“Then they can’t go very far!” cried Bob. “Fellows, we’ve got to get right after ’em. They’ll have to come down to feed, and that will be our chance.”
“But how can we get after ’em?” asked Jerry. “On foot? Our airship is gone, and our auto is hundreds of miles away. How are we going to do it?”
“That’s so,” agreed Bob, much downcast.
“An airship is what we need,” commented Ned, “and that’s out of the question.”
“There were plenty here a while ago,” remarked the watchman, “but they’ve been taken away since the meet. Oh, I’m so sorry I let those fellows fool me!”
“You couldn’t help it,” declared Jerry kindly. “Now it’s up to us to get busy, and make Noddy pay for the trouble he has caused us. Come on, boys. We’ll get back to the hotel, and talk it over. Something has got to be done.”
“Yes,” agreed Professor Snodgrass, “we must get to Snake Island before they do, or they may get the only two-tailed toad that is there.”
“And, naturally, they’ll get all the radium,” spoke Ned.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do anything more for you,” said Boise. “I just came out this morning, after closing the hangar up last night, to get a few things I’d left behind. My work here is done, and I’m looking for a new job. If I could help you I would.”
“I’m afraid you can’t,” replied Jerry, and, parting from Boise, they started for the trolley that would take them back to their hotel. They were sad and discouraged. After all their hard work and preparations, to be thus beaten by Noddy and his plotters! It was the worst of bad luck.