CHAPTER XX

HELD UP

The boys and their two friends reached Park Haven at noon of a very warm day, and at once went to a hotel where they had engaged rooms. They found the city well filled with visitors, and on every side was heard talk concerning balloons and aeroplanes.

Park Haven was a large city, a junction place for several railroads, and located right on the edge of a stretch of level country which made an ideal place for airship trials. Not that all the contests would be limited to an area about the city, for it was hoped that some of the machines would sail many hundreds of miles.

“Well, we’re here,” announced Jerry, after he and his friends had made themselves comfortable. “Now, the next thing is to find out when our motor ship will arrive.”

“That’s it,” put in Ned. “Let’s go to the express office and inquire.”

They found the express agent in anything but an amiable frame of mind, for so many articles were arriving, due to the holding of the carnival in the city, that he had more than he could attend to. He could give the boys no information about the _Comet_, but as it had been well packed they were not worried about it, and there was no special hurry, as the carnival would not formally open for several days.

They spent the next two days visiting scenes of interest in the city, and in going out to the carnival grounds, which were like those at Broadlands, only on a more elaborate scale.

One of the first persons they met was Morris Abernot, who greeted them with enthusiasm.

“Ah, you boys here, too,” he said. “I am glad to see that you take an interest in aeronautics.”

“We do more than take an interest in them,” said Jerry. “We have an entry.”

“No! You don’t tell me! Well, I am very glad.”

“I suppose you have your flying grasshopper here,” suggested Ned.

“Indeed I have, and it is better than ever. I did not fly very far in it before, as one of the wings broke, but I have improved it, and I expect to win a prize. Excuse me now, I must go and see about it,” and the little man hurried off.

“Every one who builds an airship seems to feel sure it will work, and that he will win a prize,” remarked Ned. “I wonder if we are too confident?”

“Well, we know ours will fly,” said Jerry. “Whether it will win a prize is another matter. I wish it would come. It’s time it arrived.”

“Let’s go and make some more inquiries,” suggested Bob.

“I don’t like to bother that agent,” said Ned. “He has so much to do that he’s as cross as one bear and another one.”

“Well, we’ve got to find out,” announced Jerry. “Come on.”

They found the agent seated at a desk, which was so thickly covered with papers that nothing could be seen of the desk itself.

“No, I don’t know anything about your airship _Comet_,” fairly snapped the agent. “There’s no use asking me. All the express and fast freight stuff is delayed. There’s a _Meteor_ missing, and a _Dog Star_, a _Cyclone_, a _North Wind_ and a _Hurricane_. All of ’em airships--or what passes for ’em. I’ll send out a tracer for yours. Come in the morning. Don’t worry. You’ll get it all right.”

“Yes, but we want to have some practice before the race,” said Jerry. “Well, do the best you can for us.”

In the morning the boys learned that their motor ship would arrive that evening, and they felt much relieved. Mr. Glassford had not become worried, but had spent his time renewing his acquaintance with balloonists and airship men, who were now thronging into Park Haven.

As for Professor Snodgrass, he was at home in any place. Give him his insect net and not interfere with him, and he asked nothing better. He roamed about the city and out at the carnival grounds, making capture after capture.

The motor ship arrived that evening and Mr. Glassford had men in readiness to transport it to the grounds. A large tent had been set aside for the use of the owners of the _Comet_, this being included in their entry fee.

“We’ll start putting it together in the morning,” said Mr. Glassford, when the last box had been brought from the railroad station. “Then we’ll have some trial trips. I hope it works as well here as it did in Cresville.”

The next few days were strenuous ones, for it was no light task to assemble the airship, though Mr. Glassford hired several men to aid him and the boys. But at length it was once more together, looking as it had under the canvas at Cresville. All that remained was to inflate the big bag, and this Mr. Glassford at once arranged to do.

“She isn’t damaged a particle,” he said as he went over the machinery inch by inch. “She’s as good as she was when we first made her. We can make a trip to-morrow. I’ll generate gas all night to-night.”

Meanwhile, exhibits were constantly arriving at the carnival grounds, and the place was beginning to assume a gala appearance, while from the explosions of motors in the various tents and buildings, as the inventors tried out their machines, it sounded as if a battle was in progress.

The boys hardly ate any breakfast the next morning, so eager were they to make another trip in their airship. They hurried down to the tent, where Mr. Glassford had remained all night, superintending the making of the gas.

“Is it all right?” asked Jerry eagerly.

“Seems to be,” was the inventor’s reply. “Are you ready to go up?”

“Whenever you are.”

A little later, with Professor Snodgrass accompanying them, they made a flight. The scientist paid no attention to the plaudits of the crowd that eagerly gathered to see one of the first ships to attempt a flight. Mr. Snodgrass had no time for such matters. He was looking eagerly for a new kind of bug.

They made a flight of about two miles, ascending to a height of several hundred feet, but to Professor Snodgrass’s great disappointment the only specimen he caught was a snapping bug, which he threw away in disgust, as he already had enough of them in his collection.

“Well, boys,” said Mr. Glassford as he prepared to descend, “I guess we’re in good shape for the race. We’ll go all over the ship to-morrow, tighten her up and stiffen her a bit, and then we’ll be ready for the word to start.”

They made a beautiful descent, right in front of their tent, and soon the _Comet_ was housed under the canvas. As Mr. Glassford, the professor and the boys were about to come away, leaving a watchman on guard, a man stepped up to Mr. Glassford, held out a paper, and asked:

“Are you Rupert Glassford?”

“That’s my name.”

“And are these boys Jerry Hopkins, Ned Slade and Bob Baker?”

“They are.”

“Then I’ve come to serve this paper on you and them,” announced the man, opening a document he carried.

“What sort of a paper is it?” asked the inventor. “We have paid our entrance fee, if that’s what you want.”

“This has nothing to do with an entrance fee. This is an injunction, issued by a court of Indiana, and is a document which prevents you, or any of these boys, from removing from the State, using, keeping possession of, or in any way having anything to do with certain property, to wit: one airship or dirigible balloon or aeroplane, known as the _Comet_. Is this it?”

“This is it,” said Mr. Glassford slowly, “but I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I mean that there’s an injunction out against you or these boys using that airship, and I’m a deputy sheriff sent to take possession of it.”

“An injunction!” cried Jerry. “Who took it out?”

“Giles Hoswell.”

“Giles Hoswell!” exclaimed Mr. Glassford. “Why, I know him!”

“Yes. He charges that this ship is built after plans designed by him, which you stole,” went on the deputy sheriff. “He has asked the courts to protect him, and they will. You can’t use this airship.”

“But he has no right to get out an injunction,” protested Mr. Glassford. “Those plans were mine. Hoswell only worked for me, and I discharged him because I found he was dishonest. He has not the slightest claim on this airship.”

“That’s a matter for the courts to settle,” declared the deputy. “All I know is that I was told to serve this injunction on you, and I’ve done it. Then I take possession here, and you can’t touch that airship without getting in contempt of court, which I wouldn’t advise you to do. You must not touch this airship. I’m in possession, and you must leave this tent!”

“Did any one else besides Hoswell appear in getting out this injunction?” asked Jerry.

“Hum, let me see,” replied the deputy, putting on his glasses and looking at the legal document. “Yes, there’s another name mentioned.”

“Whose is it?”

“Noddy Nixon. It seems he has an interest in the ship for money advanced to Hoswell.”

“That explains it!” cried Jerry. “Noddy has done this. He is backing up Hoswell. He wants to prevent us going in the race.”

“Boys, it looks as if we were held up,” said Mr. Glassford. “But don’t worry. I will at once consult a lawyer, and we will see what can be done.”

“An injunction against the airship,” murmured Professor Snodgrass, when the meaning of what had just taken place was explained to him. “This is very unpleasant. But never mind, I----”

But the professor did not finish his sentence, for he saw a new kind of fly on the shoulder of the deputy sheriff, and he made a grab for it, much to that official’s astonishment.