“Sort of cross between a dirigible and an aeroplane.”
These were some of the comments and questions that greeted our friends as they alighted from their craft. They answered them as well as they could, and, having anchored the _Comet_, for there was some gas in the bag, that tended to raise her, they made their way through the press of people.
“To the office of the secretary, or some of the officials of the meet,” answered Ned. “I want to inquire about Mr. Jackson. I hope I have those papers safe, that dad wants him to sign.”
He quickly felt in his pockets, assured himself that the valuable documents were there, and kept on with his companions. Professor Snodgrass brought up in the rear, with his small butterfly net over his shoulder, and an empty specimen box in his hand, ready for whatever he might see in the way of insects.
Meanwhile Bob, Ned and Jerry were making their way to where they had been told were the offices of the company that had arranged the balloon meet. As the boys walked along they asked several men they met whether Mr. Jackson had arrived, but they could obtain no information. Either the persons were foreigners who had come to do stunts in their aeroplanes, and could not understand or speak much English, or else they had heard nothing of the man whom the merchant’s son was so anxious to meet.
“Well, the secretary will be sure to know,” decided Ned, as, followed by his chums, he entered the offices which were in a temporary building.
“Is Mr. Wescott Jackson’s machine here yet?” asked Ned, when he had found the proper official.
“Oh, he’s gone, too--he went in his dirigible balloon a little while ago. Didn’t you notice a craft going up, just as you came down?” asked the secretary.
“Yes--yes,” replied Ned, while he felt a lump come up in his throat. “Was Mr. Jackson aboard?”
“Indeed he was. He is piloting his craft, and he has a friend with him besides the crew. As I said, he went off on a trial trip.”
“Do you mean he won’t come back here at all?” demanded Ned, as he felt of the documents in his pocket--documents which it was so vital that Mr. Jackson sign.
“Oh, yes, we expect him back,” was the answer. “You see the meet officially opens to-day, and Mr. Jackson has promised to give an exhibition flight. Before venturing on that, however, he said he wanted to give his machine a tryout, so he took it up this morning. We expect him back almost any time.”