[CHAPTER VIII]
HOME IN THE AIRSHIP
Jerry sat in the cabin of the Comet, staring at the fragment of paper bearing the signature of Mr. Bell. Many thoughts were in the mind of the lad. He was worried and puzzled. Clews seemed to point to a sudden departure of the former hermit from the airship. The torn letter was one of them.
“Of course,” reasoned Jerry, “Mr. Bell may have written the letter, and then, desiring to change something in it, he may have destroyed it, and written another, which he sent. But it looks as if he had hurried away from this ship.” This was true enough, for, all about, were evidences of a hasty flight. Bits of paper and string were scattered about, as if some one had packed up on short notice.
“But if Mr. Bell wrote to his son that he was coming in an airship to help rescue some people in a mysterious valley, why isn’t he on hand now?” reasoned Jerry, questioning himself. “Surely a slight accident to the Comet wouldn’t scare him. He ought to be around here, waiting for Noddy to fix it. But he isn’t. Evidently something happened just before we arrived on the scene.”
Jerry was right in this surmise, but it was not until some time afterward that he learned what had taken place, and the reason for the letter being torn up and scattered about the cabin.
Still musing on the mute evidence of the mystery, Jerry began a search for more fragments, thinking that, if he had the whole letter, he could piece it together. He was interrupted in his search by a shout from without, and he hurried out on deck. To his relief he saw Ned and Bob approaching, carrying as many packages as their arms would hold.
“Are you all right, Jerry?” called Ned, anxiously.
“All right,” responded his chum, “and I’ve made a great discovery.”