“That’s right. Then we can see what we have to do, to get it in shape for the Colton meet,” added Ned.
“I’m with you,” declared the tall lad. “Let’s go on out now and have a look at it. And say--you fellows stay to supper at my house, and we’ll go all over the _Comet_ this evening.”
“Good idea,” commented Bob, with a sigh of satisfaction. He knew of old the skill of the Hopkins cook.
“Very good--especially the supper part; eh, Chunky?” put in Ned with a laugh. “I’ll telephone home, and tell mother that I’m going to stay.”
Bob did the same thing, and after the meal, which Bob declared was the best he ever ate (though he was always saying that) the boys went out to the aeroplane shed which was in a large field, owned by Mrs. Hopkins, and some distance from her house.
“Now Jerry, be careful,” the widow cautioned them as they left. “You remember once you had trouble at the shed, when Noddy Nixon bound Sud Snuffles, the watchman, and took the aeroplane away. Look out for bad characters there. I wish it was nearer the house--especially when night comes on.”
“Oh, there’ll be no danger from Noddy Nixon to-night mother,” declared Jerry with a laugh. “Noddy is stuck in the mud too fast to get out in a hurry,” and he told of the bully’s plight. “But we’ll be on the lookout. We don’t keep Sud on guard any more.” For following his unscrupulous theft of the motorship, the bully had been more careful how he interfered with the property of our heroes, and there was no necessity of a watchman at the shed.
The boys spent some time going over the motorship. They had not used it in the past two weeks, on account of bad weather; but they found it in good shape, and, after a few adjustments and a tightening of the guy wires, it was ready for service.
“We’ll take a flight in the morning,” decided Jerry, as he and his chums left the shed, making sure that the doors were securely fastened.
“And maybe we’ll meet that other aeroplane--the _Silver Star_,” suggested Ned.
“Not much likelihood of that,” declared Bob. “Those fellows are up to some game, I think.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” was the somewhat uncertain reply of the stout lad, “only I have my suspicions of them.”
“So have I,” admitted Ned, “only I don’t know what I’m suspicious of.”