CHAPTER XXI.THE PHANTOM AIRSHIP.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE PHANTOM AIRSHIP.
In the midst of the hum and excitement and the crossfire of questions which immediately followed, there occurred a startling interruption. From the further side of the grounds there arose a cry, which swelled in volume as it advanced.
“Fire! One of the hangars is on fire!”
The group immediately broke up and orders and commands flew thick and fast. In the midst of the excitement Roy and his chums found an opportunity to slip away.
“There’s the fire. Off by our hangar!” shouted Hal Homer, pointing across the field.
By the side of the Prescott’s green aero shed a big cloud of smoke was ascending, mingled with yellow flames. It seemed to be a hot blaze.
“It’s Fanning Harding’s hangar!” cried Roysuddenly; “come on, let’s go over and see what the matter is.”
“I’ve got the car right here,” said Jimsy. “I’ll get you over in a jiffy.”
Soon they were speeding across the field toward the blaze. In the meantime an emergency fire corps, composed of men employed on the grounds, had attached a line of hose to a hydrant and were drenching the flames. Such good work did they do that it was not long before they had the fire under control.
As soon as it was out our party, which had managed to get through the lines formed to keep back the curious, gazed into the ruins with some interest.
“Why, say!” cried Jimsy suddenly, “the place was empty.”
“So it was!” cried Roy in astonished tones, “except for that big box kite over in the corner there. Whatever kind of a game of bluff has Fanning Harding been playing?”
“I guess I can imagine it,” struck in HalHomer. “From what you have told me his little game was to bluff you into thinking he had a fine airship that could beat yours, and in that way induce you to sell out to him.”
“By George, I never thought of that!” exclaimed Roy, “but—hullo, here comes Peggy in the farmer’s wagon!”
He ran through the crowd to the side of the wagon, which had been driven in by Farmer Ingalls.
“You dear, dear boy, I’ve heard all about it already,” cried Peggy, throwing her white arms about Roy’s neck, while Miss Prescott, whom they had picked up at the hotel, sat by, hardly knowing whether to laugh or to cry, as she expressed it later.
I am not going to describe that reunion by the side of Fanning Harding’s burned hangar, but each reader can imagine for herself what a joyous one it was.
“I know a place in town where they sell the bulliest sodas and sundaes,” cried Jimsy suddenly.“Everybody come up there in the car and we’ll celebrate!”
“In one moment, Jimsy,” said Roy. “There’s one thing still I don’t understand about this whole business, and that is this. It is clear enough that Fanning Harding was bluffing about having an aeroplane in that shed, but how was it that he made a night ascent with red and green lanterns?”
“Oh, you mean the time you saw him in the air at night, the time we went to Washington?” asked Jimsy.
“That’s it. How do you account for it?”
“Give it up,” rejoined the other lad.
“Perhaps this may help to explain it.”
Hal Homer came up carrying two much scorched lanterns he had found in the debris of the hangar. One was red, the other was green.
“I don’t quite see,” said Peggy, but Hal, with an apology interrupted her.
“It’s plain as day to me,” he said; “these two lanterns attached to that big box kite on a breezynight would certainly give any one the impression that an aeroplane was sailing about. Harding knew you would be flying home in that vicinity on that night and rigged up this contrivance to delude you.”
“A phantom airship!” cried Peggy.
“That’s about the size of it,” put in the slangy Jimsy, “and I think that friend Homer here has hit on the correct solution.”
“But if that were so, why did Fanning fit up a shop out at Gid Gibbons’s place?” asked Jess in a puzzled tone.
“I guess that shop had no more in it than this hangar,” was Roy’s reply. “Gid Gibbons is a bad character who would do anything for money, and I think it likely that he fell in with Harding’s schemes because he had no great liking for any of us.”
“Looks that way,” agreed Jimsy.
“But that doesn’t explain that ruby which Hester was wearing,” thought Peggy to herself as the laughing party of young folks drove offup the town, followed by Farmer Ingalls and his good wife, who had been invited to take part in the little celebration of their triumph. Here and there they were recognized and cheered, but among the crowds on the sidewalks all discussing the thrilling race, there were three that took no part in the good-natured jubilation. Who these were we can guess.
Jukes Dade at Fanning’s side had to listen to some savage abuse as they slunk along, avoiding as far as possible the crowds.
“I told you to burn up the hangar so that there would be no trace left of the bluff we had been putting up,” he growled.
“Well, didn’t I soak the place with gasolene,” protested Dade; “how was I to know a kid would come along and give the alarm before it got fairly alight?”
“It’s been a dismal failure all the way through,” lamented Harding, as if he had been engaged on some praiseworthy enterprise.
“Incidentally,” purred Jukes Dade, but witha menace under his silky tones, “I’d like to see some of that money you’ve been promising me all along.”
“You’ll have to wait till I see my father,” snapped out Fanning savagely.
“Well, see him quick then, or I may have to take other means of getting it,” snarled Dade.
“What do you mean?”
“Why, by telling a few things I know. About the loss of a certain lady’s jewels, for instance.”
Fanning went white as ashes.
“You sneak! You’ve been listening at keyholes!” he cried.
Dade returned him look for look defiantly.
“Well, what if I have?” he snarled. “I’ve got a hold on you now, Master Harding. I’ve got you where I want you and I’m going to keep you there.”