“Well, it’s hard to say.”
“Do you mean he won’t come back here at all?” demanded Ned, as he felt of the documents in his pocket—documents which it was so vital that Mr. Jackson sign.
“Oh, yes, we expect him back,” was the answer. “You see the meet officially opens to-day, and Mr. Jackson has promised to give an exhibition flight. Before venturing on that, however, he said he wanted to give his machine a tryout, so he took it up this morning. We expect him back almost any time.”
“Oh, that’s different,” said Ned, with an air of relief. “I want to see him on very important business, but we can wait until he returns.”
“I understand you have quite an airship yourself,” went on the secretary. “Don’t you want to enter her?”
The boys decided that they did not care to do this, at least until after they had seen Mr. Jackson, and obtained his signature.
“Perhaps we’ll enter some of the contests then,” remarked Jerry. “That is, if we may.”
“Oh, we’d be glad to have you. In fact, if you will give an exhibition flight this morning the committee will pay you well for it. We expected to have a well-known aviator here with his biplane, but he has disappointed us, and we have nothing with which to interest the crowds until afternoon. So if you could fill in, we’d be much obliged to you.”
“Let’s do it,” urged Bob eagerly.