"Will they never stop? Oh, those sparks, those sparks! I can't disconnect it.Sparks, more sparks--will they never--" So he rambled on.It was fearsome to hear him.
But Kennedy was now sure that Norton was safe and in good hands, and he hurried back in the direction of the grand stand.Ifollowed.Flying was over for that day, and the people were filing slowly out toward the railroad station where the special trains were waiting.We stopped at the wireless station for a moment.
"Is it true that Norton will recover?" inquired the operator.
"Yes.He was only stunned, thank Heaven! Did you keep a record of the antics of your receiver since I saw you last?""Yes, sir.And I made a copy for you.By the way, it's working all right now when I don't want it.If Williams was only in the air now I'd give you a good demonstration of communicating with an aeroplane," continued the operator as he prepared to leave.
Kennedy thanked him for the record and carefully folded it.
Joining the crowd, we pushed our way out, but instead of going down to the station with them, Kennedy turned toward the barn and the yellow house.
For some time we waited about casually, but nothing occurred.At length Kennedy walked up to the shed.The door was closed and double padlocked.He knocked, but there was no answer.
Just then a man appeared on the porch of the yellow house.Seeing us, he beckoned.As we approached he shouted, "He's gone for the day!""Has he a city address--any place I could reach him tonight"asked Craig.
"I don't know.He hired the barn from me for two weeks and paid in advance.He told me if I wanted to address him the best way was 'Dr.K.Lamar, General Delivery, New York City.'""Ah, then I suppose I had better write to him," said Kennedy, apparently much gratified to learn the name."I presume he'll be taking away his apparatus soon?""Can't say.There's enough of it.Cy Smith--he's in the electric light company up to the village--says the doctor has used a powerful lot of current.He's good pay, though he's awful closemouthed.Flying's over for to-day, ain't it? Was that feller much hurt?""No, he'll be all right to-morrow.I think he'll fly again.The machine's in pretty good condition.He's bound to win that prize.
Good-bye."
As he walked away I remarked, "How do you know Norton will fly again?""I don't," answered Kennedy, "but I think that either he or Humphreys will.I wanted to see that this Lamar believes it anyhow.By the way, Walter, do you think you could grab a wire here and 'phone in a story to the Star that Norton isn't much hurt and will probably be able to fly to-morrow? Try to get the City News Association, too, so that all the papers will have it.
I don't care about risking the general delivery--perhaps Lamar won't call for any mail, but he certainly will read the papers.
Put it in the form of an interview with Norton--I'll see that it is all right and that there is no come-back.Norton will stand for it when I tell him my scheme."I caught the Star just in time for the last edition, and some of the other papers that had later editions also had the story.Of course all the morning papers had it.
Norton spent the night in the Mineola Hospital.He didn't really need to stay, but the doctor said it would be best in case some internal injury had been overlooked.Meanwhile Kennedy took charge of the hangar where the injured machine was.The men had been in a sort of panic; Humphrey could not be found, and the only reason, I think, why the two mechanicians stayed was because something was due them on their pay.
Kennedy wrote them out personal checks for their respective amounts, but dated them two days ahead to insure their staying.
He threw off all disguise now and with authority from Norton directed the repairing of the machine.Fortunately it was in pretty good condition.The broken part was the skids, not the essential parts of the machine.As for the gyroscope, there were plenty of them and another dynamo, and it was a very simple thing to replace the old one that had been destroyed.
Sinclair worked with a will, far past his regular hours.Jaurette also worked, though one could hardly say with a will.In fact, most of the work was done by Sinclair and Kennedy, with Jaurette sullenly grumbling, mostly in French under his breath.I did not like the fellow and was suspicious of him.I thought I noticed that Kennedy did not allow him to do much of the work, either, though that may have been for the reason that Kennedy never asked anyone to help him who seemed unwilling.
"There," exclaimed Craig about ten o'clock."If we want to get back to the city in any kind of time to-night we had better quit.
Sinclair, I think you can finish repairing these skids in the morning."We locked up the hangar and hurried across to the station.It was late when we arrived in New York, but Kennedy insisted on posting off up to his laboratory, leaving me to run down to the Star office to make sure that our story was all right for the morning papers.
I did not see him until morning, when a large touring-car drove up.Kennedy routed me out of bed.In the tonneau of the car was a huge package carefully wrapped up.
"Something I worked on for a couple of hours last night,"explained Craig, patting it."If this doesn't solve the problem then I'll give it up."I was burning with curiosity, but somehow, by a perverse association of ideas, I merely reproached Kennedy for not taking enough rest.
"Oh," he smiled."If I hadn't been working last night, Walter, Icouldn't have rested at all for thinking about it."When we arrived at the field Norton was already there with his head bandaged.I thought him a little pale, but otherwise all right.Jaurette was sulking, but Sinclair had finished the repairs and was busily engaged in going over every bolt and wire.
Humphreys had sent word that he had another offer and had not shown up.
