Islands in the Air | Page 5

the Professor,
we stared in blank dismay. A careful search of the surrounding woods
brought no clue. We followed up a rumor that he had been seen in his
car driving out of the city at daybreak, but we could not verify it.
The Professor, wild with suspense, anxiety and remorse for having
criticised his faithful aid, rummaged among his papers and discovered
that the blue prints covering secret parts of one of his giant condensers
were missing.
The scene that followed I will not attempt to describe. The Professor
lost his head. He raved like a madman, condemning everybody,
threatening everybody. He said he would give up the work, commit
suicide and be through with it all. But at length he grew calm, asked my
pardon for the outburst and ordered the work to go on.
"I simply can't believe that McCann is a traitor, Bob," said the
Professor. "I'd stake my life on his faithfulness. He may be ill. He may
be wandering about with an unbalanced mind. You know this work
always did affect him profoundly. He has a great brain, and I really

believe that he understands this work as well as I do. It is a pity if he
has become unbalanced. But sane or not I fear his absence means
trouble for us."
The revelations of the next few days seemed to justify the Professor's
alarm. The press of the city carried big black headlines announcing that
Professor Stiener, the great German scientist, was at work on a theory
calculated to upset one of nature's laws. The exact nature of the scheme
was not known, but it was said to portend a mighty revolution in air
travel.
The Professor read the news and smiled grimly. He was pleased by the
compliment, yet fearful of the public's premature praise.
It was about the middle of October when one morning the Professor
and I, walking along the street near the university campus, suddenly
came face to face with Van Beck.
"My dear old pal," said the Dutchman, taking the Professor's hand
which had not been offered and squeezing it cordially. "I have just
returned from a visit to my old home across the sea. Yes," he went on
eagerly without waiting for the question, "I had a fine time--a very fine
time." The Professor smiled sourly. "And now may I ask how you are
coming on with your--that is--er--this new scheme of yours?"
The Professor frowned. "I remember your uninvited visit, Van Beck,"
he said icily.
"Beg pardon, Professor Stiener. Greta took me to that wilderness retreat.
It was a mere accident on my part, I assure you. But now that I know
something tremendous is being evolved by your great brain I naturally
am anxious over it and I wish you well."
"Thanks, Van Beck."
"Often you and I have worked together and together have reaped the
reward."

"You mean you have reaped it," rasped the Professor.
"You wrong me," remonstrated Van Beck.
"I don't want your help, Van Beck. My good friend here, Bob Bookman,
is furnishing the funds and--"
"To be sure, to be sure," cut in Van Beck pleasantly. "I am glad for
your sake and for Mr. Bookman's sake. It is a rare privilege to aid in
any work of yours."
"We are busy," said the Professor ignoring the compliment. "You must
excuse us."
"Certainly, Professor Stiener. But if at any time you feel the need of
assistance you know you can count on me."
"Damn that infernal Dutchman," said the Professor as we walked on.
"He has a great mind, a wonderful mind, but he is a rogue. And yet," he
added reflectively, "he has served me in the past though he also has
beaten me. I despise him and still like him. But I wish he'd let me alone
now," he finished irritably.
This was a vain hope, for during the next few days Van Beck crossed
the Professor's path frequently, became more insistent, more diplomatic
in his search for information, taking the Professor's rebuffs with a smile
and maintaining an air of the utmost friendliness. And at length he
wormed the main secret from the Professor--the momentous admission
that the latter was striving to overcome the laws of gravitation.
CHAPTER III
Into the Air!
IT WAS not long afterward that the location of our plant became
known to the public. A strange plane, flying low, circled the field and
took its own time getting away. People eagerly responded to its news.
During the next week automobiles by the thousand braved the rocky

trails leading to the plant, and folks by the hundreds peered curiously
through the wire fence at the manifold and mysterious preparations to
harness nature's mighty forces.
The newspapers of the entire country teemed with conjectures and
declarations as