had come to a short stop and was stooping over in the road.
“My foot kicked something,” explained Dave, groping about. “Why, I wonder what this is?”
“What?” put in Ned curiously.
“It’s a bundle of some kind.”
“Why, yes,” added Ned, peering sharply at the object in Dave’s hand. “It looks like a rolled-up sweater.”
“Some one must have dropped it from a wagon,” said Dave. “There’s something else here than a sweater, though.”
“Let’s have a look at it,” suggested Ned eagerly.
“Hold on,” said Dave, as his comrade reached out to unroll the wadded-up bundle. “It’s too dark to make out anything plain.”
The moon had not yet come up, and on that tree-lined road it was pretty dark. Dave moved up to the wagon. Under the front seat was an oil lantern, and he secured this and lighted it.
“Why, I should say there was something else besides a sweater!” exclaimed Ned excitedly, as Dave unrolled the garment on the seat cushion.
“Yes, there’s a pocket book,” said Dave.
“Open it – let’s see what’s in it,” suggested Ned.
“A watch,” spoke Dave.
“And some money. Why, this is a big find, Dave! Wonder who lost it? And look, there’s a medal – a gold medal.”
Dave took this up and inspected it closely. His fingers trembled with excitement as he did so, for the pretty bauble suggested the theme nearest and dearest to his heart.
The main plate of the medal was chased with the outline of an airship. Pendant from this by two tiny gold chains was a little strip of metal, and on this was inscribed the words: “Presented to Robert A. King by the C. A. A. First Endurance Prize.”
“Why, I know where this came from!” cried Dave suddenly.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“It fell out of that airship that just went over us. It was this bundle that hit the horse and made him run away.”
“Why – why – ” stammered Ned in great excitement. “Do you think so?”
“I am sure of it. That name there, too – ‘King’. I read about him being down at the meet at Fairfield in a paper yesterday, and ‘C. A. A.’ means Central Aero Association.”
“Is there much money, Dave?” questioned Ned.
“About fifty dollars.”
“What are you going to do with it?”
“Return it to the owner.”
“Of course, but how are you going to get it to him?”
“I’ll find a way,” replied Dave thoughtfully. “He will be pretty glad to get back that medal.”
“I should think so, too.”
Dave carefully replaced the pocket book in the sweater, rolled it up, and stowed it in the corner of the seat space. Then he took up the lines and started up Dobbin, both he and Ned walking along beside the wagon.
Ned had been dazzled with the sight of the valuable contents of the sweater bundle, and could talk of nothing else. Dave let him talk, and did not say much. He had the broken wagon and a thought of the way that mishap would stir up his guardian on his mind, and it was not a very pleasant thing to think about. At the same time, Dave had a vague glimmering idea that events were framing up that brought him in closer touch all the time with aeronautics.
“Say, Dave, I’ll go home with you if you like,” suggested Ned, as they neared the Towner place.
“Thank you, Ned, but I don’t think you had better.”
“I could help you put up the horse and all that, you know.”
“No,” responded Dave definitely. “There’s a storm to face, and I might just as well face it alone and have it over with.”
“Tell me what you decide to do about getting that stuff back to the airship man, won’t you?”
“I certainly shall.”
“I wish you could arrange to take it to this Mr. King yourself, Dave,” went on Ned. “He would be sure to appreciate it, and help you get an insight into the doings down at the aero meet in which you are so interested. Well, see you to-morrow! Good night!”
“Good night, Ned,” responded Dave, and started on his lonely way. He wondered how his guardian would take his late coming and the broken wagon. As the rail supporting the broken wheel clattered over the rutty road leading into the yard, Dave drew Dobbin to a halt and stared up wonderingly at the one side window of the barn loft.
There Dave saw a light, or rather the receding radiance of a light, as if some person was just descending the stairs with a lantern. It was a very unusual circumstance for anybody to visit the loft except himself. He had always used it as a work room, the grain and hay being stored in a shed built onto the stable. The next moment Mr. Warner came out from the barn.
He carried a lantern in one hand. In the other was a big sledge hammer. The old man looked ugly, excited and was out of breath. The moment he caught sight of Dave he hurried forward, dropping the hammer.
“Aha! so you’ve got home at last, have you?” he snarled.
“Yes, sir. I’m afraid I am a little late,” said Dave.
“A little late – a little late!” snarled the old man. “You’re two hours behind time. Now then, I want to know what this means?”
“I was delayed in finding Mr. Swain at the warehouse,” explained Dave, “but I don’t make that an excuse. There were some airships going over the town. Everybody was looking at them, and I couldn’t help doing it myself.”
“Airships!” shouted Warner. “Well, there’s one airship, as you call ’em, that won’t fill your head with nonsense any more.”
“What do you mean?” inquired Dave anxiously.
“I mean that I won’t stand you loitering and wasting my time any more,” declared Dave’s guardian. “I mean that I’ve settled one end of your nonsense. I’ve smashed that crazy model of yours, and if I hear any more of this airship rot, I’ll give you the trouncing of your life.”
“You’ve – smashed – my – model!” gasped Dave, in unspeakable amazement and dismay.
“Yes, I have. What about it?” challenged the irate old tyrant.
“You dared to – ” began Dave, his face on fire, and he felt as if he could no longer control himself. Then fortunately at just that moment there was a diversion. His guardian’s eye chanced to fall upon the dismantled wagon with one wheel gone and the box supported by the dragging fence rail.
With
