CHAPTER XIV
HIS FIRST AIRSHIP RIDE
HIS FIRST AIRSHIP RIDE
HIS FIRST AIRSHIP RIDE
Dave recognized the newcomer on the scene as Hiram Dobbs, his companion during his first visit to the hangars. The latter had appeared like magic through a near open doorway of the temporary restaurant building.
Hiram had said he was bigger than Jerry Dawson. He now proved that he was also stronger. He grasped the surprised bully by the arm, gave him a swing, and sent him slamming up against the side of the nearest building.
“Get out of here,” he ordered, “or I’ll run you out.”
The discomfited bully scowled frightfully at Dave’s champion. He made a move to seize a brick and hurl it. Then he changed his mind as Hiram started on a run for him.
“There’s a bully for you,” announced the country boy, stooping to pick up a little box he had placed on the ground when he ran to Dave’s rescue. “Good thing I just happened around.”
“Yes, he acted pretty vicious,” replied Dave. “He’s mad because he’s lost his place, and wants to scare me off from taking it.”
“Don’t you let him do it.”
“I won’t.”
“So you got a job with Mr. King?” questioned Hiram, his face lengthening a trifle.
“Yes,” answered Dave. “You see——”
“You’re smarter than me? yes. A blind owl could see that. And I’m right glad of it,” added Hiram heartily. “Some day I’ll hit it just as lucky. Oh, say,” and Hiram grinned drolly. “You tell Mr. King that I know what a biplane is now.”
“Do you, indeed?”
“Yes, and the difference between a pylon and aileron. And a lot of other things. And I’m going to learn a heap more,” declared Hiram confidently.
“Then you’ve begun your education already, have you?”
“The man Mr. King sent me to hired me right on the spot. There isn’t much to do here, but I’m to go with his crew to Dayton, and so all around the circuit. Six dollars a week, and keep and commission.”
“What doing?”
“Helping in the restaurant and peddling novelties. I can’t be idle, so I’m trying to start an honest penny rolling among the stragglers around the grounds,” and Hiram tapped the box under his arm.
“What have you got there?” inquired Dave.
“Souvenirs,” explained Hiram, opening the cover of the box and displaying a lot of pins and buttons bearing or stamped with miniature airships.
“You’ll do,” declared Dave heartily, “and thank you for sending that Dawson fellow about his business.”
“All right, and you look out for him. He’ll do you some mischief if he can.”
Dave went on his way with a word of good cheer to Hiram. He felt that they were bound soon to meet again, and prized the manly qualities of this new acquaintance. As he neared the hangars two automobiles flashed past him.
“Hello!” cried Dave, “in that first one is my friend Dollinger, with the camera man and his traps. Mr. Alden’s group are in the second machine.”
Dave reached Mr. King’s quarters to find the second automobile halted there. The other one, guided by Dollinger, he noticed had driven over to a clear stretch at the far end of the grounds.
“Motion pictures, of course,” thought Dave, and just then the man who had acted the Indian in the motion scene of the day previous recognized him.
“Hello,” he hailed. “You’re on time. Going to help us out to-day?”
“I don’t know. I hope so,” replied Dave, and he returned the friendly nods of the lady and others of the party.
“We’re waiting for Mr. Alden,” explained the man who had first spoken to Dave.
“I think he expects to be here soon, with Mr. King,” said Dave. Then he moved around to the part of the building where the airship was housed as he saw a man in overalls pottering about the open doors.
“Saw you with Mr. King,” said the man as Dave came up. “Going to work for him?”
“I think so,” answered Dave.
“Well, you look a likely one. Seen much of airships?”
“Almost nothing, until this morning,” replied Dave.
“Well, I’ll show you the last word in aerial construction when I introduce you to theAegis,” said the man. “Here, I’ll give you a look at the beauty.”
Dave moved as gingerly about the machine as if it were made of porcelain. His companion pointed out the main features of the splendid piece of mechanism.
Dave heaved a great sigh as he came out from the exhibition. He was fairly fascinated with what he had seen and what had been explained to him.
Mr. King and the motion picture manager came up a minute later. They talked together. Then Mr. King got into the automobile with the others.
“All oiled up and ready, Mason?” he called out to the caretaker of the hangars.
“All ready, Mr. King.”
“Then run her down to where you see that automobile. Dashaway will give you some help.”
“It seems just like a dream, all this,” ruminated Dave, as he assisted Mason in propelling the monoplane down the course.
The sky was clear, with a moderate breeze, the day cool and bright. For the time, Dave forgot all the past, and a rare golden future seemed spreading out before him.
Soon theAegiswas in place where the aviator wanted it. Dave listened with interest to the talk of the motion picture man. He soon understood that they were to take a series of pictures bringing in something of a story.
“We will work in all our interiors at our city studio,” explained the manager. “What we want to do here first, is to picture out—here it is,” and the speaker read over his scenario—“‘scene in prison yard. Convict at the rock pile.’”
“That’s me,” announced the man who had acted the hunter’s part the day before.
“Get in trim, then,” ordered the manager.
The actor went behind one of the automobiles where there was a large wardrobe trunk. In a minute or two he reappeared arrayed as the typical convict.
The camera man had produced from his properties various needed articles. When the convict was posed, he sat with a hammer in his hand breaking stones on a rock heap.
“Miss Mowbeay,” spoke the manager. “‘Veiled lady in black.’”
“All ready.”
“‘Visit of the Convict’s Wife.’”
Wher—rr—r! went the camera, and the actress advanced to where the convict was at work. A prison guard kept near her. At the end of the interview the wife secretly dropped a folded note on the stone heap.
“We are ready for you, Mr. King,” next spoke the motion picture man. “Flight of the Airship.”
“What do you want me to do?” asked Mr. King, going up to his machine.
“Oh, about five minutes thrilling stunts. Then I want you to swoop down near the convict. You drop him a rope——”
“Hold on, I don’t,” cried the aviator.
“Can’t work out our plot unless you do,” declared the motion picture man.
“Say,” inquired Mr. King with a smile, “was you ever up in a monoplane?”
“Well—no.”
“Try it once, with eye, hands and mind set on dodging a single quirk that may send you diving like an arrow, and you will understand that I can’t run my machine and drop a rope at the same time.”
“Well, the best part of the scenario is where the convict is told by the note left by his wife to look out for the rescue. As I said, you was to swoop near him, drop the rope.”
“What does the convict do then?” questioned the aviator, with an amused smile.
“He grabs the rope, up he goes, and bang! bang! go the rifles of the guards.”
“See here, Mr. Alden,” objected the airman, “do you know how long that convict would hold on to that rope?”
“He don’t hold on six feet. Just clutches it for an instant. Only enough to take the act of rising. Then we shut off the camera. We finish up his dashing against chimneys, flag poles and the clouds with a dummy in our studio.”
“I see,” nodded Mr. King, enlightened. “About dropping that rope, though, some one will have to assist me. Let one of your men go up with me.”
Just here the hunter man sneaked behind the automobile. The Indian actor got very busy donning the garb of a prison guard.
“They don’t seem to want to try it,” laughed Mr. King.
“Would I do?” asked Dave, promptly stepping forward.
“The very thing,” exclaimed the motion picture man.
“Not afraid, Dashaway?” asked Mr. King.
“Afraid? With you? I’d be the happiest boy in the world,” declared Dave.
“All right—get aboard,” directed the aviator.
“Here’s your rope,” added the motion picture man. “I’ll signal with a flag when I want you to make the swoop, Mr King.”
The airman pointed to a seat directly behind his own. Nimbly Dave clambered over the wing and gearing and began his first ride in an airship.