[CHAPTER XXVIII.]
A DIRIGIBLE IN DANGER.
“Where is Scatiute?” asked Jack.
“About twenty miles south of here,” responded the captain. Then turning to the operator he asked, “Have you tried to get in communication with the Sky Eagle again?”
“Yes, sir, but with no success. Looks as if her wireless had gone out of business. That message came in more than an hour ago. We’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Great guns, boys, this is serious!” exclaimed the captain in an agitated voice. “Who knows what may have happened to those poor fellows! I must try to get hold of them, somehow. But just how I don’t know.”
“There’s Alvin’s dirigible on the grounds,” suggested the operator. “Maybe he’d go.”
“I’ll try him,” declared the captain. “It’s in the cause of common humanity. I should think he’d go.”
But Lester Alvin, the owner of the Cloud Scooter, declared he had not enough gasolene to make the trip. Two other dirigible operators were appealed to, but both of them had excuses of one sort or another to offer. The captain hastened back to the wireless hut where he had left the boys.
“Any news yet?” he asked anxiously of Hutchings the operator.
Hutchings shook his head.