CHAPTER XV

THE MOTOR SHIP SAILS

Though Jerry had told Professor Snodgrass that the _Comet_ would have a trial flight in about three days, it was not until five had passed that all was in readiness. Almost at the last moment Mr. Glassford decided on changes which took some time to make.

However, the professor was in no hurry, if the boys were. He was a guest at Jerry’s house, and his time was fully occupied in catching strange insects, or getting new specimens of old ones. For the professor was employed by a prominent museum to gather materials for exhibit and for experimental purposes. His latest exploit had been to accompany the boys on their trip to California, where he went in search of a horned toad, which he captured after considerable trouble.

“Well, professor, are you all ready for a flight through the air?” asked Jerry one evening.

“I think so. Why?”

“We are scheduled to make our first trial trip to-morrow. That is, if Mr. Glassford doesn’t find something else that needs changing. I suppose you’ll be on hand?”

“Oh, yes. I have had a new style of net made, with a very long handle, to enable me to reach out and capture any curious insects I may see in the upper regions. How high do you think you will go; two or three miles?”

“Mercy, Jerry, I hope you don’t go as high as that!” exclaimed Mrs. Hopkins, who was listening to the talk.

“Don’t worry, mother. We’re not likely to go more than a few hundred feet in the trial.”

“Oh, Jerry, I wish I had never consented to this. I am afraid something will happen.”

“Don’t be alarmed, Mrs. Hopkins,” said Uriah Snodgrass. “There is really little danger with such a competent person as Mr. Glassford managing matters. It is practically impossible for the balloon to fall, with its gas bag and the planes in addition. That is a very novel combination.”

“But they may get caught in the upper air, and not be able to get down.”

“Then all we’d have to do would be to let out a little gas, mother. Oh, we have all emergencies provided for.”

“I’m sure I hope so,” murmured Jerry’s mother. “I shall be nervous until I hear that the ascent is safely made.”

“Well, you’ll know by this time to-morrow,” said Jerry. “Now I think I’ll go to bed. I want to get up early, for there’ll probably be something unexpected to do at the last minute. How about you, professor?”

“I think I shall stay up a while yet. I want to get a new specimen of a lightning-bug I noticed in the garden. It was a rare kind, and I almost had one when a mosquito bit me and I had to let the lightning-bug go. But I shall catch it. I will be with you in the morning.”

Jerry once more reassured his mother that there was no danger in what he and his chums were about to undertake, and then he retired.

There was a big crowd about the tent early the next morning, for news had spread that the _Comet_ was to be “launched,” if that is the proper term for floating an airship. Probably “floated” would be better.

“Well, is everything in good shape?” asked Jerry of Mr. Glassford, as he greeted the inventor in the canvas shelter.

“I think so. The motor seems to work perfectly. That was my greatest anxiety. I will now proceed to generate the gas necessary to completely fill the bag. I suppose all three of you boys are coming along?”

“Of course; and so is Professor Snodgrass.”

“That will make a nice party, and we will not have to carry so much ballast. Just go over all the cords, see that none are tangled, and test the wire stays and the braces. We don’t want any accident to happen.”

The boys were a trifle nervous, now that the time was at hand for the great test. Would the airship rise? Would she sail through the upper atmosphere--or come down like a stone?

The big gas bag seemed to promise that at least they would go up, but whether they could advance, and whether the _Comet_ would allow herself to be directed in response to the influences of her propellers and the rudders was another matter. Mr. Glassford was busy at the gas-generating machine. The long, cigar-shaped bag began to distend more and more. The frame of the ship quivered as the lifting power of the gas began to make itself felt. But for the weight of many bags of sand, attached to the lower part of the car, it might have risen right in the tent.

“Oh, it’ll go up, all right,” declared Bob earnestly.

“That’s what it will!” exclaimed Andy Rush. “Gee, but I wish I was going!”

“Perhaps next time, Andy,” spoke Jerry kindly to the little fellow. “It’s too much of a risk yet.”

Mr. Glassford hurried about, looking at the various parts. He seemed as nervous as did the boys. Outside could be heard the murmur of a vast throng.

“Well, I guess we may as well take it out of the tent,” remarked the inventor at length, as he shut off the supply of gas and closed the valves. “Open the tent, men.”

A number of helpers had been engaged, and these now busied themselves opening the whole front of the tent, which was so arranged that the airship could be easily taken out.

“Here they come!” yelled a score of voices as the blunt nose of the _Comet_ was seen emerging from the tent. The lifting power of the gas was so great that even with all the ballast on, and men holding the motor ship down, it evinced a tendency to sail aloft.

“I guess we’ll go up, all right,” murmured Mr. Glassford, a hopeful look coming into his face. “Get ready, boys. Keep the crowd back, men. I don’t want any one to get hurt.”

The ship was now completely out of the tent. On all sides were heard murmurs of admiration.

“She’s a dandy!” was the general opinion of the boys in the crowd, while the men could be heard speaking words of praise.

“Them motor boys do beat the Dutch!” exclaimed an old resident. “When they had them there motor cycles I thought that was about as fur as they’d go, but land o’ Goshen, look at ’em now! About t’ sail in th’ air like eagles! Well, well, it’s a great age!”

“That’s a hot airship!” exclaimed Noddy Nixon to Jack Pender, one of his old-time cronies. “I’ll bet it won’t go up.”

Little Andy Rush heard what the bully said.

“You wait and see,” he said. “It’ll beat your tin fly all to pieces.”

“You mind your business,” retorted Noddy, but he could not conceal his envy at the fine motor ship which the boys possessed. He disliked them more than ever.

“You wait here,” Andy heard Noddy say in a low voice to Jack. “If that thing gets up in the air, maybe I can make it come down again. Wait for me.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Jack in a whisper.

“You wait,” was all Noddy replied. “I’ll get even with ’em.”

“I guess I’ll keep my eye on you, Noddy Nixon,” said Andy to himself. “You’ll bear watching.”

By this time the airship had been taken to a place whence it was decided to make the ascent. The crowd was finally induced to stand far enough back so that the men could get it in position. Mr. Glassford went all around it, looking for possible flaws. He seemed to find none.

“Get in, boys,” he said in a low voice.

Jerry, Ned and Bob, with rather queer feelings, entered the car hanging from the _Comet_. The car was just off the ground, but by the way the big gas bag was tugging it would evidently shoot skyward as soon as the score of men holding it released their grip and some of the ballast was cast off.

“Now you, professor,” called the inventor, and Uriah Snodgrass took his place in the main cabin.

Mr. Glassford climbed into the operating tower. He tested various wheels and levers. Then he gave a glance over the whole ship. There was a moment’s silence, while those in the crowd looked anxiously on. Were they to see success or failure?

“Let go!” cried Mr. Glassford suddenly.

The men released their holds and leaped back. An assistant pulled on a cord which released the necessary number of ballast bags.

Up into the air, like a frightened bird, shot the _Comet_. Up and up she went, while to the boys and the professor it seemed as if the earth, the crowd and all below them, suddenly dropped away. To them it was as if they were standing still and the earth was receding.

“There she goes!” cried the crowd, as if there was any doubt of it.

Up and up went the _Comet_, until it was five hundred feet above the ground. Then it seemed to come to a stop, for Mr. Glassford had so regulated the supply of gas and the weight that no great height would be attained.

Suddenly the stillness all about the ship was broken by the rattling exhaust as the motor started. The big propellers began to revolve, whirling around like streaks of light. Faster and faster they went.

“We’re moving! We’re moving!” cried Jerry, looking from a side window in the cabin down toward the earth.

“I thought we would,” replied Mr. Glassford quietly.

He began to steer the ship. There was scarcely any wind, and the _Comet_ moved from right to left at will. The inventor went around in a circle, and cut a figure eight above the heads of the crowd. Then he descended a little by tilting the elevation rudder, and when some cried out in fear that he was dropping upon their heads, he shifted a lever, and the balloon aeroplane shot upward again. It seemed to be under perfect control.

All at once, above the rattle of the motor was heard another sound. The cabin windows were open, and Jerry heard something whizz past his ear with a curious, singing tone.

“What’s that?” cried Professor Snodgrass, who had not said a word since they started, seeming to take it all as a matter of course. “Is that a new kind of mosquito? I must catch it. Where is my net?”

“It sounded more like a bullet,” said Ned.

“That’s what it was,” declared Jerry. “A bullet or a shot. Some one is firing at us!”

He looked down. There seemed to be some commotion in the crowd. They could hear shouting.

Then came another of those curious, whining, whizzing sounds. Jerry leaped to his feet.

“They’re shooting at us, Mr. Glassford!” he cried.

At that moment the motor stopped, and the airship began to descend rapidly.