<h2 id='chap17'>CHAPTER XVII</h2>
<div class='nf-center-c0'>
<div class='nf-center c004'>
<div>TROUBLE</div>
</div></div>
<p class='c011'>It was hard for the young pilot of the Scout to
set his mind upon anything outside of his missing
chum. As Hiram approached Bruce, however, it
was quite natural that he should be attracted by two
dazzling sparks of flashing light.</p>
<p>“Diamonds!” cried Bruce, moving the two pins
about so as to display their brilliancy to advantage.</p>
<p>“Sure as you live!” agreed Hiram. “Where
did you get them?”</p>
<p>“I found them behind, and under the cushion of
the cockpit seat. Don’t you understand, Hiram?”</p>
<p>“How they got there? I don’t.”</p>
<p>“Why, it’s clear, to my way of thinking. The
man the police chased, who made you take him in
the <i>Scout</i>——”</p>
<p>“Why, say, that may be so,” agreed Hiram with
a start. “He must have been loaded with them, to
drop them around promiscuously that way.”</p>
<p>“They slipped from his pocket probably,” explained
Bruce. “I don’t believe he had got rid of
<span class="pagenum" title='130' id='Page_130'></span>his plunder, as the police think, when he made for
the <i>Scout</i>. I believe he had them with him, else
what are these pins doing here? Hiram, you said
it was Wayville, didn’t you? That was the town
nearest to the place where the robber fell into the
gully.”</p>
<p>“You’ve remembered it so pat you must have
heard of it before,” suggested Hiram, with a shrewd
glance at his companion.</p>
<p>“That’s so,” answered Bruce. “I was there
once. It was when the circus man, Wertz, was in
hiding. I was traveling with him then. He and
some other men at the show robbed an old farmer,
and had to get out of the way. It was near Wayville
that we stayed for a week, till things ‘blew over,’
as they called it. In fact, when you described that
thicket and the gully, it came right back to me, as
natural as life. It’s set me thinking, Hiram. I’ve
got a theory, somehow, that the diamond thief got
rid of his plunder after he left the <i>Scout</i>.”</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t wonder,” remarked Hiram rather indifferently,
“but we’ll talk about that some other
time. My mind is full of nothing but Dave and the
<i>Ariel</i> just now. I’ve decided what I’m going to do,
and you are to help me do it, if you will.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad, Hiram,” responded Bruce readily.
“I’ll work my finger nails off to be of any use to
you, or your partner.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='131' id='Page_131'></span>“I know that, Bruce,” said Hiram, “and I know
that I can trust you, which is a great relief to me
now, when I’m in such trouble. Bring that bench
out of the hangar, will you?”</p>
<p>“What for, Hiram?” asked Bruce in some
wonder.</p>
<p>“I want to have a long talk with you, and I want
to sit here in the open while we’re at it, so we can
watch out that no one hears us.”</p>
<p>Bruce brought out the bench, setting it near the
<i>Scout</i>, and facing the grounds in such a way that
they could see in three directions. Hiram’s face
wore a serious, business-like look as he sat down
beside his young friend.</p>
<p>“Maybe I’ve got it all wrong,” he began, “but
I’ve tried to imagine just what level-headed Dave
Dashaway would do if he were in my fix. Of
course I haven’t got his brains or smartness, but I
know one thing—he wouldn’t get rattled. So I’m
trying not to fly all to pieces and do all kinds of rash
things. There’s two men I want to see and get
word to.”</p>
<p>“Who are they?” inquired the interested Bruce.</p>
<p>“First, Mr. Brackett.”</p>
<p>“Oh, sure, him!” exclaimed Bruce. “I’ve
thought that all along.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='132' id='Page_132'></span>“He’s the head of all our plans,” went on Hiram.
“He’s a good business man, he’s rich and powerful,
and he’d know how to handle this muddle
better than I. Mr. Brackett must be seen, and you
can get ready to take the first train for the town
where he has his plant, Bruce.”</p>
<p>This looked like a pretty important mission to
Bruce. He was silent, however, as his companion
proceeded:</p>
<p>“You are to see Mr. Brackett, tell him everything
that has occurred, and ask him to send me instructions
as to what I am to do. He will probably
come right back with you. I hope so. There’s a
train leaving here inside of two hours. You will
get to the little Ohio town where the Aero plant is
located by early morning. Then, I suppose, Mr.
Brackett will wire me.”</p>
<p>“See here, Hiram,” interposed Bruce, “do you
think it’s as good for me to go as yourself? There’s
lots of things in detail about the plots that have been
working against you that I don’t know about and
you do.”</p>
<p>“No,” answered Hiram definitely, “I can’t go.
As I told you, there were two men to see about this
affair.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I remember. Who is the other one?”</p>
<p>“Mr. Borden.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I see,” said Bruce promptly. “Yes, indeed.
If he’s the true-blue fellow you think he
is he can do something to help you.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='133' id='Page_133'></span>“He gave us that warning,” remarked Hiram.
“He knew that something was going to happen.
He was on the watch for our benefit.”</p>
<p>“But Mr. Borden doesn’t dare to show himself
here and you can’t go to the Syndicate camp,”
argued Bruce.</p>
<p>“I’ve got to see that man just as soon as I possibly
can,” said Hiram, his eyes snapping with determination.
“You leave that to me. I’ve got to go
down to the offices of the meet for some money.
You get ready to start for the train as soon as I
come back.”</p>
<p>Bruce smiled to himself as he proceeded to “get
ready.” His wardrobe was not very extensive, and
he could pack in his pockets the extra collars and
handkerchiefs that comprised it. Hiram came back
in half an hour, and handed him some bills.</p>
<p>“Here’s a time-table,” he added. “I shall be
anxious till I hear from you.”</p>
<p>“Say, Hiram,” said Bruce, “that fellow,
Valdec——”</p>
<p>“Yes, what about him?” demanded the young
airman, sharply.</p>
<p>“He strolled by here while you were gone. He
was with one of the crowd that hangs around
their camp. He looked at me and scowled. Then
he grinned.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='134' id='Page_134'></span>“I’ll go with you down to the train,” said Hiram.
“Then I’ll know what he was grinning about, or my
name isn’t Dobbs!”</p>
<p>The boys kept their eyes open on the way to the
railroad depot. No one of the Syndicate crowd
seemed to be following, or watching them, however.</p>
<p>“Tell Mr. Brackett everything, Bruce,” directed
Hiram, “and get me word just as soon as you can.”</p>
<p>“Hope for the best, Hiram,” said Bruce cheeringly.
“There’s surely some way out of this
trouble for two smart fellows like you and Dave
Dashaway.”</p>
<p>Hiram waved his hand in adieu to Bruce as the
train started. Then Hiram proceeded back to the
hangar, his lips compressed and his face looking
resolute.</p>
<p>“Now to wait until dark!” grimly soliloquized
the young pilot of the <i>Scout</i>.</p>
<div class='pbb'></div>
<hr class='pb c000' />
<div> <span class="pagenum" title='135' id='Page_135'></span></div>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />