"What has happened this morning troubles me more than I can tell you. Someone suspects us, or else those two men are the victims of a private enemy."
The telephone bell jingled. Mr. Ridgeway lifted the receiver and adjusted the delicate needle point on the desk pad by means of which all telephone conversations were recorded, a new invention which Lawrence had heard of but had not seen. Mr. Ridgeway listened with a frown darkening his brow.
"I will be right out," he said finally, and replaced the receiver.
"Well, the new dirigible was wrecked in the night," he said. "That looks like business! Come on; we will go out and look the ground over. That is, if you care to cast your lot with such a dangerous game."
"Of course," said Lawrence simply. "I shall enjoy it."
"Good!" said Mr. Ridgeway. "We will draw up the necessary papers this afternoon. I want you on your past record as an airman, and your youth is a good safeguard to you. Also you are not afraid. Your duties will be whatever the moment calls for. You may have to drive the car, you may be simply a passenger, a messenger, or a boy idling around the hangars. I want you to be ears and eyes and hands and brain for me. Rather a large order? Well, you will be paid well for it." He paused and then named a sum that made Lawrence catch his breath, so large was it.
"All our transactions are confidential," he said.
Entering a small but perfect roadster, Mr. Ridgeway drove rapidly out of the city to the aviation field, where he found a group of excited men around the new dirigible.
Well guarded as the place evidently was, someone had entered in the night and completely destroyed the delicate machinery. The propellers too were unscrewed, and the blades hacked.
Lawrence was shocked, and the men around were furious. It rather reflected on their care when such an outrage could occur inside of an area where watchmen were supposed to patrol incessantly. Mr. Ridgeway, however, showed no signs of anger. He ordered an investigation and told the head mechanician to see what could be done with the wreck. Then, pleasant as ever, he drove back to the city. "I am certainly glad that happened," he said as they left the field behind.
"Glad?" said Lawrence in astonishment. "Glad? Why, it seems _terrible_ to me!"