The young aviator reflected for a moment. Then he turned to the man again.
“See here, mister,” he said, “I must find out the condition of that biplane up there. It may not be ours. If it is, I promise you one thing.”
“And what’s that?” demanded the farmer.
“Your bill will be paid, and as much more on top of it for directing us to the machine. Is the ascent of the hill hard?”
“A stranger might find it so,” replied the man. “Very few ever go there, and there’s no regular path to the top. If you’ll wait till some neighbors I’ve sent for to help rout out those fellows up there come, we’ll make an attack on them.”
“I don’t think you will find anybody up there,” said Dave. “No, I don’t,” he reiterated, as Hiram regarded him inquiringly. “I reason it out just as I said at the first, that whoever stole the Comet planned to hide it where we couldn’t find it. That is a capital place up there to fit into their scheme. I’ll tell you, mister, you stay down here if you want to, and we will go up and see what we can find out.”
“I don’t know about that,” demurred the farmer, suspiciously.
“Why not?” inquired Dave.
“How do I know but what you belong to the crowd and have been telling me a fool story all along? Easiest thing in the world for you to start up in the airship and leave me to whistle for my damages.”
“What, with the automobile here for security?” asked Dave, with a laugh.