CHAPTER I
THE COMET
“I wish Dave Dashaway would hurry up here,” said Hiram Dobbs, who wasfor the time being in charge of the biplane, the _Comet_.
“What’s your great anxiety, Hiram?” questioned Elmer Brackett, recliningcomfortably in one of the spacious seats behind the pilot post of themachine.
“Do you know that fellow with the long frock coat over yonder—the onewho looks like some cheap sharp lawyer? There,” added Hiram, pointing ata group near a hangar, “he’s talking now with that fat, porpoise-lookingman with gold braid on his cap and a badge on his coat.”
“I see them,” nodded young Brackett. “Never saw either before that I canremember. What of them?”
“Just this,” replied the young airman, quite seriously. “That lawyerfellow has been rustling around like a hen on a hot griddle for the lastten minutes. He seemed to be waiting for someone. Then I saw that manwith the light fuzzy hat, and a moustache and glasses, come in a greathurry up to him, and direct his attention to the airship here. Just nowthe same fellow pointed it out to that constable—policeman—or whateverhe is.”
“I declare!” exclaimed Elmer, with a start, sitting up and takingnotice. “Why, I know the man with the fuzzy hat.”
“You do?”
“I am sure of it, Hiram. He is disguised, but I certainly recognize him.That fellow is my enemy,” and the speaker shifted around in his seat,greatly disturbed. “Do you remember that fellow Vernon?”
“I should say so, and I suspected it to be just that individual allalong,” explained Hiram. “He’s made all of us trouble enough not to beforgotten.”
“I wish Dave would come,” said Elmer, anxiously. “It would be a terriblething if, after all my hopes and preparations, something should come upto prevent my going with you on the great airship trip around theworld.”
Elmer Brackett spoke very earnestly. He might well do so. When hereferred to an exploit that sounded like the scheme of some visionary,his words had a tangible and sensible business basis.
His companion was pretty nearly a professional airman, and Elmer himselfknew a great deal about aircraft. His father was practically the ownerof the Interstate Aero Company. The person they were now awaiting, DaveDashaway, was a youth who had won fame and fortune in the aviationfield.
Young as Dave was, this expert had pretty nearly reached the top as aprofessional airman. Those who have been introduced to him in the firstbook of the present series, named “Dave Dashaway, the Young Aviator,”will recall with interest his first struggles to earn recognition and aliving in a line to which he was naturally adapted. Dave Dashaway’sfather had been a scientific balloonist, and when Dave met the oldaviator, Robert King, he found a man who was glad to help him on in hisambition to succeed as a sky sailor.
Dave steadily and earnestly studied aeronautics as if he was learning atrade. In the second volume of this series, entitled “Dave Dashaway andHis Hydroplane,” the energetic young airman won marked distinction at anaero meet by his monoplane and hydroplane work. His ability won theattention of a friend and former professional associate of his father,and the latter agreed to finance the most stupendous aerial propositionever attempted.
The result has been told in the preceding volume of this series called,“Dave Dashaway and His Giant Airship.” The remarkable adventures of Daveand his friends while sailing the mammoth airship, the _Albatross_,across the Atlantic Ocean have there been narrated. After the giantairship had started on its extraordinary trip, a stowaway had beendiscovered—Elmer Brackett.
It seemed that the lad had gotten into bad company. His father was richand he had plenty of money, which he spent very foolishly. He had formedthe acquaintance of a clever schemer named Vernon. This man had soenmeshed Elmer in his toils, that he made the boy believe that he couldsend him to prison, and ruin his father’s business. All this was untrue,but in sheer desperation, believing he had wrecked all his chances inlife, the frightened lad had secretly stolen aboard of the _Albatross_.In a very heroic way he had saved the crew of the giant airship fromcapture by some mountain outlaws in North Carolina, where the_Albatross_ had descended for repairs. This had made him a welcomecomrade to Dave and Hiram. When the former returned to the UnitedStates, victor in the great race across the Atlantic and the possessorof a small fortune in prize money, his first task was to hunt up theschemer, Vernon. Dave gave the rascal to understand that if he annoyedElmer any further, he would find himself in serious trouble.
For all that Dave Dashaway and the powerful friends he had made did,however, Vernon was slow to abandon his hope of fleecing his victim outof more money. He tried to blackmail Mr. Brackett, and even brought asuit against the wealthy manufacturer on some notes he had induced theson to sign under false pretences. To get rid of him, Mr. Brackett hadfinally given Vernon a sum of money to cease his annoying persecutions.Then Vernon had disappeared, and Dave had supposed that he was “off themap” for good.
Elmer had acted like a new being since coming under the healthyinfluence of the brisk, high-minded young airman, Dave Dashaway, and hisardent assistant, Hiram Dobbs. For the first time in his life, the zestof adventure and the ambition to make something of himself had actedlike a spur on the young fellow.
For over a month our hero, Dave, and his two loyal comrades had led anexistence of delight. The young airman had become greatly interested inan exploit in which he had been invited to take part. The National AeroAssociation had arranged for a wonderful novelty and a test in theaviation field. This was nothing less than an aeroplane race around theworld.
The route had been marked out, the prizes announced and the rules of thecontest adopted. Nearly half a score of contestants had registered. Inthe official list there had been published a line or two that theadventurous Hiram read proudly a dozen times a day: “Entrant VI—thebiplane _Comet_, pilot Dave Dashaway.”
An aero meet was now in progress near the city of Washington, which wasto be the starting point of the great race. Dave and his youngassistants had fairly lived at the plant of the Interstate Aero Company.Every facility of the great factory had been placed at the command ofDave. The result had been the construction of the _Comet_, probably themost perfect and splendid aircraft ever built.
There was a permanent aero practice field near the factory, and on theafternoon when our story opens the _Comet_ was ready to make its dailytrial flight. With the morrow, entirely equipped and its crew aboard,the model biplane was to sail across the country for Washington, to beon hand for the start of the race around the world a few days following.
Other skycraft were in practice or motion about the field. Hiram andElmer had gotten their machine in order for a non-stop flight of onehundred miles. They were waiting for the arrival of Dave, when Hirammade the discovery that upon the very eve of their grand and stimulatingstar exploit, an old enemy had suddenly appeared upon the scene.
Hiram Dobbs bent a keen, suspicious glance at the three men whom he hadpointed out to his comrade. A worried look came into Elmer’s face as he,too, watched them.
“Yes,” said the latter in an uneasy tone, but convincedly, “one of thosemen is Vernon.”
“And the others are a lawyer and an officer of the law,” added Hiram.“There’s something afoot, Elmer. I guess what it is and—I’ll fool them.”
“The constable is coming this way!” exclaimed Elmer, apprehensively.
“He won’t get here quick enough,” declared Hiram. “I see through theirtricks—Vernon is bent on having you arrested on some flimsy charge. Thescoundrel counts on the belief that your father will pay him more moneyrather than see the _Comet_ delayed for the race. We’ll disappoint him.”
The speaker shot out his hand to the wheel. His foot was ready todepress the self-starter button.
“All clear?” he called to the field man who stood close by, and thelatter nodded and waved his hand.
“The constable is running towards us,?
?? said Elmer rapidly.
Chug! chug! The _Comet_ rose from the ground. Elmer Brackett uttered agreat sigh of relief. Hiram chuckled softly to himself.
“Hold on! I’ve got a warrant! In the name of the law—ugh!”
The _Comet_ gave a great sway. Its pilot dared not relax attention tohis duties, but he shot a swift glance at the source of the outcry.
“The mischief!” uttered Hiram, in surprise and concern.
The big bulky constable was clinging to the machine body, his feetdangling, his face white and scared-looking, swaying helplessly exceptfor his frantic hand-hold fifty feet above the ground!