CHAPTER V

NODDY’S PLOT DEVELOPS

There was a moment of silence following Bob’s announcement. Then Jerry remarked:

“Well, go ahead, Chunky, and let’s see what you’ve got up your sleeve. Are you going to suggest a wireless airship ride, or a motorless auto?”

“Neither one,” said Bob. “But I was going to say I didn’t see why we couldn’t go in our motor boat as far as Pittsburg, pick up the auto there, when it’s finished, go on in that to Denver, get the airship and then keep on to Snake Island. I think----”

“Say, that’s all to the ice cream!” burst out Ned. “Bob, you have got a head on your shoulders after all. That’s a fine idea, I think.”

“So do I,” agreed Jerry. “But can we go all the way to Pittsburg by water?”

“Sure,” declared Bob. “Where’s a map? Ned, hunt up a geography.” One was soon found and then the boys, bending over it, saw that by using the river that flowed past their town for a number of miles, getting into a little lake, and thence into another river, they could, by means of a small canal get into a small river flowing into the Alleghany.

“We’d have to have the boat carted about five miles, but all the rest of the way we can go by water,” explained Bob. “As soon as we hit the Alleghany we’ll be all right. What do you say, Professor?”

“Anything you boys decide on will suit me,” answered the scientist, who was still busy making notes. “I want to get that two-tailed toad, and I’ll do anything in reason to secure a specimen. It strikes me that Bob’s plan is a good one.”

“It won’t be monotonous, at any rate,” commented Ned. “A motor boat, an auto and an aeroplane and dirigible balloon combined, ought to furnish a variety of travel that would suit almost any one. I think it’s just the cheese, myself.”

“Then we’ll do it,” decided Jerry. “I’ll write to Mr. Glassford, and the auto firm right away, and we can mail the letters on our way home, Bob. I’ve got to be going soon. I told mother I’d go calling with her this afternoon, but I’ve been here nearly all day.”

The letters were soon written, and then Jerry and Bob taking leave of Ned, started for their homes. Professor Snodgrass also sent word of the prospective trip to the college authorities by whom he was engaged. The scientist arranged to stay at Ned’s house until the time of starting.

“Let’s go have a look at the broken dam,” proposed Bob when Jerry had dropped the letters in the box. Accordingly they went a short distance out of their way, down to the river. The excitement of the morning had passed, and there was only a small crowd watching the mill men at work. The waters had now subsided, but it would be some time before the dam would be in shape to again hold back the stream, and provide power for the turbine.

“It was a hot time while it lasted,” remarked Jerry.

“It sure was,” agreed his chum. “I wonder how Noddy is getting on?”

“Oh, all right, I guess. He’s so tough it takes a good deal to hurt him. I suppose we’ll hear from his folks.”

The motor boys did, a few days later, Mr. Nixon sending Bob, Ned and Jerry a formal note of thanks for what they had done for his son. Noddy was getting on all right, his father said, and would soon be out of bed. From Noddy himself no word came.

“I don’t wish him any bad luck,” spoke Ned, “but I hope he stays in bed a couple of weeks.”

“Why?” asked Jerry.

“So he won’t have a chance to interfere with us. I’d like to get started on our radium trip before he’s up and nosing around.”

“Why, he doesn’t even know we’re thinking of it,” put in Bob. “How can he interfere?”

“Well, somehow or other, he has always, more or less, made trouble for us whenever we go off on trips,” went on Ned. “I don’t know how it is, but it generally happens. Maybe this will be an exception.”

“How soon before we can start?” asked Bob.

“Not for a couple of weeks,” replied Jerry. “School closes a week from to-day, and then it will take us a week to get ready after that. We haven’t much time now, on account of examinations. I’ve got to do some hard studying to pass.”

“So have I,” admitted Bob. “Well, then, we’ll say in a couple of weeks. Maybe Noddy won’t be around by then, and we’ll be all right. Did you hear from Mr. Glassford, Jerry?”

“Yes, and he says he’ll have the _Comet_ all ready for us. He won’t be there himself, as he has to come east, but he’s paid a man to take charge of the motorship for us. The auto will be ready in two weeks, also, for I had a letter from the factory where they’re repairing it. I wrote to ’em to make a few changes in it, to bring it up to date. Our motor boat, the _Dartaway_, needs a little overhauling, and then that will be in shape.”

Following the smashing of the original _Dartaway_ in the freight wreck, the boys had bought a much larger and finer craft, with a cabin, and had named it after their first boat.

Their auto I have described in previous books. It was a large touring car, with plenty of room for the passengers and also compartments where food and supplies could be carried, and also a small tent with folding cots, so that in case they desired they could camp out wherever night overtook them. Recently a closed body had been put on the car, so that it was very comfortable to travel in, even during a storm.

The motorship _Comet_ I have also described in other books, so I will only mention it briefly here. It was a combination of an aeroplane and dirigible balloon, and could be used as either or both.

The gas used in the bag was manufactured on board, as needed, and there was a comfortable cabin, sleeping berths and an engine room, fairly filled with motors, dynamos, air pumps, a gas generator and many other mechanical contrivances. The motorship could be kept aloft a number of days, and plenty of food and supplies could be carried, in addition to several passengers. It was an ideal craft of the air.

In the days that followed the motor boys were kept busy. When they were not “boning” away over their lessons they were getting the _Dartaway_ in readiness for the trip. Professor Snodgrass remained as the guest of Mr. Slade, and the scientist spent most of his time wandering about the woods and fields looking for rare bugs.

“I’m just as anxious to start as you boys are,” he said to them one day, when he had paid a visit to the dock where the boat was tied up, and where Bob, Ned and Jerry were cleaning the engine, and overhauling the mechanism.

“Well, it won’t be long now,” remarked Jerry. “To-morrow ends school, and then--for the best vacation we ever had!”

“And the radium fortune!” added Bob.

“Hush!” suddenly exclaimed the tall lad.

“What’s the matter? Did you see Noddy Nixon?”

“No, but there’s his crony, Bill Berry, in that boat,” and Jerry nodded toward a rowing craft which a shabbily dressed man was propelling up stream. “He’s pretending to be fishing,” went on Jerry in a low voice, “but I believe he’s just spying around here to see what we’re up to.”

“That’s so,” admitted Bob. “I must keep quiet. But I’m glad it wasn’t Noddy. I guess he isn’t out of bed yet,” and the boys kept on with their work, the professor strolling off to see if he could get any specimens, while Bill Berry rowed around a bend of the river, and so out of sight.

But Bob was mistaken about Noddy not being out of bed. That bully had gotten up for the first time that day, and, even while our heroes were talking of him, he was sitting in the parlor of his father’s house, trying to evolve in his mind a plan for learning more about the radium, said to be located on Snake Island.

“I’ll need some one to help me,” mused Noddy. “I can take Bill Berry, of course, but I need some scientific fellow who will know radium when he sees it, for I don’t, and Bill certainly couldn’t tell it from a lump of coal. I wonder what I can do?”

At that moment the door bell rang, and, as the servant happened to be out, Noddy answered it. He saw, standing on the steps, a tall, lank man, whom the word “sleek” seemed to describe better than any other. The caller wore a long black coat, a flowing black tie, and had a tall hat, while he carried a small valise in his hand.

“Ah, good afternoon,” began the stranger, smiling at Noddy. “I believe I am speaking to the owner of the house?”

“No, my father owns it,” replied Noddy, not a little proud of being taken for the head of the home. “But I can do any business, I guess. I often help my father. His name is Nixon--I’m Noddy Nixon.”

“Oh, yes, I have heard of you. Your father is known to me by reputation, and I have called to see him, as I have in the case of a number of the most prominent men in town. But I fear I will have to see Mr. Nixon personally.”

“Won’t I do?” asked Noddy. “I know a lot about my father’s affairs.”

“Well, I’ll tell you, and you can judge for yourself,” went on the man, as he entered the parlor and sat down. “I am Dr. Kirk Belgrade, head of the Mortaby Scientific School, a very important institution of learning. I am traveling about, seeking to enlarge the scope of our work, and, naturally I came to Mr. Nixon. I understand that he was one of the endowers of a number of colleges, and I thought perhaps he would give us a contribution. We confer degrees on those who aid us financially, and there are a number of scholarships available. Perhaps you yourself might be interested in taking up a new line of study.”

“I don’t know,” replied Noddy. “I go to a boarding school now, but it isn’t very good. I might change. Where is your school?”

“Well--er--that is--well, to be frank we have no fixed place or headquarters,” said Dr. Belgrade. “The Mortaby Scientific School is a sort of correspondence institution. Our pupils are located all over the world, and they get their lessons by mail, and also recite by mail. There is a good profit in it, and I’m sure if your father invested he would get a large return for his money. Some of the other prominent men in town have given me encouragement.”

“Did you go to Mr. Slade, or Mr. Baker--or to Mrs. Hopkins--she’s a rich widow?” asked Jerry.

“I did call on Mr. Slade and Mr. Baker, but I regret to say that they--er--they turned me down,” replied the educator with an oily smile. “They said they did not believe in my methods. But I assure you that they are most up to date. I will call on Mrs. Hopkins, at your suggestion, however.”

“Better not,” advised Noddy with a grin. “She and the Slades and Bakers are all alike. They don’t want anything new. I know ’em. But maybe my father would invest. He’ll soon be home, and you can wait if you like.”

“Very well, I will. I’ll show you some of our literature. I am one of the principal instructors. In fact I may say that I am the whole school, for all the other instructors come to me for advice. Just to show you how up to date we are, I will mention that we have a small laboratory----”

“Oh, say,” interrupted Noddy eagerly. “Do you happen to know anything about radium?”

“Radium?” replied the visitor. “Of course I do--a great deal. Why, to show you how advanced my college course is, let me say that we have a small quantity of radium for experimental purposes.”

“You have!” exclaimed the bully, with increased eagerness. “The real article?”

“Radium, I do assure you, the genuine article,” said Dr. Belgrade. “I do not care to state just how I came into possession of it, but it is in our laboratory.”

“But I thought you said you had no school building,” said Noddy, suspiciously.

“Well, the laboratory is in my house, next to the bath room,” explained the instructor. “It is not a very large laboratory, but I hope to extend it soon. I need money, and I hope----”

“Radium!” interrupted Noddy. “Radium is worth money; isn’t it?”

“I should say it was, Mr. Nixon.”

“Would you like to know where to get some?”

“Would I? I would give up my present plans, turn my students over to an assistant, and travel a long way if I knew where to find some. Why do you ask?” and the man looked eagerly at Noddy.

“Do you know radium when you see it?” asked the bully.

“Indeed I do. I have made a special study of it, and I can detect it in any form. I am not boasting when I say that there are few who are any better informed about radium than I am. But what do you mean? Is it possible that you have some radium?”

“I haven’t it,” said Noddy in a low voice, “but I know where there is some. I’m glad you happened to call. I’ll tell you all about it, and maybe we can go together.” Noddy got up and closed the parlor door, shutting himself in the room with the sleek educator. Next he quickly unfolded to him the plot he had formed, after having overheard what our heroes had said about Snake Island.

“Is it possible!” gasped Dr. Belgrade, when Noddy had finished. “Is it possible!”

“It must be, or those fellows wouldn’t plan to go after it,” replied Noddy. “But I’m going to get ahead of them, if you’ll help me. Will you?”

“Will I? Well, I guess I will! Now let’s make some plans. With your father to finance our expedition, we may all become millionaires!” and the head of the correspondence college rubbed his hands together and smiled at Noddy encouragingly.