Airship Andy Or The Luck of a Brave Boy Part 23

This was Joshua Bird. He was reported to be the richest man in Princeville, and dealt princ.i.p.ally in real estate and had the reputation of being something of a miser.

Mr. Webb, holding Andy's hand, turned to Mr. Bird.

"Well, sir, everything is satisfactory?" he asked.

"Entirely so," answered Bird. "You're putting a good deal of faith in a lad you scarcely know, though."

"I'll bank on my confidence," answered Mr. Webb. "Nelson, you remember me, do you not?"

"Perfectly, sir, but I don't understand."

"My being here?" questioned Mr. Webb. "A purely selfish motive is at the bottom of it, I am free to confess, although I am glad to be of service to you on general principles. Are you ready to leave here at once?"

"Where for, sir?"

"An automobile dash across the country."

"And then am I to return here?"

"Not until your trial comes on. Let me explain, so you will understand the situation. I have gone on your bail bond."

"I don't know how to thank you," said Andy gratefully.

"Your friend, Mr. Parks, found me late last night at Greenville, where Mr. West and myself were anxiously awaiting you. He explained about your arrest, and told us the whole story of your affairs. It seems that your trouble began with the finding of my pocketbook. It was only right, therefore, that I should stand by you-which I have done, and intend to keep up, Andy, for you have proven yourself a good, honest boy."

"Thank you, Mr. Webb," said our hero with considerable emotion.

"Mr. West, my legal adviser, arranged with Mr. Bird, who has just left us. The signing of your bail bond is the result. You are free to get to those anxious friends of yours at the aviation meet, but first I want you to take a little trip with me."

"After that old leather pocketbook, I suppose."

"You've guessed it right, Andy."

"I would like to speak with a good friend of mine in the jail here for a moment," said Andy, "and then I will be ready to go with you."

"All right, Andy."

Chase had already heard the good news and congratulated Andy, chuckling and hobbling about at a great rate.

"Remember you're to look out for a new job for me," he intimated.

"I'll attend to that all right, Mr. Chase," promised Andy. "If things go as I think they will, I have a friend as well as an employer who will probably need a man such as you to potter about and look after things."

"Andy, I'll potter for keeps if you get me that situation," declared the old lockup-keeper earnestly. "You get it fixed for me, and when your trial comes up, I'll show you how much I think of you."

"Things are certainly coming out famously right," chirped Andy gaily, as he left Chase.

"Now then, Nelson, take a try at my new machine," said Mr. Webb, as he led Andy to the street.

Seth Talbot, one of his own machines waiting at the curb for a fare, was strolling around inspecting the beautiful touring car which Mr. Webb had indicated.

"Eh, hey! what's this?" he blubbered out, as Andy walked smartly to the machine and leaped into the driver's seat.

An officer who was aware of the situation nudged Talbot and spoke a few quick words to him in an undertone. The face of the garage owner turned white with astonishment and malice. Mr. Webb had noticed him, and asked Andy:

"Who is that man?"

"Mr. Talbot, my old employer," responded Andy.

"I don't like his looks," spoke Mr. Webb simply. "Now then, Nelson, of course you know where I want to go."

"After the leather pocketbook-yes, sir."

"I hope you can find it."

"I feel sure we shall, sir. We will have to take some roundabout roads to get to the farm I told Mr. West about."

"This is a very important matter to me," explained Mr. Webb. "I may as well tell you, Nelson, that the fortune and happiness of two orphan children, distant relatives of mine, depend on the finding of that old pocketbook."

"I am very much interested, Mr. Webb," said Andy.

"You did not notice perhaps, but glued down in the big part of that pocketbook is a thin compartment. Secreted in that is an old time-worn sheet of paper that I spent thousands of dollars and a year's time in locating and getting into my possession. I was on my way to my lawyer with it, and had placed two hundred dollars in the pocketbook for costs in the law suit, when I lost the pocketbook, as you know."

"I never dreamed there was any value in the old pocketbook," said Andy.

"I knew it was in my old clothes which I threw away at a farm near Wade, I told you about. I remember perfectly well tossing them up on an old shelf. Unless they have been disturbed, we will find the clothes and the pocketbook. It was a regular old rubbish pile where I tossed them, and out of anybody's way."

"I shall feel immensely relieved and glad when I find that doc.u.ment,"

declared Mr. Webb, with a sigh of anxiety.

John Parks was responsible for bringing the word to Mr. West that had sent Mr. Webb to Princeville. The aeronaut had told the lawyer considerable about Andy and the approaching airship race, and as they rolled along Mr. Webb showed a great deal of interest in Andy's aviation ambitions and asked a great many questions.

"I shall want to see you again as soon as I get that doc.u.ment in the pocketbook to the lawyers," said the gentleman. "The airship race is to-morrow?"

"Yes, sir."

"I will keep track of you through Mr. Parks, and probably meet you day after to-morrow. I hope you win the race, Nelson, and get the prize. You deserve it, my boy. If you fail, do not get discouraged. You have some good friends, and I am one of them."

"You have shown that," said Andy with feeling. "I wouldn't have missed the race for a good deal."

Andy entertained his companion considerably by a recital of his adventures three weeks previously when he had helped the goose farmer get his product to market.

"Just yonder is where I met him first," explained Andy, as they pa.s.sed over a bridge crossing the river. "It's a straight road to the Collins farm now, but not very even."

"I hope we find things as you expect," said Mr. Webb.

"I think we will," answered Andy cheerfully.

It was about an hour later when they rounded a curve in a beautiful country road.