CHAPTER XV
A DISCLOSURE
Frank tore open the envelope, handed the messenger a tip, and quickly glanced over the enclosed note. Then he gave vent to a sharp whistle.
"Well, what is it?" cried Pep, impetuously. "Don't keep all the good news to yourself."
"Is it good news?" asked Randy.
"Of a sort, yes," admitted Frank. "It's from Mr. Bullard," he went on.
"More about—er—our friend?" asked Pep, shading off from mentioning the name just in time, for the messenger was still near the open door, out in the corridor.
"No, this concerns strictly ourselves," Frank said. "It's about a concession in the fair."
"Has he got a place for us in the Zone?" cried Pep. "Hurray! That's the ticket! I knew a way would be found out of all our trouble."
"Not so fast," cautioned Frank. "This is a note half-promising, at least, a place for a motion picture theatre at the fair, but it isn't in the Zone. It's out in one of the government buildings, and Mr. Bullard wants us to come and see it."
"I'm afraid that won't do," said Randy, shaking his head. "You know we've got to be where the largest crowds are."
"Well, it won't do any harm to take a look," proposed Frank. "You see," he went on to Albert, "we did, or tried to do, this Mr. Bullard, a government agent, a favor. He wants to repay the kindness, and he is trying to get us space at the fair. It is very good of him, for he knows what a pickle we are in. He must have pulled some wires for us, as he promised to do, to get some of the government men to consent to share their space."
"Well, perhaps we can make it do," suggested Pep. "Let's go out and take a look, anyhow."
"Yes," agreed Hank Strapp, "and it won't do any harm to tap up that director again. He may have heard something by this time."
"Well, I can't go out," said Ben Jolly. "I heard of a second-hand pipe organ that was for sale, and I want to look at it. If we do get a place we may be able to work this organ in. I'll go see what it amounts to. It might save us buying a new one."
"And I promised to call on an old mining friend of mine," said Strapp, "so you'll have to excuse me. You boys will have to decide on the place, anyhow, as you know what would, or wouldn't, do for a motion picture theatre."
"Then we four will go," suggested Pep, with a look at Albert.
"I haven't finished all the letters yet," objected the lad who had been befriended by the chums.
"There's no great hurry about them," suggested Frank. "Come along with us, and enjoy yourself."
Together the four friends started for the fair grounds. The place was becoming more and more busy each day, as the opening date came nearer. Mr. Bullard had named one of the government buildings where he would meet the boys, and thither they directed their steps.
The United States had planned to outdo all previous efforts in doing its share to make the Panama Exposition a success, and the appropriation was liberal. It was to be a sort of résumé of what Uncle Sam had done, was doing and intended to do along many lines of human endeavor, and there were scores of buildings to hold the government exhibits.
Nor had other nations neglected the opportunity to be represented. Even those who for war, or other reasons, were not as well represented by products peculiar to their special countries had done something, so that those who came to the big fair would not forget them.
Many individual states of the United States had buildings of their own, and that for New York, for which the chums felt a special fondness, was looked at in admiration as they passed it.
The government and state buildings were some distance removed from the vicinity of the Zone, and when Frank saw how far this distance was he shook his head doubtfully.
"I'm afraid it won't do, no matter how much space we can be given," he thought.
The boys had gone in at the Scott Street entrance, and had walked along the wonderful Avenue of Palms, past the Horticulture Palace to Administration Avenue, on which fronted the artificial lake and the beautiful Fine Arts Palace.
They paused for a moment to admire this, beautiful as it was, in its yet unfinished state, and then they swung along the Avenue of Nations, to the Esplanade. Along that, and along the parallel Avenue of the States, were ranged the various buildings of the political divisions from Maine to California.
"Mr. Bullard said he'd be in the Missouri building," stated Frank. "That's his native state, it seems."
"There he is now," called Pep, as he caught sight of the figure of the government man. Mr. Bullard waved to the chums.
"Glad you came," was his greeting. "This is the best I have been able to do for you, in return for what you did for me, and even now I don't know if it will suit you. Come and have a look at it."
"It is very good of you to go to all this trouble," spoke Frank, when Albert had been introduced.
"No trouble at all. I was only too glad to do it for you. But, as I say, wait and see it. I'm afraid it won't suit."
And it did not. It needed but a glance from the motion picture chums to tell them that the building Mr. Bullard had obtained for their use would never answer as a picture playhouse. In the first place, it was off to one side of the main United States government structure, near the section devoted to the live stock exhibit. True enough, this was at the end of the ground where the aviation and athletic field was located, but Frank and the others felt that there would be too much competition between the airships and their "show" to enable them to do good business, except at night, and they needed day crowds as well as those that would come after dark.
"What do you think of it?" asked Mr. Bullard, as he pointed the place out to the chums.
"It's large enough," said Randy, hopefully.
"Yes, and I can get permission for you to alter the interior in any way you like, as long as it conforms to the fire regulations," went on Mr. Bullard. "Some of my government friends were only glad enough to enable me to do you this favor in return for what you did for me."
"It certainly is very good of you," said Frank, "and we thank you very much, but I'm afraid we can't use it. Out here we would not be able to make expenses, and those new films are costing us a lot of money."
"Well, I was rather afraid there'd be a slip-up somewhere!" exclaimed Mr. Bullard. "Might have known I couldn't do you a favor when I wanted to."
"Oh, it isn't your fault!" cried Pep. "It's just conditions. The Zone is the only place for us, and we can't get there."
"No, I'm afraid I can't help you to get a place there," said Mr. Bullard. "Places in the Zone are at a premium. Well, there's no use staying here any longer."
"No," agreed Frank. "And we will have to decide, pretty soon, whether we are going to stay in San Francisco, or go back East."
"I don't want to see you have your trip for nothing," went on Mr. Bullard. "But I can't, for the life of me, think of a plan——"
"Look!" suddenly cried Randy, pointing upward. "An aeroplane!"
"So it is!" exclaimed Frank.
The boys gazed upward at the flying machine. It was that of one of the foreign "birdmen" who were to give an exhibition at the fair. He had come over early, to get a month or so of practice over the new aviation field.
"Say! That's great!" cried Pep.
"It certainly is," agreed Albert. "That's the first one I've ever seen."
This was not so in regard to the motion picture chums, for they had often witnessed airships in flight at meets, and once they had been invited guests when a celebrated aviator gave an exhibition where motion pictures of his "stunts" were taken. Afterward the boys showed the films in their various theatres.
For some little time the chums watched the man high up in the air. Suddenly the bird-like craft was seen to hover for a moment, and then dart suddenly downward.
"He's falling! He'll be killed!" cried Albert.
"No, he's only volplaning down," explained Frank.
"Oh, but look! He's upside down!" almost screamed Albert, so excited was he.
"That's only another stunt!" said Pep. "He's looping the loop. But I've seen it done better than that."
Albert marveled that anyone could speak so when such a wonderful operation was being done high in the air. But, as I have said, the motion picture chums were rather sophisticated.
Suddenly from the monoplane something white was seen to detach itself and fall.
"There he goes!" cried Albert. "He'll be killed."
"It's only a dust-bomb!" explained Frank. "He is probably going into the bomb-dropping contests, and this is his way of practicing."
A few seconds later something dropped with a thud near the boys. They all started, but only a cloud of harmless white chalk dust arose.
The bomb was made of light material, intended to burst on striking, and scatter a cloud of dust so that the aviator, high in the air, could see where his missile had dropped, and correct his mistake in distance, if he had made any.
After dropping the "bomb," and righting himself after the loop-the-loop position, the aviator sailed off and was lost to sight in the clouds.
"Well, I can't do anything more for you boys right away," said Mr. Bullard, "and I'm truly sorry. Especially as I may have to ask you to do me another favor."
"In regard to that same party?" asked Pep.
"Yes. I haven't been able to 'land' him yet. He is a slippery customer. But I'll get him yet."
"Call on us whenever you need us," said Pep. "We'll probably stay here a little longer yet; anyhow, until we exhaust every chance of getting a place. We'll do all we can for you."
"I know you will, boys, and I appreciate it."
The government man left the chums to their own devices. They strolled about for a while, vainly trying to decide what was best to do.
"I know one thing we might take a chance on," suggested Frank.
"What's that?" asked Pep.
"Getting a motion picture concern to make some films showing the work going on at the fair grounds right now. Views could be made showing the various buildings being completed, and the grounds being laid out. The Zone, too, would make fine pictures with all the odd amusement enterprises being prepared there.
"It wouldn't be taking much of a chance to have those pictures made," Pep agreed. "And if we didn't use 'em here we could in some of our theatres."
"Then I think I'll do it," Frank decided. "There is a good concern here in San Francisco, with whom we have done business before. I'll give them an order. It's worth taking a chance on."
The boys were strolling back, intending to go to their hotel. As they passed along the Avenue of Palms Albert, who was walking a little in advance, with Pep, started back, and grasped the arm of his companion.
"What's the matter—see a snake?" asked Pep, with a laugh.
"No—but look—that man!" stammered Albert "See him!" and he pointed to one sitting on a bench not far in advance.
"What about him?" asked Frank, in a curious voice.
"Why he is the man my uncle went to see in New York, and came back ruined and insane. That man was the one who petitioned to have my uncle put in the asylum!"
"You don't say so!" cried Frank. "Why, that's Royston! What's going to come of this, anyhow?"