CHAPTER V.
BUYING THE "HAWK."
"An air ship's a hard thing to sell," observed Harris; "about as hard,I should say, as a white elephant. Your offer, Jameson, is the best onewe've had, so far, and I shouldn't wonder if you'd get the Hawk. Whatare you going to use her for?"
"For a pleasure craft," was the answer. "I'm a member of the A?ro Cluband I'm tired of just plain ballooning. I want to climb around throughthe air wherever I take a notion, and not wherever the winds choose tocarry me."
"You won't make any mistake buying the Hawk at three thousand," saidMatt, a disappointed look on his face. "If I had that much to spare,Mr. Jameson, you'd never get her."
"Vell, Matt," spoke up Carl, "oof you vant somepody to helup you oudtmit more money, vy----"
Just then Carl caught an expressive look shot at him by Dick. Thesailor shook his head. Carl couldn't understand why he was saying morethan he ought to, but bit off his words.
Dick felt sure that if Jameson knew there was some one else to bidover him, he would increase his bid, and run it up until it would beimpossible for Matt and Dick to consider the purchase.
Jameson was undoubtedly a man of wealth, and able to go any length ingratifying his hobby for air ships. Matt, of course, did not know whatFerral and Carl had at the back of their heads, for no mention had yetbeen made of Ferral's desire to joint Matt in the purchase of the airship.
The return to South Chicago was quickly made, the wind being behind theHawk and helping her onward. The a?ronauts descended at Brady's oldballoon house, in a swamp field in the outskirts of South Chicago. Twopolice officers were constantly on guard at the balloon house to keepanyone from tampering with the air ship.
After the craft had been safely stowed in its quarters, Matt, Carl,Ferral, Harris, and Jameson set off toward town.
Carl and Ferral were in a sorry plight and in urgent need of dryclothes and hats and shoes, but they were not thinking of their owncomfort. The danger of losing the air ship was causing them a vastamount of worry.
"I'll take you fellows to a clothing store," said Matt, as they cameinto the town, "and fix you out so you'll look respectable. Everybodyis looking at you as though you were a couple of freaks."
"Belay that--for awhile," returned Ferral. "Take us to a hotel, oranywhere else where we can have a talk."
"You can talk better if you're in dry clothes," said Matt.
"Don'd you t'ink dot for a minid," palpitated Carl, with anapprehensive look at Jameson.
The signs were plain enough to Matt that Ferral and Carl had somethingthey wanted to tell him. At the place where they left Harris to pursuehis way to police headquarters, Jameson likewise broke away.
"You'll hear from me sometime this afternoon, Harris," said Jameson,"and when I come around I'll bring a certified check for three thousandwith me."
"You'll have to deal with the chief," answered Harris, "and he's actingunder instructions from the court. I suppose your offer will take theHawk, but I can't make any promises."
"People are not falling over themselves to buy the air ship," laughedJameson, "and I guess my offer is the best one you'll ever get. See youlater."
Matt took his chums to the hotel at which he had been stopping while inSouth Chicago. As soon as Carl and Ferral got inside the hotel office,they grabbed hold of Matt and hustled him toward some chairs in acorner of the room where they could have a private talk.
"You fellows have got something on your minds," laughed Matt. "I'veseen that for quite a while. What is it?"
"How'd you like to own the Hawk yourself, mate?" asked Ferral.
"I'd like it fine," answered Matt, his gray eyes brightening. "If I hadmore money than I knew what to do with, I'd buy the Hawk just to playwith it."
"Jameson offers three thousand," went on Ferral. "If you and I offeredthirty-five hundred, and hustled the deal right through before Jamesonhad a chance to overbid us, we'd get the old flugee, eh?"
"Sure!" said Matt. "But where's the thirty-five hundred to come from?"
"Well, I've got two thousand damp dollars in this roll. If you canscrape up the other fifteen hundred, pard, we'll go halvers on the buyand own the Hawk together."
Matt started forward in his chair. No one knew how Motor Matt longedto own that air ship. Carl thought he knew, but he didn't. It was apassion with Matt, almost a mania, but he had held it under control byhis iron will.
Matt had his way to make in the world, and what little money he had inthe bank had come by hard knocks. Would it be wise to put it into sucha thing as an air ship?
"You've got a wealthy uncle, Dick," said the young motorist, "and Idon't suppose he cares a picayune what you do with your money. But it'sdifferent with me. I've got to invest what little capital I have whereit will bring returns."
"It vill pring redurns oof you pud der money in der air ship, Matt,"fluttered Carl. "You can make ascensions at shtate fairs, und a lod ooft'ings like dot."
"And maybe we can sell the Hawk, when we are through with her," put inFerral, "to the United States government for a whole lot more than wepaid for her.
"Und oof der gofermendt don'd vant der Hawk," said Carl, "den meppy youcan sell her py some feller like Chameson for more as you pay."
"Keelhaul me!" exclaimed Ferral, struck by a sudden thought. "They'reoffering all kinds of prizes now for air-ship flights. We can get intosome of them, mate, and make more money than we ever dreamed of! Come,old ship! Don't look as though you'd lost half a sovereign and found asixpence. Say the word and we'll go navigating the sky for all thereis in it. It's a first-chop game, you take it from me."
"I thought you were going to Quebec?" queried Matt, with a twinkle inhis eyes.
"That's where I was bound for, but it makes no odds how long it takesme to get to the place. Besides, when I'm ready to pull out for theRiver St. Lawrence and the gulf, why can't I sail there in the Hawk?"
Matt was thoughtful. It was not his habit to jump into any newundertaking blindly, and there was something mighty alluring about thisair-ship proposition.
"I'll have to give up my job with the Lestrange people," said he, "andthere's a future to that."
"Future?" repeated Ferral. "Aye, mate, there's a prospect that you'llgo into a smash, one of these days, and break your neck. Racing anautomobile is risky business."
"Maybe it's not so dangerous as running an air ship, at that," laughedthe young motorist.
"Vell, anyhow," said Carl, "you don'd make some collisions in a airship oxcept mit der clouds. Air ships ain'd so blendy like pubbles."
"I'll go you, Dick!" cried Matt suddenly, reaching out his hand to grabFerral's. "But," he added, "it will have to be an even thing. You putin seventeen hundred and fifty and I'll put in the same amount. Thatwill make each of us a half owner."
"Three times three and a tiger!" exulted Ferral, pulling the rollof bills out of his pocket and counting off the water-soaked notes."There's your seventeen hundred and fifty, matey," and he thrust themoney into his chum's hand; "now, slant away for the place where youpay it over, and be sure you get ahead of Jameson."
"There's plenty of time for that," answered Matt, smiling at Ferral'simpatience. "Jameson said he would happen in on the chief sometimeduring the afternoon. Why, it wasn't more than a half hour ago that weleft him."
"A whole lod oof t'ings can habben in haluf oof an hour," said Carl."Go on, bard, und finish oop der teal. I von't be easy in my mindtondil I know dot you und Ferral own der Hawk. Himmelblitzen, vat ahabbiness dot vill be. Captain Matt, oof you blease, oof der air shipHawk, sailing from eferyvere und going der same blace. Hoop-a-la! I vasso gay mit meinseluf as I don'd know. Be jeerful, be jeerful!"
With that, Carl jumped up and began a war dance around the office. Helooked like a crazy man, shoeless and hatless, and with his tow hairstanding out all over his head like an albino's.
Ferral was every whit as delighted over the prospect as was Carl.He had to do a little jubilating himself, so he got up and began ahornpipe.
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br /> "I'll get out of here," laughed Matt, starting for the door, "beforeyou fellows are pinched for escaped lunatics. If I was around, theofficers might nab me, too. Get some decent clothes while I'm away."
With that, he started for the office of the chief of police. On his wayto headquarters, he passed a bank. Just before he reached the bank, hesaw Jameson come hastily out the front door and hurry to a cab that waswaiting beside the walk.
"Police headquarters," Matt heard Jameson call to the driver of the cab.
A suspicion darted through Matt's brain. Jameson, having secured hiscertified check, was losing little time putting through his deal forthe Hawk. Had his remark about dropping in on the chief sometime duringafternoon been merely a "bluff"?
There was no other cab in sight, and several long blocks lay betweenMatt and the chief's office. Jameson was bound to reach policeheadquarters before Matt could possibly arrive there.
For a minute, Matt stood in front of the bank, racking his brains;then, as a swift counterstroke came to him, he darted across the streetto a corner drug store.