“Say, has anybody seen my ruler?”
“Hand over that hammer, will you, Bob?”
“Look out there, Jerry, or that piece of scantling will be down on your head!”
“Give me a hand here, somebody, I can’t shift this exhaust pipe all alone.”
“Hey! Don’t put your foot through those hydroplanes, Ned. Do you want to break ’em?”
These were only a few of the expressions, commands, entreaties and warnings that could be heard coming from the big barn, back of the home of Jerry Hopkins, where, a few days after the arrival of our heroes from their trip to Durham, they began work at rebuilding the Comet. They had decided on making several minor changes to their motor-ship, in addition to equipping it for work on the water, and they found the task a little harder than anticipated.
But they succeeded in getting the help of Mr. Glassford, who had originally planned the Comet, and such assistance did he give, together with that of some trained mechanics whom he hired, that it seemed possible to make at least a trial trip in about another week.
“And then we’ll sail for the balloon and aeroplane meet at Danforth,” remarked Jerry, pausing in the work of building the hydroplanes, for that was his special feature, and he wanted to have them just right.
“I only hope Mr. Jackson stays there until we arrive,” spoke Ned. “He’s so queer that he may leave at any time, and then we’ll have another chase after him.”
“Oh, he’ll stay until the races start at least, I think, fellows,” said Bob. “You know the secretary of the meet wrote us that Mr. Jackson was going to try for a prize in his new dirigible balloon, and he won’t go away without making a flight. The meet is delayed in opening, you know, and I think we have plenty of time.”