Dave laughed carelessly and got away from the hangar. A daring idea had come into his mind. Perhaps Grimshaw suspected it, and Dave was afraid he might. The lad knew that the eccentric old fellow liked him, and would try to dissuade him from any exploit of unusual peril.
"I"ll do it, I"ll have to do it or let the company lose out,"
breathed Dave, as once outside he broke into a run across the aviation field.
Dave found Hiram winding the alarm clock as he re-entered the half shed, half canvas house where the Baby Racer was stored. Although they got their meals at Mr. King"s headquarters, the boys had two light cots and slept near to the machine which Dave had been exhibiting.
Dave glanced at the clock, and Hiram noticing the look, said:
"Eleven thirty, Dave. I"ve set the alarm clock for five thirty.
You know that new hydroplane will probably come in on an early freight. What"s the programme?"
"Well, Hiram," responded Dave, throwing off his coat and hat, "I"m going to dress up for a ride."
"Eh?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Hiram, staring hard at the set resolute face of his comrade.
"Yes, I"ve got to get to Kewaukee."
"Oh, you mean going by train?"
"No. Last one left an hour ago. Next one nine o clock to-morrow morning."
"Automobile, then?"
"On the country mud roads we"ve been having for the last week?"
"That"s so. Then--"
"It"s the airship route or nothing, Hiram," said Dave. "I"m going in the biplane."
"The Baby Racer?"
"Yes."
"On such a night as this! Why, Dave," began Hiram, almost in alarm.
"Don"t say a word," interrupted Dave with a preemptory wave of his hand. "I"ve made up my mind, and that ends it."
"It usually does," said Hiram. "If you"re bound to do it, though, Dave--"
"I certainly am."
"Ask Mr. Grimshaw"s advice, first."
"Not for worlds."
"Why not?"
"I think he would try to stop me. See here, Hiram, I"ve thought it all over. I know it"s a hard, rough night, but I also know what the Baby Racer can do."
"It"s a pretty bad night to do any fooling in the air," remarked Hiram.
"There won"t be much fooling about it, Hiram. I know the chances and, I shan"t look for any fun. It is a bad night, I know, but the wind is right, and I can head straight into it in reaching Kewaukee."
"How far away is Kewaukee, Dave?"
"Ninety-five miles."
Dave, while he talked, had been putting on his regular aviator"s suit. As he finished up with a helmet, he noticed Hiram changing his coat for a sweater.
"What are you up to, Hiram," he inquired quickly.
"Getting ready, of course."
"Getting ready for what?"
"The trip to Kewaukee."
"Oh, you think you"re going?"
"If you are," retorted Hiram, "I know I am. Now, see here, Dave,"
continued Hiram, waving a silencing finger as Dave was about to speak, "I know I"m not an aviator like you, and never will be. All the same, I am some good in an airship, if it"s only to act as ballast. The other day when I was up with you in the Racer, you.
said I shifted the elevator just in time to save a smash up. In a storm like the one to-night, you my need me worse than ever.
Anyhow, Dave Dashaway, I won"t let you go alone."
The young airman looked at his loyal, earnest friend with pleasure and pride. Hiram was only a crude country boy. He had, however, shown diamond in the rough, and Dave appreciated the fact.
Hiram had made several ground runs in an aeroplane. He had gone up in the Baby Racer twice with Dave, and had proven himself a model pa.s.senger. As he had just hinted, too, he had been familiar enough with the mechanism of the biplane to operate some of its auxiliary machinery so as to avert an accident.
"You are the best company in the world, Hiram," said Dave, "but I wouldn"t feel right in letting you take the risk of a hazardous run."
"Dave, I won"t let you go alone," persisted Hiram.
Dave said nothing in reply. He went outside, and Hiram followed him. They unlocked the door of the shed adjoining where the Baby Racer was housed, and lit two lanterns.
"Get a couple of the nearest field men, Hiram," directed Dave, "and I will have everything in order by the time you get back."
There was not much for Dave to do. Only the noon of that day they had got the little biplane ready for a cross country spurt. Then the rain came on, and they decided to defer the dash till the weather was more propitious. Dave was looking over the machinery, when a gruff hail startled him.
"h.e.l.lo!" challenged old Grimshaw, appearing at the open doorway of the hangar. "What you up to, Dashaway?"
Dave flushed guiltily. He was dreadfully embarra.s.sed to be "caught in the act" as it were, by his great friend, the old airman.
"Why--you see, Mr. Grimshaw--" stammered Dave.
"Yes, of course I see," retorted the old man firmly. "You"re going to start out a night like this."
"I"ve got to, Mr. Grimshaw," declared Dave desperately.
"Business, eh?"