Jerry sat in the cabin of the Comet, staring at the fragment of paper bearing the signature of Mr. Bell. Many thoughts were in the mind of the lad. He was worried and puzzled. Clews seemed to point to a sudden departure of the former hermit from the airship. The torn letter was one of them.
“Of course,” reasoned Jerry, “Mr. Bell may have written the letter, and then, desiring to change something in it, he may have destroyed it, and written another, which he sent. But it looks as if he had hurried away from this ship.” This was true enough, for, all about, were evidences of a hasty flight. Bits of paper and string were scattered about, as if some one had packed up on short notice.
“But if Mr. Bell wrote to his son that he was coming in an airship to help rescue some people in a mysterious valley, why isn’t he on hand now?” reasoned Jerry, questioning himself. “Surely a slight accident to the Comet wouldn’t scare him. He ought to be around here, waiting for Noddy to fix it. But he isn’t. Evidently something happened just before we arrived on the scene.”
Jerry was right in this surmise, but it was not until some time afterward that he learned what had taken place, and the reason for the letter being torn up and scattered about the cabin.
Still musing on the mute evidence of the mystery, Jerry began a search for more fragments, thinking that, if he had the whole letter, he could piece it together. He was interrupted in his search by a shout from without, and he hurried out on deck. To his relief he saw Ned and Bob approaching, carrying as many packages as their arms would hold.
“Are you all right, Jerry?” called Ned, anxiously.
“All right,” responded his chum, “and I’ve made a great discovery.”
“Have you found Mr. Bell?”
“No, but something concerning him. Come aboard. Did you get the things to fix the airship?”
“Yes; everything.”
“Then come here; I’ve got news for you,” and, as his chums crowded closer, Jerry told them of finding the scraps of the mysterious letter. They eagerly scanned the fragments, making many comments on them, but agreeing, in general, with Jerry’s view.
For some time they talked over the possibilities of what might have happened, and they concluded that the thing to do was to leave for the west as soon as possible.
“We’ll make a trip over the Rockies,” declared Jerry, “and clear up this mystery. But the first thing to do, is to repair the airship.”
The bundles Bob and Ned had brought from town consisted of piano wire and bamboo poles, for strengthening the frame of the aeroplane, stout canvas for mending the torn places, some chemicals for making the gas, and other supplies. The packages were opened and the contents spread out on the deck. Then another inspection of the Comet was made to determine what to repair first. Jerry made up a sort of schedule, giving himself as well as his two chums enough work to keep them busy all that day.
It was well that the three lads had assisted Mr. Glassford in the manufacture of the airship, for now they were at no loss as to how to proceed. They knew every inch of the craft, and, if necessary, could have taken it apart and put it together again.
They worked rapidly, and were about to stop for dinner, in response to several impatient and pathetic consultations that Bob gave his watch, when, across the meadows, quite a crowd was seen approaching the stalled airship.
“Here comes a lot of curiosity seekers,” announced Ned.
“Well, we can’t help it, and we’ve got to expect it,” answered Jerry. “Make the best of it, but don’t let any of ’em come aboard. They may do some damage.”
The throng consisted, for the most part, of boys and men, though there were a few young women in it. They all gazed at the airship in open-mouthed wonder, but they showed a commendable desire to keep some distance back.
“I guess Noddy’s bluff about the gas being likely to explode, or kill people, was a good thing,” announced Ned. “It will keep them back.”
The boys made a hasty lunch, and reviewed their work of repairing the ship. The crowd grew larger and completely surrounded the stalled Comet. Toward the middle of the afternoon the throng was very dense, and some of the lads in it, becoming bold, by the fact that nothing had happened, began to run up on the deck when Jerry, Ned and Bob were off to one side.
“There’ll be trouble if we don’t look out,” said Jerry in a low voice to his chums. “Here, you get out of that!” he yelled to a daring youngster who had entered the pilot house, and was yanking on the wheels and levers.
Others in the crowd, emboldened by the feat of this lad, began to climb upon the airship, and our heroes would soon have been overwhelmed by eager, if kindly, curious investigators. The trouble, however, was speedily over, for several police officers unexpectedly arrived on the scene, and reported to Jerry. They said they had been sent out by the chief, who had instructed them to keep the crowd back.
This they at once proceeded to do, and the lads were not further hampered by the throng, but could proceed with the repair work in peace.
That night the most of it was done, and the following day, after sleeping on board the Comet, it was resumed. The crowd was larger than ever the second day, but more police were on hand and no harm resulted. Late that afternoon Jerry announced that he was ready for a trial flight.
“Are you going to put right for Cresville?” asked Bob.
“No, we’ll go up a short distance, circle around, and see how the ship behaves,” answered Jerry. “Then we’ll start for home in the morning. We’ll need a little time to stock up the cupboard, Chunky,” and the tall lad winked at Ned, while Bob blushed at this tribute to his eating powers.
“Yes, and we’ll have to arrange to have the auto taken care of,” added Ned.
“We’ll ship that home by freight,” decided Jerry.
It was soon circulated through the crowd that the airship was going to ascend, and the people crowded up so close that it was with difficulty that the boys could move about. But when Jerry, speaking loudly on purpose, told Ned and Bob to start the gas generating machine, there was a sudden movement of the big audience.
“That made ’em skedaddle!” exclaimed Ned with a laugh, though there was no danger.
In a short time the big gas bag was filled with the powerful vapor, and the airship began tugging at the guy ropes with which it was fastened to the earth. The boys looked carefully over every part, and then entered the cabin, to see that the controlling mechanism was in working order.
“I’ll steer first,” said Jerry. “Ned, you and Bob be ready to cast off the ropes when I give the word.”
The tall lad took his place in the pilot house. The indicator connected with the gas machine showed that enough vapor had been made to raise the ship without the use of the aeroplane feature. Jerry shut off the gas, and pulled the lever to get the planes and rudders in the right position.
“All ready?” he asked his chums.
“All ready,” replied Bob and Ned.
Everyone in the crowd seemed to be holding his breath.
“Cast off!” cried Jerry, and his chums released the holding ropes. Up shot the big airship, like a bird released from captivity. The crowd yelled and cheered. Up and up went the Comet. Then Jerry started the two big propellers, and the craft darted forward. Sending it up about a thousand feet, Jerry guided the ship about in a series of evolutions, designed to test the various planes and rudders. To his delight, it answered the helm perfectly. Noddy’s possession of the ship had, seemingly, not permanently harmed it any. Back and forth, around in circles and through figure eights, went the Comet, while the crowd below looked up in wonder.
“I guess it’s all right,” announced Jerry, after about an hour’s test. “We’ll go down, now.”
“Down she goes!” cried Bob.
So perfectly was the airship under control that Jerry landed it in almost exactly the same spot from where he had arisen. There was applause from the crowd at this feat of steersmanship.
There were only a few more adjustments to make before the Comet would be ready for the long trip to Cresville, and from there she would be sent over the Rocky Mountains.
The crowd lingered until dark, and then dispersed. Jerry went into town, and arranged to have the auto shipped home, and also paid a visit to the chief of police, thanking him for the services of himself and his men. Then Jerry went back to where his chums were on the airship.
In the morning, before a curious crowd had time to assemble, the motor boys had started the engines of the Comet, and were soon up amid the clouds, heading straight for Cresville.
“And the biggest part of our journey is still to come,” observed Ned, gazing down toward the earth.
“Yes, and the most mysterious,” spoke Bob, but neither he nor his chums knew how many wonderful things were before them.