CHAPTER VI
THE STOLEN BIPLANE
The alarming words spoken by Hiram were sufficient to at once bring Elmer out of bed and onto his feet. Speedy as Elmer was, however, Hiram was outside, shoeless and hatless, almost before his drowsy companion had drawn on his sweater.
“What’s the trouble?” panted Elmer, trailing after his companion a minute later.
His eyes grew big with wonder and suspense as he noticed Dave and the hangar man running around to the rear of the portable biplane shelter. In front he saw Hiram posed like a statue and staring hard.
“The Comet is gone!” announced Hiram. “Look there—gone!”
He spoke in a tone of voice as if the whole world was slipping away from them. Elmer, gaining his side, saw that the hangar was empty.
“Oh, say!” he gasped, “you don’t mean to say——”
“Stolen? Yes! That is sure,” came in Dave’s tones, and the young aviator hurried around to the spot.
“You see, whoever took it drew the steel frames and canvas out of the whole back,” the hangar man was explaining. “The wheel marks yonder run about twenty feet. Whoever did it knew his business. There was no wasted fooling around—up and away was the programme.”