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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/19907-8.txt b/19907-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d47b7a --- /dev/null +++ b/19907-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7754 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Around the World in Ten Days, by Chelsea +Curtis Fraser + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Around the World in Ten Days + + +Author: Chelsea Curtis Fraser + + + +Release Date: November 23, 2006 [eBook #19907] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN DAYS*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN DAYS + +by + +CHELSEA CURTIS FRASER + +Author of "Work-a-Day Heroes," "Secrets of the Earth," +"Boys' Book of Battles," "Boys' Book of Sea Fights," +"The Young Citizens Own Book," etc. + + + + + + + +The World Publishing Company +Cleveland, Ohio ------ New York City + +Copyright, MCMXXII, By +The World Syndicate Publishing Company +Printed in the United States of America + + + + +PREFACE + +In the infancy of aviation, the early 1920's, +no one dreamed that the close of the decade +would see it firmly and permanently +established--a leader among the nation's industries. +Heavier-than-air flight is perhaps the most +amazing contribution of the 20th century. + +It is easy to thrill to the seeming marvels of +our own times, but only the short-sighted thinker +believes in the perfection of present scientific +progress. The 300-mile-an-hour airplane which +Fraser conceived in this book for the speed of +the Sky-Bird II was little more than so many +words when he wrote it. . . . today we have +400-mile-an-hour fighting planes. Today we have +in this country an intricate highway system, but +perhaps within your own lifetime our highways, +and the automobiles which skim over them, will +be laughed at as obsolete and useless. + +Thus it is that "the seemingly impossible of +the fiction of today becomes outdone by the facts +of tomorrow," as the author aptly phrased it. + +In 1920 the idea of going around the world in +ten days was as preposterous as that projected +by Jules Verne in 1873 when he wrote _Around +the World in Eighty Days_. But time has a way +of hurling ridicule back as effectively as a +boomerang. For we have seen and marvelled at the +shattering not only of the mythical eighty-day +record but even the ten-day record, as progress +wends its ceaseless, ambitious, difficult and +almost fantastic way through the years. + +And so it will be gratifying and, no doubt, +amazing to many to read this book and realize +the advancement made in aviation since this story +was written by Mr. Fraser, and how many of the +ideas he prophesied for airplane advancement +that have materialized in less than a score of years. + +Around-the-world flyers, even the most recent, +have all flown more or less northerly routes, not +following the equatorial belt, which is, as we all +know, the earth's greatest circumference. It is +this course that our four young heroes take in +Sky-Bird II, a plane designed and constructed +by themselves, containing many features that +aeronautics now takes for granted, and some not +yet realized, which are, nevertheless, "within the +scope of mechanical science," as Fraser says. + +So, it is our opinion, young readers, that in +addition to enjoying an exciting story, you will +benefit by carefully reading the technical +passages, and in doing so, learn to observe your +present-day surroundings with a greater +perspective--thus adding infinitely greater interest +to your view of the world today! + +THE PUBLISHERS. + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER + + I PAUL AND BOB + II THE BROTHERS' INVENTION + III THE SUCCESSFUL MODEL + IV PLANNING A BIG AIRPLANE + V AN AIR RACE FINISH AND A CHALLENGE + VI THE MISSING BLUE-PRINTS + VII WHO'S AT THE WINDOW? + VIII THE SKY-BIRD II + IX THE TEST FLIGHT + X FINAL PREPARATIONS + XI OFF FOR PANAMA + XII FIGHTING A DEVIL-FISH + XIII THE STRANGE AIRPLANE + XIV A FAMILIAR FACE + XV THE START + XVI TRICKED BY RIVALS + XVII ACROSS THE ATLANTIC + XVIII AN IRRITATING DELAY + XIX SAVED BY THE SEARCHLIGHT + XX A JUNGLE ADVENTURE + XXI THE DOUBLE LOOP + XXII ABOVE THE CLOUDS + XXIII BOMBED BY ROCKS + XXIV RIDING AN AIRPLANE'S TAIL + XXV ENGULFED IN A VOLCANO'S DUST + XXVI IN AUSTRALIA + XXVII PAUL VERSUS PETE + XXVIII A MIX-UP IN DATES + XXIX A FLYING RESCUE + XXX AN ALARMING DISCOVERY + XXXI THE FINISH + + + + +Around the World in Ten Days + + +CHAPTER I + +PAUL AND BOB + +"Did you say this big Air Derby around the world takes place this +coming summer, Bob?" + +"So dad told me at the breakfast table this morning, Paul. The plans +have just been completed. He said full details would be in to-day's +papers." + +"And the afternoon edition is out now, for there's a newsie just ahead +of us who is calling out the _Daily Independent_. That's your father's +newspaper, too." + +"It will be in there sure pop, Paul." + +"Then I'm going to get a copy right now." + +The two youths, who but a few moments before had come out of the broad +doors of the Clark Polytechnic Institute along with a noisy throng of +other students, paused when they reached the newsboy in question, and +the taller of the pair bought a newspaper which he shoved into an inner +pocket of his raincoat. + +"We'll look at this in the car on our way home; a fellow can't do any +reading in a storm like this," said the purchaser. "Let's hurry up a +bit, Bob; I'm so eager to see what it says about that Derby that I can +hardly wait to get to the station. Say, just think of it--a race +around the world by air! Won't that be great?" + +"I'll say so, Paul old boy! They ought to smash all existing records. +You know that a man named Mears made the circuit in thirty-five days +about seven years ago, and he had to depend on slow steam trains and +steamships, aided by a naphtha-launch." + +"That's true, Bob. Now that we have planes we ought to do a lot +better. But the big oceans are the trouble for aircraft. The Atlantic +has been crossed by Alcock and Brown in a Vimy-Vickers biplane, and +also by our NC-4 flying-boat under the command of Lieutenant Read, and +by the big English dirigible R-34; but the Pacific, with its greater +breadth, has seemed so impossible that it has never been attempted." + +"Why should it seem impossible?" + +"Because they can't carry sufficient gasoline to cross the Pacific." + +"But how about the islands?" + +"The majority are not level enough to permit a landing, and others are +too widely scattered. I have made quite a study of transoceanic flight +since Harry Hawker and his partner, Grieve, made their unsuccessful +attempt last spring to cross the Atlantic in a Sopwith machine, and for +my part I can't see how this proposed Derby around the world can all be +done by air, when no machine has ever yet been able to hop the Pacific." + +"Well, Paul, we'll soon be at the station out of this storm, and then +we can see what the paper says about it," was the philosophical +conclusion of his companion. + +With that they hurried on down the street, bowing their heads to ward +off the sharp sleet as much as possible, while they gripped their +school-books under their arms. They were a splendid-looking pair of +young Americans, probably about eighteen years old, and the manner in +which they swung along through the disagreeable drizzle, paying scant +attention to it as they laughed and talked, showed them to be full of +that boundless energy and gaiety of spirits which only perfect health +and participation in athletics can bestow. + +As Paul Ross and Robert Giddings approached the next corner, a young +man with umbrella held low in front of him hurried around it and ran +into a small Italian girl who was carrying a basket of fruit. She was +staggered by the collision; her basket was knocked from her arm, and +the oranges began to roll in every direction. The child broke into +tears, but the cause of her misfortune only paused long enough to say +angrily, "Confound you, you careless little beggar! Why don't you +watch where you are going?" and hurried on his way. + +"Say, Paul, did you see the way that swarthy-faced chap used that +little girl?" cried Bob indignantly. + +"I certainly did," was the no less indignant answer. "That lazy dog +ought to be horse-whipped. Let's help the child." + +Both boys fell to work with a will, rescued the escaping oranges, and +tucked them back in their owner's basket. Then, with her grateful +thanks ringing in their ears, they hurried on once more. + +After they had gone a few steps, Paul Ross observed: + +"Bob, I've seen that fellow before. That was Pete Deveaux. He used to +be an Air Mail pilot on the same run as my brother John, but was +discharged for drunkenness. Since that he has blamed John, and has +written him several threatening letters, but is too cowardly to face +him." + +By this time they had reached the West 137th Street station of the +suburban railroad which runs between the metropolis and various shore +towns along the picturesque Hudson. They were just in time to catch a +train, and found a comfortable seat in a rear coach. Then Paul brought +forth the newspaper he had purchased. What they sought was found on +the very first page, prominently displayed under a black-faced heading. + +"Read it aloud, Paul," suggested Bob, and his friend proceeded to do +so. The article was to the effect that the Aero Club of America, in +conjunction with eminent aviation associations of the kind in Europe +and Asia, had planned to stimulate interest in flying by holding an +aircraft race around the world, which would start on the morning of +July 4th. All contestants must be at least twenty-one years of age, +and furnish an entrance fee of two hundred dollars. They might use any +type of aircraft they chose, and could carry as many assistants as they +wished, even utilizing trains or steamships, if not less than +three-fourths of their journey were made by air; and they must stop at +least once in each of four continents, and cross the Atlantic and +Pacific oceans. Aside from these provisions, the selection of route +was left entirely to each contestant. Then followed an imposing list +of names of well-known flyers who, it was said, had signified their +intention of competing. The article wound up with the statement that +prizes aggregating a million dollars would be offered the winners. + +"One million dollars!" exclaimed Bob Giddings. "Paul, old man, you'd +better go in for this!" + +Paul Ross's eyes sparkled, but the next moment he laughed and shook his +head. "I surely would like to," said he, "but there are just three +little things in the way of it." + +"I suppose you need a machine for one thing?" + +"Yes--and you must admit that's a good-sized item. Second, I need two +hundred dollars to enter--something I don't happen to have, and +something I know mother can't spare in such a hazard. Third, I need +three years added to my age in order to be eligible." + +"It does look rather hopeless for you, that's a fact," admitted Bob. +"That second handicap might be overcome with my father's help, but the +other two are real obstacles." + +"It's mighty nice of you and your father, Bob, to wish to help me out +in this fashion," said Paul; "but, as you state, the other drawbacks +cannot be swept aside so easily. Perhaps later on, another 'round the +world Air Derby will be pulled off, and I shall have a chance to enter +it." + +"Well, if you do, don't forget to count me in as an assistant," +declared his friend. "Nothing would please me better than to make a +trip like that with you, Paul." + +"You certainly shall be welcome if the time ever comes. By the way, +Bob, John and I have designed a new type of monoplane in our spare +time, and for the past two months I have been busy making a three-foot +model of this. I hope to finish it in a day or two, and I want you to +go with me over to the old fair-grounds next Saturday afternoon and +give it a test flight, if you will." + +Bob Giddings was all interest at once, and plied his friend with many +questions concerning his new model, many others of which he had in +times past helped Paul fly with the keenest delight. The truth is, +Paul Ross and his brother John, the latter a pilot in the government +Air Mail service, were known all over the State of New York as makers +of the best-flying model airplanes to be found anywhere. Ever since +they were small boys in grammar school, the brothers had been +constructing miniature monoplanes, biplanes, and seaplanes, which they +had pitted against the best product of other lads in the neighborhood +and surrounding towns, without once meeting defeat. Many of these +specimens of youthful ingenuity they still preserved, suspended in +bedroom and attic, where they were a never-ending source of interest to +visitors at the Ross homestead in the outskirts of Yonkers. + +The war had called John into the aviation service of his country, but +Paul had still continued his experiments in making tiny airplanes, +getting his friend Robert Giddings, who lived in a fine house on +Shadynook Hill, to assist him in the flying. Thrown together by their +mutual love for mechanics, and being in the same classes all through +high-school, Paul and Bob had formed a strong attachment for each +other, although the latter's home was far more pretentious than the +former's, since Paul's mother was a widow in only moderately +comfortable circumstances, while Bob's father was the editor and owner +of the _Daily Independent_, one of the leading evening newspapers of +New York City. + +When John returned from the war it was with an incurable passion for +flying, and within a few months he had re-entered the service of his +country in the peaceful but dangerous work of carrying Uncle Sam's +mails between Washington and New York in a big Martin bomber. He found +that his younger brother's love for aviation had also developed, as +well as his skill in constructing and flying model airplanes. Some of +these recent ones were so novel in design and of such wonderfully +ingenious workmanship, that John, who had won unusual honors as an +aviator on the French front, was quite thunderstruck, and determined to +encourage Paul's talents in this line in every way he could. +Therefore, when the boy graduated from the Yonkers high school, and +expressed a wish to take up a special course in aeronautical +engineering at Clark Polytechnic Institute, John backed him up, and the +mother, who would have preferred a less hazardous profession for her +younger son, sighingly consented. + +Paul's chum, Robert Giddings, had also gone to Clark Polytechnic upon +leaving high school, his ambition being to become an electrical +engineer. Thus both boys continued to be thrown in daily contact. It +was their habit to go into the city to school each morning in the sedan +with Mr. Giddings; but as he left the city late in the afternoon they +usually took the train back. + +As the friends now parted, Bob Giddings' last words were: "Don't forget +to get that new model airplane done by Saturday, Paul. I'm crazy to +see it." + +"I'll be ready for you," was Paul's assurance; "but remember to keep +this under your hat. It's to be a secret test, you know." + +"Trust me," said Bob. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE BROTHERS' INVENTION + +When Paul Ross reached home that afternoon, it was to find someone +there whom he had not expected to see. A tall, broad-shouldered young +man, with a bronzed face and pleasant blue eyes, sat in the +living-room, talking to his mother. + +Paul rushed forward and joyfully grasped his brown hand. "Why, John!" +he exclaimed, "I didn't expect to find you here!" + +"Of course you didn't, Buddy," was the smiling response of the young +man, who was wont to call his younger brother by this affectionate +war-mate term. "The fact is, as I was just telling mother, two days +ago I didn't know myself that I would be anywhere at this hour except +speeding through the air between New York and Washington on my usual +mail run in my trusty old Martin-bird. As it is, Buddy, it looks now +as if neither you nor I would ever handle her controls again." There +was a note of sadness in John's voice as he said this. + +"Why, what's the matter, John?" asked Paul quickly. + +"It's this way, lad: You know I told you and mother a couple of weeks +ago, when I was here on my last regular lay-over, that Congress was +talking about cutting a big slice out of the Air Mail appropriation, in +order to reduce expenses. Well, the upshot of it all is, they made the +cut, and not having enough money to carry on the service as it has +been, the head of the Air Mail has ordered the abandonment of all +flying divisions except the main line between New York and San +Francisco. Only those pilots will be kept. So that's why I am here." + +"Won't they take you on again soon, John?" asked Mrs. Ross. + +"I fear not, mother," replied her elder son, shaking his head soberly. +"Our field-superintendent did say that he would give me the first +opening in the transcontinental line, since my records lead the bunch, +and he even offered to displace one of the boys on that route and put +me in his place, but--" + +"But you refused," interrupted Paul, with conclusive pride in his big +brother. + +John grinned. "Well, put it that way if you like, Buddy," said he; +"anyhow, as I said before, here I am. Some chap may quit or 'go +West'--you know a round dozen of the poor chaps have been killed in the +last year--and that may let me back in again. But I won't wait for it; +I'll get after some of the commercial flying companies next week and +see if I can't land a berth with them. I simply can't think of working +on the ground. I guess I should have been born a bird, mother, instead +of a human being, I love flying so much." + +"I really believe you would be safer if you were a bird, John," +asserted Mrs. Ross, with an uneasy smile. "Birds have no motors to +fail them, no fire to ignite and burn them up, as our present +airplanes. How many of your own unfortunate associates can lay their +untimely deaths to either one of these causes! It was only the last +time you were here that you were telling Paul and me about the terrible +fall Howard Smith had because his motor stopped, and how his machine +ignited, and how he was burned past recognition." + +"I know," said the veteran airman; "those things will happen at times, +mother, even with the most careful fellows. The time will come, I +think, and very soon, when stalled motors can be restarted in the air, +and when accidentally ignited fuel will burn itself out with no harm to +either the machine or its occupants. The fact is, Paul and I have some +ideas now as to how to overcome those very troubles, along with other +improvements, and the first chance we get we are going to build an +airplane along these lines and put it to the test, aren't we, Buddy?" + +"We surely are," was Paul's enthusiastic response. "One of these fine +days, mother, when we get our patents and sell them, you shall live in +as fine a home as the Giddings's over on Shadynook Hill, and when you +wish to go into the city to do any shopping, John or I will take you in +a beautiful sedan airplane which will be safer than an automobile, and +which will be guaranteed not to raise a dust or wear out tires." + +Mrs. Ross laughed heartily at the glowing picture her second son had +drawn, more because he spoke with such seriousness, and because John +too wore a matter-of-fact look during the prophecy. + +"Oh, I have some great dreamers here in this little family," she said, +as she arose to resume her household duties. "We will hope that some +of your dreams come true." + +Her sons laughed good-naturedly; then Paul turned to his brother. +"Come on down in the basement, John," he said; "I wish to show you our +latest miniature model, the Sky-Bird. Another day's work ought to +finish it." + +John followed him downstairs. In one corner of the large basement was +a good-sized workbench, lighted by two windows, and equipped with +several neatly-arranged shelves, which now held a divers collection of +chisels, bits, countersinks, etc. In a splendid oak cabinet attached +to the wall above was a more extensive array of wood- and metal-working +tools, some of which the brothers had bought with money earned at odd +jobs when they were still small boys. Since, they had added to their +set from time to time, as they needed this tool or that, until now few +professional mechanics could boast of a finer assortment. + +Suspended from a hook directly over the bench was a beautiful six-foot +model of a racy-looking monoplane of peculiar and striking design. It +was glistening in several coats of spar-varnish, and so light and +delicate was its spidery frame that, as John reached out to take it in +his hand, the exhalation of his breath set it swaying away from him. + +"My word, it's a light boy all right!" exclaimed John admiringly, as he +carefully took hold of the pretty thing. "That's just the feature +we've tried to get, too, Buddy,--lightness." He looked closely at the +long, graceful pair of wings, which were of an unusual thickness and a +slight upward thrust like those of a bird, and which widened batlike as +they ran back and joined the rear fuselage or body of the craft. "Have +you put the helium-gas in these wings yet, Paul, as we planned? I see +you have installed the valves. There's a valve in the after-fuselage, +too." + +"The wings and fuselage are both filled," said Paul; "that is what +makes the Sky-Bird so light. If you had brought more helium the last +time you were here, I could have pumped in twice the quantity, I think, +and that would have made her so light she would rise of her own accord, +I really believe. As it is, she now weighs less than a half-ounce. I +had the scales on her yesterday." + +John shared his brother's enthusiasm. "Fine!" he cried, with sparkling +eyes. "Why, that's almost a neutral condition, as she is! Buddy, if +we can apply this principle to a full-size machine--and I don't know +why we can't--we shall have solved the biggest problem facing airplane +designers to-day. With a machine weighing only a trifle more than her +load of fuel and baggage, she will not only fly a lot faster but go a +lot farther, with a given supply of fuel, than the present-day planes. +And what is more, she could attain good speed with a single engine of +reasonable power, where now many machines are handicapped with the +burdensome weight of an extra power-plant. When will she be ready to +test out?" + +"I had planned to give her a trial in the old fair-grounds Saturday +afternoon," said Paul. "I've asked Bob Giddings to go along." + +"That's all right; Bob is a fine lad," said John; "but since you have +set the trial for Saturday afternoon, and Bob's father is usually at +home at that time, why don't you ask him to view the affair also? I'm +sure he would enjoy it. He's a great sportsman, you know, like most +newspaper men, and considerably interested in aeronautics." + +"I had not thought of it; I'll do it," was the prompt response of Paul. +"But we must warn him to silence, John. Whatever happens, we don't +wish this to get into the _Daily Independent_." + +"I'd say not," rejoined the former Air Mail pilot sententiously. +"Mum's the word; we've got something here, Buddy. Unless I'm greatly +mistaken we'll be consulting with the Patent Office at Washington much +sooner than little mother anticipates." He poked Paul in the ribs as +he spoke, and both young men gave vent to a low chuckle of intense +satisfaction. It was an even greater pleasure to look forward to +surprising their mother than to astonishing the world and winning its +plaudits. + +As good an airplane mechanic and flyer as John Ross was, his younger +brother was little behind him in the matter of skill in handling a +modern machine. It had been John's habit to return to Yonkers every +two weeks for a week's lay-off, as customary with other pilots in the +Air Mail service. On these occasions he had arrived in his plane, and +during the term of his stay had often taken Paul up into the air for +pleasure flights, as well as his chum Bob Giddings. Both boys were +keen students, and it was not long before John could trust them to +operate his big Martin with every confidence. Once, indeed, he and +Paul had been caught over Long Island Sound in a bad storm, when the +latter was in the pilot's seat, but Paul had brought the craft through +like a veteran, winning his brother's unstinted praise and undying +respect. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A SUCCESSFUL MODEL + +Mr. Giddings was glad to accept the invitation to the trial flight. He +and his son met the Ross boys at the old race-course Saturday +afternoon. This immense, level field, with its one-mile oval and great +empty sheds, at one time had been the county's boasted fair-grounds, +but two years prior to the opening of our story it had been sold to Mr. +Giddings, whose residence property stretched down the side of Shadynook +Hill and joined it. New fair-grounds had then been established in +another and more centrally located section of the district. In the old +grounds the boys of the neighborhood now went to fly their kites and +model airplanes, to hold impromptu bicycle and foot races, and to play +tag and hide-and-go-seek in the cavernous sheds and around the numerous +sagging stables. + +It was late in the afternoon--just before dusk, when the winds would be +at their quietest, and others not likely to be present--that our +friends arrived at the field. There was not a soul to be seen. Paul, +who had carried his precious Sky-Bird, freed it from the wrapper and +held it up for Mr. Giddings to see. The night before he and John had +put the finishing touches to the delicate structure by adding another +coat of varnish and attaching the little rubber-tired aluminum wheels +to the axle. + +As Paul now held it up before the gaze of the great newspaper man, Mr. +Giddings made no effort to restrain his admiration. "What a little +beauty!" he cried. "Why, it's almost a perfect mechanical +representation of a bird!" + +"Isn't she a dandy, dad?" put in Bob, his eyes snapping. + +"The Sky-Bird is really more of a bird than you may think, Mr. +Giddings," declared Paul. + +"Yes," added his brother John. "As you probably know, sir, a bird gets +its great buoyancy from the fact that every bone in its body is hollow; +in flight it fills these bones with a very light gas, which is formed +by an action of its lungs in drawing in air. We have adapted this +principle in the wings and fuselage of this little machine. They are +airtight and filled with compressed helium-gas, which is +non-inflammable and nearly as light as its highly volatile rival, +hydrogen-gas." + +"Hydrogen-gas is surely a dangerous commodity around fire," said Mr. +Giddings. "I understand that when the big English dirigible R-34 came +across the Atlantic last summer she was filled with hydrogen, and that +her commander and crew all wore felt-soled shoes, so that they would +not by any chance cause a spark when they walked over her metal floors +and ladders just beneath her great bag." + +"That is true," vouched John Ross. "One little spark reaching any of +that stored hydrogen would have torn that great dirigible into +fragments in one gigantic blast." + +"We have handled recent newspaper copy containing mention of this new +gas, helium; but I must confess I am in the dark regarding its nature +and source," said Mr. Giddings. "What is it, anyway?" + +"I will refer your question to Paul here," replied John. "He is the +one who worked out this idea of using helium in an airplane and giving +it the best properties of a dirigible without any of the dirigible's +handicap of clumsiness and excessive wind resistance. He has been +studying the properties of helium in school, also the flight of birds." + +"Well, not to get into a tiresome discourse, as Professor Herron would +say, I shall make this description very rudimentary," said Paul, with a +smile. "During a total eclipse of the sun in India in 1868, Lockyer, a +British astronomer, saw in the spectroscope a bright, yellow line of +light around the sun. He called it _helium_, after the Greek word for +sun. So much for him. Twenty-seven years later an element was found +on earth in natural-gas in Kansas, which gave the same bright, yellow +light viewed through the spectrum. The people, finding it would not +burn, disgustedly let millions of barrels of this valuable element +escape into the air, before a scientist told them that it was of untold +value for balloon and airship purposes. It is thought the gas comes +from radium deposits. It has never been found in any country except +the United States, and only here in Kansas and northern Texas, where it +occurs in sands from 14,000 to 16,000 feet deep. Our government is now +securing about 50,000 cubic feet of helium per day, refusing to sell it +to foreign countries, as it is all needed here, besides which it might +be used against us in case of another war." + +While Paul had been telling this, Mr. Giddings had been busy jotting +something down in shorthand in a notebook. + +"Pardon me, Paul," he said, looking up with a smile, "but this is so +mighty interesting that, before I knew it, my old-time reportorial +instinct had gotten the best of me, and I found my pencil at work. If +you have no objection I should like to use this in the columns of the +_Daily Independent_ some time when it seems to fit in." + +"No objection at all, sir," assured Paul. + +Mr. Giddings began twirling the little twelve-inch two-bladed propeller +at the nose of the model airplane. "What do you use for power to turn +this propeller?" he asked, after admiring its perfect proportions for a +moment. "I don't see any rubber-bands, such as Robert here has always +used on his little machines." + +John deftly lifted off the thin veneer hood of the airplane, and +disclosed a very small four-cylindered rotary pneumatic engine of +bewitching simplicity and lightness, which a baby could have held out +in its pudgy palm. + +"Paul has worked this little motor out of aluminum and brass and steel, +from odds and ends," said John. + +"With more or less help on the part of my elder brother," interjected +Paul. + +"Well, perhaps with a little," admitted John, "more suggestive than +otherwise." + +"What sets it going?" questioned Bob, curiously. + +"The fuselage is divided into three sections," said Paul. "The forward +section contains the engine here; the rear section is an airtight +chamber containing helium; and the central section is also an airtight +chamber, but contains ordinary air which has been pumped into it +through a valve, using the bicycle pump John is carrying, until it is +under strong pressure. When I turn this little valve an outlet is +opened for the air to escape by a tube into branches communicating with +each of these four cylinders. This works the tiny pistons, much the +same as gas in a gasoline-motor, and they turn the little crank-shaft +to which they are connected, and the crank-shaft in turn revolves the +propeller on its end." + +"Wonderfully simple!" Mr. Giddings exclaimed. "Wonderfully ingenious, +too! Is this your invention, young men?" + +"Partly, sir," replied Paul. "I understand, a company in New York is +making a somewhat similar pneumatic motor for model airplanes, but John +and I have made some radical improvements, to our notion. To-day's +test will tell the story." + +"Let's see the propeller spin 'er up once for the fun of it," suggested +Bob. "It won't do any harm, will it? Dad and I will hold on to the +airplane." + +"Get a good grip then," warned John Ross, "for you will find there's a +terrific pull to the little rascal. Paul and I tried her in that +fashion early this morning down in the basement." + +Bob and his father secured firm holds of the little Sky-Bird, one on +each side, where the propeller could not strike them. + +"Ready?" asked Paul, with a smile. + +"Ready!" came the answer in unison. + +Paul touched the little valve in the tank chamber of the fuselage. The +next moment there was a quiver, and then the propeller began fairly to +hum. A strong, steady gust of air began to blow in the faces of the +Giddingses, while they had to hang on grimly in order to keep their +little charge from jumping out of their arms and dashing away into the +air. For fully three minutes the propeller continued to whirl with +undiminished speed, then slowly it began to slow up, and finally +stopped. + +Both Mr. Giddings and his son wiped their hot brows as they handed the +plane over to its makers. + +"Whew!" said Bob, "that little mule has got a lot of pull to her." + +"That she has," supplemented his father. "What sort of material is her +frame made of?" + +"Balsa-wood," said John. + +"I never heard of that. Is it something new?" + +"Yes,--to the arts of civilization, but I presume it has been used by +the Indians of Ecuador, where it grows, for scores of years in the +making of rafts, for which it is particularly well adapted. The tree +looks much like our southern cottonwood, and the wood apparently has no +grain. It has a surprising toughness and strength, and is a trifle +over half the weight of cork, weighing only 7.8 pounds per cubic foot, +while the same sized piece of cork weighs 13.7 pounds." + +"Has this wood ever been used in constructing full-sized airplanes?" +asked Mr. Giddings. + +"I think not; but Paul and I believe it will be the coming wood for +them," said John with enthusiasm. "We have used it plain on this +machine. On a large airplane it ought to be reinforced with transverse +sections of very thin spruce laid latticewise. That would add +considerably to its natural strength, and increase the total weight +very little." + +"H'm, h'm!" said the great newspaper publisher, "this is very +interesting, I am sure. Now let us see how this little affair behaves +itself in the air." + +Paul and his brother led the way out into one corner of the big field, +so as to bring what slight breeze might spring up into the head of the +airplane, explaining that machines without a pilot would keep a better +keel under such conditions. John then carefully attached the +bicycle-pump and recharged the air-tank, following which he took out +his watch to time the flight. Mr. Giddings and Bob also took out their +watches. + +Paul set the little Sky-Bird down on the hard earth, in a spot where +there was no grass or other obstacle, and with his finger on the +air-valve, said: "Practically all rubber-band motors require starting +the model airplane off by picking it up and tossing it away from you up +into the air; but I think this machine will rise from the ground like a +large plane, on account of its great lightness and unusual power. We +will now see if I am right." + +To tell the truth, this being the first time he had really tried the +Sky-Bird in a flight, Paul was nervous as he turned the valve, removed +his hands from the graceful little plane, and straightened up. + +With a whirr like the wings of a partridge as it is flushed out of the +grass by the huntsman's dog, the small machine shot forward a few feet +over the smooth ground, then gracefully arose in the air and started +away toward the opposite corner of the field. As it proceeded it +continued to rise, until it reached a height of possibly ninety or a +hundred feet, when it began to dip unsteadily. + +"It's a gust of wind striking it," remarked John uneasily. "I hope she +weathers it. If there was only a pilot in her now, he could----" + +But even as he spoke the Sky-Bird seemed to recover her balance. +Making a pretty circle, away she sped on her course, neither rising nor +falling. Like a real bird she sailed onward, the noise of her whirring +propeller now lost to her fliers, but her little pale-yellow silk wings +against the blue sky plainly tracing her course for them. Paul was +running after her now as fast as his legs could carry him. What if she +should keep right on and go over the far fence?--he might lose the +little darling! + +That fence was a good half-mile away. For his pet to cover such a +distance had not seemed within the bounds of probability to either +himself or John at the start, for all of their great confidence in the +flying powers of the new model. Now, as he kept on running and the +Sky-Bird continued going with no sign of dropping, Paul really became +alarmed for her safety in landing. + +But just before it reached the boundary of the grounds, the youth saw +that the airplane was slowly settling. Into the next field it flew, +and the high board fence shut it from Paul's view as he came up to it. +With a jump he caught the top boards, and scrambled up, springing down +on the opposite side. It was to see his little machine just miss the +branches of an oak tree and settle down into some long grass about a +hundred yards beyond. + +He found it undamaged, and hurried back to his friends in the +fair-grounds, his heart beating jubilantly at the splendid results of +the flight. He hugged the small airplane to his heart as if it were +the most precious possession in the world, as indeed it was to him. + +Mr. Giddings and Bob were loud in their praise, and John smiled in that +quiet way that told the younger brother how well pleased he was. It +was found that the Sky-Bird had passed over the lower fence in just one +minute and three seconds, which was certainly good speed for such a +diminutive contrivance. Several other flights were then made, all of +which were equally successful. At the conclusion Bob Giddings was so +excited that he could hardly stand still. + +"Dad, isn't this little thing simply a wonder?" he exclaimed. "I'd +give anything in the world if I could own a big fellow built on this +principle. I'll bet it would pass anything now made." + +His father looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, turning to the Ross +brothers, he observed: + +"Do you think, boys, that these features could be successfully applied +to a full-sized airplane?" + +"There's no doubt at all about it, to my mind, sir," replied John Ross. +"That's the next thing Paul and I propose doing, although I expect we +shall have a hard time getting enough money to meet the expense of +materials. Of course we shall have the regular type of gasoline engine +in place of this pneumatic arrangement, as this principle won't apply +to big machines. I figure a 400 horse-power Liberty engine would carry +such a machine two hundred miles an hour." + +Again Mr. Giddings was silent a moment. Then he resumed: "John, I hear +that you have been laid off from your Air Mail job. Is that right?" + +"It is, sir." + +"Well, then, I am going to make a proposition to you and Paul, and in a +way Robert may consider himself involved, too, I expect. As you may +know, Robert plans to be an electrical engineer, and Mrs. Giddings and +myself are anxious to encourage him in every way we can. For some time +he has been experimenting with wireless telegraph and telephone +apparatus, and has made some sets of the latter which it seems to me +are an improvement over anything now on the market, particularly a set +for airplane use, which he has no means of properly testing out on +account of the lack of the airplane. Now my proposition is just this: +I will meet every expense of making a first-class full-sized airplane +like the Sky-Bird, and pay you, John, a wage equal to that which the +government allowed you as a pilot, if you three young men here will do +the construction work secretly, and if Robert may be allowed a +one-third interest in the venture, both in the plane to be made, and in +any future benefits to be derived from the patent rights." + +Of course the delighted John and Paul accepted this splendid offer, and +Bob Giddings was so happy at the prospect of a fine big airplane in +which to install his wireless apparatus that he actually hugged his +father. They repaired to the Giddings home, and there, in true +business form, a contract was drawn up and duly signed by all +interested parties, with a notary's seal attached. + +With a copy in their possession, the Ross boys hurried home, after +having dinner with the Giddings family, to acquaint Mrs. Ross with the +good news. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +PLANNING A BIG AIRPLANE + +As planned, the much-talked-of Air Derby around the world took place +from Mineola Field, New York, on the 4th of July. A great crowd had +been attracted, owing to the extensive accounts of the affair in the +big newspapers for the past several months, and a thrilling hush fell +over the assemblage as, at high noon, one after another of the famous +flyers took off in various types of aircraft. There were four big +dirigibles, two of which started to cross the Atlantic at once, while +the others took a northerly course with the intention of making the +final hop from St. John's, Newfoundland, in accordance with several +previous attempts of other aircraft. Besides these, seven +heavier-than-air machines started, all making for Newfoundland also. +Four of these were flying-boats, two were seaplanes, and the other was +a double-propellered biplane. + +Needless to say, the Ross boys and Bob Giddings and his father were +present to see the machines off. They had arrived in the big +automobile of the publisher, and were greatly interested in every +detail of the departure. Several of the contestants John Ross knew, +having met them at some time during his flying periods, and it gave him +a chance briefly to renew old acquaintanceship and personally to wish +them good luck on their long journey. Of course our friends would have +given a whole lot to have been able to compete in the novel contest +themselves, but that was out of the question. + +When the last machine had disappeared from sight, they took their +departure. Mr. Giddings left them at the office of the _Daily +Independent_, following which Bob drove Paul and John out to some of +the city's beautiful parks. Late in the afternoon they again stopped +at the newspaper building and picked up Bob's father, thereupon turning +the car in the direction of Yonkers. Altogether they had passed a very +pleasant holiday. + +"Robert tells me that your plans for the new airplane, the Sky-Bird II, +are just about finished, John," remarked Mr. Giddings, as they sped +northward along the smooth surface of Riverside Drive, with its +beautiful greenery on the left and its fine residences at the right. + +"Yes, sir," said John; "we have been devoting every spare moment to +them. Of course a good many changes had to be made to adapt conditions +from the little airplane to the big fellow, and to incorporate the +extra pet features we all agreed upon were desirable. You know it +never pays to start building an important and costly affair like an +airplane without having every detail thoroughly planned out, and +perfect working drawings in hand. I think Paul will complete the +drawings early next week, including copies for accompanying the +specifications when we apply to Washington for patent rights. As soon +as the drawings are done, we will drop in at your home in the evening +and show them to you." + +"Good!" said Mr. Giddings. "I shall await them with great interest. I +suppose as soon as I approve these drawings, you fellows will all pitch +into the actual work." + +"We surely will, sir," laughed Paul, while Bob, at the wheel in front, +having caught some of the conversation, called back with energy: +"That's just the size of it, dad." + +"We have everything all ready," continued Paul. "The balsa-wood and +spruce we ordered some time ago is on hand, and that will keep us busy +until other needed materials arrive. We have repaired the big +exhibition building in the old fair-grounds, put on new double doors +and purchased a good Yale lock for them. John and I have taken our +workbench and tools over there, and Bob has helped us rig up a nice +little five-horse power motor and small handsaw, also a circular saw, +home-made sand-drum, a small planer, and a boring-machine. That +building is dry, and has lots of room in it for housing the new +airplane as it grows to maturity. When cold weather comes we can +easily install a couple of heating-stoves to keep ourselves comfortable +and protect our materials and the machine from frost damage." + +Mr. Giddings expressed himself as well pleased with these arrangements. +As he noted the foresightedness of the young mechanics his confidence +in them expanded. + +"Don't hesitate to order anything you need, young men," he said warmly. +"Have them send the bills to me. If my trust in you is misplaced, I am +willing to stand the consequences. This is not only the best kind of a +practical education for Bob, but it is good business training for all +of us. Go ahead; go ahead!" + +With such strong encouragement, is it any wonder that the three young +men continued their operations vigorously? Not one of them scarcely +wanted to stop long enough to eat and sleep, _a la_ Edison; and as it +was now summer vacation time, Paul and Bob were able to be with John +all day long in the old exhibition building. Neighboring boys and even +older people hung around the open doors to watch operations, but the +builders were careful not to let them get close enough to gain any +ideas which might be harmful to their interests. + +On Tuesday evening of the week following the start of the Air Derby, +John and his brother put on their best clothes and hied themselves over +to the Giddings home. In Paul's hand was an envelope containing the +precious plans for the Sky-Bird II--completed at last by the young +draftsman, and ready to be shown to the financial member of the quartet. + +When they were all seated in the Giddings library a little later, Mr. +Giddings scrutinized the plans with every evidence of satisfaction +written upon his strong features. Now and then he would ask a +question, as Paul explained view after view and detail after detail. +At length he pointed to an oblong object situated in the pilot's +cockpit just under the dashboard. "What is that?" he asked, curiously. + +"That is what John and I call an 'automatic pilot,'" answered Paul. +"It is a new form of stabilizer, and made so as to overcome the defects +of others which are on the market. A stabilizer should automatically +keep an airplane on a fairly level keel no matter how air conditions +are, even so steady that it will travel along on its course for a +considerable distance with the pilot paying no attention to his +controls, perhaps eating his lunch or reading his orders." + +"A mighty useful contrivance," commented Mr. Giddings. "I should think +that would also prevent lots of accidents in bad winds." + +"It will--if it turns out as we expect," Paul remarked. + +"Give me the full details of this," was the request. "Remember, I am +not much of an airplane man." + +"Well," said Paul, "you know, sir, that it is far more difficult to +drive an airplane than to guide an automobile, not merely because you +have two steering-gears or rudders to take care of, one for sidewise +and the other for up-and-down travel, but also because there are +movable planes in the wings of the machine, which have to be worked to +tip or 'bank' it when making a turn or to keep it on an even keel when +a gust of wind strikes it. The 'rudder' is the vertical plane at the +tail of the machine, and is used for steering sideways, while the +'elevators' are the two horizontal movable planes just below the +rudder, which are used for steering up and down. Similar planes to the +latter, one situated in the back edge of each upper wing, are called +'ailerons,' and one or the other is raised or depressed according to +whether the aviator wishes to bank to the right or left. + +"The driver of an automobile has nothing to do but watch his +steering-wheel, and be ready to touch a pedal when he wishes to slow up +or go faster or stop. If he makes a curve he does not have to bank his +machine owing to his comparatively slow speed; but the aviator, +traveling much faster through the air, must do this, bringing his +airplane to a steep angle if he makes a very short turn. If he does +not calculate just right, he is likely to turn upside down and meet +this death in a nasty fall. + +"While the careful automobilist can always see the road in front of him +and avoid rough spots or obstacles before he reaches them, the aviator +cannot do this. It is true that he can see another airplane if it gets +in his way, or a church steeple when he is flying low; but his greatest +dangers are in the clear air itself, where they cannot be detected. He +may suddenly drop into a 'hole,' which is really a downward current of +air, or he may get a terrific bump when he strikes a rising current. A +freakish whim of the winds may unexpectedly take away the air support +from under one of the wings, and he will lurch and dip sharply to one +side." + +"And I suppose sometimes lose all control?" said Mr. Giddings. + +"Yes, sir; that has very often happened," put in John. "A flyer friend +of mine took a nasty tumble that way near Cleveland last year, breaking +three ribs. It's a wonder he wasn't killed." + +"The pilot is blind to these pitfalls," went on Paul. "He must control +his machine largely by intuition and the sense of feeling, although the +veteran airman, John says, can tell a good deal about what to expect +from the nature of the earth or clouds below him." + +"That's true," averred John. "The closer you are to the earth the more +you will feel the 'bumps,' as we call them. They are a whole lot like +the waves of the ocean, only invisible, and there will be one straight +over every protuberance or depression of size in the surface of the +earth. Mountains, hills, houses, lakes, valleys, rivers, forests, all +cause bumps or holes in the air up above them. At one thousand feet +they are pretty bad. At ten thousand feet they are scarcely +noticeable. That's why most pilots prefer to fly high whenever they +can." + +"What causes the air to act in this way over such configurations?" +propounded the publisher. + +John looked helpless, and smiled. "You've got me there," he admitted. +"I haven't had the opportunity to study aerostatics the same as Paul +here. He can probably tell us." + +"I'm not through my course yet," reminded his brother, "but I think I +can answer that. The air surrounding the earth is a great belt forty +or more miles through and is of an even thickness. As our globe sweeps +through it, the lower stratum of air naturally sinks down into the +valleys and like depressions. This action pulls down the upper +stretches of air, thus creating what are termed 'air-pockets' or +'air-holes.' Very dangerous they are, too." + +"That is plain enough," declared Bob. "Now, dad, let Paul go on +explaining this 'automatic pilot.'" + +"If the aviator is enshrouded in fog or tries to sail through a heavy +bank of clouds, he is quite likely to lose all sense of direction," +continued Paul. "He will not know whether he is banking or traveling +on an even keel. Sometimes pilots have come out of a low cloud to find +themselves dangerously close to the earth and in an awkward position, +perhaps in a steep bank, a side-slip, or even in the terrifying +nose-dive, and they have not had time to right themselves before +crashing to earth. So you see that before flying can become reasonably +safe, some way must be found of keeping the machine automatically on a +level keel. + +"To operate this stabilizer of ours all the pilot will have to do is to +guide the rudder with his feet. The automatic pilot works the elevator +and the ailerons. It takes care of 'bumps' and 'holes' and sees that +the machine banks at just the right angle on the turns. This makes the +operation of an airplane containing the stabilizer even more simple +than running a motor-car, because you do not have to worry about going +into different speed gears when climbing or descending. You will +notice on this drawing that strong piano-wires connect the instruments +with all the necessary controlling planes of the machine." + +"Instruments?" interrogated Mr. Giddings. "I thought there was but +one." + +"No; there are two stabilizers, as you will see,--here, and here," was +Paul's response, pointing his finger to the parts. "But, as each one +is exactly like the other in its construction, only the one has been +drawn in detail. The other stabilizer runs lengthwise of the cockpit +and takes care of the elevator. Both of these are operated by +compressed air, which proceeds from a little tank, right here. The +tank is kept supplied by two tubes which lead into it, and each of +which joins a small pump operated by a fan which is right here on each +side of the fuselage where the onrush of wind will keep it humming as +the airplane travels. + +"Each equalizer has a bore in it half-filled with mercury, working a +good deal like a carpenter's level. If the airplane tilts to one side +or the other, the mercury will try to keep its level and will +immediately flow to the high side of the bore. At each end of this +mercury tube there are electrical contact points. As one becomes +submerged in the mercury by a tilting of the plane, a connection is +made whereby two electro-magnets are energized on that side. One of +these magnets closes an exhaust-valve, and the other opens an +inlet-valve, in the compressed air tank. At once air is forced into +this double cylinder, which you see at the bottom of the stabilizer, +filling the half which is to operate its own set of rudders; and a +piston begins to work inside. The piston is connected to a toothed +rack, as you will note, causing this to turn a sector engaging it. The +control wires connect with this sector." + +"Very clever arrangement; but I don't quite see how, in banking, the +ailerons can be brought back automatically to a neutral position as +soon as the turn has been completed," ventured Mr. Giddings. + +"John and I have provided for that, while Bob is responsible for the +electrical features I have just mentioned," said Paul. "You will +notice that at the top of the mercury channel there is a dividing wall. +A tube runs from the left side of this wall to the right wing of the +airplane, also from the right side of the wall to the left wing. At +the end of each tube there is what we call a 'venturi tube.' This is a +kind of suction device operated by the wind. The wind which blows +through the left venturi tube sucks the air out of the right-hand side +of the mercury tube, and the right venturi tube sucks the air out of +the left-hand side of the mercury tube. The stronger the wind, the +greater the suction. Now, when making a turn to the right the left +wing must travel faster than the right wing, and so there must be more +suction in the left venturi. This produces a greater suction in the +right-hand side of the mercury tube, which draws the mercury up on that +side and down on the other, until the proper electrical contact is +broken and the ailerons are returned to neutral position." + +"Can the mechanism be thrown out of gear when desired? I should think +such a feature might be desirable," remarked Mr. Giddings. + +"Indeed it is desirable, sir," declared Paul. "No red-blooded pilot +wishes to sit still and let his machine run itself all the time, no +more than an automobilist. That would spoil all the sport. By merely +disengaging the automatic pilot's wires here at the sector--the work of +a couple of seconds--the airplane is ready for hand control." + +"How much does it weigh?" was the gentleman's next query. + +"A trifle less than a hundred pounds." + +"That oughtn't to handicap an airplane any." + +"Not a bit," said Paul. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +AN AIR RACE FINISH AND A CHALLENGE + +All in all, Mr. Giddings expressed himself as more than pleased with +the drawings for the Sky-Bird II. At the end of the explanation, he +put the papers back in the envelope, and asked: + +"Have you another set of these drawings in ink, Paul?" + +"Yes, sir; this is a copied set; the original drawings from which we +will make our tracings and blue-prints are at home." + +"You had better leave them there in a safe place, and work from your +blue-prints in the old exhibition building at the fair-grounds, being +careful to lock them up in your workbench every time you depart. I +think you boys have a valuable thing here, and it is to your interest +to keep others from knowing your plans or seeing the airplane until we +have full government protection in the shape of patent rights. I shall +turn this set of drawings over to a patent attorney in the city and ask +him to make application to the Patent Office in Washington without +delay." + +The next morning all three boys, filled with new confidence and energy, +met at the fairgrounds as soon as they had had their breakfasts. Paul +carried two rolls of fresh blue-prints, which he and John had made +while their mother was preparing the meal. One of these sets he gave +to Bob to take home as his own special property, and the other one he +spread out on the workbench for consultation as their needs required. + +Up to this time no effort had been made to keep children and curious +adults out of the grounds, but as their machine was now beginning to +take on real form, they determined to do this. On a piece of board, +Paul printed in large letters, "Private Grounds; Keep Out," and Bob +nailed this up on the outside of the high board fence at the entrance. +The gate itself they closed and barred on the inside. + +"Guess that will be a sufficient hint to the grown-ups," said Bob with +a grin. "If the kids climb over, we'll fasten a red flag to the front +of our big hangar and paint 'Dynamite' in letters a yard long across +the front of the building." + +"Yes, and if that doesn't keep them away we'll turn the hose on them," +laughed John. + +Then they fell to work on the new airplane, applying themselves like +beavers. All three boys had had the splendid benefits of manual +training when they were in the public schools, and knew how to handle +every machine they had set up. In addition to this, Paul and Bob were +first-class amateur machinists, as their courses of engineering in +Clark Polytechnic embraced the use of metal-working appliances of the +latest design, as well as wood-working machinery, and they could have +operated other machines had they needed them. + +That evening the workers went back home tired but well satisfied with +their progress. The next day the shavings flew again, and by the +latter part of the week they had begun to assemble portions of the +fuselage, using a waterproof glue which had been especially prepared +for airplanes, and applying galvanized screws to withstand rust in damp +atmospheres. + +As the days went by, the boys, like almost everybody in the country, +watched the newspapers eagerly for reports of the progress of the +contestants in the big Air Derby around the world. Only four of the +eleven aircraft to start had succeeded in getting across the +treacherous Atlantic, two of these being dirigible balloons, one a +flying-boat, and the other a Vickers-Vimy biplane. After landing on +European soil one of the lucky airships came to grief in Italy in +making a stop for fuel, but the driver had obtained an Italian Caproni +plane and was making his way eastward with all haste. The other +dirigible, commanded by Americans, had reached Teheran, Persia, where +gas-bag troubles had compelled her crew to continue by train. About +the same time the flying-boat, piloted by a Boston man, and the +biplane, in control of two Englishmen, had reached Yokohama, Japan, +within a few hours of each other. It was said that these contestants +would wait there for the first steamship going to San Francisco, as +they feared it would be impossible to fly across the great Pacific +stretch of almost five thousand miles. Upon reaching San Francisco +they planned to continue the journey to New York in airplanes furnished +by California aeronautical friends. + +The newspapers shortly after this announced the sailing of the rival +parties at Yokohama. Storms and fog delayed the vessel. Finally she +arrived at the Golden Gate, and then came the mad race across the North +American continent in fresh airplanes. Near Cheyenne, Wyoming, the +American plane was forced to the ground by engine trouble, allowing her +competitor to get ahead several hours. This lead the American could +not overcome, and the race ended at 5:15 o'clock on the afternoon of +July 27th, with the English crew first and the American crew second. +Three days later the belated French crew, who had met with mishap in +Italy, came in, winning third prize. + +The Ross brothers were at work in the hangar when Bob Giddings, who had +gone into town on his motorcycle after some more screws, came back +waving the copy of the _Daily Independent_ containing this last account. + +"Cartier and his bunch have arrived," he cried, springing from his +machine. "Here it is on the first page. That accounts for all the +prize-winners, and the excitement is practically over. The others will +just lob in now--and they might as well." He tossed the paper to John. +"Here, read it, you fellows," he said. "You can quit on the Sky-Bird +long enough for that, I guess. I'll work while you lay off a few +minutes." + +Bob rolled up his sleeves, and John and Paul spread out the newspaper +on the bench and interestedly read the article in question. As they +finished, and were turning around to resume work, Bob observed: + +"Dad's got a rattling good editorial on this Air Derby, if I do say it. +Take a look at page 5 and see how he rips 'em up the back." + +Shoulder to shoulder, the two brothers leaned over the bench and read +as follows: + + +"AROUND-THE-WORLD" RECORDS + +The world has just witnessed the finish of another effort on the part +of mankind to circle the globe in record-breaking time. And once more +the newspapers of the universe, and the sporting chroniclers, are +registering a new record in this class of human endeavor. When, three +days ago, the English team, headed by Chester Hodge, dropped out of a +Curtis plane into Mineola Field, it was just 23 days, 6 hours and 15 +minutes after the same crew had left that field in their Vickers-Vimy. +This beats the former record of 36 days and some odd hours, made in +1913 by John Henry Mears, by the substantial margin of approximately 12 +days. It is a big gain--a startlingly short time for encompassing the +world as compared with the efforts of the past. + +All of the three contesting crews to finish have broken Mears's record, +and deserve great credit for their praise-worthy performance. The +sponsors for this first great Air Derby around the world, the prominent +aero clubs of this country and the Eastern Hemisphere, also deserve +much praise for conceiving and promoting such a successful contest, and +in posting such magnificent prizes. + +But, in the interests of other similar tours likely to follow, this +newspaper thinks it high time to declare itself opposed most vigorously +to two fundamental features governing the competition just closed. + +First, why was this contest called by its promoters an "Air Derby"? In +our opinion, with rules allowing the use of other modes of travel as +well as aircraft, the title is a decided misnomer. It should have been +termed a "Go-As-You-Please Derby." Not a single one of these +contestants accomplished the girdle by airplane alone; every winner +took a steamship across the Pacific. Here's hoping that when another +'round-the-world contest is pulled off it will be tagged with a title +which fits. + +Second, when a specific record trip around the world is promulgated, is +it scientifically correct to take a route which is approximately 30 per +cent shorter than the actual circumference of the universe on which we +live? In a foot race around a circular track judges do not let +sprinters pick out their own course and "cut across lots" whenever they +choose. Nor is it allowed in horse races, auto races, or any form of +sport where time records are registered on curving courses. + +The _Daily Independent_ contends that beginning with Jules Verne's +mythical hero Phileas Fogg, who in the story negotiated the journey in +the improbable time of 80 days, back in 1872, every record-maker in the +flesh and blood has followed northerly routes averaging the 30th +parallel, thus traversing only about 16,000 miles of the world's actual +circumference of 24,899 miles; and these records have gone down as true +and complete accomplishments! But, because a wrongful practice, one +misrepresentative of its purpose, has been carried on for almost a +century, is it any reason for arguing that the process should continue +in this advanced and enlightened day? + +We say NO! It is time for this practice of around-the-world humbug and +cheatery to stop right now. If it takes our fastest modern +globe-trotters a whole year to go around the world by a route equal to +or approximating the equatorial girth, then let it take them a year; +for the sake of our pride and all that is good and sincere let us do +our stunts on the square. + +There are no records of an equatorial trip around the world. Who will +be the first to establish one? Let us run a pen through all these +short-cut records of the past, and turn a clean page for the entry of +the first real journey around the fat old world's belt. + + +As Paul finished the editorial his heart was beating very fast. He was +a true sportsman, and he realized the truth in the bold stand taken by +the _Daily Independent_. His brother John was no less favorably +affected by it. + +"Bang me, if that isn't a good article!" said John enthusiastically. +"Mr. Giddings may get a lot of criticism for this from a certain class +of people, but he's taking the right course." + +"He certainly is," approved Paul. "I had never thought of it before, +but he points the error out so clearly that almost anybody ought to +realize the need of a fairer route after reading his statements. Just +as he says, it's never too late to correct matters which have been +going wrong, no matter how long." + +"I'd give anything I've got if I could be the first fellow to go around +the world's belt," declared John, his brown cheeks glowing with deeper +color at the thought; "I wouldn't care so much about beating these +other chaps in the matter of time, just so long as I made a fair trail." + +"Oh, John, wouldn't that be a great trip!" cried Paul. + +"Say, look at here," broke in Bob Giddings, who had been near enough to +overhear all of this conversation. His face was glowing, too, as he +turned toward the brothers. "When we get the Sky-Bird II done, why +couldn't the three of us pick out a new course around the globe in her? +If she's as good as we think she will be, we could travel over any kind +of land or water with her, and I think we could pick out islands in the +Pacific so that we could cross that and make the entire journey by air." + +"I believe this old ship could do it all right," said John, full of +confidence and thrilled at the idea, as he stepped back and looked at +the partly-assembled fuselage with a loving eye. "But, Bob, a trip +like that would cost a lot of money just for gas, and you know Paul and +I could hardly afford it." + +"I'm going to speak to dad about it, anyhow," decided Bob; "he has been +talking airplanes and world routes at home to mother and me for the +last three months, and maybe he will be interested enough to back us +up. He never stops at anything when he once sets his mind on it." + +It was several days after this that Bob Giddings came to work with +another newspaper in his hands. + +"Things seem to be coming our way as fast as they can," he said, with a +mysterious smile. "Take in what Mr. Wrenn, the editor of this paper, +says in this framed insert on the front page." + +John and Paul did as directed. The article was prominently displayed, +and was to the effect that the _Clarion_ disagreed very strongly with +the attitude adopted by its contemporary, the _Daily Independent_, in +regard to around-the-world routes. It declared that it was physically +impossible by any mode of modern travel to follow a route along, or +even within twenty degrees of, the equatorial line, and said it was a +shame to assail the creditable records made in the past. In conclusion +it stated: + +If our esteemed sheet, the _Daily Independent_, feels so cock-sure of +its position, why does it not do a little demonstrating? Why does it +not organize an expedition, and prove its claim? This is all bunk! We +are so sure of it, that we right now challenge our misguided friend to +run us a race around the world on a course of his own selection, at any +time, by any mode of travel he may choose. There! we have knocked the +chip off of the _Daily Independent's_ shoulder. Now let's see if our +friend is really a bluffer or a fighter. + + +"You know the _Clarion_ is a powerful evening newspaper, too," said +Bob, when the Ross boys looked up from their reading. "It has always +been a hot rival of dad's paper, but it never got quite so sarcastic as +this before. Dad was good and mad when he read this last night. 'I'll +show both the _Clarion_ and the public whether I'm a bluffer or not,' +he said to mother. 'If it takes the last cent I've got I'll organize +an expedition to meet their challenge and prove my theory to be the +correct one.' Then I woke up to our opportunity. I suggested to dad +that if the Sky-Bird turned out as we hoped, she would be the very +thing to pioneer such a route and give the _Clarion_ people a race to +make their eyes stick out; and I said John Ross was willing to head a +crew including Paul and myself." + +"What did he say?" asked John and Paul, almost in the same breath. + +"Well, he gave a little gasp; his eyes snapped, and he quit walking the +floor and sat down on the davenport. 'Robert,' he said, 'I'll think +this matter over.' Then he lit a cigar and went to smoking. Dad +seldom smokes except when he's got something heavy on his mind." + +John and Paul now joined Bob in putting a knee-brace in the new +airplane body. Somehow they had a feeling that the parts they were +assembling with such care would one of these days go on a very long and +arduous journey. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE MISSING BLUE-PRINTS + +The Air Derby created interest all over the world. People in foreign +lands talked about it and read about it in their newspapers, just as +they had done in the United States and Canada. With the keenest kind +of interest they had followed the reports of its progress and its +finish. Several nations had hoped to have their own representatives +come in first, only to be disappointed. + +All this interested world pricked up its attention anew when the bold +editorial of the _Daily Independent_ was widely copied. As John Ross +had predicted, and as probably Mr. Giddings knew before he wrote it, +this particular article caused a furore of comment editorially and +otherwise. Much of this,--indeed, it seemed the most of it--was +favorable to the stand taken by the New York publisher. But when the +rival sheet, the _Clarion_, arrayed its strong force in opposition, the +conservative element of the public felt vastly encouraged, and many +were the heated personal arguments as well as newspaper duels, which +ensued. Aviators all over the land were particularly concerned, and it +goes without saying that the winners of the late competition were all +lined up with the _Clarion_ contingent. This paper's challenge to the +_Daily Independent_ for a two-party race around the world on the +_Independent's_ own conception of what it considered a fair route awoke +great joy in the hearts of the leave-things-as-they-have-been +adherents. Few, if any of them, particularly the publishers of the +_Clarion_, thought Mr. Giddings would ever take up the challenge. + +Therefore, judge of the surprise of everybody, and the dismay of the +_Clarion_ staff, when a few days following the flaunting of its +challenge, the front page of the Giddings paper contained the +following, under a heavy black type heading: + + +THIS PAPER ACCEPTS THE "CLARION'S" CHALLENGE + +A short time ago the _Daily Independent_ in an editorial strongly +criticized the methods or rather routes used in the past in making +world tours for a time record, stating that such journeys had all been +made unfairly, in that the routes adopted were about a third less than +the actual circumference of the globe, and that in our opinion the only +legitimate around-the-world record could be made by following +approximately the equatorial line. + +We expected a good deal of criticism, of course, when we came out thus +boldly against a custom which had prevailed since the beginning of +so-called "around the world" record trips. But we did not expect to be +challenged to prove our sincerity by ourselves making such a journey in +competition with our esteemed but rabid contemporary, the _Clarion_. + +To show the _Clarion_ that we are not "bluffing," and that we are +perfectly willing to demonstrate practically any position we ever take, +we herewith accept its challenge. Even now we have in process of +construction a new type of airplane, by means of which we are confident +we can fly approximately straight around the belly of this old world +entirely by air. A little later we shall announce a time, place, and +route, in our columns, and sincerely trust the _Clarion_ will be +satisfied with them. + + +It is quite unnecessary to say that Paul and John Ross read the +foregoing article with the keenest pleasure the night they reached home +from the hangar and found their mother just finishing its perusal. +Naturally Mrs. Ross felt all of the average mother's anxiety at the +thought that her sons would be exposed to the perils such a long +journey would invite, but on the other hand she was very proud to think +their talents had placed them in such an honored position. It had only +been an evening or two before that Mr. Giddings, in company with his +son Robert, had called at the Ross homestead, and after a long +conference with the boys as to the suitability of the new Sky-Bird II +for making a world cruise, had taken his departure with his mind fully +made up as to how he should meet the rival paper's challenge. + +A few days subsequently, Bob Giddings found, upon reaching home for +lunch, that his motorcycle, which he was in the habit of riding back +and forth to work, so that he could rush into town on short notice and +get emergency materials for the airplane, had a flat tire. As he could +not fix the tire then, he decided to walk back to the fair-grounds. + +As he emerged from the big front yard of his home, he chanced to look +toward town, and observed an orange-colored taxicab standing near the +first crossing. This would not have especially attracted Bob's +attention, except for the fact that a man sitting on the front seat was +just at that moment pointing his index finger toward the Giddings' +place, and a slender-looking man just descending from the cab was +looking that way and nodding his head. + +It seemed to Bob that he had seen the passenger before, but a second +look made him think he must be mistaken; at least he could not place +him. + +"It's probably somebody to see dad. If so, he'll get disappointed, as +dad won't get back from the city before evening." + +Dismissing the incident from his mind with this thought. Bob hurried +down the road, eager to reach the hangar and get to work again on the +new airplane. + +A few moments after he had passed the home of a youth he knew, he heard +a familiar salutation, and turned around to wave his hand in a greeting +to this friend, who had come to the front door. As he turned, his eye +fell on a slender figure some distance behind, a figure which stepped +behind a tree and stopped. + +"Humph! that's funny," mused Bob. "It looks a lot like that fellow who +got out of the taxi back there by our house; I wonder what he's up to, +anyhow?" + +He continued his way, but as he reached the fair-grounds gate and got +out his key to unlock it, the whim to look back again seized him. As +he turned, his gaze once more rested on the slender form of the +wayfarer, who had crossed to the opposite side of the road, and who +now, finding himself observed once more, promptly stopped and began to +fuss with his shoe-lace. + +"Say now, this is funny!" ejaculated Bob under his breath, vainly +trying again to recall the identity of the lean figure and dark +complexion. "I believe that chap is trying to shadow me. I wonder +what in the dickens he really is up to?" + +It was the second time Bob had asked that question of himself, but as +he was a poor source of information just then, he was forced to pass +into the fair-grounds and relock the gate in as mystified a state of +mind as before he put the query. + +A little later, when he reached the big hangar he whirled about again, +as if half expecting to see the stranger still skulking behind him in +the grounds. To his relief he did not detect this situation exactly, +but he did see a dark face, which had been peering over the top of the +highboard fence near the gate, drop down from view on the other side. + +Bob gave a grunt as he passed into the hangar and took off his coat. +"As I live, I believe he's up to some sort of mischief," growled the +boy. And when, shortly afterward, John and Paul Ross appeared he told +of his experience and repeated his suspicions. + +"That is funny," asserted John; "Paul and I saw nothing of any such man +when we came along, and we passed down the same road. Perhaps he +mistook you for somebody else." + +"I hope so, but I don't like his actions a little bit," declared Bob +stoutly. + +With that he picked up a try-square and pencil and began laying out +some work for Paul to cut on the circular saw, while John busied +himself at the boring-machine in putting a hole through the center of +the big twelve-foot balsa-wood propeller which a little later would be +reinforced with a thin jacket of a new metal called "salinamum," which +was made chiefly from salt but whose fused components made it as light +as aluminum and stronger than tool steel. + +Soon the queer actions of the stranger were quite forgotten in the deep +interest of the three young men in their work. With the prospect of a +world tour before them if the Sky-Bird turned out well, they now had +more incentive than at the beginning to build the machine with the +utmost skill and attention to every detail. Some changes, calculated +to make the craft better adapted to the peculiar conditions she would +be likely to meet in such a varied temperature were put into effect, +but on the whole they found their original plans so well laid that no +important features seemed to require modification or abandonment. + +But if the man who had followed Bob dropped out of their minds the rest +of that day, he was soon to occupy a prominent place in their thoughts. +For the very next morning, when Paul and John arrived at the hangar, +they were met at the door by a very agitated Bob Giddings. + +"Fellows, what do you think has happened?" cried Bob, clearly very much +excited. Without giving his friends time to answer the question he +blurted out: "Somebody got in here last night and stole our plans!" + +"Stole our plans!" reiterated Paul and John in the same gasp. + +"That's it," said Bob,--"stole the set of blue-prints we have been +working from. What's more, they must have seen the airplane before +they got out. I went to take the plans out of the bench drawer here +where we have kept them locked up, and there was the drawer wide open, +the lock picked, and the drawings gone. I'll bet a herring we can +thank my dark-skinned shadow of yesterday for this little visit!" + +"It does look as if he might have had something to do with this," +agreed John soberly. "I wonder how the rascal, whoever he is, could +have gotten in the building. There's a heavy Yale lock on the doors." + +"The doors were locked all right when I came this morning," vouched +Bob. "I don't see myself how--" + +"Here you are, gentlemen!" called Paul, who had stepped to a good-sized +window near the head of the workbench. "Here's the fellow's private +entrance!" And he pointed to where a heavy nail locking the lower sash +had been forced aside, also to a series of indentations in the outer +sill, where some prying tool had obviously been recently at work. + +"It's a clear case of theft, that's sure," observed John; "and since +its only our plans that have been taken, it goes to show that this chap +is very much concerned about this new airplane." + +"Perhaps he wishes to beat us out in getting the patent rights," Bob +hinted darkly. + +"No, I don't think it's that," differed Paul; "our application was sent +in to Washington some weeks ago, and you know the first one to apply +for a certain patent gets the attention." + +"Well, then, he could use our plans and make and sell airplanes of +their pattern, couldn't he?" asked Bob, whose ideas of patent laws were +still a little vague. + +"Not at all; if he did we could sue him for infringement," was Paul's +answer. "The only way he could profit by this theft, so far as I can +see, would be to construct a machine for his own private use, or to +give to another person. We could not touch him for that." + +"And that would be bad enough for us--if such a machine were used +against us in this proposed race around the world, wouldn't it?" +demanded Bob Giddings. + +Paul and John Ross looked at him in dismayed astonishment. They had +not thought of this contingency before. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +WHO'S AT THE WINDOW? + +The making of a big airplane is a good-sized job. Especially is this +the case with the first airplane made up from new plans. And when the +job has to be done by no more than three young men, it becomes an +unusually formidable task. + +The loss of the blue-prints did not hold up the progress of our friends +in the least, as it was only the matter of fifteen or twenty minutes' +work for Paul to make a new set from the tracings he had at home; but +there were unexpected difficulties met here and there in the +constructive work, as is always the case in large mechanical +undertakings of an original nature, besides which the young builders +ran into the usual delays caused by slow deliveries of parts and +materials from distant dealers and manufacturers; and sometimes the +railroads were tardy in transporting shipments. + +All in all, the summer slipped away only too quickly, and it came time +for Paul and Bob to go back to school again with Sky-Bird II not more +than half finished. It is true that the long fuselage of the craft was +done, with its graceful curves and splendid, roomy, enclosed cabin, +accommodating five persons; but all concerned were a little +disappointed that more progress had not been made. Mr. Giddings had +been quite a frequent visitor at the fair-grounds all through the +summer, lending a voice of encouragement throughout the operations. He +looked really concerned, however, when Paul and Bob had to return to +Clark Polytechnic Institute for the new term of study. + +"This is rather hard on us, isn't it, boys?" he observed, with a light +laugh in which he unsuccessfully tried to conceal his anxiety. "Here +we are with a half-completed airplane, a race staring us in the face +for next summer, and two of our workmen snatched away for the whole +winter by the inexorable demands of school life, leaving only one lone +fellow to finish the job." + +"We'll be able to work Saturdays, dad," ventured Bob, trying to wedge a +little bit of cheer into the gloomy prospect. + +"And evenings. I'd be willing to work after supper every night for a +couple of hours," proposed Paul. + +"You won't do any such thing," came the firm answer. "While you are at +school you two fellows need your evenings for rest and study, and your +Saturdays for the school-team sports. Only when there isn't a game on +in which you are a contestant will I allow you to help John on the +machine--even if it isn't finished for five years. I have been +thinking this situation over for some time, for I have seen it coming," +went on the great publisher after a moment's pause; "and I have come to +the conclusion that the best thing I can do to hustle our ship along is +to call in another workman on the job, some chap we can trust and who +knows how to handle tools. In fact, if he were a regular airplane +mechanic it would be all the better." + +John Ross spoke up at once. "Mr. Giddings," he said, "I think you have +the right idea. Bob and Paul can't help me much from now on, and if we +take that trip around the world next summer this machine must be done +some weeks ahead, so that we can have a chance to test her out and tune +her up. Now, it happens that Paul and I have a cousin--Tom Meeks--who +is about my age and who flew in the same squadron with me over on the +French front during the war. I will vouch for Tom's ability as a +mechanic and flyer, also as to his trustworthiness. It happens my +mother just received a letter from Tom's folks in Illinois the other +day in which she said the factory had closed down in which he was +working and he was out of a job." + +"And you think this Tom Meeks would be willing to come up here, then, +and help you this winter for the salary I am paying you?" questioned +Mr. Giddings with interest. + +"I think he would, sir." + +"Then write to him immediately, and tell him to come right on." + +In less than a week a strapping big young man, suitcase in hand, got +off the train at the Yonkers depot, and was warmly greeted by his +cousins, Paul and John Ross, who then introduced him to Bob Giddings. +Bob had been so eager to see the new helper on the airplane that he +could not wait for a later meeting with him. He took instant liking to +the jolly newcomer, who seemed to be ever smiling, and after a short +exchange of conversation with him hurried home to tell his father what +a splendid fellow Tom Meeks was. + +Tom was domiciled in the Ross home, to which he had been a visitor in +other years, and of course for the rest of that evening was kept busy +visiting with Mrs. Ross and looking at the numerous miniature airplanes +of Paul's. His praise of the little Sky-Bird, and particularly of the +drawings of Sky-Bird II was very strong, and when he went to the +fair-grounds the following morning with John and actually saw what a +fine-looking ship the big craft was, he was stumped for words to +express his full admiration. + +Then while John and Tom went industriously to work, Paul and Bob rode +away to Clark Polytechnic in New York with Mr. Giddings. Just before +starting into the city that morning, the newspaper man had met Tom, and +there was little doubt that he was well pleased with this addition to +his force of workers. Of course Paul and Bob were sorry to have to +interrupt their labors on Sky-Bird II, but there was no help for it, +and there was some consolation in the thought that undoubtedly their +instructors would let them work on some of the airplane's smaller parts +as a portion of their school mechanical practice. This supposition +indeed proved correct, and as the fall days passed they found the two +student chums not only partaking with full spirit in the sports of +their comrades, but also contributing in no small measure to the +progress of the work on the new airplane. + +As a rule, Paul and Bob managed to stop in each Saturday for at least +an hour or so to lend some assistance to John and Tom, and when there +were no school contests on, they spent practically the entire holiday +in the hangar. + +The cool days of November soon compelled the boys to install a couple +of heating stoves in the big building, and after that the place was +warm and cheery throughout the working day, no matter how blustery and +nippy the weather. At night the coals were carefully banked with +ashes, to keep up a fair degree of warmth until the following morning. + +Up to this time nothing had been seen of any suspicious person lurking +around the premises, but one afternoon late in the month, when Tom +Meeks was working alone in the hangar and John had gone to town after +some bolts, Tom thought he heard a strange sound at one of the two +windows near the workbench. + +Turning quickly from the wing-strut which he had been setting in place, +Tom faced the window just in time to see a swarthy-looking countenance, +adorned with a toothbrush-like mustache, pulled out of range. The +mechanic had been informed of Bob's experience with the man who had +evidently followed him to the grounds during the summer, also of the +blue-prints which had been stolen, and now as he observed the +similarity in looks between this eavesdropper and the reported shadow +of Bob, he became quite excited. + +With that lack of coolness and presence of mind characterizing a more +reserved temperament, the impulsive Tom rushed straight up to the +window, and peered out. Of course he could see nothing, for the peeper +had been cute enough upon finding himself observed to keep close to the +side of the building as he moved swiftly toward its rear. + +Tom now seized the lower sash and tried to throw it up, so as to get a +sidewise view. To his disgust he found it double-spiked, and realized +that he had put that very second nail in himself upon first learning of +the loss of the blue-prints. + +"Huckleberry pie!" sputtered Tom, using his favorite expression when +excited. + +He whirled about and started for the door of the building. On account +of the extensive size of the structure it was quite a little way to +this. To make matters worse Tom dashed forward in such haste and +flurry that he did not watch his step very closely; when he was about +half-way to the door, his toe caught the protruding leg of an innocent +sawhorse, and the next moment Tom Meeks and the sawhorse were both +overturned. + +"Huckleberry pie!" gasped the big fellow. His right shin hurt like +fury, but he would not stop to examine it, and covered the remaining +distance to the door in very ludicrous limping jumps. Dashing around +the front of the building, he reached the corner which gave him a view +of the side. + +Not a soul was in sight. Not to be outdone completely, Tom hurried +along the side of the building. As he came near the rear end he saw a +slender figure just clambering over the highboard fence of the field in +the rear of the hangar. + +Lame as he was, big Tom knew there was no chance of his overtaking the +fleet-footed and cunning stranger, so he returned to his work very much +crestfallen in spirit. + +When John heard what had happened, on his return to work, he was +considerably disturbed, and suggested to his comrades the advisability +of placing a night-guard on the premises for a while at least, since +this unknown enemy might make an effort some night to burn or +irreparably damage the Sky-Bird. The others sanctioned this +precaution, and thereafter took turns in watching, although this +vigilance was apparently all for naught, as no suspicious character +appeared. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE SKY-BIRD II + +"Well, Mr. Giddings, what do you think of Sky-Bird II?" asked John +Ross, one memorable day. + +There was a smile of deep satisfaction on John's own bronzed features +as he put the question, a smile which was duplicated on the faces of +his three co-workers--Paul, Bob, and Tom Meeks. It was the latter part +of March, Easter vacation week for Paul and Bob, and the two chums had +been working every one of the last three days helping John and Tom put +the finishing touches on the big new airplane. And now this Friday +morning it rested gracefully upon its own rubber-tired wheels, its +great stretch of wings spread out as airily as those of a monster bird, +its huge two-bladed propeller glistening like burnished silver, and its +body running backward in a splendid symmetrical taper, to end at the +well-proportioned tail. Sky-Bird II was done at last. + +Mr. Giddings was so lost in admiration at the beautiful lines of the +craft that he did not reply immediately to John's question. He had not +seen it for almost two weeks, and in that time, under the onslaughts of +the four boys, it had changed appearance in a striking way, numerous +finished parts having been connected and paint and varnish having been +applied. + +"All I have to say, young men, is that if she performs anywhere near as +well as she looks, I shall be thoroughly satisfied with the money I +have invested thus far," declared the great newspaper man with an +enthusiasm which he did not try to conceal. His eyes were shining, as +he walked around the craft looking at it from all sides. He rubbed his +fingers lingeringly over the smooth fuselage, and smiled quietly as he +regarded the name "Sky-Bird II" lettered in large blue characters on +her sides and underneath each long bird-like wing. Then he mounted a +folding step and went through a neat door into the glass-surrounded +cabin. This was deep enough to stand up in, and provided comfortable +upholstered cane seats for the pilot and four passengers or assistants. +All of these seats except the pilot's and observer's were convertible, +forming supports for the swinging of as many hammocks, and in a small +space at the rear was a neat little gasoline-burner, and over it a +built-in cupboard containing some simple aluminum cooking ware. + +"Well, I declare!" said Mr. Giddings in amazement at the convenience of +things, "it looks as if you fellows hadn't left out a single item +needed in a long and enjoyable cruise." + +"There's nothing like being fixed up for all emergencies, sir," laughed +John. "As you notice, we have everything for night-flying as well as +day-flying. With such a machine as this there is no reason why a crew +of four or five could not run nights as well as days, two operating +while the others sleep in the hammocks. Cold foods can be cooked or +warmed up on the gas-stove when needed, and the enclosed cabin protects +all hands from the worst effects of bad storms." + +"Wouldn't this glass break in a hailstorm?" asked Mr. Giddings. "It +seems to be pretty thin." + +"It is thin," said Paul; "that is to give it lightness. It might check +some in a hailstorm, but it could not break out, as it is made of two +layers of glass between which is cemented a thin sheet of celluloid." + +"I think you had two Liberty motors here in the hangar when I was here +last. I neglected to ask you the power of these, and what you need two +for," observed Mr. Giddings. "I thought you said in the beginning that +you considered one 400 horse-power engine of sufficient strength to +carry this plane at a fast clip." + +"It is this way, sir," responded John. "The regular big biplane of the +bomber type carries two propellers with an engine for each propeller. +If one motor fails them when flying, about all the other is good for is +to make a landing with. By reason of the great lightness of our +airplane one good 400 horse-power motor is all we need for pulling +purposes. But suppose this should fail, as any motor might do? We +could not continue, any more than the other fellow, and would have to +volplane to the ground. Again, suppose we wished to fly continuously +more than twelve hours? We could not do so, as such a steady run would +heat the best motor and ruin it. These two Liberty motors, which we +have, overcome all these troubles. Both are so arranged that a simple +switch connects and disconnects either one with the propeller, and both +can be put at work at the one time if needed in a bad storm. If one +stalls, the other can immediately be thrown in and a forced landing +obviated. Moreover, if we could get fuel when needed, with this +arrangement I am safe in saying we could fly steadily day and night, +resting one motor and working its mate, for a week or more." + +"What is this?" As he spoke the publisher touched a peculiar-looking +helmet hanging from a hook near the pilot's seat. + +Bob laughed. "Why, don't you recognize the products of your talented +son, dad?" he cried, as he took the object down and clapped it over his +father's iron-gray head. "That's my new wireless telephone headpiece, +and right underneath it here is the mahogany cabinet containing the +sending and receiving instruments. You see, these two wires run from +the plug up to the receivers, there being one receiver in each side of +the helmet, right over your ear, pressing against the ear tightly by +means of a sponge-rubber gasket." + +"A man looks like a padded football player with this thing on," said +Mr. Giddings with a smile. "Why is a helmet required at all?" + +"We wouldn't require it so much with these motors, as they are equipped +with a new kind of muffler which shuts out about four-fifths of the +noise other airplanes get," explained Bob. "But for all that there are +always noises in airplanes; for instance, they say the whirr of the +propeller when it is revolving about 1450 revolutions per minute, or at +the full speed of this one, makes quite a roar; so you see the need of +the helmet to shut out all undesirable sounds possible. In ordinary +planes the crew cannot talk to each other except by using phones or +putting their lips to each other's ears and yelling at the top of their +voices, according to what John and Tom tell me. But we don't expect to +have that trouble in this enclosed cabin and with this new muffler +working, do we, fellows?" + +"I'm sure we won't," said John. + +"Not if I'm any judge," grinned Tom. + +"Can you talk with a ground station when you're flying, say a couple of +miles high?" asked Mr. Giddings, examining a transmitter attached to a +yoked wire support which his son slipped over his shoulders. + +"Farther than that. With this particular vacuum tube, which will +amplify sounds three or four times over any other I have tried, we +expect to talk with ground stations or other aircraft at a distance of +three thousand miles. Notice what a simple thing it is, dad," and Bob +indicated a little glass bulb which looked a lot like an ordinary +incandescent light, but which had a peculiar arrangement of wires and +substances inside. + +"Is the transmitter or receiver made just like the ordinary kind?" +asked Mr. Giddings. + +"Practically the same, dad. The wireless transmitter, like that of the +wire telephone, contains a sensitive diaphragm which your voice strikes +and sets to vibrating. These vibrations compress and release a capsule +of carbon granules which agitate and set in motion an electrical +current in two magnets connecting with them. The magnets convey the +sound-waves in the form of electrical waves, along wires out to the tip +of each wing, where the wires hang down a little way. When a message +comes in it is caught by a webbing of antennae wires in our wings." + +"Then I suppose these sound-waves, in other words the words one speaks, +run out of the end of these wires into the atmosphere?" + +"Exactly, sir," agreed Bob. "That is, the electrical waves are +projected into the air and disturb this air in a way to make it pulsate +in the same manner as your voice makes the diaphragm pulsate. These +waves are then carried through the atmosphere in every direction, and +sooner or later reach the antennae wires of some station equipped to +receive them. Down these wires they dash, are registered and magnified +in the wonderfully delicate vacuum tube, and from it are carried up +into the receivers at your ears." + +"I should think they would be electrical impulses when they reach the +receivers," argued Mr. Giddings. "How can a person hear _words_ from +electrical discharges?" + +Bob smiled. "Easy enough, dad," he went on. "You see, this vacuum +tube does the business. The electrical current agitates this in +unison, and the impulses are immediately converted into words +again,--and there you are!" + +"I acknowledge my understanding now," admitted Mr. Giddings, with a +hearty laugh; "but there's just one thing yet I want light on: Where do +you get your electrical current? It takes a dynamo to make +electricity, else storage batteries. I don't see either." + +"Come outside here a moment, dad." + +Bob smiled as he led the little party out of the Sky-Bird's cabin. +When they once more stood on the hangar floor, he pointed to a peculiar +T-shaped object just beneath the nose of the airplane. This had +escaped the gentleman's observation until now. + +"It looks like a small propeller with a torpedo sticking out from the +middle of it," laughed Mr. Giddings. + +"So it does, dad," agreed Bob. "Well, that's our wireless dynamo. You +will notice that the propeller faces ahead, like the big fellow here. +When the airplane is flying, the rush of wind spins the fan at a +terrific rate, its axle operates a little dynamo in this torpedo-like +case and manufactures electric current. The current then passes into +this small apparatus here with a bulb attached, which regulates the +voltage and sends it up to the instruments in a uniform flow, no matter +at what speed the airplane may be going." + +"That's a cheap way of getting current," declared the newspaper man, +"and a mighty good one, too." He now changed the subject by asking: +"How much do you suppose this machine weighs?" + +"I have been in smaller ones which weighed, unloaded, as much as three +thousand pounds," admitted John Ross, with a peculiar smile. "Put your +hands under the Sky-Bird's nose here and see if you can lift her, Mr. +Giddings." + +"Don't joke that way, John," expostulated Mr. Giddings. "Why, her +engines are right above this portion of her, and I couldn't lift one of +them alone." + +"Just try it anyhow, dad," persisted Bob, who also wore that queer +smile. + +More to accommodate them than because he expected to accomplish +anything, the publisher half-heartedly braced himself in a crouching +position and pushed upward on the airplane's front. To his amazement +the whole forward part of the machine rose upward a foot in the air, as +if it were made of paper. + +"My word!" exclaimed Mr. Giddings, letting the craft back upon its +wheels. "Who would have thought such a thing? I had faith in this +principle of the hollow wings and helium-gas, boys, but I never thought +it could reduce the normal weight of the plane to such a vast extent, +It is truly a wonderful idea." + +"You might not believe it, but the Sky-Bird weighs less than two +hundred pounds as she stands," said Paul. "Just before you came today, +Mr. Giddings, Bob and I, one at each end, easily lifted her clear off +the floor." + +"It's what we aimed for, and we've got it," added John with +satisfaction, while Tom Meeks nodded his head and ejaculated, "I'd say +so! I'd say so!" his whole broad face abeam. "This feather lightness +means great lift, great speed, and great cruising range." + +"I should think so surely," was the decided response of the newspaper +man. "I notice you have installed that 'automatic pilot' too. And +what's that up here in front on top of the cabin? A searchlight, as I +live!" + +"Yes, dad," said Bob; "we thought that would be a good thing in case we +do any night traveling on this tour of the world. It ought to have +good power, being operated with current from the storage batteries of +the wireless wind-dynamo." + +After a little more inspection and further questions, Mr. Giddings took +his departure, promising to be on hand at the hangar the following +morning for the test flight. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE TEST FLIGHT + +John, Paul, and Tom reached the fairgrounds a good full hour ahead of +the scheduled start that Saturday morning. In fact, Mrs. Ross had +given them an earlier breakfast than usual, so that they could give the +Sky-Bird II a general going over before it came time for her to make +her initial flight. + +Of course all three young men were a good deal excited, although they +were careful not to let each other know it, for fear of being the +target for a little fun from the others. In this effort at reserve, +the irrepressible Tom was the least successful of the trio, as might be +expected, and when he caught John and Paul slyly winking at each other +and glancing in his direction as he nervously tried the same control +for the third time, he blurted out: "Oh, you fellows needn't laugh at +me! You're just as much on edge as I am, now that we're really going +to fly this old bird!" + +"Come, Tom, don't try to cover up your nervousness by accusing us of +the same thing," protested Paul. + +"You're as agitated as a young kid with his first electric toy train, +Tom," laughed John. "How much gasoline have we got in the tanks now?" + +"The gauge shows ten gallons," said Tom, bending down and looking at +the instrument-board in front of the pilot's seat. + +"That isn't enough for a decent flight," declared John. "We'll +probably be out for at least an hour, and we may use as much as fifteen +gallons in that time; that's about half the consumption of ordinary +airplanes, you know. We'll shove in twenty gallons more so as to be on +the safe side." + +"We haven't put in any oil yet," reminded Tom. "We'd better put in +about two gallons, I should say. Most planes use about a half-gallon +to the hour; if we use half as much, that will give us plenty of +grease." + +The tanks were in the lower part of the forward fuselage. With the +caps removed, a hose was inserted by Paul, and then John forced the +gasoline up by a small but powerful handpump until the gauge told that +the required additional twenty gallons were in. The same pump would +work with the oil also, and soon the viscid fluid had been transferred +from the storage can on the hangar floor to its proper tank in the +airplane. Thence it would feed itself up into the carbureter of the +working engine by a force-pump attached to the engine, as with the +gasoline. + +The boys had just finished putting in the fuel when Mr. Giddings and +Bob drove up in the former's automobile. + +"I expect this is a great day for you young men?" said the publisher, +with a smile of greeting to all. "I know it is a time I have looked +forward to myself for a good many months,--ever since I accepted the +challenge of the _Clarion_, in fact. Is the Sky-Bird supplied with +gasoline?" + +"Yes, sir," said John; "we just got through with that job. We have +easily enough fuel aboard now for a couple of hours' flight, and that +will be long enough for a first one. New engines are always 'stiff' +and should not be run too long at a stretch." + +"Have you run this pair yet?" + +"Oh, yes," said Bob. "We have tried them out several times, dad, and +in connection with the propeller, too. They work tip-top, either +connected or disconnected. I tell you, when they're in connection they +certainly do make this big propeller hum!" + +"I can't understand how you can operate the propeller in here," said +Mr. Giddings, much puzzled. "All the airplanes I have seen have always +dashed forward as soon as their propellers began to revolve under +impulse of the motor or motors; there was no restraining them. I +should think this machine would run through the front end of the hangar +here as soon as you--" + +"Pardon me, sir," interrupted John, "but we have gone those fellows one +better. You forget that in the drawings we showed you there was a set +of brakes designed to be worked by a control within reach of the pilot, +brakes which will engage these ground wheels a good deal the same as +brakes work on automobiles--by a flexible band of steel and grit-filled +cotton which is made to compress over a large sort of hub on the inner +side of each wheel." + +"Very good," said Mr. Giddings; "but I understand that has been tried +before, with the result that the airplane at once tipped forward and +stuck its nose into the ground, or rather tried to, smashing its +propeller to smithereens." + +"They will do that every time unless something has been devised to +counteract this tendency to pitch over," explained John. "We have +devised the thing to prevent it, Mr. Giddings." + +"See here, dad," put in Bob at this point. "Stoop down a bit and look +under the forward end of the body here." + +His father did as requested, and Bob pointed out a circular opening +about the size of a saucer, from which protruded the end of an +aluminum-encased shaft bearing a small rubber-tired wheel of very +sturdy proportions. + +"That is our preventer, dad," smiled his son. + +"In a few minutes we'll show you how it works," added John Ross. "I +see you are wearing a cap, sir, as I suggested. That is all the +special dress you will need, as our enclosed cabin makes helmets and +close bundling unnecessary. We fellows will wear our regular working +togs." + +Everything being in readiness, the four young men easily pushed the big +airplane out of the building and to a place where it would have a +smooth runway for a hundred yards ahead. The weather was ideal for the +trip. There was little wind, and the few strato-cumulus clouds which +were visible showed great stretches of azure-blue sky between them. + +"Everybody climb in," ordered Tom, with a wave of his hand. "I'll +crank her up. You take the joy-stick, John." + +All hands complied. Then Tom began to turn the big burnished +propeller, just as John threw a lever from the inside which caused the +auxiliary ground wheel to shoot down and engage the sod. At the same +time the movement of another lever by Paul set the airplane's brakes. + +Several times Tom turned the propeller around. Then, with a pop, the +engine cylinders began to fire, Tom jumped swiftly back, and the +propeller whirred like a mad thing. At the same time the Sky-Bird gave +a start, as though to dash forward; but beyond a steady, slight +vibration of her whole body, as Tom slowed down the motor to four +hundred revolutions per minute, there was no indication to her inmates +that she was straining to get away. Tom now quietly mounted the step, +and came into the cabin, pulling the step up after him and closing the +self-locking door. + +"That shows you how this third ground wheel acts, dad!" cried Bob +triumphantly to his father, who sat in a chair adjoining. "Now watch +the old girl jump ahead when Paul throws back the brake lever and his +brother lifts the third wheel and gives her more gas!" + +The changes were made even as he spoke; the propeller's hum grew into a +mild roar through the cabin walls, and the Sky-Bird leaped away over +the ground, gaining momentum at every yard. To the surprise of even +two such veteran flyers as John Ross and Tom Meeks, the airplane had +gone less than fifty yards when she began to rise as gracefully as a +swallow in response to her up-turned ailerons and elevators. In less +than ten seconds she was well up over the fair-grounds, and the roofs +of all the buildings in the neighborhood were seen below them. + +John kept the machine mounting at a good angle until the altimeter +showed them to be up two thousand feet. Then he straightened out the +ailerons and elevators, and began to run on a level keel. The other +inmates of the cabin noticed, by looking through the observation +windows, that he was gradually bearing in a great circle about the town +of Yonkers. Off to the northwestward were the rugged blue crags of the +Catskills, covered with patches of milk-white snow, and just in front, +winding like a huge serpent among the picturesque foothills, was the +sparkling Hudson, dwindling away to a mere silver thread in the north, +tapering away in the same manner toward the south, where it lapped the +piers of the city of New York and immediately afterward lost itself in +the waters of the Upper Bay. Although the great skyscrapers of the big +city itself could be dimly seen, they looked very small at that +distance. + +Directly below them our friends could make out the familiar buildings +and landmarks of their own town as they swept past one by one, John +purposely flying at reduced speed so that a clearer vision could be +had. He also shot down to within a thousand feet, presently, as he saw +his own home approaching. Someone, whom both John and Paul immediately +recognized as their mother, stood in the door waving a handkerchief. +In recognition, Paul drew down one of the sliding windows, and put out +his head and fluttered his own handkerchief. Shortly afterward--it +seemed not more than a minute--the machine was over Shadynook Hill, and +Bob and his father were waving a similar salute to Mrs. Giddings. + +As they swept on, men and women and children could be seen looking up +from the streets beneath. Most of these people were used to seeing +airplanes, but obviously the bright finish of the Sky-Bird II, and its +striking eagle-like appearance created more than passing notice. + +Those in the cabin were amazed to note how effectually the new muffler +and the walls of the cabin shut out the sounds of operation. It was +very easy for them to talk back and forth with each other by using a +fairly strong pitch of voice, even when the machine was running at a +good rate, as it now began to do, for John once more gave the engine +more gas, and turned the airplane skyward. Up, up they shot like a +rocket. The hand on the dial of the altimeter moved along steadily--it +reached 2 again, passed to 3, 4, 5, 6; the earth seemed literally to be +falling away from them. All at once, when they were between six and +seven thousand feet high, and watching the minute patches of color far +below, which represented buildings, houses, hills, and the like, these +objects were swept away, and through the glass plates of the cabin +floor they could see nothing but a gray vapor below them. It was also +around them. + +"We're passing up through a cloud," said Bob to his father, who had +never been in an airplane before. A moment or two later, the boy +added, as the blue sky could once more be seen below, "Now we're above +it, dad." + +"It seems to be getting colder," remarked Mr. Giddings. + +"It always gets colder the higher one goes," informed Paul. + +"I hope you're not getting cold feet, dad?" grinned Bob. + +"Oh, I'm comfortable, thank you," laughed his father. "Say, son, isn't +this as good a time as any to try out the merits of that wireless +'phone of yours? Can you work it from this height?" + +"I don't know why I can't--and three times higher," Bob said; "we'll +try it right now. When I left home I told Sis to mind the set there in +my room, and watch for my signal. We'll see now if I can get in touch +with her." + +So saying, Bob put on the wireless helmet, threw the switch, and kept +repeating, "Hello, Sis! hello, Sis! hello, Sis!" for a few moments in +the transmitter. Then he said, after a brief silence: "I get you, +Betty. Won't answer you now, as I want dad to talk to you." + +With that Bob smiled, removed the headpiece, and slipped it over his +father's head, exchanging seats with him. + +Mr. Giddings now heard a voice--the voice of his own daughter--asking +quite distinctly: + +"Do you hear me, daddie?" + +"I certainly do, Betty," said he; "where are you?" + +"Here at home--up in Robert's room. I never thought I'd be sometime +talking with you when you were flying through the air. Mother just +called upstairs and says she can't see the Sky-Bird any longer. Where +are you now?" + +"Up above the clouds somewhere just north of Yonkers," replied Mr. +Giddings laconically. + +"Oh, goodness! I must run right down and tell mother. Please don't go +too high or too far, daddie, will you?" came the clearly agitated tones +of the daughter. "Is Robert all right?" + +"Indeed he is. We'll soon be back with you and tell you all about it. +Everything is working perfectly. Good-bye, Betty!" + +And Mr. Giddings arose with a pleased laugh, and hung up the helmet. +"I'll take off my hat to you, Robert," he said. "I never thought your +fussing at home all these years with electric batteries, buzzers, and +what not, would amount to anything like this." + +The Sky-Bird II was now running straight ahead with the speed of the +wind, John giving the craft more and more gas, and crowding her pretty +close to the limit. The wind swept by both sides of the streamlike +cabin with a rushing sound like the distant roar of a huge cataract; +the flexible window glass gave slightly to its pressure, but there was +no sign of it breaking. One minute they were in the midst of a cumulus +cloud; the next, through it. Now they saw the faint outline of the +earth, now sky; now the earth was screened by cloud, but above were the +blue heavens. + +"Guess how fast we're making it now?" cried John, one eye on the dial +which connected with the propeller-shaft. + +"A hundred miles," ventured Mr. Giddings. + +"Hundred and thirty," guessed Paul and Bob. + +"Hundred and eighty," stated the more experienced Tom. + +"All too low," said John. "We're going just exactly two hundred and +fifty, if this speedometer doesn't lie!" + +He now announced that he was going to throw in the idle engine. This +was done successfully, and under the extra power they were soon making +the remarkable speed of three hundred miles an hour! John then slowed +up and disconnected first one motor and then the other, the airplane +continuing to fly with unimpaired smoothness. + +As a last test, he dropped to a level of three thousand feet, at which +time they were considerably north of Albany, and throwing the +automatic-pilot into operation calmly removed his hands and feet from +every control except the rudder. In this fashion they ran for fifteen +or twenty miles on a perfectly even keel, the apparatus automatically +working the elevators and ailerons of the craft as various wind +currents tended to disturb its equilibrium. At length, John gave a +little twist to the rudder, and the way the Sky-Bird began to circle, +and to bank of her own accord, was a splendid sight to behold. No +hawk, sailing over a barnyard in quest of an unwary fowl, could have +performed the trick more beautifully. + +As the flyers now headed for home they were all much elated at the +success of the first flight of the new airplane. And as it gracefully +swooped down into the fair-grounds a little later, coming to a stop in +a surprisingly short run over the ground owing to her braking feature, +this elation was increased. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +FINAL PREPARATIONS + +After getting out of the airplane, Mr. Giddings was thoughtful for some +minutes. Nor did he speak until the boys had pushed the machine into +the hangar. Then he said, with deep earnestness: + +"Young men, a great load has been removed from my mind by this recent +performance of the Sky-Bird II. I have now not the slightest doubts of +her adaptability to make a round-the-world trip, and if she performs +then as she did this morning, we are not only going to defeat the +_Clarion_'s crew, but we are going to smash all existing records for a +journey of the kind. I wish to know if you really think you could +operate this machine steadily night and day, say for a couple of weeks, +stopping only for fuel and food?" + +"By alternating the engines--yes, sir; no doubt of it," declared John +Ross without a moment's hesitation, while Tom Meeks nodded his frowsy +head energetically. + +"Then," said Mr. Giddings, "you may consider that's what the entire +four of you will have to do in a few months, as soon as we can pick out +a route and get fuel supplies at the different airports or stops for +you. John, you and Tom may consider yourselves under salary right on +until after this race; there will be enough for you to do, helping me +with arrangements and taking care of the airplane." + +"Well, but how about Paul and me, dad?" broke in Bob anxiously; "aren't +we going to have anything to do?" + +"Oh, you two will have enough to do going to school, I think," laughed +Mr. Giddings; "but, to satisfy you, I will let you both help John and +Tom select a route and make out a schedule. Do this just as soon as +you can, so that I may be able to give Mr. Wrenn, the publisher of the +_Clarion_, a copy. He can then make intelligent preparations for his +own crew. I am going to give my rival every consideration in this +matter, so that he cannot do any howling if we beat him. It must be an +out-and-out fair race, do you understand?" + +All nodded. + +"Have you heard anything about the other crew yet, Mr. Giddings?" +inquired Paul. "I mean, do you know what sort of a craft they are +going to use, or who is going to fly against us?" + +"I am as much in the dark about those points as you young men," was the +reply. "I judge that Mr. Wrenn, who is an astute business man, will +keep us in ignorance of his personnel until the last minute. The fact +is, I am going to treat him to a dose of his own medicine in this +respect. So be careful not to let the public get close to this +machine, and talk with no one about it." + +With that the publisher and Bob drove home, but the latter came back in +the afternoon, and all four young men immediately repaired to the +Yonkers Public Library with a blank tablet, there to work out the route +and schedule. + +It was no easy task. In the first place, they wished the route to be +as close to the equator at all times as possible, so that their line of +travel would approximate in distance the world's estimated +circumference of 24,899 miles. In the second place, for stops they +must choose cities or towns with either established landing-fields, or +with grounds level enough for this purpose. In the third place, these +airports must be so divided that they would not have to be visited +during the hours of darkness, for few if any of them would be likely to +have efficient enough lighting systems to make night landings safe. + +Within fifteen minutes the boys had the long table in front of them +literally covered with geographies, atlases, loose maps, and +encyclopaedias. Paul even brought up a globe as large as a pumpkin, +while Bob was not content until he had secured a score of back numbers +of travel magazines. Into this divers collection of diagrams and +reading matter they dove with an avidity which would have surprised the +teachers they had when they were in grammar school, if they could have +seen them. It soon became evident that they would not only need a +route and schedule to make their journey successful, but also an +enormous amount of general information about the countries they would +pass over. + +"We'll have to study trade winds, oceanic storm conditions, +temperatures, inhabitants, topography, and so forth, and so forth," +drawled Tom Meeks. "Say, fellows, I feel like kicking myself to think +I didn't study my geography more and shoot paper-wads less, when I was +a kid at school." + +"We'll have to do a lot of cramming, that's sure," averred John; "but +we have several months for that. Just now we want to jump into this +route and schedule." + +They made up several tentative routes, only to discard them. Finally, +after several hours' work, they had one which everybody seemed to agree +was the best that could be picked out. With the schedule, which was +figured on the basis of 120 miles an hour airplane speed, the draft +looked like this: + + _Miles Airport Arrive Leave_ + ---- PANAMA ------------ 1:00p 20th + 1672 Georgetown 5:30a 21st 7:30a 21st + 1154 Para 6:00p 21st 9:00p 21st + 2402 Freetown 6:15p 22d 9:15p 22d + 1980 Kuka 1:00p 23d 8:00p 23d + 2015 Aden 6:00a 24th 9:00a 24th + 2116 Colombo 5:30a 25th 8:30a 25th + 1612 Singapore 6:00p 25th 9:00p 25th + 2218 Port Darwin 5:30p 26th 8:30p 26th + 3826 Apia 5:45a *27th 8:45a 27th + 2100 Nukahiva 9:00a 28th 12:00n 28th + 3154 San Cristobal 6:00p 29th 9:00p 29th + 650 PANAMA 5:30a 30th ------------- + ----- + 24899 + +* Gain of 1 day by reason of crossing 180th Meridian, or International +Date Line, between Port Darwin and Apia. + + +Bob Giddings carried home a copy of this schedule, and the following +Monday morning all four young men met by appointment in the private +office of the publisher of the _Daily Independent_. After they were +seated, Mr. Giddings brought forth the tentative draft, studied it a +few moments, and then asked: + +"What is your fuel capacity, boys?" + +"Our tanks will hold enough gasoline and oil to carry us a little +better than five thousand miles, throttled down to an average of one +hundred and twenty miles an hour, the basis on which we figured out +this schedule, sir," answered John. + +"Would it make a difference if you flew faster than that?" + +"Oh, yes," said John; "the faster a pilot flies the more fuel he uses +per mile. Full out--that is, going at the limit of her speed--the +Sky-Bird probably would not cover more than three-thousand miles." + +"I am glad to know this," said Mr. Giddings. "I see that your cruising +radius is sufficient to cover your longest jumps at any reasonable +speed. Let me see; you allow yourselves three hours' stop at each +airport; will that be long enough?" + +"Plenty, sir," said Tom; "we figure that we can easily refuel in that +time, and attend to any local affairs we may have." + +"I notice your total mileage is exactly equal to the estimated +circumference of the world," remarked the publisher. "That shows great +care in the selection of this route to meet my viewpoint; but may I ask +how you know your distances between airports, as here recorded, are +correct? From whence did you get these mileages?" + +"Bob and I figured them out, sir," spoke up Paul. + +"How?" + +"Why, like this, dad," explained Bob. "We knew there were 360 degrees +to the world; we divided the circumference of 24,899 miles by 360, and +obtained approximately 69.5 miles to a degree. By taking a map of the +world and finding the number of degrees between any two airports it was +not difficult to come pretty close to the actual distance in miles +between them." + +"Very good; very good, indeed," approved his father. "I think I have +the right sort of men on this job. But here is another thing which +occurs to me: Have you based your time of arrival and leaving at each +port upon local time or New York time?" + +"Local time," stated Paul. "If we had not done so we could not have +arranged the schedule with any accuracy at all, as regards daylight and +darkness and the lapping of time. With our watches set to New York +time, we might expect to land at a station in broad daylight, only to +find that we were really coming in after dark. Another thing: Our +figuring showed us that the lappages of time, all added together, +exactly totaled one day of twenty-four hours, which we gain by +traveling eastward. So, while the schedule on a calendar at home would +only show ten days which we would be gone, we would in reality be away +one day longer, or eleven." + +"Your local times may be wrong," hinted Mr. Giddings. + +"I don't think so, sir; we proved them correct," stated Paul, with +conviction. + +"How?" + +"After the same method we used in getting the mileage, sir. You see, +we knew that time eastward keeps getting later, and that this rate is +four minutes to every degree. We just counted the degrees between +places and figured it out on that basis." + +"Splendid!" exclaimed Mr. Giddings, who was far from as ignorant of +these processes as he led his visitors to suppose. "Boys, I wish to +compliment you very highly upon this piece of work. When I first +looked at the schedule and saw that an airplane meeting its +requirements would make this trip squarely around the world in seven +and a half hours less than ten days I could scarcely credit my senses, +and I figured it all over to make sure you had made no mistake. I +found out you had not. If you can maintain an average speed of one +hundred and twenty miles, and can make up any unforeseen delays by +greater speed, I must admit it really looks possible for you to be back +inside of ten days. That is better than I actually hoped for, young +men,--far better! In fact the situation, as I view it, contains +wonderful opportunities for both newspapers in the way of sales and +advertising. I do not doubt but that I can handle this affair in such +a manner that I can afford to give each of you five thousand dollars if +you make the journey within these ten days." + +"Five thousand dollars!" cried our friends in unison, while Bob +exploded: "But, dad, just how do you figure this out?" + +"Mr. Wrenn and I will exploit this contest in our newspapers--let the +whole universe know that it is coming off; advise the people that the +aviators are to be provided with the most modern airplanes, and +equipped with wireless by means of which they will keep us informed +frequently of their whereabouts; that they will have cameras and send +us pictures; that these bulletins shall be issued in extra editions of +our newspapers at least three or four times a day; and to cap the +climax, we will put up large bulletin boards in front of our buildings, +on which there will be painted a chart of the trip, showing every +scheduled stop, country, and ocean crossed. This will be electrically +lighted at night, and as you boys fly in your machine away off in some +distant part of the world, our bulletin board operators will follow +your course on their huge charts, and represent you with a miniature +airplane. In fact, I plan to get the _Clarion_ to 'phone over reports +of their crew as fast as received, I doing likewise with them, and then +we can have two dummy airplanes on each of our boards, showing the race +in earnest at all stages of the journey. This would cause great +excitement to the street onlookers. All in all, it would make our +newspapers the most talked about in the whole country, we would gain +thousands of new subscribers, millions of extras would be sold, +thousands of dollars' worth of new advertising contracts could be made, +and our present rates increased on account of our new prestige. Now, +you see, it will be up to you young men to keep our office supplied +with your whereabouts as often as you can. Do that, and beat our rival +crew, and I shall be pretty well satisfied if you don't quite make the +trip in ten days." + +"We will do our part, sir," responded John, speaking for all. + +There was a little further talk; and then they took their leave, well +satisfied with the turn of events, and each determined to win his five +thousand dollar trophy if it were at all possible. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +OFF FOR PANAMA + +That same afternoon Mr. Giddings called upon his business rival, Mr. +Wrenn, of the _Clarion_, and presented to him the tentative program for +the great race around the world's girdle, as the _Daily Independent_ +had planned it. Mr. Wrenn declared that he was willing to stand by his +former agreement to allow the _Independent_ to select the route, and +said it was entirely satisfactory to him, and that he would at once +take steps to have fuel supplies on hand at the various airports for +his crew when they should arrive. He made no comments as to his own +airplane, but agreed that the advertising plan his caller had worked +out was a capital one, stating that he would co-operate heartily with +him in carrying it to a successful conclusion. + +Mr. Giddings was considerably surprised that Mr. Wrenn made no +objection to the longest "hops" on the route, which were of greater +extent than the average airplane could make, and was ready to modify +the arrangement if there had been any objection. But even when he +particularly called this matter to the other publisher's attention, Mr. +Wrenn only smiled serenely, saying, "Those hops are perfectly +satisfactory to us," leaving Mr. Giddings with a deep wonderment as to +what sort of aircraft the _Clarion_ proposed using. + +"I am under the impression that our contemporary has something up his +sleeve, but I cannot conceive what it can be," Mr. Giddings confided to +his son that evening upon reaching home; and when Bob repeated this to +the Ross boys and Tom Meeks next day, they too began to wonder more +than ever what type of an airplane the _Clarion_ proposed using against +them, and who the crew might be. + +"Did your father and Mr. Wrenn decide upon a date for the start?" asked +Paul. + +"Yes," replied Bob; "they made it the 20th of July, this summer, +weather permitting. We start from Panama at one o'clock in the +afternoon." + +"Our curiosity as to the identity of our competitors will be satisfied +then, at least," laughed John. + +"And their curiosity, too!" put in Tom. "I'll stake my last cent +they're just as much in the dark about us and the Sky-Bird II as we are +about their outfit." + +"We'll hope so, anyhow," remarked Bob; "but ever since we had those +blue-prints stolen, and found we had a stranger sneaking around the +hangar, I've been uneasy." + +At this reference, all the young men felt a strange oppression. They +had talked over it more than once, and each time it had left them with +a sense of peril to their interests, why they could not tell. As +before, they now tried to laugh it off, and began to talk about other +subjects. + +There was still considerable to do in the way of preparing the Sky-Bird +and themselves for the long trip, and for weeks all four boys were kept +hustling to make the final installations of accessories and equipment. +Bob rigged up a wireless telegraph in connection with his telephone +set, and for protection, four good repeating rifles and an automatic +shotgun were put in racks in the after-cabin, while each fellow +provided himself with an automatic revolver which he would carry in a +holster attached to a belt. Medium-weight flying suits, with a heavy, +wool-lined coat to slip on in case they flew very high, and trim flying +boots and soft gloves, made up the personal toggery. + +Whenever the boys found a chance they went to the public library and +absorbed all the knowledge they could about the countries over which +they would pass and the places at which they were destined to stop. By +writing to the authorities in these localities, Mr. Giddings also +secured much valuable information for them as to present weather +conditions and landing-fields--information which was further +supplemented by numerous special airway maps supplied by the Aero Club +of America and similar aviation organizations in foreign countries. +From these maps Paul worked out a very clear chart of their own course +from beginning to end. A copy was given to each of the newspaper +publishers concerned, to reproduce on their large electric street +boards, and another was framed and placed immediately in front of the +pilot's seat in the cabin of the Sky-Bird II. + +All this time the columns of the _Daily Independent_ and the _Clarion_ +contained frequent vivid references to features of the trip calculated +to awaken the interest of the public, and as the time slipped along +into July, the attention of people all over the land was centered upon +the forthcoming contest, and it became the principal subject for +comment. The secrecy maintained by both principals as to the kind of +aircraft to be used, and the mystery as to identity of the members of +the respective crews, only whetted curiosity and interest the more, as +the sharp newspaper men knew it would. Every man, woman, and child in +the wide world seemed to be eagerly waiting for the moment to come when +he or she would see the promised pictures of the bold aviators and +their machines in the big newspapers, and hear that they had made their +first jump eastward from Panama. + +All being in readiness, at daybreak on the morning of July 16th the +Ross boys and Tom Meeks appeared at the Sky-Bird's hangar, and pushed +the airplane outside. As they were doing so, Mr. Giddings and Bob +joined them. The publisher had planned to accompany his crew to Panama +in the machine, to see them officially off, while his reporters made +the journey by train, in company with the writing force of the rival +paper. + +"We'll keep the time of our going secret, leaving before people are +generally up," Mr. Giddings had said to the boys; "and by going on the +16th we'll not only be ahead of their smart calculations, but we shall +have about half a week to rest up and see the country down there before +you begin your strenuous journey. I need a little vacation anyway, so +I will accompany you. We will stop off at Miami on the way, and enjoy +some big-game fishing in the Florida waters with some of my friends." + +So the young men were very much excited and eager to be off this +morning of the 16th, you may be sure. The Sky-Bird was tuned up a +little to make certain she was in first-class condition, then they all +climbed in and the big glistening creature of wood, metal, and silk +shot up into the air. It would probably be close to three weeks before +they would see that familiar field and hangar again, and in that time +if all went well they would circle the huge globe upon which they and +their fellow-men lived. It was truly a most inspiring thought--one to +have filled less phlegmatic blood than theirs with the wildest +pulsations! + +The weather was not at all promising, masses of gray nimbus-cloud +threatening to shut out the sun as it arose, with a promise of +uncertain winds, if not rain; but John and Tom declared the conditions +all the better for giving the machine a good test-out. + +They climbed slowly upward through the cheerless, mist-laden skies, the +engine well throttled back and running as smoothly as any engine could. +To make sure that all was in perfect working order, they circled for +ten minutes over the town, trying the different controls, then turned +the Sky-Bird southward. + +At two thousand feet they suddenly emerged from the fog belt into +brilliant sunshine, but the world below was lost to sight, screened by +a dense pall of mist. Accordingly, Tom Meeks, who was acting as pilot, +set a compass course for Cape Hatteras, the first guide-post along the +Atlantic coast, some five hundred miles distant. After an hour's +steady running, John took the throttle, followed later by Bob, and +finally Paul. It was a new sensation to the last-named youths to be +piloting the airplane out of view of the earth's surface, relying +solely for safety and position upon the compass and altimeter, and +knowing that somewhere far below them swept the rolling billows of the +ocean; but they enjoyed it immensely. + +Finally, just as John declared they ought to be close to their +objective, the winds freshened and made a great rift in the fog below +them, through which they could plainly see the grand old Carolina +coast-line a little way ahead and to their right. Between the main +shore and the long spine-like series of reefs constituting the cape +itself, sparkled the waters of numerous sounds, while the +weather-beaten lighthouse on the extreme elbow of Hatteras stood out +like a stick of white chalk against the rocky gray background of its +support. + +All were delighted with the accuracy with which they had made their +first guide-post, as John and Mr. Giddings checked their bearings on +the chart. The Sky-Bird had behaved splendidly so far, and if she +continued in that way they ought to reach their destination well before +nightfall, even at the reduced speed at which they had been flying, +which had averaged not much more than a hundred miles an hour. + +It now became a question whether they should leisurely follow along the +inwardly curving coast-line, taking in Savannah, Charleston, and +Jacksonville, as guide-posts, or save a hundred miles or more by flying +straight across the waters to Miami. As they wished to test out each +member's ability to operate by compass rather than by landmarks, it was +decided to take the shorter route. So gradually they left the rugged +American shore behind and swept farther and farther out to sea. + +The Sky-Bird II was flying as steady as a rock. All the bracing wires +were tuned to a nicety, the wind humming through them and along the +smooth sides of the great creature's body with a whistling monotone +which arose and fell with bewitching rhythm as the force fluctuated. +The varnish and fire-proofing compound glistened brightly in the +sunshine, attracting the attention of numerous seabirds, mostly gulls +and ospreys, which followed them at times for short distances, only to +be outdistanced. The engine was running at less than half its possible +speed, and purring like a contented kitten after a meal of fresh milk. +The clouds and fog had cleared away; the sky was as bright now as a sky +ever gets; far beneath, the blue-green waters of the Atlantic, flecked +with white-topped waves, spread on all sides. Two torpedo-boats, +looking like toys, went northward, and tiny white waving specks showed +that the Jacks aboard were waving a salute to them. Off seaward a +black trailing blot against the horizon showed where some unseen +steamship plowed her way between ports. Mr. Giddings and the boys were +filled with admiration. + +A small airplane is ideal for short flights, joyriding the heavens, or +sight-seeing among the clouds; but there is something more majestic and +stable about a big machine like the Sky-Bird II which a pilot soon +begins to love with a passion he never feels toward the little 'plane. +An exquisite community of spirit grows up between machine and pilot; +each, as it were, merges into the vitals of the other. The levers and +controls are the nervous system of the airplane, through which the will +of the aviator may be expressed--expressed in an infinitely fine +degree. Indeed, a flying-machine is something entirely apart from and +above all other contrivances of man's ingenuity. It is the nearest +thing to animate life which man has created. In the air an airplane +ceases to be a mere piece of dumb mechanism; it seems to throb with +feeling, and is capable not only of primary guidance and control, but +actually of expressing a pilot's temperament. + +The lungs of the machine--its engines--are the crux of man's mechanical +wisdom and skill. Their marvelous reliability and intricacy are almost +as awesome as the human anatomy. When both engines are going well, and +synchronized to the same speed, the roar of the exhausts develops into +one long-sustained and not inharmonious _boom-m-m-m-m!_ It is a song +of pleasant melody to the pilot, whose ear is ever pricked to catch the +first semblance of a "sharp" or "flat" note telling him that one or +more of the twelve cylinders of each busy engine is missing fire and +needs a little doctoring. + +It was about four o'clock that afternoon when our party first sighted +the low, out-jutting sea-coast of Florida. As they came slowly toward +it, by reason of their angular course of approach, they could gradually +make out a group of green palms here and there along the white +stretches of sand, and see clusters of light-colored buildings, piers, +shipping, and people moving about. Thus they passed Juno and Palm +Beach, and then saw the thicker cluster of fine dwellings of Miami +itself, the most southerly city on the Florida mainland. + +Paul was guiding the Sky-Bird at this time, and turned her across the +limpid waters of Biscayne Bay, cutting a huge circle above the town and +slowly swooping downward toward the broad white beach, as he picked out +a level stretch for landing. Townspeople who had been watching the +strange airplane, so much like a great bird, now ran forward to see it +land. + +A moment later, with a graceful drop and upward curve, it struck the +sandy beach and ran forward lightly until the brakes were applied and +it was brought to a standstill. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +FIGHTING A DEVIL-FISH + +Many questions were asked our friends by the onlookers, but they gave +them evasive replies, being careful to let out no hint as to their real +identity and connection with the approaching race around the world. +Two husky negroes were engaged to watch the airplane until relieved +from such responsibility, and Mr. Giddings then led the boys to the +home of a Mr. Choate, a close and trusted friend and superintendent of +the big Miami Aquarium, one of the most noted repositories for live +fish in the country. + +Mr. Choate was astonished beyond measure when he learned that his old +friend had come in the big airplane which he and his wife had noticed +over the town a short time before, and was still further surprised when +Mr. Giddings bound him to secrecy and told him that the young men with +him constituted the crew of one of the two airplanes which was so soon +to circle the earth by way of the equator. He shook hands warmly with +them, and with his charming wife made them all very much at home. + +Than Mr. Choate, no man in the South knew more about the multitudinous +varieties of fish inhabiting Florida waters. He was not only an +authority on them, but he was also recognized as a most skillful +catcher of fish. For over an hour that evening he told them absorbing +stories of the habits of Gulf Stream denizens, and recited stirring +tales of battles with some of the biggest of them. And when he finally +announced, "To-morrow I shall see that you are given a taste of our +wonderful fish-life by joining me in a fishing expedition," they could +hardly get to sleep for thinking of the fine prospect. + +After breakfast the next morning, their host conducted them down to the +waterside and into the beautiful white concrete buildings of the +aquarium, and here he proceeded to show them, swimming about in great +glass tanks, the most wonderful collection of fish they had ever seen +outside of the big New York aquarium itself. + +"You probably never realized before," said Mr. Choate, "that in the +warm waters of the Gulf Stream, between Miami and Key West, more than +600 varieties of fish are to be found. They vary in size all the way +from the tiny sea-horse, the size of a baby's little finger, to the +great tarpon and killer-whale, the latter a vicious creature weighing +many tons and large enough to swallow a good-sized boy without scraping +the buttons off his jacket." + +"It must be a lot of sport to catch some of these fairly big fish," +remarked John Ross. + +"Well, this afternoon I shall take you fellows where you can all have a +chance at them," said Mr. Choate with a smile. "It would be +interesting to have a motion-picture record of the thoughts which flash +through the mind of the average inland fisherman the first time he +feels the tiger-like swoop of a five-foot barrancuda, the fierce yank +of a hundred-pound amber-jack, or the sullen surge of a big grouper on +his line; for even when armed with the heaviest rod, and a line as big +around as a silver dollar, he is pretty sure to wish, at least +subconsciously, that his tackle might be twice as formidable and his +arm twice as strong. Just imagine yourself, for instance, out in the +clear blue waters of the Gulf Stream, looking overboard at your baited +hook thirty feet below, which you can see as plainly as if it were in +no water at all. Then up comes a great jewfish, which is just as +likely to weigh five hundred pounds as fifty, and to be as large as a +good-sized Shetland pony, and he makes a lunge for your bait, and-- +Well, you can go right on imagining the rest, too." + +In all, they visited a half-hundred tanks of fish before they were +through, watching this group and that group of inmates disporting +themselves about in the salty water with apparent unconcern of +visitors. In markings some of them rivaled the most beautiful designs +the mind could picture, and others were so brilliant and wonderful in +color that the rainbow was mild in comparison. + +From the aquarium our party went up the beach to where the Sky-Bird II +was resting under guard, and putting two new negroes to the task, they +returned and had lunch with Mr. Choate, following which he conducted +them down to the pier and aboard his sea-going motor-yacht, _L'Apache_. +This trim vessel had a crew of five men, and as she started away, +headed for the Bahama Islands, a 25-foot motor-driven tender bobbed +along in her wake. In this they were to do most of their fishing, +their host declared. + +Assisted by the northeastward pressure of the Gulf Stream, they made +splendid progress, and that evening cast anchor behind Bimini, a tiny +isle which rests like a jeweled feather on a summer sea. It was like +pulling teeth to go below deck for sleep and leave the wondrous beauty +of the tropical night, with the soft, cool touch of the ever-blowing +trade wind, the shadowy grace of the giant coconut-palms swaying and +whispering on the nearby beach in the moonlight, while the surf, +lapping upon the coral reef on the outer side of the isle, lulled them +with its crooning obligato. + +At sunrise all hands were up and ready for the sport. A hot breakfast +was served by the cook, after which they piled aboard the motor-tender, +throwing in rods, lines, and harpoons. + +Through the island channel out to the open sea they went, all except +the steersman hanging over the side of the craft and enjoying the +amazing sights in the clear depths below. Bob excitedly pointed out a +group of six or eight big tarpon lazily wallowing about fifty feet +beneath them. And less than two minutes afterward, Paul, in no less +excitement, announced the discovery on his side of a big nurse-shark +which was rolling an eye at him from the ocean's floor. John pointed +out, from the bow, a great school of fish numbering possibly ten +thousand, which Mr. Choate stated were small mangrove-snappers. They +were parading up and down a stretch of coral shelf along the bottom, +and they made a wild dash and hid in crannies under the coral as a big +barracuda unexpectedly shot into their midst and grabbed one unlucky +snapper. + +In a little while the fishermen were out into the open sea, and all +began to scan the pulsating bosom of the Gulf Stream with fresh +interest. Strange as it may seem, the fish of tropical waters do not +appear to have the slightest apprehension of danger from the noise of a +motor-boat, and one cannot only get very close to them, but can follow +them about and observe their movements without trouble, particularly if +he is familiar with their habits. + +In a little while Mr. Giddings called the attention of all to a dark +shadow not far below the surface, about two boat-lengths on the +quarter. Mr. Choate promptly announced this to be a "herring-hog," a +species of porpoise, and ordered the boat turned that way. + +The creature proved to be a full-grown herring-hog, weighing around +four hundred pounds, and as this species destroys great numbers of +foodfish, Mr. Choate made preparations to attack it. Reaching the +proper position, a hand harpoon was thrown by him. It found its mark, +and away went the great fish at so fast a clip that the line fairly +smoked as it shot from the reel barrel. In a few moments it was all +out, and then the motor-boat gave a jump forward and rushed after the +herring-hog. He was towing it, as if it had been a chip! + +The engineer now reversed the propeller. This act slowed up the +herring-hog noticeably, but still his prodigious strength carried the +craft forward. It was ten minutes or more before he tired sufficiently +for them to haul him in. + +As they were making the big fish fast to the gunwale, a considerable +disturbance was observed on the surface of the water about a quarter of +a mile away. Mr. Choate judged this fuss to be caused either by a +leopard-shark killing its prey, or by some battle royal between two +equally big denizens of the deep. + +Mr. Giddings and the boys were all excited at the thought of getting a +harpoon into a huge leopard-shark, which will fight any and everything +that swims, as well as many things of flesh which do not swim, not +excepting man himself. + +But as the boat drew closer, Mr. Choate, who seemed to have uncanny +eyesight plus long experience with subsea life, added greatly to the +nervousness of his guests by suddenly exclaiming: "Stand by, men; it's +the biggest devil-fish I have ever seen!" + +At once everybody who could find one, seized a harpoon; and in his +excitement Tom Meeks even picked up an oar, as if to defend himself +against attack! + +In a few minutes they were close enough to note that the entire bottom +of the ocean in the area where the creature had been seen had gone +suddenly dark; and in the translucent depths above nearly all of the +party discerned a gigantic shadow moving along. It looked for all the +world like an immense pancake with bat-like wings. These wings were +fluttering queerly, and from the action of the fish Mr. Choate said he +was sure it was devouring prey which it had just killed. He now asked +Paul if he would like to try a cast. The boy assented eagerly. +Bracing his feet in the bottom of the motor-boat he took good aim and +let his harpoon fly. + +Paul had hardly hoped to hit the devil-fish. And probably he would not +have done so, inexperienced as he was with a harpoon, except for the +fact that the creature was of unusual size and presented a broad mark. +As it chanced, the steel went true. The devil-fish arose to the +surface as though hurled upward by a submarine explosion. One of its +great battle-like fins broke above the water, sending gallons of spray +over the occupants of the boat, and splintering the harpoon staff +against the boat's side as if it had been a match stem; then its +ten-foot pectoral wing struck the water with a terrific impact, making +a noise which could have been heard several miles away. + +For a moment the monster seemed bewildered, and that moment cost it +dear, for it enabled Bob to throw another harpoon, which stuck deep +into its body near the spine. With a mad dash it started off to sea, +taking the harpoon lines with it. As the lines sped out of their +barrels Mr. Choate grasped one and Mr. Giddings the other, aided +respectively by John and Tom, and all hands strained to hold them, but +although they went out slowly, they could not be held, until at length +Paul and Bob came to the rescue and managed to get the ends around +cleats in the boat. + +However, this did not stop the devil-fish. It made out to sea with +remarkable speed for so clumsy-looking a monster, towing the heavy boat +and its inmates after it with the ease of a horse pulling a toy +carriage! As it went, all hands bore on the lines, adding to its +burden, but for a long time this seemed to have little or no effect. + +Every once in a while the devil-fish would literally hurl itself +several feet out of the water, and its huge flat body would come down +with a crack like the explosion of a gun shell. Perhaps it was +imagination, but each time it broke the surface in one of these +cavortings it seemed to the boys that the fish was bigger than the last +time. + +Now and then the creature would sound for deep water, in an effort to +shake its captors off, and several times it went down so far that Mr. +Choate stood ready with upraised hatchet to cut the lines at the last +moment, in the event the bow should show signs of diving under. + +All of a sudden the lines slackened, and all hands frantically hauled +in slack, as the devil-fish turned and dashed toward the boat. He came +up almost under the craft, one great wing actually lifting one side of +the heavy launch well out of the water and giving everybody a pretty +stiff scare. + +With quick presence of mind, Mr. Choate at this moment let drive +another harpoon, which found lodgment in the monster's flat head, and +away it dashed again with the greatest vigor. As there was now a line +leading to each side of the devil-fish's body, those in the motor-boat +found they were able actually to drive their captive as if it were a +runaway horse, a gradual bearing on one "rein" or the other tending to +direct the uncertain creature in that direction. Thus very adroitly +they swerved the huge fish toward the now distant shore of Bimini, +hoping to master it in the shallower waters of the isle. + +By this time the monster had carried them out fully ten miles. It had +not forgotten its old tactics of deep diving either, and there were +numerous occasions when, after one of these submersions, it came up and +started fiercely toward the boat, and it took the most skillful +maneuvering on the part of the steersman, as well as wicked use of oars +on the part of those in the craft, to drive the creature off and keep +from being upset. + +They let their anchor drag, and at times reversed the propeller, +hauling on this side and that on the harpoon lines when the devil-fish +would not be going to suit them. In this fashion it was slowly but +surely tired out; they began to reel in slack line, and finally the +immense fish was wallowing within twenty feet of the boat, surrounded +by hungry sharks which had been attracted by its blood. It would never +do to goad it now by hauling in on the lines, as it might dart under +the boat and upset it, and the waiting sharks could then make a meal of +its luckless inmates. So Mr. Choate told the boys to use their +automatic revolvers and see if they could not dispatch the devil-fish +at once. This was done, John, Tom, Paul, and Bob all firing several +shots each, which put the monster in such a helpless state that they +could handle it with less danger to themselves. + +Until that moment not one of them realized that nearly five hours had +elapsed since they first attacked this Jumbo of the sea, so busy had +they been every moment of the time in trying to conquer the creature. +And everybody was quite exhausted, now that the excitement was over. + +Although this fish had three harpoons in his body and a dozen shots in +its head and heart, it was by no means dead, and the fishermen found +considerable difficulty in towing it into the harbor, some miles away. + +The natives of Bimini were greatly interested in the capture, and our +friends were able to get fifteen of them to help draw the enormous +carcass ashore where all could get a good look at it. They were amazed +at the unusual size of the devil-fish, and Mr. Choate declared again +that he had never seen such a large one of its kind. It measured +twenty-two feet across, and must have weighed close to 5,000 pounds. + +"Some people call the octopus a devil-fish," said Mr. Choate. "This is +all wrong. They are both large and vicious creatures, but entirely +different in looks. The devil-fish belongs to the ray family, and, as +you see, is a huge bat-like creature which uses its body fins with a +waving, undulating motion, and propels itself through the water at +remarkable speed." + +"It is built on the principle of our airplane--in looks," said Tom with +a grin; "and in speed, too." + +"So it is," responded Mr. Choate. "It derives its satanic name from +these cephalic fins or lobes which extend outward and upward from each +side of its flat head, like curling horns. When it dashes into a +school of smaller fish, these fins whirl about in every direction, and +as they are often four feet long they easily reach more than one +hapless fish and he is swept into the yardwide mouth of the monster and +devoured with almost lightning speed." + +After a rest, the party went out in the motorboat again, this time to +catch foodfish. They had fine luck, and after an appetizing meal +aboard the _L'Apache_, in which their small catch played an important +part, all set out for Miami, tired and happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE STRANGE AIRPLANE + +The first thing the boys did the following morning, after spending the +night at the home of Mr. Choate, was to go down to the beach and see if +their airplane was all right. They found one of the two negroes asleep, +but the other fellow was faithfully on guard, and everything about the +Sky-Bird seemed just as they had left it, although the watchers said that +a considerable number of curious townspeople had come to look at the +machine the day before and they had been very busy keeping venturesome +boys off the craft. + +Our friends let the negroes go to get their breakfasts and some sleep, +and engaged two others to take up the watch. Following this, in company +with Mr. Choate, they all retired to the bathhouse, secured bathing suits +and had a fine time disporting themselves in the warm surf for the next +hour. The youths had never experienced Gulf Stream bathing before, and +the water was so enticing that it was hard to drag themselves out of it. + +As they were in the act of emerging to dress themselves, a black speck, +which all had noticed in the northern sky, had developed by nearer +approach so that they thought they could recognize it as an airplane. It +was coming down the coast very rapidly. Wondering if its pilot intended +to land in the vicinity, they gathered on the beach and curiously waited +for it to come nearer. + +At times they were puzzled to know whether the approaching object were +really an airplane or a great bird, for it surely looked like a bird with +its swelling breast-line and slightly tilted broad-shouldered wings. +Closer and closer it came. It was flying very high. + +When it was almost over them, Mr. Giddings uttered a startled +ejaculation; "My stars, boys! It's _our_ machine!" + +Paul and John Ross and Tom Meeks were equally astonished. They had +noticed the strong resemblance at the same moment. Involuntarily, with +Mr. Giddings and Mr. Choate, they turned their heads up the beach to see +if the Sky-Bird II was where they had left it. + +They saw its huge outline and its patrolling black guards. It had not +changed position. Even a group of gaping Miami citizens lent reality to +the situation, and some of the latter were gazing aloft at the other +flying-machine, as our friends had been doing. + +The stranger above them evidently had no intention of stopping. Instead +of circling the town, as he would have done had he intended to land, he +swept straight over and kept on his southward course, heading across +Florida Strait. + +On the face of every one of our friends, as they saw this image of the +Sky-Bird II cross the sky overhead and disappear in the mists beyond, was +a look of amazement, incredulity, and finally dark suspicion. + +"Can it be--?" Mr. Giddings hesitated, and looked inquiringly at his +younger companions. + +"It looks that way," said John Ross, with a reluctant nod. + +None needed to explain that the same thought had struck him, also. The +stolen blue-prints--the skulking man with the swarthy face! He had +duplicated the Sky-Bird! + +More than that, each recalled the _Clarion's_ secrecy about the kind of +airplane it planned to use; and its willingness to attempt the long +"hops" which ordinary machines would have had difficulty in negotiating. +It all pointed to but one logical meaning. And Bob Giddings expressed +the opinion of all when he observed: + +"Dad, I believe there goes our prospective competitor in the race around +the world! He's making for Panama now!" + +Further comment on the situation would have been useless. All hands, +each with disturbing thoughts of his own, went silently into the +bathhouse and resumed his regular garb. + +Mr. Choate and his wife begged them so hard to remain over another day at +least that Mr. Giddings assented. That afternoon they went for a long +automobile ride along improved roads, both sides of which were lined with +palms in places, luxuriant tropical grasses in others, and towering +forests covered with creeping vines. They stopped the car a number of +times to visit great orange groves, and the boys had their first taste of +the luscious fruit just as it ripened on the trees. + +The following morning, directly after breakfast, they were besieged by +two or three local newspaper reporters. Seeing no use of further +concealing their identity, Mr. Giddings gave out a little information to +the gleeful newspaper men, but was careful to wire in to his own +newspaper much more detail of their doings since leaving Yonkers, even +mailing some photographs which they had taken of the tussle with the big +devil-fish. + +In the afternoon our party paid a visit to the aquarium again, extending +it to the Biological Laboratory nearby; and took supper in the beautiful +white casino, which fronts the beach, after they had had a refreshing +plunge in the ocean's waters. Then Paul and Bob took up Mr. and Mrs. +Choate for a short flight in the airplane. + +Early the next morning they bade their Miami friends good-bye, and once +more took to the air, this time to complete the last leg of their journey +to Panama. It was found that the Sky-Bird's fuel tanks were apparently +still full enough to carry them to their destination, so it had not been +necessary to store either gasoline or oil in Miami. This was very +gratifying, as it showed quite conclusively that, later on in the race, +the Sky-Bird would be able to make her longest jumps without the peril of +fuel shortage. + +At a height of close to two thousand feet they headed across Florida +Strait, with Paul at the throttle. It was a real joy to be looking +through the glass panels of the airplane's cabin once more, to hear the +muffled roar of her engine and propeller, and to realize that probably +before dark they would be across the five hundred miles of blue waters of +the Caribbean and hovering over the world-famous Canal Zone. + +It was a fine morning. What clouds could be seen were well above +them--light, billowy, and white, reflecting the sunlight so strongly upon +the white-capped waters below, that the sea seemed much closer to the +voyagers than it really was. + +Shortly after eight o'clock they crossed over the long, low-lying island +of Cuba, dipping down close enough to get a fairly good view of the +topography. Then rising to three thousand feet, they swerved a little to +the eastward and made off across the Caribbean Sea itself. + +At a few minutes of eleven they sighted the shore of Jamaica, five miles +or so to the eastward of them. Then John took the throttle, both engines +were put into the work, and they began to whizz through the air at a clip +which would have made them gasp for breath had they been in an open +cockpit. As it was, the rush of air as it swept along each side of the +fuselage and off its narrowing tail, became a veritable howl in whose +noise they found conversation very difficult. Tom Meeks, who was leaning +over John's shoulder and watching the instrument-board, triumphantly +announced presently that they were traveling at the rate of 280 miles an +hour! + +For thirty minutes or more John Ross kept the Sky-Bird going at this +terrific speed, then he slowed up, and transferred into mono-engine gear, +as there was no use in unnecessarily heating the power-plants. As the +indicator of the speedometer retreated to 150 miles, he turned the +throttle over to Bob Giddings, and said: "Hold her at this rate, Bob; +it's plenty fast enough for the present." + +It was a little after one o'clock when Paul and Tom announced land to the +westward. After looking at the object, which surely had the appearance +of land, Mr. Giddings laid down the glasses and consulted the chart. + +"That's undoubtedly the outer point of Nicaragua," he said; and upon +taking a look themselves with the binoculars, the others all agreed with +him. + +Keeping the low-lying coastline of the continent on their right, and +buffeted considerably by contrary winds which now began to make +themselves manifest, Bob threw the automatic-pilot into gear at a +suggestion from John, as this insured greater safety, and steered with +the rudder only. At once the riding became easier, for the moment a gust +of wind hit the machine on one side, the elevators and ailerons shifted +and counteracted its uneven effect. + +After a while Bob turned slightly to the eastward, and about +mid-afternoon they came in sight of Colon, the Atlantic terminal city of +the great Canal. Sweeping over its collection of houses, at an elevation +of about fifteen hundred feet, they passed the big white Gatun locks, and +followed the trail of the Panama Railroad across the great neck of rugged +land which joined North and South America--followed, too, the tortuous, +wonderful channel which American enterprise had cut through. + +Thus over Gatun Lake they flew, over the Chagres River; along the course +of Culebra Cut, with its high banks, across the Pedro Miguel and +Miraflores locks on the other side of the isthmus; over Ancon; and +finally below them lay clustered the white-robed buildings of Panama +itself, with the swelling blue reaches of the big Pacific to the +southward and westward, and the bold shore-line of South America to the +southeastward. + +Looking down as they circled the narrow tongue of land on which the city +proper nestled, our friends soon made out the big Government +landing-field and airdrome, distinguished by its whitewashed cobblestone +markers at either end. And, now, as the Sky-Bird II swooped downward, +several attendants in white pantaloons could be seen running out of the +building. + +When the airplane had settled, these men came up. Two were short, black +fellows, probably San Blas Indians; but the other two were whites, though +well-burned by the tropical suns. The taller of the white men introduced +himself as Henry Masters, superintendent of the landing-field, and was +extremely courteous when he learned the identity of the new-arrivals. + +"We have been looking for you gentlemen," said he, "and I'm glad to know +you had such a fine run from Miami. There are a lot of strangers in +town--been arriving for the last three or four days--all to witness the +start of this big race. Most of them seem to be newspaper men from the +States, though there are a number from South America, and even Africa and +Europe. Is this the plane that you fellows representing the _Daily +Independent_ are going to fly in?" + +"This is the one, Mr. Masters," responded John. + +"It is a beauty," said the superintendent with enthusiasm, as he glanced +over the graceful outlines of the Sky-Bird. "I never saw one built on +these lines until the other day, when what seems to be its twin came in." + +"Much like-um lot," remarked one of the natives, and his companion, added +more concisely: "Same like-um lot." + +In spite of the fact that our party had been fearing some such +information as this upon reaching Panama, the actual announcement of it +made their hearts jump wildly. + +"Where is this machine now?" asked Mr. Giddings as calmly as he could. + +"In the hangar," was the reply of Masters. "It is the one that is going +to fly against you." + +"Who is in charge of it?" inquired John Ross. + +"Five arrived in it. Four of them are to be in the contest, they say. +The other gentleman is Mr. Wrenn, of the New York _Clarion_." + +A few minutes later, when they pushed the Sky-Bird into one of the big +double hangars, their suspicions were conclusively clinched. For there +at one side stood the very counterpart of their own airplane, differing +only in the name painted upon its sides and under its big hollow wings. +These letters spelled "_Clarion_"! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A FAMILIAR FACE + +Our friends exchanged glances. The brow of every one of them +contracted into so plain a frown that Mr. Masters, the superintendent +of the airdrome, could not help noticing it. + +"I hope nothing is wrong, gentlemen," he ventured half-interrogatively. + +"So do we," responded Mr. Giddings, "but if there is, it is nothing +concerning you, sir, at least. We thank you for your attention to our +machine, and wish you to take the best care of it while it is here. +Don't let anybody meddle with it, will you?" + +"We'll look after it right, you may depend upon that," said the flying +official; and the party turned and left the building. + +Outside, where they would be secure from the hearing of others, all +came to a pause, for there was a lot on their minds. + +"Well, boys," said the publisher, "you see our suspicions back there in +Miami were certainly well-founded. It seems that in some manner those +stolen blue-prints have fallen into the hands of our rivals, and they +have been wise enough to profit by the fact." + +"Do you think, dad, that Mr. Wrenn could have been back of this theft?" +propounded Bob who, although the publisher was a business rival of his +father's, had always thought him above such operations. + +"I really do not know what to think," was Mr. Giddings's answer. "I +have always entertained the greatest respect for this gentleman's +honesty, if he does differ with me politically. But I must admit that +since this thing has happened--" + +"Sh-h!" warned Bob suddenly. "Here comes Mr. Wrenn now!" + +It was as he said. Turning his head in the direction of the entrance +to the landing-field, Mr. Giddings instantly recognized, in the short +figure in linen coming toward them, the person of the publisher of the +_Clarion_. + +"I shall have this matter out with him right now," was the grim +declaration of the _Daily Independent's_ director. + +"Well, well! how are you, Giddings? How are you, Robert?" cried Mr. +Wrenn, sticking out his pudgy hand when he came up to the little group. +Such was his gusto that he did not seem to notice the lukewarmness of +the father's and son's greeting. Mr. Giddings introduced John, Paul, +and Tom, and then the publisher of the _Clarion_ continued with +good-humored raillery: "I'm mighty glad to see you fellows here, for I +began to think you would get scared and flunk us at the last moment. +Was over on the hotel veranda when I saw a plane land here, and I +guessed it might be you, and hurried right over. Put your machine up +yet?" + +"We did," said Mr. Giddings rather sourly. "And do you know, Wrenn, +when we ran the Sky-Bird in the hangar we saw yours in there and +received quite a disagreeable surprise--I may say shock." + +Mr. Giddings and the boys watched the broad face of their rival very +narrowly as this statement was put. Would he act guilty? + +There was an explosion of laughter, the heartiest of laughter, from the +_Clarion_ director. "Oh, say, that's one on you, Giddings! I knew +you'd be down in the mouth when you saw our machine and realized that +you would have to contend against one as good or better than your +own--one of the same type!" And he laughed again, until he had to wipe +tears from his little blue eyes. + +This was incomprehensible conduct from a guilty conscience! What could +it mean? Surely Mr. Wrenn, of the _Clarion_, was either the coldest +and deepest-dyed rogue in the world or a man entirely innocent! + +"How did you know that we had an airplane like yours?" asked John +sharply. + +The fat man broke into renewed chuckles at this question, and it was a +moment or two before he could find words. Then he said: + +"There's a little story connected with this, and now that we're right +on the eve of the race and there's nothing to be gained by further +secrecy, I'll tell it to you. You see, about a year and a half ago, +possibly two years, a young man came to me for a job as sporting +reporter; said he had been a flyer in France and that the Government +wanted him as an Air Mail pilot, but he would rather take up the +newspaper game. I put him to work, and he proved very good in +gathering news of sports, especially aviation stuff. A week or so +after you challenged me to this race--which I would have liked to back +out of, but couldn't and save my honor--this chap showed me some +blue-prints of a novel kind of airplane which he claimed to have +co-devised with a flyer friend who, he said, was helping to make you a +machine of the same type for this contest. He--" + +"What is this young man's name?" inquired John Ross excitedly. + +"Peter Deveaux." + +"Peter Deveaux!" exclaimed John and Paul at once. And John added: "Mr. +Wrenn, that fellow did not refuse to fly in the Air Mail service; he +_did_ fly, and was dishonorably discharged for drunkenness. +Furthermore, he stole those plans from our hangar!" + +The publisher of the _Clarion_ opened his eyes wide. "Can you prove +those assertions?" he inquired. "That last one is a serious charge, +sir." + +"Nevertheless we can prove it when we get back to New York," declared +John warmly. + +"Well," said Mr. Wrenn, "I'll finish my story, and then we can talk +over this new development more understandingly. As I said, Deveaux +claimed to have a half-right in the plans, and having no reason to +doubt it, I told him to proceed, when he proposed to make an airplane +for us from the designs and to head a crew for the _Clarion_ in this +race around the world. Now you will understand my position in the +matter." + +"Wrenn," spoke up Mr. Giddings with quick frankness, "I beg your +pardon. The young men here and myself fancied you must have had a +guilty part in the production of this fac-simile of our airplane. We +now see who is really to blame." + +"I do not blame you for your suspicions," was the candid reply of the +fat man, "if things are as you state; and I will do you the honor, +Giddings, to say that, although we are business rivals, your word is as +good as gold with me. This is a lamentable situation. What shall we +do about it?" + +Mr. Giddings studied deeply before making answer. Then he observed: +"Wrenn, this contest, as you know, has been too widely advertised to +wreck it just as it is about to begin by the arrest of this man, Peter +Deveaux. Say nothing to him about it; in fact, we will none of us +mention a word of this to anybody; but when the race is over you can +quietly dismiss him from your service, if you wish. As I now look at +it, no great harm has been done, if any, by his duplicity; with two +planes practically alike, the race will really be a fairer one, and a +more exciting one for the public who read our newspapers, and supremacy +will probably go to the better crew." + +"I don't know about my crew, as Deveaux picked them up; but they did +good work when they brought me down here the other day in the plane," +said Mr. Wrenn. "Giddings, I think your plan is all right, and we'll +let the race go on as if nothing had happened; but you bet your last +dollar I'll fire Pete when it's all over, if he has done what you say!" + +With that the publisher of the _Clarion_ accompanied our friends back +to the hangar, where he had a good look at the Sky-Bird II, and showed +his own airplane, which was in all essentials an exact copy of the +other. Following this they left the airdrome and went to their hotels. + +All had a good night's rest--probably the last one they would have on +earth for more than a week,--and after a hearty breakfast they +proceeded to get what supplies they would need to last them until they +should reach Georgetown, British Guiana, on the north coast of South +America. This would be their first stop. Somehow the townspeople +quickly guessed their identity, and they were followed from store to +store as they shopped by a curious and motley throng of dark-skinned +natives, among whom were noticed quite a few white children, presumably +belonging to American employees of the Government. + +With such eatables as they had bought stored in a basket, and carrying +a few other packages, the boys went out to the airdrome. A guard stood +at the door to keep out those having no business in the hangar, and as +the young flyers passed in they noticed that Mr. Wrenn and a group of +four fellows in flying-suits were going over the rival airplane. + +"Here, boys, come over here a minute!" called the fat man. As they +approached, the aviators with him turned from their work. One, a +slender fellow with swarthy skin and a scrubby black mustache, scowled +when he looked at John Ross, and as Bob Giddings and Tom Meeks got +their eyes on him, they gave an involuntary start, for they recognized +in the man the fellow they had seen hanging around the fair-grounds in +Yonkers when their machine was in process of construction. + +"It's time you fellows got acquainted with each other," said Mr. Wrenn, +and he forthwith proceeded to introduce his crew as Pete Deveaux, Chuck +Crossman, Oliver Torrey, and Sam Lane. + +"How are you, Ross?" greeted Pete Deveaux. He uttered a sour sort of +laugh, as his companions offered their hands around the group. "I +won't do any shaking," said he, "as my hands are kind of greasy." + +"Don't worry, Deveaux," advised John quickly. "We won't feel bad over +a little thing like that." + +"That your plane over there?" asked the swarthy fellow. + +"That's it; quite a strong resemblance to yours here," said John with +cutting sarcasm. + +"That's so," was Deveaux's comment, casting a quick look toward Mr. +Wrenn. Apparently he was as anxious to drop the subject as a chicken +would a red-hot kernel of corn, for he immediately observed, with an +ill-concealed sneer: "I suppose you guys think you're going to leave us +a good ways behind in this race?" + +"We're not telling what we think," put in Paul; "but one thing is sure: +we're going to keep you hustling some." + +"Oh, that's too bad, now, ain't it?" drawled Oliver Torrey, as he +leered out of one eye. + +"Say, kid, we'll beat youse so bad you'll be squallin' before you're +half-way round the globe," put in Sam Lane. + +"You bet! Ain't no use o' flying against such veterans as us," +supplemented Chuck Crossman, with a wag of his frowsy head. + +Mr. Wrenn frowned. While these might be his own men, it was hard to +countenance such bragging. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE START + +By eleven o'clock the tanks of the Sky-Bird II had been filled with +gasoline and oil, and the radiator of each engine supplied with twelve +gallons of water. In addition to this, its crew had carefully gone +over every brace, control, bolt, and nut to make sure that everything +was tight, the engines had been run detached from the propeller for a +few minutes to warm them up, and every bearing not reached by the +lubricating system was well oiled by hand. + +Mr. Giddings had appeared about an hour earlier, bringing with him the +two special correspondents of the _Daily Independent_, as well as +several other newspaper men representing various prominent foreign +publications. As soon as our boys had finished shaking hands with +these, they were introduced to a number of well-known Government +officials and aviation representatives, who added their good wishes for +the success of the big undertaking. Then came Mr. Wrenn with a party +of his own distinguished friends, which called for more hand-shaking. + +At twelve-fifteen the rival machines were pushed out of the hangar and +took up positions in the field, ready for the signal to "hop." At +twelve-fifty both crews, with the exception of their respective +crankers-up, entered their machines, and a heavy hush fell over the +great crowd which had assembled to see the start of the first race +around the world's circumference. It was without denial an auspicious +moment, and as they stood there and looked at the two big mechanical +birds which were to attempt this prodigious feat, embracing almost +25,000 miles, threading every mile of the distance through the air in +the astounding time of ten days, the situation was so fraught with awe, +particularly to the native Panamanians, that now at the last moment all +were practically voiceless. + +The rival publishers gave their parting instructions as their crews +climbed into the cabins, and these were to the same effect: "Don't +forget, boys, to report to us at every stop, and mail us all the +pictures you can. Between stops use your wireless for reports whenever +possible. Good-bye, and the best of luck!" + +Lieutenant-Colonel Warren J. Hess, a gentleman prominent in American +aviation circles, had been selected as judge of the contest. He was +not only to give the signal to start off the flyers, but with Mr. +Giddings, was to await in Panama their return, and demand from each +crew upon arrival a document containing the signature of the port +official at each scheduled landing. + +Colonel Hess, looking at his watch, now raised his hand, and +instinctively those in the front of each of the long lines of +spectators flanking the run-way crowded back so that the airplanes +would not strike them as they dashed down the field for the take-off. +Tom Meeks and Chuck Crossman spun the propellers, sprang back to escape +their vicious whirr as the respective engines fired, and quickly +clambered into their machines. + +It was exactly one o'clock. Both airplanes taxied down the runway side +by side. They also arose together, amid a great cheering, some ninety +feet apart, shooting grandly up into the air above the heads of the +people in the lower end of the field. At a height of a thousand feet, +the gray _Clarion_ bent eastward. At fifteen hundred feet, the +Sky-Bird did likewise. From the open windows of each of the cabins +fluttered white handkerchiefs in a final farewell, and many a +broad-brimmed hat in the hands of the excited populace below was waved +in answer. + +Flying low, the _Clarion_ started away in the lead, while her rival had +been mounting to her own preferred higher level. By the time the +Sky-Bird had straightened out, her contemporary was well in advance. + +"We're losing ground," said Bob Giddings anxiously. + +"Don't worry about that," said Paul Ross, who was at the throttle; "we +can catch them when we're ready. We'll get a better current of air up +here." + +Paul's maneuver had been due to the fact that heavy head-winds were +blowing, and he was quite sure if he went higher he would get above the +worst of these. + +As they now shot along on an even keel, it seemed hard to realize that +they had at last started out on the important flight for which they had +been planning and working so long; and as Paul watched his instruments +and the scudding rival machine ahead, he could not help wondering what +the issue of it all might be--if the fates would be so kind as to smile +enough on the Sky-Bird to bring her in ahead of the _Clarion_ and +within schedule time. Many weary miles must be covered before they +would see Panama again. And when they would land in that air-drome +again--if in truth they ever did!--would it be as victors, or as +listeners to the jeers of the rough crew of the other plane? + +It was not an ideal day for the start from a weather standpoint. In +fact, a consultation of the weather reports at the Panama Bureau before +they left had shown a prophecy of strong northeasterly winds and +possible showers. The sun was almost shut out by patches of cloud, +glinting through only occasionally; but neither crew had felt like +postponing the start, so eager were they to be off and so confident +were they in the capabilities of their respective machines to meet +almost any sort of bad weather. + +Straight along the Isthmus both machines proceeded, making a bee-line +for Georgetown, which it was hoped to reach at daylight. The coastline +was low along here and very uneven, with numerous pretty little islands +on the Pacific side, the waters surrounding them sparkling like jewels +when the sun's rays would struggle through the clouds and strike the +tossing waves. + +In the northern part of the Republic of Colombia they passed just to +the right of the western terminal range of the great Andes Mountains, +and within an hour's time were sailing through Quindiu Pass of the +central arm of the same mountains. At this time they were over twelve +thousand feet above sea-level. Then came the table-lands of western +Venezuela, open in places and covered with thick growths of tropical +forests in others. + +As they approached the foothills of the eastern chain or arm of the +mountains, Paul took the throttle, and they steadily arose in order to +clear the high pinnacles facing them, and finally, at a height of +fifteen thousand feet--the greatest height they had yet attained--they +went over them. The airplane encountered several "air pockets" in this +process, which might have been disastrous to them except for the +stabilizing effect of the automatic-pilot. As it was, the machine +pitched rather roughly in surviving them. + +In sweeping past the last crag they had come very near to striking, +owing to a cloud which enwrapped it. Just in time Paul's sharp eyes +had seen the white bank of snow on the crag ahead, and he elevated his +craft enough to pass over. It was so cold up here, even in the cabin, +that the boys had to don their heavy coats. + +Just as they turned the nose of their machine toward a lower level, +running at reduced speed, a huge bird with curving beak, which John +said was a condor, dashed from the crags after the airplane. It was +followed a moment later by five or six others. The great birds seemed +to resent the appearance of so strange a giant in the mountain +fastnesses where they had always held the supremacy of the air, all the +time darting angrily at it, flapping their long, black and white wings, +some of which had the immense span of fourteen feet, and croaking +hoarsely. + +The boys laughed at first, but when the creatures commenced to come +closer, frequently hitting the windows with their sharp beaks, and +cracking two of them, they began to get really alarmed. Once the +propeller struck the tail of one bold and incautious condor, and +feathers flew in all directions; but after a quick circle he was back +again, madder than ever. + +"Say, fellows," cried Paul; "we've got to do something with these birds +right away! First thing we know, one of them will get hit a squarer +blow with the propeller and smash it. Then we'll crash as sure as I'm +sitting here." + +This peril was very imminent, as all could see. + +John seized the shot-gun from its rack, and Tom one of the rifles. +These were loaded. Stationing themselves on either side of the cabin, +the young men drew down the windows in front of them, poked out their +weapons and watched for a chance to use them. + +Tom's gun was the first to blaze away, but it is difficult to hit a +bird on the wing with a rifle, and he missed. A moment later, as a +condor dashed viciously toward his window, John fired, and the great +bird, mortally stricken, tumbled into the mists below. + +Tom was more fortunate the next time. A condor, with a fluttering of +his immense wings, had settled right on the tail of the machine, where +he clung with his sturdy talons, threatening to prevent Paul from +manipulating the rudder. When Bob called Tom's attention to this +alarming situation, the latter joined him at the rear window of the +cabin. Tom took careful aim, pulled the trigger, and the condor fell +with a broken wing, uttering hoarse cries until the clouds below +swallowed him up. + +Two more of the fierce creatures were killed before the remaining birds +were frightened off. It was with a sigh of relief that Paul now +resumed his descent to lower levels. + +When presently they emerged out of the last cloud, and could see the +green earth below them once more, they were across the last chain of +mountain they would encounter in South America. They gazed with their +glasses on all sides, and checked up their position on the chart, +although in doing this they had great difficulty on account of a +curtain of thin fog which hung over the land, and only a very low +altitude of about five hundred feet would allow of it at all. + +As soon as they were sure of their bearings they again took a searching +observation in quest of the rival airplane, but no sign of it could +they see. + +"They're probably quite a bit ahead of us by this time," observed John; +"but now that we're through the last chain of the Andes we can make +better speed. Shoot her up to two thousand feet, Buddy. We'll set our +course for Georgetown by compass." + +Paul bore upward, and at the level mentioned he straightened the +machine with her nose once more pointed eastward, and the compass hand +pointing along the left wing of the machine. + +It was now growing dark. Not knowing whether this was caused by the +closing in of the clouds or the natural declension of the sun, Bob +looked at his watch. To his surprise he found it was seven o'clock +Panama time, which would make it probably close to nine in their +present locality. Night should now be upon them. + +As it had been decided to let John and Tom operate the night shift, at +least for the first few days, John now took his trick at the throttle, +changed to the fresh engine, and Bob and Paul turned into their +hammocks for the first sleep aboard the airplane. They were both +pretty tired, as each had spent several hours at the helm that +afternoon, and it was only a few minutes before the gentle rocking of +the plane on the billows of air had sent them into a sound oblivion. +Just before retiring, Bob had wirelessed Panama of their safe passage +through the mountains and fight with the condors, stating that several +snapshots of the birds had been secured and that these would be mailed +to the _Daily Independent_ upon reaching Georgetown. + +Not long after the change of pilots a fine rain began to fall, covering +the windows of the cabin with a film of moisture; but as it was now too +dark to see anyhow, John did not care whether he could look outside or +not. However, for the good of the machine, as well as the betterment +of their speed, he decided to get out of the storm. So, switching on +the little dashboard electric lights to illuminate his instruments, he +turned the Sky-Bird upward again. Through the very clouds which were +expelling the rain, gathered from the warm Atlantic trade-winds, he +guided the machine. At nine thousand feet he was above them, in clear +dry air, with a blue, star-studded sky above his head and in the mellow +glow of a full moon. + +"Well, John, this is more like night-flying," remarked Tom Meeks, who +sat just behind the pilot, ready to assist him at a moment's notice if +the need should appear. + +"As long as I know there are no mountains ahead to smash into I'm not +worrying a bit," replied John, "and I guess we're all right on that +score. I'm going to let the old girl out now, Tom." + +"Might as well," was the response. + +Thereupon John threw on the gas by degrees until the indicator showed +them to be whizzing along at 150 miles. He easily could have gone +fifty more on the one engine had he chosen, but was afraid such a speed +would carry them beyond their destination and out into the Atlantic +before daylight could show them their position. Had they not +previously been running somewhat behind scheduled time, he would not +have accelerated even now. + +Shortly after midnight Tom relieved him at the throttle, and running +slightly slower, to make sure they would not pass over Georgetown in +the darkness, Tom began to hum softly to himself as he kept a sharp +lookout upon his instruments. John settled back in the seat behind, as +alert for any sudden peril as his mate had been before. + +But no mishap marred the night's run, which was as smooth up there +above the clouds as any veteran flyer could have wished. And when at +last the bright sun of another day chased the moon and its haze into +obscurity, it lighted up the flying craft some time before its orb had +peeped high enough over the Atlantic's horizon to shed its rays upon +the affairs of earth itself. + +Gradually, as the sun arose in the heavens, Tom brought the Sky-Bird +lower, until presently he and John could see the ground, bathed in +glistening color from its recent wetting, far below them. + +At this time Paul and Bob awoke, and washing their hands and faces, +came to the windows to look out. The first thing they all did was to +sweep the sky-line for some vision of the rival airplane, but without +success. Then they put their attention on the country below and around. + +Just beneath was a pretty little blue lake, walled in with great forest +trees some of which must have been over a hundred feet high. A short +way beyond was an immense field covered with what they were sure must +be sugar-cane, and in which they could see dark-skinned men at work +with queer carts and clumsy oxen. At the right, a mere thread of +silver, was a river, hedged with tropical vegetation. This swept +around toward their front, enlarging as it came, and at what seemed no +farther than five miles away, poured its waters out into a great sea of +apparently limitless expanse. + +The boys concluded at once that this great body of water must be the +Atlantic Ocean, and when they saw a fair-sized town nestling among the +trees at the point where the river joined the sea, their chart told +them that the stream was the Essequibo River, and the collection of +low-roofed buildings was none less than Georgetown! + +A few minutes later, they were circling the town to locate their +landing-field which was to be marked with a large white letter T. +Seeing it on the second turn, they swept down amongst a curious and +half-frightened throng, and taxied to a stop. + +To their relief and gratification, they found that their rivals had not +yet appeared. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +TRICKED BY RIVALS + +Correcting their watches with Georgetown time, as given to them by Mr. +Whiteshore, the Englishman in charge of the field, the boys found to +their joy that they had arrived five minutes ahead of schedule. This +would give them, if they wished to take it, a trifle more than three +hours to spend in Georgetown. + +But first must come business; they must go over the machine very +carefully and see if the long, hard run from Panama had done any +damage; and they must replenish their fuel, oil, and water supply. +They were happy to find both engines in fine shape, thanks to the +possibility of alternating them in transit, and beyond a number of +scratches and the cracked glass made by the condors in their attack in +crossing the Andes the airplane was in perfect shape. Paul climbed up +and examined the helium-gas valves, of which there were three in each +wing, one for each of three compartments, and announced that the +pressure showed only an insignificant decrease. At the rate of +escapage indicated, they would have plenty to last them for the whole +trip. This was reassuring knowledge, for no envelope can be made so +impervious that light gases will not escape at all. The body +compartment also showed good pressure. + +It took them an hour and fifteen minutes to replenish the fuel tanks +and water radiator and put everything in shape. Just as they were +finishing up, a cry from the curious crowd around them called their +attention to the western sky, and they saw an airplane approaching. +This developed rapidly into the unmistakable outlines of the _Clarion_, +and in a few minutes the rival crew landed in the field. + +Pete Deveaux sauntered over to the crew of the Sky-Bird II. + +"Well, fellows," he said, with the sneer which seemed to be on his +leathery countenance most of the time, "I notice you got in a little +ahead of us. Congratulations! I suppose you're tickled to death." + +"We're not quite that far gone; just a little bit alive," grinned Tom +Meeks. "What made your crew so slow, Deveaux? Did you get wet in that +rain last night and have to stop off and dry out your clothes?" + +"Aw, cut it out; talk sense!" snarled the French flyer. He turned on +his heel, fearing more of Tom's sharp thrusts if he lingered longer, +and shot back: "You guys will have another laugh coming one of these +days, mark my words!" With that he rejoined his companions. + +Not at all worried at such a prophecy, our friends secured a native boy +to guide them into the town, a quarter of a mile distant, leaving their +airplane under guard of two Chinese out in the open, the field boasting +no such thing as a hangar. At the little telegraph office of the town, +John dispatched their report to the _Daily Independent_, also mailed at +the local postoffice the promised films of the encounter with the +condors. + +They then purchased some breakfast and began to look about them. While +it was still early, the narrow streets were quite well crowded with +people, so much so that it looked to the visitors as if the inhabitants +never slept. What they saw almost made them rub their eyes to make +sure they were not in Asia instead of South America. There were dozens +of almond-eyed Chinese within sight, dozens of black Hindoos in turbans +and flowing garments, dozens of Parsees wearing long black coats and +hats like inverted coal-scuttles; to say nothing of numerous Portuguese +and English, the latter mostly merchants and plantation owners. + +The roofs of the buildings were slanting, with wooden or galvanized +iron walls. Some of the more important of them, such as stores, +warehouses, government buildings, etc., were quite large, and stood +upon piles to keep them out of the way of floods which often sweep the +lowlands in the rainy season. In many of the streets ran canals, which +their small guide told them, in pidgeon-English, were drains for the +floods. And he also said that the long embankments which the boys saw +stretching along the sea front were dykes built at great expense by the +sugar planters to keep these same floods from washing the rich soil of +their fields out into the ocean. + +After purchasing some fresh fruit and groceries for their aerial +larder, the little party betook themselves back to the landing-field, +on the way passing numbers of pretty little houses which stood in the +midst of beautiful gardens filled with tropical plants. + +As they neared the field, they saw that quite a crowd had collected +since their departure. Pushing their way through the concourse about +their own airplane, they were surprised to find Pete Deveaux and Chuck +Crossman just jumping down from the wings. These flyers hurried away +through a gap in the circle of onlookers toward their own machine +before our friends could accost them. + +The Sky-Bird crew were considerably put out at noting this situation, +for they had particularly told the Chinese guards to let no one meddle +with the Sky-Bird. The Celestials were squatting unconcernedly upon +the ground, one on either side of the airplane, as John rushed up and +said to one of them; "Didn't I tell you not to let any strangers around +this machine?" + +"No lettum stranger lound," protested the fellow. "Him both flylers +alla samee you. Like-um see, you see; like-um see, he see." + +"Oh, ginger!" exclaimed John, turning to his comrades, in clear +disgust, "the stupid dunce thinks those fellows belong to us and we to +them, just because we all wear the same sort of flying clothes! Did +you ever see the like?" + +Paul now took up the questioning. "What were those fellows doing up +there?" he asked of the Chinaman. + +"No tellee me; no tellee Lee," was the response, as the fellow jerked +his head in the direction of his comrade. "Just lookee over alla samee +you do li'l bit ago." + +"Were they in the cabin?" demanded Paul. + +"No go in klabin." + +They walked around the machine giving it a cursory looking over, but +could find nothing out of the way, and every one of them felt +considerable relief. + +"I guess they were only taking a look to see if our construction was +the same as theirs," suggested Bob. This seemed a plausible +explanation, and they accepted it, although with some misgivings. + +About ten minutes later they saw the crowd over in the other side of +the field scattering, and then the _Clarion_ shot up into the air. In +a few minutes it was pointed down the coast and making good headway. + +Our friends were not quite ready, but when the other machine was a mere +speck against the southwestern sky, they hopped off themselves, with +Paul at the throttle. Not one of the party had any doubt but that they +could catch their rivals before the latter should arrive at Para, where +they were due at six o'clock that evening. It needed only that first +stage of the journey from Panama to Georgetown to show them that they +had either the speediest craft or the most skillful crew. + +Paul mounted to a height of about two thousand feet, then let the +Sky-Bird straighten out in the direction of their next stop. He opened +up the throttle little by little, and the machine rapidly gained +momentum. But somehow the young pilot was dissatisfied. Finally he +hitched the stick over to the notch which should have brought the craft +into a speed of 150 miles, and watched the speedometer closely. + +"Humph!" he ejaculated, after fifteen or twenty minutes. + +"Say, Paul," cried Bob just then, "we're losing on the _Clarion_. +She's clear out of sight now." + +"Why don't you tell me something I don't know?" growled Paul in a tone +very queer for him. + +"What's the matter with you, Buddy?" demanded John, stepping up. "You +seem to have an awful grouch on, some way!" + +"Got a good reason for it," snapped Paul. "This is enough to make a +preacher almost swear." + +"Don't talk, but speed her up a bit if you don't want them to get +away," advised John. + +"She doesn't act right, somehow," said Paul. "The Sky-Bird ought to be +hitting it up to a hundred and fifty right now, but she's only making a +hundred and fifteen. She acts groggy; don't you notice it?" + +"I thought myself she was riding a little rocky--sort of out of +balance," admitted John. + +"Take the stick and try her yourself," said his brother. + +John did so. For fifteen minutes he said nothing, but worked the +throttle and watched the speedometer. Then he called Paul again to the +seat. + +"You might as well take her, Buddy," declared John with a puzzled shake +of his head; "I can't do any better with her than you. She wallows +along like a man with a load of buckshot in his pockets--heavy--and +seems out of equilibrium, too!" + +"What do you suppose is the matter, John?" asked Tom Meeks. + +"I'll bet Pete Deveaux and that Chuck Crossman have been tampering with +her, back there in Georgetown," declared Bob. + +"I don't know; it certainly looks kind of suspicious," admitted John +Ross. He thought a moment. "Cattails and jewsharps!" he exclaimed +very suddenly. + +"What now?" asked Bob. + +"I believe I've hit the trouble," stated John, with his brown face a +shade paler. "You know we saw those fellows monkeying around our +wings. It would be an easy matter to trip one or more of those valves +and let some of the helium out! That would make us heavier, and if +more gas were let out from one wing than from the other, we would be +out of balance in the bargain." + +This declaration of John's brought a startled and troubled look to the +faces of his companions. All knew that if Pete Deveaux had engineered +such a dastardly trick as John hinted at, a handicap would be in store +for the Sky-Bird's crew all through the remainder of the race, for it +would be impossible to get a renewal of their helium-gas supply before +reaching their own country again, and then it would be too late. + +"What shall we do?" came from Bob. + +"Do? There's nothing to do now, but to keep on flying at the best gait +we can until we reach Para," decided John. "When we get there we'll +have a chance to find out what is really wrong." + +This seemed the wisest course to pursue. So Paul, vexed though he was +at the contrary actions of the airplane, buckled down to the job of +guiding the machine and complained no more. But he made up his mind +that if investigations proved the rival crew had been tampering with +the Sky-Bird II he, for one, would do his part in giving them a warm +time should they meet on the ground again. + +At noon while John and Tom slept, Bob relieved Paul, and for an hour +they made a little better time by working both engines; but, afraid of +overheating the one they termed their "night engine", they went back to +one motor for the rest of the journey into Para, where they arrived an +hour late. And it was to find bad news awaiting them. + +The landing-field official announced that the _Clarion's_ flyers had +left not fifteen minutes before for Freetown, Africa. And upon +investigating the helium valves in the wings of the Sky-Bird, our boys +found to their dismay that fully a third of the pressure was gone, +indicating that an equal quantity of gas had escaped in some manner. + +It may be added that there was very little doubt in their minds as to +this manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +ACROSS THE ATLANTIC + +Our friends looked at each other dismally when they had ascertained the +cause of the Sky-Bird's sluggish flying. Paul and Tom even gave the +craft a tentative push, and found that the loss of her helium had made +her so much heavier to move over the ground that the difference was +manifest at once. + +"This looks kind of black for us, fellows," remarked Bob. + +"And we've got those scoundrels to thank for it without the shadow of a +doubt," put in Paul, with flashing eyes. "I'd give a year of my life +to get my hands on that Pete Deveaux right now." + +"It's lucky they got out ahead of us," added Tom significantly. + +"Well, if they were here, and if we thrashed the stuffing out of the +entire bunch, that wouldn't put back our lost helium and former speed," +said the practical John. "What we've got to do now is to try to remedy +matters." + +"Easier said than done, I'm thinking," Tom observed. "We can't get any +more helium here; in fact, not until we get back to Panama. Of course +that will be too late." + +"I don't know about that," hinted John. + +"What's your remedy?" asked Bob. + +"I know," said Paul. "The machine's out of balance now, because they +have let more helium out of one wing than the other, and none at all +out of the fuselage. By letting some out of our body tank, and enough +out of the lightest wing to bring it in equilibrium with its mate, we +can get a perfect balance again, and that ought to give us air +steadiness and more speed." + +"Right you are, Buddy," declared John. "Good head! That's my idea +exactly." + +"But won't that make us even heavier than we are now?" inquired Bob. + +"Sure," responded John, "but balance is the main thing in an airplane, +you know. When we get that, the old girl will act a whole lot better +than she did coming here." + +"Still, our rivals will have some advantage over us," argued Tom. + +"That's true--in the way of a lighter machine. But we've shown we +could outspeed them when the Sky-Bird was all right, and now we ought +to be about an even match for them," said John. + +"That means a nip-and-tuck race of it, then, the rest of the way," +commented Paul. + +At this point a bright idea struck Bob. "Say, fellows," he cried, "why +can't we send a wire message from here to Mr. Giddings at Panama, and +ask him to have a fast vessel drop a tank of helium off at Nukahiva, +Marquesas Islands, for us?" + +His comrades slapped Bob so hard upon the back when he made this +suggestion that he had to stagger. + +"Fine idea, Bob!" declared John. "A fast boat ought to reach Nukahiva +before we do, and that will give us a full load of helium again for the +last four or five thousand miles of the race. If it's a close contest +up to that point, the new supply may save the day for us!" + +They now set to work equalizing the gas supply in the wings of the +Sky-Bird and reducing that in the fuselage to the proper pressure for +perfect equilibrium, which they were able to get by the use of the +pressure-gauge and a little figuring. Then they went over all parts of +the machine, put in gasoline and oil, and attended to watering the +radiators, following which Paul and Bob departed for town. + +As in Georgetown, they created a vast interest, and were considerably +annoyed by the crowds of natives which followed at their heels, many of +whom carried baskets of fruit on their heads and constantly importuned +them to buy some of their wares. Even in the windows of the houses +they passed women holding naked babies, who stared out at them, and in +the doorways stood girls, some of them beautifully gowned in silks, +their dark hair falling like a shower about their comely nut-brown +faces, while their eyes opened wide in wonder or dropped in abashment +when they saw one of the handsome young Americans look their way. + +Para is directly on the equatorial line. It is also the metropolis of +the mighty Amazon, the king of all the world's rivers, whose width here +at its mouth is close to two hundred miles, and which carries into the +Atlantic so much mud from the interior of South America that it is said +the waters of that ocean are stained yellow for five hundred miles +outward. This mighty stream is formed by countless mountain creeks and +rivers draining practically the whole northern half of the continent, +and these streams are formed in their turn by the heavy rains which +fall frequently from swiftly-gathered clouds. In fact, it rains nearly +every afternoon in Para, and the air is always moist, so much so, that +articles made of steel and iron quickly rust, and furniture must be +pegged together rather than glued to keep it from coming apart. + +Paul and Bob found Para quite a good-sized city, but on very low +ground. Along the docks of the mighty river were many kinds of boats +and ships, from stately ocean-liners to the tub-like barges used to +float down from Bolivia great cargoes of raw rubber. There were +numerous schooners unloading vegetables and fruit, and countless +dugouts paddled by natives. Cargadores, in their bare feet, were +carrying goods in and out of the various large craft, supporting the +heaviest of bundles on their bare heads. Their faces were all shades +of white, brown, and black. Among them were negroes from Jamaica, and +Spaniards, Portuguese, and mulattoes from all parts of Brazil. + +The business buildings were three and four stories high, and built +close to the sidewalks along narrow streets. Their walls, the boys +noticed as they crowded their way along, were of all colors, some being +faced with blue, yellow, and green porcelain tiles. + +By asking questions they found the telegraph office, and there sent the +message to Mr. Giddings at Panama, requesting that the helium-gas be +sent to Nukahiva by fastest boat. They also wired a report of their +progress. They had by this time another roll of exposed kodak films, +and this was mailed to the _Daily Independent_. + +No sooner had they reappeared from the post-office than they were once +more besieged with peddlers asking them to make a purchase of their +wares. Paul and Bob stopped when they saw some particularly +luscious-looking oranges and bananas, and were surprised upon asking +the price to find that they could have a dozen of each kind for the +value of five cents; and oh! how sweet and juicy they were when they +sank a tooth into them. + +They bought some baked goods in a little shop, and as they emerged an +old man with a parrot on one shoulder and a small monkey on the other +blocked their pathway, and begged them to look at "nice parryote, nice +monk." + +They shook their heads, when they saw other vendors crowding forward, +and were about to push by when the monkey sprang nimbly upon Paul's own +shoulder, snatched off his cap, shook it in front of his eyes, and put +it back in place again. + +Paul and Bob both laughed, and harder yet as the bright little animal +shot a paw into Paul's pocket and adroitly drew out a Brazilian gold +coin called a milreis, worth about fifty-four cents in American money. + +"You give five milreis, me give monk," said the old mulatto. + +Paul shook his head. + +"You give four milreis, me give monk." + +"No; that's more than I have of these coins." + +"You give three milreis, me give--" + +"Only have two of them left," said Paul. + +"You give two milreis, take monk." + +"It's a bargain," laughed Paul. + +And he fished another of the coins out of his pocket, accepted the end +of the rope tied to the monkey, and went off with Bob, his +newly-acquired pet still contentedly occupying his shoulder. + +"We'll surprise John and Tom when we get back to the field," chuckled +Paul. "They won't be looking for this addition to the crew of the +Sky-Bird." + +"I'd say not," declared Bob, also chuckling. + +And indeed Paul's little hairy friend did create a lot of interest when +they arrived beside the airplane, John and Tom both playing with him, +for several minutes, and going into hilarious laughter at the funny +antics of the weazened-faced creature, which looked so much like the +wrinkled old mulatto from whom he had been purchased, that Paul said he +should henceforth be called "Grandpa." + +They put the monkey in the cabin, and climbed in themselves, since all +was in readiness for the departure. Night had fallen, but the sky was +clear and moonlit. So there was no trouble, by helping matters with +their searchlight, in hopping off and turning their head across the big +Atlantic toward the shores of Africa. + +As the trade-winds were blowing quite stiffly in their faces, John, who +was at the throttle, determined to mount high enough to overcome their +most resistant effects. When at an altitude of about five thousand +feet, he brought the Sky-Bird out horizontally, with her nose set by +compass toward Freetown. Before they could reach this African seaport +it would be necessary for them to travel considerably more than two +thousand miles and meet whatever storms might develop. But all had +such confidence in the capabilities of the Sky-Bird that none had any +worries, fierce as some of the Atlantic storms were known to be. + +As they could no longer see the sea beneath them, owing to the darkness +and fog which lay between, John had to rely entirely upon intuition and +his compass to strike Freetown. Aerial navigation over immense bodies +of water is similar to navigation on the seas themselves, except that +the indispensable sextant of the mariner is of little use in the air, +owing to the high speed of travel and the fact that allowances have to +be made for the drift of the machine when side-winds are blowing--an +extremely difficult factor to determine accurately. + +In side-winds the machine makes leeway in addition to its forward +movement, and it is the ratio of one to the other which the successful +pilot must work out correctly, especially when flying above clouds or +when land features are unobserved. In this particular instance our +boys were supplied with charts indicating the trend of all normal winds +in each locality and their approximate force at various altitudes. +Thus, by consulting his speedometer, John was able to figure out with a +fair degree of certainty what allowances he should make from dead +reckoning in order to strike their destination--or rather, we should +say that Tom, as John's aid, did most of this figuring, for a pilot +generally has his hands full in guiding his steed. + +The Sky-Bird was acting much better now, since her equalizing of weight +back at Para. She lacked some of the speed of her old-time self, but +rode smoothly and evenly in the hardest gusts. It was once more a +pleasure to sit in her cabin, even if the rival airplane was ahead of +them. + +"We'll give them the race of their lives yet," observed Tom, as he +studied the map and the speedometer alternately. + +"We surely will," said his companion. + +And both of them clicked their teeth in a way which boded no good for +the rival craft ahead. + +Shortly before midnight they crossed the equator for the second time +since they had left Panama. But, rolled in their comfortable hammocks +and sound asleep, with Grandpa, the monkey, blinking drowsily in a +corner nearby, neither Bob nor Paul was conscious of the fact. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +AN IRRITATING DELAY + +Paul was awakened the next morning by feeling a gentle tug at his nose. +Unused to such a summons as this, he opened his eyes with a start. + +There on his breast squatted Grandpa, his little head cocked comically +to one side, his beady little eyes glistening with mischief, and his +slim fingers just reaching out for another tweak. The monkey gave a +lightning-like spring to the back of a nearby seat when he saw Paul +looking at him, and here he set up a shrill chattering, which also +awoke Bob and caused Tom and John to whirl around. + +"You fellows have got a good alarm-clock now, the way it looks," called +Tom, laughing, and taking in the situation. "Grandpa will save John +and me the trouble of stirring you sleepy heads up after this, I +expect." + +Paul and Bob sprang out of their hammocks, and the former seized the +monkey and laughingly shoved his nose up against one of the window +panes. Far down below were the rolling billows of the great Atlantic, +the early sun striking them into many beautiful tones of green and +blue, and cutting a silver pathway across the curling crests. A school +of dolphins was leaping out of the water off to the left. From the +opposite window the youth could see a small emerald island in the +distance, but everywhere else was water, vast reaches of it. + +Grandpa evidently had no eye for nature, as viewed from this novel +position, for he quickly twisted out of Paul's arms and jumped down to +the floor of the cabin, where he pranced about excitedly. + +"It's just a little bit too high to suit your exalted monkeyship, isn't +it?" chuckled Paul. "Well, you'll get used to it, Grandpa, before you +get around the world with us! I'll promise you, sir, that you will be +the farthest-jumping and highest-jumping monkey that ever lived. You +ought to be proud!" + +After getting something to eat, Paul relieved Tom at the throttle, and +Bob tried to get Freetown by radio. Failing, he did get Para, and +advised them of their safety and approximate position over the Atlantic. + +Now that the weather had cleared up so that they could run in view of +the ocean, John and Tom themselves turned in for a much-needed sleep, +leaving their younger companions to direct the course of the Sky-Bird +on the last stage of the lap. The trade-winds were blowing freely, but +with a lack of gustiness which made progress against them quite rapid +and smooth. + +It was two hours later that those in the Sky-Bird saw the coastline of +Africa jutting out into the sea in a great bulge, and a little +afterward they recognized landmarks agreeing with their chart. As they +were slightly south of their course, Bob made the proper deviation, and +in twenty minutes they were over a muddy field, marked with the +looked-for white T, at Freetown, Sierra Leone. + +As they were spiraling downward they saw a crowd of natives gathered in +one portion of the field, and caught a glimpse of an airplane's wings +in their midst. Many of this throng now rushed over to where the +newcomers had landed, among them a tall Englishman, who introduced +himself as the port minister and person who was to supply them with a +replacement of fuel. Several other Englishmen, all officers in the +garrison of the town, came up and were introduced. + +"We 'av' been looking for you fellows, but not quite so soon," stated +the port minister. "Hif I had known--" + +"How is that?" asked John. "We are just about on schedule." + +"So you are; but those other flyers over there, who 'av' been 'ere the +past two 'ours declared you 'ad been delayed in South Hamerica hand +would not be hin before to-morrow morning, so as we 'av' a coasting +vessel with more petrol due 'ere then, I let them 'av' hall the petrol +they wanted, hand I fear--" + +"They had no reason for telling you we were delayed to such an extent +as that, without it was to further their own interests," interrupted +John, significantly. "But I don't see their game." + +"I don't know, I'm sure," was the response; "but has I was saying, they +asked for an hextra filling of their tanks, hand so--well, gentlemen, I +am sorry to say it, but there hisn't ten gallons left." + +Our friends heard this with mixed feelings. They were rightfully +incensed at their rivals for such a dastardly trick, vexed with the +port minister, and dismayed to think that they would have to wait until +the following day before they could resume their journey, for at Para +they had not filled their tanks to capacity. + +At this point cries arose in the other part of the field. They heard +the familiar whir of an airplane propeller, and as they looked to where +the _Clarion_ had stood, they saw the natives scatter and the gray +machine of the other crew shoot up into the air. Rapidly it gained +altitude, and was soon a mere dot on the western sky. + +Ignoring the yells of the port minister and his military countrymen, +the _Clarion_ crew had gone straight on, and there seemed nothing for +our boys to do now except await the arrival of more gasoline as +patiently as they could. + +John and Tom set to work cleaning up the Sky-Bird, for the field here +was low and very muddy from recent rains, and as they had dashed +through the slime in landing much of it had splattered over their +propeller and under-carriage. + +Paul and Bob went into town, followed by a throng of young negroes who +fought for the privilege of getting closest to them. They found the +stores small and mostly unpainted, and the houses principally shambling +and squatty, most of them having thatched roofs. The streets were +narrow, crooked, and dirty, but there were areas about some of the more +pretentious dwelling-places which were really entrancing in the wealth +of their tropical plants and stately palms. On the whole, the stone +garrison, setting a little remote from the town proper, was the largest +and best-constructed building, although this looked old and somber. +Freetown, the capital of the little British colony of Sierra Leone, is +all on low ground, and the air is moist and extremely humid, even +unhealthful for those not accustomed to it. + +Just before dark a terrific thunder-shower sprang up with all of the +suddenness of such equatorial storms, and Bob and Paul made for the +field as fast as their legs could carry them. They sprang inside of +the Sky-Bird's cabin, wet to the skin, where John and Tom were already +ensconsed, and Grandpa the monkey gave them a noisy and hearty welcome. +A little later, with the rain pattering heavily down upon the roof, all +hands turned in for the first ground sleep they had had since starting +out upon their trip. + +Shortly after daylight the next morning they were astir, to find the +rain had ceased but that the field was a mass of ooze. Through this +Tom made his way to the cobblestone street and down to the piers. But +the coasting steamer had not yet arrived; in fact, she did not come in +until after eight o'clock, and it was two hours later before the flyers +succeeded in getting their tanks filled with the gasoline she had +brought. Then it was found necessary to secure the aid of a half-dozen +negroes, and to lay down many strips of heavy bark for traction, before +the Sky-Bird could be run out of her mired position. + +Paul was at the throttle as they took off. When he had attained a fair +altitude, he gradually increased the speed until they were running full +out. Never since the beginning of the trip had they felt such urgent +need of putting the airplane through at a fast clip, but that time had +now come, for they were fourteen hours behind schedule time and sixteen +hours behind their rivals. + +The Sky-Bird fairly cut the air like a knife, and the roar of +propeller, wind, and engine was so great that our friends found +conversation out of the question except by shouting in one another's +ears. Poor Grandpa cowered in the farthest corner of the cabin, +peeping out from behind one of the hammocks, as meek as a kitten, his +tail crooking uneasily. But finding that the strange noises did him no +harm, he presently came out and took up a position where he could look +through the glass-floor window at the fleeting country below. + +It seemed only a few minutes before, rising higher, they shot over the +ragged chain of the Kong Mountains in western Senegambia, passing +within sight of Mount Loma's bare peak. Then, dropping again until +they were not more than a thousand feet high, they flew along over the +tablelands to the eastward, recognized the Joliba River as it lay a +yellow, twisting band below them, and a little later crossed the +southern end of the district of Bambarra. + +Great forests and jungles and canebrakes swept past them. In those +tangles of gnarled trees, matted vines, interlacing rank grasses, and +clusters of towering plants, so dank with the odor of wet and decay +that the air even up where the flyers were seemed charged with it, +lurked many a monster reptile and ferocious beast. Often the four boys +saw the majestic form of a lion or the lumbering shape of an elephant +as these animals were quenching their thirst at some open spot along a +stream. And once they caught a brief glimpse of a terrific combat +between what seemed to be two enormous rhinos, which had met in a +little glen in the midst of a cluster of mahogany trees. How they +would have liked to see the finish of this battle royal! Indeed, they +would have enjoyed nothing better than to land in some favored spot and +do a little big-game hunting with their rifles! + +If they had been ahead of their adversaries instead of behind, they +might have indulged in such sport, they thought. But now it would be +unwise to waste a moment. They must make every endeavor to reach their +next airport, Kuka, by nightfall. This small town was on the western +bank of the salty Lake Chad, in the very heart of Africa, and on the +southern border of the great Sahara Desert. It possessed no railroads +or telegraph service, being linked with the outside world only by +caravan route, and its inhabitants were practically all half-civilized +negroes of the Fulbee tribe, who retained all of their forefathers' +superstitions and wore no garb over their frescoed black bodies except +a short gikki or skirt. + +Mr. Giddings and Mr. Wrenn had had great difficulty in getting an +English-speaking man to set up a field at this point for their flyers, +and it was only after considerable telegraphing that a Scotch trader +named MacInnis, situated at Lagos, the nearest coast-port of any size, +had agreed to get a supply of gasoline and oil to Kuka and meet the +airplanes when they arrived. + +It was five o'clock when the boys passed over the low banks of the +Niger River. By seven they were in the heart of the wild, level +territory of Sokoto, skimming over vast expanses of plume-like grasses +and extensive marshes and swamps. Strange birds of enormous size flew +up out of the morasses, startled at the sight and sound of the +airplane. Some tried to follow it, evidently to give it battle, but +the swiftest of them were hopelessly outdistanced before they were well +started. + +When the sun disappeared behind the forest back of them, the flyers +were still making speed for their destination, with Bob at the +throttle. Pretty soon the lengthening shadows and obscuring of detail +below convinced the crew that night was just about upon them, and that +if they did not reach Kuka within the next thirty minutes they were +very likely to be in such darkness that they would overrun it and never +know the difference. + +Some of them began to wonder if they had not missed their course, when +a cry came from Bob, and they all ran forward and looked out of the +front windows at the object he was pointing out. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SAVED BY THE SEARCHLIGHT + +What our flyers saw was a very large body of water, with a strong tone +of blue to it. As far to the north as they could see, it stretched, +also to the east and south. And the shoreline on the western side +nearest them was covered with what seemed a never-ending border of +great forest trees, many of which had all the characteristics of +mangroves. + +This great expanse of water they knew could not be the Red Sea, nor +could it be the Indian Ocean; for they had not traveled far enough +westward to reach these bodies. Unquestionably, therefore, it was that +which they were looking for--Lake Chad. + +As they swept nearer, under reduced speed, they observed somewhat to +their left a good-sized collection of dwellings in an opening among the +mangroves, evidently a town. Swerving in that direction they were soon +circling above the place at an altitude of about five hundred feet, +hoping that it might prove to be Kuka, their next stop. + +By this time it had grown so dark that they could just make out the +buildings and surroundings. The former seemed to be nothing more than +rude huts with rounded thatched roofs covered by saplings. The flyers +saw many dark figures, with little or no garb, running about and +excitedly gesticulating upward to their position. As they circled +lower, these figures, evidently natives, suddenly vanished within their +abodes. + +"They seem scared to death of us," remarked Paul, laughing. + +"Apparently they think the Sky-Bird is some gigantic member of the +feathered kingdom about to swoop down and devour them for their sins," +added Paul, who was equally amused. "Pete Deveaux and his crowd ought +to have landed here some time this morning, though, and you would think +the sight of their machine taking on gas would have gotten the blacks +used to an airplane." + +Be that as it may, every one of the dusky figures below had vanished as +though the earth had swallowed them up. A strange if not foreboding +stillness hung over the town. You would have thought it contained not +a single being, at least not one who was awake. + +All at once John, who had been intently looking around the outskirts of +the town, observed an open spot marked with the welcome sign of a white +T. He joyfully called the attention of his comrades to this, and as +they looked they saw the form of a man emerge from the shadows +bordering the field and wave his arms upward at them. From the fact +that this person was attired in European costume, they judged he must +be Mr. MacInnis, the Scotch trader who had been appointed to look after +their fuel interests at this point. + +It was a novel experience to be able to make a landing unhampered by +throngs of curious inhabitants, as they now did. The field was quite +level, though sandy, as might be expected so close to the big desert, +and they had to dodge several clumps of small growths, presumably juju +trees, before they could taxi to a stop. + +The man in linen now rushed up to them, and introduced himself as Mr. +MacInnis. He hurriedly shook hands with the boys, displaying, they +thought, great nervousness while greeting them, and several times he +turned his head and looked in the direction of the nearest shacks of +the town. + +Then he asked what they thought a very queer question. "Have you +fellows enough petrol and oil to last you through to your next stop?" + +"That's Aden," answered John; "we didn't fill to capacity at Freetown, +and I'm afraid not. Why, what is the matter? Haven't you any fuel +here for us?" + +"I have plenty of both petrol and oil here for you," said the +Scotchman, with another look toward the huts, "but I am afraid for your +lives if you stay to put it aboard." + +"How is that?" cried Tom, his usually smiling countenance growing sober +for once, while his companions felt a vague uneasiness. + +"It's this way," stated MacInnis. "About eight o'clock this morning +the airplane that is racing you came in. It was the first machine of +the kind the natives had ever seen, and they were greatly frightened, +thinking Jobbajobba, one of their heathen devils, had appeared in the +guise of a great bird, and was about to attack the children of the +wicked of them. When the aviators climbed out, and they saw that they +were human, they lost some of this fear, but remained at a respectable +distance all the time the 'great bird was being given a drink.' Then +two of the men--one was the slender and dark-complexioned fellow--went +into the town sight-seeing. In the course of their rounds they stole +the ivory head, set with gold eyes and teeth, off of the body of one of +the tribe's most cherished idols, the god of Ogu Nogo. This was not +discovered until the aviators had departed in their airplane, but then +the Fulbees were wild with rage at the 'bird-men,' as they called them, +and swore to kill them if they should ever return. To-night they +observed you landing, as I did. They are now in hiding, probably with +weapons, and are undoubtedly watching your every move, ready to strike +when the time comes, thinking you to be those other fellows or men of +as evil instincts. As I said, I fear for your lives if you tarry +here." And as he finished he once more glanced nervously around at the +huts and shacks in the gloom of the fast-gathering night. + +But in that direction all was so quiet that John hopefully remarked: "I +think they are too frightened to appear. We need more gasoline, as we +have been running very hard and our tanks are low. We will hurry +matters up, and three of us will fill while the other stands guard with +a rifle." + +Mr. MacInnis then helped John, Tom, and Paul carry the big square tins +of British petrol, which is the same as American gasoline, from the +field shelter to the Sky-Bird, where, in the course of a half-hour, two +hundred gallons were poured into the tanks, also ten gallons of oil. +In the meantime, Bob Giddings, rifle in hand, stood close by, alert for +danger. He watched the nearest buildings of the natives sharply, but +though he saw numbers of black figures skulking in the shadows among +them, no sign of hostility was observed. + +The Scotchman had signed his name to the document certifying to the +stop of the flyers at Kuka,--the paper on which they were to secure +certifications at every scheduled airport,--and they were just in the +act of starting over to the field tank to get some water for the +airplane's radiators, when, without a moment's warning a hair-raising +chorus of yells broke out on the brooding night air, and scores of +savage-looking figures sprang from the shadows of the buildings into +the open field. They emerged in a long straggling line, hooting and +brandishing guns, spears and bows. They advanced toward the airplane +in peculiar hops and side jumps, as if fearing an attack upon +themselves. Not once did they cease their blood-curdling shouts. +Rapidly they neared the objects of their anger and hatred. + +For a full five seconds the boys stood as if rooted in their tracks, +too horrified and astounded to think or act. The sharp voice of the +Scotchman, however, brought them to their senses. + +"You've fooled here too long; it's too late to get away now! They're +mad as wet hornets. Jump inside your cabin quick, and defend +yourselves as well as you can!" + +"But you, sir?" cried Tom. + +"They won't harm me, because I'm not a flyer." + +The boys dashed into the cabin and shut the door, while the Scotchman +hurried away from the airplane. It was certain that there was no time +to get out and crank the propeller and rise before the mad Fulbees +would be upon them. Cornered in the little cabin of the machine they +would sell their lives as dearly as possible. + +As they stood, guns in hand, watching through the windows, while the +frenzied blacks drew cautiously nearer, spreading a cordon of hundreds +all around the Sky-Bird, they could see in the moonlight that the +Fulbees were grotesquely painted on arms and faces, while their bodies +were entirely naked except for a dirty-looking cloth wrapped around +their loins in the form of a short skirt. Every one of them was armed, +and as they contracted their circle, guns, spears, and bows were +frequently raised in threatening position; but for some reason no shots +were fired. The inmates knew, however, that when nearer approach +brought more assurance of hitting their target, the blacks could be +counted upon to open up actual hostilities. + +And now this thought brought a sudden and grave fear to their minds, +one unnoticed before. The helium-gas tanks in the hollow wings and +rear fuselage! Bullets, spears and arrows striking them would +penetrate, and the tanks thus punctured would lose their last ounce of +the precious gas! + +It was a terrible predicament in which the flyers now found themselves, +to be sure. By fighting they might preserve their lives, but that very +act would make their world-trip impossible. What could they do? + +As the drowning man catches with hope at the floating straw. Bob now +conceived an almost impossible but startling idea for delivering them +from their dilemma. + +"The searchlight!" he cried. "These blacks never have seen one. +Perhaps we can frighten them away with ours!" + +"Great idea, Bob," approved John, while the others also applauded the +scheme. "Paul, you work the lever that revolves the lamp up on top of +the cabin there, and, Bob, you throw in the juice." + +No sooner had he spoken, than both boys were at their stations. The +next moment a great white path, widening as it went, streamed out into +the darkness, lighting up everything in its reach with the brilliancy +of day, but with a bluish-whiteness which must have been decidedly +terrifying to the superstitious negroes. Like an accusing finger the +strange light swept around the field, raising and lowering, resting a +few moments on this group and then that group of petrified, +hideously-painted faces, from which eyeballs stood out like knobs of +white marble. + +In an instant their incensed cries had ceased, and they had shrunk, +cringing, back in their tracks. But only for a few moments, and then +their gurgled yells arose once more, this time in ear-splitting fright, +as all turned and fled toward the nearest forest. And that great, +terrifying white eye of the big "bird" followed them, shining for many +a rod on black backs which were so wet with perspiration that they +looked like oiled eelskin. Weapons were thrown in every direction as +the Fulbees fled. Whenever one would look around and see that glaring +eye looking straight at him, he would shut his own eyes and shriek, and +then go dashing frantically on. Some even threw themselves prostrate +when the flood overtook them, and uttered invocations to their gods for +protection from the monster, until they could pluck up courage enough +to continue their flight. + +Had the situation not recently been such a serious one for them--indeed +they were not out of it yet!--the flyers would have roared with +laughter. As it was, they kept the light traveling over the Fulbees +until the very last one had fled. Then at a quick word from John, they +all jumped out of the cabin and swung the airplane around for a quick +take-off. + +Tom spun the propeller; there was a roar as the engine caught, and a +few seconds later they were mounting up into the starlit heavens of the +equatorial night. At a height of two thousand feet, they presently +looked down, safe from the menace of the black populace whose reception +had been so rabid. + +But Kuka was blotted out in the mantle of gloom which lay between. +Only the sparkling ripples of Lake Chad, struck by the beautiful +tropical moon, could be seen. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A JUNGLE ADVENTURE + +So fast had the flyers in the Sky-Bird come across the western part of +the African continent, at its greatest bulge, that, coupled with their +very brief stop in Kuka, they found they were starting out for Aden, +Arabia, with a gain of approximately seven hours upon their lost time +of fourteen hours in Freetown. They were now, therefore, just seven +hours behind schedule--perhaps a little more than that behind their +rivals,--but in the very fact that they were cutting down both items, +they felt vastly encouraged, and as the airplane headed eastward across +Lake Chad there was only one thing to worry them to any extent. + +This was the need of water; that is, all felt that the need would +become an urgent one before daylight should come and a chance be given +to land and replenish the limited amount which they knew must now be in +the radiator, owing to the impossibility of getting water as expected +at Kuka. + +John was at the throttle, with Tom assisting. Paul and Bob were +playing with Grandpa, still too excited over their recent adventure to +turn in and get some sleep, as John said they ought to do. After a +little while they turned their attention to studying the chart and +schedule. Frequently they compared notes, and now and then jotted down +some figures on a pad. + +"Do you know, John," observed Paul, looking up very cheerfully, "that +if we continue to travel at the rate we did between Freetown and Kuka +we shall make up all lost time by morning, and arrive at Aden about on +schedule?" + +"You don't say!" exclaimed John. + +"You kids have made a mistake," informed Tom disbelievingly. + +"No mistake about it," protested Bob; "it's an out-and-out fact." + +"Well, that's cheerful news, then," said Tom. "I know we hit her up to +well over two hundred an hour coming across to Kuka." + +"And we'll do as much on this stretch, if our water only holds out," +declared John determinedly. + +"That's the rub," put in Paul. "I'm sure it won't hold out, and if we +work right up to the last drop, I'm afraid we may have to make a forced +landing, and that may be in the tops of the trees, for all we know." + +"Or on an elephant's back," added Bob jocosely. + +"Well, I don't know but that we had better try to make a landing as +soon as we come to a favorable spot where there is water," remarked +John. "It is a fine moonlight night, and if we strike the right place +I think we can make the ground. In a pinch, you know, we can use our +searchlight." + +"Speaking about searchlights--oh my! oh, my! will I ever forget how +frightened those blacks were?" And Paul laughed until the tears came +into his eyes, now that the tension was off. Tom joined him until both +of them staggered and bumped together, causing Grandpa to set up an +excited chatter of inquiry. + +John kept the Sky-Bird low, down to less than a thousand feet, after +crossing the lower neck of Lake Chad, for the chart showed no marked +elevations which would make flying at that height hazardous, and it was +certain that the closer they were to the earth the better they could +detect a favorable place to land. + +It was really a beautiful night, and they opened the cabin windows +after a while to enjoy the soft balmy air to the full. The wind then +rushed through the cabin like a hurricane, roaring so that conversation +was out of order; but they enjoyed its cool touch on their hot faces. + +One by one the stars had made their appearance, until now the heavens +fairly glittered with them. How pretty they looked up there in the +great blue vault in which they seemed the choicest settings of an +angel's handiwork! Somehow they seemed to sparkle more brightly, and +the sky seemed a richer cobalt, than the sky the boys knew at home. +But they missed many of the stars which they loved in America. The +swift airplane in which they rode had taken them, day by day, and night +by night, away from them. Many stars which were unknown to them had +taken their places, and they realized more strongly than all the +pictures in the world could have shown them how very unlike were the +skies of the northern and southern hemispheres. + +One of the most striking sights to them now was the constellation of +the Cross, commonly known by mariners as the Southern Cross, and which +is composed of four brilliant stars. Sirius, Canopus, and Centaur also +filled a part of the heavens with their splendid light. Mars, Venus, +Saturn, and Jupiter were old friends in new surroundings, and were all +dazzlingly dressed. The part of the Milky Way between the stars Sirius +and Centaur was so rich in stars and crowded nebula: that it seemed a +perfect blaze of illumination. And there were the Magellanic clouds, +white-looking patches made up of countless stars individually unseen to +the naked eye, and nebulae--mists of radiating light--all shining +brilliantly and revolving around the starless South Pole. To the +northward was the constellation of the Great Bear, which reaches its +meridian altitude about the same time as the constellations of the +Cross and the Centaur. As the boys looked, stars appeared and +disappeared. They were like a succession of guests, coming and going. + +After a while, the flyers saw a small river glinting in the moonlight +and running along for the most part in the direction they were taking. + +"The first time we come to a level, open spot along this stream we will +try for a landing," stated John. "It will afford us plenty of water +for the radiator if we can get down to it." + +"And plenty of water for a good plunge, too," said Paul. "I haven't +had a bath since we left Miami, and I'm fairly suffering for a wetting, +if it's no more than a quick dip." + +"Same here," seconded Bob and Tom. + +They were running much lower now, on the lookout for a place to stop, +and so once more they could hear each other's voices. + +Presently, just after clearing a dense forest, they saw the opening +they sought. It was a grassy level, free of bushes and other +obstructions, and well bathed in the soft light of the stars and moon. + +After some careful maneuvering, John brought the Sky-Bird down, and +though the tall grasses wound in the landing-gear in coming to a stop, +they broke off without doing any damage. + +"We'd better take the guns along," Tom remarked. + +"That's so," agreed John; "we might run into some ferocious animal in +this wild jungle." + +So each armed himself with a rifle and a pail, and John led the way, as +he was the only one of the party supplied with a lantern, the others +having small flashlights which were none too good for breaking a path +in such wilds. They knew the river lay a short distance to the north, +but in order to reach its banks from the place where they had landed, +they had to cut through a strip of woods bordering it. + +It was tedious work getting through. The trees were close together and +had to be dodged, and great leaves of plants as large as their bodies +seemed to be everywhere, while vines of the toughest fiber frequently +shut off their passage and had to be pushed aside or cut with knives. +More than once one of the party tripped over unseen obstacles and +measured his length in the soft, rank ground-vegetation. + +But it was only a little way to the river, and soon they stood upon its +grassy bank. It was a pretty stream, not very deep, and seemed quite +clear when John held the lantern down to it. They filled their pails, +and then, risking all dangers of snakes and crocodiles, disrobed for a +plunge. + +First one and then the other jumped in. How refreshing the cool waters +felt to their hot, sticky bodies! They would have liked to do some +diving, but were afraid of sunken logs, and contented themselves by +splashing about, swimming a little, and making the woods ring with +their laughter and shouts. + +Then they came out and put on their clothes. Picking up guns once +more, and the pails now filled with water, they started back, John +still leading. But they had not gone far when somewhere in advance of +them they thought they heard the sound of a breaking limb. So sudden +was the sound on the still night air, that all stopped very quickly, +their hearts beating fast. + +They listened, but the sound was not repeated. They started on again, +thinking the limb must have been a dead one and had fallen from some +tree of its own weight. But scarcely had they taken a dozen steps when +they heard another sharp cracking of wood, this time very close in +front of them. + +Their intuition told them now that they were near to some night prowler +of the animal kingdom, and perhaps one of considerable size, judging +from the crash. Hardly realizing what they were doing, they set down +their pails, and cocked their rifles, facing, with alertness and +uneasiness, the direction whence the sounds had come. + +Now they heard some rustling, as of leaves, directly ahead. It came +slowly and cautiously closer. Just as it seemed about to burst out +upon their view it stopped. There was no more noise. All was silent; +not even the note of a night-bird or the gentle chirp of an insect +could be heard. For the first time the soughing of the tree-tops in +the soft breeze above failed to meet their ears. What a deathly +stillness it was! + +Suddenly, right out of the black shadows ahead, there sounded on the +hushed air of the night three terrific yells, one following immediately +after the other. These piercing cries had hardly died out when +another, of deeper note, and a veritable roar, filled the forest with +its din. The leaves about the boys seemed fairly to quiver under the +violent guttural reverberations. + +John Ross may well have been excused for shaking as he held up his +lantern in his right hand and threw its rays upon the tall undergrowth +ahead, while his fingers tightened like bands of steel around the stock +of his repeating-rifle. + +As he and his companions looked, they saw peeping through the foliage a +black, fierce face, one of the ugliest and most ferocious that man +could have imagined. It was staring straight at them. The brute's +eyes were sunken under a heavy overhanging ridge of dusky skin. His +eyes were small and black, and the iris of each shone like a diamond +set in carbon. His forehead was low, receding, and covered with short +bristling hair. His nose was broad and flat. His great jaw protruded +frightfully, with the upper thin lip pressed tight, the lower curving +away and displaying a row of long yellow tusks which could have bitten +the hand off a man with one crunch. + +The animal now opened his cavernous mouth, and uttered yell after yell +again, these sounding something like the bark of a dog but being a +hundred times louder. They were followed by terrific roars, somewhat +similar to those of a lion, though of much greater volume. The cries +rang through the forest from hill to hill, and died away in the +distance. The woods was filled with the echo of his horrible voice. + +Then, very slowly his whole body came in sight. He advanced clumsily +and ponderously towards the little party of flyers, walking erect, his +plain intent being to kill them. His short legs were hardly strong +enough, as sturdy as they were, to support his huge body. All at once +he stopped to look at them. How vindictive his eyes were! They seemed +to say to the boys: "I will soon finish you!" + +Then he beat his chest with his great fists and the noise was like a +bandman striking a bass-drum. It was his challenge to combat. How +long and muscular were the shaggy arms that directed these blows! How +broad was his chest from which the sounds came! The hair stood almost +erect on his body, and the hair on his head moved up and down. + +This hesitation of the monster proved the salvation of the flyers. It +gave them a chance to pull their shattered nerves together and elevate +their rifles. As he must keep the light on the creature, which now all +recognized as a large gorilla, so that his companions and himself could +see to shoot, John had only one arm with which to handle his gun. But +he brought the weapon up quickly, and pressed the trigger just as three +other shots rang out from the guns of his companions, who had stepped +on either side of their leader. + +A hoarse yell of rage and pain answered the reports. They saw the +gorilla stagger, then drop to all fours, and lunge toward them. + +There was no chance to retreat. As quick as a flash John dropped his +own rifle, so that he could hold the lantern in both hands and direct +its rays better upon the beast, and cried to his comrades to fire again. + +No sooner had the words left his lips than the others brought their +repeaters once more to their shoulders. On account of the poor light +on the barrels of their weapons they were again compelled to take snap +shots, shooting with both eyes open; but this time with greater success. + +The big gorilla fell, uttering a fearful groan. He rolled over upon +his back, his massive limbs twitched convulsively, and then he was +still. Going up to him cautiously with the lantern, they found that he +was dead. + +Extended, his great arms measured nearly nine feet; his chest had a +girth of seven feet, and he lacked only one inch of being six feet in +height. These facts Tom ascertained with the use of a small tapeline +which he carried in his pocket. + +"Let's skin him," said Tom; "I know how, and it won't take but a few +minutes." + +"Sure," agreed Paul; "his skin will be a valuable trophy to take back +home with us. Jiminy, I wish it had been daylight and we had brought +our camera with us! We could have secured some pictures worth while +for the _Daily Independent_." + +With his keen-edged sheath knife, Tom soon had the skin removed from +the giant brute. The performance of this operation was far from an +agreeable one, however, both for surgeon and observers. So human-like +was the gorilla that it seemed like skinning a man! + +As they made their way onward again, carrying their trophy in a roll +tied with withes made from vines. Bob ventured to say: "I wonder how +the gorilla came to be awake and to attack us this way?" + +"I think he must have had a mate, perhaps a family, nearby," replied +John. "I have read that the mother and her babies always go up into a +tree to sleep, while the father squats down at its base to guard them, +and here he sleeps with one eye open and the other closed, as the +saying is. At least he arouses at the slightest sound of an enemy. We +probably awakened him by our shouts while in bathing, and being so +close to him when we came back along a slightly different path, he +thought we were going to attack the family upstairs, and showed fight +right away." + +The little party regained their airplane without further incident; the +radiator was drained, and the fresh water put in. Then, feeling that +there was no further danger of the engines running hot, they took off. + +As the Sky-Bird arose into the air, the flyers noticed that Grandpa the +monkey was slightly excited. This they attributed to the presence of +the gorilla's skin; but when they saw Grandpa continue to dash wildly +about the cabin, from their shoulders to the rear window, out of which +he would take a quick look only to fly back to them and chatter wildly +and coweringly, Paul thought he would see what could be the trouble. + +One glance was enough. He shut the open window with a bang, and turned +to his companions with a pale face. + +"Fellows," said he; "we've got a passenger!" + +"A passenger?" cried they. + +"Yes," said Paul, "a monstrous big snake!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE DOUBLE LOOP + +For a moment or two John and Bob stared at Paul blankly, unable to +comprehend the import of his announcement. Tom was at the throttle, +and while he had heard the startling words, he was too occupied in +guiding the Sky-Bird to do anything except take a quick glance backward. + +"A snake?" repeated Bob. + +"Not on the machine?" cried John. + +"Yes," Paul said, with a seriousness which left no further doubt as to +the truth of his statement. "He's a whopper--must be twelve or +fourteen feet long and as thick as my leg. He's there on the fuselage +just outside of the window, hanging on for dear life. If I hadn't shut +that window just as I did, I believe he would have crawled in here in a +minute." + +John and Bob now hurried to the window and looked out. In the +moonlight they could distinctly see a huge reptile, either a python or +a boa-constrictor, coiled up in the angle formed by the juncture of the +airplane body and the broad base of the left wing. The creature was so +long that its tail passed up over the rounded fuselage and out upon the +other wing. Bob flashed his electric pocket lamp upon it, and by the +yellow and brown mottled spots upon its body and the double plates of +whitish scale at its tale, and the wicked-looking triangular head, they +were sure it must really be a python, one of the most dreaded of +African snakes. These creatures think a monkey a very choice morsel of +food, and undoubtedly it had been attracted to the airplane, while it +stood in the grass, by the appearance of Grandpa in the open cabin +window, but had been frustrated in its designs by the return of the +flyers and the sudden rising of the machine. + +Now, with the window shut, the boys seemed safe enough for the present. +They could see that the big snake was extremely uneasy. As the wind +whistled by him, his great tail twisted and untwisted, and he seemed to +be trying to get a better hold on the smooth surface, while his beady +eyes glared at them only a moment in the glow of the flashlight, and +then he transferred his attention to the landscape below them. His +forked fangs darted in and out during this time with the angriest +lightning-like movement. + +Paul relieved Tom at the throttle for a few minutes, so that the latter +could have a look at the reptile. + +When Tom came back again to his post, he said, with plain uneasiness: +"I never saw such a big snake before, Paul. Between the rush of wind +and the roar of the engine and propeller, he seems scared out of his +wits." + +"We've got to get him off of there somehow--and mighty soon, too," put +in John, with decision. "Tom, if that monster should begin to slip a +little most likely he will coil his tail around some of our control +wires,--and then what?" + +Their faces blanched at this prospect. They knew what that would mean. +It would mean that the great creature would either operate the +airplane's rudders when they should not be operated, or would prevent +Tom from moving them when they must be moved. In either event, the +result would be disaster to machine and crew. + +"Good heavens, boys!" said Tom, so nervous his voice shook, "get rid of +that snake as quick as you can!" He fancied he could see the rear +control levers moving at that instant. + +The other three flyers knew the importance of these instructions, but +how were they to carry them out? The reptile was too large to be +shoved off with a stick or pole, and would probably squirm through the +window while they were attempting it. And they were afraid to use a +gun, as, in the case of a miss or a little lurch of the airplane at the +moment of firing, the bullet might puncture the hollow wing or rear +fuselage and let helium escape. + +It was Bob who solved the puzzle. + +"Why not try a loop or two?" he asked. + +Their hearts jumped with hope at this. So everything was made tight in +the cabin, with the straps and fastenings which had been provided when +the machine was made. Even Grandpa had to submit to being roped up in +one of the swinging hammocks. When the boys had buckled themselves +down to their seats, John gave Tom the word, and he began to rise +slowly. At close to two thousand feet he brought the Sky-Bird quickly +and smoothly upward until she stood almost on her tail end. + +Then Tom threw the elevators and ailerons hard up, and held them there. +They were going at a rate of close to a hundred miles an hour at the +moment, and their velocity brought them around in a pretty loop. There +was no way for them to tell if the serpent had been dislodged, so, to +make as sure as he could of accomplishing his purpose, Tom kept his +controls as set, and they made another or double loop. + +This time he straightened out his controls as he came up to the +horizontal, and they ran swiftly ahead again on a level keel. + +His companions quickly unloosened their straps, and ran for the rear +window. A feeling of the greatest thanksgiving filled their souls and +joy lit up their faces. The python was gone! He had hurtled through +the air during one or the other of the loops, and his long sinuous body +was probably at that moment lying crushed upon the hard ground, or +impaled upon the sharp stub of some forest tree, far below. + +It had been a night of intense excitement. Now that they began to beat +through the air in the old tuneful way, and there was nothing more to +claim their attention until they should arrive at Aden sometime in the +morning, Bob and Paul took to their hammocks for sleep, but first Bob +got Khartum on the wireless and delivered their position and a brief +description of their adventures. As may be imagined, however, the two +youths did not shut their eyes immediately. There was much to think +about and to talk about before even fatigue could get the better of +them. + +Tom put the Sky-Bird through on a straight course for Aden as fast as +he dared run the night engine, which was very close to its limit, now +that it had had a chance to cool off and was well supplied with water. +It was important that they should make speed, for in the stop for water +and the subsequent maneuvering to rid themselves of their unwelcome +passenger, the python, they had lost upwards of an hour's time. + +Flying high, and depending entirely upon the compass for striking Aden, +they shot through the starlit tropical night like a meteor, showing no +lights except the two small ones on the dashboard in the cabin, by +means of which Tom could observe the instruments and the controlling +levers below. Thus they crossed the famous Nile, sweeping below +Khartum and across the plains of Kordofan, and when the first streaks +of daylight appeared ahead of them they were just entering the plateaus +of northern Abyssinia. + +Paul and Bob now relieved Tom and John, and the latter young men took a +nap. It was their custom to work in pairs, the observer preparing food +for himself and the pilot during the course of flight. Sometimes the +observer took the throttle long enough to give his friend a chance to +eat, and sometimes the pilot retained his seat, allowing the automatic +arrangement to do the guiding for him while he munched his food. + +Just before seven o'clock Paul and Bob saw two large bodies of water +ahead of them, one stretching to the right and the other to the left. +The chart told them that the northern body was the Red Sea and the +southern one the Gulf of Aden, which opens into the Indian Ocean. +Between these bodies lay a narrow belt of water, flanked on the western +or African side by rocky, wooded hills, and on the eastern side by low, +sandy shores dotted with palms. This was the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, +and the country beyond was Persia. + +Aden could not be more than fifteen minutes' run east now, and so Bob +awakened his sleeping comrades while Paul guided the airplane across +the strait. They flew a little higher, later, following the general +contour of the terraced slopes of the mountains along the Arabian coast. + +As the Sky-Bird came leisurely over the hills surrounding this British +seaport of Aden, they could see that the town nestled in the crater of +an extinct volcano, as they had read. All around the low, white +buildings spread the rugged hillsides, and in declivities they passed +over numbers of the great brick tanks or reservoirs which catch and +store the scanty rainfall of the region and thus furnish Aden with its +only water supply. + +The flyers saw many gowned figures, some on camels, pause to look +upward at them, as they began to circle the town in quest of their +landing field. Bob was the first to discern it--a fairly level stretch +in the southern end of the valley or basin, marked in the way agreed +upon, and containing two small buildings, neither of which was large +enough to admit the machine. + +But they cared nothing for shelter for the Sky-Bird, as they did not +purpose staying any longer than necessary for fuel replenishment and +news dissemination by telegraph and letter. So they quickly settled +down in the midst of a wondering ring of Arabs. + +Mr. Griggs, the American consul here, now came forward with a couple of +British military officers, and the flyers met with a hearty reception. +It seemed good to run upon one of their own countrymen again, after +seeing so many strange faces since leaving Panama. Mr. Griggs insisted +upon their going to his home with him for breakfast, and to this they +consented as soon as they found he had made full arrangements for +having some British workmen at the garrison refill the Sky-Bird's tanks. + +They found that their rivals had arrived just after daylight, and had +departed for Colombo, Ceylon, less than twenty minutes before their own +appearance. This was cheering news. They had gained a lot on them in +crossing the African continent. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +ABOVE THE CLOUDS + +Mr. Griggs, the American consul at Aden, proved an affable, pleasant +entertainer. His little wife was also very genial and painstaking for +their comforts, declaring at their protests that she was doing no more +for them than she had done for the other flyers when they came through, +a short time before. The couple had two children, a boy and a girl, +and both of these plied the boys with innumerable questions about their +journey, expressing the greatest interest and excitement when they +worked out of Paul the story of the adventure with the gorilla and +python. + +After the meal, which was very appetizing and refreshing, they spent a +short time preparing their reports to the _Daily Independent_, and then +accompanied their host to the post-office, where the letter and roll of +films were mailed. At the telegraph office they received a pleasant +surprise in the shape of a message from Mr. Giddings, which stated +their reports were coming in to the newspaper all right, and that the +greatest interest was being manifested in them by the world in general +and by New York people in particular. + +"Whatever you do, don't let the other crew beat you," were his +concluding words. "I have ordered the helium shipped to Nukahiva by +fast steamer." + +"That's good news," said John, with satisfaction, referring to the +helium, and the others accorded with him. + +They dispatched a telegram to Mr. Giddings, and then started out to buy +some fruit and other foods. As they went along the narrow, crooking +street upon which they had been walking they met so many Arabs with +small sprays of dark-green leaves which they put in their mouths and +chewed, that their curiosity was aroused, and Bob asked Mr. Griggs what +the leaves were. + +"Those are the leaves of the khat bush," was the response. "You must +have passed numerous plantations of such bushes up on the hillsides as +you flew over into the basin here. The Yemen Arabs like to chew the +leaves so well that they have all of the passion for them that a toper +has for whiskey, and they will spend their last rupee for a small +bundle." + +"Does this chewing of the leaves intoxicate them?" asked John. + +"Oh, no; the leaves are quite harmless. But they do produce a +strangely exhilarating effect upon those who chew them. If you ask a +Yemen Arab what he chews the leaves for, he will invariably look at you +with astonishment and tell you that he forgets all his troubles, sees +the most beautiful of fairies and the richest rose-gardens of Allah, +and lives in a new world." + +"Do they go to the fields after it themselves?" inquired Tom. + +"Not at all," said Mr. Griggs; "the khat is brought into town every +morning about eleven o'clock by long caravans of camels which proceed +from the khat farms along the mountain slopes. Long before these +camels appear in the valley, with a bundle of khat swung on each side +of the beasts, messengers on fleeter camels have brought the tidings of +approach. From the shelters of the shops, so silent except just now, +cheerful cries break out; the streets are filled with Arabs who sing +joyfully; tikka gharries rattle madly by, whips waving and turbans +awry; there are flashes of color from rich men's gowns and the sounds +of their clicking oryx-hide sandals as they rapidly strike the stony +pavements; there is a continual blunt clatter from the tom-toms in the +hands of long-gowned fellows. They are all going to the market where +the khat will soon arrive, each one anxious to have first choice and +get the best bargain. There they will bicker with the khat traders for +an hour sometimes, then in will come the despised hadjis, the venders +of firewood, who will buy up for a few pice the scraps which remain." + +This was all very interesting to the flyers, but it was high time to +hurry back and resume their flight; so, restraining their impulse to +ask more questions or investigate the attractions of the town, they +bought their supplies, and returned with the American minister to the +landing-field. + +Ten minutes later the Sky-Bird was mounting easily up into the sky, +viewed by hundreds of shouting Arabs. It was good-bye to Persia now. + +Looking at his watch, Paul, at the throttle, saw that it was +nine-fifty. They were leaving Aden only fifty minutes behind schedule. +That was not at all bad; but it was not pleasant to think that their +rivals were still ahead of them. And two hours was a pretty stiff lead. + +They were not long in passing over the hills to the south, and then +headed eastward out over the elongated gulf. Looking back, John saw +the sandhills by the sea glistening in the bright sunlight like mounds +of gold-dust. Every leaf and stem in the scrub stood out in black and +silver filigree; and euphorbias and adeniums, gouty and pompous above +the lower growths, seemed like fantasies of gray on a Japanese screen +covered with cerulean velvet. It was their last sight of Persia, and +one not soon to be forgotten. + +Our friends now settled down for a long hop, for they would have to fly +all day and all night before reaching Colombo. + +After a while they sighted Socotra, the little isle off the coast of +Cape Guardafui, from whence comes most of the world's supply of +frankincense; then leaving its rocky shores behind them they cut +straight across the Persian Sea, braving whatever tropical storm might +arise. + +All that day they swept over the blue waters of this great body, +frequently seeing ships below and sometimes small islands. Toward +night they ran into such hard headwinds that Bob went up higher. He +climbed steadily until the Sky-Bird had attained an altitude of nine +thousand feet. Here, as expected, they found the winds much less +forceful, but the sea was blotted out entirely by the clouds through +which they had passed in the process of rising and which now lay +between. + +Indeed, these clouds resembled a billowy ocean of white foam in +themselves, or a landscape covered with hills and valleys of snow. The +rounded cloud contours could easily be likened to the domes of +snow-covered mountains. It was really difficult to conceive that that +amorphous expanse was not actually solid. Here and there flocculent +towers and summits heaved up, piled like mighty snow dumps, toppling +and crushing into one another, as the breezes stirred them. + +Then there were tiny wisps of cloud, more delicate and frail than +feathers or the down of a dandelion-blow. Chasms hundreds of feet +deep, sheer columns, and banks, extended almost beyond eye-reach. +Between the flyers and the sun stretched isolated towers of cumulus, +cast up as if erupted by the chaos below. The sunlight, filtering +through this or that gossamer bulk, was scattered into every +conceivable shade and monotone. And around the margins of the heaving +billows the sun's rays played unhampered, unrestricted, outlining all +with edgings of the purest silver. + +The scene was one of such extravagance that the brain was staggered +with what the eye tried to register. Below the aviators, the shadow of +their machine pursued them on white film like a grotesque gray bird of +some supernatural region. The shadow followed tirelessly, gaining as +the hour of noon approached, gaining still as afternoon began to +gather, swell, and wane; and always it skipped from crest to crest down +there just below, jumping gulfs like a bewitched phantom. + +It was so cold at this height that the aviators had to put on their +heaviest garments, and they were content to open the windows only a +slight way for ventilation. + +When darkness fell, they were still flying high, though at reduced +speed, as John was afraid that a rate too much over schedule might +cause them to overrun their destination before daylight could disclose +its outlines to them. Every half-hour the pilot's helper checked up +their position on the chart. Had this not been done from the very +start of the trip, they never could have struck their ports with the +accuracy they did, and disaster would have been the result, if not +death to the crew. + +As it was, they had taken every precaution they could. When they had +crossed the Atlantic they had been careful to inflate the four spare +inner tubes of their landing wheels, as these would make capital +life-preservers in case the flyers were thrown into the sea; and one of +the last things they did before leaving Aden was to see that the tubes +were still inflated. + +The long night passed with considerable anxiety on the part of Tom and +John, but when dawn finally broke they felt like uttering a "hurrah," +and called Paul and Bob up from their sleep to witness the cheering +sight ahead of them. + +At a distance of what must have been close to fifty miles, was a white +patch in a haziness of green plain surrounded by hills and low +mountains. The land itself was encircled by the sea, and when they saw +a great peninsula spreading away to the northward, they knew that the +island was Ceylon, and the other land the peninsula of Hindustan. + +Somewhat off their course, they wheeled a little north. Soon details +became apparent in the island. The white patch grew, developing into a +considerable town--Colombo. + +They swept up and around it, then settled, and climbed stiffly out of +the Sky-Bird not twenty yards from another airplane, about which four +men in flying-suits had been working. These fellows looked toward the +new arrivals scowlingly. + +But our flyers, overjoyed to think they had caught the _Clarion's_ +crew, only smiled back indulgently. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +BOMBED BY ROCKS + +Our friends had landed in the lowlands just to the north of Colombo, +whose scattered buildings contained upwards of a hundred thousand +inhabitants, most of whom were native Singhalese, descendants of the +colonists who came from the valley of the Ganges and settled the island +five hundred years before the birth of Christ. To the southward arose +the rocky headlands of the coast, and to the westward could be seen the +somber peak of Pedrotallagalla, the highest mountain of the island. +Numerous ships, some very crude and with queer sails, were in the +harbor as the boys landed, and scores of natives in short skirts were +loading and unloading these. Undoubtedly the huge square boxes which +some of them carried aboard so easily upon their heads contained tea, +for which Ceylon is famous. + +The person in charge of the landing-field here was a Mr. Young, an +American clergyman connected with the local Baptist mission. This tall +gentleman came forward, accompanied by the British governor of the +island, within a few moments after the flyers struck the ground. In +fact, they were still stretching their cramped legs and arms when he +greeted them and introduced the governor, Sir Henry Hurst. + +"Young men, I am more than delighted to shake hands with you," said the +governor. "It looks as if you and the other crew over yonder were upon +an epoch-making tour, for you are not ten minutes behind your schedule, +as we have it in the London papers and also in our own Colombian +newspaper. My only regret is that you do not represent England instead +of America." He laughed good-naturedly as he made the last remark. + +"It was quite a task for the governor and myself to get up at this +early hour to receive you, but the occasion is well worth the effort," +observed Mr. Young, smiling. "Here we usually sleep very late, often +as late as nine o'clock. Even the Singhalese and Burghers are not yet +generally up from their beds, though those who work at the wharves have +appeared. If you had arrived a few hours later there would be +thousands of the population here to see you." + +"We are well satisfied with the hour, then," said John. "The fewer +natives we have around the Sky-Bird, the better we like it, both for +working and taking off. How long has that other crew been in, sir?" + +"Not more than a half-hour. They are taking on their fuel now, being +assisted by a couple of Burghers. They advised us that they would +probably remain here until noon, being tired from their long flight +from Aden. I don't know; why, but the slender man with the dark skin +and mustache particularly requested me to see that you knew this +intention of theirs." + +The flyers thought this was rather strange. Why should the _Clarion's_ +crew remain so long in Colombo, when their interests in the race +demanded as much time put into flying as possible? It was still more +incomprehensible what object they would have in wishing the Sky-Bird's +flyers to understand this intention, as by so doing our boys could make +their plans to gain a heavy lead. + +It was too much of a puzzle for them to work out, so Bob and Paul, +aided by two Burghers (naturalized Europeans), went to work overhauling +the machine and storing fuel, while John and Tom made their way into +town with Sir Henry Hurst to transact their business. When they +returned they found the two younger members of their crew in a heated +discussion with the _Clarion_ fellows. + +"What's the matter here, anyhow?" demanded John, as he and Tom pushed +their way through the little ring of natives who had gathered about the +principals. + +"It's just this way," said Pete Deveaux, with a grin meant to be very +cool and indifferent, although his eyes roved uneasily; "We fellows +were working on our machine here, minding our own business, when these +two kids of yours came up and demanded to know why we had played you +dirty at Freetown and Kuka. They accused us of purposely carrying off +your share of fuel at Freetown, and of stirring up the natives at Kuka +so you couldn't make a safe landing." + +"We simply couldn't stand keeping quiet any longer, John," put in Paul +very heatedly. "We thought it a good time to have it out with these +fellows for their crookedness." + +"That's right; they're a bunch of snakes!" supported Bob, his cheeks +red with excitement and anger, and his fists doubled menacingly. + +John turned to the slouching figures of the rival crew. "Do you +fellows deny these charges?" he asked quietly. + +Crossman, Torrey, and Lane looked at their leader, merely shrugging +their shoulders. Pete Deveaux took a quick glance in their direction, +in turn. Then his face clouded a little darker, and he blurted out to +his men: "You confounded babies, why don't you deny it? You know we +didn't do anything on purpose to hold these guys back!" + +"That's right; we sure didn't," said Sam Lane. + +"Of course not," added Chuck Crossman. + +"Wouldn't think of it," interjected Oliver Torrey. + +Our boys were disgusted by the cringing attitude of Pete Deveaux's +cronies. Two of them were larger than the Frenchman, yet they seemed +to be afraid of him. John saw that nothing was to be gained at this +time by continuing the argument, so he pulled his comrades away with +this parting and significant warning to their rivals: "Well, Deveaux, +we'll let this drop now; but we certainly hope that you will take pains +to see that nothing more of so strongly a suspicious character occurs +on this trip!" + +Pete Deveaux snarled back some answer which they could not make out. + +Our friends returned to the Sky-Bird. In a few minutes Bob, who had +climbed on top of the fuselage to test the helium valves, came down and +said: "Something new is going on over in our neighbor's yard, fellows. +When I was up there I could see right over the natives' heads, and I +noticed Chuck Crossman and Pete Deveaux hunting around the field till +they found half-a-dozen rocks as big as a football, and they put these +in the cabin of the _Clarion_. Wonder what on earth they intend to do +with those?" + +"It's too hard a nut for me to crack," answered John. + +The others expressed equal inability to discern the purpose of their +rivals, and the incident was soon forgotten. + +But twenty minutes later the familiar roar of a revolving airplane +propeller greeted their ears, and they were surprised to observe the +_Clarion_ rising up over the field. They watched the machine until it +had disappeared in the cloud mists to the east. Then they awoke. + +All saw the game of their rivals now. By making the Sky-Bird's crew +believe they did not intend to leave until noon, the latecomers would +be inclined to take their time fitting up for the next hop, and this +would give the _Clarion's_ party a chance to make a sudden exit and +gain a good lead before the others could get under way. + +There was no getting around it--Pete Deveaux was clever, if he were a +rascal. This our friends had to admit to themselves, despite their +dislike of the fellow. His methods of getting the best of them seemed +to have no limit; and yet thus far they had been able to cling, by the +hardest kind of work, right at his heels. This last trick was more +honest strategy than Deveaux had exhibited before, and they could +therefore admire it in that sense. They hoped that from now on his +maneuvers might be as free from maliciousness. + +But their rivals had not fooled them as badly as they thought. Our +flyers had lost no time upon landing in refitting, and when they saw +the _Clarion_ take off, they speeded up operations so fast that they +were able to depart only fifteen minutes later. + +Almost straight eastward they headed, bearing just a little to the +southward, so as to strike Singapore on a bee-line. They hoped to +reach this stop some time before dark, which would give them +approximately twelve hours' flying time. Under ideal weather +conditions, they could make the journey in considerably less time, but +it was the season for the well-known monsoons of the Indian Ocean, and +it was quite unlikely that they would be able to wing their way across +the fourteen hundred odd miles of sea without encountering some of +these deterrent trade-winds. + +It took them just an hour to cross the island of Ceylon, and flying at +about fifteen hundred feet, they winged their way out over the +whitecaps of the ocean. To their unspeakable pleasure they found the +winds not at all bad, and made good speed. Bob was at the throttle, +Paul was observing, and John and Tom were sleeping. + +They had been flying thus for perhaps two hours, when Paul saw that for +which he had been keenly watching for some time. It was a faint black +speck, like a tiny bird, against the blue of the heavens ahead of them. +He continued to watch this silently, after calling his chum's attention +to it, until, under an increase of speed, the Sky-Bird had drawn close +enough for them to observe that it was what they suspected--an airplane. + +In another hour they were near enough to recognize in it the +unmistakable outlines of the _Clarion_. To all appearances their +rivals had also observed them, and were crowding on power, for now they +gained much slower. Yet they still continued to narrow the breach +between them, steadily, rod by rod, and minute by minute. They could +see that the _Clarion_ was not well handled, for she wavered in her +flight considerably. + +"They'd be wise if they'd throw those rocks out which they took +aboard," commented Paul. "That might help them to fly steadier." + +"They're flying all of a thousand feet higher than we are," said Bob. +"We're going to pass under them, I think, in the next half-hour." + +That was the way matters looked. The | _Clarion_ was riding high, and +was so close by this time that the windows in her cabin could be made +out. Against those panels of glass our friends felt sure some of the +rival crew were even at that moment pressing anxious faces as they +watched the Sky-Bird steadily creeping up on them. + +It was such an auspicious moment that Paul went and aroused John and +Tom, so that they could see the Sky-Bird overtake and pass her +adversary. Those two worthies grumbled a whole lot for a few moments, +being half asleep, but when they grasped the situation and saw the +_Clarion_ just ahead, they were as much interested as anybody. + +Slowly, surely the Sky-Bird overtook the rival machine. When it seemed +her nose was almost up to the tail of the _Clarion_, they saw a +movement in the bottom of the fuselage of the craft above them, where +her trapdoor of glass was situated in the floor of the cabin. Then +something gray streaked down through the air. It went whizzing by just +in front of the Sky-Bird, and a few moments later plunged into the sea +with a great splash. + +"Huckleberry pie!" ejaculated Tom Meeks, "one of their rocks has burst +through their floor trap. Say, that was a close call for us!" + +"Watch out! Here comes another!" cried Paul, as a second gray missile +went by them on the other side. + +Barely had it struck the waters beneath, when a third rock came so +close that they could feel the rush of air as it passed downward. It +was as if they were being bombarded by an enemy above, who used great +stones instead of explosives. Their faces paled when the truth struck +them like a thunderbolt. With calm deliberation, deadly intent, and a +skill born of dropping bombs on targets during the war, some of the +fellows in the machine above were trying to wreck the Sky-Bird with the +rocks they had gathered in the field back in Ceylon! + +"Quick, Bob!" cried John to their pilot. "Swerve out from under these +devils as fast as you can! If another stone comes down here, it may--" + +The words he intended to say never were uttered. At that very moment +another gray object streaked its way down through the heavens, whirling +uglily. They thought sure it would strike the cabin roof and crash +through, and intuitively they cowered back in the corners for +protection. + +But their speed carried the stone farther to the rear. There was a +tearing, rending sound. + +Their faces blanched. And then Bob called out: "Hi, fellows, +something's gone wrong! The Sky-Bird's bound to put her nose into the +sea. The tail elevators don't work!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +RIDING AN AIRPLANE'S TAIL + +Filled with the gravest fears for the safety of the Sky-Bird and +themselves, all except Bob rushed to the rear windows of the cabin and +looked out to see what had caused the ripping noise, and what could be +wrong with the tail. + +Paul reached a point of vantage first. One swift look showed him the +trouble. The left elevator had a big hole through it, made by the +stone, fragments of silk showing all round the ragged gap. But this +could not have caused the derangement of the steering controls +entirely, and looking for a reason, Paul saw that the impact had caused +the wire running to the right elevator to become twisted around a +bracket near the end of the fuselage. Under this condition neither +elevator could be controlled. With the good one held downward, it was +no wonder that the airplane had started a stubborn, slow dive toward +the ocean in spite of Bob's frantic efforts to work the lever normally +effecting it. + +"Shut off your engine!" called Paul to Bob. "That will hold us back. +Three minutes of time I think will save us!" + +With the words, Paul seized the end of a long coil of rope which lay +near, and fastened it about his waist. Both Bob and John saw what he +meant to do. He would crawl out upon the fuselage and attempt to +untangle the inactive control wire, freeing the now useless right +elevating plane! + +It was a daring thing to do--a most perilous proceeding. But the older +men knew that it was the only thing that could prevent them from +plunging into the sea. So John threw open a window for his brother, +the nimblest one of them, gave his hand a parting squeeze, and Paul +climbed through. + +Paul never had realized as he did now how smooth that rounded body of +the machine was, nor how strong the wind shot back along it when the +machine was in flight. Although he clutched it with both arms and +legs, and lay as close to it as he could press, he thought two or three +times, as he made his way out toward the tail, that he would be torn +loose. He knew that his friends in the cabin, whom it might be he +would never speak to again, were watching his progress with fear +gripping their hearts, and were probably inwardly praying for his +success with every breath. + +Finally the boy reached the tail. He dare not look down at the sea to +see how much closer they were now, for the sight might unnerve him and +prove disastrous to his purpose. So, glazing his vision to all except +his environs and intent, he wrapped his legs around the narrowing body +of the machine, let go with his arms, and in a crouching posture seized +the tangled wires. Two or three tugs and he had them free. He +announced this fact with as loud a yell as he could. + +Immediately afterward he heard his brother's voice. "Hang right there +where you are, Paul! Don't try to come back until we get elevation +again and I give you the word." + +He realized what this meant and looked down as he once more wrapped his +arms around the fuselage, with his shoulders against the rudder +bracket. What he saw was the restless sea less than two hundred feet +below! Had Bob waited for him to attempt to crawl back into the cabin +with the tail elevated, the Sky-Bird would have buried herself in the +waters before he was half-way to his objective. They must now rise, if +that were possible, to a good height; then Bob would slowly spiral the +airplane downward and afford him a declining surface to work back upon. + +Luckily Paul's freeing of the right elevating plane, gave the pilot +fairly good control over the machine, so Bob had no difficulty in +bringing the Sky-Bird into a rising swoop, although none too soon. +Mounting at a good angle, but one which would not be likely to displace +the youth clinging at the tail, he brought the airplane up to two +thousand feet. + +"Now, Paul! Slide for it!" cried John, as the machine began a slow +descent in a great circle. + +Paul then worked his way back like a crab, sliding a little, but not +once allowing his tensioned limbs to relax to the danger point. Before +the airplane had come within five hundred feet of the sea, he felt his +legs grasped in the strong hands of John and Tom, and the next moment +they had hauled him bodily through the window. + +"Ginger, Buddy, that was a close call for us--and you, too!" exclaimed +John. "I hope I never see you in such a ticklish place again!" + +Paul sank into a seat. He was too exhausted to do anything but smile. +When at last he could find his voice he asked, anxiously: "Can Bob +control her all right now?" + +"Well enough to land us where we wish to go, he says," observed Tom. + +"That's right," put in Bob himself, who had overheard the conversation. +"The Sky-Bird isn't what she was before that rock went through her, but +if nothing worse happens we'll reach Singapore, though it will probably +be somewhat later than our sweet friends in the other plane." + +"We can land at Sumatra, I think, if we have to make repairs before," +ventured John. "We ought to cross the northern end of that island in +the course of an hour." + +Searching the horizon for their rivals, they saw that, evidently +satisfied with the mischief they had done, the _Clarion_ crew had gone +on at full speed, for they were now far ahead. + +"If I ever run onto Pete Deveaux again I believe I shall be angry +enough to choke him till he's unable to speak his own name," declared +Paul. + +"I'm afraid I'll have to help you at that job, Paul," cried Tom. "He's +the most unprincipled scoundrel that ever went unhung." + +"You are right, Tom; Deveaux is a brute," said John. "His deviltry +came near being the end of us. When we get home, we must see to it +that he is punished as he deserves. But we must keep it out of the +papers now, as it will look, in case we get beat, as if we wanted an +excuse." + +John and Tom now resumed their hammocks and broken sleep, for they saw +that, although the shattered tail elevator caused the Sky-Bird to ride +roughly and at reduced speed. Bob and Paul could probably handle her +all right from now on. The cross winds of the monsoon also hindered +their progress a good deal, blowing erratically from different +directions, but they plugged along at a pace slow enough to keep +themselves within the zone of safety. + +A little later they came in sight of Sumatra, but as they were going +fairly well, thought it best not to attempt a landing for repairs. So +they crossed the northern tip of the island, and proceeded on over the +Strait of Malacca. Sometime since, Paul had taken Bob's place at the +throttle, and the latter had communicated with their destination by +wireless, learning that the other airplane had arrived. + +It was twilight when they at last reached Singapore, and made a landing +in the race-course in the outskirts of the town. By long odds this was +the smallest island upon which they had so far stopped, but they found +the city one of the busiest. Their rivals had left fully two hours +before. + +Now came the task of repairing the broken tail elevator. As the frame +was undamaged, it was only necessary to straighten out a few bent +supports and put new covering on. The British official at the field +showed them where to purchase the necessary silk and glue, also a good +waterproof varnish for coating the covering. From his own home he +secured a pair of scissors with which to do the cutting, and John and +Bob worked at the task, while Paul and Tom took on fuel and water and +looked after other preparations for resuming their journey as soon as +possible. + +During this process, Grandpa the monkey was permitted to come out of +the cabin and entertain the crowd of onlookers with his antics, which +he did to perfection, as he had done at other stops. To the ivory ring +about his slender little waist, Paul always fastened a long thin rope, +which he had bought in Para, when he let Grandpa out. This leash +prevented him from wandering off, something nearly all unfettered +monkeys will do if not watched very closely by their masters. Almost +any place seems to be home to a monkey, and almost any man seems to +suit him for a temporary master. + +Grandpa himself delighted in running out upon the wings of the Sky-Bird +at the stops. He pulled the control wires and made the ailerons swing +up and down, which always raised a laugh among the crowds. Another +favorite pastime with him was to post himself in front of the reflector +of the big searchlight up on the cabin, and make the most comical +grimaces at his image on the polished reflector inside, sometimes +uttering queer noises as if he were crying, and at other times +chattering with the utmost anger at the phantom monkey, mixing these +demonstrations up with wild dashes around behind the lamp to see if the +mimicking animal were there. No matter what language the natives of +each port might speak, they never failed to understand and appreciate +these little sideshow comedies of Grandpa's. And when it would become +noised about among them that this particular monkey had traveled all +the way from South America through the air with the "bird-men," their +awe for him was amusing to behold. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +ENGULFED IN A VOLCANO'S DUST + +With three hundred gallons of gasoline in her tanks, and her broken +tail-elevator well repaired, the Sky-Bird was ready at eleven o'clock +that evening to take off. Her crew were all tired out, but they knew +they would soon be able to occupy the comfortable seats or hammocks in +the cabin for another long stretch of over-sea travel, for it would be +morning before they would reach Port Darwin, Australia, their next stop. + +It had been raining very hard in Singapore just before they arrived, +and the field was quite wet, with many puddles in the low spots. +Through one or two of these they had had to run in landing, and it +seemed that in hopping off they would be forced to do so again. +Fortunately the ground was sandy, so they had come to a stop in a spot +not at all muddy, and had thus been able to work upon the machine +without the discomforts of wading in slime while doing it. + +They now started the engine, Tom climbed in, and they were off, running +over the soft ground at increasing speed. Then the airplane struck a +pool of water, five or six inches deep, which almost pulled them up. +It also held them back so that when the machine emerged it was going +very little faster than at the beginning. The next patch of ground was +a little longer, but they had not risen when they struck it at a rate +of about twenty-five miles an hour. + +This pool was also quite deep, and the sudden resistance almost threw +the Sky-Bird onto her nose. It did cause her to dip so that her long +propeller struck the puddle, and immediately water and sand were sucked +up and thrown in almost every direction by the swiftly revolving +blades. Much of it reached the natives, who in two long rows of +curious humanity, formed a lane for the passage of the craft, and many +a poor fellow gave a howl and fell back against those behind, +spluttering and rubbing grit and water from his face, while rivulets +coursed down his dusky body amid the howls of laughter of his mates. + +The flyers had only a fleeting glimpse of this amusing incident before +they found the front windows of the cabin so covered with the deluge of +spray that they could scarcely see ahead. Two of them quickly opened +the portals, for a grave danger menaced them. + +Less than sixty yards ahead was the lower fence of the field, and just +back of this arose scrub trees and houses, with no opening between +which could be utilized. They must clear these formidable obstacles, +looming bigger every second, and the distance was alarmingly short, for +the last pool had again retarded their momentum to such an extent that +they had just barely staggered through it. + +Picking up speed once more at every turn of her propeller, the Sky-Bird +shot down the last stretch of ground reaching to the fence. How fast +this obstruction loomed up! Just in the nick of time the airplane left +the ground. They sailed over the tops of trees and houses so close +that the wheels of their landing-gear almost scraped. It was one of +the finest maneuvers of the whole voyage, and the boys praised John so +for his good piloting that he had to ask them to desist. + +After a wide sweep above Singapore, they headed for the open water, +which in this case happened to be South China Sea. + +The weather was very threatening. Dark-looking clouds began to efface +the moon and stars, whose light had aided in the take-off at Singapore, +and within fifteen minutes occasional flashes of sheet-lightning could +be seen far ahead, throwing into relief the immense bulk of the +foreboding clouds and shedding a pallid gleam over the sea. +Occasionally a light zephyr came out of the east, but it would last +only a moment. + +"We ought to be just about over the equator now," announced John a +little later. + +Paul and Bob had stayed up on purpose to witness this event, and by +dead reckoning had computed their position so closely that John's +announcement had come just as they were about to make a similar +statement. Although they could see no "line" stretching along down +there in the sea, they fancied they could, with the most pleasant +imagery. That great line, the belt of the universe, dividing the +Northern and Southern hemispheres, they had already crossed once, in +their zigzagging course, at the mouth of the Amazon. Now here in the +South China Sea they were crossing it a second time. At no time had +they been more than thirteen degrees away from it. One more crossing +of it, if all went well, and they would be almost within sight of the +end of their journey--Panama! + +With this pleasant thought Bob and Paul rolled up in their hammocks, +trusting John and Tom to bring them safely through the bad weather that +seemed in store, and were soon asleep. + +To the two older flyers, used to all conditions of aerial passage as a +result of several years' experience, the present conditions were not at +all terrifying. Although the spectacle of the dark clouds in front of +them was extremely uncanny, they realized that they were only local +thunder showers which could probably be avoided by a little careful +navigating. + +In this they were right. By wheeling a little out of their course, to +the left or right, and by flying up over one big cloud which could not +be avoided in any other manner, they managed to dodge the most +dangerous fields of lightning and the worst torrents of rain. + +Presently they left the dark clouds far behind, and once more the stars +appeared in the blue firmament above and the pale moon lit up the +tropical sea. + +With relief John guided the Sky-Bird lower, so that they could keep a +sharp lookout for guide-posts of land. They passed several small +islets which were uncharted with them, but when, about midnight, they +made out a great black blotch not far ahead, they recognized it as the +southern end of the island of Borneo, and knew they were all right. + +In a little while Borneo was sweeping along below them, its mangroved +shores gloomy and desolate-looking, not to say weird, in the pale +moonlight. Among those dense forests and thickets the flyers knew many +a wild animal was prowling at that very moment, and in the thatched +huts in the glens slept many a fierce-visaged savage with weapons close +at hand. + +Toward morning the flyers observed a volcano in active eruption off to +the southeastward, apparently on the island of Timor. It was a +beautiful sight, so wonderful that John awoke the sleepers, that they +too might enjoy it. Fantastic lights of various colors shot upward +from the crater. These shafts lit up billowing clouds of smoke and +ashes, which poured out in awe-inspiring volume. Back of it all stood +the dark-blue velvet sky, against which the pyrotechnics were embossed +in a stunning manner. Man could never have wished to witness a more +remarkable manifestation of nature than did the young aviators, as they +viewed the spectacle from their own favored position in the air. + +Swiftly the Sky-Bird drew them toward the volcano, for it was directly +in their course. As they approached, they could see flames licking +their way upward from the dark mass of rock constituting the shaft, and +could make out streams of lava pouring over the sides of the crater, +going down into the unknown blackness below. What a sight it was! How +their pulses beat! How their hearts quickened! + +But now, very unexpectedly, the sight was shut out. Thin, pungent, +volcanic smoke and ash began to surround them. In a few moments it was +so thick that they grew alarmed. All had the same fearful thought-- + +If this should continue a little while, they would lose their bearings, +and might run right into the fountain of fire itself! + +This was a terrifying possibility, for it would mean a horrible death +to every one of them. Fireproof though the airplane was in the general +sense of the word, every one of those in her cabin knew that if they +should ever pass through those licking flames, the great heat in them +would fairly melt the light structure of the machine in the twinkling +of an eye. No metal or wood could withstand that terrible blast a +moment, much less human flesh. + +It is small wonder, therefore, that Tom now sent the Sky-Bird off to +the right, and higher, also. They closed the windows, to keep out the +foul smells, and anxiously awaited developments. They could not see a +yard in front of them, so thick were the smoke and gases. It was a +trying time. + +Fortunately Tom had taken the best course he could. Five minutes +passed--ten minutes--fifteen--and then the air began to clear. Slowly +the curtain lifted; and presently looking back, they saw that they had +passed the volcano and were leaving it and the island well behind. + +Its fires, too, seemed to be burning out. Only a few forks of ghostly +light were coming up from the crater. These grew fainter and fainter, +and in a little while the eruption seemed to have entirely subsided, +for Timor was swallowed up once more in the impenetrable mantle of +night. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +IN AUSTRALIA + +Shortly after five o'clock the next afternoon, Paul saw ahead and to +port what appeared to be haze, but which he and Tom hoped was the +coastline of Australia. Ten minutes later the observer joyfully +pointed out to the pilot unmistakable evidence of an island upon which +stood a tall object--Bathurst Island lighthouse. + +John and Tom were routed out, and all saw the rugged outline of the +great island--a continent itself, as large as the United States and +much the same shape--stretching away to the southward and slowly +dwindling into low, sandy, barren shores as it went. + +Less than forty minutes later they were circling over Port Darwin, on +the northwest corner of the continent, while a good-sized crowd of +people down below pointed excitedly upward. The flyers soon made out +the landing-field by reason of its white marker, and swooped gracefully +down, while those below cheered. + +Two zealous customs officials were anxious to examine the new arrivals, +also a health officer; but this did not take long, and during the +process they were able to converse pleasantly with Mr. Seth Partlow, +the British official in charge of the field, also with the mayor of +Darwin, who gave them the most cordial welcome. + +They were sorry to learn that Pete Deveaux and his flyers had departed +less than a half-hour before their own arrival; but they had been +expecting such a report owing to the fact that they had been left so +far behind at Singapore. They now determined to hurry up refitting +operations, and leave at the first opportunity, hot upon the trail. + +Messages were dispatched to Mr. Giddings at Panama and to his newspaper +in New York; and another roll of films containing numerous interesting +views taken that morning just before and after landing, were mailed in +to the _Daily Independent_. + +Here, for the first time, they were able to secure a paper containing +accounts of their own and their rival's passage. It was a novel +experience to read these glowing descriptions of incidents still fresh +in their minds--descriptions which had in some cases flown by wire, in +others by air-waves, from point to point, more than half-way around the +world. It provoked thoughts which made them marvel at the wonderful +ingenuity and power of the very equipment which they were using +themselves every chance they could get--their wireless telegraph and +telephone sets. The remarkable news-gathering efficiency of the world, +the coordination of agencies in gathering and disseminating news, was +astounding to contemplate. + +The mayor of the town insisted upon the boys partaking of dinner at his +home near by, and they thankfully agreed to do this when Mr. Partlow +declared he would personally see to the filling of the Sky-Bird's +tanks, for which task he had plenty of assistants. + +They were most cordially received by the mayor's wife. Within fifteen +minutes they had the satisfaction of sitting down to one of the most +satisfying meals they had ever had. Not only was everything well +cooked, but there was a great variety of viands. They were all +particularly impressed with the toothsomeness of the meat which the +maid served, so much so that Paul could not refrain from remarking: +"Mr. Bailey, I never ate sweeter chicken than that." + +"No, I don't believe you ever did," laughed the mayor. "The fact is, +young man, that is not domestic chicken at all. It is the flesh of the +brush-turkey, a wild fowl which the bushmen or blackfellows bring in +here to market. It is a great delicacy." + +"I have read of these bushmen," said Bob. "Are they quite wild?" + +"Indeed they are," the mayor replied. "The blackfellow is, I believe, +on the lowest rung of civilization. He is unlike the negro, the Malay, +the Mongolian, and the American Indian, in many ways. If you could +stay a few days, I would be glad to take you back in the bush and show +you a few specimens in their native state. They have a long skull, +with a low, flat forehead, Their brows overhang deep-set, keen eyes, +and they have a heavy lower jaw, with teeth as strong as a dog's. +Their hair is generally wavy or curly, being usually auburn or black in +color. As a rule their faces are almost hidden by beards and whiskers, +which they never comb and which, like the hair on top of their heads, +are always in a beautiful tangle." + +"How do they dress, sir?" asked Paul. + +This brought another laugh from Mr. Bailey. "That doesn't worry them +in the least!" he declared. "Most bushmen are covered from head to +foot with hair, and I imagine they think this is a good enough uniform, +for they wear nothing except what nature gave them. In bad weather, +however, they do add some artificial protection to their tough bodies +by making a rough wrap out of the skin of a kangaroo or a piece of +flexible bark. Some tribes use rushes and seaweed for this purpose, +while others make a blanket from the dried frog scum of the swamps and +ponds. For boats, pieces of eucalyptus bark, folded and tied at the +ends and daubed with clay, suit them very well. They are too lazy to +dig out the trunk of a tree for a canoe, like the natives of most other +countries." + +"Do these blackfellows live in huts?" asked John. + +"That's where their laziness manifests itself again," said the mayor, +smiling. "The blackfellow has no permanent dwelling. His shelter is a +cave or overhanging rock, as an animal might select one; sometimes it +is only a large section of bark which he tears from a tree, and under +which he walks or squats in storms or lies at night." + +"Back in the States," remarked Tom, "we hear much about the skill of +these fellows with the boomerang. I dare say a lot of these stories +are overdone." + +"Possibly," said their host, "and yet it is a fact that these natives +are undoubtedly more adept at casting various forms of wooden +implements than any other people in the world. Their very indolence +leads them to adopt all sorts of easy-made weapons, and wood is surely +one of the most common materials for the purpose one could find. Clubs +of all kinds are hurled at prey or human enemies. Among these the +boomerang is a favorite. They have several forms. One type is very +light, round on one side and flat on the other, and slightly twisted on +its axis. It is used almost entirely for play, though sometimes to +hurl at flocks of birds in the sky. The war and hunting boomerangs are +much heavier; they are bent differently, and do not return to the +thrower, but are a deadly weapon in the hands of these bushmen at +ranges up to four hundred feet. But stone-pointed spears are their +chief weapons." + +"With this skill I presume they have no trouble in securing enough to +eat," suggested Paul, sipping his cocoa. + +"On the contrary, there are times when weather conditions, such as +drouth, make it a very difficult matter for some tribes to get +sufficient food. Then they will turn to human flesh, and will eat men +who have fallen to their weapons, or their own tribesmen who have +succumbed to disease or hunger. Even infants are sometimes killed and +eaten by their parents." + +"Horrible!" cried the flyers. This seemed almost incredible, with +civilization in abundance so near. + +"I agree with you," said Mr. Bailey, failing to notice his wife holding +up a protesting finger toward him. "Of course the blackfellow prefers +to have other foods when he can get them. The kangaroo, wallaby, and +opossum, form his chief food supply, but no animal or nourishing plant +is neglected. He even eats ants, caterpillars, moths, beetles, grubs, +snakes, lizards, often uncooked----" + +At that point Mr. Bailey felt a sharp twist of his ear, and looking up, +found his wife gazing at him with a very severe expression. + +"Thomas Bailey! You are a cannibal yourself! Where is your sense of +propriety? Have you lost your head in your interest in this subject? +Don't you know you are _eating_?--that you have guests here who are +also _eating_?" + +"My! my! Goodness gracious!" ejaculated their host, in a great fuss. +"Young men, I was not thinking. Will you ever pardon me for this +transgression of etiquette?" + +The flyers smilingly hastened to assure both their friends that they +had not lost their appetites in the least; that they really had enjoyed +every morsel of food and information passed out. They remained to chat +long enough to convince the lady and gentleman of this fact, and then +took their departure. They had actually spent a most entertaining +hour, one which they would not have missed for a good deal. + +At eight-fifty local time the Sky-Bird took off for her long hop to +Apia, principal city of Upolu, an island of the Samoan group. It was +the beginning of their long flight across the big Pacific, an ocean so +wide, so fraught with perils, that no aircraft had ever before +attempted to negotiate it. Some eight thousand miles away over those +great waters lay Panama, their goal. Would they reach it ahead of +their rivals? Would they reach it within their schedule of ten days? + +To these two queries in their minds, our stout-hearted, young friends +answered doggedly and determinedly, "Yes!" Fortune might frown upon +them, it is true; but if so they would face her smilingly, with +confidence, with that pertinacity for which Americans are famous, and +try to make her look pleasant, too! They felt that they must win; that +they would win. And yet they left Port Darwin handicapped by being +fully three hours behind their rivals. + +As they wheeled over the town they waved a last farewell to the +hundreds below, whose forms they could just make out in the +fast-gathering darkness. Then, turning off straight east, they flew +over the dark-green canopy of eucalyptus forests of fertile Arnhem +Land, and crossed the Gulf of Carpentaria in the full darkness of the +night. When they passed over Cape York peninsula, Tom was at the +throttle, and the younger boys had been asleep for a number of hours. +They had now left the whole continent of Australia behind them, and +were facing the broad wastes of the Pacific. + +Their perils had begun in earnest. Should anything happen to cause +them to be forced down, there was nothing but a vast basin of water +miles deep to catch them, and there would not be one chance in a +thousand that they would survive. This, surely, was no place and no +time for engines to fail or steering apparatus to go wrong. Yet each +flyer was ready for such a mishap--attested by the mute evidence of an +inflated rubber tube about his waist. Even Bob and Paul slumbered on +the airy contrivances. + +Fortunately the weather was ideal. It is true that headwinds blew +mildly and insistently, causing some bumpiness, but the night was calm +and starry, and with the engine running close to full-out, they saw +that they were making up lost time very fast. + +When morning broke, and Paul took the throttle, fair skies looked down +upon their skimming bird, and the sea was bathed in brilliant sunshine. +Bob wirelessed Sydney their position about noon. He made no attempt to +get Apia, because he knew there was no telegraph or radio station there. + +Flying low, early in the afternoon they passed close enough to the +Vanikord islands to see hordes of natives watching them from the coral +shores. Numerous smaller islets, gems set in the ultramarine blue of +the sea, were also passed within the next hour. Gulls, ospreys, and +other swift-winged seabirds sailed about these pretty outcroppings of +the mighty deep, and sometimes the creatures came after the Sky-Bird +with shrill cries of challenge, only to be quickly left behind. + +Once more the shades of night fell, and once more John took the +destinies of the airplane in hand. For a time Bob and Paul worked on +reports, then played with Grandpa, who in such tedious spells of flying +as this was a never-ending source of entertainment to all. Nine +o'clock found them in their hammocks, hoping that when they opened +their eyes again it would be to see the welcome shores of their +destination. + +Nor in this hope were they to be disappointed. It seemed they had no +sooner fallen asleep than they were aroused by a hand shaking them and +the voice of John saying: "Come on, you sleepy-heads! Rout out here +and have a look at what's ahead!" + +Having their clothes still on--so that they might be ready for an +emergency at any time of the night--the two chums were up to the +windows about as soon as John himself. The latter had raised two of +these a short time before, and the boys shoved their heads through to +take a look. + +It was broad day. Light, fleecy clouds covered the heavens to the +southeast, but in the blue between a huge rift the sun shone down +benignly. And in its bright rays they could count nine islands and +islets, sprinkled here and there like emeralds in a sparkling sheet of +mother-of-pearl. It needed only a glance at the chart to tell them +that these were the Samoan group, and a little searching also told them +that the nearest large one was Upolu. + +In less than another hour they were circling above the beautiful island +of their choice, directly over the little town of Apia, which nestled +in the center of a luxuriant forest of palms and other tropical trees. +A number of boats and sailing vessels were in the harbor, and on board +these as well as on the ground hundreds of people were looking up aloft +and waving a welcome. + +Now our flyers saw what they really were most concerned about--a T made +of white stones in an open spot by the beach. And in that field they +also saw something else they were very glad to witness. This was the +airplane of their rivals. + +They had caught up with them at last! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +PAUL VERSUS PETE + +There was a wild scamper of natives as our flyers came down upon the +smooth, hard sands of the beach. In this operation they had to use the +utmost care to avoid striking the machine of their contemporaries, but +it was accomplished without mishap, and the Sky-Bird came to a stop +about seventy feet from the _Clarion_. + +They were immediately surrounded, at a very respectable distance, +by a cordon of Samoans. These were splendid-looking fellows. +Their dusky bodies were strong and stalwart, and their faces were +intelligent-looking. It was plain to be seen that they had not the +slightest hostile intentions toward the aviators. On the contrary +their features expressed clear friendliness, although it was obvious +that their experience with the _Clarion_ was still too fresh to +eradicate their natural timidity of such a strange thing as an airplane. + +Our friends were very stiff and cramped from their long ride from Port +Darwin. It seemed so good now to be able to stretch their limbs, to +feel solid ground once more under their feet, and to see the blue sky +all around their heads! + +The morning was hot, but a cool breeze blew inshore, giving a +delightful freshness to the air. Near at hand were rows of native +huts, made of poles and bark, and back of these loomed fine groves of +cocoanut trees and other tropical vegetation in the richest profusion. +Even the elevations of this volcanic island had their barrenness +alleviated by growths of greenery which seemed entirely to cover them. + +No sooner had the boys sprung out of the machine than three white men +approached them. These introduced themselves as Mr. Plusson, in charge +of the local mission; Mr. Hart, a British trader; and Mr. Shoreman, the +American trader who had been engaged to look after their fuel at this +airport. These gentlemen expressed the liveliest cordiality in their +welcome, and Mr. Plusson plead so hard for them to accompany him to his +home and join him and his wife at breakfast that they consented. + +They learned that their rivals had arrived about twenty minutes before. +Ever since the dastardly attempt of Pete Deveaux and his crowd to wreck +the Sky-Bird in the Indian Ocean, our flyers had been greatly incensed +at them, or rather at Pete Deveaux himself, for they had no doubt but +that it was he who had instigated the attack. Paul Ross was +particularly inflamed at the French aviator's act, and had more than +once declared since, that the first time they met Deveaux again he was +going to thrash him until he begged for mercy. This was rather a bold +statement for Paul to make, since he was but a youth of eighteen while +Pete Deveaux must have been close to thirty; but the lad was strong and +skillful with his fists, in addition to which his resentment was just. +When justice is on one's side it goes a long way toward giving that +person staying powers in any contest against wrong. + +For these reasons, when Paul now declared that he could not bear to +wait another minute before taking Pete Deveaux to account, his chums +made no attempt to dissuade him, except in the matter of time. John +pulled him aside, so that explanations would not have to be made to +their new acquaintances, and asked him to defer the matter until after +they should have had breakfast, to which Paul reluctantly agreed. + +When they once more reached the field, it was to see their rivals also +just arriving. Without further ado, Paul walked straight up to Pete +Deveaux and said; "Deveaux, why did you drop those rocks down on us +back there when we were overhauling you between Colombo and Singapore?" + +The Frenchman's face paled visibly. He did not like the look in Paul's +eye, nor the stern countenances of his friends. But he hoped to bluff +his way through. + +"Why accuse me of anything like this?" said he, trying to look +surprised and hurt. "We had nothing to do with those stones falling. +Their weight broke the catch off of the glass trap, and they went +through before we could stop them; didn't they, guys?" He turned to +his three flyers for support. + +Crossman, Torrey, and Lane nodded their heads. + +"Sure," averred Crossman. + +"What did you have those stones on board for?" demanded John. + +The _Clarion_ men were silent. Their leader was the first to reply. + +"We got some kola nuts from the natives at one of our stops, and wanted +the stones to crack them with," stated Deveaux. + +"It's a lie!" accused Paul. "Stones do not accidentally fall as +straight as those did. Pete Deveaux, you and your crowd did the best +you could to wreck us, and I'm going to take it out of your hide right +now!" + +"Oh, you are, are you?" sneered the French aviator. "It seems to me +I'll have something to say about that, you young whippersnapper! If +these friends of yours will keep out of this, I'll promise my boys will +keep out, and I'll give you all the show you want." + +"Fair play; that's right!" cried Mr. Shoreman, stepping forward. He +had heard enough to convince him that nothing but a fistic settlement +of the controversy would be adequate, and, with the help of several +white traders and sailors, he formed a ring. + +Like lightning the word went out, and scores of natives came running up +to see the encounter. An affair of this kind just suited their +primitive instincts; it was even a greater treat than seeing an +airplane land upon their fair island. + +So by the time that Paul and Pete Deveaux had thrown off their coats, a +great ring of natives surrounded them, and in its front were numerous +whites from the ships in the harbor. + +Pete Deveaux was inwardly very nervous, although he was careful not to +show it. Had Paul not been so much younger, Deveaux would probably +have made some excuse to back out of the fight. As it was, he had a +sneaking hope of getting the better of Paul, now that the youth's +friends had agreed not to interfere. He also hoped to injure the boy +so badly in the encounter that he could not take his turn operating the +Sky-Bird for the rest of the journey; at least, cripple him enough to +delay his party in getting away from the island. + +With these evil intents the French flyer conceived still another. He +stepped aside and whispered something in Chuck Crossman's ear, then +came back and faced Paul. + +Mr. Shoreman gave the signal, and Pete Deveaux feinted and shot his +other fist savagely at Paul's eye. But the boy was wary, dodged the +blow, and struck his adversary a hard one in the chest. For a moment +Deveaux was staggered; but he quickly recovered, and once more sprang +forward. + +Missing with his right, he succeeded in hitting Paul in the shoulder +with his left. Wheeling like a flash, Paul shot out a fist before the +Frenchman could recover his guard, and struck him a smash under the ear +which sent him reeling back into his friends. + +Pete Deveaux was now thoroughly alarmed. He had not expected such +science, nor such force, on the part of his opponent. He approached +Paul with much more caution, amid the howls of the natives, and decided +to let him take the offensive. + +Paul was willing. Encouraged by his success thus far, and bent upon +ending the fracas as soon as possible, he met his adversary with a +heavy swing which just cleared the man's ear. Deveaux struck, but +missed also. Pressed backward, he clinched to save himself, and in +this position, where nobody could see his movements, he viciously tried +to put some short jabs into Paul's abdomen. + +Fortunately for himself Paul succeeded in breaking away before he was +doubled up by the blows, one of which had landed with sufficient power +to make him utter an involuntary smothered exclamation of pain. + +"No more of that, Mr. Deveaux!" warned the referee suspiciously, as +Paul shoved his opponent back. "Keep out of the clinches! Fight fair!" + +"Fair! Fair!" yelled the sailors; and the natives took up the cry in +their own language. + +Paul now advanced, and Pete Deveaux retreated. The latter was really +frightened. Something was beginning to tell him that in this youth of +eighteen he had met his superior. + +"I think we'd better quit, Ross, before we hurt each other," suggested +the French flyer cravenly. "This flight business of ours won't stand +such delays as this. We can have this out when we land in Panama." + +"No, we can't have it out in Panama!" cried Paul. "Stand up if you're +a man and settle this thing right now. Watch out; I'm coming!" + +By this time Pete Deveaux had retreated to the lower end of the +improvised ring. He saw that he was cornered; that he must fight once +more. Lunging forward like a trapped rat, he struck a wicked blow for +his opponent's head. + +Paul parried it, and as swift as a stroke of lightning his right hand +streaked out and caught Deveaux under the jaw. The Frenchman reeled +backward a few steps, and toppled over, full length upon the ground. +What a cry went up from the onlookers! By this time the sympathies of +every one, except Deveaux's own comrades, were with the youth. No one, +even a half-civilized savage, at heart likes a coward. + +For a few moments Pete Deveaux was dazed. But after his cronies had +helped him to his feet, and started away with him, he still had enough +spite left to shout back, as he shook a fist: "We're not done with you +fellows yet!" + +Paul was now the recipient of congratulations from all sides. +Everybody wished to slap him on the shoulder or shake hands with him, +it seemed, and the native populace gave him so many cocoanuts, bananas, +and pineapples that he was literally hemmed in with fruit, and John, +Bob, and Tom had to open up a pathway before he could get out of his +sweet-smelling barricade. + +Our flyers put as much of the gifts in the cabin of the Sky-Bird as +they could find room for, including an abundance of nuts for the happy +Grandpa, and then they turned their attention to the pressing business +of overhauling the engines and storing fuel. + +While they were thus engaged, the _Clarion's_ motor was heard to start; +and a few moments later she arose and took off to sea. + +"Humph!" ejaculated Tom, "those fellows have beat us to it again." + +"They ought to; didn't they arrive ahead of us?" asked Tom. + +"We'll be out of here in fifteen minutes more," stated John. + +But the words were no more than out of his mouth when Paul, who had +been inspecting the rear end of the machine came dashing excitedly +forward, crying: + +"Fellows, hob is to pay! Those rascals have cut the wire braces that +support the tail-skid, and it's lopping away over!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +A MIX-UP IN DATES + +Paul's announcement threw his friends into a state of consternation. +As they viewed the wire braces, neatly cut with a pair of nippers, they +recalled Pete Deveaux's act of whispering in the ear of one of his +party just preceding the recent fight, and realized now its full +import. This fellow had slunk out of the crowd, slipped over to the +unguarded airplane, and performed the unprincipled trick without any +risk of being caught at it. + +Since there was no chance for immediate redress from the guilty party, +who were almost out of sight to the eastward, all our flyers could do +was to bend every effort to make repairs as fast as possible. After +considerable skirmishing around, they managed to secure some wire from +one of the vessels in the harbor. The severed strands were then +removed and new pieces cut to length. + +It was found that the weight of the machine upon the unsupported skid, +had cracked the skid past repair; so they had to whittle out another +from some tough wood, which the natives brought them from the nearby +forest, before they could connect the new wires and were ready to start. + +Finally they took off at a few minutes past noon, more than three hours +behind their rivals. It was disheartening, to say the least--all the +more so on account of the fact that their delay had again been caused +by the sinister acts of the other crew. They made up their minds that +if they should meet Pete Deveaux and his crowd at another stop, +something worse than a single fistic encounter would take place! + +As they soared away toward Nukahiva, with Upolu growing constantly +dimmer, John, who had been studying the schedule, turned to his +companions and asked: + +"Do any of you fellows know what date this is?" + +"Let's see," mused Bob, at the throttle; "we left Port Darwin the +evening of the 26th; the evening of the 27th we were still at sea, and +the next morning--the 28th--" + +"You're ahead of time just one day," laughed John. "This is the 27th +of the month." + +"How do you make that out?" asked Bob. "Didn't we leave Port Darwin on +the 26th?" + +"Yes," admitted John. + +"And the following evening we were at sea?' + +"Granted. That was last evening--the 27th." + +"Then any dunce can see that to-day is the 28th," said Bob witheringly. + +"That's what I say, too," supported Paul. + +But John only laughed harder, and this time Tom joined him. + +"John's right," said Tom; "to-day is the 27th." + +"It _can't_ be," protested Bob. "You own up that yesterday was the +27th, don't you?" + +"I certainly do," chuckled John; "but you forget one thing, young man: +that same evening, all in a moment's time, we crossed the One Hundred +and Eightieth Meridian--the date-line of the world--and while it was +Thursday, the 27th on the west side of this line, it became Wednesday, +the 26th the instant we crossed over to the east side." + +"Oh, sure!" exclaimed Bob and Paul, feeling very silly. And the latter +added: "That's where we gain a day in our lives--and to think that Bob +and I were asleep at that auspicious moment!" + +"I know an old maid who swears she is fifteen years younger than she +really looks," commented Tom. "I think she must have done a lot of +globe trotting, and always east!" + +"There's no danger of the fair sex ever circling the globe in a +westerly direction," laughed John, "for that would make them one day +older every time." + +The day could not have been better. Hardly a cloud was to be seen on +the horizon, and the regular trade-winds blowing westward were soft and +steady, and they were making excellent time. + +Grandpa frisked about, perching on this object and that, and +occasionally running back into some secret nook where he had hidden his +supply of nuts. With one of these in his paw he would jump up on +something, crack it in his powerful small jaws, and look very wise and +serious as he picked out the meats with his slim fingers. + +Finally the monkey had his fill, and hopped up into Tom's lap. He +began to play with Tom's hair, smoothing it down pretty soon with the +flyer's comb, which he discovered in a pocket. So handy was Grandpa +with this utensil that the others went into peals of laughter. Tiring +of this, the monkey's eye caught sight of several freckles upon the +back of Tom's hand. He tried in vain to pick the freckles off; then he +became excited, for he could not understand why they would not lift up. +He chattered scoldingly at everybody; then tried again. Failing, he +sprang down and went to a far corner, in a fine sulk. Evidently he +thought Tom was playing a trick on him, and had glued the freckles down +someway just to tease him; for Tom, it must be admitted, was greatly +given to bothering Grandpa in some such manner. + +Shortly before ten o'clock the following morning all hands were up to +take a look at their next stopping-off place--Nukahiva, the main island +of the Marquesas group, the place where they hoped to find a supply of +helium-gas awaiting them. + +A fine island this--as fine a volcanic upheaval as one will find +anywhere. Sheer walls of cloud-capped rock 6,000 feet high, some +literally overhanging the crystal-clear water, and all embossed and +engraved with strangely patterned basalt. There are pillars, +battlements, and turrets; so that, with half-closed eyes, it seems you +are approaching a temple, a medieval castle, or a mosque of the East. +And the valleys--deep, choked with the most rampant growths of +luxuriant vegetation, in the heart of which silvery streams gurgle +their way tortuously along--fade away into mysterious purple mists. +Small wonder that this gorgeously beautiful island should have been the +home for a century of one of the finest races of primitive people the +world has ever known! Sad indeed is it that to-day the Marquesans are +rapidly dying off from consumption and fever introduced into their fair +domain by civilization itself. + +Nestling in a good-sized valley near the harbor our flyers saw scores +of native houses, as they drew nearer. These were constructed of +yellow bamboo, tastefully twisted together in a kind of wickerwork, and +thatched with the long tapering leaves of the palmetto. Here, too, was +the big white T of their hopes. + +In a short time they had safely landed, one hour behind schedule. +Their rivals had left an hour and ten minutes before. But joy of joys! +here were four tanks of helium, and with a filling of this they would +show those fellows how to fly! + +As fast as they could work, our friends overhauled their machine and +put it in shape for the long trip to San Christobal. They would have +given almost anything to have joined the many natives they saw swimming +in the cool waters of the harbor, but felt that they could not afford +to waste a single minute. + +At twelve-thirty, with the sun at its zenith, they once more took to +the air. This was Thursday. By Friday evening they should be at the +Gallapagos Islands--their last stop before Panama. What a cheering +thought it was! + +Heading just a trifle north of east, they ran almost full-out. It was +easy to note the difference in the behavior of the Sky-Bird since her +helium tanks had been fully charged. She sped along as she had in the +very beginning of their journey--like a long bullet fired from some +gigantic cannon. How the engine did sing! The wind rushed by them +like a hurricane, and they had to shout in order to be heard when they +had anything to say to each other. + +Satisfied that all was going right, Tom and John soon turned in, for +they were very sleepy. When the operating crew awoke them it was dark. +Bob then got into wireless communication with Panama, and delivered a +message for Mr. Giddings. Following this, he and Paul also took to the +hammocks. + +When the two youths awoke it was morning, and the Sky-Bird was not +behaving as well as when they had retired. Looking outside they saw +the reason for this. The entire heavens ahead were hidden under +dun-colored clouds which in places seemed to be gathering themselves +together into formidable leaden arrangement. The gentle trade-winds +had developed into a stiff wind. Down below, the sea was covered with +whitecaps, while in the distance the water was swinging into immense +swells with foaming crests. + +John and Tom both looked worried. The two younger boys felt more +uneasy when they noticed this. + +"I guess we're in for a pretty hard storm," said John, as he gave the +throttle up to Paul. "Tom and I will stay up a while and see how +things turn out. The Sky-Bird's down to about a hundred an hour now. +Better keep her there, Buddy. That's fast enough in a blow like this." + +A few minutes later a fork of lightning split the sky ahead. This was +followed by another off to the right, then by one off to the left. +Then they heard the rumble of thunder, and a heavy gray haze slowly +began to engulf the sea, rapidly approaching. + +"That's rain," cried Paul. "Say, John, if you're not too done out +maybe you had better take the stick again; I'm afraid I won't be equal +to what's coming." + +His brother complied. John did not wish to frighten his comrades, but +the truth is he knew this would be the worst storm he had ever faced in +his four years of flying. + +"We'll try to get above those clouds," he said quietly. He did not +like to tell them just what he thought--that if they did not get above +the clouds without delay they would either be struck by lightning or +torn to pieces by the terrible whirlpool of winds which he knew those +churning black masses ahead contained. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +A FLYING RESCUE + +John turned the Sky-Bird upward at as stiff a slant as he felt would be +safe for them in that high wind. At nine thousand feet they emerged +above the first layer; but eastward the clouds appeared to terrace up +gradually, and in the distance there extended another great wall, +towering several thousand feet higher. + +Some of the rain was now beginning to reach them. It came pattering +down upon the roof; and under the strong impulse of wind and their +speed, it struck the glass windows in front with a smack like buckshot. +The moisture on the panes made it difficult to see out. + +"Take a reading with the anemometer, Tom," ordered John, straining his +eyes hard ahead. + +This little instrument was something like a miniature windmill. Its +four wings were supplied with cups which, as Tom held the instrument +out of the window facing the wind, caused the spider to revolve. The +latter was geared to a small dial, over the face of which passed a +hand, much like a clock, indicating the speed of the wind. + +"She's blowing fifty miles an hour, and gaining every minute," +announced Tom. "That's the hardest wind we've been in yet." + +"If we stay down here it will be blowing sixty within ten minutes," was +the pilot's grim response. + +Just then there was a blinding flash of light a little way ahead of +them, accompanied by such a terrific crash of thunder that their ears +rang. + +"Gee!" cried Bob, "that was a close call! I'll bet that bolt came +within a rod of striking us." + +"A miss is as good as a mile," shouted John cheerfully. He and the +others found that they would have to yell in order to be heard, so +great was the noise from engine and storm. + +_Zip!_ went a zigzagging livid streak across their range of vision. It +seemed to be running straight for them, and instinctively they +dodged--all but Tom and John. These old veterans continued to gaze +coolly straight ahead as though nothing had happened. _Crash-h!_ went +a clap of thunder. It seemed as if the whole heavens were being turned +topsy-turvy. Even the airplane, usually so steady, heaved and rode +like a rocking-horse. + +The two younger members of the party were not to be blamed for feeling +pretty well frightened by this time. It was one thing to be cutting +through the fleecy white clouds of a calm day, and quite another to go +stabbing through murky black ones which were rolling angrily, ejecting +both wind and rain, and spitting out vicious roars and jagged streaks +of pale-blue flame. One moment they would be in gloom; the next +instant a cloud would be rent asunder with a ripping, tearing sound, +and the whole turbid, boiling sky-universe would be bathed in the +ghostly light. What a weird, fantastic, chaotic world they were in! + +But it was only for a few minutes that they were in the worst danger. +Soon, to their infinite relief, they had reached their "ceiling." They +were now 15,000 feet up--almost three miles,--and below them lay the +vast sea of troubled cloudland, dark and forbidding, rolling +tumultuously like an ocean of curdled ink. It was a novel experience +to be running in the clear air over all of this infernality of sounds +and sights, while above them the blue, star-studded heavens looked down +upon them calmly and peaceably. + +For almost an hour the furious storm continued in the lower regions. +Then it began slowly to subside. First the lightning stopped, then the +thunder. The banks of clouds took on a lighter hue, and began to drift +apart; a pinnacle here and a crag there were swept off by the winds, +until the masses of nimbus became flattened out into patches of +sun-flecked foam as beautiful as fresh-fallen snow. + +The anemometer spun slower and slower as the gale decreased in +violence, and presently the airplane was gliding along with its normal +smoothness. Here and there, between the patches of white cloud, they +caught glimpses of the ultramarine sea, thousands of feet below them. + +It was so cold up here, even with the windows closed, that all the boys +were shivering in their warmest wraps. The air, too, was so rarefied +that it was with considerable difficulty that they could breathe, for +they had been in it for some time. Not one flyer in a hundred can live +at an altitude of twenty thousand feet, as he bleeds at the nose and +mouth; and our aviators were up to within five thousand feet of that +height. It was now time to descend. + +John shut off both engines, and they began to volplane down in a great +stillness, sailing like an immense hawk. Lower and lower they +went--fourteen, thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten thousand feet. Now they +were gliding through clear, thin air; now cutting a hole through a +heavy cloud so impregnated with moisture that it sweat over the glass +and the boys would have to wipe a sleeve across hastily to improve the +vision. Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two! + +That was low enough. All this time the propeller had been spinning +from the rush of air alone. Now John threw in the clutch; the +revolving propeller shaft grabbed the crankshaft of the engine, and +once more it began its rhythmic purr. Just a little upthrust of the +tail-elevators and ailerons brought them again into the horizontal in a +huge swoop. Nothing could have been prettier. They had escaped the +terrible tornado, leaving it still galloping westward far behind them, +and were once more in normal position for continuing their flight +toward the goal! + +Below them, for miles around, they could once more see the ocean +uninterruptedly. Its mountainous waves and deep gorges of a short time +previous had probably swallowed up many an unlucky ship that morning; +but its temper was expended, and all it could do now was to sulk in +long, even billows which every moment became flatter and flatter. + +How had their rivals fared? This question was in the minds of every +one of our flyers as the Sky-Bird continued swiftly on her course. In +their hearts was a vague feeling that perhaps Pete Deveaux and his +crowd might not have come out of the storm as lucky as they, for not +one airplane out of a score could have outlived it. Their own escape +had been almost miraculous. But for the good generalship of John they +surely would have met with mishap. + +So now, as they went along, a sharp lookout was not only kept for their +rivals in the sky ahead, but anxious looks were cast over the expanse +of white-capped waters. Calculations told them that by this time the +other airplane could not be far ahead. + +Less than ten minutes later, Tom espied a small object far away on +their port quarter. It was bobbing about on the waves, rising and +falling. Bob seized a pair of glasses, and took a long look. He +turned around with his face full of excitement. + +"Heavens, fellows!" he cried; "that object looks like an airplane!" + +All took a look. Then they, too, were excited, There could be no doubt +about it--the object was a wrecked airplane. And as it was extremely +unlikely that there were other machines in the vicinity than their own +and that of their adversaries', they were quite sure that it must be +the remains of the _Clarion_. + +John turned the Sky-Bird in the direction of the floating thing, and +soon they saw what seemed to be the form of a human being clinging to +one of the wings. John threw in both engines in an effort to get all +possible speed out of the craft. + +In a little while they were close enough to see that the wreck was +really the _Clarion_. But what a sad-looking sight was the former +handsome craft! Her tail had been wrenched off, and only half of one +of her long wings could be seen. Out upon the other, on hands and +knees, clinging desperately to the aileron brace, was the hatless, +water-soaked figure of a man. As they came closer still they could see +him waving his hand frantically at them. + +With a glass, Paul saw that this person was Oliver Torrey. Anxiously +his eyes roved over the wreck in quest of other survivors, but none +could he discern. Irony of fate! had all of the others been drowned? + +John brought the Sky-Bird down to within seventy-five feet of the sea +as they approached. Tom seized the speaking trumpet, and as they swept +over the _Clarion_ he bawled out: "Hang on, Torrey! We'll stand by, +and save you if we can!" + +But they were facing a herculean task, and realized it. They could not +light upon the water. Nor could they stop in midair. How in the world +could they effect the hapless flyer's rescue? + +John circled at reduced speed while all of their minds were busy trying +to work out the problem. In the meantime Torrey's frantic pleadings +for them not to go away and leave him to his fate filled their ears. +It was a trying, nerve-racking situation. + +Bob Giddings struck upon the first idea. + +"Why can't we trail a rope for him to catch?" he asked. + +"He's probably too weak to climb a rope," objected Tom. + +"I'll tell you what we can do," said Paul, with a happy thought. "We +can take this coil of rope we have here and make a narrow ladder of it! +That will be easy for him to catch, and easy to climb." + +All agreed instantly that this was the only hope of rescue. So John +kept the Sky-Bird slowly wheeling, while his three mates cut and tied +until they had formed a narrow rope ladder about fifty feet long. One +end of this they securely fastened in the cabin, while they let the +other drop down through the glass trap in the floor. + +To their dismay the rush of wind carried the light ladder out so +horizontally behind that they saw they could never get low enough with +safety for Oliver Torrey to reach it! What could they do now? It +seemed they were destined to failure; that Torrey must be left to the +cruel and hungry waves. + +"I have it!" cried Bob. "We'll fasten Grandpa near the lower end of +the ladder. His weight will be sufficient to keep it down straight." + +This was a splendid scheme, surely. Accordingly, the monkey, wondering +what new form of teasing was about to be imposed upon him, was fastened +about three feet from the bottom end of the ladder, and Grandpa and his +strange trapeze was then slowly let down until all of the ladder had +been paid out. The crew were glad to note that it now hung almost +perpendicularly. + +Now the success of everything depended upon John. He must be skillful +enough to bring the ladder across Torrey's position in just the right +place for the flyer to grasp it as it swept past. + +They shouted to the man below to stand up if he could, and +comprehending in an instant his part of the program, he struggled to +his feet, spreading them wide apart to brace himself, for the wrecked +airplane was rocking somewhat from the action of the waves. + +The first time John brought the Sky-Bird by he was too high; Torrey +could not reach the ladder. The second time a sudden gust of wind blew +the ropes too far to one side at the critical moment. The third time +the machine itself was a trifle too far to one side. But on the fourth +attempt success met their patient efforts; Torrey's hands seized the +bottom rung of the ladder, and a few minutes later he had climbed up +into the cabin and sunk weakly upon the floor. Paul then brought in +the ladder, laughing nervously, and released Grandpa, who had not +relished his part of the proceedings in the least, to judge from his +excited chattering, most of which was bestowed upon the rescued man. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +AN ALARMING DISCOVERY + +One of the first questions our flyers asked of Oliver Torrey, after +they had helped him remove his wet clothing, was: + +"Where are your friends?" + +The _Clarion_ flyer shook his head sadly. "They're done for--drowned. +I'm the only one left of our crew. That was an awful storm, boys! I +don't see how you ever survived it." + +"We did it by flying over the greater part of it," said Tom. "How did +it happen to get you fellows?" + +"Pete and Chuck were operating," explained Oliver Torrey. "Sam and I +both wanted to get above the tornado, but they said they thought it +wouldn't amount to much. When they saw how bad it really was, it was +too late. A whirlpool of wind struck us at three thousand feet, Pete +lost control, and we went into a nose-dive from which we never +recovered. When we struck the sea the force crushed in the front of +the cabin, stunning Pete, and before any of us could grab him the waves +had washed him out of our sight. Chuck, Sam, and I managed to get out +and climb up on the fuselage; but the seas were running so high that +half of the time we were buried in water. Coming out of one of these +deluges, I looked around and saw that I was alone. Then the storm +passed, and things looked better for me. But I was just about ready to +give up when I saw the Sky-Bird coming." + +Oliver Torrey paused a moment, wiped his haggard face, and then +continued, as he looked earnestly at his rescuers: + +"Boys, I never can thank you enough for saving my worthless life. It's +awful to think that we guys let Pete Deveaux coax us into doing all +those dirty things to hold you back. I guess we deserved this +punishment. If I ever get back to Panama I'll certainly make what +amends I can by telling the whole disgraceful story to the world." + +Tom stepped in front of the _Clarion_ flyer, and shook his finger in +his face. "Torrey," said Tom, "I think at heart you are all right; but +listen! Mr. Wrenn, who hired you fellows, is a straight man through +and through. If this story gets out it will be published broadcast, +and people will think he abetted your crimes against us. So, for his +sake----" + +"I see; I hadn't thought of that," ejaculated Torrey. "I will keep +still; as far as the public'll ever know, they'll think this was a fair +and square contest--and so it was on your part." + +It must be remembered that John and Tom had had no sleep since the day +previous. They were so tired by now, especially John, that they were +very glad to retire to the hammocks, leaving Paul and Bob to take care +of the Sky-Bird. Oliver Torrey was also exhausted, and accepted with +alacrity Paul's invitation to him to jump into the spare hammock. +Within five minutes the two youths were the only ones awake. + +It seemed good to the boys to feel that soon they would be at San +Cristobal, their last stop before the final hop. They flew along with +the throttle wide open for the next hour, eager to make up for the +delay caused by the storm and the rescue of Torrey. Then they reduced +the speed a little, to make sure they would not overheat the engine, +but still they made good time. + +Shortly before six o'clock that afternoon they sighted a blue haze +which a little later developed into a group of several islands. These +they knew, by consulting their chart, were the Gallapagos, the home of +the largest land-turtles ever known, monsters so enormous that one of +them could walk off with two half-grown boys on his broad back. + +There are over two thousand volcano cones in these islands, and soon +our friends were almost in the midst of them. On all sides and at all +distances were rugged peaks one hundred to two thousand feet high, +rising sheer from a rose-pink sea over which the declining sun played +ravishingly. Along the shores pelicans soared above the shallow +inlets, watching for unwary fish. Tiny birds darted in and out among +the cliffs. Down in the crystal depths of the sea, over shelves of +coral, vague shapes hovered and passed and repassed--sharks, dolphins, +turtles, and grunts, even the ghastly devil-fish. + +All life seemed confined to water and to air; never was dry land so +desolate-looking as those myriads of barren volcanic cones. Yet one of +these islands was peopled with human beings--San Cristobal. + +Which one was it? The easternmost of the group, said the chart. + +Circling that way. Bob gave a yelp like a pup which sees his younger +master after he has been away all day. + +"I see Dalrymple Rock!" he cried, with the binoculars to his eyes. "I +see Wreck Point, too, and a bay between 'em, with houses on the beach. +That looks like our number, all right. What more do you want, Paul?" + +"Nothing," laughed Paul,--"except our landing field. Find that, wake +up the other fellows, and I'll be satisfied." + +In a moment Bob pointed out a flat field marked with the welcome white +T, then he aroused John and Tom while Paul was bringing the Sky-Bird +down. From a rickety old pier, also from the shores where they had +gathered, a crowd of curious natives rushed forward to witness the +landing of the most startling object they had ever seen. They were a +mixture of South Americans, mostly Ecuadoreans, and not until our +friends stepped out of the cabin did they summon up enough courage to +get very close to the machine. + +Among them was the owner of the island--a good-looking young +Ecuadorean, highly educated, who was to look after their interests in +the matter of fuel,--and the chief of police (presumably "chief," +because there is only one representative of the law in the Galapagos). + +The owner of San Cristobal informed the flyers in excellent +French,--which all of them except Oliver Torrey could speak,--that he +was delighted to welcome the first airplane crew to his little domain; +that weeks ago the ship had brought gasoline and oil, which was now +awaiting their pleasure in the little nearby shanty; that he and his +police officer and the peons were eager to serve them in any way they +could; and would the brave American aviators favor him and his police +officer by joining them at the hacienda for dinner that evening? + +Our friends graciously accepted this invitation, upon finding that +their host would appoint a watch for the airplane. They then went with +him to his pretty hacienda in the valley--a green, undulating country, +dotted with grazing cattle and horses, patches of sugar-cane, coffee +bushes, and lime trees, stretching away to a cloud-capped range of +mountains. + +Situated upon a hillock, in the midst of this entrancing valley, and +surrounded by the peons' grass houses, was the owner's home. Here the +flyers partook of an excellent repast, garnished with the best the +island could afford, including tender wild duck from the surrounding +lagoons and savory turtle soup. Then followed songs by their host, and +jolly college melodies by themselves, accompanied by the sweet strains +of a guitar in the hands of the police officer. + +Out in the compound, the peons also celebrated the occasion. There +were great oil flares, thrummings of guitars, gyrating dancers in +bright-hued ponchos, merry cries, the laughing of children, the barking +of dogs. + +Everybody seemed thoroughly happy and contented. And, after all, what +else matters? That is the Ecuadorean point of view, and who shall say +it is a bad one? + +It was difficult for the boys to remind themselves that here they were +precisely on the equator, so positively chilly was it. And yet they +were. It was the third time which they had touched that imaginary +girdle of the earth in the past week or so; and it was to be their last +crossing. How inspiring the thought that they were now within one hop +of their goal; that sometime on the morrow they would probably reach +Panama well within their time limit of ten days! + +The fact is, they had only 650 miles ahead of them--a distance which +could easily be covered, barring accidents, inside of five hours, and +they had until one o'clock the following day in which to reach their +destination. When they realized this, and were pressed most +insistently by the owner of the island to spend the night, under the +shelter of his roof, where there were two spare beds, the tired, +bed-hungry flyers decided to remain over, Oliver Torrey going to the +house of the police "chief." Torrey was really in no physical +condition, as it was, to continue the flight immediately, for he had +suffered a chill as the result of his exposure, and felt very weak. + +Next morning they were up at the break of day, and at once began the +task of refilling the tanks of the Sky-Bird and giving her machinery a +general overhauling. Torrey felt much better, and assisted in these +operations. His gratitude to the boys for deciding not to divulge the +duplicity of the unfortunate crew with whom he had been connected was +very great, and he spared no effort to help them on toward +success--which goes to show that this fellow was not at all bad at +heart but had simply gotten in with a bad crowd. + +It was a good thing that the flyers went over their engines. John +found a loose coupling in one, and a stretched fan belt in the other. +Had they gone on in this condition trouble would have been sure to +visit them. It was small wonder, however, that something should not be +out of good working order, for these faithful pieces of mechanism had +been given the hardest kind of usage day in and day out, each in its +turn, and sometimes working together, in this long flight around the +earth. Their final test had been the storm. More than once the boys +had marveled at the remarkable efficiency of their motive power. What +a tribute to the mechanical genius of modern man had these engines +paid! They were almost human in intelligence, more than human in their +untiring zeal. + +The repairs were not difficult to make; the belt was cut and fastened +again with a leather lace borrowed from the police "chief's" shoe, and +the careful use of a wrench and other tools out of their kit finally +fixed the loose coupling. But these operations had consumed +unlooked-for valuable time, and when they had had breakfast with their +friends and were ready at last to go, they found that the watch of +their host indicated the hour of nine. + +Setting their own watches to this local time, as had been their custom +in all towns upon arriving or leaving, our flyers once more thanked +their entertainers for courtesies extended, wished them good-bye, and +got in their machine. + +As they taxied swiftly down the course, the rush of wind from the big +propeller sent more than one Ecuadorean's wide-brimmed hat flying from +his head, and to the enjoyment of all, a native who was perched +precariously upon an up-ended cask was blown heels-over-head backwards. + +No sooner had they straightened out upon their northeasterly course +than Bob sat down to his instruments and called up the Panama wireless +station. In about ten minutes he got it, and told of their position +and the accident to the _Clarion_. They all knew that when the news of +this catastrophe reached the American newspapers there would be the +greatest excitement, and that Mr. Wrenn would not only be grievously +disappointed but horrified at the fate of the three members of his crew. + +They now had just four hours in which to reach their goal. That meant +they must travel at an average rate of better than 160 miles an hour. +Since they had gone considerably faster than this when the occasion had +warranted it in the past, they felt no anxieties now. John, who was at +the throttle, opened the Sky-Bird up to 165, and at this gait they +skimmed swiftly along over the blue-green waters of the big Pacific. + +"This speed ought to bring us in by twelve-thirty--a good half-hour +ahead of our limit,--so there's no need of rushing matters," said John, +to which sentiment his comrades agreed. + +By eleven o'clock all were keenly on the look-out. Each flyer coveted +the honor of being the first one to see the coastline of Central +America, the resting-place of Panama. + +Paul, with the binoculars to his eyes, was the one to win. It was just +exactly 11:25 when he shouted in true mariner's style: "Land ho, my +hearties!" + +Taking the glass, one by one his comrades gladly echoed the +announcement. + +But suddenly Bob's face turned chalky. "Jiminy, fellows," he cried, +"what boneheads we are! We have been figuring on San Cristobal time +all the while. Panama's close to an hour ahead!" + +"And we've only got thirty-five minutes in which to land!" said Tom. +"Huckleberry pie! Boneheads we are! Boneheads, boneheads! I repeat +it--boneheads, boneheads! It's all off now." + +Tom actually wrung his hands in his misery, and the others felt just +about as humiliated and disgusted with themselves. + +"Here's where our prize goes a-flickering," groaned Paul. "We never +can make Panama in thirty-five minutes!" + +"I don't know about that," declared his brother grimly. "Here goes for +the effort, anyhow. I'll make the Sky-Bird fly as she has never flown +before!" + +With that he brought the throttle wide open, and two minutes later +threw the second engine into commission. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +THE FINISH + +They were not beaten yet! The wind whistled, shrieked, and roared as +it swept aft along the smooth body of the Sky-Bird. The propeller +whirred, and the engines purred like two huge twin cats. So great were +the noises combined that the voice was completely overwhelmed, and no +effort was made by the flyers to talk with one another. + +With their pulses beating wildly and hearts thumping in accord, they +watched the hazy streak on the horizon line ahead rapidly develop into +the unmistakable rugged form of land. As they drew closer, they could +even see the glint of water on the other side, and knew without the +shadow of doubt that what they were looking at was the long belt of +earth connecting the two Americas--the Isthmus of Panama itself. And +down their backs ran a new thrill at the recognition. + +Larger and larger loomed the brown and green strip in advance. +Presently, amid the checker-board of nature's colorations, they could +make out a bay and on a tongue of land a considerable collection of +buildings. It was Panama City! Five minutes later they could even +distinguish the American flag--how glorious the sight!--fluttering at +the staffhead of the courthouse, and could see the streets and ships in +the harbor thronged with people who were evidently waiting to welcome +them. + +The excitement of the throngs increased as the airplane drew closer. +People jumped up and down, yelled, and waved their hats. It had been +only a few minutes before that Bob had received the radio admonition +from the Panama station; "Town gone wild; but hurry in. You only have +six minutes left!" + +Now they were circling high over the heads of the populace, with one +engine shut off and the speed of the other much reduced. In graceful, +pretty circles the Sky-Bird began to spiral her way downward, John's +eyes fastened upon the big white T of the familiar airdrome. As they +came down, people in the outlying districts rushed madly toward the +field, and the streets everywhere were choked with the concourse +pouring toward the center of attraction. + +Scores of others had previously posted themselves in the airdrome; but +all were kept back by a cordon of ropes and a guard of Zone policemen. +Inside of the barrier were a favored few Government officials and +distinguished personages, newspaper men, photographers, and Mr. +Giddings and Mr. Wrenn themselves. Colonel Hess, the judge of the +contest, was also present, ready to receive the flyers' affidavits of +stops. + +As the flyers stepped out of their machine many a camera clicked, and +the air was filled with the cheers of the multitude. + +Colonel Hess stepped quickly up. In one hand was a watch; the other +was extended. + +"My heartiest congratulations, boys!" he exclaimed, as he received +their paper. "You have arrived just in the nick of time. Panama time, +it is now exactly fifty-nine minutes after twelve!" + +They had won by one minute! The flyers were so tickled that they also +felt like cheering. But they were sobered instantly when Mr. Wrenn +came forward and they saw how sorrowful he looked in spite of the brave +smile with which he greeted them. + +"Young men," said the publisher of the Clarion, "as the loser in this +contest I also wish to congratulate you. We have suffered a heavy blow +ourselves, but you deserve full credit for the good work you have done, +and I am not the kind of a contemporary to withhold compliments so +fairly earned. I trust my men conducted themselves as true sportsmen, +poor fellows." + +Noticing that Oliver Torrey was on the point of making reply, John gave +him a warning look, and a moment later pulled him aside and said in a +low voice: "Mr. Wrenn should not know that you fellows did not conduct +yourselves otherwise than fair in this race. That would make him feel +all the worse. Keep mum to _everybody_ about this, and we'll do the +same." + +Oliver Torrey nodded--tears in his eyes as he saw how desirous the +Sky-Bird's crew were of protecting his own interests as well as the +good name of his former associates. What fine fellows they were! How +he wished he could have been allied with them on this cruise, instead +of with Pete Deveaux and his bunch! + +The hardships and perils of the past ten days were forgotten in the +excitement of the present. Our flyers hardly knew what they were +doing, so great was their joy. They shook hands with scores, hearts +swelling with those emotions invoked by achievement and the glamor of +the moment. It was--and always will be, perhaps,--the supreme hour of +their lives. + +Almost reverently they looked over the Sky-Bird. Through every +possible climatic rigor the airplane had passed, and practically +without any attention. Not once, from the time they had left this very +airdrome until they had reached it again, after traversing close to +25,000 miles, had she been under shelter or sulked on them through +deficient construction. Given a few days to overhaul her engines, they +felt they would be quite capable of repeating their world +record-breaking achievement, if it were necessary. + +These reflections were of brief duration, however; for the crowd, +having forced its way past the barriers, and having satisfied its +curiosity over the machine, directed their attention to the flyers. +Brimming with enthusiasm, they lifted every one of them shoulder high, +laughing and cheering, and conveyed them to an extemporized platform +made from a large box. From this elevation, each flyer in his turn was +called upon for a speech. The boys made these quite brief, but were +vociferously applauded; and then the two famous publishers were asked +to contribute. Following came the governor of the Zone, who very +eloquently expressed the pride the little Republic felt in starting off +and witnessing the finish of this memorable event, and he said the keys +of Panama were at the disposal of the young aviators until they should +feel it incumbent upon them to leave for the States. + +For three days our friends remained, and during that time they were the +almost constant recipients of honors from civic clubs and associations +of the city, as well as from the English-speaking citizenry in general. +They were entertained at dinners, at the theater, and at sporting +events out-of-doors--and not a penny were they allowed to spend +themselves. + +To the aviators it all seemed like a festival snatched from the covers +of "Arabian Nights." Had genii and fairies, elfs and goblins, appeared +before them bearing gifts of gold and jewels they would hardly have +been surprised, so unreal did everything appear to their tired minds; +and tired bodies only grew more tired under the stress of the social +demands. + +Strange indeed were their feelings when, upon looking at back files of +newspapers, they read the history of their exploits, recorded with a +degree of detail which must have taxed the imaginative resources of +editorial staffs to gray hairs; and saw picture after picture taken +with their own camera and sent across many a continent in the form of +undeveloped film, now to bring before their eyes once more the realism +of the moment when they were taken. There were photographs of +themselves collectively and individually in many a place now far +distant; views of the machine at rest, and of parts of it among the +clouds and above them; two views of the fight with the condors; several +of Grandpa in various amusing positions; many pictures of foreign +places and of natives; illustrations showing the battle with the +devil-fish; storms as seen from below, and storms as seen below when +flying above them. Even pictures of the wreck of the _Clarion_, and of +Oliver Torrey climbing up the rope ladder, were not missing. + +Before the flyers left Panama, Paul received many offers to sell +Grandpa to various admirers, but no amount of money could have induced +him to part with this faithful little mascot. Oliver Torrey +particularly felt that he owed a great debt of gratitude to the monkey. + +When the party finally reached New York City, after a non-incidental +flight of one night and the major portion of a day, they were given +another ovation--one which far outrivaled in volume the one they had +received at Panama. The mayor and city officials wished to fête them, +but the boys were too exhausted to stand more of such doings; they +wished to get home as soon as possible, hide from everybody but those +in their immediate families, and just rest--rest--rest. They didn't +think they would even care to see their dear old Sky-Bird again for +several months. + +It would be hard indeed to comprehend the feelings that surged through +the flyers as they landed the airplane in the fair-grounds of their own +native town--Yonkers--and were greeted by hundreds of familiar faces +and voices, to say nothing of the hand-clasps of many old-time friends. + +But, after all, the reunion with their own relatives was the cause for +the greatest thanksgiving, as we may assume. Both Paul's and Bob's +mothers had prepared the choicest of dinners for their famous sons, and +that evening the Ross and Giddings families were the happiest and +merriest ones in town. + +Mr. Giddings and Mr. Wrenn both realized more out of the advertising +than the contest had cost them. The former met his agreement by giving +each of his flyers five thousand dollars, and his business rival did +likewise by Oliver Torrey. Later on, Bob and the Ross boys sold their +patents on the Sky-Bird to a large airplane manufacturing company for a +sum which promised to make them independent for the rest of their lives. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN DAYS*** + + +******* This file should be named 19907-8.txt or 19907-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/9/0/19907 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/19907-8.zip b/19907-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7557719 --- /dev/null +++ b/19907-8.zip diff --git a/19907.txt b/19907.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..da85726 --- /dev/null +++ b/19907.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7754 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Around the World in Ten Days, by Chelsea +Curtis Fraser + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Around the World in Ten Days + + +Author: Chelsea Curtis Fraser + + + +Release Date: November 23, 2006 [eBook #19907] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN DAYS*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN DAYS + +by + +CHELSEA CURTIS FRASER + +Author of "Work-a-Day Heroes," "Secrets of the Earth," +"Boys' Book of Battles," "Boys' Book of Sea Fights," +"The Young Citizens Own Book," etc. + + + + + + + +The World Publishing Company +Cleveland, Ohio ------ New York City + +Copyright, MCMXXII, By +The World Syndicate Publishing Company +Printed in the United States of America + + + + +PREFACE + +In the infancy of aviation, the early 1920's, +no one dreamed that the close of the decade +would see it firmly and permanently +established--a leader among the nation's industries. +Heavier-than-air flight is perhaps the most +amazing contribution of the 20th century. + +It is easy to thrill to the seeming marvels of +our own times, but only the short-sighted thinker +believes in the perfection of present scientific +progress. The 300-mile-an-hour airplane which +Fraser conceived in this book for the speed of +the Sky-Bird II was little more than so many +words when he wrote it. . . . today we have +400-mile-an-hour fighting planes. Today we have +in this country an intricate highway system, but +perhaps within your own lifetime our highways, +and the automobiles which skim over them, will +be laughed at as obsolete and useless. + +Thus it is that "the seemingly impossible of +the fiction of today becomes outdone by the facts +of tomorrow," as the author aptly phrased it. + +In 1920 the idea of going around the world in +ten days was as preposterous as that projected +by Jules Verne in 1873 when he wrote _Around +the World in Eighty Days_. But time has a way +of hurling ridicule back as effectively as a +boomerang. For we have seen and marvelled at the +shattering not only of the mythical eighty-day +record but even the ten-day record, as progress +wends its ceaseless, ambitious, difficult and +almost fantastic way through the years. + +And so it will be gratifying and, no doubt, +amazing to many to read this book and realize +the advancement made in aviation since this story +was written by Mr. Fraser, and how many of the +ideas he prophesied for airplane advancement +that have materialized in less than a score of years. + +Around-the-world flyers, even the most recent, +have all flown more or less northerly routes, not +following the equatorial belt, which is, as we all +know, the earth's greatest circumference. It is +this course that our four young heroes take in +Sky-Bird II, a plane designed and constructed +by themselves, containing many features that +aeronautics now takes for granted, and some not +yet realized, which are, nevertheless, "within the +scope of mechanical science," as Fraser says. + +So, it is our opinion, young readers, that in +addition to enjoying an exciting story, you will +benefit by carefully reading the technical +passages, and in doing so, learn to observe your +present-day surroundings with a greater +perspective--thus adding infinitely greater interest +to your view of the world today! + +THE PUBLISHERS. + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER + + I PAUL AND BOB + II THE BROTHERS' INVENTION + III THE SUCCESSFUL MODEL + IV PLANNING A BIG AIRPLANE + V AN AIR RACE FINISH AND A CHALLENGE + VI THE MISSING BLUE-PRINTS + VII WHO'S AT THE WINDOW? + VIII THE SKY-BIRD II + IX THE TEST FLIGHT + X FINAL PREPARATIONS + XI OFF FOR PANAMA + XII FIGHTING A DEVIL-FISH + XIII THE STRANGE AIRPLANE + XIV A FAMILIAR FACE + XV THE START + XVI TRICKED BY RIVALS + XVII ACROSS THE ATLANTIC + XVIII AN IRRITATING DELAY + XIX SAVED BY THE SEARCHLIGHT + XX A JUNGLE ADVENTURE + XXI THE DOUBLE LOOP + XXII ABOVE THE CLOUDS + XXIII BOMBED BY ROCKS + XXIV RIDING AN AIRPLANE'S TAIL + XXV ENGULFED IN A VOLCANO'S DUST + XXVI IN AUSTRALIA + XXVII PAUL VERSUS PETE + XXVIII A MIX-UP IN DATES + XXIX A FLYING RESCUE + XXX AN ALARMING DISCOVERY + XXXI THE FINISH + + + + +Around the World in Ten Days + + +CHAPTER I + +PAUL AND BOB + +"Did you say this big Air Derby around the world takes place this +coming summer, Bob?" + +"So dad told me at the breakfast table this morning, Paul. The plans +have just been completed. He said full details would be in to-day's +papers." + +"And the afternoon edition is out now, for there's a newsie just ahead +of us who is calling out the _Daily Independent_. That's your father's +newspaper, too." + +"It will be in there sure pop, Paul." + +"Then I'm going to get a copy right now." + +The two youths, who but a few moments before had come out of the broad +doors of the Clark Polytechnic Institute along with a noisy throng of +other students, paused when they reached the newsboy in question, and +the taller of the pair bought a newspaper which he shoved into an inner +pocket of his raincoat. + +"We'll look at this in the car on our way home; a fellow can't do any +reading in a storm like this," said the purchaser. "Let's hurry up a +bit, Bob; I'm so eager to see what it says about that Derby that I can +hardly wait to get to the station. Say, just think of it--a race +around the world by air! Won't that be great?" + +"I'll say so, Paul old boy! They ought to smash all existing records. +You know that a man named Mears made the circuit in thirty-five days +about seven years ago, and he had to depend on slow steam trains and +steamships, aided by a naphtha-launch." + +"That's true, Bob. Now that we have planes we ought to do a lot +better. But the big oceans are the trouble for aircraft. The Atlantic +has been crossed by Alcock and Brown in a Vimy-Vickers biplane, and +also by our NC-4 flying-boat under the command of Lieutenant Read, and +by the big English dirigible R-34; but the Pacific, with its greater +breadth, has seemed so impossible that it has never been attempted." + +"Why should it seem impossible?" + +"Because they can't carry sufficient gasoline to cross the Pacific." + +"But how about the islands?" + +"The majority are not level enough to permit a landing, and others are +too widely scattered. I have made quite a study of transoceanic flight +since Harry Hawker and his partner, Grieve, made their unsuccessful +attempt last spring to cross the Atlantic in a Sopwith machine, and for +my part I can't see how this proposed Derby around the world can all be +done by air, when no machine has ever yet been able to hop the Pacific." + +"Well, Paul, we'll soon be at the station out of this storm, and then +we can see what the paper says about it," was the philosophical +conclusion of his companion. + +With that they hurried on down the street, bowing their heads to ward +off the sharp sleet as much as possible, while they gripped their +school-books under their arms. They were a splendid-looking pair of +young Americans, probably about eighteen years old, and the manner in +which they swung along through the disagreeable drizzle, paying scant +attention to it as they laughed and talked, showed them to be full of +that boundless energy and gaiety of spirits which only perfect health +and participation in athletics can bestow. + +As Paul Ross and Robert Giddings approached the next corner, a young +man with umbrella held low in front of him hurried around it and ran +into a small Italian girl who was carrying a basket of fruit. She was +staggered by the collision; her basket was knocked from her arm, and +the oranges began to roll in every direction. The child broke into +tears, but the cause of her misfortune only paused long enough to say +angrily, "Confound you, you careless little beggar! Why don't you +watch where you are going?" and hurried on his way. + +"Say, Paul, did you see the way that swarthy-faced chap used that +little girl?" cried Bob indignantly. + +"I certainly did," was the no less indignant answer. "That lazy dog +ought to be horse-whipped. Let's help the child." + +Both boys fell to work with a will, rescued the escaping oranges, and +tucked them back in their owner's basket. Then, with her grateful +thanks ringing in their ears, they hurried on once more. + +After they had gone a few steps, Paul Ross observed: + +"Bob, I've seen that fellow before. That was Pete Deveaux. He used to +be an Air Mail pilot on the same run as my brother John, but was +discharged for drunkenness. Since that he has blamed John, and has +written him several threatening letters, but is too cowardly to face +him." + +By this time they had reached the West 137th Street station of the +suburban railroad which runs between the metropolis and various shore +towns along the picturesque Hudson. They were just in time to catch a +train, and found a comfortable seat in a rear coach. Then Paul brought +forth the newspaper he had purchased. What they sought was found on +the very first page, prominently displayed under a black-faced heading. + +"Read it aloud, Paul," suggested Bob, and his friend proceeded to do +so. The article was to the effect that the Aero Club of America, in +conjunction with eminent aviation associations of the kind in Europe +and Asia, had planned to stimulate interest in flying by holding an +aircraft race around the world, which would start on the morning of +July 4th. All contestants must be at least twenty-one years of age, +and furnish an entrance fee of two hundred dollars. They might use any +type of aircraft they chose, and could carry as many assistants as they +wished, even utilizing trains or steamships, if not less than +three-fourths of their journey were made by air; and they must stop at +least once in each of four continents, and cross the Atlantic and +Pacific oceans. Aside from these provisions, the selection of route +was left entirely to each contestant. Then followed an imposing list +of names of well-known flyers who, it was said, had signified their +intention of competing. The article wound up with the statement that +prizes aggregating a million dollars would be offered the winners. + +"One million dollars!" exclaimed Bob Giddings. "Paul, old man, you'd +better go in for this!" + +Paul Ross's eyes sparkled, but the next moment he laughed and shook his +head. "I surely would like to," said he, "but there are just three +little things in the way of it." + +"I suppose you need a machine for one thing?" + +"Yes--and you must admit that's a good-sized item. Second, I need two +hundred dollars to enter--something I don't happen to have, and +something I know mother can't spare in such a hazard. Third, I need +three years added to my age in order to be eligible." + +"It does look rather hopeless for you, that's a fact," admitted Bob. +"That second handicap might be overcome with my father's help, but the +other two are real obstacles." + +"It's mighty nice of you and your father, Bob, to wish to help me out +in this fashion," said Paul; "but, as you state, the other drawbacks +cannot be swept aside so easily. Perhaps later on, another 'round the +world Air Derby will be pulled off, and I shall have a chance to enter +it." + +"Well, if you do, don't forget to count me in as an assistant," +declared his friend. "Nothing would please me better than to make a +trip like that with you, Paul." + +"You certainly shall be welcome if the time ever comes. By the way, +Bob, John and I have designed a new type of monoplane in our spare +time, and for the past two months I have been busy making a three-foot +model of this. I hope to finish it in a day or two, and I want you to +go with me over to the old fair-grounds next Saturday afternoon and +give it a test flight, if you will." + +Bob Giddings was all interest at once, and plied his friend with many +questions concerning his new model, many others of which he had in +times past helped Paul fly with the keenest delight. The truth is, +Paul Ross and his brother John, the latter a pilot in the government +Air Mail service, were known all over the State of New York as makers +of the best-flying model airplanes to be found anywhere. Ever since +they were small boys in grammar school, the brothers had been +constructing miniature monoplanes, biplanes, and seaplanes, which they +had pitted against the best product of other lads in the neighborhood +and surrounding towns, without once meeting defeat. Many of these +specimens of youthful ingenuity they still preserved, suspended in +bedroom and attic, where they were a never-ending source of interest to +visitors at the Ross homestead in the outskirts of Yonkers. + +The war had called John into the aviation service of his country, but +Paul had still continued his experiments in making tiny airplanes, +getting his friend Robert Giddings, who lived in a fine house on +Shadynook Hill, to assist him in the flying. Thrown together by their +mutual love for mechanics, and being in the same classes all through +high-school, Paul and Bob had formed a strong attachment for each +other, although the latter's home was far more pretentious than the +former's, since Paul's mother was a widow in only moderately +comfortable circumstances, while Bob's father was the editor and owner +of the _Daily Independent_, one of the leading evening newspapers of +New York City. + +When John returned from the war it was with an incurable passion for +flying, and within a few months he had re-entered the service of his +country in the peaceful but dangerous work of carrying Uncle Sam's +mails between Washington and New York in a big Martin bomber. He found +that his younger brother's love for aviation had also developed, as +well as his skill in constructing and flying model airplanes. Some of +these recent ones were so novel in design and of such wonderfully +ingenious workmanship, that John, who had won unusual honors as an +aviator on the French front, was quite thunderstruck, and determined to +encourage Paul's talents in this line in every way he could. +Therefore, when the boy graduated from the Yonkers high school, and +expressed a wish to take up a special course in aeronautical +engineering at Clark Polytechnic Institute, John backed him up, and the +mother, who would have preferred a less hazardous profession for her +younger son, sighingly consented. + +Paul's chum, Robert Giddings, had also gone to Clark Polytechnic upon +leaving high school, his ambition being to become an electrical +engineer. Thus both boys continued to be thrown in daily contact. It +was their habit to go into the city to school each morning in the sedan +with Mr. Giddings; but as he left the city late in the afternoon they +usually took the train back. + +As the friends now parted, Bob Giddings' last words were: "Don't forget +to get that new model airplane done by Saturday, Paul. I'm crazy to +see it." + +"I'll be ready for you," was Paul's assurance; "but remember to keep +this under your hat. It's to be a secret test, you know." + +"Trust me," said Bob. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE BROTHERS' INVENTION + +When Paul Ross reached home that afternoon, it was to find someone +there whom he had not expected to see. A tall, broad-shouldered young +man, with a bronzed face and pleasant blue eyes, sat in the +living-room, talking to his mother. + +Paul rushed forward and joyfully grasped his brown hand. "Why, John!" +he exclaimed, "I didn't expect to find you here!" + +"Of course you didn't, Buddy," was the smiling response of the young +man, who was wont to call his younger brother by this affectionate +war-mate term. "The fact is, as I was just telling mother, two days +ago I didn't know myself that I would be anywhere at this hour except +speeding through the air between New York and Washington on my usual +mail run in my trusty old Martin-bird. As it is, Buddy, it looks now +as if neither you nor I would ever handle her controls again." There +was a note of sadness in John's voice as he said this. + +"Why, what's the matter, John?" asked Paul quickly. + +"It's this way, lad: You know I told you and mother a couple of weeks +ago, when I was here on my last regular lay-over, that Congress was +talking about cutting a big slice out of the Air Mail appropriation, in +order to reduce expenses. Well, the upshot of it all is, they made the +cut, and not having enough money to carry on the service as it has +been, the head of the Air Mail has ordered the abandonment of all +flying divisions except the main line between New York and San +Francisco. Only those pilots will be kept. So that's why I am here." + +"Won't they take you on again soon, John?" asked Mrs. Ross. + +"I fear not, mother," replied her elder son, shaking his head soberly. +"Our field-superintendent did say that he would give me the first +opening in the transcontinental line, since my records lead the bunch, +and he even offered to displace one of the boys on that route and put +me in his place, but--" + +"But you refused," interrupted Paul, with conclusive pride in his big +brother. + +John grinned. "Well, put it that way if you like, Buddy," said he; +"anyhow, as I said before, here I am. Some chap may quit or 'go +West'--you know a round dozen of the poor chaps have been killed in the +last year--and that may let me back in again. But I won't wait for it; +I'll get after some of the commercial flying companies next week and +see if I can't land a berth with them. I simply can't think of working +on the ground. I guess I should have been born a bird, mother, instead +of a human being, I love flying so much." + +"I really believe you would be safer if you were a bird, John," +asserted Mrs. Ross, with an uneasy smile. "Birds have no motors to +fail them, no fire to ignite and burn them up, as our present +airplanes. How many of your own unfortunate associates can lay their +untimely deaths to either one of these causes! It was only the last +time you were here that you were telling Paul and me about the terrible +fall Howard Smith had because his motor stopped, and how his machine +ignited, and how he was burned past recognition." + +"I know," said the veteran airman; "those things will happen at times, +mother, even with the most careful fellows. The time will come, I +think, and very soon, when stalled motors can be restarted in the air, +and when accidentally ignited fuel will burn itself out with no harm to +either the machine or its occupants. The fact is, Paul and I have some +ideas now as to how to overcome those very troubles, along with other +improvements, and the first chance we get we are going to build an +airplane along these lines and put it to the test, aren't we, Buddy?" + +"We surely are," was Paul's enthusiastic response. "One of these fine +days, mother, when we get our patents and sell them, you shall live in +as fine a home as the Giddings's over on Shadynook Hill, and when you +wish to go into the city to do any shopping, John or I will take you in +a beautiful sedan airplane which will be safer than an automobile, and +which will be guaranteed not to raise a dust or wear out tires." + +Mrs. Ross laughed heartily at the glowing picture her second son had +drawn, more because he spoke with such seriousness, and because John +too wore a matter-of-fact look during the prophecy. + +"Oh, I have some great dreamers here in this little family," she said, +as she arose to resume her household duties. "We will hope that some +of your dreams come true." + +Her sons laughed good-naturedly; then Paul turned to his brother. +"Come on down in the basement, John," he said; "I wish to show you our +latest miniature model, the Sky-Bird. Another day's work ought to +finish it." + +John followed him downstairs. In one corner of the large basement was +a good-sized workbench, lighted by two windows, and equipped with +several neatly-arranged shelves, which now held a divers collection of +chisels, bits, countersinks, etc. In a splendid oak cabinet attached +to the wall above was a more extensive array of wood- and metal-working +tools, some of which the brothers had bought with money earned at odd +jobs when they were still small boys. Since, they had added to their +set from time to time, as they needed this tool or that, until now few +professional mechanics could boast of a finer assortment. + +Suspended from a hook directly over the bench was a beautiful six-foot +model of a racy-looking monoplane of peculiar and striking design. It +was glistening in several coats of spar-varnish, and so light and +delicate was its spidery frame that, as John reached out to take it in +his hand, the exhalation of his breath set it swaying away from him. + +"My word, it's a light boy all right!" exclaimed John admiringly, as he +carefully took hold of the pretty thing. "That's just the feature +we've tried to get, too, Buddy,--lightness." He looked closely at the +long, graceful pair of wings, which were of an unusual thickness and a +slight upward thrust like those of a bird, and which widened batlike as +they ran back and joined the rear fuselage or body of the craft. "Have +you put the helium-gas in these wings yet, Paul, as we planned? I see +you have installed the valves. There's a valve in the after-fuselage, +too." + +"The wings and fuselage are both filled," said Paul; "that is what +makes the Sky-Bird so light. If you had brought more helium the last +time you were here, I could have pumped in twice the quantity, I think, +and that would have made her so light she would rise of her own accord, +I really believe. As it is, she now weighs less than a half-ounce. I +had the scales on her yesterday." + +John shared his brother's enthusiasm. "Fine!" he cried, with sparkling +eyes. "Why, that's almost a neutral condition, as she is! Buddy, if +we can apply this principle to a full-size machine--and I don't know +why we can't--we shall have solved the biggest problem facing airplane +designers to-day. With a machine weighing only a trifle more than her +load of fuel and baggage, she will not only fly a lot faster but go a +lot farther, with a given supply of fuel, than the present-day planes. +And what is more, she could attain good speed with a single engine of +reasonable power, where now many machines are handicapped with the +burdensome weight of an extra power-plant. When will she be ready to +test out?" + +"I had planned to give her a trial in the old fair-grounds Saturday +afternoon," said Paul. "I've asked Bob Giddings to go along." + +"That's all right; Bob is a fine lad," said John; "but since you have +set the trial for Saturday afternoon, and Bob's father is usually at +home at that time, why don't you ask him to view the affair also? I'm +sure he would enjoy it. He's a great sportsman, you know, like most +newspaper men, and considerably interested in aeronautics." + +"I had not thought of it; I'll do it," was the prompt response of Paul. +"But we must warn him to silence, John. Whatever happens, we don't +wish this to get into the _Daily Independent_." + +"I'd say not," rejoined the former Air Mail pilot sententiously. +"Mum's the word; we've got something here, Buddy. Unless I'm greatly +mistaken we'll be consulting with the Patent Office at Washington much +sooner than little mother anticipates." He poked Paul in the ribs as +he spoke, and both young men gave vent to a low chuckle of intense +satisfaction. It was an even greater pleasure to look forward to +surprising their mother than to astonishing the world and winning its +plaudits. + +As good an airplane mechanic and flyer as John Ross was, his younger +brother was little behind him in the matter of skill in handling a +modern machine. It had been John's habit to return to Yonkers every +two weeks for a week's lay-off, as customary with other pilots in the +Air Mail service. On these occasions he had arrived in his plane, and +during the term of his stay had often taken Paul up into the air for +pleasure flights, as well as his chum Bob Giddings. Both boys were +keen students, and it was not long before John could trust them to +operate his big Martin with every confidence. Once, indeed, he and +Paul had been caught over Long Island Sound in a bad storm, when the +latter was in the pilot's seat, but Paul had brought the craft through +like a veteran, winning his brother's unstinted praise and undying +respect. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A SUCCESSFUL MODEL + +Mr. Giddings was glad to accept the invitation to the trial flight. He +and his son met the Ross boys at the old race-course Saturday +afternoon. This immense, level field, with its one-mile oval and great +empty sheds, at one time had been the county's boasted fair-grounds, +but two years prior to the opening of our story it had been sold to Mr. +Giddings, whose residence property stretched down the side of Shadynook +Hill and joined it. New fair-grounds had then been established in +another and more centrally located section of the district. In the old +grounds the boys of the neighborhood now went to fly their kites and +model airplanes, to hold impromptu bicycle and foot races, and to play +tag and hide-and-go-seek in the cavernous sheds and around the numerous +sagging stables. + +It was late in the afternoon--just before dusk, when the winds would be +at their quietest, and others not likely to be present--that our +friends arrived at the field. There was not a soul to be seen. Paul, +who had carried his precious Sky-Bird, freed it from the wrapper and +held it up for Mr. Giddings to see. The night before he and John had +put the finishing touches to the delicate structure by adding another +coat of varnish and attaching the little rubber-tired aluminum wheels +to the axle. + +As Paul now held it up before the gaze of the great newspaper man, Mr. +Giddings made no effort to restrain his admiration. "What a little +beauty!" he cried. "Why, it's almost a perfect mechanical +representation of a bird!" + +"Isn't she a dandy, dad?" put in Bob, his eyes snapping. + +"The Sky-Bird is really more of a bird than you may think, Mr. +Giddings," declared Paul. + +"Yes," added his brother John. "As you probably know, sir, a bird gets +its great buoyancy from the fact that every bone in its body is hollow; +in flight it fills these bones with a very light gas, which is formed +by an action of its lungs in drawing in air. We have adapted this +principle in the wings and fuselage of this little machine. They are +airtight and filled with compressed helium-gas, which is +non-inflammable and nearly as light as its highly volatile rival, +hydrogen-gas." + +"Hydrogen-gas is surely a dangerous commodity around fire," said Mr. +Giddings. "I understand that when the big English dirigible R-34 came +across the Atlantic last summer she was filled with hydrogen, and that +her commander and crew all wore felt-soled shoes, so that they would +not by any chance cause a spark when they walked over her metal floors +and ladders just beneath her great bag." + +"That is true," vouched John Ross. "One little spark reaching any of +that stored hydrogen would have torn that great dirigible into +fragments in one gigantic blast." + +"We have handled recent newspaper copy containing mention of this new +gas, helium; but I must confess I am in the dark regarding its nature +and source," said Mr. Giddings. "What is it, anyway?" + +"I will refer your question to Paul here," replied John. "He is the +one who worked out this idea of using helium in an airplane and giving +it the best properties of a dirigible without any of the dirigible's +handicap of clumsiness and excessive wind resistance. He has been +studying the properties of helium in school, also the flight of birds." + +"Well, not to get into a tiresome discourse, as Professor Herron would +say, I shall make this description very rudimentary," said Paul, with a +smile. "During a total eclipse of the sun in India in 1868, Lockyer, a +British astronomer, saw in the spectroscope a bright, yellow line of +light around the sun. He called it _helium_, after the Greek word for +sun. So much for him. Twenty-seven years later an element was found +on earth in natural-gas in Kansas, which gave the same bright, yellow +light viewed through the spectrum. The people, finding it would not +burn, disgustedly let millions of barrels of this valuable element +escape into the air, before a scientist told them that it was of untold +value for balloon and airship purposes. It is thought the gas comes +from radium deposits. It has never been found in any country except +the United States, and only here in Kansas and northern Texas, where it +occurs in sands from 14,000 to 16,000 feet deep. Our government is now +securing about 50,000 cubic feet of helium per day, refusing to sell it +to foreign countries, as it is all needed here, besides which it might +be used against us in case of another war." + +While Paul had been telling this, Mr. Giddings had been busy jotting +something down in shorthand in a notebook. + +"Pardon me, Paul," he said, looking up with a smile, "but this is so +mighty interesting that, before I knew it, my old-time reportorial +instinct had gotten the best of me, and I found my pencil at work. If +you have no objection I should like to use this in the columns of the +_Daily Independent_ some time when it seems to fit in." + +"No objection at all, sir," assured Paul. + +Mr. Giddings began twirling the little twelve-inch two-bladed propeller +at the nose of the model airplane. "What do you use for power to turn +this propeller?" he asked, after admiring its perfect proportions for a +moment. "I don't see any rubber-bands, such as Robert here has always +used on his little machines." + +John deftly lifted off the thin veneer hood of the airplane, and +disclosed a very small four-cylindered rotary pneumatic engine of +bewitching simplicity and lightness, which a baby could have held out +in its pudgy palm. + +"Paul has worked this little motor out of aluminum and brass and steel, +from odds and ends," said John. + +"With more or less help on the part of my elder brother," interjected +Paul. + +"Well, perhaps with a little," admitted John, "more suggestive than +otherwise." + +"What sets it going?" questioned Bob, curiously. + +"The fuselage is divided into three sections," said Paul. "The forward +section contains the engine here; the rear section is an airtight +chamber containing helium; and the central section is also an airtight +chamber, but contains ordinary air which has been pumped into it +through a valve, using the bicycle pump John is carrying, until it is +under strong pressure. When I turn this little valve an outlet is +opened for the air to escape by a tube into branches communicating with +each of these four cylinders. This works the tiny pistons, much the +same as gas in a gasoline-motor, and they turn the little crank-shaft +to which they are connected, and the crank-shaft in turn revolves the +propeller on its end." + +"Wonderfully simple!" Mr. Giddings exclaimed. "Wonderfully ingenious, +too! Is this your invention, young men?" + +"Partly, sir," replied Paul. "I understand, a company in New York is +making a somewhat similar pneumatic motor for model airplanes, but John +and I have made some radical improvements, to our notion. To-day's +test will tell the story." + +"Let's see the propeller spin 'er up once for the fun of it," suggested +Bob. "It won't do any harm, will it? Dad and I will hold on to the +airplane." + +"Get a good grip then," warned John Ross, "for you will find there's a +terrific pull to the little rascal. Paul and I tried her in that +fashion early this morning down in the basement." + +Bob and his father secured firm holds of the little Sky-Bird, one on +each side, where the propeller could not strike them. + +"Ready?" asked Paul, with a smile. + +"Ready!" came the answer in unison. + +Paul touched the little valve in the tank chamber of the fuselage. The +next moment there was a quiver, and then the propeller began fairly to +hum. A strong, steady gust of air began to blow in the faces of the +Giddingses, while they had to hang on grimly in order to keep their +little charge from jumping out of their arms and dashing away into the +air. For fully three minutes the propeller continued to whirl with +undiminished speed, then slowly it began to slow up, and finally +stopped. + +Both Mr. Giddings and his son wiped their hot brows as they handed the +plane over to its makers. + +"Whew!" said Bob, "that little mule has got a lot of pull to her." + +"That she has," supplemented his father. "What sort of material is her +frame made of?" + +"Balsa-wood," said John. + +"I never heard of that. Is it something new?" + +"Yes,--to the arts of civilization, but I presume it has been used by +the Indians of Ecuador, where it grows, for scores of years in the +making of rafts, for which it is particularly well adapted. The tree +looks much like our southern cottonwood, and the wood apparently has no +grain. It has a surprising toughness and strength, and is a trifle +over half the weight of cork, weighing only 7.8 pounds per cubic foot, +while the same sized piece of cork weighs 13.7 pounds." + +"Has this wood ever been used in constructing full-sized airplanes?" +asked Mr. Giddings. + +"I think not; but Paul and I believe it will be the coming wood for +them," said John with enthusiasm. "We have used it plain on this +machine. On a large airplane it ought to be reinforced with transverse +sections of very thin spruce laid latticewise. That would add +considerably to its natural strength, and increase the total weight +very little." + +"H'm, h'm!" said the great newspaper publisher, "this is very +interesting, I am sure. Now let us see how this little affair behaves +itself in the air." + +Paul and his brother led the way out into one corner of the big field, +so as to bring what slight breeze might spring up into the head of the +airplane, explaining that machines without a pilot would keep a better +keel under such conditions. John then carefully attached the +bicycle-pump and recharged the air-tank, following which he took out +his watch to time the flight. Mr. Giddings and Bob also took out their +watches. + +Paul set the little Sky-Bird down on the hard earth, in a spot where +there was no grass or other obstacle, and with his finger on the +air-valve, said: "Practically all rubber-band motors require starting +the model airplane off by picking it up and tossing it away from you up +into the air; but I think this machine will rise from the ground like a +large plane, on account of its great lightness and unusual power. We +will now see if I am right." + +To tell the truth, this being the first time he had really tried the +Sky-Bird in a flight, Paul was nervous as he turned the valve, removed +his hands from the graceful little plane, and straightened up. + +With a whirr like the wings of a partridge as it is flushed out of the +grass by the huntsman's dog, the small machine shot forward a few feet +over the smooth ground, then gracefully arose in the air and started +away toward the opposite corner of the field. As it proceeded it +continued to rise, until it reached a height of possibly ninety or a +hundred feet, when it began to dip unsteadily. + +"It's a gust of wind striking it," remarked John uneasily. "I hope she +weathers it. If there was only a pilot in her now, he could----" + +But even as he spoke the Sky-Bird seemed to recover her balance. +Making a pretty circle, away she sped on her course, neither rising nor +falling. Like a real bird she sailed onward, the noise of her whirring +propeller now lost to her fliers, but her little pale-yellow silk wings +against the blue sky plainly tracing her course for them. Paul was +running after her now as fast as his legs could carry him. What if she +should keep right on and go over the far fence?--he might lose the +little darling! + +That fence was a good half-mile away. For his pet to cover such a +distance had not seemed within the bounds of probability to either +himself or John at the start, for all of their great confidence in the +flying powers of the new model. Now, as he kept on running and the +Sky-Bird continued going with no sign of dropping, Paul really became +alarmed for her safety in landing. + +But just before it reached the boundary of the grounds, the youth saw +that the airplane was slowly settling. Into the next field it flew, +and the high board fence shut it from Paul's view as he came up to it. +With a jump he caught the top boards, and scrambled up, springing down +on the opposite side. It was to see his little machine just miss the +branches of an oak tree and settle down into some long grass about a +hundred yards beyond. + +He found it undamaged, and hurried back to his friends in the +fair-grounds, his heart beating jubilantly at the splendid results of +the flight. He hugged the small airplane to his heart as if it were +the most precious possession in the world, as indeed it was to him. + +Mr. Giddings and Bob were loud in their praise, and John smiled in that +quiet way that told the younger brother how well pleased he was. It +was found that the Sky-Bird had passed over the lower fence in just one +minute and three seconds, which was certainly good speed for such a +diminutive contrivance. Several other flights were then made, all of +which were equally successful. At the conclusion Bob Giddings was so +excited that he could hardly stand still. + +"Dad, isn't this little thing simply a wonder?" he exclaimed. "I'd +give anything in the world if I could own a big fellow built on this +principle. I'll bet it would pass anything now made." + +His father looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, turning to the Ross +brothers, he observed: + +"Do you think, boys, that these features could be successfully applied +to a full-sized airplane?" + +"There's no doubt at all about it, to my mind, sir," replied John Ross. +"That's the next thing Paul and I propose doing, although I expect we +shall have a hard time getting enough money to meet the expense of +materials. Of course we shall have the regular type of gasoline engine +in place of this pneumatic arrangement, as this principle won't apply +to big machines. I figure a 400 horse-power Liberty engine would carry +such a machine two hundred miles an hour." + +Again Mr. Giddings was silent a moment. Then he resumed: "John, I hear +that you have been laid off from your Air Mail job. Is that right?" + +"It is, sir." + +"Well, then, I am going to make a proposition to you and Paul, and in a +way Robert may consider himself involved, too, I expect. As you may +know, Robert plans to be an electrical engineer, and Mrs. Giddings and +myself are anxious to encourage him in every way we can. For some time +he has been experimenting with wireless telegraph and telephone +apparatus, and has made some sets of the latter which it seems to me +are an improvement over anything now on the market, particularly a set +for airplane use, which he has no means of properly testing out on +account of the lack of the airplane. Now my proposition is just this: +I will meet every expense of making a first-class full-sized airplane +like the Sky-Bird, and pay you, John, a wage equal to that which the +government allowed you as a pilot, if you three young men here will do +the construction work secretly, and if Robert may be allowed a +one-third interest in the venture, both in the plane to be made, and in +any future benefits to be derived from the patent rights." + +Of course the delighted John and Paul accepted this splendid offer, and +Bob Giddings was so happy at the prospect of a fine big airplane in +which to install his wireless apparatus that he actually hugged his +father. They repaired to the Giddings home, and there, in true +business form, a contract was drawn up and duly signed by all +interested parties, with a notary's seal attached. + +With a copy in their possession, the Ross boys hurried home, after +having dinner with the Giddings family, to acquaint Mrs. Ross with the +good news. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +PLANNING A BIG AIRPLANE + +As planned, the much-talked-of Air Derby around the world took place +from Mineola Field, New York, on the 4th of July. A great crowd had +been attracted, owing to the extensive accounts of the affair in the +big newspapers for the past several months, and a thrilling hush fell +over the assemblage as, at high noon, one after another of the famous +flyers took off in various types of aircraft. There were four big +dirigibles, two of which started to cross the Atlantic at once, while +the others took a northerly course with the intention of making the +final hop from St. John's, Newfoundland, in accordance with several +previous attempts of other aircraft. Besides these, seven +heavier-than-air machines started, all making for Newfoundland also. +Four of these were flying-boats, two were seaplanes, and the other was +a double-propellered biplane. + +Needless to say, the Ross boys and Bob Giddings and his father were +present to see the machines off. They had arrived in the big +automobile of the publisher, and were greatly interested in every +detail of the departure. Several of the contestants John Ross knew, +having met them at some time during his flying periods, and it gave him +a chance briefly to renew old acquaintanceship and personally to wish +them good luck on their long journey. Of course our friends would have +given a whole lot to have been able to compete in the novel contest +themselves, but that was out of the question. + +When the last machine had disappeared from sight, they took their +departure. Mr. Giddings left them at the office of the _Daily +Independent_, following which Bob drove Paul and John out to some of +the city's beautiful parks. Late in the afternoon they again stopped +at the newspaper building and picked up Bob's father, thereupon turning +the car in the direction of Yonkers. Altogether they had passed a very +pleasant holiday. + +"Robert tells me that your plans for the new airplane, the Sky-Bird II, +are just about finished, John," remarked Mr. Giddings, as they sped +northward along the smooth surface of Riverside Drive, with its +beautiful greenery on the left and its fine residences at the right. + +"Yes, sir," said John; "we have been devoting every spare moment to +them. Of course a good many changes had to be made to adapt conditions +from the little airplane to the big fellow, and to incorporate the +extra pet features we all agreed upon were desirable. You know it +never pays to start building an important and costly affair like an +airplane without having every detail thoroughly planned out, and +perfect working drawings in hand. I think Paul will complete the +drawings early next week, including copies for accompanying the +specifications when we apply to Washington for patent rights. As soon +as the drawings are done, we will drop in at your home in the evening +and show them to you." + +"Good!" said Mr. Giddings. "I shall await them with great interest. I +suppose as soon as I approve these drawings, you fellows will all pitch +into the actual work." + +"We surely will, sir," laughed Paul, while Bob, at the wheel in front, +having caught some of the conversation, called back with energy: +"That's just the size of it, dad." + +"We have everything all ready," continued Paul. "The balsa-wood and +spruce we ordered some time ago is on hand, and that will keep us busy +until other needed materials arrive. We have repaired the big +exhibition building in the old fair-grounds, put on new double doors +and purchased a good Yale lock for them. John and I have taken our +workbench and tools over there, and Bob has helped us rig up a nice +little five-horse power motor and small handsaw, also a circular saw, +home-made sand-drum, a small planer, and a boring-machine. That +building is dry, and has lots of room in it for housing the new +airplane as it grows to maturity. When cold weather comes we can +easily install a couple of heating-stoves to keep ourselves comfortable +and protect our materials and the machine from frost damage." + +Mr. Giddings expressed himself as well pleased with these arrangements. +As he noted the foresightedness of the young mechanics his confidence +in them expanded. + +"Don't hesitate to order anything you need, young men," he said warmly. +"Have them send the bills to me. If my trust in you is misplaced, I am +willing to stand the consequences. This is not only the best kind of a +practical education for Bob, but it is good business training for all +of us. Go ahead; go ahead!" + +With such strong encouragement, is it any wonder that the three young +men continued their operations vigorously? Not one of them scarcely +wanted to stop long enough to eat and sleep, _a la_ Edison; and as it +was now summer vacation time, Paul and Bob were able to be with John +all day long in the old exhibition building. Neighboring boys and even +older people hung around the open doors to watch operations, but the +builders were careful not to let them get close enough to gain any +ideas which might be harmful to their interests. + +On Tuesday evening of the week following the start of the Air Derby, +John and his brother put on their best clothes and hied themselves over +to the Giddings home. In Paul's hand was an envelope containing the +precious plans for the Sky-Bird II--completed at last by the young +draftsman, and ready to be shown to the financial member of the quartet. + +When they were all seated in the Giddings library a little later, Mr. +Giddings scrutinized the plans with every evidence of satisfaction +written upon his strong features. Now and then he would ask a +question, as Paul explained view after view and detail after detail. +At length he pointed to an oblong object situated in the pilot's +cockpit just under the dashboard. "What is that?" he asked, curiously. + +"That is what John and I call an 'automatic pilot,'" answered Paul. +"It is a new form of stabilizer, and made so as to overcome the defects +of others which are on the market. A stabilizer should automatically +keep an airplane on a fairly level keel no matter how air conditions +are, even so steady that it will travel along on its course for a +considerable distance with the pilot paying no attention to his +controls, perhaps eating his lunch or reading his orders." + +"A mighty useful contrivance," commented Mr. Giddings. "I should think +that would also prevent lots of accidents in bad winds." + +"It will--if it turns out as we expect," Paul remarked. + +"Give me the full details of this," was the request. "Remember, I am +not much of an airplane man." + +"Well," said Paul, "you know, sir, that it is far more difficult to +drive an airplane than to guide an automobile, not merely because you +have two steering-gears or rudders to take care of, one for sidewise +and the other for up-and-down travel, but also because there are +movable planes in the wings of the machine, which have to be worked to +tip or 'bank' it when making a turn or to keep it on an even keel when +a gust of wind strikes it. The 'rudder' is the vertical plane at the +tail of the machine, and is used for steering sideways, while the +'elevators' are the two horizontal movable planes just below the +rudder, which are used for steering up and down. Similar planes to the +latter, one situated in the back edge of each upper wing, are called +'ailerons,' and one or the other is raised or depressed according to +whether the aviator wishes to bank to the right or left. + +"The driver of an automobile has nothing to do but watch his +steering-wheel, and be ready to touch a pedal when he wishes to slow up +or go faster or stop. If he makes a curve he does not have to bank his +machine owing to his comparatively slow speed; but the aviator, +traveling much faster through the air, must do this, bringing his +airplane to a steep angle if he makes a very short turn. If he does +not calculate just right, he is likely to turn upside down and meet +this death in a nasty fall. + +"While the careful automobilist can always see the road in front of him +and avoid rough spots or obstacles before he reaches them, the aviator +cannot do this. It is true that he can see another airplane if it gets +in his way, or a church steeple when he is flying low; but his greatest +dangers are in the clear air itself, where they cannot be detected. He +may suddenly drop into a 'hole,' which is really a downward current of +air, or he may get a terrific bump when he strikes a rising current. A +freakish whim of the winds may unexpectedly take away the air support +from under one of the wings, and he will lurch and dip sharply to one +side." + +"And I suppose sometimes lose all control?" said Mr. Giddings. + +"Yes, sir; that has very often happened," put in John. "A flyer friend +of mine took a nasty tumble that way near Cleveland last year, breaking +three ribs. It's a wonder he wasn't killed." + +"The pilot is blind to these pitfalls," went on Paul. "He must control +his machine largely by intuition and the sense of feeling, although the +veteran airman, John says, can tell a good deal about what to expect +from the nature of the earth or clouds below him." + +"That's true," averred John. "The closer you are to the earth the more +you will feel the 'bumps,' as we call them. They are a whole lot like +the waves of the ocean, only invisible, and there will be one straight +over every protuberance or depression of size in the surface of the +earth. Mountains, hills, houses, lakes, valleys, rivers, forests, all +cause bumps or holes in the air up above them. At one thousand feet +they are pretty bad. At ten thousand feet they are scarcely +noticeable. That's why most pilots prefer to fly high whenever they +can." + +"What causes the air to act in this way over such configurations?" +propounded the publisher. + +John looked helpless, and smiled. "You've got me there," he admitted. +"I haven't had the opportunity to study aerostatics the same as Paul +here. He can probably tell us." + +"I'm not through my course yet," reminded his brother, "but I think I +can answer that. The air surrounding the earth is a great belt forty +or more miles through and is of an even thickness. As our globe sweeps +through it, the lower stratum of air naturally sinks down into the +valleys and like depressions. This action pulls down the upper +stretches of air, thus creating what are termed 'air-pockets' or +'air-holes.' Very dangerous they are, too." + +"That is plain enough," declared Bob. "Now, dad, let Paul go on +explaining this 'automatic pilot.'" + +"If the aviator is enshrouded in fog or tries to sail through a heavy +bank of clouds, he is quite likely to lose all sense of direction," +continued Paul. "He will not know whether he is banking or traveling +on an even keel. Sometimes pilots have come out of a low cloud to find +themselves dangerously close to the earth and in an awkward position, +perhaps in a steep bank, a side-slip, or even in the terrifying +nose-dive, and they have not had time to right themselves before +crashing to earth. So you see that before flying can become reasonably +safe, some way must be found of keeping the machine automatically on a +level keel. + +"To operate this stabilizer of ours all the pilot will have to do is to +guide the rudder with his feet. The automatic pilot works the elevator +and the ailerons. It takes care of 'bumps' and 'holes' and sees that +the machine banks at just the right angle on the turns. This makes the +operation of an airplane containing the stabilizer even more simple +than running a motor-car, because you do not have to worry about going +into different speed gears when climbing or descending. You will +notice on this drawing that strong piano-wires connect the instruments +with all the necessary controlling planes of the machine." + +"Instruments?" interrogated Mr. Giddings. "I thought there was but +one." + +"No; there are two stabilizers, as you will see,--here, and here," was +Paul's response, pointing his finger to the parts. "But, as each one +is exactly like the other in its construction, only the one has been +drawn in detail. The other stabilizer runs lengthwise of the cockpit +and takes care of the elevator. Both of these are operated by +compressed air, which proceeds from a little tank, right here. The +tank is kept supplied by two tubes which lead into it, and each of +which joins a small pump operated by a fan which is right here on each +side of the fuselage where the onrush of wind will keep it humming as +the airplane travels. + +"Each equalizer has a bore in it half-filled with mercury, working a +good deal like a carpenter's level. If the airplane tilts to one side +or the other, the mercury will try to keep its level and will +immediately flow to the high side of the bore. At each end of this +mercury tube there are electrical contact points. As one becomes +submerged in the mercury by a tilting of the plane, a connection is +made whereby two electro-magnets are energized on that side. One of +these magnets closes an exhaust-valve, and the other opens an +inlet-valve, in the compressed air tank. At once air is forced into +this double cylinder, which you see at the bottom of the stabilizer, +filling the half which is to operate its own set of rudders; and a +piston begins to work inside. The piston is connected to a toothed +rack, as you will note, causing this to turn a sector engaging it. The +control wires connect with this sector." + +"Very clever arrangement; but I don't quite see how, in banking, the +ailerons can be brought back automatically to a neutral position as +soon as the turn has been completed," ventured Mr. Giddings. + +"John and I have provided for that, while Bob is responsible for the +electrical features I have just mentioned," said Paul. "You will +notice that at the top of the mercury channel there is a dividing wall. +A tube runs from the left side of this wall to the right wing of the +airplane, also from the right side of the wall to the left wing. At +the end of each tube there is what we call a 'venturi tube.' This is a +kind of suction device operated by the wind. The wind which blows +through the left venturi tube sucks the air out of the right-hand side +of the mercury tube, and the right venturi tube sucks the air out of +the left-hand side of the mercury tube. The stronger the wind, the +greater the suction. Now, when making a turn to the right the left +wing must travel faster than the right wing, and so there must be more +suction in the left venturi. This produces a greater suction in the +right-hand side of the mercury tube, which draws the mercury up on that +side and down on the other, until the proper electrical contact is +broken and the ailerons are returned to neutral position." + +"Can the mechanism be thrown out of gear when desired? I should think +such a feature might be desirable," remarked Mr. Giddings. + +"Indeed it is desirable, sir," declared Paul. "No red-blooded pilot +wishes to sit still and let his machine run itself all the time, no +more than an automobilist. That would spoil all the sport. By merely +disengaging the automatic pilot's wires here at the sector--the work of +a couple of seconds--the airplane is ready for hand control." + +"How much does it weigh?" was the gentleman's next query. + +"A trifle less than a hundred pounds." + +"That oughtn't to handicap an airplane any." + +"Not a bit," said Paul. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +AN AIR RACE FINISH AND A CHALLENGE + +All in all, Mr. Giddings expressed himself as more than pleased with +the drawings for the Sky-Bird II. At the end of the explanation, he +put the papers back in the envelope, and asked: + +"Have you another set of these drawings in ink, Paul?" + +"Yes, sir; this is a copied set; the original drawings from which we +will make our tracings and blue-prints are at home." + +"You had better leave them there in a safe place, and work from your +blue-prints in the old exhibition building at the fair-grounds, being +careful to lock them up in your workbench every time you depart. I +think you boys have a valuable thing here, and it is to your interest +to keep others from knowing your plans or seeing the airplane until we +have full government protection in the shape of patent rights. I shall +turn this set of drawings over to a patent attorney in the city and ask +him to make application to the Patent Office in Washington without +delay." + +The next morning all three boys, filled with new confidence and energy, +met at the fairgrounds as soon as they had had their breakfasts. Paul +carried two rolls of fresh blue-prints, which he and John had made +while their mother was preparing the meal. One of these sets he gave +to Bob to take home as his own special property, and the other one he +spread out on the workbench for consultation as their needs required. + +Up to this time no effort had been made to keep children and curious +adults out of the grounds, but as their machine was now beginning to +take on real form, they determined to do this. On a piece of board, +Paul printed in large letters, "Private Grounds; Keep Out," and Bob +nailed this up on the outside of the high board fence at the entrance. +The gate itself they closed and barred on the inside. + +"Guess that will be a sufficient hint to the grown-ups," said Bob with +a grin. "If the kids climb over, we'll fasten a red flag to the front +of our big hangar and paint 'Dynamite' in letters a yard long across +the front of the building." + +"Yes, and if that doesn't keep them away we'll turn the hose on them," +laughed John. + +Then they fell to work on the new airplane, applying themselves like +beavers. All three boys had had the splendid benefits of manual +training when they were in the public schools, and knew how to handle +every machine they had set up. In addition to this, Paul and Bob were +first-class amateur machinists, as their courses of engineering in +Clark Polytechnic embraced the use of metal-working appliances of the +latest design, as well as wood-working machinery, and they could have +operated other machines had they needed them. + +That evening the workers went back home tired but well satisfied with +their progress. The next day the shavings flew again, and by the +latter part of the week they had begun to assemble portions of the +fuselage, using a waterproof glue which had been especially prepared +for airplanes, and applying galvanized screws to withstand rust in damp +atmospheres. + +As the days went by, the boys, like almost everybody in the country, +watched the newspapers eagerly for reports of the progress of the +contestants in the big Air Derby around the world. Only four of the +eleven aircraft to start had succeeded in getting across the +treacherous Atlantic, two of these being dirigible balloons, one a +flying-boat, and the other a Vickers-Vimy biplane. After landing on +European soil one of the lucky airships came to grief in Italy in +making a stop for fuel, but the driver had obtained an Italian Caproni +plane and was making his way eastward with all haste. The other +dirigible, commanded by Americans, had reached Teheran, Persia, where +gas-bag troubles had compelled her crew to continue by train. About +the same time the flying-boat, piloted by a Boston man, and the +biplane, in control of two Englishmen, had reached Yokohama, Japan, +within a few hours of each other. It was said that these contestants +would wait there for the first steamship going to San Francisco, as +they feared it would be impossible to fly across the great Pacific +stretch of almost five thousand miles. Upon reaching San Francisco +they planned to continue the journey to New York in airplanes furnished +by California aeronautical friends. + +The newspapers shortly after this announced the sailing of the rival +parties at Yokohama. Storms and fog delayed the vessel. Finally she +arrived at the Golden Gate, and then came the mad race across the North +American continent in fresh airplanes. Near Cheyenne, Wyoming, the +American plane was forced to the ground by engine trouble, allowing her +competitor to get ahead several hours. This lead the American could +not overcome, and the race ended at 5:15 o'clock on the afternoon of +July 27th, with the English crew first and the American crew second. +Three days later the belated French crew, who had met with mishap in +Italy, came in, winning third prize. + +The Ross brothers were at work in the hangar when Bob Giddings, who had +gone into town on his motorcycle after some more screws, came back +waving the copy of the _Daily Independent_ containing this last account. + +"Cartier and his bunch have arrived," he cried, springing from his +machine. "Here it is on the first page. That accounts for all the +prize-winners, and the excitement is practically over. The others will +just lob in now--and they might as well." He tossed the paper to John. +"Here, read it, you fellows," he said. "You can quit on the Sky-Bird +long enough for that, I guess. I'll work while you lay off a few +minutes." + +Bob rolled up his sleeves, and John and Paul spread out the newspaper +on the bench and interestedly read the article in question. As they +finished, and were turning around to resume work, Bob observed: + +"Dad's got a rattling good editorial on this Air Derby, if I do say it. +Take a look at page 5 and see how he rips 'em up the back." + +Shoulder to shoulder, the two brothers leaned over the bench and read +as follows: + + +"AROUND-THE-WORLD" RECORDS + +The world has just witnessed the finish of another effort on the part +of mankind to circle the globe in record-breaking time. And once more +the newspapers of the universe, and the sporting chroniclers, are +registering a new record in this class of human endeavor. When, three +days ago, the English team, headed by Chester Hodge, dropped out of a +Curtis plane into Mineola Field, it was just 23 days, 6 hours and 15 +minutes after the same crew had left that field in their Vickers-Vimy. +This beats the former record of 36 days and some odd hours, made in +1913 by John Henry Mears, by the substantial margin of approximately 12 +days. It is a big gain--a startlingly short time for encompassing the +world as compared with the efforts of the past. + +All of the three contesting crews to finish have broken Mears's record, +and deserve great credit for their praise-worthy performance. The +sponsors for this first great Air Derby around the world, the prominent +aero clubs of this country and the Eastern Hemisphere, also deserve +much praise for conceiving and promoting such a successful contest, and +in posting such magnificent prizes. + +But, in the interests of other similar tours likely to follow, this +newspaper thinks it high time to declare itself opposed most vigorously +to two fundamental features governing the competition just closed. + +First, why was this contest called by its promoters an "Air Derby"? In +our opinion, with rules allowing the use of other modes of travel as +well as aircraft, the title is a decided misnomer. It should have been +termed a "Go-As-You-Please Derby." Not a single one of these +contestants accomplished the girdle by airplane alone; every winner +took a steamship across the Pacific. Here's hoping that when another +'round-the-world contest is pulled off it will be tagged with a title +which fits. + +Second, when a specific record trip around the world is promulgated, is +it scientifically correct to take a route which is approximately 30 per +cent shorter than the actual circumference of the universe on which we +live? In a foot race around a circular track judges do not let +sprinters pick out their own course and "cut across lots" whenever they +choose. Nor is it allowed in horse races, auto races, or any form of +sport where time records are registered on curving courses. + +The _Daily Independent_ contends that beginning with Jules Verne's +mythical hero Phileas Fogg, who in the story negotiated the journey in +the improbable time of 80 days, back in 1872, every record-maker in the +flesh and blood has followed northerly routes averaging the 30th +parallel, thus traversing only about 16,000 miles of the world's actual +circumference of 24,899 miles; and these records have gone down as true +and complete accomplishments! But, because a wrongful practice, one +misrepresentative of its purpose, has been carried on for almost a +century, is it any reason for arguing that the process should continue +in this advanced and enlightened day? + +We say NO! It is time for this practice of around-the-world humbug and +cheatery to stop right now. If it takes our fastest modern +globe-trotters a whole year to go around the world by a route equal to +or approximating the equatorial girth, then let it take them a year; +for the sake of our pride and all that is good and sincere let us do +our stunts on the square. + +There are no records of an equatorial trip around the world. Who will +be the first to establish one? Let us run a pen through all these +short-cut records of the past, and turn a clean page for the entry of +the first real journey around the fat old world's belt. + + +As Paul finished the editorial his heart was beating very fast. He was +a true sportsman, and he realized the truth in the bold stand taken by +the _Daily Independent_. His brother John was no less favorably +affected by it. + +"Bang me, if that isn't a good article!" said John enthusiastically. +"Mr. Giddings may get a lot of criticism for this from a certain class +of people, but he's taking the right course." + +"He certainly is," approved Paul. "I had never thought of it before, +but he points the error out so clearly that almost anybody ought to +realize the need of a fairer route after reading his statements. Just +as he says, it's never too late to correct matters which have been +going wrong, no matter how long." + +"I'd give anything I've got if I could be the first fellow to go around +the world's belt," declared John, his brown cheeks glowing with deeper +color at the thought; "I wouldn't care so much about beating these +other chaps in the matter of time, just so long as I made a fair trail." + +"Oh, John, wouldn't that be a great trip!" cried Paul. + +"Say, look at here," broke in Bob Giddings, who had been near enough to +overhear all of this conversation. His face was glowing, too, as he +turned toward the brothers. "When we get the Sky-Bird II done, why +couldn't the three of us pick out a new course around the globe in her? +If she's as good as we think she will be, we could travel over any kind +of land or water with her, and I think we could pick out islands in the +Pacific so that we could cross that and make the entire journey by air." + +"I believe this old ship could do it all right," said John, full of +confidence and thrilled at the idea, as he stepped back and looked at +the partly-assembled fuselage with a loving eye. "But, Bob, a trip +like that would cost a lot of money just for gas, and you know Paul and +I could hardly afford it." + +"I'm going to speak to dad about it, anyhow," decided Bob; "he has been +talking airplanes and world routes at home to mother and me for the +last three months, and maybe he will be interested enough to back us +up. He never stops at anything when he once sets his mind on it." + +It was several days after this that Bob Giddings came to work with +another newspaper in his hands. + +"Things seem to be coming our way as fast as they can," he said, with a +mysterious smile. "Take in what Mr. Wrenn, the editor of this paper, +says in this framed insert on the front page." + +John and Paul did as directed. The article was prominently displayed, +and was to the effect that the _Clarion_ disagreed very strongly with +the attitude adopted by its contemporary, the _Daily Independent_, in +regard to around-the-world routes. It declared that it was physically +impossible by any mode of modern travel to follow a route along, or +even within twenty degrees of, the equatorial line, and said it was a +shame to assail the creditable records made in the past. In conclusion +it stated: + +If our esteemed sheet, the _Daily Independent_, feels so cock-sure of +its position, why does it not do a little demonstrating? Why does it +not organize an expedition, and prove its claim? This is all bunk! We +are so sure of it, that we right now challenge our misguided friend to +run us a race around the world on a course of his own selection, at any +time, by any mode of travel he may choose. There! we have knocked the +chip off of the _Daily Independent's_ shoulder. Now let's see if our +friend is really a bluffer or a fighter. + + +"You know the _Clarion_ is a powerful evening newspaper, too," said +Bob, when the Ross boys looked up from their reading. "It has always +been a hot rival of dad's paper, but it never got quite so sarcastic as +this before. Dad was good and mad when he read this last night. 'I'll +show both the _Clarion_ and the public whether I'm a bluffer or not,' +he said to mother. 'If it takes the last cent I've got I'll organize +an expedition to meet their challenge and prove my theory to be the +correct one.' Then I woke up to our opportunity. I suggested to dad +that if the Sky-Bird turned out as we hoped, she would be the very +thing to pioneer such a route and give the _Clarion_ people a race to +make their eyes stick out; and I said John Ross was willing to head a +crew including Paul and myself." + +"What did he say?" asked John and Paul, almost in the same breath. + +"Well, he gave a little gasp; his eyes snapped, and he quit walking the +floor and sat down on the davenport. 'Robert,' he said, 'I'll think +this matter over.' Then he lit a cigar and went to smoking. Dad +seldom smokes except when he's got something heavy on his mind." + +John and Paul now joined Bob in putting a knee-brace in the new +airplane body. Somehow they had a feeling that the parts they were +assembling with such care would one of these days go on a very long and +arduous journey. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE MISSING BLUE-PRINTS + +The Air Derby created interest all over the world. People in foreign +lands talked about it and read about it in their newspapers, just as +they had done in the United States and Canada. With the keenest kind +of interest they had followed the reports of its progress and its +finish. Several nations had hoped to have their own representatives +come in first, only to be disappointed. + +All this interested world pricked up its attention anew when the bold +editorial of the _Daily Independent_ was widely copied. As John Ross +had predicted, and as probably Mr. Giddings knew before he wrote it, +this particular article caused a furore of comment editorially and +otherwise. Much of this,--indeed, it seemed the most of it--was +favorable to the stand taken by the New York publisher. But when the +rival sheet, the _Clarion_, arrayed its strong force in opposition, the +conservative element of the public felt vastly encouraged, and many +were the heated personal arguments as well as newspaper duels, which +ensued. Aviators all over the land were particularly concerned, and it +goes without saying that the winners of the late competition were all +lined up with the _Clarion_ contingent. This paper's challenge to the +_Daily Independent_ for a two-party race around the world on the +_Independent's_ own conception of what it considered a fair route awoke +great joy in the hearts of the leave-things-as-they-have-been +adherents. Few, if any of them, particularly the publishers of the +_Clarion_, thought Mr. Giddings would ever take up the challenge. + +Therefore, judge of the surprise of everybody, and the dismay of the +_Clarion_ staff, when a few days following the flaunting of its +challenge, the front page of the Giddings paper contained the +following, under a heavy black type heading: + + +THIS PAPER ACCEPTS THE "CLARION'S" CHALLENGE + +A short time ago the _Daily Independent_ in an editorial strongly +criticized the methods or rather routes used in the past in making +world tours for a time record, stating that such journeys had all been +made unfairly, in that the routes adopted were about a third less than +the actual circumference of the globe, and that in our opinion the only +legitimate around-the-world record could be made by following +approximately the equatorial line. + +We expected a good deal of criticism, of course, when we came out thus +boldly against a custom which had prevailed since the beginning of +so-called "around the world" record trips. But we did not expect to be +challenged to prove our sincerity by ourselves making such a journey in +competition with our esteemed but rabid contemporary, the _Clarion_. + +To show the _Clarion_ that we are not "bluffing," and that we are +perfectly willing to demonstrate practically any position we ever take, +we herewith accept its challenge. Even now we have in process of +construction a new type of airplane, by means of which we are confident +we can fly approximately straight around the belly of this old world +entirely by air. A little later we shall announce a time, place, and +route, in our columns, and sincerely trust the _Clarion_ will be +satisfied with them. + + +It is quite unnecessary to say that Paul and John Ross read the +foregoing article with the keenest pleasure the night they reached home +from the hangar and found their mother just finishing its perusal. +Naturally Mrs. Ross felt all of the average mother's anxiety at the +thought that her sons would be exposed to the perils such a long +journey would invite, but on the other hand she was very proud to think +their talents had placed them in such an honored position. It had only +been an evening or two before that Mr. Giddings, in company with his +son Robert, had called at the Ross homestead, and after a long +conference with the boys as to the suitability of the new Sky-Bird II +for making a world cruise, had taken his departure with his mind fully +made up as to how he should meet the rival paper's challenge. + +A few days subsequently, Bob Giddings found, upon reaching home for +lunch, that his motorcycle, which he was in the habit of riding back +and forth to work, so that he could rush into town on short notice and +get emergency materials for the airplane, had a flat tire. As he could +not fix the tire then, he decided to walk back to the fair-grounds. + +As he emerged from the big front yard of his home, he chanced to look +toward town, and observed an orange-colored taxicab standing near the +first crossing. This would not have especially attracted Bob's +attention, except for the fact that a man sitting on the front seat was +just at that moment pointing his index finger toward the Giddings' +place, and a slender-looking man just descending from the cab was +looking that way and nodding his head. + +It seemed to Bob that he had seen the passenger before, but a second +look made him think he must be mistaken; at least he could not place +him. + +"It's probably somebody to see dad. If so, he'll get disappointed, as +dad won't get back from the city before evening." + +Dismissing the incident from his mind with this thought. Bob hurried +down the road, eager to reach the hangar and get to work again on the +new airplane. + +A few moments after he had passed the home of a youth he knew, he heard +a familiar salutation, and turned around to wave his hand in a greeting +to this friend, who had come to the front door. As he turned, his eye +fell on a slender figure some distance behind, a figure which stepped +behind a tree and stopped. + +"Humph! that's funny," mused Bob. "It looks a lot like that fellow who +got out of the taxi back there by our house; I wonder what he's up to, +anyhow?" + +He continued his way, but as he reached the fair-grounds gate and got +out his key to unlock it, the whim to look back again seized him. As +he turned, his gaze once more rested on the slender form of the +wayfarer, who had crossed to the opposite side of the road, and who +now, finding himself observed once more, promptly stopped and began to +fuss with his shoe-lace. + +"Say now, this is funny!" ejaculated Bob under his breath, vainly +trying again to recall the identity of the lean figure and dark +complexion. "I believe that chap is trying to shadow me. I wonder +what in the dickens he really is up to?" + +It was the second time Bob had asked that question of himself, but as +he was a poor source of information just then, he was forced to pass +into the fair-grounds and relock the gate in as mystified a state of +mind as before he put the query. + +A little later, when he reached the big hangar he whirled about again, +as if half expecting to see the stranger still skulking behind him in +the grounds. To his relief he did not detect this situation exactly, +but he did see a dark face, which had been peering over the top of the +highboard fence near the gate, drop down from view on the other side. + +Bob gave a grunt as he passed into the hangar and took off his coat. +"As I live, I believe he's up to some sort of mischief," growled the +boy. And when, shortly afterward, John and Paul Ross appeared he told +of his experience and repeated his suspicions. + +"That is funny," asserted John; "Paul and I saw nothing of any such man +when we came along, and we passed down the same road. Perhaps he +mistook you for somebody else." + +"I hope so, but I don't like his actions a little bit," declared Bob +stoutly. + +With that he picked up a try-square and pencil and began laying out +some work for Paul to cut on the circular saw, while John busied +himself at the boring-machine in putting a hole through the center of +the big twelve-foot balsa-wood propeller which a little later would be +reinforced with a thin jacket of a new metal called "salinamum," which +was made chiefly from salt but whose fused components made it as light +as aluminum and stronger than tool steel. + +Soon the queer actions of the stranger were quite forgotten in the deep +interest of the three young men in their work. With the prospect of a +world tour before them if the Sky-Bird turned out well, they now had +more incentive than at the beginning to build the machine with the +utmost skill and attention to every detail. Some changes, calculated +to make the craft better adapted to the peculiar conditions she would +be likely to meet in such a varied temperature were put into effect, +but on the whole they found their original plans so well laid that no +important features seemed to require modification or abandonment. + +But if the man who had followed Bob dropped out of their minds the rest +of that day, he was soon to occupy a prominent place in their thoughts. +For the very next morning, when Paul and John arrived at the hangar, +they were met at the door by a very agitated Bob Giddings. + +"Fellows, what do you think has happened?" cried Bob, clearly very much +excited. Without giving his friends time to answer the question he +blurted out: "Somebody got in here last night and stole our plans!" + +"Stole our plans!" reiterated Paul and John in the same gasp. + +"That's it," said Bob,--"stole the set of blue-prints we have been +working from. What's more, they must have seen the airplane before +they got out. I went to take the plans out of the bench drawer here +where we have kept them locked up, and there was the drawer wide open, +the lock picked, and the drawings gone. I'll bet a herring we can +thank my dark-skinned shadow of yesterday for this little visit!" + +"It does look as if he might have had something to do with this," +agreed John soberly. "I wonder how the rascal, whoever he is, could +have gotten in the building. There's a heavy Yale lock on the doors." + +"The doors were locked all right when I came this morning," vouched +Bob. "I don't see myself how--" + +"Here you are, gentlemen!" called Paul, who had stepped to a good-sized +window near the head of the workbench. "Here's the fellow's private +entrance!" And he pointed to where a heavy nail locking the lower sash +had been forced aside, also to a series of indentations in the outer +sill, where some prying tool had obviously been recently at work. + +"It's a clear case of theft, that's sure," observed John; "and since +its only our plans that have been taken, it goes to show that this chap +is very much concerned about this new airplane." + +"Perhaps he wishes to beat us out in getting the patent rights," Bob +hinted darkly. + +"No, I don't think it's that," differed Paul; "our application was sent +in to Washington some weeks ago, and you know the first one to apply +for a certain patent gets the attention." + +"Well, then, he could use our plans and make and sell airplanes of +their pattern, couldn't he?" asked Bob, whose ideas of patent laws were +still a little vague. + +"Not at all; if he did we could sue him for infringement," was Paul's +answer. "The only way he could profit by this theft, so far as I can +see, would be to construct a machine for his own private use, or to +give to another person. We could not touch him for that." + +"And that would be bad enough for us--if such a machine were used +against us in this proposed race around the world, wouldn't it?" +demanded Bob Giddings. + +Paul and John Ross looked at him in dismayed astonishment. They had +not thought of this contingency before. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +WHO'S AT THE WINDOW? + +The making of a big airplane is a good-sized job. Especially is this +the case with the first airplane made up from new plans. And when the +job has to be done by no more than three young men, it becomes an +unusually formidable task. + +The loss of the blue-prints did not hold up the progress of our friends +in the least, as it was only the matter of fifteen or twenty minutes' +work for Paul to make a new set from the tracings he had at home; but +there were unexpected difficulties met here and there in the +constructive work, as is always the case in large mechanical +undertakings of an original nature, besides which the young builders +ran into the usual delays caused by slow deliveries of parts and +materials from distant dealers and manufacturers; and sometimes the +railroads were tardy in transporting shipments. + +All in all, the summer slipped away only too quickly, and it came time +for Paul and Bob to go back to school again with Sky-Bird II not more +than half finished. It is true that the long fuselage of the craft was +done, with its graceful curves and splendid, roomy, enclosed cabin, +accommodating five persons; but all concerned were a little +disappointed that more progress had not been made. Mr. Giddings had +been quite a frequent visitor at the fair-grounds all through the +summer, lending a voice of encouragement throughout the operations. He +looked really concerned, however, when Paul and Bob had to return to +Clark Polytechnic Institute for the new term of study. + +"This is rather hard on us, isn't it, boys?" he observed, with a light +laugh in which he unsuccessfully tried to conceal his anxiety. "Here +we are with a half-completed airplane, a race staring us in the face +for next summer, and two of our workmen snatched away for the whole +winter by the inexorable demands of school life, leaving only one lone +fellow to finish the job." + +"We'll be able to work Saturdays, dad," ventured Bob, trying to wedge a +little bit of cheer into the gloomy prospect. + +"And evenings. I'd be willing to work after supper every night for a +couple of hours," proposed Paul. + +"You won't do any such thing," came the firm answer. "While you are at +school you two fellows need your evenings for rest and study, and your +Saturdays for the school-team sports. Only when there isn't a game on +in which you are a contestant will I allow you to help John on the +machine--even if it isn't finished for five years. I have been +thinking this situation over for some time, for I have seen it coming," +went on the great publisher after a moment's pause; "and I have come to +the conclusion that the best thing I can do to hustle our ship along is +to call in another workman on the job, some chap we can trust and who +knows how to handle tools. In fact, if he were a regular airplane +mechanic it would be all the better." + +John Ross spoke up at once. "Mr. Giddings," he said, "I think you have +the right idea. Bob and Paul can't help me much from now on, and if we +take that trip around the world next summer this machine must be done +some weeks ahead, so that we can have a chance to test her out and tune +her up. Now, it happens that Paul and I have a cousin--Tom Meeks--who +is about my age and who flew in the same squadron with me over on the +French front during the war. I will vouch for Tom's ability as a +mechanic and flyer, also as to his trustworthiness. It happens my +mother just received a letter from Tom's folks in Illinois the other +day in which she said the factory had closed down in which he was +working and he was out of a job." + +"And you think this Tom Meeks would be willing to come up here, then, +and help you this winter for the salary I am paying you?" questioned +Mr. Giddings with interest. + +"I think he would, sir." + +"Then write to him immediately, and tell him to come right on." + +In less than a week a strapping big young man, suitcase in hand, got +off the train at the Yonkers depot, and was warmly greeted by his +cousins, Paul and John Ross, who then introduced him to Bob Giddings. +Bob had been so eager to see the new helper on the airplane that he +could not wait for a later meeting with him. He took instant liking to +the jolly newcomer, who seemed to be ever smiling, and after a short +exchange of conversation with him hurried home to tell his father what +a splendid fellow Tom Meeks was. + +Tom was domiciled in the Ross home, to which he had been a visitor in +other years, and of course for the rest of that evening was kept busy +visiting with Mrs. Ross and looking at the numerous miniature airplanes +of Paul's. His praise of the little Sky-Bird, and particularly of the +drawings of Sky-Bird II was very strong, and when he went to the +fair-grounds the following morning with John and actually saw what a +fine-looking ship the big craft was, he was stumped for words to +express his full admiration. + +Then while John and Tom went industriously to work, Paul and Bob rode +away to Clark Polytechnic in New York with Mr. Giddings. Just before +starting into the city that morning, the newspaper man had met Tom, and +there was little doubt that he was well pleased with this addition to +his force of workers. Of course Paul and Bob were sorry to have to +interrupt their labors on Sky-Bird II, but there was no help for it, +and there was some consolation in the thought that undoubtedly their +instructors would let them work on some of the airplane's smaller parts +as a portion of their school mechanical practice. This supposition +indeed proved correct, and as the fall days passed they found the two +student chums not only partaking with full spirit in the sports of +their comrades, but also contributing in no small measure to the +progress of the work on the new airplane. + +As a rule, Paul and Bob managed to stop in each Saturday for at least +an hour or so to lend some assistance to John and Tom, and when there +were no school contests on, they spent practically the entire holiday +in the hangar. + +The cool days of November soon compelled the boys to install a couple +of heating stoves in the big building, and after that the place was +warm and cheery throughout the working day, no matter how blustery and +nippy the weather. At night the coals were carefully banked with +ashes, to keep up a fair degree of warmth until the following morning. + +Up to this time nothing had been seen of any suspicious person lurking +around the premises, but one afternoon late in the month, when Tom +Meeks was working alone in the hangar and John had gone to town after +some bolts, Tom thought he heard a strange sound at one of the two +windows near the workbench. + +Turning quickly from the wing-strut which he had been setting in place, +Tom faced the window just in time to see a swarthy-looking countenance, +adorned with a toothbrush-like mustache, pulled out of range. The +mechanic had been informed of Bob's experience with the man who had +evidently followed him to the grounds during the summer, also of the +blue-prints which had been stolen, and now as he observed the +similarity in looks between this eavesdropper and the reported shadow +of Bob, he became quite excited. + +With that lack of coolness and presence of mind characterizing a more +reserved temperament, the impulsive Tom rushed straight up to the +window, and peered out. Of course he could see nothing, for the peeper +had been cute enough upon finding himself observed to keep close to the +side of the building as he moved swiftly toward its rear. + +Tom now seized the lower sash and tried to throw it up, so as to get a +sidewise view. To his disgust he found it double-spiked, and realized +that he had put that very second nail in himself upon first learning of +the loss of the blue-prints. + +"Huckleberry pie!" sputtered Tom, using his favorite expression when +excited. + +He whirled about and started for the door of the building. On account +of the extensive size of the structure it was quite a little way to +this. To make matters worse Tom dashed forward in such haste and +flurry that he did not watch his step very closely; when he was about +half-way to the door, his toe caught the protruding leg of an innocent +sawhorse, and the next moment Tom Meeks and the sawhorse were both +overturned. + +"Huckleberry pie!" gasped the big fellow. His right shin hurt like +fury, but he would not stop to examine it, and covered the remaining +distance to the door in very ludicrous limping jumps. Dashing around +the front of the building, he reached the corner which gave him a view +of the side. + +Not a soul was in sight. Not to be outdone completely, Tom hurried +along the side of the building. As he came near the rear end he saw a +slender figure just clambering over the highboard fence of the field in +the rear of the hangar. + +Lame as he was, big Tom knew there was no chance of his overtaking the +fleet-footed and cunning stranger, so he returned to his work very much +crestfallen in spirit. + +When John heard what had happened, on his return to work, he was +considerably disturbed, and suggested to his comrades the advisability +of placing a night-guard on the premises for a while at least, since +this unknown enemy might make an effort some night to burn or +irreparably damage the Sky-Bird. The others sanctioned this +precaution, and thereafter took turns in watching, although this +vigilance was apparently all for naught, as no suspicious character +appeared. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE SKY-BIRD II + +"Well, Mr. Giddings, what do you think of Sky-Bird II?" asked John +Ross, one memorable day. + +There was a smile of deep satisfaction on John's own bronzed features +as he put the question, a smile which was duplicated on the faces of +his three co-workers--Paul, Bob, and Tom Meeks. It was the latter part +of March, Easter vacation week for Paul and Bob, and the two chums had +been working every one of the last three days helping John and Tom put +the finishing touches on the big new airplane. And now this Friday +morning it rested gracefully upon its own rubber-tired wheels, its +great stretch of wings spread out as airily as those of a monster bird, +its huge two-bladed propeller glistening like burnished silver, and its +body running backward in a splendid symmetrical taper, to end at the +well-proportioned tail. Sky-Bird II was done at last. + +Mr. Giddings was so lost in admiration at the beautiful lines of the +craft that he did not reply immediately to John's question. He had not +seen it for almost two weeks, and in that time, under the onslaughts of +the four boys, it had changed appearance in a striking way, numerous +finished parts having been connected and paint and varnish having been +applied. + +"All I have to say, young men, is that if she performs anywhere near as +well as she looks, I shall be thoroughly satisfied with the money I +have invested thus far," declared the great newspaper man with an +enthusiasm which he did not try to conceal. His eyes were shining, as +he walked around the craft looking at it from all sides. He rubbed his +fingers lingeringly over the smooth fuselage, and smiled quietly as he +regarded the name "Sky-Bird II" lettered in large blue characters on +her sides and underneath each long bird-like wing. Then he mounted a +folding step and went through a neat door into the glass-surrounded +cabin. This was deep enough to stand up in, and provided comfortable +upholstered cane seats for the pilot and four passengers or assistants. +All of these seats except the pilot's and observer's were convertible, +forming supports for the swinging of as many hammocks, and in a small +space at the rear was a neat little gasoline-burner, and over it a +built-in cupboard containing some simple aluminum cooking ware. + +"Well, I declare!" said Mr. Giddings in amazement at the convenience of +things, "it looks as if you fellows hadn't left out a single item +needed in a long and enjoyable cruise." + +"There's nothing like being fixed up for all emergencies, sir," laughed +John. "As you notice, we have everything for night-flying as well as +day-flying. With such a machine as this there is no reason why a crew +of four or five could not run nights as well as days, two operating +while the others sleep in the hammocks. Cold foods can be cooked or +warmed up on the gas-stove when needed, and the enclosed cabin protects +all hands from the worst effects of bad storms." + +"Wouldn't this glass break in a hailstorm?" asked Mr. Giddings. "It +seems to be pretty thin." + +"It is thin," said Paul; "that is to give it lightness. It might check +some in a hailstorm, but it could not break out, as it is made of two +layers of glass between which is cemented a thin sheet of celluloid." + +"I think you had two Liberty motors here in the hangar when I was here +last. I neglected to ask you the power of these, and what you need two +for," observed Mr. Giddings. "I thought you said in the beginning that +you considered one 400 horse-power engine of sufficient strength to +carry this plane at a fast clip." + +"It is this way, sir," responded John. "The regular big biplane of the +bomber type carries two propellers with an engine for each propeller. +If one motor fails them when flying, about all the other is good for is +to make a landing with. By reason of the great lightness of our +airplane one good 400 horse-power motor is all we need for pulling +purposes. But suppose this should fail, as any motor might do? We +could not continue, any more than the other fellow, and would have to +volplane to the ground. Again, suppose we wished to fly continuously +more than twelve hours? We could not do so, as such a steady run would +heat the best motor and ruin it. These two Liberty motors, which we +have, overcome all these troubles. Both are so arranged that a simple +switch connects and disconnects either one with the propeller, and both +can be put at work at the one time if needed in a bad storm. If one +stalls, the other can immediately be thrown in and a forced landing +obviated. Moreover, if we could get fuel when needed, with this +arrangement I am safe in saying we could fly steadily day and night, +resting one motor and working its mate, for a week or more." + +"What is this?" As he spoke the publisher touched a peculiar-looking +helmet hanging from a hook near the pilot's seat. + +Bob laughed. "Why, don't you recognize the products of your talented +son, dad?" he cried, as he took the object down and clapped it over his +father's iron-gray head. "That's my new wireless telephone headpiece, +and right underneath it here is the mahogany cabinet containing the +sending and receiving instruments. You see, these two wires run from +the plug up to the receivers, there being one receiver in each side of +the helmet, right over your ear, pressing against the ear tightly by +means of a sponge-rubber gasket." + +"A man looks like a padded football player with this thing on," said +Mr. Giddings with a smile. "Why is a helmet required at all?" + +"We wouldn't require it so much with these motors, as they are equipped +with a new kind of muffler which shuts out about four-fifths of the +noise other airplanes get," explained Bob. "But for all that there are +always noises in airplanes; for instance, they say the whirr of the +propeller when it is revolving about 1450 revolutions per minute, or at +the full speed of this one, makes quite a roar; so you see the need of +the helmet to shut out all undesirable sounds possible. In ordinary +planes the crew cannot talk to each other except by using phones or +putting their lips to each other's ears and yelling at the top of their +voices, according to what John and Tom tell me. But we don't expect to +have that trouble in this enclosed cabin and with this new muffler +working, do we, fellows?" + +"I'm sure we won't," said John. + +"Not if I'm any judge," grinned Tom. + +"Can you talk with a ground station when you're flying, say a couple of +miles high?" asked Mr. Giddings, examining a transmitter attached to a +yoked wire support which his son slipped over his shoulders. + +"Farther than that. With this particular vacuum tube, which will +amplify sounds three or four times over any other I have tried, we +expect to talk with ground stations or other aircraft at a distance of +three thousand miles. Notice what a simple thing it is, dad," and Bob +indicated a little glass bulb which looked a lot like an ordinary +incandescent light, but which had a peculiar arrangement of wires and +substances inside. + +"Is the transmitter or receiver made just like the ordinary kind?" +asked Mr. Giddings. + +"Practically the same, dad. The wireless transmitter, like that of the +wire telephone, contains a sensitive diaphragm which your voice strikes +and sets to vibrating. These vibrations compress and release a capsule +of carbon granules which agitate and set in motion an electrical +current in two magnets connecting with them. The magnets convey the +sound-waves in the form of electrical waves, along wires out to the tip +of each wing, where the wires hang down a little way. When a message +comes in it is caught by a webbing of antennae wires in our wings." + +"Then I suppose these sound-waves, in other words the words one speaks, +run out of the end of these wires into the atmosphere?" + +"Exactly, sir," agreed Bob. "That is, the electrical waves are +projected into the air and disturb this air in a way to make it pulsate +in the same manner as your voice makes the diaphragm pulsate. These +waves are then carried through the atmosphere in every direction, and +sooner or later reach the antennae wires of some station equipped to +receive them. Down these wires they dash, are registered and magnified +in the wonderfully delicate vacuum tube, and from it are carried up +into the receivers at your ears." + +"I should think they would be electrical impulses when they reach the +receivers," argued Mr. Giddings. "How can a person hear _words_ from +electrical discharges?" + +Bob smiled. "Easy enough, dad," he went on. "You see, this vacuum +tube does the business. The electrical current agitates this in +unison, and the impulses are immediately converted into words +again,--and there you are!" + +"I acknowledge my understanding now," admitted Mr. Giddings, with a +hearty laugh; "but there's just one thing yet I want light on: Where do +you get your electrical current? It takes a dynamo to make +electricity, else storage batteries. I don't see either." + +"Come outside here a moment, dad." + +Bob smiled as he led the little party out of the Sky-Bird's cabin. +When they once more stood on the hangar floor, he pointed to a peculiar +T-shaped object just beneath the nose of the airplane. This had +escaped the gentleman's observation until now. + +"It looks like a small propeller with a torpedo sticking out from the +middle of it," laughed Mr. Giddings. + +"So it does, dad," agreed Bob. "Well, that's our wireless dynamo. You +will notice that the propeller faces ahead, like the big fellow here. +When the airplane is flying, the rush of wind spins the fan at a +terrific rate, its axle operates a little dynamo in this torpedo-like +case and manufactures electric current. The current then passes into +this small apparatus here with a bulb attached, which regulates the +voltage and sends it up to the instruments in a uniform flow, no matter +at what speed the airplane may be going." + +"That's a cheap way of getting current," declared the newspaper man, +"and a mighty good one, too." He now changed the subject by asking: +"How much do you suppose this machine weighs?" + +"I have been in smaller ones which weighed, unloaded, as much as three +thousand pounds," admitted John Ross, with a peculiar smile. "Put your +hands under the Sky-Bird's nose here and see if you can lift her, Mr. +Giddings." + +"Don't joke that way, John," expostulated Mr. Giddings. "Why, her +engines are right above this portion of her, and I couldn't lift one of +them alone." + +"Just try it anyhow, dad," persisted Bob, who also wore that queer +smile. + +More to accommodate them than because he expected to accomplish +anything, the publisher half-heartedly braced himself in a crouching +position and pushed upward on the airplane's front. To his amazement +the whole forward part of the machine rose upward a foot in the air, as +if it were made of paper. + +"My word!" exclaimed Mr. Giddings, letting the craft back upon its +wheels. "Who would have thought such a thing? I had faith in this +principle of the hollow wings and helium-gas, boys, but I never thought +it could reduce the normal weight of the plane to such a vast extent, +It is truly a wonderful idea." + +"You might not believe it, but the Sky-Bird weighs less than two +hundred pounds as she stands," said Paul. "Just before you came today, +Mr. Giddings, Bob and I, one at each end, easily lifted her clear off +the floor." + +"It's what we aimed for, and we've got it," added John with +satisfaction, while Tom Meeks nodded his head and ejaculated, "I'd say +so! I'd say so!" his whole broad face abeam. "This feather lightness +means great lift, great speed, and great cruising range." + +"I should think so surely," was the decided response of the newspaper +man. "I notice you have installed that 'automatic pilot' too. And +what's that up here in front on top of the cabin? A searchlight, as I +live!" + +"Yes, dad," said Bob; "we thought that would be a good thing in case we +do any night traveling on this tour of the world. It ought to have +good power, being operated with current from the storage batteries of +the wireless wind-dynamo." + +After a little more inspection and further questions, Mr. Giddings took +his departure, promising to be on hand at the hangar the following +morning for the test flight. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE TEST FLIGHT + +John, Paul, and Tom reached the fairgrounds a good full hour ahead of +the scheduled start that Saturday morning. In fact, Mrs. Ross had +given them an earlier breakfast than usual, so that they could give the +Sky-Bird II a general going over before it came time for her to make +her initial flight. + +Of course all three young men were a good deal excited, although they +were careful not to let each other know it, for fear of being the +target for a little fun from the others. In this effort at reserve, +the irrepressible Tom was the least successful of the trio, as might be +expected, and when he caught John and Paul slyly winking at each other +and glancing in his direction as he nervously tried the same control +for the third time, he blurted out: "Oh, you fellows needn't laugh at +me! You're just as much on edge as I am, now that we're really going +to fly this old bird!" + +"Come, Tom, don't try to cover up your nervousness by accusing us of +the same thing," protested Paul. + +"You're as agitated as a young kid with his first electric toy train, +Tom," laughed John. "How much gasoline have we got in the tanks now?" + +"The gauge shows ten gallons," said Tom, bending down and looking at +the instrument-board in front of the pilot's seat. + +"That isn't enough for a decent flight," declared John. "We'll +probably be out for at least an hour, and we may use as much as fifteen +gallons in that time; that's about half the consumption of ordinary +airplanes, you know. We'll shove in twenty gallons more so as to be on +the safe side." + +"We haven't put in any oil yet," reminded Tom. "We'd better put in +about two gallons, I should say. Most planes use about a half-gallon +to the hour; if we use half as much, that will give us plenty of +grease." + +The tanks were in the lower part of the forward fuselage. With the +caps removed, a hose was inserted by Paul, and then John forced the +gasoline up by a small but powerful handpump until the gauge told that +the required additional twenty gallons were in. The same pump would +work with the oil also, and soon the viscid fluid had been transferred +from the storage can on the hangar floor to its proper tank in the +airplane. Thence it would feed itself up into the carbureter of the +working engine by a force-pump attached to the engine, as with the +gasoline. + +The boys had just finished putting in the fuel when Mr. Giddings and +Bob drove up in the former's automobile. + +"I expect this is a great day for you young men?" said the publisher, +with a smile of greeting to all. "I know it is a time I have looked +forward to myself for a good many months,--ever since I accepted the +challenge of the _Clarion_, in fact. Is the Sky-Bird supplied with +gasoline?" + +"Yes, sir," said John; "we just got through with that job. We have +easily enough fuel aboard now for a couple of hours' flight, and that +will be long enough for a first one. New engines are always 'stiff' +and should not be run too long at a stretch." + +"Have you run this pair yet?" + +"Oh, yes," said Bob. "We have tried them out several times, dad, and +in connection with the propeller, too. They work tip-top, either +connected or disconnected. I tell you, when they're in connection they +certainly do make this big propeller hum!" + +"I can't understand how you can operate the propeller in here," said +Mr. Giddings, much puzzled. "All the airplanes I have seen have always +dashed forward as soon as their propellers began to revolve under +impulse of the motor or motors; there was no restraining them. I +should think this machine would run through the front end of the hangar +here as soon as you--" + +"Pardon me, sir," interrupted John, "but we have gone those fellows one +better. You forget that in the drawings we showed you there was a set +of brakes designed to be worked by a control within reach of the pilot, +brakes which will engage these ground wheels a good deal the same as +brakes work on automobiles--by a flexible band of steel and grit-filled +cotton which is made to compress over a large sort of hub on the inner +side of each wheel." + +"Very good," said Mr. Giddings; "but I understand that has been tried +before, with the result that the airplane at once tipped forward and +stuck its nose into the ground, or rather tried to, smashing its +propeller to smithereens." + +"They will do that every time unless something has been devised to +counteract this tendency to pitch over," explained John. "We have +devised the thing to prevent it, Mr. Giddings." + +"See here, dad," put in Bob at this point. "Stoop down a bit and look +under the forward end of the body here." + +His father did as requested, and Bob pointed out a circular opening +about the size of a saucer, from which protruded the end of an +aluminum-encased shaft bearing a small rubber-tired wheel of very +sturdy proportions. + +"That is our preventer, dad," smiled his son. + +"In a few minutes we'll show you how it works," added John Ross. "I +see you are wearing a cap, sir, as I suggested. That is all the +special dress you will need, as our enclosed cabin makes helmets and +close bundling unnecessary. We fellows will wear our regular working +togs." + +Everything being in readiness, the four young men easily pushed the big +airplane out of the building and to a place where it would have a +smooth runway for a hundred yards ahead. The weather was ideal for the +trip. There was little wind, and the few strato-cumulus clouds which +were visible showed great stretches of azure-blue sky between them. + +"Everybody climb in," ordered Tom, with a wave of his hand. "I'll +crank her up. You take the joy-stick, John." + +All hands complied. Then Tom began to turn the big burnished +propeller, just as John threw a lever from the inside which caused the +auxiliary ground wheel to shoot down and engage the sod. At the same +time the movement of another lever by Paul set the airplane's brakes. + +Several times Tom turned the propeller around. Then, with a pop, the +engine cylinders began to fire, Tom jumped swiftly back, and the +propeller whirred like a mad thing. At the same time the Sky-Bird gave +a start, as though to dash forward; but beyond a steady, slight +vibration of her whole body, as Tom slowed down the motor to four +hundred revolutions per minute, there was no indication to her inmates +that she was straining to get away. Tom now quietly mounted the step, +and came into the cabin, pulling the step up after him and closing the +self-locking door. + +"That shows you how this third ground wheel acts, dad!" cried Bob +triumphantly to his father, who sat in a chair adjoining. "Now watch +the old girl jump ahead when Paul throws back the brake lever and his +brother lifts the third wheel and gives her more gas!" + +The changes were made even as he spoke; the propeller's hum grew into a +mild roar through the cabin walls, and the Sky-Bird leaped away over +the ground, gaining momentum at every yard. To the surprise of even +two such veteran flyers as John Ross and Tom Meeks, the airplane had +gone less than fifty yards when she began to rise as gracefully as a +swallow in response to her up-turned ailerons and elevators. In less +than ten seconds she was well up over the fair-grounds, and the roofs +of all the buildings in the neighborhood were seen below them. + +John kept the machine mounting at a good angle until the altimeter +showed them to be up two thousand feet. Then he straightened out the +ailerons and elevators, and began to run on a level keel. The other +inmates of the cabin noticed, by looking through the observation +windows, that he was gradually bearing in a great circle about the town +of Yonkers. Off to the northwestward were the rugged blue crags of the +Catskills, covered with patches of milk-white snow, and just in front, +winding like a huge serpent among the picturesque foothills, was the +sparkling Hudson, dwindling away to a mere silver thread in the north, +tapering away in the same manner toward the south, where it lapped the +piers of the city of New York and immediately afterward lost itself in +the waters of the Upper Bay. Although the great skyscrapers of the big +city itself could be dimly seen, they looked very small at that +distance. + +Directly below them our friends could make out the familiar buildings +and landmarks of their own town as they swept past one by one, John +purposely flying at reduced speed so that a clearer vision could be +had. He also shot down to within a thousand feet, presently, as he saw +his own home approaching. Someone, whom both John and Paul immediately +recognized as their mother, stood in the door waving a handkerchief. +In recognition, Paul drew down one of the sliding windows, and put out +his head and fluttered his own handkerchief. Shortly afterward--it +seemed not more than a minute--the machine was over Shadynook Hill, and +Bob and his father were waving a similar salute to Mrs. Giddings. + +As they swept on, men and women and children could be seen looking up +from the streets beneath. Most of these people were used to seeing +airplanes, but obviously the bright finish of the Sky-Bird II, and its +striking eagle-like appearance created more than passing notice. + +Those in the cabin were amazed to note how effectually the new muffler +and the walls of the cabin shut out the sounds of operation. It was +very easy for them to talk back and forth with each other by using a +fairly strong pitch of voice, even when the machine was running at a +good rate, as it now began to do, for John once more gave the engine +more gas, and turned the airplane skyward. Up, up they shot like a +rocket. The hand on the dial of the altimeter moved along steadily--it +reached 2 again, passed to 3, 4, 5, 6; the earth seemed literally to be +falling away from them. All at once, when they were between six and +seven thousand feet high, and watching the minute patches of color far +below, which represented buildings, houses, hills, and the like, these +objects were swept away, and through the glass plates of the cabin +floor they could see nothing but a gray vapor below them. It was also +around them. + +"We're passing up through a cloud," said Bob to his father, who had +never been in an airplane before. A moment or two later, the boy +added, as the blue sky could once more be seen below, "Now we're above +it, dad." + +"It seems to be getting colder," remarked Mr. Giddings. + +"It always gets colder the higher one goes," informed Paul. + +"I hope you're not getting cold feet, dad?" grinned Bob. + +"Oh, I'm comfortable, thank you," laughed his father. "Say, son, isn't +this as good a time as any to try out the merits of that wireless +'phone of yours? Can you work it from this height?" + +"I don't know why I can't--and three times higher," Bob said; "we'll +try it right now. When I left home I told Sis to mind the set there in +my room, and watch for my signal. We'll see now if I can get in touch +with her." + +So saying, Bob put on the wireless helmet, threw the switch, and kept +repeating, "Hello, Sis! hello, Sis! hello, Sis!" for a few moments in +the transmitter. Then he said, after a brief silence: "I get you, +Betty. Won't answer you now, as I want dad to talk to you." + +With that Bob smiled, removed the headpiece, and slipped it over his +father's head, exchanging seats with him. + +Mr. Giddings now heard a voice--the voice of his own daughter--asking +quite distinctly: + +"Do you hear me, daddie?" + +"I certainly do, Betty," said he; "where are you?" + +"Here at home--up in Robert's room. I never thought I'd be sometime +talking with you when you were flying through the air. Mother just +called upstairs and says she can't see the Sky-Bird any longer. Where +are you now?" + +"Up above the clouds somewhere just north of Yonkers," replied Mr. +Giddings laconically. + +"Oh, goodness! I must run right down and tell mother. Please don't go +too high or too far, daddie, will you?" came the clearly agitated tones +of the daughter. "Is Robert all right?" + +"Indeed he is. We'll soon be back with you and tell you all about it. +Everything is working perfectly. Good-bye, Betty!" + +And Mr. Giddings arose with a pleased laugh, and hung up the helmet. +"I'll take off my hat to you, Robert," he said. "I never thought your +fussing at home all these years with electric batteries, buzzers, and +what not, would amount to anything like this." + +The Sky-Bird II was now running straight ahead with the speed of the +wind, John giving the craft more and more gas, and crowding her pretty +close to the limit. The wind swept by both sides of the streamlike +cabin with a rushing sound like the distant roar of a huge cataract; +the flexible window glass gave slightly to its pressure, but there was +no sign of it breaking. One minute they were in the midst of a cumulus +cloud; the next, through it. Now they saw the faint outline of the +earth, now sky; now the earth was screened by cloud, but above were the +blue heavens. + +"Guess how fast we're making it now?" cried John, one eye on the dial +which connected with the propeller-shaft. + +"A hundred miles," ventured Mr. Giddings. + +"Hundred and thirty," guessed Paul and Bob. + +"Hundred and eighty," stated the more experienced Tom. + +"All too low," said John. "We're going just exactly two hundred and +fifty, if this speedometer doesn't lie!" + +He now announced that he was going to throw in the idle engine. This +was done successfully, and under the extra power they were soon making +the remarkable speed of three hundred miles an hour! John then slowed +up and disconnected first one motor and then the other, the airplane +continuing to fly with unimpaired smoothness. + +As a last test, he dropped to a level of three thousand feet, at which +time they were considerably north of Albany, and throwing the +automatic-pilot into operation calmly removed his hands and feet from +every control except the rudder. In this fashion they ran for fifteen +or twenty miles on a perfectly even keel, the apparatus automatically +working the elevators and ailerons of the craft as various wind +currents tended to disturb its equilibrium. At length, John gave a +little twist to the rudder, and the way the Sky-Bird began to circle, +and to bank of her own accord, was a splendid sight to behold. No +hawk, sailing over a barnyard in quest of an unwary fowl, could have +performed the trick more beautifully. + +As the flyers now headed for home they were all much elated at the +success of the first flight of the new airplane. And as it gracefully +swooped down into the fair-grounds a little later, coming to a stop in +a surprisingly short run over the ground owing to her braking feature, +this elation was increased. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +FINAL PREPARATIONS + +After getting out of the airplane, Mr. Giddings was thoughtful for some +minutes. Nor did he speak until the boys had pushed the machine into +the hangar. Then he said, with deep earnestness: + +"Young men, a great load has been removed from my mind by this recent +performance of the Sky-Bird II. I have now not the slightest doubts of +her adaptability to make a round-the-world trip, and if she performs +then as she did this morning, we are not only going to defeat the +_Clarion_'s crew, but we are going to smash all existing records for a +journey of the kind. I wish to know if you really think you could +operate this machine steadily night and day, say for a couple of weeks, +stopping only for fuel and food?" + +"By alternating the engines--yes, sir; no doubt of it," declared John +Ross without a moment's hesitation, while Tom Meeks nodded his frowsy +head energetically. + +"Then," said Mr. Giddings, "you may consider that's what the entire +four of you will have to do in a few months, as soon as we can pick out +a route and get fuel supplies at the different airports or stops for +you. John, you and Tom may consider yourselves under salary right on +until after this race; there will be enough for you to do, helping me +with arrangements and taking care of the airplane." + +"Well, but how about Paul and me, dad?" broke in Bob anxiously; "aren't +we going to have anything to do?" + +"Oh, you two will have enough to do going to school, I think," laughed +Mr. Giddings; "but, to satisfy you, I will let you both help John and +Tom select a route and make out a schedule. Do this just as soon as +you can, so that I may be able to give Mr. Wrenn, the publisher of the +_Clarion_, a copy. He can then make intelligent preparations for his +own crew. I am going to give my rival every consideration in this +matter, so that he cannot do any howling if we beat him. It must be an +out-and-out fair race, do you understand?" + +All nodded. + +"Have you heard anything about the other crew yet, Mr. Giddings?" +inquired Paul. "I mean, do you know what sort of a craft they are +going to use, or who is going to fly against us?" + +"I am as much in the dark about those points as you young men," was the +reply. "I judge that Mr. Wrenn, who is an astute business man, will +keep us in ignorance of his personnel until the last minute. The fact +is, I am going to treat him to a dose of his own medicine in this +respect. So be careful not to let the public get close to this +machine, and talk with no one about it." + +With that the publisher and Bob drove home, but the latter came back in +the afternoon, and all four young men immediately repaired to the +Yonkers Public Library with a blank tablet, there to work out the route +and schedule. + +It was no easy task. In the first place, they wished the route to be +as close to the equator at all times as possible, so that their line of +travel would approximate in distance the world's estimated +circumference of 24,899 miles. In the second place, for stops they +must choose cities or towns with either established landing-fields, or +with grounds level enough for this purpose. In the third place, these +airports must be so divided that they would not have to be visited +during the hours of darkness, for few if any of them would be likely to +have efficient enough lighting systems to make night landings safe. + +Within fifteen minutes the boys had the long table in front of them +literally covered with geographies, atlases, loose maps, and +encyclopaedias. Paul even brought up a globe as large as a pumpkin, +while Bob was not content until he had secured a score of back numbers +of travel magazines. Into this divers collection of diagrams and +reading matter they dove with an avidity which would have surprised the +teachers they had when they were in grammar school, if they could have +seen them. It soon became evident that they would not only need a +route and schedule to make their journey successful, but also an +enormous amount of general information about the countries they would +pass over. + +"We'll have to study trade winds, oceanic storm conditions, +temperatures, inhabitants, topography, and so forth, and so forth," +drawled Tom Meeks. "Say, fellows, I feel like kicking myself to think +I didn't study my geography more and shoot paper-wads less, when I was +a kid at school." + +"We'll have to do a lot of cramming, that's sure," averred John; "but +we have several months for that. Just now we want to jump into this +route and schedule." + +They made up several tentative routes, only to discard them. Finally, +after several hours' work, they had one which everybody seemed to agree +was the best that could be picked out. With the schedule, which was +figured on the basis of 120 miles an hour airplane speed, the draft +looked like this: + + _Miles Airport Arrive Leave_ + ---- PANAMA ------------ 1:00p 20th + 1672 Georgetown 5:30a 21st 7:30a 21st + 1154 Para 6:00p 21st 9:00p 21st + 2402 Freetown 6:15p 22d 9:15p 22d + 1980 Kuka 1:00p 23d 8:00p 23d + 2015 Aden 6:00a 24th 9:00a 24th + 2116 Colombo 5:30a 25th 8:30a 25th + 1612 Singapore 6:00p 25th 9:00p 25th + 2218 Port Darwin 5:30p 26th 8:30p 26th + 3826 Apia 5:45a *27th 8:45a 27th + 2100 Nukahiva 9:00a 28th 12:00n 28th + 3154 San Cristobal 6:00p 29th 9:00p 29th + 650 PANAMA 5:30a 30th ------------- + ----- + 24899 + +* Gain of 1 day by reason of crossing 180th Meridian, or International +Date Line, between Port Darwin and Apia. + + +Bob Giddings carried home a copy of this schedule, and the following +Monday morning all four young men met by appointment in the private +office of the publisher of the _Daily Independent_. After they were +seated, Mr. Giddings brought forth the tentative draft, studied it a +few moments, and then asked: + +"What is your fuel capacity, boys?" + +"Our tanks will hold enough gasoline and oil to carry us a little +better than five thousand miles, throttled down to an average of one +hundred and twenty miles an hour, the basis on which we figured out +this schedule, sir," answered John. + +"Would it make a difference if you flew faster than that?" + +"Oh, yes," said John; "the faster a pilot flies the more fuel he uses +per mile. Full out--that is, going at the limit of her speed--the +Sky-Bird probably would not cover more than three-thousand miles." + +"I am glad to know this," said Mr. Giddings. "I see that your cruising +radius is sufficient to cover your longest jumps at any reasonable +speed. Let me see; you allow yourselves three hours' stop at each +airport; will that be long enough?" + +"Plenty, sir," said Tom; "we figure that we can easily refuel in that +time, and attend to any local affairs we may have." + +"I notice your total mileage is exactly equal to the estimated +circumference of the world," remarked the publisher. "That shows great +care in the selection of this route to meet my viewpoint; but may I ask +how you know your distances between airports, as here recorded, are +correct? From whence did you get these mileages?" + +"Bob and I figured them out, sir," spoke up Paul. + +"How?" + +"Why, like this, dad," explained Bob. "We knew there were 360 degrees +to the world; we divided the circumference of 24,899 miles by 360, and +obtained approximately 69.5 miles to a degree. By taking a map of the +world and finding the number of degrees between any two airports it was +not difficult to come pretty close to the actual distance in miles +between them." + +"Very good; very good, indeed," approved his father. "I think I have +the right sort of men on this job. But here is another thing which +occurs to me: Have you based your time of arrival and leaving at each +port upon local time or New York time?" + +"Local time," stated Paul. "If we had not done so we could not have +arranged the schedule with any accuracy at all, as regards daylight and +darkness and the lapping of time. With our watches set to New York +time, we might expect to land at a station in broad daylight, only to +find that we were really coming in after dark. Another thing: Our +figuring showed us that the lappages of time, all added together, +exactly totaled one day of twenty-four hours, which we gain by +traveling eastward. So, while the schedule on a calendar at home would +only show ten days which we would be gone, we would in reality be away +one day longer, or eleven." + +"Your local times may be wrong," hinted Mr. Giddings. + +"I don't think so, sir; we proved them correct," stated Paul, with +conviction. + +"How?" + +"After the same method we used in getting the mileage, sir. You see, +we knew that time eastward keeps getting later, and that this rate is +four minutes to every degree. We just counted the degrees between +places and figured it out on that basis." + +"Splendid!" exclaimed Mr. Giddings, who was far from as ignorant of +these processes as he led his visitors to suppose. "Boys, I wish to +compliment you very highly upon this piece of work. When I first +looked at the schedule and saw that an airplane meeting its +requirements would make this trip squarely around the world in seven +and a half hours less than ten days I could scarcely credit my senses, +and I figured it all over to make sure you had made no mistake. I +found out you had not. If you can maintain an average speed of one +hundred and twenty miles, and can make up any unforeseen delays by +greater speed, I must admit it really looks possible for you to be back +inside of ten days. That is better than I actually hoped for, young +men,--far better! In fact the situation, as I view it, contains +wonderful opportunities for both newspapers in the way of sales and +advertising. I do not doubt but that I can handle this affair in such +a manner that I can afford to give each of you five thousand dollars if +you make the journey within these ten days." + +"Five thousand dollars!" cried our friends in unison, while Bob +exploded: "But, dad, just how do you figure this out?" + +"Mr. Wrenn and I will exploit this contest in our newspapers--let the +whole universe know that it is coming off; advise the people that the +aviators are to be provided with the most modern airplanes, and +equipped with wireless by means of which they will keep us informed +frequently of their whereabouts; that they will have cameras and send +us pictures; that these bulletins shall be issued in extra editions of +our newspapers at least three or four times a day; and to cap the +climax, we will put up large bulletin boards in front of our buildings, +on which there will be painted a chart of the trip, showing every +scheduled stop, country, and ocean crossed. This will be electrically +lighted at night, and as you boys fly in your machine away off in some +distant part of the world, our bulletin board operators will follow +your course on their huge charts, and represent you with a miniature +airplane. In fact, I plan to get the _Clarion_ to 'phone over reports +of their crew as fast as received, I doing likewise with them, and then +we can have two dummy airplanes on each of our boards, showing the race +in earnest at all stages of the journey. This would cause great +excitement to the street onlookers. All in all, it would make our +newspapers the most talked about in the whole country, we would gain +thousands of new subscribers, millions of extras would be sold, +thousands of dollars' worth of new advertising contracts could be made, +and our present rates increased on account of our new prestige. Now, +you see, it will be up to you young men to keep our office supplied +with your whereabouts as often as you can. Do that, and beat our rival +crew, and I shall be pretty well satisfied if you don't quite make the +trip in ten days." + +"We will do our part, sir," responded John, speaking for all. + +There was a little further talk; and then they took their leave, well +satisfied with the turn of events, and each determined to win his five +thousand dollar trophy if it were at all possible. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +OFF FOR PANAMA + +That same afternoon Mr. Giddings called upon his business rival, Mr. +Wrenn, of the _Clarion_, and presented to him the tentative program for +the great race around the world's girdle, as the _Daily Independent_ +had planned it. Mr. Wrenn declared that he was willing to stand by his +former agreement to allow the _Independent_ to select the route, and +said it was entirely satisfactory to him, and that he would at once +take steps to have fuel supplies on hand at the various airports for +his crew when they should arrive. He made no comments as to his own +airplane, but agreed that the advertising plan his caller had worked +out was a capital one, stating that he would co-operate heartily with +him in carrying it to a successful conclusion. + +Mr. Giddings was considerably surprised that Mr. Wrenn made no +objection to the longest "hops" on the route, which were of greater +extent than the average airplane could make, and was ready to modify +the arrangement if there had been any objection. But even when he +particularly called this matter to the other publisher's attention, Mr. +Wrenn only smiled serenely, saying, "Those hops are perfectly +satisfactory to us," leaving Mr. Giddings with a deep wonderment as to +what sort of aircraft the _Clarion_ proposed using. + +"I am under the impression that our contemporary has something up his +sleeve, but I cannot conceive what it can be," Mr. Giddings confided to +his son that evening upon reaching home; and when Bob repeated this to +the Ross boys and Tom Meeks next day, they too began to wonder more +than ever what type of an airplane the _Clarion_ proposed using against +them, and who the crew might be. + +"Did your father and Mr. Wrenn decide upon a date for the start?" asked +Paul. + +"Yes," replied Bob; "they made it the 20th of July, this summer, +weather permitting. We start from Panama at one o'clock in the +afternoon." + +"Our curiosity as to the identity of our competitors will be satisfied +then, at least," laughed John. + +"And their curiosity, too!" put in Tom. "I'll stake my last cent +they're just as much in the dark about us and the Sky-Bird II as we are +about their outfit." + +"We'll hope so, anyhow," remarked Bob; "but ever since we had those +blue-prints stolen, and found we had a stranger sneaking around the +hangar, I've been uneasy." + +At this reference, all the young men felt a strange oppression. They +had talked over it more than once, and each time it had left them with +a sense of peril to their interests, why they could not tell. As +before, they now tried to laugh it off, and began to talk about other +subjects. + +There was still considerable to do in the way of preparing the Sky-Bird +and themselves for the long trip, and for weeks all four boys were kept +hustling to make the final installations of accessories and equipment. +Bob rigged up a wireless telegraph in connection with his telephone +set, and for protection, four good repeating rifles and an automatic +shotgun were put in racks in the after-cabin, while each fellow +provided himself with an automatic revolver which he would carry in a +holster attached to a belt. Medium-weight flying suits, with a heavy, +wool-lined coat to slip on in case they flew very high, and trim flying +boots and soft gloves, made up the personal toggery. + +Whenever the boys found a chance they went to the public library and +absorbed all the knowledge they could about the countries over which +they would pass and the places at which they were destined to stop. By +writing to the authorities in these localities, Mr. Giddings also +secured much valuable information for them as to present weather +conditions and landing-fields--information which was further +supplemented by numerous special airway maps supplied by the Aero Club +of America and similar aviation organizations in foreign countries. +From these maps Paul worked out a very clear chart of their own course +from beginning to end. A copy was given to each of the newspaper +publishers concerned, to reproduce on their large electric street +boards, and another was framed and placed immediately in front of the +pilot's seat in the cabin of the Sky-Bird II. + +All this time the columns of the _Daily Independent_ and the _Clarion_ +contained frequent vivid references to features of the trip calculated +to awaken the interest of the public, and as the time slipped along +into July, the attention of people all over the land was centered upon +the forthcoming contest, and it became the principal subject for +comment. The secrecy maintained by both principals as to the kind of +aircraft to be used, and the mystery as to identity of the members of +the respective crews, only whetted curiosity and interest the more, as +the sharp newspaper men knew it would. Every man, woman, and child in +the wide world seemed to be eagerly waiting for the moment to come when +he or she would see the promised pictures of the bold aviators and +their machines in the big newspapers, and hear that they had made their +first jump eastward from Panama. + +All being in readiness, at daybreak on the morning of July 16th the +Ross boys and Tom Meeks appeared at the Sky-Bird's hangar, and pushed +the airplane outside. As they were doing so, Mr. Giddings and Bob +joined them. The publisher had planned to accompany his crew to Panama +in the machine, to see them officially off, while his reporters made +the journey by train, in company with the writing force of the rival +paper. + +"We'll keep the time of our going secret, leaving before people are +generally up," Mr. Giddings had said to the boys; "and by going on the +16th we'll not only be ahead of their smart calculations, but we shall +have about half a week to rest up and see the country down there before +you begin your strenuous journey. I need a little vacation anyway, so +I will accompany you. We will stop off at Miami on the way, and enjoy +some big-game fishing in the Florida waters with some of my friends." + +So the young men were very much excited and eager to be off this +morning of the 16th, you may be sure. The Sky-Bird was tuned up a +little to make certain she was in first-class condition, then they all +climbed in and the big glistening creature of wood, metal, and silk +shot up into the air. It would probably be close to three weeks before +they would see that familiar field and hangar again, and in that time +if all went well they would circle the huge globe upon which they and +their fellow-men lived. It was truly a most inspiring thought--one to +have filled less phlegmatic blood than theirs with the wildest +pulsations! + +The weather was not at all promising, masses of gray nimbus-cloud +threatening to shut out the sun as it arose, with a promise of +uncertain winds, if not rain; but John and Tom declared the conditions +all the better for giving the machine a good test-out. + +They climbed slowly upward through the cheerless, mist-laden skies, the +engine well throttled back and running as smoothly as any engine could. +To make sure that all was in perfect working order, they circled for +ten minutes over the town, trying the different controls, then turned +the Sky-Bird southward. + +At two thousand feet they suddenly emerged from the fog belt into +brilliant sunshine, but the world below was lost to sight, screened by +a dense pall of mist. Accordingly, Tom Meeks, who was acting as pilot, +set a compass course for Cape Hatteras, the first guide-post along the +Atlantic coast, some five hundred miles distant. After an hour's +steady running, John took the throttle, followed later by Bob, and +finally Paul. It was a new sensation to the last-named youths to be +piloting the airplane out of view of the earth's surface, relying +solely for safety and position upon the compass and altimeter, and +knowing that somewhere far below them swept the rolling billows of the +ocean; but they enjoyed it immensely. + +Finally, just as John declared they ought to be close to their +objective, the winds freshened and made a great rift in the fog below +them, through which they could plainly see the grand old Carolina +coast-line a little way ahead and to their right. Between the main +shore and the long spine-like series of reefs constituting the cape +itself, sparkled the waters of numerous sounds, while the +weather-beaten lighthouse on the extreme elbow of Hatteras stood out +like a stick of white chalk against the rocky gray background of its +support. + +All were delighted with the accuracy with which they had made their +first guide-post, as John and Mr. Giddings checked their bearings on +the chart. The Sky-Bird had behaved splendidly so far, and if she +continued in that way they ought to reach their destination well before +nightfall, even at the reduced speed at which they had been flying, +which had averaged not much more than a hundred miles an hour. + +It now became a question whether they should leisurely follow along the +inwardly curving coast-line, taking in Savannah, Charleston, and +Jacksonville, as guide-posts, or save a hundred miles or more by flying +straight across the waters to Miami. As they wished to test out each +member's ability to operate by compass rather than by landmarks, it was +decided to take the shorter route. So gradually they left the rugged +American shore behind and swept farther and farther out to sea. + +The Sky-Bird II was flying as steady as a rock. All the bracing wires +were tuned to a nicety, the wind humming through them and along the +smooth sides of the great creature's body with a whistling monotone +which arose and fell with bewitching rhythm as the force fluctuated. +The varnish and fire-proofing compound glistened brightly in the +sunshine, attracting the attention of numerous seabirds, mostly gulls +and ospreys, which followed them at times for short distances, only to +be outdistanced. The engine was running at less than half its possible +speed, and purring like a contented kitten after a meal of fresh milk. +The clouds and fog had cleared away; the sky was as bright now as a sky +ever gets; far beneath, the blue-green waters of the Atlantic, flecked +with white-topped waves, spread on all sides. Two torpedo-boats, +looking like toys, went northward, and tiny white waving specks showed +that the Jacks aboard were waving a salute to them. Off seaward a +black trailing blot against the horizon showed where some unseen +steamship plowed her way between ports. Mr. Giddings and the boys were +filled with admiration. + +A small airplane is ideal for short flights, joyriding the heavens, or +sight-seeing among the clouds; but there is something more majestic and +stable about a big machine like the Sky-Bird II which a pilot soon +begins to love with a passion he never feels toward the little 'plane. +An exquisite community of spirit grows up between machine and pilot; +each, as it were, merges into the vitals of the other. The levers and +controls are the nervous system of the airplane, through which the will +of the aviator may be expressed--expressed in an infinitely fine +degree. Indeed, a flying-machine is something entirely apart from and +above all other contrivances of man's ingenuity. It is the nearest +thing to animate life which man has created. In the air an airplane +ceases to be a mere piece of dumb mechanism; it seems to throb with +feeling, and is capable not only of primary guidance and control, but +actually of expressing a pilot's temperament. + +The lungs of the machine--its engines--are the crux of man's mechanical +wisdom and skill. Their marvelous reliability and intricacy are almost +as awesome as the human anatomy. When both engines are going well, and +synchronized to the same speed, the roar of the exhausts develops into +one long-sustained and not inharmonious _boom-m-m-m-m!_ It is a song +of pleasant melody to the pilot, whose ear is ever pricked to catch the +first semblance of a "sharp" or "flat" note telling him that one or +more of the twelve cylinders of each busy engine is missing fire and +needs a little doctoring. + +It was about four o'clock that afternoon when our party first sighted +the low, out-jutting sea-coast of Florida. As they came slowly toward +it, by reason of their angular course of approach, they could gradually +make out a group of green palms here and there along the white +stretches of sand, and see clusters of light-colored buildings, piers, +shipping, and people moving about. Thus they passed Juno and Palm +Beach, and then saw the thicker cluster of fine dwellings of Miami +itself, the most southerly city on the Florida mainland. + +Paul was guiding the Sky-Bird at this time, and turned her across the +limpid waters of Biscayne Bay, cutting a huge circle above the town and +slowly swooping downward toward the broad white beach, as he picked out +a level stretch for landing. Townspeople who had been watching the +strange airplane, so much like a great bird, now ran forward to see it +land. + +A moment later, with a graceful drop and upward curve, it struck the +sandy beach and ran forward lightly until the brakes were applied and +it was brought to a standstill. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +FIGHTING A DEVIL-FISH + +Many questions were asked our friends by the onlookers, but they gave +them evasive replies, being careful to let out no hint as to their real +identity and connection with the approaching race around the world. +Two husky negroes were engaged to watch the airplane until relieved +from such responsibility, and Mr. Giddings then led the boys to the +home of a Mr. Choate, a close and trusted friend and superintendent of +the big Miami Aquarium, one of the most noted repositories for live +fish in the country. + +Mr. Choate was astonished beyond measure when he learned that his old +friend had come in the big airplane which he and his wife had noticed +over the town a short time before, and was still further surprised when +Mr. Giddings bound him to secrecy and told him that the young men with +him constituted the crew of one of the two airplanes which was so soon +to circle the earth by way of the equator. He shook hands warmly with +them, and with his charming wife made them all very much at home. + +Than Mr. Choate, no man in the South knew more about the multitudinous +varieties of fish inhabiting Florida waters. He was not only an +authority on them, but he was also recognized as a most skillful +catcher of fish. For over an hour that evening he told them absorbing +stories of the habits of Gulf Stream denizens, and recited stirring +tales of battles with some of the biggest of them. And when he finally +announced, "To-morrow I shall see that you are given a taste of our +wonderful fish-life by joining me in a fishing expedition," they could +hardly get to sleep for thinking of the fine prospect. + +After breakfast the next morning, their host conducted them down to the +waterside and into the beautiful white concrete buildings of the +aquarium, and here he proceeded to show them, swimming about in great +glass tanks, the most wonderful collection of fish they had ever seen +outside of the big New York aquarium itself. + +"You probably never realized before," said Mr. Choate, "that in the +warm waters of the Gulf Stream, between Miami and Key West, more than +600 varieties of fish are to be found. They vary in size all the way +from the tiny sea-horse, the size of a baby's little finger, to the +great tarpon and killer-whale, the latter a vicious creature weighing +many tons and large enough to swallow a good-sized boy without scraping +the buttons off his jacket." + +"It must be a lot of sport to catch some of these fairly big fish," +remarked John Ross. + +"Well, this afternoon I shall take you fellows where you can all have a +chance at them," said Mr. Choate with a smile. "It would be +interesting to have a motion-picture record of the thoughts which flash +through the mind of the average inland fisherman the first time he +feels the tiger-like swoop of a five-foot barrancuda, the fierce yank +of a hundred-pound amber-jack, or the sullen surge of a big grouper on +his line; for even when armed with the heaviest rod, and a line as big +around as a silver dollar, he is pretty sure to wish, at least +subconsciously, that his tackle might be twice as formidable and his +arm twice as strong. Just imagine yourself, for instance, out in the +clear blue waters of the Gulf Stream, looking overboard at your baited +hook thirty feet below, which you can see as plainly as if it were in +no water at all. Then up comes a great jewfish, which is just as +likely to weigh five hundred pounds as fifty, and to be as large as a +good-sized Shetland pony, and he makes a lunge for your bait, and-- +Well, you can go right on imagining the rest, too." + +In all, they visited a half-hundred tanks of fish before they were +through, watching this group and that group of inmates disporting +themselves about in the salty water with apparent unconcern of +visitors. In markings some of them rivaled the most beautiful designs +the mind could picture, and others were so brilliant and wonderful in +color that the rainbow was mild in comparison. + +From the aquarium our party went up the beach to where the Sky-Bird II +was resting under guard, and putting two new negroes to the task, they +returned and had lunch with Mr. Choate, following which he conducted +them down to the pier and aboard his sea-going motor-yacht, _L'Apache_. +This trim vessel had a crew of five men, and as she started away, +headed for the Bahama Islands, a 25-foot motor-driven tender bobbed +along in her wake. In this they were to do most of their fishing, +their host declared. + +Assisted by the northeastward pressure of the Gulf Stream, they made +splendid progress, and that evening cast anchor behind Bimini, a tiny +isle which rests like a jeweled feather on a summer sea. It was like +pulling teeth to go below deck for sleep and leave the wondrous beauty +of the tropical night, with the soft, cool touch of the ever-blowing +trade wind, the shadowy grace of the giant coconut-palms swaying and +whispering on the nearby beach in the moonlight, while the surf, +lapping upon the coral reef on the outer side of the isle, lulled them +with its crooning obligato. + +At sunrise all hands were up and ready for the sport. A hot breakfast +was served by the cook, after which they piled aboard the motor-tender, +throwing in rods, lines, and harpoons. + +Through the island channel out to the open sea they went, all except +the steersman hanging over the side of the craft and enjoying the +amazing sights in the clear depths below. Bob excitedly pointed out a +group of six or eight big tarpon lazily wallowing about fifty feet +beneath them. And less than two minutes afterward, Paul, in no less +excitement, announced the discovery on his side of a big nurse-shark +which was rolling an eye at him from the ocean's floor. John pointed +out, from the bow, a great school of fish numbering possibly ten +thousand, which Mr. Choate stated were small mangrove-snappers. They +were parading up and down a stretch of coral shelf along the bottom, +and they made a wild dash and hid in crannies under the coral as a big +barracuda unexpectedly shot into their midst and grabbed one unlucky +snapper. + +In a little while the fishermen were out into the open sea, and all +began to scan the pulsating bosom of the Gulf Stream with fresh +interest. Strange as it may seem, the fish of tropical waters do not +appear to have the slightest apprehension of danger from the noise of a +motor-boat, and one cannot only get very close to them, but can follow +them about and observe their movements without trouble, particularly if +he is familiar with their habits. + +In a little while Mr. Giddings called the attention of all to a dark +shadow not far below the surface, about two boat-lengths on the +quarter. Mr. Choate promptly announced this to be a "herring-hog," a +species of porpoise, and ordered the boat turned that way. + +The creature proved to be a full-grown herring-hog, weighing around +four hundred pounds, and as this species destroys great numbers of +foodfish, Mr. Choate made preparations to attack it. Reaching the +proper position, a hand harpoon was thrown by him. It found its mark, +and away went the great fish at so fast a clip that the line fairly +smoked as it shot from the reel barrel. In a few moments it was all +out, and then the motor-boat gave a jump forward and rushed after the +herring-hog. He was towing it, as if it had been a chip! + +The engineer now reversed the propeller. This act slowed up the +herring-hog noticeably, but still his prodigious strength carried the +craft forward. It was ten minutes or more before he tired sufficiently +for them to haul him in. + +As they were making the big fish fast to the gunwale, a considerable +disturbance was observed on the surface of the water about a quarter of +a mile away. Mr. Choate judged this fuss to be caused either by a +leopard-shark killing its prey, or by some battle royal between two +equally big denizens of the deep. + +Mr. Giddings and the boys were all excited at the thought of getting a +harpoon into a huge leopard-shark, which will fight any and everything +that swims, as well as many things of flesh which do not swim, not +excepting man himself. + +But as the boat drew closer, Mr. Choate, who seemed to have uncanny +eyesight plus long experience with subsea life, added greatly to the +nervousness of his guests by suddenly exclaiming: "Stand by, men; it's +the biggest devil-fish I have ever seen!" + +At once everybody who could find one, seized a harpoon; and in his +excitement Tom Meeks even picked up an oar, as if to defend himself +against attack! + +In a few minutes they were close enough to note that the entire bottom +of the ocean in the area where the creature had been seen had gone +suddenly dark; and in the translucent depths above nearly all of the +party discerned a gigantic shadow moving along. It looked for all the +world like an immense pancake with bat-like wings. These wings were +fluttering queerly, and from the action of the fish Mr. Choate said he +was sure it was devouring prey which it had just killed. He now asked +Paul if he would like to try a cast. The boy assented eagerly. +Bracing his feet in the bottom of the motor-boat he took good aim and +let his harpoon fly. + +Paul had hardly hoped to hit the devil-fish. And probably he would not +have done so, inexperienced as he was with a harpoon, except for the +fact that the creature was of unusual size and presented a broad mark. +As it chanced, the steel went true. The devil-fish arose to the +surface as though hurled upward by a submarine explosion. One of its +great battle-like fins broke above the water, sending gallons of spray +over the occupants of the boat, and splintering the harpoon staff +against the boat's side as if it had been a match stem; then its +ten-foot pectoral wing struck the water with a terrific impact, making +a noise which could have been heard several miles away. + +For a moment the monster seemed bewildered, and that moment cost it +dear, for it enabled Bob to throw another harpoon, which stuck deep +into its body near the spine. With a mad dash it started off to sea, +taking the harpoon lines with it. As the lines sped out of their +barrels Mr. Choate grasped one and Mr. Giddings the other, aided +respectively by John and Tom, and all hands strained to hold them, but +although they went out slowly, they could not be held, until at length +Paul and Bob came to the rescue and managed to get the ends around +cleats in the boat. + +However, this did not stop the devil-fish. It made out to sea with +remarkable speed for so clumsy-looking a monster, towing the heavy boat +and its inmates after it with the ease of a horse pulling a toy +carriage! As it went, all hands bore on the lines, adding to its +burden, but for a long time this seemed to have little or no effect. + +Every once in a while the devil-fish would literally hurl itself +several feet out of the water, and its huge flat body would come down +with a crack like the explosion of a gun shell. Perhaps it was +imagination, but each time it broke the surface in one of these +cavortings it seemed to the boys that the fish was bigger than the last +time. + +Now and then the creature would sound for deep water, in an effort to +shake its captors off, and several times it went down so far that Mr. +Choate stood ready with upraised hatchet to cut the lines at the last +moment, in the event the bow should show signs of diving under. + +All of a sudden the lines slackened, and all hands frantically hauled +in slack, as the devil-fish turned and dashed toward the boat. He came +up almost under the craft, one great wing actually lifting one side of +the heavy launch well out of the water and giving everybody a pretty +stiff scare. + +With quick presence of mind, Mr. Choate at this moment let drive +another harpoon, which found lodgment in the monster's flat head, and +away it dashed again with the greatest vigor. As there was now a line +leading to each side of the devil-fish's body, those in the motor-boat +found they were able actually to drive their captive as if it were a +runaway horse, a gradual bearing on one "rein" or the other tending to +direct the uncertain creature in that direction. Thus very adroitly +they swerved the huge fish toward the now distant shore of Bimini, +hoping to master it in the shallower waters of the isle. + +By this time the monster had carried them out fully ten miles. It had +not forgotten its old tactics of deep diving either, and there were +numerous occasions when, after one of these submersions, it came up and +started fiercely toward the boat, and it took the most skillful +maneuvering on the part of the steersman, as well as wicked use of oars +on the part of those in the craft, to drive the creature off and keep +from being upset. + +They let their anchor drag, and at times reversed the propeller, +hauling on this side and that on the harpoon lines when the devil-fish +would not be going to suit them. In this fashion it was slowly but +surely tired out; they began to reel in slack line, and finally the +immense fish was wallowing within twenty feet of the boat, surrounded +by hungry sharks which had been attracted by its blood. It would never +do to goad it now by hauling in on the lines, as it might dart under +the boat and upset it, and the waiting sharks could then make a meal of +its luckless inmates. So Mr. Choate told the boys to use their +automatic revolvers and see if they could not dispatch the devil-fish +at once. This was done, John, Tom, Paul, and Bob all firing several +shots each, which put the monster in such a helpless state that they +could handle it with less danger to themselves. + +Until that moment not one of them realized that nearly five hours had +elapsed since they first attacked this Jumbo of the sea, so busy had +they been every moment of the time in trying to conquer the creature. +And everybody was quite exhausted, now that the excitement was over. + +Although this fish had three harpoons in his body and a dozen shots in +its head and heart, it was by no means dead, and the fishermen found +considerable difficulty in towing it into the harbor, some miles away. + +The natives of Bimini were greatly interested in the capture, and our +friends were able to get fifteen of them to help draw the enormous +carcass ashore where all could get a good look at it. They were amazed +at the unusual size of the devil-fish, and Mr. Choate declared again +that he had never seen such a large one of its kind. It measured +twenty-two feet across, and must have weighed close to 5,000 pounds. + +"Some people call the octopus a devil-fish," said Mr. Choate. "This is +all wrong. They are both large and vicious creatures, but entirely +different in looks. The devil-fish belongs to the ray family, and, as +you see, is a huge bat-like creature which uses its body fins with a +waving, undulating motion, and propels itself through the water at +remarkable speed." + +"It is built on the principle of our airplane--in looks," said Tom with +a grin; "and in speed, too." + +"So it is," responded Mr. Choate. "It derives its satanic name from +these cephalic fins or lobes which extend outward and upward from each +side of its flat head, like curling horns. When it dashes into a +school of smaller fish, these fins whirl about in every direction, and +as they are often four feet long they easily reach more than one +hapless fish and he is swept into the yardwide mouth of the monster and +devoured with almost lightning speed." + +After a rest, the party went out in the motorboat again, this time to +catch foodfish. They had fine luck, and after an appetizing meal +aboard the _L'Apache_, in which their small catch played an important +part, all set out for Miami, tired and happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE STRANGE AIRPLANE + +The first thing the boys did the following morning, after spending the +night at the home of Mr. Choate, was to go down to the beach and see if +their airplane was all right. They found one of the two negroes asleep, +but the other fellow was faithfully on guard, and everything about the +Sky-Bird seemed just as they had left it, although the watchers said that +a considerable number of curious townspeople had come to look at the +machine the day before and they had been very busy keeping venturesome +boys off the craft. + +Our friends let the negroes go to get their breakfasts and some sleep, +and engaged two others to take up the watch. Following this, in company +with Mr. Choate, they all retired to the bathhouse, secured bathing suits +and had a fine time disporting themselves in the warm surf for the next +hour. The youths had never experienced Gulf Stream bathing before, and +the water was so enticing that it was hard to drag themselves out of it. + +As they were in the act of emerging to dress themselves, a black speck, +which all had noticed in the northern sky, had developed by nearer +approach so that they thought they could recognize it as an airplane. It +was coming down the coast very rapidly. Wondering if its pilot intended +to land in the vicinity, they gathered on the beach and curiously waited +for it to come nearer. + +At times they were puzzled to know whether the approaching object were +really an airplane or a great bird, for it surely looked like a bird with +its swelling breast-line and slightly tilted broad-shouldered wings. +Closer and closer it came. It was flying very high. + +When it was almost over them, Mr. Giddings uttered a startled +ejaculation; "My stars, boys! It's _our_ machine!" + +Paul and John Ross and Tom Meeks were equally astonished. They had +noticed the strong resemblance at the same moment. Involuntarily, with +Mr. Giddings and Mr. Choate, they turned their heads up the beach to see +if the Sky-Bird II was where they had left it. + +They saw its huge outline and its patrolling black guards. It had not +changed position. Even a group of gaping Miami citizens lent reality to +the situation, and some of the latter were gazing aloft at the other +flying-machine, as our friends had been doing. + +The stranger above them evidently had no intention of stopping. Instead +of circling the town, as he would have done had he intended to land, he +swept straight over and kept on his southward course, heading across +Florida Strait. + +On the face of every one of our friends, as they saw this image of the +Sky-Bird II cross the sky overhead and disappear in the mists beyond, was +a look of amazement, incredulity, and finally dark suspicion. + +"Can it be--?" Mr. Giddings hesitated, and looked inquiringly at his +younger companions. + +"It looks that way," said John Ross, with a reluctant nod. + +None needed to explain that the same thought had struck him, also. The +stolen blue-prints--the skulking man with the swarthy face! He had +duplicated the Sky-Bird! + +More than that, each recalled the _Clarion's_ secrecy about the kind of +airplane it planned to use; and its willingness to attempt the long +"hops" which ordinary machines would have had difficulty in negotiating. +It all pointed to but one logical meaning. And Bob Giddings expressed +the opinion of all when he observed: + +"Dad, I believe there goes our prospective competitor in the race around +the world! He's making for Panama now!" + +Further comment on the situation would have been useless. All hands, +each with disturbing thoughts of his own, went silently into the +bathhouse and resumed his regular garb. + +Mr. Choate and his wife begged them so hard to remain over another day at +least that Mr. Giddings assented. That afternoon they went for a long +automobile ride along improved roads, both sides of which were lined with +palms in places, luxuriant tropical grasses in others, and towering +forests covered with creeping vines. They stopped the car a number of +times to visit great orange groves, and the boys had their first taste of +the luscious fruit just as it ripened on the trees. + +The following morning, directly after breakfast, they were besieged by +two or three local newspaper reporters. Seeing no use of further +concealing their identity, Mr. Giddings gave out a little information to +the gleeful newspaper men, but was careful to wire in to his own +newspaper much more detail of their doings since leaving Yonkers, even +mailing some photographs which they had taken of the tussle with the big +devil-fish. + +In the afternoon our party paid a visit to the aquarium again, extending +it to the Biological Laboratory nearby; and took supper in the beautiful +white casino, which fronts the beach, after they had had a refreshing +plunge in the ocean's waters. Then Paul and Bob took up Mr. and Mrs. +Choate for a short flight in the airplane. + +Early the next morning they bade their Miami friends good-bye, and once +more took to the air, this time to complete the last leg of their journey +to Panama. It was found that the Sky-Bird's fuel tanks were apparently +still full enough to carry them to their destination, so it had not been +necessary to store either gasoline or oil in Miami. This was very +gratifying, as it showed quite conclusively that, later on in the race, +the Sky-Bird would be able to make her longest jumps without the peril of +fuel shortage. + +At a height of close to two thousand feet they headed across Florida +Strait, with Paul at the throttle. It was a real joy to be looking +through the glass panels of the airplane's cabin once more, to hear the +muffled roar of her engine and propeller, and to realize that probably +before dark they would be across the five hundred miles of blue waters of +the Caribbean and hovering over the world-famous Canal Zone. + +It was a fine morning. What clouds could be seen were well above +them--light, billowy, and white, reflecting the sunlight so strongly upon +the white-capped waters below, that the sea seemed much closer to the +voyagers than it really was. + +Shortly after eight o'clock they crossed over the long, low-lying island +of Cuba, dipping down close enough to get a fairly good view of the +topography. Then rising to three thousand feet, they swerved a little to +the eastward and made off across the Caribbean Sea itself. + +At a few minutes of eleven they sighted the shore of Jamaica, five miles +or so to the eastward of them. Then John took the throttle, both engines +were put into the work, and they began to whizz through the air at a clip +which would have made them gasp for breath had they been in an open +cockpit. As it was, the rush of air as it swept along each side of the +fuselage and off its narrowing tail, became a veritable howl in whose +noise they found conversation very difficult. Tom Meeks, who was leaning +over John's shoulder and watching the instrument-board, triumphantly +announced presently that they were traveling at the rate of 280 miles an +hour! + +For thirty minutes or more John Ross kept the Sky-Bird going at this +terrific speed, then he slowed up, and transferred into mono-engine gear, +as there was no use in unnecessarily heating the power-plants. As the +indicator of the speedometer retreated to 150 miles, he turned the +throttle over to Bob Giddings, and said: "Hold her at this rate, Bob; +it's plenty fast enough for the present." + +It was a little after one o'clock when Paul and Tom announced land to the +westward. After looking at the object, which surely had the appearance +of land, Mr. Giddings laid down the glasses and consulted the chart. + +"That's undoubtedly the outer point of Nicaragua," he said; and upon +taking a look themselves with the binoculars, the others all agreed with +him. + +Keeping the low-lying coastline of the continent on their right, and +buffeted considerably by contrary winds which now began to make +themselves manifest, Bob threw the automatic-pilot into gear at a +suggestion from John, as this insured greater safety, and steered with +the rudder only. At once the riding became easier, for the moment a gust +of wind hit the machine on one side, the elevators and ailerons shifted +and counteracted its uneven effect. + +After a while Bob turned slightly to the eastward, and about +mid-afternoon they came in sight of Colon, the Atlantic terminal city of +the great Canal. Sweeping over its collection of houses, at an elevation +of about fifteen hundred feet, they passed the big white Gatun locks, and +followed the trail of the Panama Railroad across the great neck of rugged +land which joined North and South America--followed, too, the tortuous, +wonderful channel which American enterprise had cut through. + +Thus over Gatun Lake they flew, over the Chagres River; along the course +of Culebra Cut, with its high banks, across the Pedro Miguel and +Miraflores locks on the other side of the isthmus; over Ancon; and +finally below them lay clustered the white-robed buildings of Panama +itself, with the swelling blue reaches of the big Pacific to the +southward and westward, and the bold shore-line of South America to the +southeastward. + +Looking down as they circled the narrow tongue of land on which the city +proper nestled, our friends soon made out the big Government +landing-field and airdrome, distinguished by its whitewashed cobblestone +markers at either end. And, now, as the Sky-Bird II swooped downward, +several attendants in white pantaloons could be seen running out of the +building. + +When the airplane had settled, these men came up. Two were short, black +fellows, probably San Blas Indians; but the other two were whites, though +well-burned by the tropical suns. The taller of the white men introduced +himself as Henry Masters, superintendent of the landing-field, and was +extremely courteous when he learned the identity of the new-arrivals. + +"We have been looking for you gentlemen," said he, "and I'm glad to know +you had such a fine run from Miami. There are a lot of strangers in +town--been arriving for the last three or four days--all to witness the +start of this big race. Most of them seem to be newspaper men from the +States, though there are a number from South America, and even Africa and +Europe. Is this the plane that you fellows representing the _Daily +Independent_ are going to fly in?" + +"This is the one, Mr. Masters," responded John. + +"It is a beauty," said the superintendent with enthusiasm, as he glanced +over the graceful outlines of the Sky-Bird. "I never saw one built on +these lines until the other day, when what seems to be its twin came in." + +"Much like-um lot," remarked one of the natives, and his companion, added +more concisely: "Same like-um lot." + +In spite of the fact that our party had been fearing some such +information as this upon reaching Panama, the actual announcement of it +made their hearts jump wildly. + +"Where is this machine now?" asked Mr. Giddings as calmly as he could. + +"In the hangar," was the reply of Masters. "It is the one that is going +to fly against you." + +"Who is in charge of it?" inquired John Ross. + +"Five arrived in it. Four of them are to be in the contest, they say. +The other gentleman is Mr. Wrenn, of the New York _Clarion_." + +A few minutes later, when they pushed the Sky-Bird into one of the big +double hangars, their suspicions were conclusively clinched. For there +at one side stood the very counterpart of their own airplane, differing +only in the name painted upon its sides and under its big hollow wings. +These letters spelled "_Clarion_"! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A FAMILIAR FACE + +Our friends exchanged glances. The brow of every one of them +contracted into so plain a frown that Mr. Masters, the superintendent +of the airdrome, could not help noticing it. + +"I hope nothing is wrong, gentlemen," he ventured half-interrogatively. + +"So do we," responded Mr. Giddings, "but if there is, it is nothing +concerning you, sir, at least. We thank you for your attention to our +machine, and wish you to take the best care of it while it is here. +Don't let anybody meddle with it, will you?" + +"We'll look after it right, you may depend upon that," said the flying +official; and the party turned and left the building. + +Outside, where they would be secure from the hearing of others, all +came to a pause, for there was a lot on their minds. + +"Well, boys," said the publisher, "you see our suspicions back there in +Miami were certainly well-founded. It seems that in some manner those +stolen blue-prints have fallen into the hands of our rivals, and they +have been wise enough to profit by the fact." + +"Do you think, dad, that Mr. Wrenn could have been back of this theft?" +propounded Bob who, although the publisher was a business rival of his +father's, had always thought him above such operations. + +"I really do not know what to think," was Mr. Giddings's answer. "I +have always entertained the greatest respect for this gentleman's +honesty, if he does differ with me politically. But I must admit that +since this thing has happened--" + +"Sh-h!" warned Bob suddenly. "Here comes Mr. Wrenn now!" + +It was as he said. Turning his head in the direction of the entrance +to the landing-field, Mr. Giddings instantly recognized, in the short +figure in linen coming toward them, the person of the publisher of the +_Clarion_. + +"I shall have this matter out with him right now," was the grim +declaration of the _Daily Independent's_ director. + +"Well, well! how are you, Giddings? How are you, Robert?" cried Mr. +Wrenn, sticking out his pudgy hand when he came up to the little group. +Such was his gusto that he did not seem to notice the lukewarmness of +the father's and son's greeting. Mr. Giddings introduced John, Paul, +and Tom, and then the publisher of the _Clarion_ continued with +good-humored raillery: "I'm mighty glad to see you fellows here, for I +began to think you would get scared and flunk us at the last moment. +Was over on the hotel veranda when I saw a plane land here, and I +guessed it might be you, and hurried right over. Put your machine up +yet?" + +"We did," said Mr. Giddings rather sourly. "And do you know, Wrenn, +when we ran the Sky-Bird in the hangar we saw yours in there and +received quite a disagreeable surprise--I may say shock." + +Mr. Giddings and the boys watched the broad face of their rival very +narrowly as this statement was put. Would he act guilty? + +There was an explosion of laughter, the heartiest of laughter, from the +_Clarion_ director. "Oh, say, that's one on you, Giddings! I knew +you'd be down in the mouth when you saw our machine and realized that +you would have to contend against one as good or better than your +own--one of the same type!" And he laughed again, until he had to wipe +tears from his little blue eyes. + +This was incomprehensible conduct from a guilty conscience! What could +it mean? Surely Mr. Wrenn, of the _Clarion_, was either the coldest +and deepest-dyed rogue in the world or a man entirely innocent! + +"How did you know that we had an airplane like yours?" asked John +sharply. + +The fat man broke into renewed chuckles at this question, and it was a +moment or two before he could find words. Then he said: + +"There's a little story connected with this, and now that we're right +on the eve of the race and there's nothing to be gained by further +secrecy, I'll tell it to you. You see, about a year and a half ago, +possibly two years, a young man came to me for a job as sporting +reporter; said he had been a flyer in France and that the Government +wanted him as an Air Mail pilot, but he would rather take up the +newspaper game. I put him to work, and he proved very good in +gathering news of sports, especially aviation stuff. A week or so +after you challenged me to this race--which I would have liked to back +out of, but couldn't and save my honor--this chap showed me some +blue-prints of a novel kind of airplane which he claimed to have +co-devised with a flyer friend who, he said, was helping to make you a +machine of the same type for this contest. He--" + +"What is this young man's name?" inquired John Ross excitedly. + +"Peter Deveaux." + +"Peter Deveaux!" exclaimed John and Paul at once. And John added: "Mr. +Wrenn, that fellow did not refuse to fly in the Air Mail service; he +_did_ fly, and was dishonorably discharged for drunkenness. +Furthermore, he stole those plans from our hangar!" + +The publisher of the _Clarion_ opened his eyes wide. "Can you prove +those assertions?" he inquired. "That last one is a serious charge, +sir." + +"Nevertheless we can prove it when we get back to New York," declared +John warmly. + +"Well," said Mr. Wrenn, "I'll finish my story, and then we can talk +over this new development more understandingly. As I said, Deveaux +claimed to have a half-right in the plans, and having no reason to +doubt it, I told him to proceed, when he proposed to make an airplane +for us from the designs and to head a crew for the _Clarion_ in this +race around the world. Now you will understand my position in the +matter." + +"Wrenn," spoke up Mr. Giddings with quick frankness, "I beg your +pardon. The young men here and myself fancied you must have had a +guilty part in the production of this fac-simile of our airplane. We +now see who is really to blame." + +"I do not blame you for your suspicions," was the candid reply of the +fat man, "if things are as you state; and I will do you the honor, +Giddings, to say that, although we are business rivals, your word is as +good as gold with me. This is a lamentable situation. What shall we +do about it?" + +Mr. Giddings studied deeply before making answer. Then he observed: +"Wrenn, this contest, as you know, has been too widely advertised to +wreck it just as it is about to begin by the arrest of this man, Peter +Deveaux. Say nothing to him about it; in fact, we will none of us +mention a word of this to anybody; but when the race is over you can +quietly dismiss him from your service, if you wish. As I now look at +it, no great harm has been done, if any, by his duplicity; with two +planes practically alike, the race will really be a fairer one, and a +more exciting one for the public who read our newspapers, and supremacy +will probably go to the better crew." + +"I don't know about my crew, as Deveaux picked them up; but they did +good work when they brought me down here the other day in the plane," +said Mr. Wrenn. "Giddings, I think your plan is all right, and we'll +let the race go on as if nothing had happened; but you bet your last +dollar I'll fire Pete when it's all over, if he has done what you say!" + +With that the publisher of the _Clarion_ accompanied our friends back +to the hangar, where he had a good look at the Sky-Bird II, and showed +his own airplane, which was in all essentials an exact copy of the +other. Following this they left the airdrome and went to their hotels. + +All had a good night's rest--probably the last one they would have on +earth for more than a week,--and after a hearty breakfast they +proceeded to get what supplies they would need to last them until they +should reach Georgetown, British Guiana, on the north coast of South +America. This would be their first stop. Somehow the townspeople +quickly guessed their identity, and they were followed from store to +store as they shopped by a curious and motley throng of dark-skinned +natives, among whom were noticed quite a few white children, presumably +belonging to American employees of the Government. + +With such eatables as they had bought stored in a basket, and carrying +a few other packages, the boys went out to the airdrome. A guard stood +at the door to keep out those having no business in the hangar, and as +the young flyers passed in they noticed that Mr. Wrenn and a group of +four fellows in flying-suits were going over the rival airplane. + +"Here, boys, come over here a minute!" called the fat man. As they +approached, the aviators with him turned from their work. One, a +slender fellow with swarthy skin and a scrubby black mustache, scowled +when he looked at John Ross, and as Bob Giddings and Tom Meeks got +their eyes on him, they gave an involuntary start, for they recognized +in the man the fellow they had seen hanging around the fair-grounds in +Yonkers when their machine was in process of construction. + +"It's time you fellows got acquainted with each other," said Mr. Wrenn, +and he forthwith proceeded to introduce his crew as Pete Deveaux, Chuck +Crossman, Oliver Torrey, and Sam Lane. + +"How are you, Ross?" greeted Pete Deveaux. He uttered a sour sort of +laugh, as his companions offered their hands around the group. "I +won't do any shaking," said he, "as my hands are kind of greasy." + +"Don't worry, Deveaux," advised John quickly. "We won't feel bad over +a little thing like that." + +"That your plane over there?" asked the swarthy fellow. + +"That's it; quite a strong resemblance to yours here," said John with +cutting sarcasm. + +"That's so," was Deveaux's comment, casting a quick look toward Mr. +Wrenn. Apparently he was as anxious to drop the subject as a chicken +would a red-hot kernel of corn, for he immediately observed, with an +ill-concealed sneer: "I suppose you guys think you're going to leave us +a good ways behind in this race?" + +"We're not telling what we think," put in Paul; "but one thing is sure: +we're going to keep you hustling some." + +"Oh, that's too bad, now, ain't it?" drawled Oliver Torrey, as he +leered out of one eye. + +"Say, kid, we'll beat youse so bad you'll be squallin' before you're +half-way round the globe," put in Sam Lane. + +"You bet! Ain't no use o' flying against such veterans as us," +supplemented Chuck Crossman, with a wag of his frowsy head. + +Mr. Wrenn frowned. While these might be his own men, it was hard to +countenance such bragging. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE START + +By eleven o'clock the tanks of the Sky-Bird II had been filled with +gasoline and oil, and the radiator of each engine supplied with twelve +gallons of water. In addition to this, its crew had carefully gone +over every brace, control, bolt, and nut to make sure that everything +was tight, the engines had been run detached from the propeller for a +few minutes to warm them up, and every bearing not reached by the +lubricating system was well oiled by hand. + +Mr. Giddings had appeared about an hour earlier, bringing with him the +two special correspondents of the _Daily Independent_, as well as +several other newspaper men representing various prominent foreign +publications. As soon as our boys had finished shaking hands with +these, they were introduced to a number of well-known Government +officials and aviation representatives, who added their good wishes for +the success of the big undertaking. Then came Mr. Wrenn with a party +of his own distinguished friends, which called for more hand-shaking. + +At twelve-fifteen the rival machines were pushed out of the hangar and +took up positions in the field, ready for the signal to "hop." At +twelve-fifty both crews, with the exception of their respective +crankers-up, entered their machines, and a heavy hush fell over the +great crowd which had assembled to see the start of the first race +around the world's circumference. It was without denial an auspicious +moment, and as they stood there and looked at the two big mechanical +birds which were to attempt this prodigious feat, embracing almost +25,000 miles, threading every mile of the distance through the air in +the astounding time of ten days, the situation was so fraught with awe, +particularly to the native Panamanians, that now at the last moment all +were practically voiceless. + +The rival publishers gave their parting instructions as their crews +climbed into the cabins, and these were to the same effect: "Don't +forget, boys, to report to us at every stop, and mail us all the +pictures you can. Between stops use your wireless for reports whenever +possible. Good-bye, and the best of luck!" + +Lieutenant-Colonel Warren J. Hess, a gentleman prominent in American +aviation circles, had been selected as judge of the contest. He was +not only to give the signal to start off the flyers, but with Mr. +Giddings, was to await in Panama their return, and demand from each +crew upon arrival a document containing the signature of the port +official at each scheduled landing. + +Colonel Hess, looking at his watch, now raised his hand, and +instinctively those in the front of each of the long lines of +spectators flanking the run-way crowded back so that the airplanes +would not strike them as they dashed down the field for the take-off. +Tom Meeks and Chuck Crossman spun the propellers, sprang back to escape +their vicious whirr as the respective engines fired, and quickly +clambered into their machines. + +It was exactly one o'clock. Both airplanes taxied down the runway side +by side. They also arose together, amid a great cheering, some ninety +feet apart, shooting grandly up into the air above the heads of the +people in the lower end of the field. At a height of a thousand feet, +the gray _Clarion_ bent eastward. At fifteen hundred feet, the +Sky-Bird did likewise. From the open windows of each of the cabins +fluttered white handkerchiefs in a final farewell, and many a +broad-brimmed hat in the hands of the excited populace below was waved +in answer. + +Flying low, the _Clarion_ started away in the lead, while her rival had +been mounting to her own preferred higher level. By the time the +Sky-Bird had straightened out, her contemporary was well in advance. + +"We're losing ground," said Bob Giddings anxiously. + +"Don't worry about that," said Paul Ross, who was at the throttle; "we +can catch them when we're ready. We'll get a better current of air up +here." + +Paul's maneuver had been due to the fact that heavy head-winds were +blowing, and he was quite sure if he went higher he would get above the +worst of these. + +As they now shot along on an even keel, it seemed hard to realize that +they had at last started out on the important flight for which they had +been planning and working so long; and as Paul watched his instruments +and the scudding rival machine ahead, he could not help wondering what +the issue of it all might be--if the fates would be so kind as to smile +enough on the Sky-Bird to bring her in ahead of the _Clarion_ and +within schedule time. Many weary miles must be covered before they +would see Panama again. And when they would land in that air-drome +again--if in truth they ever did!--would it be as victors, or as +listeners to the jeers of the rough crew of the other plane? + +It was not an ideal day for the start from a weather standpoint. In +fact, a consultation of the weather reports at the Panama Bureau before +they left had shown a prophecy of strong northeasterly winds and +possible showers. The sun was almost shut out by patches of cloud, +glinting through only occasionally; but neither crew had felt like +postponing the start, so eager were they to be off and so confident +were they in the capabilities of their respective machines to meet +almost any sort of bad weather. + +Straight along the Isthmus both machines proceeded, making a bee-line +for Georgetown, which it was hoped to reach at daylight. The coastline +was low along here and very uneven, with numerous pretty little islands +on the Pacific side, the waters surrounding them sparkling like jewels +when the sun's rays would struggle through the clouds and strike the +tossing waves. + +In the northern part of the Republic of Colombia they passed just to +the right of the western terminal range of the great Andes Mountains, +and within an hour's time were sailing through Quindiu Pass of the +central arm of the same mountains. At this time they were over twelve +thousand feet above sea-level. Then came the table-lands of western +Venezuela, open in places and covered with thick growths of tropical +forests in others. + +As they approached the foothills of the eastern chain or arm of the +mountains, Paul took the throttle, and they steadily arose in order to +clear the high pinnacles facing them, and finally, at a height of +fifteen thousand feet--the greatest height they had yet attained--they +went over them. The airplane encountered several "air pockets" in this +process, which might have been disastrous to them except for the +stabilizing effect of the automatic-pilot. As it was, the machine +pitched rather roughly in surviving them. + +In sweeping past the last crag they had come very near to striking, +owing to a cloud which enwrapped it. Just in time Paul's sharp eyes +had seen the white bank of snow on the crag ahead, and he elevated his +craft enough to pass over. It was so cold up here, even in the cabin, +that the boys had to don their heavy coats. + +Just as they turned the nose of their machine toward a lower level, +running at reduced speed, a huge bird with curving beak, which John +said was a condor, dashed from the crags after the airplane. It was +followed a moment later by five or six others. The great birds seemed +to resent the appearance of so strange a giant in the mountain +fastnesses where they had always held the supremacy of the air, all the +time darting angrily at it, flapping their long, black and white wings, +some of which had the immense span of fourteen feet, and croaking +hoarsely. + +The boys laughed at first, but when the creatures commenced to come +closer, frequently hitting the windows with their sharp beaks, and +cracking two of them, they began to get really alarmed. Once the +propeller struck the tail of one bold and incautious condor, and +feathers flew in all directions; but after a quick circle he was back +again, madder than ever. + +"Say, fellows," cried Paul; "we've got to do something with these birds +right away! First thing we know, one of them will get hit a squarer +blow with the propeller and smash it. Then we'll crash as sure as I'm +sitting here." + +This peril was very imminent, as all could see. + +John seized the shot-gun from its rack, and Tom one of the rifles. +These were loaded. Stationing themselves on either side of the cabin, +the young men drew down the windows in front of them, poked out their +weapons and watched for a chance to use them. + +Tom's gun was the first to blaze away, but it is difficult to hit a +bird on the wing with a rifle, and he missed. A moment later, as a +condor dashed viciously toward his window, John fired, and the great +bird, mortally stricken, tumbled into the mists below. + +Tom was more fortunate the next time. A condor, with a fluttering of +his immense wings, had settled right on the tail of the machine, where +he clung with his sturdy talons, threatening to prevent Paul from +manipulating the rudder. When Bob called Tom's attention to this +alarming situation, the latter joined him at the rear window of the +cabin. Tom took careful aim, pulled the trigger, and the condor fell +with a broken wing, uttering hoarse cries until the clouds below +swallowed him up. + +Two more of the fierce creatures were killed before the remaining birds +were frightened off. It was with a sigh of relief that Paul now +resumed his descent to lower levels. + +When presently they emerged out of the last cloud, and could see the +green earth below them once more, they were across the last chain of +mountain they would encounter in South America. They gazed with their +glasses on all sides, and checked up their position on the chart, +although in doing this they had great difficulty on account of a +curtain of thin fog which hung over the land, and only a very low +altitude of about five hundred feet would allow of it at all. + +As soon as they were sure of their bearings they again took a searching +observation in quest of the rival airplane, but no sign of it could +they see. + +"They're probably quite a bit ahead of us by this time," observed John; +"but now that we're through the last chain of the Andes we can make +better speed. Shoot her up to two thousand feet, Buddy. We'll set our +course for Georgetown by compass." + +Paul bore upward, and at the level mentioned he straightened the +machine with her nose once more pointed eastward, and the compass hand +pointing along the left wing of the machine. + +It was now growing dark. Not knowing whether this was caused by the +closing in of the clouds or the natural declension of the sun, Bob +looked at his watch. To his surprise he found it was seven o'clock +Panama time, which would make it probably close to nine in their +present locality. Night should now be upon them. + +As it had been decided to let John and Tom operate the night shift, at +least for the first few days, John now took his trick at the throttle, +changed to the fresh engine, and Bob and Paul turned into their +hammocks for the first sleep aboard the airplane. They were both +pretty tired, as each had spent several hours at the helm that +afternoon, and it was only a few minutes before the gentle rocking of +the plane on the billows of air had sent them into a sound oblivion. +Just before retiring, Bob had wirelessed Panama of their safe passage +through the mountains and fight with the condors, stating that several +snapshots of the birds had been secured and that these would be mailed +to the _Daily Independent_ upon reaching Georgetown. + +Not long after the change of pilots a fine rain began to fall, covering +the windows of the cabin with a film of moisture; but as it was now too +dark to see anyhow, John did not care whether he could look outside or +not. However, for the good of the machine, as well as the betterment +of their speed, he decided to get out of the storm. So, switching on +the little dashboard electric lights to illuminate his instruments, he +turned the Sky-Bird upward again. Through the very clouds which were +expelling the rain, gathered from the warm Atlantic trade-winds, he +guided the machine. At nine thousand feet he was above them, in clear +dry air, with a blue, star-studded sky above his head and in the mellow +glow of a full moon. + +"Well, John, this is more like night-flying," remarked Tom Meeks, who +sat just behind the pilot, ready to assist him at a moment's notice if +the need should appear. + +"As long as I know there are no mountains ahead to smash into I'm not +worrying a bit," replied John, "and I guess we're all right on that +score. I'm going to let the old girl out now, Tom." + +"Might as well," was the response. + +Thereupon John threw on the gas by degrees until the indicator showed +them to be whizzing along at 150 miles. He easily could have gone +fifty more on the one engine had he chosen, but was afraid such a speed +would carry them beyond their destination and out into the Atlantic +before daylight could show them their position. Had they not +previously been running somewhat behind scheduled time, he would not +have accelerated even now. + +Shortly after midnight Tom relieved him at the throttle, and running +slightly slower, to make sure they would not pass over Georgetown in +the darkness, Tom began to hum softly to himself as he kept a sharp +lookout upon his instruments. John settled back in the seat behind, as +alert for any sudden peril as his mate had been before. + +But no mishap marred the night's run, which was as smooth up there +above the clouds as any veteran flyer could have wished. And when at +last the bright sun of another day chased the moon and its haze into +obscurity, it lighted up the flying craft some time before its orb had +peeped high enough over the Atlantic's horizon to shed its rays upon +the affairs of earth itself. + +Gradually, as the sun arose in the heavens, Tom brought the Sky-Bird +lower, until presently he and John could see the ground, bathed in +glistening color from its recent wetting, far below them. + +At this time Paul and Bob awoke, and washing their hands and faces, +came to the windows to look out. The first thing they all did was to +sweep the sky-line for some vision of the rival airplane, but without +success. Then they put their attention on the country below and around. + +Just beneath was a pretty little blue lake, walled in with great forest +trees some of which must have been over a hundred feet high. A short +way beyond was an immense field covered with what they were sure must +be sugar-cane, and in which they could see dark-skinned men at work +with queer carts and clumsy oxen. At the right, a mere thread of +silver, was a river, hedged with tropical vegetation. This swept +around toward their front, enlarging as it came, and at what seemed no +farther than five miles away, poured its waters out into a great sea of +apparently limitless expanse. + +The boys concluded at once that this great body of water must be the +Atlantic Ocean, and when they saw a fair-sized town nestling among the +trees at the point where the river joined the sea, their chart told +them that the stream was the Essequibo River, and the collection of +low-roofed buildings was none less than Georgetown! + +A few minutes later, they were circling the town to locate their +landing-field which was to be marked with a large white letter T. +Seeing it on the second turn, they swept down amongst a curious and +half-frightened throng, and taxied to a stop. + +To their relief and gratification, they found that their rivals had not +yet appeared. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +TRICKED BY RIVALS + +Correcting their watches with Georgetown time, as given to them by Mr. +Whiteshore, the Englishman in charge of the field, the boys found to +their joy that they had arrived five minutes ahead of schedule. This +would give them, if they wished to take it, a trifle more than three +hours to spend in Georgetown. + +But first must come business; they must go over the machine very +carefully and see if the long, hard run from Panama had done any +damage; and they must replenish their fuel, oil, and water supply. +They were happy to find both engines in fine shape, thanks to the +possibility of alternating them in transit, and beyond a number of +scratches and the cracked glass made by the condors in their attack in +crossing the Andes the airplane was in perfect shape. Paul climbed up +and examined the helium-gas valves, of which there were three in each +wing, one for each of three compartments, and announced that the +pressure showed only an insignificant decrease. At the rate of +escapage indicated, they would have plenty to last them for the whole +trip. This was reassuring knowledge, for no envelope can be made so +impervious that light gases will not escape at all. The body +compartment also showed good pressure. + +It took them an hour and fifteen minutes to replenish the fuel tanks +and water radiator and put everything in shape. Just as they were +finishing up, a cry from the curious crowd around them called their +attention to the western sky, and they saw an airplane approaching. +This developed rapidly into the unmistakable outlines of the _Clarion_, +and in a few minutes the rival crew landed in the field. + +Pete Deveaux sauntered over to the crew of the Sky-Bird II. + +"Well, fellows," he said, with the sneer which seemed to be on his +leathery countenance most of the time, "I notice you got in a little +ahead of us. Congratulations! I suppose you're tickled to death." + +"We're not quite that far gone; just a little bit alive," grinned Tom +Meeks. "What made your crew so slow, Deveaux? Did you get wet in that +rain last night and have to stop off and dry out your clothes?" + +"Aw, cut it out; talk sense!" snarled the French flyer. He turned on +his heel, fearing more of Tom's sharp thrusts if he lingered longer, +and shot back: "You guys will have another laugh coming one of these +days, mark my words!" With that he rejoined his companions. + +Not at all worried at such a prophecy, our friends secured a native boy +to guide them into the town, a quarter of a mile distant, leaving their +airplane under guard of two Chinese out in the open, the field boasting +no such thing as a hangar. At the little telegraph office of the town, +John dispatched their report to the _Daily Independent_, also mailed at +the local postoffice the promised films of the encounter with the +condors. + +They then purchased some breakfast and began to look about them. While +it was still early, the narrow streets were quite well crowded with +people, so much so that it looked to the visitors as if the inhabitants +never slept. What they saw almost made them rub their eyes to make +sure they were not in Asia instead of South America. There were dozens +of almond-eyed Chinese within sight, dozens of black Hindoos in turbans +and flowing garments, dozens of Parsees wearing long black coats and +hats like inverted coal-scuttles; to say nothing of numerous Portuguese +and English, the latter mostly merchants and plantation owners. + +The roofs of the buildings were slanting, with wooden or galvanized +iron walls. Some of the more important of them, such as stores, +warehouses, government buildings, etc., were quite large, and stood +upon piles to keep them out of the way of floods which often sweep the +lowlands in the rainy season. In many of the streets ran canals, which +their small guide told them, in pidgeon-English, were drains for the +floods. And he also said that the long embankments which the boys saw +stretching along the sea front were dykes built at great expense by the +sugar planters to keep these same floods from washing the rich soil of +their fields out into the ocean. + +After purchasing some fresh fruit and groceries for their aerial +larder, the little party betook themselves back to the landing-field, +on the way passing numbers of pretty little houses which stood in the +midst of beautiful gardens filled with tropical plants. + +As they neared the field, they saw that quite a crowd had collected +since their departure. Pushing their way through the concourse about +their own airplane, they were surprised to find Pete Deveaux and Chuck +Crossman just jumping down from the wings. These flyers hurried away +through a gap in the circle of onlookers toward their own machine +before our friends could accost them. + +The Sky-Bird crew were considerably put out at noting this situation, +for they had particularly told the Chinese guards to let no one meddle +with the Sky-Bird. The Celestials were squatting unconcernedly upon +the ground, one on either side of the airplane, as John rushed up and +said to one of them; "Didn't I tell you not to let any strangers around +this machine?" + +"No lettum stranger lound," protested the fellow. "Him both flylers +alla samee you. Like-um see, you see; like-um see, he see." + +"Oh, ginger!" exclaimed John, turning to his comrades, in clear +disgust, "the stupid dunce thinks those fellows belong to us and we to +them, just because we all wear the same sort of flying clothes! Did +you ever see the like?" + +Paul now took up the questioning. "What were those fellows doing up +there?" he asked of the Chinaman. + +"No tellee me; no tellee Lee," was the response, as the fellow jerked +his head in the direction of his comrade. "Just lookee over alla samee +you do li'l bit ago." + +"Were they in the cabin?" demanded Paul. + +"No go in klabin." + +They walked around the machine giving it a cursory looking over, but +could find nothing out of the way, and every one of them felt +considerable relief. + +"I guess they were only taking a look to see if our construction was +the same as theirs," suggested Bob. This seemed a plausible +explanation, and they accepted it, although with some misgivings. + +About ten minutes later they saw the crowd over in the other side of +the field scattering, and then the _Clarion_ shot up into the air. In +a few minutes it was pointed down the coast and making good headway. + +Our friends were not quite ready, but when the other machine was a mere +speck against the southwestern sky, they hopped off themselves, with +Paul at the throttle. Not one of the party had any doubt but that they +could catch their rivals before the latter should arrive at Para, where +they were due at six o'clock that evening. It needed only that first +stage of the journey from Panama to Georgetown to show them that they +had either the speediest craft or the most skillful crew. + +Paul mounted to a height of about two thousand feet, then let the +Sky-Bird straighten out in the direction of their next stop. He opened +up the throttle little by little, and the machine rapidly gained +momentum. But somehow the young pilot was dissatisfied. Finally he +hitched the stick over to the notch which should have brought the craft +into a speed of 150 miles, and watched the speedometer closely. + +"Humph!" he ejaculated, after fifteen or twenty minutes. + +"Say, Paul," cried Bob just then, "we're losing on the _Clarion_. +She's clear out of sight now." + +"Why don't you tell me something I don't know?" growled Paul in a tone +very queer for him. + +"What's the matter with you, Buddy?" demanded John, stepping up. "You +seem to have an awful grouch on, some way!" + +"Got a good reason for it," snapped Paul. "This is enough to make a +preacher almost swear." + +"Don't talk, but speed her up a bit if you don't want them to get +away," advised John. + +"She doesn't act right, somehow," said Paul. "The Sky-Bird ought to be +hitting it up to a hundred and fifty right now, but she's only making a +hundred and fifteen. She acts groggy; don't you notice it?" + +"I thought myself she was riding a little rocky--sort of out of +balance," admitted John. + +"Take the stick and try her yourself," said his brother. + +John did so. For fifteen minutes he said nothing, but worked the +throttle and watched the speedometer. Then he called Paul again to the +seat. + +"You might as well take her, Buddy," declared John with a puzzled shake +of his head; "I can't do any better with her than you. She wallows +along like a man with a load of buckshot in his pockets--heavy--and +seems out of equilibrium, too!" + +"What do you suppose is the matter, John?" asked Tom Meeks. + +"I'll bet Pete Deveaux and that Chuck Crossman have been tampering with +her, back there in Georgetown," declared Bob. + +"I don't know; it certainly looks kind of suspicious," admitted John +Ross. He thought a moment. "Cattails and jewsharps!" he exclaimed +very suddenly. + +"What now?" asked Bob. + +"I believe I've hit the trouble," stated John, with his brown face a +shade paler. "You know we saw those fellows monkeying around our +wings. It would be an easy matter to trip one or more of those valves +and let some of the helium out! That would make us heavier, and if +more gas were let out from one wing than from the other, we would be +out of balance in the bargain." + +This declaration of John's brought a startled and troubled look to the +faces of his companions. All knew that if Pete Deveaux had engineered +such a dastardly trick as John hinted at, a handicap would be in store +for the Sky-Bird's crew all through the remainder of the race, for it +would be impossible to get a renewal of their helium-gas supply before +reaching their own country again, and then it would be too late. + +"What shall we do?" came from Bob. + +"Do? There's nothing to do now, but to keep on flying at the best gait +we can until we reach Para," decided John. "When we get there we'll +have a chance to find out what is really wrong." + +This seemed the wisest course to pursue. So Paul, vexed though he was +at the contrary actions of the airplane, buckled down to the job of +guiding the machine and complained no more. But he made up his mind +that if investigations proved the rival crew had been tampering with +the Sky-Bird II he, for one, would do his part in giving them a warm +time should they meet on the ground again. + +At noon while John and Tom slept, Bob relieved Paul, and for an hour +they made a little better time by working both engines; but, afraid of +overheating the one they termed their "night engine", they went back to +one motor for the rest of the journey into Para, where they arrived an +hour late. And it was to find bad news awaiting them. + +The landing-field official announced that the _Clarion's_ flyers had +left not fifteen minutes before for Freetown, Africa. And upon +investigating the helium valves in the wings of the Sky-Bird, our boys +found to their dismay that fully a third of the pressure was gone, +indicating that an equal quantity of gas had escaped in some manner. + +It may be added that there was very little doubt in their minds as to +this manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +ACROSS THE ATLANTIC + +Our friends looked at each other dismally when they had ascertained the +cause of the Sky-Bird's sluggish flying. Paul and Tom even gave the +craft a tentative push, and found that the loss of her helium had made +her so much heavier to move over the ground that the difference was +manifest at once. + +"This looks kind of black for us, fellows," remarked Bob. + +"And we've got those scoundrels to thank for it without the shadow of a +doubt," put in Paul, with flashing eyes. "I'd give a year of my life +to get my hands on that Pete Deveaux right now." + +"It's lucky they got out ahead of us," added Tom significantly. + +"Well, if they were here, and if we thrashed the stuffing out of the +entire bunch, that wouldn't put back our lost helium and former speed," +said the practical John. "What we've got to do now is to try to remedy +matters." + +"Easier said than done, I'm thinking," Tom observed. "We can't get any +more helium here; in fact, not until we get back to Panama. Of course +that will be too late." + +"I don't know about that," hinted John. + +"What's your remedy?" asked Bob. + +"I know," said Paul. "The machine's out of balance now, because they +have let more helium out of one wing than the other, and none at all +out of the fuselage. By letting some out of our body tank, and enough +out of the lightest wing to bring it in equilibrium with its mate, we +can get a perfect balance again, and that ought to give us air +steadiness and more speed." + +"Right you are, Buddy," declared John. "Good head! That's my idea +exactly." + +"But won't that make us even heavier than we are now?" inquired Bob. + +"Sure," responded John, "but balance is the main thing in an airplane, +you know. When we get that, the old girl will act a whole lot better +than she did coming here." + +"Still, our rivals will have some advantage over us," argued Tom. + +"That's true--in the way of a lighter machine. But we've shown we +could outspeed them when the Sky-Bird was all right, and now we ought +to be about an even match for them," said John. + +"That means a nip-and-tuck race of it, then, the rest of the way," +commented Paul. + +At this point a bright idea struck Bob. "Say, fellows," he cried, "why +can't we send a wire message from here to Mr. Giddings at Panama, and +ask him to have a fast vessel drop a tank of helium off at Nukahiva, +Marquesas Islands, for us?" + +His comrades slapped Bob so hard upon the back when he made this +suggestion that he had to stagger. + +"Fine idea, Bob!" declared John. "A fast boat ought to reach Nukahiva +before we do, and that will give us a full load of helium again for the +last four or five thousand miles of the race. If it's a close contest +up to that point, the new supply may save the day for us!" + +They now set to work equalizing the gas supply in the wings of the +Sky-Bird and reducing that in the fuselage to the proper pressure for +perfect equilibrium, which they were able to get by the use of the +pressure-gauge and a little figuring. Then they went over all parts of +the machine, put in gasoline and oil, and attended to watering the +radiators, following which Paul and Bob departed for town. + +As in Georgetown, they created a vast interest, and were considerably +annoyed by the crowds of natives which followed at their heels, many of +whom carried baskets of fruit on their heads and constantly importuned +them to buy some of their wares. Even in the windows of the houses +they passed women holding naked babies, who stared out at them, and in +the doorways stood girls, some of them beautifully gowned in silks, +their dark hair falling like a shower about their comely nut-brown +faces, while their eyes opened wide in wonder or dropped in abashment +when they saw one of the handsome young Americans look their way. + +Para is directly on the equatorial line. It is also the metropolis of +the mighty Amazon, the king of all the world's rivers, whose width here +at its mouth is close to two hundred miles, and which carries into the +Atlantic so much mud from the interior of South America that it is said +the waters of that ocean are stained yellow for five hundred miles +outward. This mighty stream is formed by countless mountain creeks and +rivers draining practically the whole northern half of the continent, +and these streams are formed in their turn by the heavy rains which +fall frequently from swiftly-gathered clouds. In fact, it rains nearly +every afternoon in Para, and the air is always moist, so much so, that +articles made of steel and iron quickly rust, and furniture must be +pegged together rather than glued to keep it from coming apart. + +Paul and Bob found Para quite a good-sized city, but on very low +ground. Along the docks of the mighty river were many kinds of boats +and ships, from stately ocean-liners to the tub-like barges used to +float down from Bolivia great cargoes of raw rubber. There were +numerous schooners unloading vegetables and fruit, and countless +dugouts paddled by natives. Cargadores, in their bare feet, were +carrying goods in and out of the various large craft, supporting the +heaviest of bundles on their bare heads. Their faces were all shades +of white, brown, and black. Among them were negroes from Jamaica, and +Spaniards, Portuguese, and mulattoes from all parts of Brazil. + +The business buildings were three and four stories high, and built +close to the sidewalks along narrow streets. Their walls, the boys +noticed as they crowded their way along, were of all colors, some being +faced with blue, yellow, and green porcelain tiles. + +By asking questions they found the telegraph office, and there sent the +message to Mr. Giddings at Panama, requesting that the helium-gas be +sent to Nukahiva by fastest boat. They also wired a report of their +progress. They had by this time another roll of exposed kodak films, +and this was mailed to the _Daily Independent_. + +No sooner had they reappeared from the post-office than they were once +more besieged with peddlers asking them to make a purchase of their +wares. Paul and Bob stopped when they saw some particularly +luscious-looking oranges and bananas, and were surprised upon asking +the price to find that they could have a dozen of each kind for the +value of five cents; and oh! how sweet and juicy they were when they +sank a tooth into them. + +They bought some baked goods in a little shop, and as they emerged an +old man with a parrot on one shoulder and a small monkey on the other +blocked their pathway, and begged them to look at "nice parryote, nice +monk." + +They shook their heads, when they saw other vendors crowding forward, +and were about to push by when the monkey sprang nimbly upon Paul's own +shoulder, snatched off his cap, shook it in front of his eyes, and put +it back in place again. + +Paul and Bob both laughed, and harder yet as the bright little animal +shot a paw into Paul's pocket and adroitly drew out a Brazilian gold +coin called a milreis, worth about fifty-four cents in American money. + +"You give five milreis, me give monk," said the old mulatto. + +Paul shook his head. + +"You give four milreis, me give monk." + +"No; that's more than I have of these coins." + +"You give three milreis, me give--" + +"Only have two of them left," said Paul. + +"You give two milreis, take monk." + +"It's a bargain," laughed Paul. + +And he fished another of the coins out of his pocket, accepted the end +of the rope tied to the monkey, and went off with Bob, his +newly-acquired pet still contentedly occupying his shoulder. + +"We'll surprise John and Tom when we get back to the field," chuckled +Paul. "They won't be looking for this addition to the crew of the +Sky-Bird." + +"I'd say not," declared Bob, also chuckling. + +And indeed Paul's little hairy friend did create a lot of interest when +they arrived beside the airplane, John and Tom both playing with him, +for several minutes, and going into hilarious laughter at the funny +antics of the weazened-faced creature, which looked so much like the +wrinkled old mulatto from whom he had been purchased, that Paul said he +should henceforth be called "Grandpa." + +They put the monkey in the cabin, and climbed in themselves, since all +was in readiness for the departure. Night had fallen, but the sky was +clear and moonlit. So there was no trouble, by helping matters with +their searchlight, in hopping off and turning their head across the big +Atlantic toward the shores of Africa. + +As the trade-winds were blowing quite stiffly in their faces, John, who +was at the throttle, determined to mount high enough to overcome their +most resistant effects. When at an altitude of about five thousand +feet, he brought the Sky-Bird out horizontally, with her nose set by +compass toward Freetown. Before they could reach this African seaport +it would be necessary for them to travel considerably more than two +thousand miles and meet whatever storms might develop. But all had +such confidence in the capabilities of the Sky-Bird that none had any +worries, fierce as some of the Atlantic storms were known to be. + +As they could no longer see the sea beneath them, owing to the darkness +and fog which lay between, John had to rely entirely upon intuition and +his compass to strike Freetown. Aerial navigation over immense bodies +of water is similar to navigation on the seas themselves, except that +the indispensable sextant of the mariner is of little use in the air, +owing to the high speed of travel and the fact that allowances have to +be made for the drift of the machine when side-winds are blowing--an +extremely difficult factor to determine accurately. + +In side-winds the machine makes leeway in addition to its forward +movement, and it is the ratio of one to the other which the successful +pilot must work out correctly, especially when flying above clouds or +when land features are unobserved. In this particular instance our +boys were supplied with charts indicating the trend of all normal winds +in each locality and their approximate force at various altitudes. +Thus, by consulting his speedometer, John was able to figure out with a +fair degree of certainty what allowances he should make from dead +reckoning in order to strike their destination--or rather, we should +say that Tom, as John's aid, did most of this figuring, for a pilot +generally has his hands full in guiding his steed. + +The Sky-Bird was acting much better now, since her equalizing of weight +back at Para. She lacked some of the speed of her old-time self, but +rode smoothly and evenly in the hardest gusts. It was once more a +pleasure to sit in her cabin, even if the rival airplane was ahead of +them. + +"We'll give them the race of their lives yet," observed Tom, as he +studied the map and the speedometer alternately. + +"We surely will," said his companion. + +And both of them clicked their teeth in a way which boded no good for +the rival craft ahead. + +Shortly before midnight they crossed the equator for the second time +since they had left Panama. But, rolled in their comfortable hammocks +and sound asleep, with Grandpa, the monkey, blinking drowsily in a +corner nearby, neither Bob nor Paul was conscious of the fact. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +AN IRRITATING DELAY + +Paul was awakened the next morning by feeling a gentle tug at his nose. +Unused to such a summons as this, he opened his eyes with a start. + +There on his breast squatted Grandpa, his little head cocked comically +to one side, his beady little eyes glistening with mischief, and his +slim fingers just reaching out for another tweak. The monkey gave a +lightning-like spring to the back of a nearby seat when he saw Paul +looking at him, and here he set up a shrill chattering, which also +awoke Bob and caused Tom and John to whirl around. + +"You fellows have got a good alarm-clock now, the way it looks," called +Tom, laughing, and taking in the situation. "Grandpa will save John +and me the trouble of stirring you sleepy heads up after this, I +expect." + +Paul and Bob sprang out of their hammocks, and the former seized the +monkey and laughingly shoved his nose up against one of the window +panes. Far down below were the rolling billows of the great Atlantic, +the early sun striking them into many beautiful tones of green and +blue, and cutting a silver pathway across the curling crests. A school +of dolphins was leaping out of the water off to the left. From the +opposite window the youth could see a small emerald island in the +distance, but everywhere else was water, vast reaches of it. + +Grandpa evidently had no eye for nature, as viewed from this novel +position, for he quickly twisted out of Paul's arms and jumped down to +the floor of the cabin, where he pranced about excitedly. + +"It's just a little bit too high to suit your exalted monkeyship, isn't +it?" chuckled Paul. "Well, you'll get used to it, Grandpa, before you +get around the world with us! I'll promise you, sir, that you will be +the farthest-jumping and highest-jumping monkey that ever lived. You +ought to be proud!" + +After getting something to eat, Paul relieved Tom at the throttle, and +Bob tried to get Freetown by radio. Failing, he did get Para, and +advised them of their safety and approximate position over the Atlantic. + +Now that the weather had cleared up so that they could run in view of +the ocean, John and Tom themselves turned in for a much-needed sleep, +leaving their younger companions to direct the course of the Sky-Bird +on the last stage of the lap. The trade-winds were blowing freely, but +with a lack of gustiness which made progress against them quite rapid +and smooth. + +It was two hours later that those in the Sky-Bird saw the coastline of +Africa jutting out into the sea in a great bulge, and a little +afterward they recognized landmarks agreeing with their chart. As they +were slightly south of their course, Bob made the proper deviation, and +in twenty minutes they were over a muddy field, marked with the +looked-for white T, at Freetown, Sierra Leone. + +As they were spiraling downward they saw a crowd of natives gathered in +one portion of the field, and caught a glimpse of an airplane's wings +in their midst. Many of this throng now rushed over to where the +newcomers had landed, among them a tall Englishman, who introduced +himself as the port minister and person who was to supply them with a +replacement of fuel. Several other Englishmen, all officers in the +garrison of the town, came up and were introduced. + +"We 'av' been looking for you fellows, but not quite so soon," stated +the port minister. "Hif I had known--" + +"How is that?" asked John. "We are just about on schedule." + +"So you are; but those other flyers over there, who 'av' been 'ere the +past two 'ours declared you 'ad been delayed in South Hamerica hand +would not be hin before to-morrow morning, so as we 'av' a coasting +vessel with more petrol due 'ere then, I let them 'av' hall the petrol +they wanted, hand I fear--" + +"They had no reason for telling you we were delayed to such an extent +as that, without it was to further their own interests," interrupted +John, significantly. "But I don't see their game." + +"I don't know, I'm sure," was the response; "but has I was saying, they +asked for an hextra filling of their tanks, hand so--well, gentlemen, I +am sorry to say it, but there hisn't ten gallons left." + +Our friends heard this with mixed feelings. They were rightfully +incensed at their rivals for such a dastardly trick, vexed with the +port minister, and dismayed to think that they would have to wait until +the following day before they could resume their journey, for at Para +they had not filled their tanks to capacity. + +At this point cries arose in the other part of the field. They heard +the familiar whir of an airplane propeller, and as they looked to where +the _Clarion_ had stood, they saw the natives scatter and the gray +machine of the other crew shoot up into the air. Rapidly it gained +altitude, and was soon a mere dot on the western sky. + +Ignoring the yells of the port minister and his military countrymen, +the _Clarion_ crew had gone straight on, and there seemed nothing for +our boys to do now except await the arrival of more gasoline as +patiently as they could. + +John and Tom set to work cleaning up the Sky-Bird, for the field here +was low and very muddy from recent rains, and as they had dashed +through the slime in landing much of it had splattered over their +propeller and under-carriage. + +Paul and Bob went into town, followed by a throng of young negroes who +fought for the privilege of getting closest to them. They found the +stores small and mostly unpainted, and the houses principally shambling +and squatty, most of them having thatched roofs. The streets were +narrow, crooked, and dirty, but there were areas about some of the more +pretentious dwelling-places which were really entrancing in the wealth +of their tropical plants and stately palms. On the whole, the stone +garrison, setting a little remote from the town proper, was the largest +and best-constructed building, although this looked old and somber. +Freetown, the capital of the little British colony of Sierra Leone, is +all on low ground, and the air is moist and extremely humid, even +unhealthful for those not accustomed to it. + +Just before dark a terrific thunder-shower sprang up with all of the +suddenness of such equatorial storms, and Bob and Paul made for the +field as fast as their legs could carry them. They sprang inside of +the Sky-Bird's cabin, wet to the skin, where John and Tom were already +ensconsed, and Grandpa the monkey gave them a noisy and hearty welcome. +A little later, with the rain pattering heavily down upon the roof, all +hands turned in for the first ground sleep they had had since starting +out upon their trip. + +Shortly after daylight the next morning they were astir, to find the +rain had ceased but that the field was a mass of ooze. Through this +Tom made his way to the cobblestone street and down to the piers. But +the coasting steamer had not yet arrived; in fact, she did not come in +until after eight o'clock, and it was two hours later before the flyers +succeeded in getting their tanks filled with the gasoline she had +brought. Then it was found necessary to secure the aid of a half-dozen +negroes, and to lay down many strips of heavy bark for traction, before +the Sky-Bird could be run out of her mired position. + +Paul was at the throttle as they took off. When he had attained a fair +altitude, he gradually increased the speed until they were running full +out. Never since the beginning of the trip had they felt such urgent +need of putting the airplane through at a fast clip, but that time had +now come, for they were fourteen hours behind schedule time and sixteen +hours behind their rivals. + +The Sky-Bird fairly cut the air like a knife, and the roar of +propeller, wind, and engine was so great that our friends found +conversation out of the question except by shouting in one another's +ears. Poor Grandpa cowered in the farthest corner of the cabin, +peeping out from behind one of the hammocks, as meek as a kitten, his +tail crooking uneasily. But finding that the strange noises did him no +harm, he presently came out and took up a position where he could look +through the glass-floor window at the fleeting country below. + +It seemed only a few minutes before, rising higher, they shot over the +ragged chain of the Kong Mountains in western Senegambia, passing +within sight of Mount Loma's bare peak. Then, dropping again until +they were not more than a thousand feet high, they flew along over the +tablelands to the eastward, recognized the Joliba River as it lay a +yellow, twisting band below them, and a little later crossed the +southern end of the district of Bambarra. + +Great forests and jungles and canebrakes swept past them. In those +tangles of gnarled trees, matted vines, interlacing rank grasses, and +clusters of towering plants, so dank with the odor of wet and decay +that the air even up where the flyers were seemed charged with it, +lurked many a monster reptile and ferocious beast. Often the four boys +saw the majestic form of a lion or the lumbering shape of an elephant +as these animals were quenching their thirst at some open spot along a +stream. And once they caught a brief glimpse of a terrific combat +between what seemed to be two enormous rhinos, which had met in a +little glen in the midst of a cluster of mahogany trees. How they +would have liked to see the finish of this battle royal! Indeed, they +would have enjoyed nothing better than to land in some favored spot and +do a little big-game hunting with their rifles! + +If they had been ahead of their adversaries instead of behind, they +might have indulged in such sport, they thought. But now it would be +unwise to waste a moment. They must make every endeavor to reach their +next airport, Kuka, by nightfall. This small town was on the western +bank of the salty Lake Chad, in the very heart of Africa, and on the +southern border of the great Sahara Desert. It possessed no railroads +or telegraph service, being linked with the outside world only by +caravan route, and its inhabitants were practically all half-civilized +negroes of the Fulbee tribe, who retained all of their forefathers' +superstitions and wore no garb over their frescoed black bodies except +a short gikki or skirt. + +Mr. Giddings and Mr. Wrenn had had great difficulty in getting an +English-speaking man to set up a field at this point for their flyers, +and it was only after considerable telegraphing that a Scotch trader +named MacInnis, situated at Lagos, the nearest coast-port of any size, +had agreed to get a supply of gasoline and oil to Kuka and meet the +airplanes when they arrived. + +It was five o'clock when the boys passed over the low banks of the +Niger River. By seven they were in the heart of the wild, level +territory of Sokoto, skimming over vast expanses of plume-like grasses +and extensive marshes and swamps. Strange birds of enormous size flew +up out of the morasses, startled at the sight and sound of the +airplane. Some tried to follow it, evidently to give it battle, but +the swiftest of them were hopelessly outdistanced before they were well +started. + +When the sun disappeared behind the forest back of them, the flyers +were still making speed for their destination, with Bob at the +throttle. Pretty soon the lengthening shadows and obscuring of detail +below convinced the crew that night was just about upon them, and that +if they did not reach Kuka within the next thirty minutes they were +very likely to be in such darkness that they would overrun it and never +know the difference. + +Some of them began to wonder if they had not missed their course, when +a cry came from Bob, and they all ran forward and looked out of the +front windows at the object he was pointing out. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SAVED BY THE SEARCHLIGHT + +What our flyers saw was a very large body of water, with a strong tone +of blue to it. As far to the north as they could see, it stretched, +also to the east and south. And the shoreline on the western side +nearest them was covered with what seemed a never-ending border of +great forest trees, many of which had all the characteristics of +mangroves. + +This great expanse of water they knew could not be the Red Sea, nor +could it be the Indian Ocean; for they had not traveled far enough +westward to reach these bodies. Unquestionably, therefore, it was that +which they were looking for--Lake Chad. + +As they swept nearer, under reduced speed, they observed somewhat to +their left a good-sized collection of dwellings in an opening among the +mangroves, evidently a town. Swerving in that direction they were soon +circling above the place at an altitude of about five hundred feet, +hoping that it might prove to be Kuka, their next stop. + +By this time it had grown so dark that they could just make out the +buildings and surroundings. The former seemed to be nothing more than +rude huts with rounded thatched roofs covered by saplings. The flyers +saw many dark figures, with little or no garb, running about and +excitedly gesticulating upward to their position. As they circled +lower, these figures, evidently natives, suddenly vanished within their +abodes. + +"They seem scared to death of us," remarked Paul, laughing. + +"Apparently they think the Sky-Bird is some gigantic member of the +feathered kingdom about to swoop down and devour them for their sins," +added Paul, who was equally amused. "Pete Deveaux and his crowd ought +to have landed here some time this morning, though, and you would think +the sight of their machine taking on gas would have gotten the blacks +used to an airplane." + +Be that as it may, every one of the dusky figures below had vanished as +though the earth had swallowed them up. A strange if not foreboding +stillness hung over the town. You would have thought it contained not +a single being, at least not one who was awake. + +All at once John, who had been intently looking around the outskirts of +the town, observed an open spot marked with the welcome sign of a white +T. He joyfully called the attention of his comrades to this, and as +they looked they saw the form of a man emerge from the shadows +bordering the field and wave his arms upward at them. From the fact +that this person was attired in European costume, they judged he must +be Mr. MacInnis, the Scotch trader who had been appointed to look after +their fuel interests at this point. + +It was a novel experience to be able to make a landing unhampered by +throngs of curious inhabitants, as they now did. The field was quite +level, though sandy, as might be expected so close to the big desert, +and they had to dodge several clumps of small growths, presumably juju +trees, before they could taxi to a stop. + +The man in linen now rushed up to them, and introduced himself as Mr. +MacInnis. He hurriedly shook hands with the boys, displaying, they +thought, great nervousness while greeting them, and several times he +turned his head and looked in the direction of the nearest shacks of +the town. + +Then he asked what they thought a very queer question. "Have you +fellows enough petrol and oil to last you through to your next stop?" + +"That's Aden," answered John; "we didn't fill to capacity at Freetown, +and I'm afraid not. Why, what is the matter? Haven't you any fuel +here for us?" + +"I have plenty of both petrol and oil here for you," said the +Scotchman, with another look toward the huts, "but I am afraid for your +lives if you stay to put it aboard." + +"How is that?" cried Tom, his usually smiling countenance growing sober +for once, while his companions felt a vague uneasiness. + +"It's this way," stated MacInnis. "About eight o'clock this morning +the airplane that is racing you came in. It was the first machine of +the kind the natives had ever seen, and they were greatly frightened, +thinking Jobbajobba, one of their heathen devils, had appeared in the +guise of a great bird, and was about to attack the children of the +wicked of them. When the aviators climbed out, and they saw that they +were human, they lost some of this fear, but remained at a respectable +distance all the time the 'great bird was being given a drink.' Then +two of the men--one was the slender and dark-complexioned fellow--went +into the town sight-seeing. In the course of their rounds they stole +the ivory head, set with gold eyes and teeth, off of the body of one of +the tribe's most cherished idols, the god of Ogu Nogo. This was not +discovered until the aviators had departed in their airplane, but then +the Fulbees were wild with rage at the 'bird-men,' as they called them, +and swore to kill them if they should ever return. To-night they +observed you landing, as I did. They are now in hiding, probably with +weapons, and are undoubtedly watching your every move, ready to strike +when the time comes, thinking you to be those other fellows or men of +as evil instincts. As I said, I fear for your lives if you tarry +here." And as he finished he once more glanced nervously around at the +huts and shacks in the gloom of the fast-gathering night. + +But in that direction all was so quiet that John hopefully remarked: "I +think they are too frightened to appear. We need more gasoline, as we +have been running very hard and our tanks are low. We will hurry +matters up, and three of us will fill while the other stands guard with +a rifle." + +Mr. MacInnis then helped John, Tom, and Paul carry the big square tins +of British petrol, which is the same as American gasoline, from the +field shelter to the Sky-Bird, where, in the course of a half-hour, two +hundred gallons were poured into the tanks, also ten gallons of oil. +In the meantime, Bob Giddings, rifle in hand, stood close by, alert for +danger. He watched the nearest buildings of the natives sharply, but +though he saw numbers of black figures skulking in the shadows among +them, no sign of hostility was observed. + +The Scotchman had signed his name to the document certifying to the +stop of the flyers at Kuka,--the paper on which they were to secure +certifications at every scheduled airport,--and they were just in the +act of starting over to the field tank to get some water for the +airplane's radiators, when, without a moment's warning a hair-raising +chorus of yells broke out on the brooding night air, and scores of +savage-looking figures sprang from the shadows of the buildings into +the open field. They emerged in a long straggling line, hooting and +brandishing guns, spears and bows. They advanced toward the airplane +in peculiar hops and side jumps, as if fearing an attack upon +themselves. Not once did they cease their blood-curdling shouts. +Rapidly they neared the objects of their anger and hatred. + +For a full five seconds the boys stood as if rooted in their tracks, +too horrified and astounded to think or act. The sharp voice of the +Scotchman, however, brought them to their senses. + +"You've fooled here too long; it's too late to get away now! They're +mad as wet hornets. Jump inside your cabin quick, and defend +yourselves as well as you can!" + +"But you, sir?" cried Tom. + +"They won't harm me, because I'm not a flyer." + +The boys dashed into the cabin and shut the door, while the Scotchman +hurried away from the airplane. It was certain that there was no time +to get out and crank the propeller and rise before the mad Fulbees +would be upon them. Cornered in the little cabin of the machine they +would sell their lives as dearly as possible. + +As they stood, guns in hand, watching through the windows, while the +frenzied blacks drew cautiously nearer, spreading a cordon of hundreds +all around the Sky-Bird, they could see in the moonlight that the +Fulbees were grotesquely painted on arms and faces, while their bodies +were entirely naked except for a dirty-looking cloth wrapped around +their loins in the form of a short skirt. Every one of them was armed, +and as they contracted their circle, guns, spears, and bows were +frequently raised in threatening position; but for some reason no shots +were fired. The inmates knew, however, that when nearer approach +brought more assurance of hitting their target, the blacks could be +counted upon to open up actual hostilities. + +And now this thought brought a sudden and grave fear to their minds, +one unnoticed before. The helium-gas tanks in the hollow wings and +rear fuselage! Bullets, spears and arrows striking them would +penetrate, and the tanks thus punctured would lose their last ounce of +the precious gas! + +It was a terrible predicament in which the flyers now found themselves, +to be sure. By fighting they might preserve their lives, but that very +act would make their world-trip impossible. What could they do? + +As the drowning man catches with hope at the floating straw. Bob now +conceived an almost impossible but startling idea for delivering them +from their dilemma. + +"The searchlight!" he cried. "These blacks never have seen one. +Perhaps we can frighten them away with ours!" + +"Great idea, Bob," approved John, while the others also applauded the +scheme. "Paul, you work the lever that revolves the lamp up on top of +the cabin there, and, Bob, you throw in the juice." + +No sooner had he spoken, than both boys were at their stations. The +next moment a great white path, widening as it went, streamed out into +the darkness, lighting up everything in its reach with the brilliancy +of day, but with a bluish-whiteness which must have been decidedly +terrifying to the superstitious negroes. Like an accusing finger the +strange light swept around the field, raising and lowering, resting a +few moments on this group and then that group of petrified, +hideously-painted faces, from which eyeballs stood out like knobs of +white marble. + +In an instant their incensed cries had ceased, and they had shrunk, +cringing, back in their tracks. But only for a few moments, and then +their gurgled yells arose once more, this time in ear-splitting fright, +as all turned and fled toward the nearest forest. And that great, +terrifying white eye of the big "bird" followed them, shining for many +a rod on black backs which were so wet with perspiration that they +looked like oiled eelskin. Weapons were thrown in every direction as +the Fulbees fled. Whenever one would look around and see that glaring +eye looking straight at him, he would shut his own eyes and shriek, and +then go dashing frantically on. Some even threw themselves prostrate +when the flood overtook them, and uttered invocations to their gods for +protection from the monster, until they could pluck up courage enough +to continue their flight. + +Had the situation not recently been such a serious one for them--indeed +they were not out of it yet!--the flyers would have roared with +laughter. As it was, they kept the light traveling over the Fulbees +until the very last one had fled. Then at a quick word from John, they +all jumped out of the cabin and swung the airplane around for a quick +take-off. + +Tom spun the propeller; there was a roar as the engine caught, and a +few seconds later they were mounting up into the starlit heavens of the +equatorial night. At a height of two thousand feet, they presently +looked down, safe from the menace of the black populace whose reception +had been so rabid. + +But Kuka was blotted out in the mantle of gloom which lay between. +Only the sparkling ripples of Lake Chad, struck by the beautiful +tropical moon, could be seen. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A JUNGLE ADVENTURE + +So fast had the flyers in the Sky-Bird come across the western part of +the African continent, at its greatest bulge, that, coupled with their +very brief stop in Kuka, they found they were starting out for Aden, +Arabia, with a gain of approximately seven hours upon their lost time +of fourteen hours in Freetown. They were now, therefore, just seven +hours behind schedule--perhaps a little more than that behind their +rivals,--but in the very fact that they were cutting down both items, +they felt vastly encouraged, and as the airplane headed eastward across +Lake Chad there was only one thing to worry them to any extent. + +This was the need of water; that is, all felt that the need would +become an urgent one before daylight should come and a chance be given +to land and replenish the limited amount which they knew must now be in +the radiator, owing to the impossibility of getting water as expected +at Kuka. + +John was at the throttle, with Tom assisting. Paul and Bob were +playing with Grandpa, still too excited over their recent adventure to +turn in and get some sleep, as John said they ought to do. After a +little while they turned their attention to studying the chart and +schedule. Frequently they compared notes, and now and then jotted down +some figures on a pad. + +"Do you know, John," observed Paul, looking up very cheerfully, "that +if we continue to travel at the rate we did between Freetown and Kuka +we shall make up all lost time by morning, and arrive at Aden about on +schedule?" + +"You don't say!" exclaimed John. + +"You kids have made a mistake," informed Tom disbelievingly. + +"No mistake about it," protested Bob; "it's an out-and-out fact." + +"Well, that's cheerful news, then," said Tom. "I know we hit her up to +well over two hundred an hour coming across to Kuka." + +"And we'll do as much on this stretch, if our water only holds out," +declared John determinedly. + +"That's the rub," put in Paul. "I'm sure it won't hold out, and if we +work right up to the last drop, I'm afraid we may have to make a forced +landing, and that may be in the tops of the trees, for all we know." + +"Or on an elephant's back," added Bob jocosely. + +"Well, I don't know but that we had better try to make a landing as +soon as we come to a favorable spot where there is water," remarked +John. "It is a fine moonlight night, and if we strike the right place +I think we can make the ground. In a pinch, you know, we can use our +searchlight." + +"Speaking about searchlights--oh my! oh, my! will I ever forget how +frightened those blacks were?" And Paul laughed until the tears came +into his eyes, now that the tension was off. Tom joined him until both +of them staggered and bumped together, causing Grandpa to set up an +excited chatter of inquiry. + +John kept the Sky-Bird low, down to less than a thousand feet, after +crossing the lower neck of Lake Chad, for the chart showed no marked +elevations which would make flying at that height hazardous, and it was +certain that the closer they were to the earth the better they could +detect a favorable place to land. + +It was really a beautiful night, and they opened the cabin windows +after a while to enjoy the soft balmy air to the full. The wind then +rushed through the cabin like a hurricane, roaring so that conversation +was out of order; but they enjoyed its cool touch on their hot faces. + +One by one the stars had made their appearance, until now the heavens +fairly glittered with them. How pretty they looked up there in the +great blue vault in which they seemed the choicest settings of an +angel's handiwork! Somehow they seemed to sparkle more brightly, and +the sky seemed a richer cobalt, than the sky the boys knew at home. +But they missed many of the stars which they loved in America. The +swift airplane in which they rode had taken them, day by day, and night +by night, away from them. Many stars which were unknown to them had +taken their places, and they realized more strongly than all the +pictures in the world could have shown them how very unlike were the +skies of the northern and southern hemispheres. + +One of the most striking sights to them now was the constellation of +the Cross, commonly known by mariners as the Southern Cross, and which +is composed of four brilliant stars. Sirius, Canopus, and Centaur also +filled a part of the heavens with their splendid light. Mars, Venus, +Saturn, and Jupiter were old friends in new surroundings, and were all +dazzlingly dressed. The part of the Milky Way between the stars Sirius +and Centaur was so rich in stars and crowded nebula: that it seemed a +perfect blaze of illumination. And there were the Magellanic clouds, +white-looking patches made up of countless stars individually unseen to +the naked eye, and nebulae--mists of radiating light--all shining +brilliantly and revolving around the starless South Pole. To the +northward was the constellation of the Great Bear, which reaches its +meridian altitude about the same time as the constellations of the +Cross and the Centaur. As the boys looked, stars appeared and +disappeared. They were like a succession of guests, coming and going. + +After a while, the flyers saw a small river glinting in the moonlight +and running along for the most part in the direction they were taking. + +"The first time we come to a level, open spot along this stream we will +try for a landing," stated John. "It will afford us plenty of water +for the radiator if we can get down to it." + +"And plenty of water for a good plunge, too," said Paul. "I haven't +had a bath since we left Miami, and I'm fairly suffering for a wetting, +if it's no more than a quick dip." + +"Same here," seconded Bob and Tom. + +They were running much lower now, on the lookout for a place to stop, +and so once more they could hear each other's voices. + +Presently, just after clearing a dense forest, they saw the opening +they sought. It was a grassy level, free of bushes and other +obstructions, and well bathed in the soft light of the stars and moon. + +After some careful maneuvering, John brought the Sky-Bird down, and +though the tall grasses wound in the landing-gear in coming to a stop, +they broke off without doing any damage. + +"We'd better take the guns along," Tom remarked. + +"That's so," agreed John; "we might run into some ferocious animal in +this wild jungle." + +So each armed himself with a rifle and a pail, and John led the way, as +he was the only one of the party supplied with a lantern, the others +having small flashlights which were none too good for breaking a path +in such wilds. They knew the river lay a short distance to the north, +but in order to reach its banks from the place where they had landed, +they had to cut through a strip of woods bordering it. + +It was tedious work getting through. The trees were close together and +had to be dodged, and great leaves of plants as large as their bodies +seemed to be everywhere, while vines of the toughest fiber frequently +shut off their passage and had to be pushed aside or cut with knives. +More than once one of the party tripped over unseen obstacles and +measured his length in the soft, rank ground-vegetation. + +But it was only a little way to the river, and soon they stood upon its +grassy bank. It was a pretty stream, not very deep, and seemed quite +clear when John held the lantern down to it. They filled their pails, +and then, risking all dangers of snakes and crocodiles, disrobed for a +plunge. + +First one and then the other jumped in. How refreshing the cool waters +felt to their hot, sticky bodies! They would have liked to do some +diving, but were afraid of sunken logs, and contented themselves by +splashing about, swimming a little, and making the woods ring with +their laughter and shouts. + +Then they came out and put on their clothes. Picking up guns once +more, and the pails now filled with water, they started back, John +still leading. But they had not gone far when somewhere in advance of +them they thought they heard the sound of a breaking limb. So sudden +was the sound on the still night air, that all stopped very quickly, +their hearts beating fast. + +They listened, but the sound was not repeated. They started on again, +thinking the limb must have been a dead one and had fallen from some +tree of its own weight. But scarcely had they taken a dozen steps when +they heard another sharp cracking of wood, this time very close in +front of them. + +Their intuition told them now that they were near to some night prowler +of the animal kingdom, and perhaps one of considerable size, judging +from the crash. Hardly realizing what they were doing, they set down +their pails, and cocked their rifles, facing, with alertness and +uneasiness, the direction whence the sounds had come. + +Now they heard some rustling, as of leaves, directly ahead. It came +slowly and cautiously closer. Just as it seemed about to burst out +upon their view it stopped. There was no more noise. All was silent; +not even the note of a night-bird or the gentle chirp of an insect +could be heard. For the first time the soughing of the tree-tops in +the soft breeze above failed to meet their ears. What a deathly +stillness it was! + +Suddenly, right out of the black shadows ahead, there sounded on the +hushed air of the night three terrific yells, one following immediately +after the other. These piercing cries had hardly died out when +another, of deeper note, and a veritable roar, filled the forest with +its din. The leaves about the boys seemed fairly to quiver under the +violent guttural reverberations. + +John Ross may well have been excused for shaking as he held up his +lantern in his right hand and threw its rays upon the tall undergrowth +ahead, while his fingers tightened like bands of steel around the stock +of his repeating-rifle. + +As he and his companions looked, they saw peeping through the foliage a +black, fierce face, one of the ugliest and most ferocious that man +could have imagined. It was staring straight at them. The brute's +eyes were sunken under a heavy overhanging ridge of dusky skin. His +eyes were small and black, and the iris of each shone like a diamond +set in carbon. His forehead was low, receding, and covered with short +bristling hair. His nose was broad and flat. His great jaw protruded +frightfully, with the upper thin lip pressed tight, the lower curving +away and displaying a row of long yellow tusks which could have bitten +the hand off a man with one crunch. + +The animal now opened his cavernous mouth, and uttered yell after yell +again, these sounding something like the bark of a dog but being a +hundred times louder. They were followed by terrific roars, somewhat +similar to those of a lion, though of much greater volume. The cries +rang through the forest from hill to hill, and died away in the +distance. The woods was filled with the echo of his horrible voice. + +Then, very slowly his whole body came in sight. He advanced clumsily +and ponderously towards the little party of flyers, walking erect, his +plain intent being to kill them. His short legs were hardly strong +enough, as sturdy as they were, to support his huge body. All at once +he stopped to look at them. How vindictive his eyes were! They seemed +to say to the boys: "I will soon finish you!" + +Then he beat his chest with his great fists and the noise was like a +bandman striking a bass-drum. It was his challenge to combat. How +long and muscular were the shaggy arms that directed these blows! How +broad was his chest from which the sounds came! The hair stood almost +erect on his body, and the hair on his head moved up and down. + +This hesitation of the monster proved the salvation of the flyers. It +gave them a chance to pull their shattered nerves together and elevate +their rifles. As he must keep the light on the creature, which now all +recognized as a large gorilla, so that his companions and himself could +see to shoot, John had only one arm with which to handle his gun. But +he brought the weapon up quickly, and pressed the trigger just as three +other shots rang out from the guns of his companions, who had stepped +on either side of their leader. + +A hoarse yell of rage and pain answered the reports. They saw the +gorilla stagger, then drop to all fours, and lunge toward them. + +There was no chance to retreat. As quick as a flash John dropped his +own rifle, so that he could hold the lantern in both hands and direct +its rays better upon the beast, and cried to his comrades to fire again. + +No sooner had the words left his lips than the others brought their +repeaters once more to their shoulders. On account of the poor light +on the barrels of their weapons they were again compelled to take snap +shots, shooting with both eyes open; but this time with greater success. + +The big gorilla fell, uttering a fearful groan. He rolled over upon +his back, his massive limbs twitched convulsively, and then he was +still. Going up to him cautiously with the lantern, they found that he +was dead. + +Extended, his great arms measured nearly nine feet; his chest had a +girth of seven feet, and he lacked only one inch of being six feet in +height. These facts Tom ascertained with the use of a small tapeline +which he carried in his pocket. + +"Let's skin him," said Tom; "I know how, and it won't take but a few +minutes." + +"Sure," agreed Paul; "his skin will be a valuable trophy to take back +home with us. Jiminy, I wish it had been daylight and we had brought +our camera with us! We could have secured some pictures worth while +for the _Daily Independent_." + +With his keen-edged sheath knife, Tom soon had the skin removed from +the giant brute. The performance of this operation was far from an +agreeable one, however, both for surgeon and observers. So human-like +was the gorilla that it seemed like skinning a man! + +As they made their way onward again, carrying their trophy in a roll +tied with withes made from vines. Bob ventured to say: "I wonder how +the gorilla came to be awake and to attack us this way?" + +"I think he must have had a mate, perhaps a family, nearby," replied +John. "I have read that the mother and her babies always go up into a +tree to sleep, while the father squats down at its base to guard them, +and here he sleeps with one eye open and the other closed, as the +saying is. At least he arouses at the slightest sound of an enemy. We +probably awakened him by our shouts while in bathing, and being so +close to him when we came back along a slightly different path, he +thought we were going to attack the family upstairs, and showed fight +right away." + +The little party regained their airplane without further incident; the +radiator was drained, and the fresh water put in. Then, feeling that +there was no further danger of the engines running hot, they took off. + +As the Sky-Bird arose into the air, the flyers noticed that Grandpa the +monkey was slightly excited. This they attributed to the presence of +the gorilla's skin; but when they saw Grandpa continue to dash wildly +about the cabin, from their shoulders to the rear window, out of which +he would take a quick look only to fly back to them and chatter wildly +and coweringly, Paul thought he would see what could be the trouble. + +One glance was enough. He shut the open window with a bang, and turned +to his companions with a pale face. + +"Fellows," said he; "we've got a passenger!" + +"A passenger?" cried they. + +"Yes," said Paul, "a monstrous big snake!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE DOUBLE LOOP + +For a moment or two John and Bob stared at Paul blankly, unable to +comprehend the import of his announcement. Tom was at the throttle, +and while he had heard the startling words, he was too occupied in +guiding the Sky-Bird to do anything except take a quick glance backward. + +"A snake?" repeated Bob. + +"Not on the machine?" cried John. + +"Yes," Paul said, with a seriousness which left no further doubt as to +the truth of his statement. "He's a whopper--must be twelve or +fourteen feet long and as thick as my leg. He's there on the fuselage +just outside of the window, hanging on for dear life. If I hadn't shut +that window just as I did, I believe he would have crawled in here in a +minute." + +John and Bob now hurried to the window and looked out. In the +moonlight they could distinctly see a huge reptile, either a python or +a boa-constrictor, coiled up in the angle formed by the juncture of the +airplane body and the broad base of the left wing. The creature was so +long that its tail passed up over the rounded fuselage and out upon the +other wing. Bob flashed his electric pocket lamp upon it, and by the +yellow and brown mottled spots upon its body and the double plates of +whitish scale at its tale, and the wicked-looking triangular head, they +were sure it must really be a python, one of the most dreaded of +African snakes. These creatures think a monkey a very choice morsel of +food, and undoubtedly it had been attracted to the airplane, while it +stood in the grass, by the appearance of Grandpa in the open cabin +window, but had been frustrated in its designs by the return of the +flyers and the sudden rising of the machine. + +Now, with the window shut, the boys seemed safe enough for the present. +They could see that the big snake was extremely uneasy. As the wind +whistled by him, his great tail twisted and untwisted, and he seemed to +be trying to get a better hold on the smooth surface, while his beady +eyes glared at them only a moment in the glow of the flashlight, and +then he transferred his attention to the landscape below them. His +forked fangs darted in and out during this time with the angriest +lightning-like movement. + +Paul relieved Tom at the throttle for a few minutes, so that the latter +could have a look at the reptile. + +When Tom came back again to his post, he said, with plain uneasiness: +"I never saw such a big snake before, Paul. Between the rush of wind +and the roar of the engine and propeller, he seems scared out of his +wits." + +"We've got to get him off of there somehow--and mighty soon, too," put +in John, with decision. "Tom, if that monster should begin to slip a +little most likely he will coil his tail around some of our control +wires,--and then what?" + +Their faces blanched at this prospect. They knew what that would mean. +It would mean that the great creature would either operate the +airplane's rudders when they should not be operated, or would prevent +Tom from moving them when they must be moved. In either event, the +result would be disaster to machine and crew. + +"Good heavens, boys!" said Tom, so nervous his voice shook, "get rid of +that snake as quick as you can!" He fancied he could see the rear +control levers moving at that instant. + +The other three flyers knew the importance of these instructions, but +how were they to carry them out? The reptile was too large to be +shoved off with a stick or pole, and would probably squirm through the +window while they were attempting it. And they were afraid to use a +gun, as, in the case of a miss or a little lurch of the airplane at the +moment of firing, the bullet might puncture the hollow wing or rear +fuselage and let helium escape. + +It was Bob who solved the puzzle. + +"Why not try a loop or two?" he asked. + +Their hearts jumped with hope at this. So everything was made tight in +the cabin, with the straps and fastenings which had been provided when +the machine was made. Even Grandpa had to submit to being roped up in +one of the swinging hammocks. When the boys had buckled themselves +down to their seats, John gave Tom the word, and he began to rise +slowly. At close to two thousand feet he brought the Sky-Bird quickly +and smoothly upward until she stood almost on her tail end. + +Then Tom threw the elevators and ailerons hard up, and held them there. +They were going at a rate of close to a hundred miles an hour at the +moment, and their velocity brought them around in a pretty loop. There +was no way for them to tell if the serpent had been dislodged, so, to +make as sure as he could of accomplishing his purpose, Tom kept his +controls as set, and they made another or double loop. + +This time he straightened out his controls as he came up to the +horizontal, and they ran swiftly ahead again on a level keel. + +His companions quickly unloosened their straps, and ran for the rear +window. A feeling of the greatest thanksgiving filled their souls and +joy lit up their faces. The python was gone! He had hurtled through +the air during one or the other of the loops, and his long sinuous body +was probably at that moment lying crushed upon the hard ground, or +impaled upon the sharp stub of some forest tree, far below. + +It had been a night of intense excitement. Now that they began to beat +through the air in the old tuneful way, and there was nothing more to +claim their attention until they should arrive at Aden sometime in the +morning, Bob and Paul took to their hammocks for sleep, but first Bob +got Khartum on the wireless and delivered their position and a brief +description of their adventures. As may be imagined, however, the two +youths did not shut their eyes immediately. There was much to think +about and to talk about before even fatigue could get the better of +them. + +Tom put the Sky-Bird through on a straight course for Aden as fast as +he dared run the night engine, which was very close to its limit, now +that it had had a chance to cool off and was well supplied with water. +It was important that they should make speed, for in the stop for water +and the subsequent maneuvering to rid themselves of their unwelcome +passenger, the python, they had lost upwards of an hour's time. + +Flying high, and depending entirely upon the compass for striking Aden, +they shot through the starlit tropical night like a meteor, showing no +lights except the two small ones on the dashboard in the cabin, by +means of which Tom could observe the instruments and the controlling +levers below. Thus they crossed the famous Nile, sweeping below +Khartum and across the plains of Kordofan, and when the first streaks +of daylight appeared ahead of them they were just entering the plateaus +of northern Abyssinia. + +Paul and Bob now relieved Tom and John, and the latter young men took a +nap. It was their custom to work in pairs, the observer preparing food +for himself and the pilot during the course of flight. Sometimes the +observer took the throttle long enough to give his friend a chance to +eat, and sometimes the pilot retained his seat, allowing the automatic +arrangement to do the guiding for him while he munched his food. + +Just before seven o'clock Paul and Bob saw two large bodies of water +ahead of them, one stretching to the right and the other to the left. +The chart told them that the northern body was the Red Sea and the +southern one the Gulf of Aden, which opens into the Indian Ocean. +Between these bodies lay a narrow belt of water, flanked on the western +or African side by rocky, wooded hills, and on the eastern side by low, +sandy shores dotted with palms. This was the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, +and the country beyond was Persia. + +Aden could not be more than fifteen minutes' run east now, and so Bob +awakened his sleeping comrades while Paul guided the airplane across +the strait. They flew a little higher, later, following the general +contour of the terraced slopes of the mountains along the Arabian coast. + +As the Sky-Bird came leisurely over the hills surrounding this British +seaport of Aden, they could see that the town nestled in the crater of +an extinct volcano, as they had read. All around the low, white +buildings spread the rugged hillsides, and in declivities they passed +over numbers of the great brick tanks or reservoirs which catch and +store the scanty rainfall of the region and thus furnish Aden with its +only water supply. + +The flyers saw many gowned figures, some on camels, pause to look +upward at them, as they began to circle the town in quest of their +landing field. Bob was the first to discern it--a fairly level stretch +in the southern end of the valley or basin, marked in the way agreed +upon, and containing two small buildings, neither of which was large +enough to admit the machine. + +But they cared nothing for shelter for the Sky-Bird, as they did not +purpose staying any longer than necessary for fuel replenishment and +news dissemination by telegraph and letter. So they quickly settled +down in the midst of a wondering ring of Arabs. + +Mr. Griggs, the American consul here, now came forward with a couple of +British military officers, and the flyers met with a hearty reception. +It seemed good to run upon one of their own countrymen again, after +seeing so many strange faces since leaving Panama. Mr. Griggs insisted +upon their going to his home with him for breakfast, and to this they +consented as soon as they found he had made full arrangements for +having some British workmen at the garrison refill the Sky-Bird's tanks. + +They found that their rivals had arrived just after daylight, and had +departed for Colombo, Ceylon, less than twenty minutes before their own +appearance. This was cheering news. They had gained a lot on them in +crossing the African continent. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +ABOVE THE CLOUDS + +Mr. Griggs, the American consul at Aden, proved an affable, pleasant +entertainer. His little wife was also very genial and painstaking for +their comforts, declaring at their protests that she was doing no more +for them than she had done for the other flyers when they came through, +a short time before. The couple had two children, a boy and a girl, +and both of these plied the boys with innumerable questions about their +journey, expressing the greatest interest and excitement when they +worked out of Paul the story of the adventure with the gorilla and +python. + +After the meal, which was very appetizing and refreshing, they spent a +short time preparing their reports to the _Daily Independent_, and then +accompanied their host to the post-office, where the letter and roll of +films were mailed. At the telegraph office they received a pleasant +surprise in the shape of a message from Mr. Giddings, which stated +their reports were coming in to the newspaper all right, and that the +greatest interest was being manifested in them by the world in general +and by New York people in particular. + +"Whatever you do, don't let the other crew beat you," were his +concluding words. "I have ordered the helium shipped to Nukahiva by +fast steamer." + +"That's good news," said John, with satisfaction, referring to the +helium, and the others accorded with him. + +They dispatched a telegram to Mr. Giddings, and then started out to buy +some fruit and other foods. As they went along the narrow, crooking +street upon which they had been walking they met so many Arabs with +small sprays of dark-green leaves which they put in their mouths and +chewed, that their curiosity was aroused, and Bob asked Mr. Griggs what +the leaves were. + +"Those are the leaves of the khat bush," was the response. "You must +have passed numerous plantations of such bushes up on the hillsides as +you flew over into the basin here. The Yemen Arabs like to chew the +leaves so well that they have all of the passion for them that a toper +has for whiskey, and they will spend their last rupee for a small +bundle." + +"Does this chewing of the leaves intoxicate them?" asked John. + +"Oh, no; the leaves are quite harmless. But they do produce a +strangely exhilarating effect upon those who chew them. If you ask a +Yemen Arab what he chews the leaves for, he will invariably look at you +with astonishment and tell you that he forgets all his troubles, sees +the most beautiful of fairies and the richest rose-gardens of Allah, +and lives in a new world." + +"Do they go to the fields after it themselves?" inquired Tom. + +"Not at all," said Mr. Griggs; "the khat is brought into town every +morning about eleven o'clock by long caravans of camels which proceed +from the khat farms along the mountain slopes. Long before these +camels appear in the valley, with a bundle of khat swung on each side +of the beasts, messengers on fleeter camels have brought the tidings of +approach. From the shelters of the shops, so silent except just now, +cheerful cries break out; the streets are filled with Arabs who sing +joyfully; tikka gharries rattle madly by, whips waving and turbans +awry; there are flashes of color from rich men's gowns and the sounds +of their clicking oryx-hide sandals as they rapidly strike the stony +pavements; there is a continual blunt clatter from the tom-toms in the +hands of long-gowned fellows. They are all going to the market where +the khat will soon arrive, each one anxious to have first choice and +get the best bargain. There they will bicker with the khat traders for +an hour sometimes, then in will come the despised hadjis, the venders +of firewood, who will buy up for a few pice the scraps which remain." + +This was all very interesting to the flyers, but it was high time to +hurry back and resume their flight; so, restraining their impulse to +ask more questions or investigate the attractions of the town, they +bought their supplies, and returned with the American minister to the +landing-field. + +Ten minutes later the Sky-Bird was mounting easily up into the sky, +viewed by hundreds of shouting Arabs. It was good-bye to Persia now. + +Looking at his watch, Paul, at the throttle, saw that it was +nine-fifty. They were leaving Aden only fifty minutes behind schedule. +That was not at all bad; but it was not pleasant to think that their +rivals were still ahead of them. And two hours was a pretty stiff lead. + +They were not long in passing over the hills to the south, and then +headed eastward out over the elongated gulf. Looking back, John saw +the sandhills by the sea glistening in the bright sunlight like mounds +of gold-dust. Every leaf and stem in the scrub stood out in black and +silver filigree; and euphorbias and adeniums, gouty and pompous above +the lower growths, seemed like fantasies of gray on a Japanese screen +covered with cerulean velvet. It was their last sight of Persia, and +one not soon to be forgotten. + +Our friends now settled down for a long hop, for they would have to fly +all day and all night before reaching Colombo. + +After a while they sighted Socotra, the little isle off the coast of +Cape Guardafui, from whence comes most of the world's supply of +frankincense; then leaving its rocky shores behind them they cut +straight across the Persian Sea, braving whatever tropical storm might +arise. + +All that day they swept over the blue waters of this great body, +frequently seeing ships below and sometimes small islands. Toward +night they ran into such hard headwinds that Bob went up higher. He +climbed steadily until the Sky-Bird had attained an altitude of nine +thousand feet. Here, as expected, they found the winds much less +forceful, but the sea was blotted out entirely by the clouds through +which they had passed in the process of rising and which now lay +between. + +Indeed, these clouds resembled a billowy ocean of white foam in +themselves, or a landscape covered with hills and valleys of snow. The +rounded cloud contours could easily be likened to the domes of +snow-covered mountains. It was really difficult to conceive that that +amorphous expanse was not actually solid. Here and there flocculent +towers and summits heaved up, piled like mighty snow dumps, toppling +and crushing into one another, as the breezes stirred them. + +Then there were tiny wisps of cloud, more delicate and frail than +feathers or the down of a dandelion-blow. Chasms hundreds of feet +deep, sheer columns, and banks, extended almost beyond eye-reach. +Between the flyers and the sun stretched isolated towers of cumulus, +cast up as if erupted by the chaos below. The sunlight, filtering +through this or that gossamer bulk, was scattered into every +conceivable shade and monotone. And around the margins of the heaving +billows the sun's rays played unhampered, unrestricted, outlining all +with edgings of the purest silver. + +The scene was one of such extravagance that the brain was staggered +with what the eye tried to register. Below the aviators, the shadow of +their machine pursued them on white film like a grotesque gray bird of +some supernatural region. The shadow followed tirelessly, gaining as +the hour of noon approached, gaining still as afternoon began to +gather, swell, and wane; and always it skipped from crest to crest down +there just below, jumping gulfs like a bewitched phantom. + +It was so cold at this height that the aviators had to put on their +heaviest garments, and they were content to open the windows only a +slight way for ventilation. + +When darkness fell, they were still flying high, though at reduced +speed, as John was afraid that a rate too much over schedule might +cause them to overrun their destination before daylight could disclose +its outlines to them. Every half-hour the pilot's helper checked up +their position on the chart. Had this not been done from the very +start of the trip, they never could have struck their ports with the +accuracy they did, and disaster would have been the result, if not +death to the crew. + +As it was, they had taken every precaution they could. When they had +crossed the Atlantic they had been careful to inflate the four spare +inner tubes of their landing wheels, as these would make capital +life-preservers in case the flyers were thrown into the sea; and one of +the last things they did before leaving Aden was to see that the tubes +were still inflated. + +The long night passed with considerable anxiety on the part of Tom and +John, but when dawn finally broke they felt like uttering a "hurrah," +and called Paul and Bob up from their sleep to witness the cheering +sight ahead of them. + +At a distance of what must have been close to fifty miles, was a white +patch in a haziness of green plain surrounded by hills and low +mountains. The land itself was encircled by the sea, and when they saw +a great peninsula spreading away to the northward, they knew that the +island was Ceylon, and the other land the peninsula of Hindustan. + +Somewhat off their course, they wheeled a little north. Soon details +became apparent in the island. The white patch grew, developing into a +considerable town--Colombo. + +They swept up and around it, then settled, and climbed stiffly out of +the Sky-Bird not twenty yards from another airplane, about which four +men in flying-suits had been working. These fellows looked toward the +new arrivals scowlingly. + +But our flyers, overjoyed to think they had caught the _Clarion's_ +crew, only smiled back indulgently. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +BOMBED BY ROCKS + +Our friends had landed in the lowlands just to the north of Colombo, +whose scattered buildings contained upwards of a hundred thousand +inhabitants, most of whom were native Singhalese, descendants of the +colonists who came from the valley of the Ganges and settled the island +five hundred years before the birth of Christ. To the southward arose +the rocky headlands of the coast, and to the westward could be seen the +somber peak of Pedrotallagalla, the highest mountain of the island. +Numerous ships, some very crude and with queer sails, were in the +harbor as the boys landed, and scores of natives in short skirts were +loading and unloading these. Undoubtedly the huge square boxes which +some of them carried aboard so easily upon their heads contained tea, +for which Ceylon is famous. + +The person in charge of the landing-field here was a Mr. Young, an +American clergyman connected with the local Baptist mission. This tall +gentleman came forward, accompanied by the British governor of the +island, within a few moments after the flyers struck the ground. In +fact, they were still stretching their cramped legs and arms when he +greeted them and introduced the governor, Sir Henry Hurst. + +"Young men, I am more than delighted to shake hands with you," said the +governor. "It looks as if you and the other crew over yonder were upon +an epoch-making tour, for you are not ten minutes behind your schedule, +as we have it in the London papers and also in our own Colombian +newspaper. My only regret is that you do not represent England instead +of America." He laughed good-naturedly as he made the last remark. + +"It was quite a task for the governor and myself to get up at this +early hour to receive you, but the occasion is well worth the effort," +observed Mr. Young, smiling. "Here we usually sleep very late, often +as late as nine o'clock. Even the Singhalese and Burghers are not yet +generally up from their beds, though those who work at the wharves have +appeared. If you had arrived a few hours later there would be +thousands of the population here to see you." + +"We are well satisfied with the hour, then," said John. "The fewer +natives we have around the Sky-Bird, the better we like it, both for +working and taking off. How long has that other crew been in, sir?" + +"Not more than a half-hour. They are taking on their fuel now, being +assisted by a couple of Burghers. They advised us that they would +probably remain here until noon, being tired from their long flight +from Aden. I don't know; why, but the slender man with the dark skin +and mustache particularly requested me to see that you knew this +intention of theirs." + +The flyers thought this was rather strange. Why should the _Clarion's_ +crew remain so long in Colombo, when their interests in the race +demanded as much time put into flying as possible? It was still more +incomprehensible what object they would have in wishing the Sky-Bird's +flyers to understand this intention, as by so doing our boys could make +their plans to gain a heavy lead. + +It was too much of a puzzle for them to work out, so Bob and Paul, +aided by two Burghers (naturalized Europeans), went to work overhauling +the machine and storing fuel, while John and Tom made their way into +town with Sir Henry Hurst to transact their business. When they +returned they found the two younger members of their crew in a heated +discussion with the _Clarion_ fellows. + +"What's the matter here, anyhow?" demanded John, as he and Tom pushed +their way through the little ring of natives who had gathered about the +principals. + +"It's just this way," said Pete Deveaux, with a grin meant to be very +cool and indifferent, although his eyes roved uneasily; "We fellows +were working on our machine here, minding our own business, when these +two kids of yours came up and demanded to know why we had played you +dirty at Freetown and Kuka. They accused us of purposely carrying off +your share of fuel at Freetown, and of stirring up the natives at Kuka +so you couldn't make a safe landing." + +"We simply couldn't stand keeping quiet any longer, John," put in Paul +very heatedly. "We thought it a good time to have it out with these +fellows for their crookedness." + +"That's right; they're a bunch of snakes!" supported Bob, his cheeks +red with excitement and anger, and his fists doubled menacingly. + +John turned to the slouching figures of the rival crew. "Do you +fellows deny these charges?" he asked quietly. + +Crossman, Torrey, and Lane looked at their leader, merely shrugging +their shoulders. Pete Deveaux took a quick glance in their direction, +in turn. Then his face clouded a little darker, and he blurted out to +his men: "You confounded babies, why don't you deny it? You know we +didn't do anything on purpose to hold these guys back!" + +"That's right; we sure didn't," said Sam Lane. + +"Of course not," added Chuck Crossman. + +"Wouldn't think of it," interjected Oliver Torrey. + +Our boys were disgusted by the cringing attitude of Pete Deveaux's +cronies. Two of them were larger than the Frenchman, yet they seemed +to be afraid of him. John saw that nothing was to be gained at this +time by continuing the argument, so he pulled his comrades away with +this parting and significant warning to their rivals: "Well, Deveaux, +we'll let this drop now; but we certainly hope that you will take pains +to see that nothing more of so strongly a suspicious character occurs +on this trip!" + +Pete Deveaux snarled back some answer which they could not make out. + +Our friends returned to the Sky-Bird. In a few minutes Bob, who had +climbed on top of the fuselage to test the helium valves, came down and +said: "Something new is going on over in our neighbor's yard, fellows. +When I was up there I could see right over the natives' heads, and I +noticed Chuck Crossman and Pete Deveaux hunting around the field till +they found half-a-dozen rocks as big as a football, and they put these +in the cabin of the _Clarion_. Wonder what on earth they intend to do +with those?" + +"It's too hard a nut for me to crack," answered John. + +The others expressed equal inability to discern the purpose of their +rivals, and the incident was soon forgotten. + +But twenty minutes later the familiar roar of a revolving airplane +propeller greeted their ears, and they were surprised to observe the +_Clarion_ rising up over the field. They watched the machine until it +had disappeared in the cloud mists to the east. Then they awoke. + +All saw the game of their rivals now. By making the Sky-Bird's crew +believe they did not intend to leave until noon, the latecomers would +be inclined to take their time fitting up for the next hop, and this +would give the _Clarion's_ party a chance to make a sudden exit and +gain a good lead before the others could get under way. + +There was no getting around it--Pete Deveaux was clever, if he were a +rascal. This our friends had to admit to themselves, despite their +dislike of the fellow. His methods of getting the best of them seemed +to have no limit; and yet thus far they had been able to cling, by the +hardest kind of work, right at his heels. This last trick was more +honest strategy than Deveaux had exhibited before, and they could +therefore admire it in that sense. They hoped that from now on his +maneuvers might be as free from maliciousness. + +But their rivals had not fooled them as badly as they thought. Our +flyers had lost no time upon landing in refitting, and when they saw +the _Clarion_ take off, they speeded up operations so fast that they +were able to depart only fifteen minutes later. + +Almost straight eastward they headed, bearing just a little to the +southward, so as to strike Singapore on a bee-line. They hoped to +reach this stop some time before dark, which would give them +approximately twelve hours' flying time. Under ideal weather +conditions, they could make the journey in considerably less time, but +it was the season for the well-known monsoons of the Indian Ocean, and +it was quite unlikely that they would be able to wing their way across +the fourteen hundred odd miles of sea without encountering some of +these deterrent trade-winds. + +It took them just an hour to cross the island of Ceylon, and flying at +about fifteen hundred feet, they winged their way out over the +whitecaps of the ocean. To their unspeakable pleasure they found the +winds not at all bad, and made good speed. Bob was at the throttle, +Paul was observing, and John and Tom were sleeping. + +They had been flying thus for perhaps two hours, when Paul saw that for +which he had been keenly watching for some time. It was a faint black +speck, like a tiny bird, against the blue of the heavens ahead of them. +He continued to watch this silently, after calling his chum's attention +to it, until, under an increase of speed, the Sky-Bird had drawn close +enough for them to observe that it was what they suspected--an airplane. + +In another hour they were near enough to recognize in it the +unmistakable outlines of the _Clarion_. To all appearances their +rivals had also observed them, and were crowding on power, for now they +gained much slower. Yet they still continued to narrow the breach +between them, steadily, rod by rod, and minute by minute. They could +see that the _Clarion_ was not well handled, for she wavered in her +flight considerably. + +"They'd be wise if they'd throw those rocks out which they took +aboard," commented Paul. "That might help them to fly steadier." + +"They're flying all of a thousand feet higher than we are," said Bob. +"We're going to pass under them, I think, in the next half-hour." + +That was the way matters looked. The | _Clarion_ was riding high, and +was so close by this time that the windows in her cabin could be made +out. Against those panels of glass our friends felt sure some of the +rival crew were even at that moment pressing anxious faces as they +watched the Sky-Bird steadily creeping up on them. + +It was such an auspicious moment that Paul went and aroused John and +Tom, so that they could see the Sky-Bird overtake and pass her +adversary. Those two worthies grumbled a whole lot for a few moments, +being half asleep, but when they grasped the situation and saw the +_Clarion_ just ahead, they were as much interested as anybody. + +Slowly, surely the Sky-Bird overtook the rival machine. When it seemed +her nose was almost up to the tail of the _Clarion_, they saw a +movement in the bottom of the fuselage of the craft above them, where +her trapdoor of glass was situated in the floor of the cabin. Then +something gray streaked down through the air. It went whizzing by just +in front of the Sky-Bird, and a few moments later plunged into the sea +with a great splash. + +"Huckleberry pie!" ejaculated Tom Meeks, "one of their rocks has burst +through their floor trap. Say, that was a close call for us!" + +"Watch out! Here comes another!" cried Paul, as a second gray missile +went by them on the other side. + +Barely had it struck the waters beneath, when a third rock came so +close that they could feel the rush of air as it passed downward. It +was as if they were being bombarded by an enemy above, who used great +stones instead of explosives. Their faces paled when the truth struck +them like a thunderbolt. With calm deliberation, deadly intent, and a +skill born of dropping bombs on targets during the war, some of the +fellows in the machine above were trying to wreck the Sky-Bird with the +rocks they had gathered in the field back in Ceylon! + +"Quick, Bob!" cried John to their pilot. "Swerve out from under these +devils as fast as you can! If another stone comes down here, it may--" + +The words he intended to say never were uttered. At that very moment +another gray object streaked its way down through the heavens, whirling +uglily. They thought sure it would strike the cabin roof and crash +through, and intuitively they cowered back in the corners for +protection. + +But their speed carried the stone farther to the rear. There was a +tearing, rending sound. + +Their faces blanched. And then Bob called out: "Hi, fellows, +something's gone wrong! The Sky-Bird's bound to put her nose into the +sea. The tail elevators don't work!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +RIDING AN AIRPLANE'S TAIL + +Filled with the gravest fears for the safety of the Sky-Bird and +themselves, all except Bob rushed to the rear windows of the cabin and +looked out to see what had caused the ripping noise, and what could be +wrong with the tail. + +Paul reached a point of vantage first. One swift look showed him the +trouble. The left elevator had a big hole through it, made by the +stone, fragments of silk showing all round the ragged gap. But this +could not have caused the derangement of the steering controls +entirely, and looking for a reason, Paul saw that the impact had caused +the wire running to the right elevator to become twisted around a +bracket near the end of the fuselage. Under this condition neither +elevator could be controlled. With the good one held downward, it was +no wonder that the airplane had started a stubborn, slow dive toward +the ocean in spite of Bob's frantic efforts to work the lever normally +effecting it. + +"Shut off your engine!" called Paul to Bob. "That will hold us back. +Three minutes of time I think will save us!" + +With the words, Paul seized the end of a long coil of rope which lay +near, and fastened it about his waist. Both Bob and John saw what he +meant to do. He would crawl out upon the fuselage and attempt to +untangle the inactive control wire, freeing the now useless right +elevating plane! + +It was a daring thing to do--a most perilous proceeding. But the older +men knew that it was the only thing that could prevent them from +plunging into the sea. So John threw open a window for his brother, +the nimblest one of them, gave his hand a parting squeeze, and Paul +climbed through. + +Paul never had realized as he did now how smooth that rounded body of +the machine was, nor how strong the wind shot back along it when the +machine was in flight. Although he clutched it with both arms and +legs, and lay as close to it as he could press, he thought two or three +times, as he made his way out toward the tail, that he would be torn +loose. He knew that his friends in the cabin, whom it might be he +would never speak to again, were watching his progress with fear +gripping their hearts, and were probably inwardly praying for his +success with every breath. + +Finally the boy reached the tail. He dare not look down at the sea to +see how much closer they were now, for the sight might unnerve him and +prove disastrous to his purpose. So, glazing his vision to all except +his environs and intent, he wrapped his legs around the narrowing body +of the machine, let go with his arms, and in a crouching posture seized +the tangled wires. Two or three tugs and he had them free. He +announced this fact with as loud a yell as he could. + +Immediately afterward he heard his brother's voice. "Hang right there +where you are, Paul! Don't try to come back until we get elevation +again and I give you the word." + +He realized what this meant and looked down as he once more wrapped his +arms around the fuselage, with his shoulders against the rudder +bracket. What he saw was the restless sea less than two hundred feet +below! Had Bob waited for him to attempt to crawl back into the cabin +with the tail elevated, the Sky-Bird would have buried herself in the +waters before he was half-way to his objective. They must now rise, if +that were possible, to a good height; then Bob would slowly spiral the +airplane downward and afford him a declining surface to work back upon. + +Luckily Paul's freeing of the right elevating plane, gave the pilot +fairly good control over the machine, so Bob had no difficulty in +bringing the Sky-Bird into a rising swoop, although none too soon. +Mounting at a good angle, but one which would not be likely to displace +the youth clinging at the tail, he brought the airplane up to two +thousand feet. + +"Now, Paul! Slide for it!" cried John, as the machine began a slow +descent in a great circle. + +Paul then worked his way back like a crab, sliding a little, but not +once allowing his tensioned limbs to relax to the danger point. Before +the airplane had come within five hundred feet of the sea, he felt his +legs grasped in the strong hands of John and Tom, and the next moment +they had hauled him bodily through the window. + +"Ginger, Buddy, that was a close call for us--and you, too!" exclaimed +John. "I hope I never see you in such a ticklish place again!" + +Paul sank into a seat. He was too exhausted to do anything but smile. +When at last he could find his voice he asked, anxiously: "Can Bob +control her all right now?" + +"Well enough to land us where we wish to go, he says," observed Tom. + +"That's right," put in Bob himself, who had overheard the conversation. +"The Sky-Bird isn't what she was before that rock went through her, but +if nothing worse happens we'll reach Singapore, though it will probably +be somewhat later than our sweet friends in the other plane." + +"We can land at Sumatra, I think, if we have to make repairs before," +ventured John. "We ought to cross the northern end of that island in +the course of an hour." + +Searching the horizon for their rivals, they saw that, evidently +satisfied with the mischief they had done, the _Clarion_ crew had gone +on at full speed, for they were now far ahead. + +"If I ever run onto Pete Deveaux again I believe I shall be angry +enough to choke him till he's unable to speak his own name," declared +Paul. + +"I'm afraid I'll have to help you at that job, Paul," cried Tom. "He's +the most unprincipled scoundrel that ever went unhung." + +"You are right, Tom; Deveaux is a brute," said John. "His deviltry +came near being the end of us. When we get home, we must see to it +that he is punished as he deserves. But we must keep it out of the +papers now, as it will look, in case we get beat, as if we wanted an +excuse." + +John and Tom now resumed their hammocks and broken sleep, for they saw +that, although the shattered tail elevator caused the Sky-Bird to ride +roughly and at reduced speed. Bob and Paul could probably handle her +all right from now on. The cross winds of the monsoon also hindered +their progress a good deal, blowing erratically from different +directions, but they plugged along at a pace slow enough to keep +themselves within the zone of safety. + +A little later they came in sight of Sumatra, but as they were going +fairly well, thought it best not to attempt a landing for repairs. So +they crossed the northern tip of the island, and proceeded on over the +Strait of Malacca. Sometime since, Paul had taken Bob's place at the +throttle, and the latter had communicated with their destination by +wireless, learning that the other airplane had arrived. + +It was twilight when they at last reached Singapore, and made a landing +in the race-course in the outskirts of the town. By long odds this was +the smallest island upon which they had so far stopped, but they found +the city one of the busiest. Their rivals had left fully two hours +before. + +Now came the task of repairing the broken tail elevator. As the frame +was undamaged, it was only necessary to straighten out a few bent +supports and put new covering on. The British official at the field +showed them where to purchase the necessary silk and glue, also a good +waterproof varnish for coating the covering. From his own home he +secured a pair of scissors with which to do the cutting, and John and +Bob worked at the task, while Paul and Tom took on fuel and water and +looked after other preparations for resuming their journey as soon as +possible. + +During this process, Grandpa the monkey was permitted to come out of +the cabin and entertain the crowd of onlookers with his antics, which +he did to perfection, as he had done at other stops. To the ivory ring +about his slender little waist, Paul always fastened a long thin rope, +which he had bought in Para, when he let Grandpa out. This leash +prevented him from wandering off, something nearly all unfettered +monkeys will do if not watched very closely by their masters. Almost +any place seems to be home to a monkey, and almost any man seems to +suit him for a temporary master. + +Grandpa himself delighted in running out upon the wings of the Sky-Bird +at the stops. He pulled the control wires and made the ailerons swing +up and down, which always raised a laugh among the crowds. Another +favorite pastime with him was to post himself in front of the reflector +of the big searchlight up on the cabin, and make the most comical +grimaces at his image on the polished reflector inside, sometimes +uttering queer noises as if he were crying, and at other times +chattering with the utmost anger at the phantom monkey, mixing these +demonstrations up with wild dashes around behind the lamp to see if the +mimicking animal were there. No matter what language the natives of +each port might speak, they never failed to understand and appreciate +these little sideshow comedies of Grandpa's. And when it would become +noised about among them that this particular monkey had traveled all +the way from South America through the air with the "bird-men," their +awe for him was amusing to behold. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +ENGULFED IN A VOLCANO'S DUST + +With three hundred gallons of gasoline in her tanks, and her broken +tail-elevator well repaired, the Sky-Bird was ready at eleven o'clock +that evening to take off. Her crew were all tired out, but they knew +they would soon be able to occupy the comfortable seats or hammocks in +the cabin for another long stretch of over-sea travel, for it would be +morning before they would reach Port Darwin, Australia, their next stop. + +It had been raining very hard in Singapore just before they arrived, +and the field was quite wet, with many puddles in the low spots. +Through one or two of these they had had to run in landing, and it +seemed that in hopping off they would be forced to do so again. +Fortunately the ground was sandy, so they had come to a stop in a spot +not at all muddy, and had thus been able to work upon the machine +without the discomforts of wading in slime while doing it. + +They now started the engine, Tom climbed in, and they were off, running +over the soft ground at increasing speed. Then the airplane struck a +pool of water, five or six inches deep, which almost pulled them up. +It also held them back so that when the machine emerged it was going +very little faster than at the beginning. The next patch of ground was +a little longer, but they had not risen when they struck it at a rate +of about twenty-five miles an hour. + +This pool was also quite deep, and the sudden resistance almost threw +the Sky-Bird onto her nose. It did cause her to dip so that her long +propeller struck the puddle, and immediately water and sand were sucked +up and thrown in almost every direction by the swiftly revolving +blades. Much of it reached the natives, who in two long rows of +curious humanity, formed a lane for the passage of the craft, and many +a poor fellow gave a howl and fell back against those behind, +spluttering and rubbing grit and water from his face, while rivulets +coursed down his dusky body amid the howls of laughter of his mates. + +The flyers had only a fleeting glimpse of this amusing incident before +they found the front windows of the cabin so covered with the deluge of +spray that they could scarcely see ahead. Two of them quickly opened +the portals, for a grave danger menaced them. + +Less than sixty yards ahead was the lower fence of the field, and just +back of this arose scrub trees and houses, with no opening between +which could be utilized. They must clear these formidable obstacles, +looming bigger every second, and the distance was alarmingly short, for +the last pool had again retarded their momentum to such an extent that +they had just barely staggered through it. + +Picking up speed once more at every turn of her propeller, the Sky-Bird +shot down the last stretch of ground reaching to the fence. How fast +this obstruction loomed up! Just in the nick of time the airplane left +the ground. They sailed over the tops of trees and houses so close +that the wheels of their landing-gear almost scraped. It was one of +the finest maneuvers of the whole voyage, and the boys praised John so +for his good piloting that he had to ask them to desist. + +After a wide sweep above Singapore, they headed for the open water, +which in this case happened to be South China Sea. + +The weather was very threatening. Dark-looking clouds began to efface +the moon and stars, whose light had aided in the take-off at Singapore, +and within fifteen minutes occasional flashes of sheet-lightning could +be seen far ahead, throwing into relief the immense bulk of the +foreboding clouds and shedding a pallid gleam over the sea. +Occasionally a light zephyr came out of the east, but it would last +only a moment. + +"We ought to be just about over the equator now," announced John a +little later. + +Paul and Bob had stayed up on purpose to witness this event, and by +dead reckoning had computed their position so closely that John's +announcement had come just as they were about to make a similar +statement. Although they could see no "line" stretching along down +there in the sea, they fancied they could, with the most pleasant +imagery. That great line, the belt of the universe, dividing the +Northern and Southern hemispheres, they had already crossed once, in +their zigzagging course, at the mouth of the Amazon. Now here in the +South China Sea they were crossing it a second time. At no time had +they been more than thirteen degrees away from it. One more crossing +of it, if all went well, and they would be almost within sight of the +end of their journey--Panama! + +With this pleasant thought Bob and Paul rolled up in their hammocks, +trusting John and Tom to bring them safely through the bad weather that +seemed in store, and were soon asleep. + +To the two older flyers, used to all conditions of aerial passage as a +result of several years' experience, the present conditions were not at +all terrifying. Although the spectacle of the dark clouds in front of +them was extremely uncanny, they realized that they were only local +thunder showers which could probably be avoided by a little careful +navigating. + +In this they were right. By wheeling a little out of their course, to +the left or right, and by flying up over one big cloud which could not +be avoided in any other manner, they managed to dodge the most +dangerous fields of lightning and the worst torrents of rain. + +Presently they left the dark clouds far behind, and once more the stars +appeared in the blue firmament above and the pale moon lit up the +tropical sea. + +With relief John guided the Sky-Bird lower, so that they could keep a +sharp lookout for guide-posts of land. They passed several small +islets which were uncharted with them, but when, about midnight, they +made out a great black blotch not far ahead, they recognized it as the +southern end of the island of Borneo, and knew they were all right. + +In a little while Borneo was sweeping along below them, its mangroved +shores gloomy and desolate-looking, not to say weird, in the pale +moonlight. Among those dense forests and thickets the flyers knew many +a wild animal was prowling at that very moment, and in the thatched +huts in the glens slept many a fierce-visaged savage with weapons close +at hand. + +Toward morning the flyers observed a volcano in active eruption off to +the southeastward, apparently on the island of Timor. It was a +beautiful sight, so wonderful that John awoke the sleepers, that they +too might enjoy it. Fantastic lights of various colors shot upward +from the crater. These shafts lit up billowing clouds of smoke and +ashes, which poured out in awe-inspiring volume. Back of it all stood +the dark-blue velvet sky, against which the pyrotechnics were embossed +in a stunning manner. Man could never have wished to witness a more +remarkable manifestation of nature than did the young aviators, as they +viewed the spectacle from their own favored position in the air. + +Swiftly the Sky-Bird drew them toward the volcano, for it was directly +in their course. As they approached, they could see flames licking +their way upward from the dark mass of rock constituting the shaft, and +could make out streams of lava pouring over the sides of the crater, +going down into the unknown blackness below. What a sight it was! How +their pulses beat! How their hearts quickened! + +But now, very unexpectedly, the sight was shut out. Thin, pungent, +volcanic smoke and ash began to surround them. In a few moments it was +so thick that they grew alarmed. All had the same fearful thought-- + +If this should continue a little while, they would lose their bearings, +and might run right into the fountain of fire itself! + +This was a terrifying possibility, for it would mean a horrible death +to every one of them. Fireproof though the airplane was in the general +sense of the word, every one of those in her cabin knew that if they +should ever pass through those licking flames, the great heat in them +would fairly melt the light structure of the machine in the twinkling +of an eye. No metal or wood could withstand that terrible blast a +moment, much less human flesh. + +It is small wonder, therefore, that Tom now sent the Sky-Bird off to +the right, and higher, also. They closed the windows, to keep out the +foul smells, and anxiously awaited developments. They could not see a +yard in front of them, so thick were the smoke and gases. It was a +trying time. + +Fortunately Tom had taken the best course he could. Five minutes +passed--ten minutes--fifteen--and then the air began to clear. Slowly +the curtain lifted; and presently looking back, they saw that they had +passed the volcano and were leaving it and the island well behind. + +Its fires, too, seemed to be burning out. Only a few forks of ghostly +light were coming up from the crater. These grew fainter and fainter, +and in a little while the eruption seemed to have entirely subsided, +for Timor was swallowed up once more in the impenetrable mantle of +night. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +IN AUSTRALIA + +Shortly after five o'clock the next afternoon, Paul saw ahead and to +port what appeared to be haze, but which he and Tom hoped was the +coastline of Australia. Ten minutes later the observer joyfully +pointed out to the pilot unmistakable evidence of an island upon which +stood a tall object--Bathurst Island lighthouse. + +John and Tom were routed out, and all saw the rugged outline of the +great island--a continent itself, as large as the United States and +much the same shape--stretching away to the southward and slowly +dwindling into low, sandy, barren shores as it went. + +Less than forty minutes later they were circling over Port Darwin, on +the northwest corner of the continent, while a good-sized crowd of +people down below pointed excitedly upward. The flyers soon made out +the landing-field by reason of its white marker, and swooped gracefully +down, while those below cheered. + +Two zealous customs officials were anxious to examine the new arrivals, +also a health officer; but this did not take long, and during the +process they were able to converse pleasantly with Mr. Seth Partlow, +the British official in charge of the field, also with the mayor of +Darwin, who gave them the most cordial welcome. + +They were sorry to learn that Pete Deveaux and his flyers had departed +less than a half-hour before their own arrival; but they had been +expecting such a report owing to the fact that they had been left so +far behind at Singapore. They now determined to hurry up refitting +operations, and leave at the first opportunity, hot upon the trail. + +Messages were dispatched to Mr. Giddings at Panama and to his newspaper +in New York; and another roll of films containing numerous interesting +views taken that morning just before and after landing, were mailed in +to the _Daily Independent_. + +Here, for the first time, they were able to secure a paper containing +accounts of their own and their rival's passage. It was a novel +experience to read these glowing descriptions of incidents still fresh +in their minds--descriptions which had in some cases flown by wire, in +others by air-waves, from point to point, more than half-way around the +world. It provoked thoughts which made them marvel at the wonderful +ingenuity and power of the very equipment which they were using +themselves every chance they could get--their wireless telegraph and +telephone sets. The remarkable news-gathering efficiency of the world, +the coordination of agencies in gathering and disseminating news, was +astounding to contemplate. + +The mayor of the town insisted upon the boys partaking of dinner at his +home near by, and they thankfully agreed to do this when Mr. Partlow +declared he would personally see to the filling of the Sky-Bird's +tanks, for which task he had plenty of assistants. + +They were most cordially received by the mayor's wife. Within fifteen +minutes they had the satisfaction of sitting down to one of the most +satisfying meals they had ever had. Not only was everything well +cooked, but there was a great variety of viands. They were all +particularly impressed with the toothsomeness of the meat which the +maid served, so much so that Paul could not refrain from remarking: +"Mr. Bailey, I never ate sweeter chicken than that." + +"No, I don't believe you ever did," laughed the mayor. "The fact is, +young man, that is not domestic chicken at all. It is the flesh of the +brush-turkey, a wild fowl which the bushmen or blackfellows bring in +here to market. It is a great delicacy." + +"I have read of these bushmen," said Bob. "Are they quite wild?" + +"Indeed they are," the mayor replied. "The blackfellow is, I believe, +on the lowest rung of civilization. He is unlike the negro, the Malay, +the Mongolian, and the American Indian, in many ways. If you could +stay a few days, I would be glad to take you back in the bush and show +you a few specimens in their native state. They have a long skull, +with a low, flat forehead, Their brows overhang deep-set, keen eyes, +and they have a heavy lower jaw, with teeth as strong as a dog's. +Their hair is generally wavy or curly, being usually auburn or black in +color. As a rule their faces are almost hidden by beards and whiskers, +which they never comb and which, like the hair on top of their heads, +are always in a beautiful tangle." + +"How do they dress, sir?" asked Paul. + +This brought another laugh from Mr. Bailey. "That doesn't worry them +in the least!" he declared. "Most bushmen are covered from head to +foot with hair, and I imagine they think this is a good enough uniform, +for they wear nothing except what nature gave them. In bad weather, +however, they do add some artificial protection to their tough bodies +by making a rough wrap out of the skin of a kangaroo or a piece of +flexible bark. Some tribes use rushes and seaweed for this purpose, +while others make a blanket from the dried frog scum of the swamps and +ponds. For boats, pieces of eucalyptus bark, folded and tied at the +ends and daubed with clay, suit them very well. They are too lazy to +dig out the trunk of a tree for a canoe, like the natives of most other +countries." + +"Do these blackfellows live in huts?" asked John. + +"That's where their laziness manifests itself again," said the mayor, +smiling. "The blackfellow has no permanent dwelling. His shelter is a +cave or overhanging rock, as an animal might select one; sometimes it +is only a large section of bark which he tears from a tree, and under +which he walks or squats in storms or lies at night." + +"Back in the States," remarked Tom, "we hear much about the skill of +these fellows with the boomerang. I dare say a lot of these stories +are overdone." + +"Possibly," said their host, "and yet it is a fact that these natives +are undoubtedly more adept at casting various forms of wooden +implements than any other people in the world. Their very indolence +leads them to adopt all sorts of easy-made weapons, and wood is surely +one of the most common materials for the purpose one could find. Clubs +of all kinds are hurled at prey or human enemies. Among these the +boomerang is a favorite. They have several forms. One type is very +light, round on one side and flat on the other, and slightly twisted on +its axis. It is used almost entirely for play, though sometimes to +hurl at flocks of birds in the sky. The war and hunting boomerangs are +much heavier; they are bent differently, and do not return to the +thrower, but are a deadly weapon in the hands of these bushmen at +ranges up to four hundred feet. But stone-pointed spears are their +chief weapons." + +"With this skill I presume they have no trouble in securing enough to +eat," suggested Paul, sipping his cocoa. + +"On the contrary, there are times when weather conditions, such as +drouth, make it a very difficult matter for some tribes to get +sufficient food. Then they will turn to human flesh, and will eat men +who have fallen to their weapons, or their own tribesmen who have +succumbed to disease or hunger. Even infants are sometimes killed and +eaten by their parents." + +"Horrible!" cried the flyers. This seemed almost incredible, with +civilization in abundance so near. + +"I agree with you," said Mr. Bailey, failing to notice his wife holding +up a protesting finger toward him. "Of course the blackfellow prefers +to have other foods when he can get them. The kangaroo, wallaby, and +opossum, form his chief food supply, but no animal or nourishing plant +is neglected. He even eats ants, caterpillars, moths, beetles, grubs, +snakes, lizards, often uncooked----" + +At that point Mr. Bailey felt a sharp twist of his ear, and looking up, +found his wife gazing at him with a very severe expression. + +"Thomas Bailey! You are a cannibal yourself! Where is your sense of +propriety? Have you lost your head in your interest in this subject? +Don't you know you are _eating_?--that you have guests here who are +also _eating_?" + +"My! my! Goodness gracious!" ejaculated their host, in a great fuss. +"Young men, I was not thinking. Will you ever pardon me for this +transgression of etiquette?" + +The flyers smilingly hastened to assure both their friends that they +had not lost their appetites in the least; that they really had enjoyed +every morsel of food and information passed out. They remained to chat +long enough to convince the lady and gentleman of this fact, and then +took their departure. They had actually spent a most entertaining +hour, one which they would not have missed for a good deal. + +At eight-fifty local time the Sky-Bird took off for her long hop to +Apia, principal city of Upolu, an island of the Samoan group. It was +the beginning of their long flight across the big Pacific, an ocean so +wide, so fraught with perils, that no aircraft had ever before +attempted to negotiate it. Some eight thousand miles away over those +great waters lay Panama, their goal. Would they reach it ahead of +their rivals? Would they reach it within their schedule of ten days? + +To these two queries in their minds, our stout-hearted, young friends +answered doggedly and determinedly, "Yes!" Fortune might frown upon +them, it is true; but if so they would face her smilingly, with +confidence, with that pertinacity for which Americans are famous, and +try to make her look pleasant, too! They felt that they must win; that +they would win. And yet they left Port Darwin handicapped by being +fully three hours behind their rivals. + +As they wheeled over the town they waved a last farewell to the +hundreds below, whose forms they could just make out in the +fast-gathering darkness. Then, turning off straight east, they flew +over the dark-green canopy of eucalyptus forests of fertile Arnhem +Land, and crossed the Gulf of Carpentaria in the full darkness of the +night. When they passed over Cape York peninsula, Tom was at the +throttle, and the younger boys had been asleep for a number of hours. +They had now left the whole continent of Australia behind them, and +were facing the broad wastes of the Pacific. + +Their perils had begun in earnest. Should anything happen to cause +them to be forced down, there was nothing but a vast basin of water +miles deep to catch them, and there would not be one chance in a +thousand that they would survive. This, surely, was no place and no +time for engines to fail or steering apparatus to go wrong. Yet each +flyer was ready for such a mishap--attested by the mute evidence of an +inflated rubber tube about his waist. Even Bob and Paul slumbered on +the airy contrivances. + +Fortunately the weather was ideal. It is true that headwinds blew +mildly and insistently, causing some bumpiness, but the night was calm +and starry, and with the engine running close to full-out, they saw +that they were making up lost time very fast. + +When morning broke, and Paul took the throttle, fair skies looked down +upon their skimming bird, and the sea was bathed in brilliant sunshine. +Bob wirelessed Sydney their position about noon. He made no attempt to +get Apia, because he knew there was no telegraph or radio station there. + +Flying low, early in the afternoon they passed close enough to the +Vanikord islands to see hordes of natives watching them from the coral +shores. Numerous smaller islets, gems set in the ultramarine blue of +the sea, were also passed within the next hour. Gulls, ospreys, and +other swift-winged seabirds sailed about these pretty outcroppings of +the mighty deep, and sometimes the creatures came after the Sky-Bird +with shrill cries of challenge, only to be quickly left behind. + +Once more the shades of night fell, and once more John took the +destinies of the airplane in hand. For a time Bob and Paul worked on +reports, then played with Grandpa, who in such tedious spells of flying +as this was a never-ending source of entertainment to all. Nine +o'clock found them in their hammocks, hoping that when they opened +their eyes again it would be to see the welcome shores of their +destination. + +Nor in this hope were they to be disappointed. It seemed they had no +sooner fallen asleep than they were aroused by a hand shaking them and +the voice of John saying: "Come on, you sleepy-heads! Rout out here +and have a look at what's ahead!" + +Having their clothes still on--so that they might be ready for an +emergency at any time of the night--the two chums were up to the +windows about as soon as John himself. The latter had raised two of +these a short time before, and the boys shoved their heads through to +take a look. + +It was broad day. Light, fleecy clouds covered the heavens to the +southeast, but in the blue between a huge rift the sun shone down +benignly. And in its bright rays they could count nine islands and +islets, sprinkled here and there like emeralds in a sparkling sheet of +mother-of-pearl. It needed only a glance at the chart to tell them +that these were the Samoan group, and a little searching also told them +that the nearest large one was Upolu. + +In less than another hour they were circling above the beautiful island +of their choice, directly over the little town of Apia, which nestled +in the center of a luxuriant forest of palms and other tropical trees. +A number of boats and sailing vessels were in the harbor, and on board +these as well as on the ground hundreds of people were looking up aloft +and waving a welcome. + +Now our flyers saw what they really were most concerned about--a T made +of white stones in an open spot by the beach. And in that field they +also saw something else they were very glad to witness. This was the +airplane of their rivals. + +They had caught up with them at last! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +PAUL VERSUS PETE + +There was a wild scamper of natives as our flyers came down upon the +smooth, hard sands of the beach. In this operation they had to use the +utmost care to avoid striking the machine of their contemporaries, but +it was accomplished without mishap, and the Sky-Bird came to a stop +about seventy feet from the _Clarion_. + +They were immediately surrounded, at a very respectable distance, +by a cordon of Samoans. These were splendid-looking fellows. +Their dusky bodies were strong and stalwart, and their faces were +intelligent-looking. It was plain to be seen that they had not the +slightest hostile intentions toward the aviators. On the contrary +their features expressed clear friendliness, although it was obvious +that their experience with the _Clarion_ was still too fresh to +eradicate their natural timidity of such a strange thing as an airplane. + +Our friends were very stiff and cramped from their long ride from Port +Darwin. It seemed so good now to be able to stretch their limbs, to +feel solid ground once more under their feet, and to see the blue sky +all around their heads! + +The morning was hot, but a cool breeze blew inshore, giving a +delightful freshness to the air. Near at hand were rows of native +huts, made of poles and bark, and back of these loomed fine groves of +cocoanut trees and other tropical vegetation in the richest profusion. +Even the elevations of this volcanic island had their barrenness +alleviated by growths of greenery which seemed entirely to cover them. + +No sooner had the boys sprung out of the machine than three white men +approached them. These introduced themselves as Mr. Plusson, in charge +of the local mission; Mr. Hart, a British trader; and Mr. Shoreman, the +American trader who had been engaged to look after their fuel at this +airport. These gentlemen expressed the liveliest cordiality in their +welcome, and Mr. Plusson plead so hard for them to accompany him to his +home and join him and his wife at breakfast that they consented. + +They learned that their rivals had arrived about twenty minutes before. +Ever since the dastardly attempt of Pete Deveaux and his crowd to wreck +the Sky-Bird in the Indian Ocean, our flyers had been greatly incensed +at them, or rather at Pete Deveaux himself, for they had no doubt but +that it was he who had instigated the attack. Paul Ross was +particularly inflamed at the French aviator's act, and had more than +once declared since, that the first time they met Deveaux again he was +going to thrash him until he begged for mercy. This was rather a bold +statement for Paul to make, since he was but a youth of eighteen while +Pete Deveaux must have been close to thirty; but the lad was strong and +skillful with his fists, in addition to which his resentment was just. +When justice is on one's side it goes a long way toward giving that +person staying powers in any contest against wrong. + +For these reasons, when Paul now declared that he could not bear to +wait another minute before taking Pete Deveaux to account, his chums +made no attempt to dissuade him, except in the matter of time. John +pulled him aside, so that explanations would not have to be made to +their new acquaintances, and asked him to defer the matter until after +they should have had breakfast, to which Paul reluctantly agreed. + +When they once more reached the field, it was to see their rivals also +just arriving. Without further ado, Paul walked straight up to Pete +Deveaux and said; "Deveaux, why did you drop those rocks down on us +back there when we were overhauling you between Colombo and Singapore?" + +The Frenchman's face paled visibly. He did not like the look in Paul's +eye, nor the stern countenances of his friends. But he hoped to bluff +his way through. + +"Why accuse me of anything like this?" said he, trying to look +surprised and hurt. "We had nothing to do with those stones falling. +Their weight broke the catch off of the glass trap, and they went +through before we could stop them; didn't they, guys?" He turned to +his three flyers for support. + +Crossman, Torrey, and Lane nodded their heads. + +"Sure," averred Crossman. + +"What did you have those stones on board for?" demanded John. + +The _Clarion_ men were silent. Their leader was the first to reply. + +"We got some kola nuts from the natives at one of our stops, and wanted +the stones to crack them with," stated Deveaux. + +"It's a lie!" accused Paul. "Stones do not accidentally fall as +straight as those did. Pete Deveaux, you and your crowd did the best +you could to wreck us, and I'm going to take it out of your hide right +now!" + +"Oh, you are, are you?" sneered the French aviator. "It seems to me +I'll have something to say about that, you young whippersnapper! If +these friends of yours will keep out of this, I'll promise my boys will +keep out, and I'll give you all the show you want." + +"Fair play; that's right!" cried Mr. Shoreman, stepping forward. He +had heard enough to convince him that nothing but a fistic settlement +of the controversy would be adequate, and, with the help of several +white traders and sailors, he formed a ring. + +Like lightning the word went out, and scores of natives came running up +to see the encounter. An affair of this kind just suited their +primitive instincts; it was even a greater treat than seeing an +airplane land upon their fair island. + +So by the time that Paul and Pete Deveaux had thrown off their coats, a +great ring of natives surrounded them, and in its front were numerous +whites from the ships in the harbor. + +Pete Deveaux was inwardly very nervous, although he was careful not to +show it. Had Paul not been so much younger, Deveaux would probably +have made some excuse to back out of the fight. As it was, he had a +sneaking hope of getting the better of Paul, now that the youth's +friends had agreed not to interfere. He also hoped to injure the boy +so badly in the encounter that he could not take his turn operating the +Sky-Bird for the rest of the journey; at least, cripple him enough to +delay his party in getting away from the island. + +With these evil intents the French flyer conceived still another. He +stepped aside and whispered something in Chuck Crossman's ear, then +came back and faced Paul. + +Mr. Shoreman gave the signal, and Pete Deveaux feinted and shot his +other fist savagely at Paul's eye. But the boy was wary, dodged the +blow, and struck his adversary a hard one in the chest. For a moment +Deveaux was staggered; but he quickly recovered, and once more sprang +forward. + +Missing with his right, he succeeded in hitting Paul in the shoulder +with his left. Wheeling like a flash, Paul shot out a fist before the +Frenchman could recover his guard, and struck him a smash under the ear +which sent him reeling back into his friends. + +Pete Deveaux was now thoroughly alarmed. He had not expected such +science, nor such force, on the part of his opponent. He approached +Paul with much more caution, amid the howls of the natives, and decided +to let him take the offensive. + +Paul was willing. Encouraged by his success thus far, and bent upon +ending the fracas as soon as possible, he met his adversary with a +heavy swing which just cleared the man's ear. Deveaux struck, but +missed also. Pressed backward, he clinched to save himself, and in +this position, where nobody could see his movements, he viciously tried +to put some short jabs into Paul's abdomen. + +Fortunately for himself Paul succeeded in breaking away before he was +doubled up by the blows, one of which had landed with sufficient power +to make him utter an involuntary smothered exclamation of pain. + +"No more of that, Mr. Deveaux!" warned the referee suspiciously, as +Paul shoved his opponent back. "Keep out of the clinches! Fight fair!" + +"Fair! Fair!" yelled the sailors; and the natives took up the cry in +their own language. + +Paul now advanced, and Pete Deveaux retreated. The latter was really +frightened. Something was beginning to tell him that in this youth of +eighteen he had met his superior. + +"I think we'd better quit, Ross, before we hurt each other," suggested +the French flyer cravenly. "This flight business of ours won't stand +such delays as this. We can have this out when we land in Panama." + +"No, we can't have it out in Panama!" cried Paul. "Stand up if you're +a man and settle this thing right now. Watch out; I'm coming!" + +By this time Pete Deveaux had retreated to the lower end of the +improvised ring. He saw that he was cornered; that he must fight once +more. Lunging forward like a trapped rat, he struck a wicked blow for +his opponent's head. + +Paul parried it, and as swift as a stroke of lightning his right hand +streaked out and caught Deveaux under the jaw. The Frenchman reeled +backward a few steps, and toppled over, full length upon the ground. +What a cry went up from the onlookers! By this time the sympathies of +every one, except Deveaux's own comrades, were with the youth. No one, +even a half-civilized savage, at heart likes a coward. + +For a few moments Pete Deveaux was dazed. But after his cronies had +helped him to his feet, and started away with him, he still had enough +spite left to shout back, as he shook a fist: "We're not done with you +fellows yet!" + +Paul was now the recipient of congratulations from all sides. +Everybody wished to slap him on the shoulder or shake hands with him, +it seemed, and the native populace gave him so many cocoanuts, bananas, +and pineapples that he was literally hemmed in with fruit, and John, +Bob, and Tom had to open up a pathway before he could get out of his +sweet-smelling barricade. + +Our flyers put as much of the gifts in the cabin of the Sky-Bird as +they could find room for, including an abundance of nuts for the happy +Grandpa, and then they turned their attention to the pressing business +of overhauling the engines and storing fuel. + +While they were thus engaged, the _Clarion's_ motor was heard to start; +and a few moments later she arose and took off to sea. + +"Humph!" ejaculated Tom, "those fellows have beat us to it again." + +"They ought to; didn't they arrive ahead of us?" asked Tom. + +"We'll be out of here in fifteen minutes more," stated John. + +But the words were no more than out of his mouth when Paul, who had +been inspecting the rear end of the machine came dashing excitedly +forward, crying: + +"Fellows, hob is to pay! Those rascals have cut the wire braces that +support the tail-skid, and it's lopping away over!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +A MIX-UP IN DATES + +Paul's announcement threw his friends into a state of consternation. +As they viewed the wire braces, neatly cut with a pair of nippers, they +recalled Pete Deveaux's act of whispering in the ear of one of his +party just preceding the recent fight, and realized now its full +import. This fellow had slunk out of the crowd, slipped over to the +unguarded airplane, and performed the unprincipled trick without any +risk of being caught at it. + +Since there was no chance for immediate redress from the guilty party, +who were almost out of sight to the eastward, all our flyers could do +was to bend every effort to make repairs as fast as possible. After +considerable skirmishing around, they managed to secure some wire from +one of the vessels in the harbor. The severed strands were then +removed and new pieces cut to length. + +It was found that the weight of the machine upon the unsupported skid, +had cracked the skid past repair; so they had to whittle out another +from some tough wood, which the natives brought them from the nearby +forest, before they could connect the new wires and were ready to start. + +Finally they took off at a few minutes past noon, more than three hours +behind their rivals. It was disheartening, to say the least--all the +more so on account of the fact that their delay had again been caused +by the sinister acts of the other crew. They made up their minds that +if they should meet Pete Deveaux and his crowd at another stop, +something worse than a single fistic encounter would take place! + +As they soared away toward Nukahiva, with Upolu growing constantly +dimmer, John, who had been studying the schedule, turned to his +companions and asked: + +"Do any of you fellows know what date this is?" + +"Let's see," mused Bob, at the throttle; "we left Port Darwin the +evening of the 26th; the evening of the 27th we were still at sea, and +the next morning--the 28th--" + +"You're ahead of time just one day," laughed John. "This is the 27th +of the month." + +"How do you make that out?" asked Bob. "Didn't we leave Port Darwin on +the 26th?" + +"Yes," admitted John. + +"And the following evening we were at sea?' + +"Granted. That was last evening--the 27th." + +"Then any dunce can see that to-day is the 28th," said Bob witheringly. + +"That's what I say, too," supported Paul. + +But John only laughed harder, and this time Tom joined him. + +"John's right," said Tom; "to-day is the 27th." + +"It _can't_ be," protested Bob. "You own up that yesterday was the +27th, don't you?" + +"I certainly do," chuckled John; "but you forget one thing, young man: +that same evening, all in a moment's time, we crossed the One Hundred +and Eightieth Meridian--the date-line of the world--and while it was +Thursday, the 27th on the west side of this line, it became Wednesday, +the 26th the instant we crossed over to the east side." + +"Oh, sure!" exclaimed Bob and Paul, feeling very silly. And the latter +added: "That's where we gain a day in our lives--and to think that Bob +and I were asleep at that auspicious moment!" + +"I know an old maid who swears she is fifteen years younger than she +really looks," commented Tom. "I think she must have done a lot of +globe trotting, and always east!" + +"There's no danger of the fair sex ever circling the globe in a +westerly direction," laughed John, "for that would make them one day +older every time." + +The day could not have been better. Hardly a cloud was to be seen on +the horizon, and the regular trade-winds blowing westward were soft and +steady, and they were making excellent time. + +Grandpa frisked about, perching on this object and that, and +occasionally running back into some secret nook where he had hidden his +supply of nuts. With one of these in his paw he would jump up on +something, crack it in his powerful small jaws, and look very wise and +serious as he picked out the meats with his slim fingers. + +Finally the monkey had his fill, and hopped up into Tom's lap. He +began to play with Tom's hair, smoothing it down pretty soon with the +flyer's comb, which he discovered in a pocket. So handy was Grandpa +with this utensil that the others went into peals of laughter. Tiring +of this, the monkey's eye caught sight of several freckles upon the +back of Tom's hand. He tried in vain to pick the freckles off; then he +became excited, for he could not understand why they would not lift up. +He chattered scoldingly at everybody; then tried again. Failing, he +sprang down and went to a far corner, in a fine sulk. Evidently he +thought Tom was playing a trick on him, and had glued the freckles down +someway just to tease him; for Tom, it must be admitted, was greatly +given to bothering Grandpa in some such manner. + +Shortly before ten o'clock the following morning all hands were up to +take a look at their next stopping-off place--Nukahiva, the main island +of the Marquesas group, the place where they hoped to find a supply of +helium-gas awaiting them. + +A fine island this--as fine a volcanic upheaval as one will find +anywhere. Sheer walls of cloud-capped rock 6,000 feet high, some +literally overhanging the crystal-clear water, and all embossed and +engraved with strangely patterned basalt. There are pillars, +battlements, and turrets; so that, with half-closed eyes, it seems you +are approaching a temple, a medieval castle, or a mosque of the East. +And the valleys--deep, choked with the most rampant growths of +luxuriant vegetation, in the heart of which silvery streams gurgle +their way tortuously along--fade away into mysterious purple mists. +Small wonder that this gorgeously beautiful island should have been the +home for a century of one of the finest races of primitive people the +world has ever known! Sad indeed is it that to-day the Marquesans are +rapidly dying off from consumption and fever introduced into their fair +domain by civilization itself. + +Nestling in a good-sized valley near the harbor our flyers saw scores +of native houses, as they drew nearer. These were constructed of +yellow bamboo, tastefully twisted together in a kind of wickerwork, and +thatched with the long tapering leaves of the palmetto. Here, too, was +the big white T of their hopes. + +In a short time they had safely landed, one hour behind schedule. +Their rivals had left an hour and ten minutes before. But joy of joys! +here were four tanks of helium, and with a filling of this they would +show those fellows how to fly! + +As fast as they could work, our friends overhauled their machine and +put it in shape for the long trip to San Christobal. They would have +given almost anything to have joined the many natives they saw swimming +in the cool waters of the harbor, but felt that they could not afford +to waste a single minute. + +At twelve-thirty, with the sun at its zenith, they once more took to +the air. This was Thursday. By Friday evening they should be at the +Gallapagos Islands--their last stop before Panama. What a cheering +thought it was! + +Heading just a trifle north of east, they ran almost full-out. It was +easy to note the difference in the behavior of the Sky-Bird since her +helium tanks had been fully charged. She sped along as she had in the +very beginning of their journey--like a long bullet fired from some +gigantic cannon. How the engine did sing! The wind rushed by them +like a hurricane, and they had to shout in order to be heard when they +had anything to say to each other. + +Satisfied that all was going right, Tom and John soon turned in, for +they were very sleepy. When the operating crew awoke them it was dark. +Bob then got into wireless communication with Panama, and delivered a +message for Mr. Giddings. Following this, he and Paul also took to the +hammocks. + +When the two youths awoke it was morning, and the Sky-Bird was not +behaving as well as when they had retired. Looking outside they saw +the reason for this. The entire heavens ahead were hidden under +dun-colored clouds which in places seemed to be gathering themselves +together into formidable leaden arrangement. The gentle trade-winds +had developed into a stiff wind. Down below, the sea was covered with +whitecaps, while in the distance the water was swinging into immense +swells with foaming crests. + +John and Tom both looked worried. The two younger boys felt more +uneasy when they noticed this. + +"I guess we're in for a pretty hard storm," said John, as he gave the +throttle up to Paul. "Tom and I will stay up a while and see how +things turn out. The Sky-Bird's down to about a hundred an hour now. +Better keep her there, Buddy. That's fast enough in a blow like this." + +A few minutes later a fork of lightning split the sky ahead. This was +followed by another off to the right, then by one off to the left. +Then they heard the rumble of thunder, and a heavy gray haze slowly +began to engulf the sea, rapidly approaching. + +"That's rain," cried Paul. "Say, John, if you're not too done out +maybe you had better take the stick again; I'm afraid I won't be equal +to what's coming." + +His brother complied. John did not wish to frighten his comrades, but +the truth is he knew this would be the worst storm he had ever faced in +his four years of flying. + +"We'll try to get above those clouds," he said quietly. He did not +like to tell them just what he thought--that if they did not get above +the clouds without delay they would either be struck by lightning or +torn to pieces by the terrible whirlpool of winds which he knew those +churning black masses ahead contained. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +A FLYING RESCUE + +John turned the Sky-Bird upward at as stiff a slant as he felt would be +safe for them in that high wind. At nine thousand feet they emerged +above the first layer; but eastward the clouds appeared to terrace up +gradually, and in the distance there extended another great wall, +towering several thousand feet higher. + +Some of the rain was now beginning to reach them. It came pattering +down upon the roof; and under the strong impulse of wind and their +speed, it struck the glass windows in front with a smack like buckshot. +The moisture on the panes made it difficult to see out. + +"Take a reading with the anemometer, Tom," ordered John, straining his +eyes hard ahead. + +This little instrument was something like a miniature windmill. Its +four wings were supplied with cups which, as Tom held the instrument +out of the window facing the wind, caused the spider to revolve. The +latter was geared to a small dial, over the face of which passed a +hand, much like a clock, indicating the speed of the wind. + +"She's blowing fifty miles an hour, and gaining every minute," +announced Tom. "That's the hardest wind we've been in yet." + +"If we stay down here it will be blowing sixty within ten minutes," was +the pilot's grim response. + +Just then there was a blinding flash of light a little way ahead of +them, accompanied by such a terrific crash of thunder that their ears +rang. + +"Gee!" cried Bob, "that was a close call! I'll bet that bolt came +within a rod of striking us." + +"A miss is as good as a mile," shouted John cheerfully. He and the +others found that they would have to yell in order to be heard, so +great was the noise from engine and storm. + +_Zip!_ went a zigzagging livid streak across their range of vision. It +seemed to be running straight for them, and instinctively they +dodged--all but Tom and John. These old veterans continued to gaze +coolly straight ahead as though nothing had happened. _Crash-h!_ went +a clap of thunder. It seemed as if the whole heavens were being turned +topsy-turvy. Even the airplane, usually so steady, heaved and rode +like a rocking-horse. + +The two younger members of the party were not to be blamed for feeling +pretty well frightened by this time. It was one thing to be cutting +through the fleecy white clouds of a calm day, and quite another to go +stabbing through murky black ones which were rolling angrily, ejecting +both wind and rain, and spitting out vicious roars and jagged streaks +of pale-blue flame. One moment they would be in gloom; the next +instant a cloud would be rent asunder with a ripping, tearing sound, +and the whole turbid, boiling sky-universe would be bathed in the +ghostly light. What a weird, fantastic, chaotic world they were in! + +But it was only for a few minutes that they were in the worst danger. +Soon, to their infinite relief, they had reached their "ceiling." They +were now 15,000 feet up--almost three miles,--and below them lay the +vast sea of troubled cloudland, dark and forbidding, rolling +tumultuously like an ocean of curdled ink. It was a novel experience +to be running in the clear air over all of this infernality of sounds +and sights, while above them the blue, star-studded heavens looked down +upon them calmly and peaceably. + +For almost an hour the furious storm continued in the lower regions. +Then it began slowly to subside. First the lightning stopped, then the +thunder. The banks of clouds took on a lighter hue, and began to drift +apart; a pinnacle here and a crag there were swept off by the winds, +until the masses of nimbus became flattened out into patches of +sun-flecked foam as beautiful as fresh-fallen snow. + +The anemometer spun slower and slower as the gale decreased in +violence, and presently the airplane was gliding along with its normal +smoothness. Here and there, between the patches of white cloud, they +caught glimpses of the ultramarine sea, thousands of feet below them. + +It was so cold up here, even with the windows closed, that all the boys +were shivering in their warmest wraps. The air, too, was so rarefied +that it was with considerable difficulty that they could breathe, for +they had been in it for some time. Not one flyer in a hundred can live +at an altitude of twenty thousand feet, as he bleeds at the nose and +mouth; and our aviators were up to within five thousand feet of that +height. It was now time to descend. + +John shut off both engines, and they began to volplane down in a great +stillness, sailing like an immense hawk. Lower and lower they +went--fourteen, thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten thousand feet. Now they +were gliding through clear, thin air; now cutting a hole through a +heavy cloud so impregnated with moisture that it sweat over the glass +and the boys would have to wipe a sleeve across hastily to improve the +vision. Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two! + +That was low enough. All this time the propeller had been spinning +from the rush of air alone. Now John threw in the clutch; the +revolving propeller shaft grabbed the crankshaft of the engine, and +once more it began its rhythmic purr. Just a little upthrust of the +tail-elevators and ailerons brought them again into the horizontal in a +huge swoop. Nothing could have been prettier. They had escaped the +terrible tornado, leaving it still galloping westward far behind them, +and were once more in normal position for continuing their flight +toward the goal! + +Below them, for miles around, they could once more see the ocean +uninterruptedly. Its mountainous waves and deep gorges of a short time +previous had probably swallowed up many an unlucky ship that morning; +but its temper was expended, and all it could do now was to sulk in +long, even billows which every moment became flatter and flatter. + +How had their rivals fared? This question was in the minds of every +one of our flyers as the Sky-Bird continued swiftly on her course. In +their hearts was a vague feeling that perhaps Pete Deveaux and his +crowd might not have come out of the storm as lucky as they, for not +one airplane out of a score could have outlived it. Their own escape +had been almost miraculous. But for the good generalship of John they +surely would have met with mishap. + +So now, as they went along, a sharp lookout was not only kept for their +rivals in the sky ahead, but anxious looks were cast over the expanse +of white-capped waters. Calculations told them that by this time the +other airplane could not be far ahead. + +Less than ten minutes later, Tom espied a small object far away on +their port quarter. It was bobbing about on the waves, rising and +falling. Bob seized a pair of glasses, and took a long look. He +turned around with his face full of excitement. + +"Heavens, fellows!" he cried; "that object looks like an airplane!" + +All took a look. Then they, too, were excited, There could be no doubt +about it--the object was a wrecked airplane. And as it was extremely +unlikely that there were other machines in the vicinity than their own +and that of their adversaries', they were quite sure that it must be +the remains of the _Clarion_. + +John turned the Sky-Bird in the direction of the floating thing, and +soon they saw what seemed to be the form of a human being clinging to +one of the wings. John threw in both engines in an effort to get all +possible speed out of the craft. + +In a little while they were close enough to see that the wreck was +really the _Clarion_. But what a sad-looking sight was the former +handsome craft! Her tail had been wrenched off, and only half of one +of her long wings could be seen. Out upon the other, on hands and +knees, clinging desperately to the aileron brace, was the hatless, +water-soaked figure of a man. As they came closer still they could see +him waving his hand frantically at them. + +With a glass, Paul saw that this person was Oliver Torrey. Anxiously +his eyes roved over the wreck in quest of other survivors, but none +could he discern. Irony of fate! had all of the others been drowned? + +John brought the Sky-Bird down to within seventy-five feet of the sea +as they approached. Tom seized the speaking trumpet, and as they swept +over the _Clarion_ he bawled out: "Hang on, Torrey! We'll stand by, +and save you if we can!" + +But they were facing a herculean task, and realized it. They could not +light upon the water. Nor could they stop in midair. How in the world +could they effect the hapless flyer's rescue? + +John circled at reduced speed while all of their minds were busy trying +to work out the problem. In the meantime Torrey's frantic pleadings +for them not to go away and leave him to his fate filled their ears. +It was a trying, nerve-racking situation. + +Bob Giddings struck upon the first idea. + +"Why can't we trail a rope for him to catch?" he asked. + +"He's probably too weak to climb a rope," objected Tom. + +"I'll tell you what we can do," said Paul, with a happy thought. "We +can take this coil of rope we have here and make a narrow ladder of it! +That will be easy for him to catch, and easy to climb." + +All agreed instantly that this was the only hope of rescue. So John +kept the Sky-Bird slowly wheeling, while his three mates cut and tied +until they had formed a narrow rope ladder about fifty feet long. One +end of this they securely fastened in the cabin, while they let the +other drop down through the glass trap in the floor. + +To their dismay the rush of wind carried the light ladder out so +horizontally behind that they saw they could never get low enough with +safety for Oliver Torrey to reach it! What could they do now? It +seemed they were destined to failure; that Torrey must be left to the +cruel and hungry waves. + +"I have it!" cried Bob. "We'll fasten Grandpa near the lower end of +the ladder. His weight will be sufficient to keep it down straight." + +This was a splendid scheme, surely. Accordingly, the monkey, wondering +what new form of teasing was about to be imposed upon him, was fastened +about three feet from the bottom end of the ladder, and Grandpa and his +strange trapeze was then slowly let down until all of the ladder had +been paid out. The crew were glad to note that it now hung almost +perpendicularly. + +Now the success of everything depended upon John. He must be skillful +enough to bring the ladder across Torrey's position in just the right +place for the flyer to grasp it as it swept past. + +They shouted to the man below to stand up if he could, and +comprehending in an instant his part of the program, he struggled to +his feet, spreading them wide apart to brace himself, for the wrecked +airplane was rocking somewhat from the action of the waves. + +The first time John brought the Sky-Bird by he was too high; Torrey +could not reach the ladder. The second time a sudden gust of wind blew +the ropes too far to one side at the critical moment. The third time +the machine itself was a trifle too far to one side. But on the fourth +attempt success met their patient efforts; Torrey's hands seized the +bottom rung of the ladder, and a few minutes later he had climbed up +into the cabin and sunk weakly upon the floor. Paul then brought in +the ladder, laughing nervously, and released Grandpa, who had not +relished his part of the proceedings in the least, to judge from his +excited chattering, most of which was bestowed upon the rescued man. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +AN ALARMING DISCOVERY + +One of the first questions our flyers asked of Oliver Torrey, after +they had helped him remove his wet clothing, was: + +"Where are your friends?" + +The _Clarion_ flyer shook his head sadly. "They're done for--drowned. +I'm the only one left of our crew. That was an awful storm, boys! I +don't see how you ever survived it." + +"We did it by flying over the greater part of it," said Tom. "How did +it happen to get you fellows?" + +"Pete and Chuck were operating," explained Oliver Torrey. "Sam and I +both wanted to get above the tornado, but they said they thought it +wouldn't amount to much. When they saw how bad it really was, it was +too late. A whirlpool of wind struck us at three thousand feet, Pete +lost control, and we went into a nose-dive from which we never +recovered. When we struck the sea the force crushed in the front of +the cabin, stunning Pete, and before any of us could grab him the waves +had washed him out of our sight. Chuck, Sam, and I managed to get out +and climb up on the fuselage; but the seas were running so high that +half of the time we were buried in water. Coming out of one of these +deluges, I looked around and saw that I was alone. Then the storm +passed, and things looked better for me. But I was just about ready to +give up when I saw the Sky-Bird coming." + +Oliver Torrey paused a moment, wiped his haggard face, and then +continued, as he looked earnestly at his rescuers: + +"Boys, I never can thank you enough for saving my worthless life. It's +awful to think that we guys let Pete Deveaux coax us into doing all +those dirty things to hold you back. I guess we deserved this +punishment. If I ever get back to Panama I'll certainly make what +amends I can by telling the whole disgraceful story to the world." + +Tom stepped in front of the _Clarion_ flyer, and shook his finger in +his face. "Torrey," said Tom, "I think at heart you are all right; but +listen! Mr. Wrenn, who hired you fellows, is a straight man through +and through. If this story gets out it will be published broadcast, +and people will think he abetted your crimes against us. So, for his +sake----" + +"I see; I hadn't thought of that," ejaculated Torrey. "I will keep +still; as far as the public'll ever know, they'll think this was a fair +and square contest--and so it was on your part." + +It must be remembered that John and Tom had had no sleep since the day +previous. They were so tired by now, especially John, that they were +very glad to retire to the hammocks, leaving Paul and Bob to take care +of the Sky-Bird. Oliver Torrey was also exhausted, and accepted with +alacrity Paul's invitation to him to jump into the spare hammock. +Within five minutes the two youths were the only ones awake. + +It seemed good to the boys to feel that soon they would be at San +Cristobal, their last stop before the final hop. They flew along with +the throttle wide open for the next hour, eager to make up for the +delay caused by the storm and the rescue of Torrey. Then they reduced +the speed a little, to make sure they would not overheat the engine, +but still they made good time. + +Shortly before six o'clock that afternoon they sighted a blue haze +which a little later developed into a group of several islands. These +they knew, by consulting their chart, were the Gallapagos, the home of +the largest land-turtles ever known, monsters so enormous that one of +them could walk off with two half-grown boys on his broad back. + +There are over two thousand volcano cones in these islands, and soon +our friends were almost in the midst of them. On all sides and at all +distances were rugged peaks one hundred to two thousand feet high, +rising sheer from a rose-pink sea over which the declining sun played +ravishingly. Along the shores pelicans soared above the shallow +inlets, watching for unwary fish. Tiny birds darted in and out among +the cliffs. Down in the crystal depths of the sea, over shelves of +coral, vague shapes hovered and passed and repassed--sharks, dolphins, +turtles, and grunts, even the ghastly devil-fish. + +All life seemed confined to water and to air; never was dry land so +desolate-looking as those myriads of barren volcanic cones. Yet one of +these islands was peopled with human beings--San Cristobal. + +Which one was it? The easternmost of the group, said the chart. + +Circling that way. Bob gave a yelp like a pup which sees his younger +master after he has been away all day. + +"I see Dalrymple Rock!" he cried, with the binoculars to his eyes. "I +see Wreck Point, too, and a bay between 'em, with houses on the beach. +That looks like our number, all right. What more do you want, Paul?" + +"Nothing," laughed Paul,--"except our landing field. Find that, wake +up the other fellows, and I'll be satisfied." + +In a moment Bob pointed out a flat field marked with the welcome white +T, then he aroused John and Tom while Paul was bringing the Sky-Bird +down. From a rickety old pier, also from the shores where they had +gathered, a crowd of curious natives rushed forward to witness the +landing of the most startling object they had ever seen. They were a +mixture of South Americans, mostly Ecuadoreans, and not until our +friends stepped out of the cabin did they summon up enough courage to +get very close to the machine. + +Among them was the owner of the island--a good-looking young +Ecuadorean, highly educated, who was to look after their interests in +the matter of fuel,--and the chief of police (presumably "chief," +because there is only one representative of the law in the Galapagos). + +The owner of San Cristobal informed the flyers in excellent +French,--which all of them except Oliver Torrey could speak,--that he +was delighted to welcome the first airplane crew to his little domain; +that weeks ago the ship had brought gasoline and oil, which was now +awaiting their pleasure in the little nearby shanty; that he and his +police officer and the peons were eager to serve them in any way they +could; and would the brave American aviators favor him and his police +officer by joining them at the hacienda for dinner that evening? + +Our friends graciously accepted this invitation, upon finding that +their host would appoint a watch for the airplane. They then went with +him to his pretty hacienda in the valley--a green, undulating country, +dotted with grazing cattle and horses, patches of sugar-cane, coffee +bushes, and lime trees, stretching away to a cloud-capped range of +mountains. + +Situated upon a hillock, in the midst of this entrancing valley, and +surrounded by the peons' grass houses, was the owner's home. Here the +flyers partook of an excellent repast, garnished with the best the +island could afford, including tender wild duck from the surrounding +lagoons and savory turtle soup. Then followed songs by their host, and +jolly college melodies by themselves, accompanied by the sweet strains +of a guitar in the hands of the police officer. + +Out in the compound, the peons also celebrated the occasion. There +were great oil flares, thrummings of guitars, gyrating dancers in +bright-hued ponchos, merry cries, the laughing of children, the barking +of dogs. + +Everybody seemed thoroughly happy and contented. And, after all, what +else matters? That is the Ecuadorean point of view, and who shall say +it is a bad one? + +It was difficult for the boys to remind themselves that here they were +precisely on the equator, so positively chilly was it. And yet they +were. It was the third time which they had touched that imaginary +girdle of the earth in the past week or so; and it was to be their last +crossing. How inspiring the thought that they were now within one hop +of their goal; that sometime on the morrow they would probably reach +Panama well within their time limit of ten days! + +The fact is, they had only 650 miles ahead of them--a distance which +could easily be covered, barring accidents, inside of five hours, and +they had until one o'clock the following day in which to reach their +destination. When they realized this, and were pressed most +insistently by the owner of the island to spend the night, under the +shelter of his roof, where there were two spare beds, the tired, +bed-hungry flyers decided to remain over, Oliver Torrey going to the +house of the police "chief." Torrey was really in no physical +condition, as it was, to continue the flight immediately, for he had +suffered a chill as the result of his exposure, and felt very weak. + +Next morning they were up at the break of day, and at once began the +task of refilling the tanks of the Sky-Bird and giving her machinery a +general overhauling. Torrey felt much better, and assisted in these +operations. His gratitude to the boys for deciding not to divulge the +duplicity of the unfortunate crew with whom he had been connected was +very great, and he spared no effort to help them on toward +success--which goes to show that this fellow was not at all bad at +heart but had simply gotten in with a bad crowd. + +It was a good thing that the flyers went over their engines. John +found a loose coupling in one, and a stretched fan belt in the other. +Had they gone on in this condition trouble would have been sure to +visit them. It was small wonder, however, that something should not be +out of good working order, for these faithful pieces of mechanism had +been given the hardest kind of usage day in and day out, each in its +turn, and sometimes working together, in this long flight around the +earth. Their final test had been the storm. More than once the boys +had marveled at the remarkable efficiency of their motive power. What +a tribute to the mechanical genius of modern man had these engines +paid! They were almost human in intelligence, more than human in their +untiring zeal. + +The repairs were not difficult to make; the belt was cut and fastened +again with a leather lace borrowed from the police "chief's" shoe, and +the careful use of a wrench and other tools out of their kit finally +fixed the loose coupling. But these operations had consumed +unlooked-for valuable time, and when they had had breakfast with their +friends and were ready at last to go, they found that the watch of +their host indicated the hour of nine. + +Setting their own watches to this local time, as had been their custom +in all towns upon arriving or leaving, our flyers once more thanked +their entertainers for courtesies extended, wished them good-bye, and +got in their machine. + +As they taxied swiftly down the course, the rush of wind from the big +propeller sent more than one Ecuadorean's wide-brimmed hat flying from +his head, and to the enjoyment of all, a native who was perched +precariously upon an up-ended cask was blown heels-over-head backwards. + +No sooner had they straightened out upon their northeasterly course +than Bob sat down to his instruments and called up the Panama wireless +station. In about ten minutes he got it, and told of their position +and the accident to the _Clarion_. They all knew that when the news of +this catastrophe reached the American newspapers there would be the +greatest excitement, and that Mr. Wrenn would not only be grievously +disappointed but horrified at the fate of the three members of his crew. + +They now had just four hours in which to reach their goal. That meant +they must travel at an average rate of better than 160 miles an hour. +Since they had gone considerably faster than this when the occasion had +warranted it in the past, they felt no anxieties now. John, who was at +the throttle, opened the Sky-Bird up to 165, and at this gait they +skimmed swiftly along over the blue-green waters of the big Pacific. + +"This speed ought to bring us in by twelve-thirty--a good half-hour +ahead of our limit,--so there's no need of rushing matters," said John, +to which sentiment his comrades agreed. + +By eleven o'clock all were keenly on the look-out. Each flyer coveted +the honor of being the first one to see the coastline of Central +America, the resting-place of Panama. + +Paul, with the binoculars to his eyes, was the one to win. It was just +exactly 11:25 when he shouted in true mariner's style: "Land ho, my +hearties!" + +Taking the glass, one by one his comrades gladly echoed the +announcement. + +But suddenly Bob's face turned chalky. "Jiminy, fellows," he cried, +"what boneheads we are! We have been figuring on San Cristobal time +all the while. Panama's close to an hour ahead!" + +"And we've only got thirty-five minutes in which to land!" said Tom. +"Huckleberry pie! Boneheads we are! Boneheads, boneheads! I repeat +it--boneheads, boneheads! It's all off now." + +Tom actually wrung his hands in his misery, and the others felt just +about as humiliated and disgusted with themselves. + +"Here's where our prize goes a-flickering," groaned Paul. "We never +can make Panama in thirty-five minutes!" + +"I don't know about that," declared his brother grimly. "Here goes for +the effort, anyhow. I'll make the Sky-Bird fly as she has never flown +before!" + +With that he brought the throttle wide open, and two minutes later +threw the second engine into commission. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +THE FINISH + +They were not beaten yet! The wind whistled, shrieked, and roared as +it swept aft along the smooth body of the Sky-Bird. The propeller +whirred, and the engines purred like two huge twin cats. So great were +the noises combined that the voice was completely overwhelmed, and no +effort was made by the flyers to talk with one another. + +With their pulses beating wildly and hearts thumping in accord, they +watched the hazy streak on the horizon line ahead rapidly develop into +the unmistakable rugged form of land. As they drew closer, they could +even see the glint of water on the other side, and knew without the +shadow of doubt that what they were looking at was the long belt of +earth connecting the two Americas--the Isthmus of Panama itself. And +down their backs ran a new thrill at the recognition. + +Larger and larger loomed the brown and green strip in advance. +Presently, amid the checker-board of nature's colorations, they could +make out a bay and on a tongue of land a considerable collection of +buildings. It was Panama City! Five minutes later they could even +distinguish the American flag--how glorious the sight!--fluttering at +the staffhead of the courthouse, and could see the streets and ships in +the harbor thronged with people who were evidently waiting to welcome +them. + +The excitement of the throngs increased as the airplane drew closer. +People jumped up and down, yelled, and waved their hats. It had been +only a few minutes before that Bob had received the radio admonition +from the Panama station; "Town gone wild; but hurry in. You only have +six minutes left!" + +Now they were circling high over the heads of the populace, with one +engine shut off and the speed of the other much reduced. In graceful, +pretty circles the Sky-Bird began to spiral her way downward, John's +eyes fastened upon the big white T of the familiar airdrome. As they +came down, people in the outlying districts rushed madly toward the +field, and the streets everywhere were choked with the concourse +pouring toward the center of attraction. + +Scores of others had previously posted themselves in the airdrome; but +all were kept back by a cordon of ropes and a guard of Zone policemen. +Inside of the barrier were a favored few Government officials and +distinguished personages, newspaper men, photographers, and Mr. +Giddings and Mr. Wrenn themselves. Colonel Hess, the judge of the +contest, was also present, ready to receive the flyers' affidavits of +stops. + +As the flyers stepped out of their machine many a camera clicked, and +the air was filled with the cheers of the multitude. + +Colonel Hess stepped quickly up. In one hand was a watch; the other +was extended. + +"My heartiest congratulations, boys!" he exclaimed, as he received +their paper. "You have arrived just in the nick of time. Panama time, +it is now exactly fifty-nine minutes after twelve!" + +They had won by one minute! The flyers were so tickled that they also +felt like cheering. But they were sobered instantly when Mr. Wrenn +came forward and they saw how sorrowful he looked in spite of the brave +smile with which he greeted them. + +"Young men," said the publisher of the Clarion, "as the loser in this +contest I also wish to congratulate you. We have suffered a heavy blow +ourselves, but you deserve full credit for the good work you have done, +and I am not the kind of a contemporary to withhold compliments so +fairly earned. I trust my men conducted themselves as true sportsmen, +poor fellows." + +Noticing that Oliver Torrey was on the point of making reply, John gave +him a warning look, and a moment later pulled him aside and said in a +low voice: "Mr. Wrenn should not know that you fellows did not conduct +yourselves otherwise than fair in this race. That would make him feel +all the worse. Keep mum to _everybody_ about this, and we'll do the +same." + +Oliver Torrey nodded--tears in his eyes as he saw how desirous the +Sky-Bird's crew were of protecting his own interests as well as the +good name of his former associates. What fine fellows they were! How +he wished he could have been allied with them on this cruise, instead +of with Pete Deveaux and his bunch! + +The hardships and perils of the past ten days were forgotten in the +excitement of the present. Our flyers hardly knew what they were +doing, so great was their joy. They shook hands with scores, hearts +swelling with those emotions invoked by achievement and the glamor of +the moment. It was--and always will be, perhaps,--the supreme hour of +their lives. + +Almost reverently they looked over the Sky-Bird. Through every +possible climatic rigor the airplane had passed, and practically +without any attention. Not once, from the time they had left this very +airdrome until they had reached it again, after traversing close to +25,000 miles, had she been under shelter or sulked on them through +deficient construction. Given a few days to overhaul her engines, they +felt they would be quite capable of repeating their world +record-breaking achievement, if it were necessary. + +These reflections were of brief duration, however; for the crowd, +having forced its way past the barriers, and having satisfied its +curiosity over the machine, directed their attention to the flyers. +Brimming with enthusiasm, they lifted every one of them shoulder high, +laughing and cheering, and conveyed them to an extemporized platform +made from a large box. From this elevation, each flyer in his turn was +called upon for a speech. The boys made these quite brief, but were +vociferously applauded; and then the two famous publishers were asked +to contribute. Following came the governor of the Zone, who very +eloquently expressed the pride the little Republic felt in starting off +and witnessing the finish of this memorable event, and he said the keys +of Panama were at the disposal of the young aviators until they should +feel it incumbent upon them to leave for the States. + +For three days our friends remained, and during that time they were the +almost constant recipients of honors from civic clubs and associations +of the city, as well as from the English-speaking citizenry in general. +They were entertained at dinners, at the theater, and at sporting +events out-of-doors--and not a penny were they allowed to spend +themselves. + +To the aviators it all seemed like a festival snatched from the covers +of "Arabian Nights." Had genii and fairies, elfs and goblins, appeared +before them bearing gifts of gold and jewels they would hardly have +been surprised, so unreal did everything appear to their tired minds; +and tired bodies only grew more tired under the stress of the social +demands. + +Strange indeed were their feelings when, upon looking at back files of +newspapers, they read the history of their exploits, recorded with a +degree of detail which must have taxed the imaginative resources of +editorial staffs to gray hairs; and saw picture after picture taken +with their own camera and sent across many a continent in the form of +undeveloped film, now to bring before their eyes once more the realism +of the moment when they were taken. There were photographs of +themselves collectively and individually in many a place now far +distant; views of the machine at rest, and of parts of it among the +clouds and above them; two views of the fight with the condors; several +of Grandpa in various amusing positions; many pictures of foreign +places and of natives; illustrations showing the battle with the +devil-fish; storms as seen from below, and storms as seen below when +flying above them. Even pictures of the wreck of the _Clarion_, and of +Oliver Torrey climbing up the rope ladder, were not missing. + +Before the flyers left Panama, Paul received many offers to sell +Grandpa to various admirers, but no amount of money could have induced +him to part with this faithful little mascot. Oliver Torrey +particularly felt that he owed a great debt of gratitude to the monkey. + +When the party finally reached New York City, after a non-incidental +flight of one night and the major portion of a day, they were given +another ovation--one which far outrivaled in volume the one they had +received at Panama. The mayor and city officials wished to fete them, +but the boys were too exhausted to stand more of such doings; they +wished to get home as soon as possible, hide from everybody but those +in their immediate families, and just rest--rest--rest. They didn't +think they would even care to see their dear old Sky-Bird again for +several months. + +It would be hard indeed to comprehend the feelings that surged through +the flyers as they landed the airplane in the fair-grounds of their own +native town--Yonkers--and were greeted by hundreds of familiar faces +and voices, to say nothing of the hand-clasps of many old-time friends. + +But, after all, the reunion with their own relatives was the cause for +the greatest thanksgiving, as we may assume. Both Paul's and Bob's +mothers had prepared the choicest of dinners for their famous sons, and +that evening the Ross and Giddings families were the happiest and +merriest ones in town. + +Mr. Giddings and Mr. Wrenn both realized more out of the advertising +than the contest had cost them. The former met his agreement by giving +each of his flyers five thousand dollars, and his business rival did +likewise by Oliver Torrey. Later on, Bob and the Ross boys sold their +patents on the Sky-Bird to a large airplane manufacturing company for a +sum which promised to make them independent for the rest of their lives. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN DAYS*** + + +******* This file should be named 19907.txt or 19907.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/9/0/19907 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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