Hiram looks so anxious every little while it"s too bad he doesn"t take the bull by the horns and settle the matter once for all."
When the half-hour was up the two boys issued forth, and headed in the direction of the tobacconist"s booth, which was not a great way off.
Tubby was again feeling tired, and seemed pretty well used up.
"We"ll go home as we did last night, right after eating," suggested Rob.
"Then to-morrow we needn"t hurry around, for we"ll stay until the gates close at ten, so as to see the illumination, and the play of the electric fountains."
"That suits me first-rate, though I"ve seen all those things already, and more than once," the other told the scout leader.
A few minutes later and Tubby burst forth again.
"There"s the booth we"re aiming for, Rob," he declared; "and isn"t that our chum Andy walking up and down like a tiger in its cage? There, he sees us now, seems like, and he"s beckoning. Let"s hurry on," and Tubby actually forgot that he was tired in his eagerness to learn why the other was showing such signs of excitement.
"A note from Hiram that he left here for us, fellows," Andy hastened to say as the others reached his side; "and he wants us to chase around there hot-footed, because there"s something big on the bills."
CHAPTER XXIII.
HIRAM FACES THE MUSIC.
"Read it out, Rob, please," pleaded Tubby, with round-eyed wonder.
Thus urged, the scout leader proceeded to oblige.
"This is what he says here," he announced. ""Come around to the aviation field as soon as you possibly can. Something doing. Guess my chance is knocking at the door like opportunity that comes once to everybody, they say. Please _hurry_!
""Signed Hiram.""
"Do we go, Rob?" gasped Tubby, with intense eagerness in his whole manner.
"Without losing a single minute!" declared the other.
"Well, I should remark," added Andy. "We"ve been up to our ears interested in this affair of Hiram"s from the day we left home; and we mean to see him through his troubles to boot."
"So let"s be on the move," suggested Rob.
"That suits me," breathed Tubby. "You see, I"ve gotten over my tired feeling. There"s nothing can revive a weary scout half so quick as a chance to get in the swim. Why, I feel as fresh as a daisy, whatever that can mean."
"Well, toddle along with us then, Tubby," said Andy; "and take my advice-don"t talk so much when you"re hurrying; it"s a bad thing, because you need every bit of breath you c"n get."
Evidently Tubby realized this fact for himself, because he subsided from that moment; all they heard from him were frequent heavy sighs that accompanied his strenuous efforts to keep at their heels.
They knew the way to the aviation field, and took as direct a course as possible when aiming for that favorite portion of the grounds. There could always be found a large crowd watching the bird-men in their preparations for going aloft, and making landings after showing what their airships were capable of doing.
As a rule most of the spectators were debarred from getting too close to the aeroplanes, for many reasons; but Hiram had made himself so useful on former occasions that no one questioned his right inside the ropes. So also the other three scouts would doubtless be allowed to loiter near the starting point, where there were always a dozen or two air-pilots gathered, comparing notes and joking each other after the manner of daring adventurers, which all of them undoubtedly are, since they take their lives in their hands every time they ascend.
Hiram was waiting for them on the border of the great throng of deeply interested spectators. They saw immediately that the inventor scout was very much worked up over something or other, and naturally all of the other boys were deeply curious to know what had happened to excite him.
Hiram was evidently on the lookout for his three chums, since he beckoned them over as soon as he caught their eyes.
"Well, we"ve come!" said Tubby, breathlessly, as they lined up alongside the other.
"Now tell us what"s in the wind!" added Andy, impatiently.
"Something has happened," began Hiram, mysteriously.
"You said that in your note," grumbled Andy.
"The Company," Hiram continued, "have been waiting for me to show up, and they"re just so eager to find out what my stabilizer can do that they can"t stand for the delay any longer."
"Great governor! they don"t mean to steal your idea, I hope?" asked Tubby.
"Oh, no, I guess not!" replied the other, calmly. "You see they"ve applied it to one of their best machines to give it a try-out."
"Bully! that suits you all right!" urged Andy, enthusiastically.
"I should say yes!" declared Hiram, with a wide grin. "And if you crane your necks right now so as to rubber and look up you"ll see that same aeroplane soaring along there!"
"That monoplane you mean, don"t you, Hiram?" asked Andy, after all of them had taken a good look to where the other was pointing.
"Yep, she"s the one, and my stabilizer"s aboard," Hiram went on to tell them, with a pardonable touch of pride in his voice, though he was careful that no one else should hear him speaking.
"Have they tried it out yet, d"ye know?" inquired Tubby.
"I think the pilot"s just starting in now to see what she can do," he was told.
"Oh! Did you see him tumble then?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the fat boy, gripping Hiram"s arm nervously as he spoke.
"That was looping the loop," explained the inventor; "lots of pilots c"n do that trick nowadays; why, I"ve heard that Beachey even makes two complete turns. That bird-man up there is second only to Beachey, I"m told. Watch some more of his bold stunts; and hold your breath, Tubby, for he"ll give you lots of thrills."
"But I"ve got to breathe, don"t you see," complained the fat scout, who was already unduly red in the face from his exertions in this line.
They watched the aviator go through a number of hazardous exploits. It was doubtless generally known among the pilots a.s.sembled that he was testing some new idea, for he seemed to be closely observed by everybody within the enclosure.
Hiram could see that some of the bird-men were pleased, for they nodded their heads as they exchanged remarks. Fancy how this fact thrilled the boy, for it was _his_ invention that interested these veterans among air-pilots.
"Now I kind of guess he"s exhausted every trick he knows, and is goin" to come down," said Hiram, presently. "We"d better be gettin" inside, for I want to be as close as I can when he makes his report to the folks."
Accordingly he led his chums inside the roped enclosure. He seemed to have made good with the attendants, for they smiled and nodded to Hiram.
That Yankee "gift of gab" which Hiram possessed was very apt to get him into the good graces of those upon whom he chose to exercise it.
The scouts presently found themselves in close touch with many of the partic.i.p.ants in the exhibitions that were hourly taking place. Here were men famous in their line, from aviators to makers of machines. Here also had collected those who were interested in the future of aviation, and thinking more or less seriously of embarking in the business.
As may be expected, the talk was "shop" every minute of the time. No matter what terrible distress the war over in Europe might be causing, these enthusiasts could only think and speak of matters that were connected with the game of rivaling the birds in their flights. If they mentioned the battles that were taking place day in and day out, it was only in connection with the exploits of the aviation corps on the side of the French, the German, the British or the Belgian armies.
"See that gentleman with the white mustache, the one that looks like a Kentucky colonel, or an army officer?" whispered Hiram. "Well, that"s the head of the Golden Gate Aviation Supply Company, and the person I expect to do business with pretty soon."