The Motor Boys in the Clouds; or, A Trip for Fame and Fortune Read online

  CHAPTER I

  NODDY NIXON'S TIN FLY

  "Hello, Ned! Say, Jerry, have you heard the news?"

  "What news, Chunky?"

  "Why, about the carnival. It's going to be great. I thought sure you'dheard about it. Why, there's going to be----"

  "Look here, Bob Baker," remarked Jerry Hopkins, rolling over in thegrass, where he was stretched out under a big maple tree, "do you knowit's about ninety in the shade to-day?"

  "Sure I know it," replied Bob, breathing rather quickly, for he wasquite stout, as his nickname of "Chunky" implied; and he had hurriedfrom his house to see his two chums, Jerry Hopkins and Ned Slade.

  "Well, then, if you're aware of that interesting and very evident fact,why do you come around here, puffing like a steam engine, and makingall sorts of a row, while Ned and I are trying to keep cool and improveour minds?" asked Jerry, pretending to be angry. "Why do you do it, Iask?"

  "I thought you'd be anxious to hear the news."

  "What news?"

  "Oh, don't bother, Chunky," put in Ned, stretching and yawning. "Thebest news you could tell us now would be that there was a freezer fullof ice cream somewhere within easy reach. If you're not ready to tellus something like that, why, take a stretch down here in the shade, anddon't puff so. You make me warm."

  "Well, say, if you don't want to hear this, all right," replied Bob,a little put out at the manner in which his announcement had beenreceived.

  "Oh, don't bother with him, Chunky," yawned Jerry. "If you have anynews to tell, let it go. I'm listening. What's it about? Has our goldmine failed, or has Professor Snodgrass discovered some new species ofman-eating hoptoad?"

  "It's got nothing to do with Professor Snodgrass, or our gold mine,either," responded Bob. "But there's going to be a great carnival atBroadlands, and I thought maybe----"

  "Carnival? You mean a county fair, I suppose," interrupted Ned. "Excuseme. I can see all the cattle and mowing machines I want right here athome."

  "I guess your dad must have made you mow the front lawn this morning,eh, Ned?" inquired Jerry with a grin.

  "That's what he did, and it's no front parlor of a lawn, either. Idon't ever want to see a lawn-mower again. But here comes Bob, allexcited over a county fair, where all they have to eat is frankfurters,popcorn and ice cream cones."

  "Oh, is that so?" retorted the stout youth rather indignantly. "Well,if you're so smart, did you ever hear of a county fair in July, beforethe crops are in?"

  "He's got you there, Ned," said Jerry.

  "Well, what kind of a carnival is it?" asked the youth who hadendeavored to discount Bob's news. "Why don't you tell us your story,instead of hemming and hawing around here, like an automobile that'srun out of gasolene and has a spark-plug that's gone on the fritz? Whydon't you, eh?"

  "I will, if you'll give me a chance. There's going to be a carnivalover at Broadlands and----"

  "You said that once before," reminded Ned.

  "Go ahead, don't mind him," advised Jerry.

  "It's going to be a balloon and aeroplane carnival," went on Chunky."All sorts of airships are to be exhibited, and there are going to beraces. It's going to be great! They're just putting up the posters allaround town."

  "Is that straight?" asked Ned, for Bob was sometimes inclined to joke.

  "Sure it is. Come on and I'll show you the posters. There's one on ourside fence. I let the man stick it there."

  "And maybe your dad will make you take it off," said Jerry.

  "I don't care. I wanted to have a chance to read it. But this carnivalis going to be all right. As soon as I heard of it I ran to findyou two fellows. Why can't we go and take it in? It's only aboutseventy-five miles to Broadlands. There are good roads, and we can goin our auto."

  "That's the stuff! When is it?" asked Jerry.

  "Next week. It lasts six days."

  "If it's as hot as this the gas balloons will explode with the heat,"predicted Ned.

  "Oh, it'll cool off before then," declared Jerry. "But what else, Bob?Did you look to see who any of the entries were by? Are the Wrightbrothers going to compete? Will Zeppelin send his big, long aluminumballoon over from Germany? Captain Baldwin ought to be on hand, anyhow."

  "I didn't notice any of those names. I don't believe any of those biginventors will be on hand, but I can tell you one person who's going tohave an entry."

  Bob's manner was so earnest, and he seemed so worked up over his news,that both Ned and Jerry lost their half-bantering air, and began to beseriously interested.

  "Who is it?" inquired Jerry.

  "Noddy Nixon."

  "What? Noddy? That chump going to exhibit an airship?"

  "I don't know that it's exactly an airship," answered Bob. "But it'ssome sort of a machine for sailing above the earth, or it wouldn't beallowed at the carnival."

  "But Noddy Nixon, of all the fellows in the world!" commented Jerry.

  "It does seem sort of queer," admitted Bob. "That's what drew myattention to the posters. I saw Noddy's name on them."

  "Is his name on the posters?" chorused his two companions.

  "Sure. He's one of the entrants; I believe that's the proper word,"said Bob, grinning. "His machine is called the _Firefly_."

  "Does he expect to sail it himself?"

  "What sort of a shebang is it?"

  "Why didn't you tell us before?"

  "Queer we didn't hear anything about it. He must have been keeping itquiet."

  "Where did he get the gumption to invent it?"

  These, and other questions and comments, Bob's two chums asked of himso quickly that he had no chance to reply.

  "That's all I know about it," he said, when Ned and Jerry had to stopto get their breaths. "What's the matter with taking a run over toBroadlands and finding out more about it? Maybe we could get up amachine ourselves."

  "Not if the carnival takes place next week," replied Jerry, thoughthere was a new look on his face--a look which his companions knewindicated that he was thinking deeply. Indeed, Bob's news had createdquite an impression on Jerry, and in a measure it was responsible for aseries of strange happenings which took place after that, and in whichthe motor boys played conspicuous parts.

  "And is that all you can tell us?" asked Ned. "What sort of a machinehas Noddy?"

  The interest of Ned and his two companions, in what Noddy was about totake part in, was not lessened by the fact that young Nixon, the townbully, was their enemy, and, in the past, had done much to annoy andinjure them, though, usually, his mean schemes went for naught, becauseof the bravery and activity of the three boys against whom he had agrudge.

  "That's all I know--what the posters said," replied Ned. "His name isonly one of about twenty, I guess. There are pictures of all sorts ofairships, but I didn't see any that looked like a firefly."

  "Queer," murmured Jerry. "I wonder what sort of a machine Noddy has?"

  "I can tell you," exclaimed a voice behind the motor boys. "It'sgreat--regular fly--tin wings--flop up and down--faster than you cancount--whoop! there they go--up goes the machine--down again--roundin a circle--flip-flap-flop! Start the motor--twist the rudder--lookout--here she comes--that's the way!"

  And the speaker, a small youth, very much excited, had to stop, for hewas out of breath, so rapidly had he talked.

  "Oh, it's Andy Rush. No need to turn around to tell that, boys,"remarked Jerry, stretching out in the grass again. "Well, Andy, aren'tsome of your cylinders hot after that sprint?"

  "I guess so--I don't know--heard you talking about Noddy Nixon--hisairship--thought you wouldn't mind--I came up closer--I heard aboutit--I've seen it--it's great--say----"

  "Have an ice-cream soda," interrupted Ned, pretending to hand one tothe excited little fellow.

  "Aw, quit," begged Andy reproachfully.

  "That's right, let him tell us about it," suggested Jerry. "Now justshut off a little of your gasolene, retard your spark a bit, and you'lldo better. How did you come to know about Noddy's machine?"
r />   "Because he wanted me to try a flight in it. He needs some one who islight, and he asked me. But I wouldn't do it. I'm afraid," answeredAndy Rush.

  "Did you see it?" asked Ned eagerly.

  "Sure. He had it built in Jenkinson's machine shop. But he's beenkeeping quiet about it. I guess he didn't want you fellows to get on toit, for fear you'd beat him out. He's been working on it for some time.Ever since he heard about the carnival."

  Andy was speaking more quietly now, and his three auditors listenedintently.

  "And is it really shaped like a fly?" asked Jerry.

  "It sure is. He took me over and showed it to me yesterday. That's whenhe wanted me to sail it for him. It's a big tin fly, with wings andeverything. Oh, it's a queer-looking shebang. It's big, too."

  "How does it run?" asked Bob.

  "He's got a little motor on it, one he took out of his old auto, Iguess. It makes the wings flap up and down."

  "And he really thinks he can fly in it?" asked Ned.

  "He's sure of it," replied Andy. "He told me how many flaps the wingsmade every second, but I've forgotten."

  "What does he expect will make the machine rise in the air?" askedJerry. "Has he aeroplanes or a balloon attached to it?"

  "Nope. Nothing but a sort of car, shaped like a fly's body, and twowings on each side, with a tail in back like that of a fish. He saysthe flopping of the wings will make it rise up, same as a bird flies."

  "Well, if that isn't the limit!" exclaimed Jerry. "He must be crazy. Itis a heavy machine, Andy?"

  "Sure. It takes four men to lift it."

  "And he expects to make it rise up by vibrating tin wings," went onJerry. "Well, he is a chump!"

  "I am, eh? Well, maybe when you see me sailing along through the airyou won't be so fresh!" exclaimed a new voice, and the four boys,looking up, saw Noddy Nixon, their enemy, standing not far away. Hehad come up through the fields back of Jerry Hopkins' house, where thechums were resting in the shade of a little grove, and he had overheardthe closing sentences of their conversation.

  "I'm a chump, am I?" he went on angrily. "Well, I've gotten the best ofyou more than once, Jerry Hopkins, and I'll do it again. The _Firefly_will fly, and I know it, and if you slander me or my machine any moreI'll sue you for damages. I'll fix you, Andy Rush, for giving mysecrets away!" and with an angry look on his mean, crafty face, NoddyNixon advanced toward the little fellow.