“Yes. It’s quite complicated, and a very necessary part of the ship. Some one has removed it.”
“Then it was Hoswell or Noddy,” declared Jerry.
“Hoswell, more likely. Young Nixon wouldn’t know how to take it off. It’s the lever Hoswell gave me an idea for, and for which I paid him well.”
“And now he’s taken it for revenge!” exclaimed Ned. “What’s to be done? We must make a new one at once.”
“Easier said than done,” replied Mr. Glassford. “That lever is quite a complicated piece of work, and it will take at least three days to construct a new one and get it in place.”
“That will be too late for us to start in the great race,” said Jerry solemnly. “Isn’t there any other plan?”
“It doesn’t look so,” replied Mr. Glassford. “The ship will not steer well without the use of the elevation rudder, and I can’t work that without the lever which Hoswell has stolen.”
“Maybe we could find him and make him give it up,” suggested Jerry. “If we could we might be able to get the ship ready in time.”
“And if we don’t, we can’t,” was Mr. Glassford’s rather dubious answer.
“Why don’t you try the railroad stations?” suggested the lawyer. “Most likely he’ll try to get out of town as soon as possible. Could he carry this lever with him?”