“Under a freight car.”
“Was he dead?” demanded Bob.
“So that’s why you thought him a ghost?” asked Ned.
“No, he wasn’t dead,” returned Jerry. “He was very much alive, and he was on the through western freight, on his way to join Noddy and the others of the gang, I suppose. Boys, we’ll have to hustle to get ahead of them.”
A little later, after warning the throng to stand back, Jerry entered the pilot house, and, lighting the big search lamp, started the motor. The ship arose, and the great propellers began to revolve.
“Good-bye! Good-bye!” shouted the people, and they cheered the boys who had been of such service to them.
The lads answered with farewells, and then, with Bob and Ned in the cabin, the former getting ready to cook supper, and Jerry in the pilot house, the Comet was sent due west, as straight as the compass indicated.
Bob had just announced that “grub” was ready, and Jerry was about to adjust the automatic steering apparatus, so that he could leave the airship to itself, while he ate, when Ned uttered an exclamation of dismay.
“The professor!” he cried. “Professor Snodgrass! We have left him behind!”
For a moment the three stared blankly at one another. Then the truth dawned upon them. The scientist had resumed his fad of collecting insects as soon as he was out of the airship, and, the excitement of getting the cable across the river, and Jerry’s sight of Bill Berry, had driven all thoughts of their friend from their minds.