CHAPTER XIV
A RISKY CLIMB
“That race wasn’t won fair!”
“That’s right, Noddy, we’ll protest it!” This from Bill Berry, who with his crony had hurried to the office of the secretary after alighting from the Winner.
“What’s that?” asked the official, looking from Noddy to our three friends who, in response to the request, had come up to headquarters to receive the prizes they had so pluckily won.
“I say that race wasn’t won fair!” insisted the bully. “The engine of the Comet stopped and they coasted over the line. That’s not right.”
“Oh, I think it is,” replied the secretary gently. “You read the articles of agreement which you signed. They are alike for all contestants. The first machine to cross the line wins, engine or no engine.”
“Well, it’s not fair!” grumbled Noddy.
“Course it ain’t!” declared Bill. “We wouldn’t have raced if we’d known that.”
“Oh, get out!” exclaimed the operator of the Wright machine who had finished a close second to Noddy. “You make me tired. If your engine had stopped you’d have tried to win the same way. Get out! Jerry Hopkins and his chums won the race fair, and I never saw a more plucky finish! I’m proud to shake hands with you,” and he extended his palm to the tall lad.
“It gives me pleasure,” spoke the secretary, “to hand you this trophy, and the thousand dollars, and to congratulate you boys on your success,” and he passed over the gold loving cup, and a crisp thousand dollar bill.
“Speech! Speech!” came the cry from the crowd that had gathered; but Jerry, blushing furiously made his way through the press of people, followed by Ned and Bob, and sought seclusion in the hangar. But the mob was not to be denied and followed there, to gaze at the successful aviators. They insisted so on being talked to that, to get rid of them, Jerry did make a few remarks, thanking them for their appreciation, and telling something of how the race was run.
As for Noddy, like a bear with a sore head, he and Bill sulked in their tent, grumbling at the action of the officials in awarding the race to our heroes. But no one paid much attention to them. Jerry and his chums were much relieved to learn that of the two operators on the Curtiss biplane, which fell to the earth, one was only severely bruised, while the other sustained a broken arm. Their escape from death was almost miraculous.
“What was the matter with our motor that it stopped?” asked Ned, looking at the Comet which had been wheeled into the big tent.
“I don’t know, we’ll make an examination,” replied Jerry, who was gazing at the gold loving cup. “Do you know, fellows I’m prouder of this than some of the other trophies we’ve won, and we have quite a few.”
“What did you do with the thousand dollar bill?” asked Bob with a laugh.
“Oh, it’s somewhere around,” and Jerry pulled it, all crumpled up, from his trousers pocket.
“What makes you think so much of this cup?” asked Ned.
“Because we’ve won it against some of the best birdmen in the world, and against some of the speediest machines. You must remember that our craft isn’t primarily a racer. The Comet is more like a touring auto—built for pleasure, and since we put on the hydroplanes it’s considerably heavier than it was. This is the first race we’ve won since we attached them, and it goes to show that we’ve got a fine and powerful motor. That’s why I’m so proud of this cup.”
“Aren’t you going to try for the elevation prize?” inquired Bob.
“Sure, but as I said I prefer distance racing. Now we’ll look to see what the trouble was.”
“And I’ll take care of this thousand-spot,” added Ned, as he carefully put the bill in his pocketbook. “You’d use it to clean a brass pipe with, Jerry.”
It was found that a broken wire in the ignition system was responsible for the stopping of the motor, and the defect was soon remedied. While the boys were at this, a message came from the secretary, asking them if they would not oblige the big crowd by doing some special stunts late that afternoon, following the regular events. These latter included some monoplane flights, and some qualifying ascensions by men who wanted to get a pilot’s license.
“Shall we do it?” asked Jerry of his chums.
“Might as well,” replied Ned, and word to that effect was sent to the secretary.
“We ought to take the professor along if we’re going to give an exhibition,” remarked Bob a little later. “The Comet goes better with four aboard, especially when we’re doing stunts.”
“That’s right,” agreed Jerry. “I wonder where he is? I haven’t seen him since early morning.”
“Oh, he’s off after bugs, you can depend on it,” declared Ned.
They were engaged in cleaning and oiling the motor, in anticipation of the flight they were to make later in the day, when a series of shouts outside their big tent caused them to stare at each other in surprise and some apprehension.
“What’s that?” asked Ned.
“Maybe some one else is falling,” suggested Bob.
Jerry hurried out, and immediately called to his chums:
“There’s something wrong over at Noddy’s hangar. Maybe he and Bill are having a fight.”
It needed only such a mention as that to bring Ned and Bob out on the run. They looked to where Jerry pointed and saw a big throng gathering about the tent set aside for the use of Noddy and his Winner.
“Come on!” cried Ned, springing in that direction. Bob and Jerry followed, and when they got near enough they could hear shouts and calls like the following:
“He must be crazy!”
“Perhaps it’s the heat!”
“Did he fall from an aeroplane and land on his head?”
“What’s he trying to do, anyhow?”
“Give it up. Maybe he’s a snake charmer and one of his reptiles got away.”
There were screams from several women at this.
Now Jerry, Ned and Bob had pushed their way in, and, just as they half expected when they heard the remarks, they saw Professor Snodgrass on his knees at the edge of the canvas shelter. He was evidently trying to capture some bug.
“Might have known he’d create some excitement before the day was over,” remarked Bob.
Hardly had he spoken than the little scientist jumped up as if he were shot.
“Look out!” he cried. “There he goes! Don’t let him get away! Oh, there he goes on top of the tent!”
In an instant the professor had pushed his way through the crowd, and seeing a rope hanging from the top of the front pole of the hangar he began to climb up it, the frail structure swaying with his weight.
“Come back! Come back!” yelled Jerry. “That won’t hold you!” But the scientist kept on up the rope.