Part 4 (1/2)
As the boys were coming out of the drug store, where they had eaten their ice cream in the form of sundaes, Ned uttered a cry of surprise at the sight of a man approaching them.
”It's Mr. Dillon, the carpenter whom we saw in the Foger house, Tom!” exclaimed his chum. ”This is the first chance I've had to talk to him. I'm going to ask him what sort of repairs he's making inside the old mansion.” Ned was soon in conversation with him.
”Yes, I'm working at the Foger house,” admitted the carpenter, who had done some work for Ned's father. ”Mighty queer repairs, too.
Something I never did before. If Andy wasn't there to tell me what he wanted done I wouldn't know what to do.”
”Is Andy there yet?” asked Tom quickly.
”Yes, he's staying in the old house. All alone too, except now and then, he has a chum stay there nights with him. They get their own meals. I bring the stuff in, as Andy says he's getting up a surprise and doesn't want any of the boys to see him, or ask questions. But they are sure queer repairs I'm doing,” and the carpenter scratched his head reflectively.
”What are you doing?” asked Ned boldly.
”Fixing up Andy's old airs.h.i.+p that was once busted,” was the unexpected answer, ”and after I get that done, if I ever do, he wants me to make a platform for it on the roof of the house, where he can start it swooping through the air. Mighty queer repairs, I call 'em. Well, good evening, boys,” and the carpenter pa.s.sed on.
CHAPTER IV
SEARCHING FOR SMUGGLERS.
”Well, of all things!”
”Who in the world would think such a thing?”
”Andy going to start out with his airs.h.i.+p again!”
”And going to sail it off the roof of his house!”
These were the alternate expressions that came from Tom and Ned, as they stood gazing at each other after the startling information given them by Mr. Dillon, the carpenter.
”Do you really think he means it?” asked Tom, after a pause, during which they watched the retreating figure of the carpenter. ”Maybe he was fooling us.”
”No, Mr. Dillon seldom jokes,” replied Ned, ”and when he does, you can always tell. He goes to our church, and I know he wouldn't deliberately tell an untruth. Oh. Andy's up to some game all right.”
”I thought he must be hanging around here the way he has been, instead of being home. But I admit I may have been wrong about the police being after him. If he'd done something wrong, he would hardly hire a man to work on the house while he was hiding in it. I guess he just wants to keep out of the way of everybody but his own particular cronies. But I wonder what he is up to, anyhow; getting his airs.h.i.+p in shape again?”
”Give it up, unless there's an aero meet on somewhere soon,” replied Ned. ”Maybe he's going to try a race again.”
Tom shook his head.
”I'd have heard about any aviation meets, if there were any scheduled,” he replied. ”I belong to the national a.s.sociation, and they send out circulars whenever there are to be races. None are on for this season. No, Andy has some other game.”
”Well, I don't know that it concerns us,” spoke Ned.
”Not as long as he doesn't bother me,” answered the young inventor.
”Well, Ned, I suppose you'll be over in the morning and help me try out the noiseless airs.h.i.+p?”
”Sure thing. Say, it was queer, about that government agent, wasn't it? suspecting you of supplying airs.h.i.+ps to the smugglers?”