“Well, I am now satisfied that Vernon overheard my entire first conversation with Miss Edna Deane. Also that later he sneaked into Hampton Flats, and probably overheard enough more to suggest a new scheme to that crafty mind of his. At all events, there was a faithful old servant of the dead uncle who had been retained by Wise. She came to the Deanes and told them that a man named Vernon had come to Wise and told him that the general was sending an airship expedition to find his missing son.”
“I begin to see the light,” remarked Hiram.
“From what happened later,” proceeded the young airman, “I am satisfied that some bargain was made between Wise and Vernon. I believe that Wise hired our old-time enemy to outwit us. I feel sure it was Vernon who got somebody to run away with the Comet. Failing to stop us he wired accomplices in Chicago to blow up the machine. We have gone so fast that he probably was not able to reach us at Winnipeg. He is undoubtedly supplied with plenty of money. I should not be surprised if he kept up his game of trying to block us all along the route. That, fellows, is the story. The money you see here is the sum of five thousand dollars, supplied by General Deane to use if necessary to secure the release of his son.”
“And the photograph, Dave?” inquired Hiram. “Keepsake, eh?”
“Not at all,” replied the young aviator. “That, shown to young Deane, if we once find him, is a token that will convince him that we are sent by friends. Fellows, I know you are like me—willing to do all you can for a fellow being in trouble. It would be a grand, humane act if we succeeded. The general places no limit to the reward, but I wouldn’t listen to that kind of talk.”
“Good for you,” applauded Elmer. “Say, I only hope we can find Morris Deane.”
“We are going to try to,” announced our hero, quietly, but in a determined way. “Get out the chart, Hiram, and I’ll show you how I believe we can take in Thibet without seriously losing time in the race.”
Hiram arose to his feet to obey this direction, when Elmer got up and began sniffing.
“I say, Dave,” he observed, “do you smell it? Smoke! There’s fire somewhere!”