“Hooray!” Al clapped his hand to his knee, unable to restrain his enthusiasm. Mr. Wright, although with a tolerant, if brief smile, shook his head at his younger son.
“This will be a serious affair,” he stated, forcefully.
Al immediately became sobered.
“How can we combine aviation and detective work?” asked Curt, the most practical of the chums.
“By going to the aircraft plant to work as mechanics’ helpers, or whatever positions Barney sees fit to put you in,” Mr. Wright told them. “That takes care of the detective work because you will have to keep eyes and ears open and without appearing to do so.”
“We can do that easily,” said Bob.
“That takes no effort at all,” agreed Al. His father, knowing Al’s expressive face to be easily read, made no comment.
“While you are at the aircraft plant,” Barney took up the explanation, “you will be working in and around the crates we are building, and you will learn a whole lot about how an airplane is put together, what the parts are for, and how they are assembled. That’s the aviation part.” He emphasized the first syllable, making it “av-iation.” “What do you say?”
“Hooray!” Al was irrepressible.
“Just show us the jobs!” added Bob.