<h2 id='chap06'>CHAPTER VI</h2>
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<div>A STARTLING DISCOVERY</div>
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<p class='c011'>“Go in by all means, Dave.”</p>
<p>It was Mr. Brackett, the aircraft manufacturer,
who spoke, and never was a decision more welcome
to boyish ears than this announcement. Prompt
with his engagement, as was his business rule, the
President of the Interstate Aero Company had arrived
at the Midlothian grounds at eight o’clock in
the morning, of the day succeeding Hiram’s adventure
with the <i>Scout</i>.</p>
<p>There had been warm greetings, for Dave felt
deeply grateful to the wealthy manufacturer who
had so advanced his interests. His impetuous assistant
was equally responsive. As to Mr. Brackett,
it had been a great satisfaction for him to realize
that his young protégés had not only made good
the promise of their early professional career, but
had largely been the means of popularizing the
machines turned out at his plant.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='45' id='Page_45'></span>He had listened to all that Dave had to say, had
gone over the papers sent from the promoters of
the International meet at Chicago, had considered
for a few moments, and then had settled the matter
of Dave’s participation in the six words above
noted. Hiram’s eyes sparkled. A dazzling picture
of new fame and sure success came into his imaginative
mind.</p>
<p>“I’ve got to say something or bust, Mr. Brackett!”
he exploded. “I hardly slept last night for
thinking of it all. Why, where should Dave be but
in the front ranks at Chicago? A first-class prize
meet would be second-class without the aviator who
won the trans-Atlantic medal, and looped the loop
at Philadelphia ahead of all the competitors, and invented
all the new wrinkles in hydro-aeroplane work
at Cape May, and——”</p>
<p>“There, there, Hiram—that will do,” interrupted
Dave, but smiling indulgently. “From the entrants’
list they send us there will be no ordinary talent at
the Chicago meet and no worn-out stunts will pass.
We’ve got to better ourselves and prepare for real
work, if we expect to make a showing.”</p>
<p>“You’ve got the last word, the real finishing
touch in the <i>Ariel</i>, Dave,” reminded Mr. Brackett.</p>
<p>“I appreciate that, yes, indeed,” responded the
young airman warmly, and with pride. “And it
means half the battle.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='46' id='Page_46'></span>“I suppose you can realize our interest in this
meet,” continued Mr. Brackett. “If the <i>Ariel</i> wins,
it standardizes our new model in a manner, and
means thousands of dollars in effective advertising
for the Interstate Aero Company.”</p>
<p>“I’m going to do my level best,” Dave assured
him, and he was so stirred with hope, faith and
eagerness that he paced about restlessly. “There
are some points I am sure of—distance flights, altitude
and speed. None of them can meet the <i>Ariel</i>
there. The stunt programme, though, is another
thing. I want to study up on that and practice, and
I would like to have a talk with the managers at
Chicago as soon as possible.”</p>
<p>“Just what I was about to suggest, Dave,” said
Mr. Brackett. “I don’t see anything gained by
your staying here at the Midlothian grounds. In
fact, after what you tell me of the explosion yesterday
morning, I strongly advise making a move.
Has that tramp friend of yours shown up?”</p>
<p>“No, he hasn’t reported, as I expected he would,”
replied Dave rather disappointedly, and the manufacturer
looked thoughtful as though entertaining
some suspicions. Hiram broke in with the words:</p>
<p>“He’s true blue, though, Mr. Brackett; I’ll vouch
for him! If he hasn’t got to us yet, it’s because he
hasn’t found any trace of the man he’s after.”</p>
<p>“And have you no idea as to the motive for the
attempt to destroy the <i>Ariel</i>?” asked the manufacturer.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='47' id='Page_47'></span>“I have!” cried Hiram in his usual forcible
way. “When we come to trace this thing down,
we will certainly find that it goes back to that
schemer, Vernon, who has made us so much trouble
in the past.”</p>
<p>“Have you heard anything of Vernon lately,
Dave?” inquired Mr. Brackett.</p>
<p>“Nothing definite. Of course I realize that he
would find it policy to keep out of our way. He
knows we would advise the management of any
meet where he might happen to be, that he is a
dangerous man, and as such ought to be excluded by
the Association.”</p>
<p>“Yes, but cloud-work is all the fellow knows,”
suggested Hiram, “and he will naturally always be
a hanger-on in that line. He’s slick enough to work
under cover. He’s bad enough, too, to agree to do
any unfair work a rival might want to have done
against us. That dynamite wasn’t planted in our
hangar for fun. Look out for Vernon, I say, and
look out sharp, for we haven’t heard the last of him
yet, you mark me!”</p>
<p>“Well, once at Chicago, you will find better protection,”
submitted Mr. Vernon. “Ah whom have
we here?”</p>
<p>“A thousand pardons,” spoke an intruder, and
there crossed the threshold of the hangar at that
juncture Lieutenant Montrose Mortimer. The suspicion
was instantly suggested to Dave that the reputed
Englishman might have been lingering outside
to choose this special moment for an appearance.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='48' id='Page_48'></span>“Got a cablegram from my people abroad this
morning, Dashaway,” he continued glibly. “They
are urging me to reach some definite results.”</p>
<p>“This is Mr. Brackett, of whom I spoke to you
yesterday, Lieutenant,” said Dave, introducing the
manufacturer. “He might be interested to bear of
the remarkable aviation progress in England.”</p>
<p>“Ah, just so, just so,” assented the lieutenant,
with a searching look at Mr. Brackett. “Why, sir,
I have told our young friend here of the flight-camps
the British admiralty have established at
Aldershot. I have been commissioned to secure
some good tutoring material, and the fame of Dashaway
naturally led me to him. It is example and
direction that our novices need, and I can promise
fine pay and a permanency. We have the best
Benoist models, Gyro motors, and every standard
wrinkle. The war has made it just as insistent for
us to secure the best birdmen as armament and
shells.”</p>
<p>The lieutenant rattled on at a great rate and Mr.
Brackett listened quietly. Believing that he was impressing
his audience, Mortimer drew some papers
from his pocket, selected one, and began figuring
up the income possibilities of an energetic up to
date expert like Dave.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='49' id='Page_49'></span>“This is very interesting, Lieutenant Mortimer,”
said the manufacturer finally, “but I fear Mr. Dashaway
is not in a position to accept your flattering
offer.”</p>
<p>“Regret—disappointed. I could cable my people
for more liberal terms if——”</p>
<p>“It would be of no use,” said Mr. Brackett.
“Dashaway is going to enter for the Chicago meet,
and will leave here forthwith.”</p>
<p>“Oh, indeed!” observed their visitor, as if he
had received a valuable piece of news, and he arose
quickly, brushing pencil and paper to the floor.
“Sorry! Going to make it in this superb biplane of
yours, Dashaway?”</p>
<p>“Yes, we shall take the <i>Ariel</i> with us, of course,”
replied Dave. He said it reluctantly, however. He
had noted a subtle eagerness in the face of his questioner
that he did not like.</p>
<p>“That fellow is a fraud,” broadly announced the
manufacturer, as the alleged representative of the
British admiralty bowed his way out of the hangar.</p>
<p>“That’s been my opinion all along,” echoed
Hiram promptly. “You can speak right out,” he
added to Dave. “The fellow’s out of sight. I followed
him purposely to the door, for he looked as if
<span class="pagenum" title='50' id='Page_50'></span>he might be thinking of sneaking around to overhear
what we might say. He noticed me, and bolted
for it. Say, did you see him prick up his ears and
act sort of rattled, when you told him that we were
going to leave here?”</p>
<p>“That struck me,” acquiesced Mr. Brackett.
“As I said, he is palpably a fraud.”</p>
<p>“Why do you say that, Mr. Brackett?” inquired
Dave.</p>
<p>“Because I happen to know something about the
aircraft situation in England. The big operating
point for military aviation requirements is not at
Aldershot, but at the Brookland Motor Course and
Flying Grounds, which has been taken over by the
government for tests and speed trials, the general
public being strictly excluded.”</p>
<p>“Huh!” bristled up Hiram, thinking hard—“what’s
coming along now?”</p>
<p>“Another thing,” resumed the manufacturer,
“when this lieutenant of yours speaks of Benoists
and Gyro Motors, he is talking about something he
does not understand. The principal flyers adopted
by the admiralty are American models, and the
Green water cooled engine has just won the two
hundred and fifty thousand dollar prize in the national
test in England.”</p>
<p>“Why, what can the man’s object be in going
to all this trouble and duplicity?” asked Dave.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='51' id='Page_51'></span>“It doesn’t look clear, nor right, to me, Dave,”
answered Mr. Brackett. “If this is another part of
some plot to do you, or your machine harm, it is high
time that you were away from here and,——”</p>
<p>“It is!” startlingly interrupted Hiram. “Say,
I’ve got the key to the whole business!”</p>
<p>Both Mr. Brackett and Dave stared at the
speaker in wonderment. Hiram was very much excited.
He was waving something in his hand, but it
was not the “key” to which he alluded. It was,
in fact, the piece of paper on which Lieutenant
Montrose Mortimer had been figuring that Hiram
had picked up from the floor of the hangar.</p>
<p>“Look there!” he shouted, exhibiting its reverse
side. “See! It’s a telegram from Chicago. Read
it, and see if I’ve been guessing wrong all along!”</p>
<p>Hiram held the sheet so that his companions
could plainly read the following alarming message:</p>
<p class='c011'>“Keep Dashaway and his machine out of the race
at any cost.”</p>
<p class='c011'>And it was signed: “Vernon.”</p>
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