CHAPTER XXII
NODDY IS TRAPPED
"Come on!" cried Ned, when the little party, having left the lawyer'soffice, 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 wishwe'd brought ours. We don't want to lose any time. There are some autosto 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 andinsects.
Seated in a speedy auto, which, however, the boys declared was not asgood as theirs, they were soon hurrying to the carnival grounds.
Many more tents and buildings had been erected in the last few days, asmore entries were received, and the place was now one of confusion, abig throng moving about, watching the preparations for the races, whichwere to take place in two days.
"Go to the secretary's office," directed Mr. Morton. "He can tell uswhere Axtell's ship is located."
The present employer of the much-wanted Masterly had a tent at the farend of the exhibition grounds, and thither the auto was directed. Mr.Glassford was the first one to leap out, and he saw, standing at theflap 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, Iunderstand, works for you."
"Well, what of it? You can't go hiring him away from me at this lateday. I need him to help me to get my ship in shape. I'm going to winthe long distance prize."
"I don't want him to come and work for me," replied Mr. Glassford witha smile. "I merely want him to make a certain affidavit. I'm in troubleabout my airship, and he is the only one who can help me out."
"That's different," declared Mr. Axtell, when the matter had beenexplained to him. "Go in and talk to Masterly. But he has a visitoralready."
"A visitor? Who?" asked Jerry.
"I don't know. A young fellow. Came about half an hour ago. Said hewanted to see Masterly on very important business."
"May we go in?" asked Mr. Glassford, while a vague feeling ofuneasiness seemed to come to Jerry and his chums. Who was the personnow in the tent with Masterly?
"Yes--yes, go right in. I'm waiting here for a man I expect. IfMasterly can be of any service to you, tell him I said he could takethe rest of the day off. My ship is in pretty good shape now."
"Thank you," said Mr. Glassford as he passed inside, followed by theboys.
The most of the tent was occupied by a dirigible balloon, of a typethat 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 theairship.
As they advanced over the grass, which covered the ground on which thetent was erected, their footsteps making no sound, they heard talkingin 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 manytimes. Jerry raised his hand to indicate caution, and Mr. Glassford,Ned and Bob came to a halt. They were concealed from view by the biggas bag, but they could hear plainly.
"I'm not going to do it," they heard a voice answering the one that hadspoken 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 awhisper.
"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. "Allyou 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. Twohundred dollars just for not saying that the plans are Glassford's."
"But the plans are Mr. Glassford's!" exclaimed Masterly. "I saw himdraw 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 havecaught him in the very act of bribing a witness. That's a seriousoffense."
"Then you won't take my offer?" asked Noddy.
"No, I'll not. Those plans are Mr. Glassford's. I haven't seen himin some years, and I don't know where he is now, but if he wants myevidence he can have it. I don't play any mean tricks like that--notfor 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 mywork. If Mr. Glassford was here I'd inform him of what you are tryingto do."
"Mr. Glassford is here!" exclaimed the owner of that name, suddenlystepping from behind the gas bag. "Masterly, I'm glad to have heard yousay what you did. I do need your testimony to defeat the plans of ascoundrel whom this young man backed up with his money."
"And I'll be glad to help you!" cried Masterly heartily, holding outhis hand to his former employer. "I thought there was something queerabout this fellow wanting to buy my silence."
"He'll find it more than queer," spoke the lawyer significantly. "Ishall inform the court----"
But Noddy, with a quick motion, hurried from the tent, crawling underthe 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 histricks 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 cometo my office I will draw up an affidavit, have him sign it, and then wewill present it to the court. I have no doubt but that the injunctionwill then immediately be vacated, and you can resume control of yourairship, 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 seacaptains 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.