“That’s a great machine!”
“Sort of cross between a dirigible and an aeroplane.”
“Wonder where they came from?”
“Say, how much speed can you make?”
“How high can you go?”
These were some of the comments and questions that greeted our friends as they alighted from their craft. They answered them as well as they could, and, having anchored the Comet, for there was some gas in the bag, that tended to raise her, they made their way through the press of people.
“Where shall we go?” asked Bob.
“To the office of the secretary, or some of the officials of the meet,” answered Ned. “I want to inquire about Mr. Jackson. I hope I have those papers safe, that dad wants him to sign.”
He quickly felt in his pockets, assured himself that the valuable documents were there, and kept on with his companions. Professor Snodgrass brought up in the rear, with his small butterfly net over his shoulder, and an empty specimen box in his hand, ready for whatever he might see in the way of insects.
Meanwhile Bob, Ned and Jerry were making their way to where they had been told were the offices of the company that had arranged the balloon meet. As the boys walked along they asked several men they met whether Mr. Jackson had arrived, but they could obtain no information. Either the persons were foreigners who had come to do stunts in their aeroplanes, and could not understand or speak much English, or else they had heard nothing of the man whom the merchant’s son was so anxious to meet.