“I can’t find it anywhere,” he lamented, “and I’m dead sure I left it there on the pile of blankets.  Hugh, somebody’s been in the shack while we were away, and cribbed the plan for my aeroplane stability device!”

CHAPTER VI

A RED LETTER DAY IN THE WOODS

Both Hugh and Ralph looked serious when their comrade made this announcement.

“That’s a tough deal on you, old fellow!” said the latter, feeling that it must mean considerable to Bud to have his idea stolen just when it was giving promise of being a signal success.

“Sure you left them there on the pile of blankets, are you?” asked ever practical Hugh.

“That’s right, he did,” Ralph volunteered.  “I remember seeing some papers there when I went out, and I was the last to leave, you know.  And you say that they’ve clean disappeared, have they, Bud?”

“Come on in and see if either of you have sharper eyes than I seem to have,” the other scout demanded.

Accepting the invitation, Hugh and Ralph bustled about for several minutes, hunting all through the interior of the shack, but without any success.

“Nothing here, that’s sure,” admitted the patrol leader.  “It was careless of you to leave your precious plan behind when you went to try the model out.”

Bud scratched his tousled head as though endeavoring to collect his wits.

“Let me see,” he started to say, slowly; “don’t blame me if I’m all mixed up over this business.  I’ve waited so long for this time to come that I’m sure rattled, that’s what’s the matter.  What did I lay down here?  Some parts of the plans for the model, that goes without saying; but seems like I’ve got a paper in my pocket right now.  Let’s see, I honestly believe that it’s the key to the invention.  Just what it is, boys; and without this, nobody’d ever know what all those markings on the other papers were meant for.”

“Then it’s all right, after all?” asked Hugh, smiling again when he saw that suggestive grin on his comrade’s face.

“It seems that I can make an aeroplane fool proof, when all the time the fool killer ought to get hold of me,” Bud confessed contritely.  “It was certainly careless of me to leave any part of my precious papers floating around, and only good luck has saved me from being left high and dry.  But perhaps those fellows will think they’ve got hold of some remarkable design.  They might crack their brains trying to make it out, and then not learn a single thing.  When a fellow laughs last, he’s going to laugh best, believe me.”

“Well, next time be more careful, that’s all,” advised Ralph.  “You can’t always count on being so lucky.  An inventor ought to keep his secrets locked up, and not let them lie around loose.  You’ll find that there are plenty of sly thieves ready to steal ideas, as well as money and jewels.  An idea that’s worth a fortune can be cribbed a heap easier than the coin itself.”