“Oh, it is, eh?” asked Noddy. “Maybe you know a lot about airships?”
“I do,” replied the man quietly. “I’ve made more than a hundred balloon ascensions, and I tell you that your machine will never fly. What’s to make it go up?”
“What makes a fly go up? The wings, of course.”
“Nonsense!” exclaimed the fat man.
“I’ll show you and all the rest of these knockers!” boasted Noddy.
“Not in a thousand years, the way you’ve got it built,” cried the fat man very earnestly. “Look here; I’ll wager you a hundred dollars that you don’t fly with it.”
“I’ll take you up!” retorted Noddy, pulling a big roll of bills from his pocket. “I’m going to fly in about ten minutes.”
“That’s a go!” declared the fat person, pulling some money from his pocket in turn. “Here, will you hold this?” he asked a man next to him, and the man accepted the wager.
“I’ve made a hundred dollars easy,” commented the fleshy one to those near him. “He’ll never fly.”