“Let’s watch him for a while,” suggested Bob, and his tall chum shut off the propellers, let some gas blow from the compressor into the big bag, so that the Comet floated in the air like a balloon, at some distance above the slowly-moving aeroplane of Noddy Nixon.
The bully and his crony had noticed the air-audience and, probably to show off, they increased the speed of their craft, though they did not ascend any.
“Guess they’re afraid,” remarked Ned.
Then Andy Rush did something, which, if his companions could have anticipated they would have prevented. Leaning over the side of the Comet, and directing his voice at Noddy and Bill, he loudly shouted:
“Hey, why don’t you go up? Don’t be afraid! Be sports! Come on up, the air is fine! Show us what you can do!”
Whether Noddy imagined it was one of the motor boys calling thus mockingly to him was not learned, but at any rate the bully retorted:
“Huh! afraid, are we? I’ll show you!”
There was an increase to the speed of his motor, as our friends could tell by the more rapid explosions, and the new aeroplane, boastfully named the Winner, shot upward.
“We’ll show you what we can do!” cried Bill Berry. “Go right over their heads, Noddy!”
“I will!” declared Noddy, and he pointed the nose of his craft straight at the Comet on an upward slant.