But he did not finish the sentence.  Suddenly from the air above them came a curious whirring, throbbing noise.  Tom sat up with a jump!  He and Ned gazed toward the zenith.  The noise increased and, a moment later, there came into view a big airship, sailing right over their heads.

“Look at that!” cried Tom.

“Hush!  They’ll hear you,” cautioned Ned.

“Nonsense!  They’re too high up,” was Tom’s reply.  “Mr. Damon, bring me the big binoculars, please!” he called.

“Bless my spectacles, what’s up?” asked the odd gentleman as he ran with the glasses toward Tom.

Our hero focused them on the airship that was swiftly sailing across the open space in the wilderness but so high up that there was no danger of our friends being recognized.  Then the young inventor uttered a cry of astonishment.

“It’s Andy Foger!” he cried.  “He’s in that airship, and he’s got two men with him.  Andy Foger, and it’s a new biplane.  Say, maybe that’s the new clew Mr. Whitford wired me about.  We must get ready for action!  Andy in a new airship means business, and from the whiteness of the canvas planes, I should say that craft was on its first trip.”

CHAPTER XII

WARNED AWAY

“Tom, are you sure it’s Andy?”

“Take a look yourself,” replied the young inventor, passing his chum the binoculars.

“Bless my bottle of ink!” cried Mr. Damon.  “Is it possible?”

“Quick, Ned, or you’ll miss him!” cried Tom.

The young bank clerk focused the glasses on the rapidly moving airship, and, a moment later, exclaimed: 

“Yes, that’s Andy all right, but I don’t know who the men are with him.”

“I couldn’t recognize them, either,” announced Tom.  “But say, Ned, Andy’s got a good deal better airship than he had before.”

“Yes.  This isn’t his old one fixed over.  I don’t believe he ever intended to repair the old one.  That hiring of Mr. Dillon to do that, was only to throw him, and us, too, off the track.”

Ned passed the glasses to Mr. Damon, who was just in time to get a glimpse of the three occupants of Andy’s craft before it passed out of sight over the trees.

“I believe you’re right,” said Tom to his chum.  “And did you notice that there’s quite a body, or car, to that craft?”

“Yes. room enough to carry considerable goods,” commented Ned.  “I wonder where he’s going in it?”

“To Logansville, most likely.  I tell you what it is, Ned.  I think one of us will have to go there, and see if Mr. Whitford has arrived.  He may be looking for us.  I’m not sure but what we ought not to have done this first.  He may think we have not come, or have met with some accident,”

“I guess you’re right, Tom.  But how shall we go?  It isn’t going to be any fun to tramp through those woods,” and Ned glanced at the wilderness that surrounded the little glade where they had been camping.