CHAPTER IX
A GIANT AIRSHIP
Dave Dashaway and his friend were promptly on hand at the Aegishangar at eight o'clock that evening.
Usually the boys took their meals with Mr. King. A group of theairman's admirers, however, had insisted on a special dinner at ahotel just outside the grounds. Hiram piloted the way for Dave tothe restaurant on the field. He had worked for the man having it incharge, and the best meal possible was set out for them free ofcharge.
They found Mr. King in the little partitioned off room of the Aegishangar which he used as an office. The airman sat before a desklittered up with a variety of papers. One of these Dave noticed ashe entered, was a detailed drawing of an immense airship.
"Oh, arrived, eh?" spoke the aviator with a pleasant smile, as theboys came into view. "Glad of it. Get comfortable seats and we'llhave a little chat."
The boys settled themselves in camp chairs, Mr. King closed the doorof the apartment and sat down again. Hiram regarded him eagerly andexpectantly.
"I've got something to tell you, lads," began the airman, after abrief thoughtful pause. "This is business, and of course you willbe wise enough to treat it confidentially."
"I love to keep secrets," declared the ardent Hiram, and Dave smiledand nodded assent to the sentiment.
"I have been thinking and planning for a big event for some time,"continued Mr. King.
"As how, now?" asked Hiram, devoured with suspense.
"Well, in the first place I propose to build a giant airship."
"I know," said Hiram. "A big passenger monoplane."
"No," interrupted the aviator. "What I want is a dirigibleairship."
"Pshaw! only a balloon!" remarked Hiram disappointedly.
"Not at all," corrected the good-natured airman. "Except for theself-sustaining power, it will be constructed on the best aeroplaneprinciples. I have been working on it for some months, and onlyyesterday I got figures on the machine."
"What is it for, Mr. King?" submitted the inquisitive Hiram,"exhibitions?"
"No. It's first big feat is to cross the Atlantic."
"Cross the Atlantic Ocean!" almost gasped the excited Hiram.
"Cross the Atlantic!" repeated Dave, in a startled yet thoughtfulmanner.
He sat looking fixedly at the aviator as if fascinated. Thenovelty, the immensity of the proposition, stunned Dave.
"Can it be done?" he asked in a low, intense tone, vast dreamsrunning through his mind a lightning speed.
"According to my calculations, yes," replied Mr. King definitely."Oh, it is no new idea with me. The project has been the constantideal of every advanced airman. It has got to come to that, ifaeronautics is the progressive science we enthusiasts believe it tobe."
"I would like to be the first one to win such a triumph," said Dave.
"Yes, the first one gets the fame," said the airman. "The prize,too. If such an experiment was rationally started I believe theprofession and its backers would put up a small fortune to go to thesuccessful winner. Now, boys, I have great confidence in you. Whathas held me back has been the lack of capital."
"Say, Mr. King," broke in Hiram impetuously, "I've got nearly thirtydollars saved up, and Dave--"
"It will take bigger amounts than we three put together can earnjust to get the plans of the giant airship on paper," said Mr. King,with an indulgent smile at his loyal young friends. "If I go to anyregular aero promoters they will want all the proceeds. I can raisea few thousand dollars myself and do as much more among my friendsbut, all put together, the amount wouldn't make even a beginning."
"How much will it take, Mr. King?" asked Dave seriously.
"At least twenty-five thousand dollars."
"Whew!" whistled Hiram.
"It's no child's play. It's a big risk, and there's no doing ithalf way," declared Mr. King. "Last night while I was planning overit, a sudden idea came to me. Dashaway, you remember that fellowwho stole my watch and money and medal from you?"
"You mean the young thief who called himself Briggs, and thenGregg?"
"Exactly."
"Yes, Mr. King."
"And how he used some letters sent to your father from a greatfriend of his?"
"Mr. Dale?" nodded Dave, wondering what all this had to do with thegiant airship scheme.
"Well, as you know, that young scamp, Gregg, had gone to Mr. Dale,who had never seen you, and by means of the letters stolen from youmade him believe that he was the son of his old friend. Sodelighted was Mr. Dale, that he practically adopted young Gregg. Infact, he was on the point of making the pretended Dave Dashaway heirto all his fortune."
"You told me about that," said Dave.
"When we left Dayton to come here, we had to make a hurried jump tofill our contract, as you know. I let Gregg go, after recovering mystolen property from him, but I got a written confession of his boldimposture, first. You know my plan was for you and me to go whereMr. Dale lives, and introduce him to the real Dave Dashaway. Yousee, although I have managed to scare that old tyrant guardian ofyours, Silas Warner, into leaving you alone, I feared he might worksome trick to get you back in his clutches again."
"I've thought a good deal about that lately," said Dave.
"My plan was to have this Mr. Dale go to Brookville, show up Warner,and apply for your guardianship."
"Yes, then I would feel safe," said Dave.
"Well, Mr. Dale, having been an old balloonist, would probably notobject to your remaining in the same line of business in which yourfather was famous."
"I should think he would be pleased," remarked Hiram, who was alwaysinterested and active in any conversation going on.
"I counted on that," resumed the aviator. "At all events, not beingable to go or send Dave to Warrenton to meet this Mr. Dale, I wroteto a friend of mine who lives at Warrenton. I told him the wholestory, instructing him to inform Mr. Dale, so if this Gregg camearound again, he would be ready to treat him as an imposter. Myfriend wrote me only yesterday that Mr. Dale was off on anautomobile trip, and might not be back for a day or two. He saidthat Mr. Dale was a very lonely old bachelor. He had been delightedto take up Gregg, believing him to be the son of his old balloonistcomrade, so you would, be sure to receive a really grand welcome,Dave."
"I'm glad of that," said Dave, filled with deep gratitude as hecontrasted his present circumstances with his former forlorncondition.
"Now then, to business," continued Mr. King briskly. "I don't wantto 'work' anybody with my personal schemes, but I see a chance toput my giant airship project on its feet."
"Why," cried Dave brightly, "you mean to interest Mr. Dale?"
"That's just what I do mean," assented the aviator.
Dave rose to his feet, excited and pleased.
"Mr. King," he said earnestly, "I not only would do all I could tohave Mr. Dale join you, but I feel sure he would be glad to take aninterest in your plan."
"It's worth trying, anyway," responded the airman. "I'm going to goby rail to Warrenton to-morrow, in the hope of finding Mr. Dale athome. I shall send you to him later."
"All this isn't grand, or exciting, or anything of that sort, is it,now!" ejaculated Hiram, as Dave and he returned to the Baby Racerhangar.
"I hope Mr. King's plans come out, all right," responded Dave. "I'lldo a good deal to repay him for all he has done for me."
"And me, too," echoed Hiram. "He's a fine fellow!"
Mr. King departed on his journey the next day. Dave was not on theprogramme, so he practiced some with the hydroplane. Coming homefor dinner, he found a letter from the Interstate people.
They were cheery and optimistic over the completion of their newmodel aero-hydroplane. It had been tested and worked splendidly.The company stated that they would ship the machine to the meet atColumbus two days later.
Dave told Hiram about the machine, and the hitter was in a fever ofexpectation over its anticipated arrival.
The boys were eating their su
pper at the King hangar later in theday, when a telegraph messenger appeared.
"Message for Mr. Dave Dashaway," he said. "I'm your man," repliedDave.
He signed for the message, tore open the envelope, and glancedrapidly over the enclosure. His face clouded as he did so, for themessage was from his employers, the Interstate Aero Company, and itread:
"Cancel all dates. Come on at once. Trouble."