“We’ll probably be gone on our quest several days,” went on the leader of the lads, and when Andy Rush heard this he expressed a fear that his parents would not like him to be away over night. It was then agreed that, in case Noddy was not overtaken that day, to send Andy back home by train.
A little later the search was under way, and, as the speedy machine swayed along over the hard road, the boys scanned the sky for any speck, large or small, which might proclaim the presence of the _Comet_. From time to time they stopped, to make inquiries from other autoists or persons driving, as to whether or not an airship had been sighted that morning.
Some of their questions were met with puzzled looks, as if the persons thought they were being made the butt of a joke. Others were interested enough, and made all sorts of inquiries, as to why the boys were searching, but they had seen nothing of the craft of the air.
The lads made a stop for dinner at a country hotel, and when Bob heard that there was to be chicken pot-pie his broad face was wreathed in smiles.
“I’m glad we didn’t bring any lunch along,” he remarked, “because we couldn’t have taken anything more than sandwiches. But chicken pot-pie--Ah, um!” and he sniffed the air suggestively.
They were under way again that afternoon, but as they proceeded mile after mile, and saw no signs of the airship, and heard nothing from the many inquiries they made, they all began to get a bit discouraged. It was about four o’clock, when Andy Rush, who had stared up into the sky so steadily that his neck was getting stiff, uttered an exclamation:
“There he is!” cried the little chap. “Stop the auto--get a gun--shoot him--make him stop--we’ve got him!” and he stood up and pointed at a black speck in the sky. Clearly it was not a bird, for it was moving too slowly, and it looked as if it might be some sort of an airship. Jerry jammed on the brakes, after shutting off the power, and took up a pair of powerful field glasses. These he trained on the speck, while his companions waited anxiously:
“It’s only a box kite,” said Jerry at last. “It’s pretty high up, though. Too bad, Andy.”
They went on again, and as the afternoon passed they began to give up hope, and talked of where they would spend the night, for they were determined not to go back home without some news of their airship. They had come prepared for a night’s stay at a hotel, and, not many miles from where they now were, was a railroad station, where Andy could get a train home.