Goldfrap John Henry - The Boy Scouts at the Panama-Pacific Exposition стр 8.

Huh! bet youve gone and spent every red cent you could scrape up paying

a patent lawyer to put some wildcat scheme through; and that youve got the papers in your pocket showing that youve parted from your hard cash?

When Andy recklessly said this Hiram turned and looked reproachfully at him, and then with his accustomed drawl remarked:

Everything we tackle in this world is a chance and a hazard, dont you know, Andy Bowles? And if inventors, people who have the big brains, and get up all the wonderful labor-saving devices you read about, didnt choose to accept risks, why whatever would become of all you ordinary folks, tell me?

Andy shook his head.

Give it up, Hiram, he said blankly. But please go right along and tell us what youve been and gone and done now. Never mind me. My bark is a whole lot worse than my bite, anyhow.

Thats so, Hiram assured him cheerfully. Well, you guessed right in one way, Andy, for I have secured the advance notice that a patent is pending on a clever invention of mine, which is as good as saying its secured. But thats only the beginning, the foundation, or, as you might say, the advance agent of prosperity. The best is yet to come.

Youre exciting us a heap, Hiram, I admit, muttered Andy, but I hope it isnt all going to turn out a big smoke. Theres some fire back of this talk, isnt there?

Wait! the other told him grimly. Get ready to soak in this information, boys. The invention for which I have applied for patent rights is, as praps youve already guessed, in connection with airships!

He waited at that point, as if expecting some expression of surprise and wonder; so not to disappoint him, and in hopes of hurrying matters along a little faster, the accommodating Andy gave vent to the one expressive word:

Gee!

Yes, Ive been tackling one of the hardest propositions we inventors have ever run up against, continued Hiram pompously, and to tell you the truth it was only through a happy chance that in the end I stumbled on the key that unlocked the secret. You may know that one of the obstacles to making aëroplanes popular among the masses has been the danger attending these air flights. Even the most experienced pilots are subject to risks that they pretend to make light of. You understand all that, Rob, of course?

Yes, I know they are delicate affairs at best when used for sailing a mile above the earth, admitted the patrol leader; and that a sudden gust of wind, if it takes the voyager unawares, is apt to bring about disaster.

Thats just it, said Hiram triumphantly. Rob, Ive discovered a way to prevent all these accidents, and made an aëroplane as safe for a novice to run as it would be for an experienced pilot with a license.

If you have done that, Hiram, youve got a feather in your cap! Rob told him. Some of the biggest inventors have been lying awake nights trying to fix things that way, so as to take away most of the terrible risk of flying; but so far it doesnt seem theyve met with much success.

Wait till they hear from Hiram Nelson, thats all, declared the happy scout, as he smote himself on the chest in rather a vainglorious fashion, which, however, the other two boys hardly noticed, for they knew Hirams fondness of boasting, as he had always been afflicted in that way.

Tell us the rest, Hi, said Andy, just as if it bored him to hear so much about the preliminaries, when as the inventor proclaimed the best was yet to come.

All right, said Hiram promptly. Now you know what the scheme is I can go on and get deeper into my yarn.

Wish you would, muttered Andy, pretending to stifle a yawn back of his hand, but that was only done in order to hurry the long-winded talker.

I call my wonderful invention a stabilizer, because thats the use its really intended for, continued Hiram, as though wishing to fully impress that fact upon their minds. To tell the truth, Ive had the legal documents showing that a patent had been applied for, quite some time now, though for reasons of my own I kept it all a dead secret from everybody. Mebbe yeou fellers may have noticed that Ive been looking kinder mysterious the last month or two? Well, guess with such a tremen jous secret on your mind either of youd a been equally absent minded. But that is past now, and Ive accomplished my aim.

Good! Andy burst out with. Let go your bowstring then and shoot, for goodness sake, Hiram.

Well, of course I had it all laid out, continued the other composedly, as if it was beneath him to pay any attention to these pins that Andy was sticking into him, and my first thought was to get in communication with some enterprising big corporation that manufactured aëroplanes for the market. All inventors have to sell their first few

patents, you know, sos to get money enough to push other ideas; and if I could pick up a few thousand that way, why Id have to let my stabilizer go.

Then youve been corresponding with such a company, have you? asked Rob, knowing that he could tempt the other to hurry his story in this way, just as a witness in court is drawn on by a clever lawyers questions.