human
Why, Givens, said Potter,
gpt
No, sir, said Givens,
human
Yes,
gpt
I'm one of the office messengers, Givens said.
human
We use motor-cycles--
gpt
I know who you are. What has happened?
human
I was to stop at twelve o'clock to get a package of drawin's or somethin' from Hammond and Green, the engineers. I got them all right, and started for the plant. Went up Woodward to the Boulevard and across. You know where the Boulevard goes under the railroad? Well, right there a machine came up behind me and bumped me. I went down pretty hard. Sort of knocked out for a minute. When I scrambled up I looked all over for that package, but I couldn't find it any place. It couldn't have fell anywhere out of sight, for I was right under the railroad. There wasn't any sewer openin's or anythin'.... Somebody must 'a' swiped it. I hunted good, and then I come down here as fast as I could. The motor-cycle wasn't hurt any.
gpt
What was in the package? What drawings?
human
I don't know, sir.
gpt
Show this man the wash-room and help him brush up,
human
Mr. Withers,
gpt
This is Potter Waite. What drawings were you getting from Hammond and Green this noon?
human
A set of blue prints of Buildings G and F.
gpt
A complete set?
human
Yes, showing machinery placed, shafting, conveyers--everything.
gpt
Thank you,
human
You're sure there's no chance you overlooked the package anywhere?
gpt
No, sir. I think it was a plant, Mr. Waite, that's what. I think them men in that machine knocked me over apurpose to swipe them drawin's.
human
I'm inclined to agree with you. Better go home and get fixed up. Need a new suit, won't you? Buy it and give the bill to me.
gpt
Thank you, Mr. Waite,
human
Come up to the office, please, Potter said.
gpt
Something in your line, I guess.
human
A messenger bringing drawings of the buildings we're changing over was knocked down on his way out this noon, and the blue prints taken away from him. He gave the incident to Downs as Givens had given it to him.
gpt
By the way, he added,
human
Saw it in the paper,
gpt
I've been wondering, Potter said,
human
An aeroplane is a mighty useful toy,
gpt
A mighty conspicuous toy.
human
I'm not so sure. Easy to hide in some out-of-the-way place. That machine worries me more than the loss of those blue prints. That's a sort of warning we ought to be thankful for, though it doesn't tell us much we didn't feel pretty sure of. We're working on the certainty that they'll try to interfere with this plant, and they've verified it for us.... But that aeroplane.... We can watch the employees, and we can do a pretty good job of guarding the plant on the ground, but how in thunder, Mr. Waite, are we going to stop anybody from flying over the top of it some night and dropping a ton or so of explosive on the roof? There's a German with something pretty close to genius running things hereabouts.... You've probably eaten dinner with him,
gpt
Eh? You mean you suspect some one?
human
I mean that I don't, worse luck. What I mean is that the fellow who ought to be suspected is probably above suspicion. He's somebody you know well and meet every day. The kind of man who would have the enterprise to think of stealing an aeroplane is mighty apt to be the man you invite to dinner.
gpt
You'll have me suspecting everybody I know.
human
While you are making motors for the Signal Corps, said Downs, soberly,
gpt
It seems as if a thing as big as a hydro-aeroplane ought to be found,
human
It's got to be found, said Downs.
gpt
Not only for the protection of the industrial plants in Detroit, but think of the danger it throws over the ship-canal at the Flats and the channel into Lake Erie. They could even work east as far as the Welland. An aeroplane and a few tons of explosive could come pretty close to bottling up the commerce of the Lakes, Mr. Waite.... And I've a notion that's the big game.... Our ore comes down the Lakes. Stop the ore and you stop the steel-mills. Then what?
human
I guess, said Potter, slowly,
gpt
The country will wake up some morning to a dazing realization of it,