The airship was much simpler than the big combined dirigible in which the motor boys had had many adventures, and they had often before taken it apart and put it together. When it had been shipped West the necessary tools had come with it, so now the boys had no difficulties in doing the reconstruction work.
Their workshop was under the trees, and as the weather was now settled, with little prospect of rain, they needed no shelter. Their absence each day from the ranch was easily enough accounted for—they gave out that they were looking about the country for traces of the cattle thieves, and, in a way, this was true enough. They were laying plans for the search.
Since the cattle raid the night of their arrival no more of Bob and Ned’s fathers’ stock had been run off, but there was no telling when the rustlers might again descend on Square Z ranch.
“Though as for them tenderfeet stoppin’ ’em, I wouldn’t give that!” declared Hinkee Dee, snapping his fingers in scorn.
“Well, I don’t set such a great store by the boys myself,” admitted the foreman. “But it won’t do for me to say so. Mr. Baker and Mr. Slade likely thinks their sons is all right, and maybe can do detective work of this sort, and it isn’t for me to undeceive ’em. I’ll help ’em all I can. But when some of the best cattlemen in the country can’t get trace of the rascals I don’t see how a crowd of college chaps is goin’ to. But, as I said, far be it from me to open their eyes. They’re havin’ fun out of it, and that’s what they come out for—one of the reasons, anyhow.”
“Well, maybe they’ll surprise us, some day,” ventured Gimp, and his words came true sooner than he expected, though not just as he anticipated.
“Huh!” scoffed the Parson. “Them boys’ll never catch the thieves. That bald-headed professor stands a better chance, for he roams all over the ground and he goes slow and careful. I’ve watched him and seen him look over a space not more than a yard square for more than an hour.”
“That was because he wanted to find a pink grasshopper or a blue-toed snake,” laughed the foreman.
“Well, maybe. But he’s careful like, and that’s the way you got to be when you’re trailing cattle thieves.”
“Oh, well, give the boys a chance, I say!” exclaimed Gimp.