CHAPTER XXII

NODDY IS TRAPPED

“Come on!” cried Ned, when the little party, having left the lawyer’s office, stood in the street. “This car goes out to the grounds.”

“We’ll do better than that,” said Jerry. “Let’s hire an auto. I wish we’d brought ours. We don’t want to lose any time. There are some autos to hire just around the corner. One will hold us all.”

“Good idea,” said the lawyer, who accompanied the boys and Mr. Glassford. Professor Snodgrass was off somewhere hunting bugs and insects.

Seated in a speedy auto, which, however, the boys declared was not as good as theirs, they were soon hurrying to the carnival grounds.

Many more tents and buildings had been erected in the last few days, as more entries were received, and the place was now one of confusion, a big throng moving about, watching the preparations for the races, which were to take place in two days.

“Go to the secretary’s office,” directed Mr. Morton. “He can tell us where Axtell’s ship is located.”

The present employer of the much-wanted Masterly had a tent at the far end of the exhibition grounds, and thither the auto was directed. Mr. Glassford was the first one to leap out, and he saw, standing at the flap of the tent, a stout man with very black hair.

“Mr. Axtell?” he asked.

“That’s my name.”

“I’m looking for an old employee of mine named Masterly, who, I understand, works for you.”

“Well, what of it? You can’t go hiring him away from me at this late day. I need him to help me to get my ship in shape. I’m going to win the long distance prize.”

“I don’t want him to come and work for me,” replied Mr. Glassford with a smile. “I merely want him to make a certain affidavit. I’m in trouble about my airship, and he is the only one who can help me out.”

“That’s different,” declared Mr. Axtell, when the matter had been explained to him. “Go in and talk to Masterly. But he has a visitor already.”

“A visitor? Who?” asked Jerry.

“I don’t know. A young fellow. Came about half an hour ago. Said he wanted to see Masterly on very important business.”

“May we go in?” asked Mr. Glassford, while a vague feeling of uneasiness seemed to come to Jerry and his chums. Who was the person now in the tent with Masterly?

“Yes--yes, go right in. I’m waiting here for a man I expect. If Masterly can be of any service to you, tell him I said he could take the rest of the day off. My ship is in pretty good shape now.”

“Thank you,” said Mr. Glassford as he passed inside, followed by the boys.

The most of the tent was occupied by a dirigible balloon, of a type that was somewhat common. The boys looked at it as they passed along, but they were too anxious to see Masterly to pay much attention to the airship.

As they advanced over the grass, which covered the ground on which the tent was erected, their footsteps making no sound, they heard talking in the rear of the big canvas shelter.

“I’ll give you two hundred dollars to leave town,” a voice was saying. “Two hundred dollars, merely for keeping quiet.”

The voice startled Jerry and his chums. They had heard it before many times. Jerry raised his hand to indicate caution, and Mr. Glassford, Ned and Bob came to a halt. They were concealed from view by the big gas bag, but they could hear plainly.

“I’m not going to do it,” they heard a voice answering the one that had spoken first. “I’m here, and I’m going to stay here. I haven’t seen Mr. Glassford, but if he wants me to----”

“Hush!” exclaimed the other. “Not so loud.”

“That’s Masterly--the one who spoke before,” said Mr. Glassford in a whisper.

“And the other is Noddy Nixon,” said Jerry. “Let’s see what he’s up to.”

They listened.

“You can’t earn two hundred dollars any easier,” went on Noddy. “All you have to do is to keep still. I’m paying you for your silence. That’s easy. When the case comes up just skip out of town, and Mr. Hoswell will be able to prove that the plans are his. That’s easy. Two hundred dollars just for not saying that the plans are Glassford’s.”

“But the plans are Mr. Glassford’s!” exclaimed Masterly. “I saw him draw them. I helped make them. That Hoswell is a faker. He is no good.”

“That’s good evidence,” whispered the lawyer to his clients. “We have caught him in the very act of bribing a witness. That’s a serious offense.”

“Then you won’t take my offer?” asked Noddy.

“No, I’ll not. Those plans are Mr. Glassford’s. I haven’t seen him in some years, and I don’t know where he is now, but if he wants my evidence he can have it. I don’t play any mean tricks like that--not for two hundred dollars.”

“I’ll make it three hundred!” said Noddy eagerly.

“No, not for three thousand! Now you clear out of here. I want to do my work. If Mr. Glassford was here I’d inform him of what you are trying to do.”

“Mr. Glassford is here!” exclaimed the owner of that name, suddenly stepping from behind the gas bag. “Masterly, I’m glad to have heard you say what you did. I do need your testimony to defeat the plans of a scoundrel whom this young man backed up with his money.”

“And I’ll be glad to help you!” cried Masterly heartily, holding out his hand to his former employer. “I thought there was something queer about this fellow wanting to buy my silence.”

“He’ll find it more than queer,” spoke the lawyer significantly. “I shall inform the court----”

But Noddy, with a quick motion, hurried from the tent, crawling under the canvas at the rear.

“Catch him!” cried Ned.

“Let him go,” advised Jerry.

“He’ll make more trouble for us,” declared Bob.

“We’ll be on the lookout,” went on Jerry. “If he tries any more of his tricks I’ll have him arrested.”

“He could be taken into custody for what he has already done,” said Mr. Morton, “but we must not waste time on him. If Mr. Masterly will come to my office I will draw up an affidavit, have him sign it, and then we will present it to the court. I have no doubt but that the injunction will then immediately be vacated, and you can resume control of your airship, Mr. Glassford.”

“And maybe we won’t be glad!” exclaimed Bob.

“Can you go with us, Mr. Masterly?” asked Jerry.

“Yes, if Mr. Axtell says so.”

“That’s all right,” put in Mr. Axtell, entering the tent. “Go ahead, Masterly. Airship captains ought to help each other out, just as sea captains do. I’m glad my man can be of service to you, Mr. Glassford.”

“Now to get rid of that injunction,” said the lawyer, as the party, accompanied by Mr. Masterly, left the tent.