dave found the tilt so steep there seemed no chance to come out of the spiral. Hiram, in the second seat, by a deft, quick operation of the rudder control, changed the equilibrium. Dave did the rest, and the Comet passed a hair-breadth ground swoop clean as an acrobat.
On account of the long flights necessary, probable landings in desert spots far from civilization, and the menace of supplies giving out, the Comet had been constructed of a weight, breadth and length that would admit of the utilization of a so-called ballast pit. This was located directly behind the seats. It was compactly filled at the present time, all ready for the start scheduled for a few days later. With every article cared for, and after a close calculation of the effect of dislodgment and replacement, the young aviator in command of the machine felt that he had mastered most of the details of the prospective trip around the world.
Before Mr. Brackett had left them, he had made arrangements to join them at the aero meet at Sylvan Park, near Washington. There were some final details of the journey to arrange for after they reached the aviation field. So far as their present situation was concerned, however, the Comet was all ready for the flight.
The sky was clear, the stars shone brightly and there was a gentle breeze entirely favorable to them, as, about ten o’clock the Comet was quietly rolled out of the hangar. The young airman purposely evaded any publicity as to their start on account of Elmer and his enemies. The two assistants waved them a hearty adieu, but stirred up no commotion. Within five minutes the splendid piece of mechanism was speeding on its way for a point fifty miles distant.
“At Fordham, you said,” remarked Dave, as they settled down to an even course of progress.
“Yes, just beyond the town. We all know the town, it’s right in our course – and I thought that the best place to have Elmer wait for us.”
The Comet passed over half a dozen quaint little villages. Then it followed the railroad tracks, the signal lights operating as guides. They knew Fordham, because they had made several trial spurts to and from the place. They passed its rows of street lights, slowed down, and the Comet reached terra firma inside of the town baseball grounds.
“Hello!” at once hailed them, and Elmer came forward from a seat on the bleachers, where he had been resting. “Everything all right?”
“As a trivet,” pronounced Hiram. “Been a slow wait; eh?”
“Oh, I snoozed a little,” replied Elmer; “lunched some, and had a hard time explaining my being here to a suspicious old watchman who looks after the grounds.”
“Get aboard,” directed Dave, and Elmer sank into the seat with a contented sigh.
“It’s business now, I suppose,” he remarked. “Say, fellows, it’s a big thing we hope to do; isn’t it?”
“Yes,” assented the sprightly Hiram; “and I reckon we’ll have seen some startling sights before we come this way again.”
CHAPTER IV
A MYSTERIOUS VISITOR
Dave Dashaway stood at the entrance to the hangar of the Comet at Sylvan Park. The machine had done nobly on the trial field near the Capitol city. Now it was housed among the group of competitors in the great race. The pick of the world’s best airmen was represented at this international meet, and the scene was one of activity and interest.
The airship boys were comfortably housed in the living tent just beyond the hangar. At first upon arriving it had been decided to have Elmer stay away from the field until the final start was made. This procedure was actuated by the fear that the troublesome Vernon might put in an appearance and continue to annoy and hamper the young airman. The next morning, however, Mr. Brackett arrived.
“I am here for two reasons,” he had announced. “First, I wish to see our last word in biplanes, the Comet, sail off on the race I know you are going to win. Next, I want to be on hand if that troublesome Vernon tries any more of his tricks.”
“I hardly think he will attempt to follow us this far,” was the expressed opinion of our hero. “It would cost him some money, and it would be somewhat dangerous for him to work any trumped-up charge with so many of our airmen friends around to defeat his plans.”
“There is still more than that,” remarked the airship manufacturer, in a confident way.
“What do you mean, father?” inquired his son.
“Just this,” answered Mr. Brackett, “as I left home my lawyer, who was looking up Vernon, put in my possession some documents that will enable me to baffle this wretch at every turn. I only hope he will appear. It will be to receive a final quietus, believe me.”
The big event was now only three days distant. The Comet was in perfect shape for its long flight. The boys had used prevision and judgment in all their preparations; and had not really much to do. Dave, however, was kept pretty busy with a constant stream of visitors.
