CHAPTER VII
MYSTERY
“Hurrah—I’m coming!”
Ben Hardy began a brief but enthusiastic letter to his friend, Bob Dallow, with these words.
“It is all settled, Bob,” added Ben, “and if you are sure you won’t be put out by having me share your quarters, I can stay for the whole week. We will have a glorious time, and I am just wild to see those airship stunts you describe.”
School had closed for the long vacation on Thursday. It was now the following Monday, and Ben had his satchel packed and was counting the hours until Tuesday morning and train time should arrive.
Ben had calculated to devote the long vacation to work in the Saxton automobile plant. The pattern shop was a favorite spot with him in his visits to the great factory. He was an adept at drawing, and the foreman of the model department had given him some encouragement as to a future position. He had, however, advised Ben to wait a year or two and stick to his studies.
Mr. Hardy had done some serious thinking, and had given his son the result of the same. Ben’s success with the whistle, his evident liking for machinery, particularly of new types, had caused Mr. Hardy to recall his own early dreams and longings before he became a master machinist.
What pleased the father most was the way Ben went at aeronautics. The evening after Bob Dallow left Woodville, Mr. Hardy came home to find Ben seated before a stand piled high with reading matter, and deeply absorbed in a big volume from the town library.
“Airships, Ben?” inquired his father with an indulgent smile.