By morning Osgood had recovered somewhat. Taking stock of the night's adventure, he realized that he'd left all his gear behind: the vacuum fences, the electromagnets for the doors, and the master key he'd entrusted to Noodles. This worried him. He didn't want Noodles and Meatball to find themselves in any trouble on his account. Those tools might be incriminating!
But then he remembered, and smiled with relief: the note he'd left in the alarm box explained the situation and absolved them of any blame. He didn't know much about his friends, he realized, but their names and descriptions should be enough.
They had been quite busy when he'd left. He remembered that their own airship had been moored behind the bank, next to his. It had seemed sluggish, he recalled, drooping in its moorings as though it was heavily laden. He wished he'd had a chance to make a few improvements to their craft. But it was too late now.
Osgood found that he was drifting on the wind over unknown territory. He checked his compass, looked for landmarks - how few there were that he remembered! - and eventually decided that he was some sixty miles west of the city. Should he go back now, defeate
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