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-The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Flying Reporter, by Lewis E. (Lewis
-Edwin) Theiss
-
-
-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: The Flying Reporter
-
-
-Author: Lewis E. (Lewis Edwin) Theiss
-
-
-
-Release Date: November 18, 2013  [eBook #44227]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-
-***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLYING REPORTER***
-
-
-E-text prepared by Roger Frank and Sue Clark
-
-
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44227 ***
 
 THE FLYING REPORTER
 
@@ -5909,362 +5877,4 @@ this is what he read:
                                                        Tom Johnson
                                                     Managing Editor.
 
-
-
-***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLYING REPORTER***
-
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+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44227 ***
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+<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44227 ***</div>
 <h1 class="center">The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Flying Reporter, by Lewis E. (Lewis
 Edwin) Theiss</h1>
-<p>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 <a
-href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p>
-<p>Title: The Flying Reporter</p>
-<p>Author: Lewis E. (Lewis Edwin) Theiss</p>
-<p>Release Date: November 18, 2013  [eBook #44227]</p>
-<p>Language: English</p>
-<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p>
-<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLYING REPORTER***</p>
 <p>&nbsp;</p>
-<h3 class="center">E-text prepared by Roger Frank and Sue Clark</h3>
 <p>&nbsp;</p>
 <hr class="full" />
 <p>&nbsp;</p>
@@ -8069,359 +8058,6 @@ salary, same to be effective at once.</p>
 <p>&nbsp;</p>
 <hr class="full" />
 
-<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLYING REPORTER***</p>
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-The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Flying Reporter, by Lewis E. (Lewis
-Edwin) Theiss
-
-
-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: The Flying Reporter
-
-
-Author: Lewis E. (Lewis Edwin) Theiss
-
-
-
-Release Date: November 18, 2013  [eBook #44227]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
-
-
-***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLYING REPORTER***
-
-
-E-text prepared by Roger Frank and Sue Clark
-
-
-
-THE FLYING REPORTER
-
-by
-
-LEWIS E. THEISS
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-Wilcox & Follett Co.
-Publishers--1945--Chicago
-
-Copyrighted, 1930,
-Wilcox & Follett Co.
-All rights reserved
-
-The Flying Reporter
-Made in United States of America
-
-
-
-
-                                FOREWORD
-
-It will probably come as a surprise to many readers to know that when
-this story was written, more than one hundred American newspapers owned
-and operated airplanes as a regular part of their news-gathering
-equipment. By the time this tale is between covers, there will doubtless
-be many additional planes cleaving the skies in the swift search for
-news, in the carrying of relief to marooned and endangered human beings,
-in the hunt for those who are lost, in the transportation of news
-photographs, and not infrequently in the carrying of important papers
-and documents. For although the primary end of the newspaper is to
-collect and distribute news, it also carries on a host of activities for
-the direct benefit of mankind.
-
-Some of these news planes are elaborately equipped for their work, with
-desks and typewriters for reporters, darkrooms and developing equipment
-for photographers, and special equipment for the taking of aerial
-photographs. Some of these planes ordinarily carry as many as four
-men--a pilot, a mechanic, a camera man, and a reporter. Thus they are
-equipped for almost any emergency.
-
-Among the eight airplanes used by the Hearst newspaper forces to "cover"
-the arrival of the _Graf Zeppelin_ on the Pacific Coast were some huge
-tri-motored ships. One of these was equipped like a real news room. It
-carried one reporter, one photographer, one announcer, one radio
-operator and technician. The plane flew two hundred miles along the
-coast, and sent descriptive stories direct by radio to the _Examiner_
-office in Los Angeles, where a short-wave station copied the despatches
-and rushed them to the editors at their desks.
-
-It would be easy enough to "invent" adventures for news fliers, but it
-would be foolish to do so for the reason that few "made-up" stories
-could equal in interest the actual experiences of flying reporters.
-Consequently, practically all the material in this book is based upon
-actual occurrences.
-
-The bit of Warren Long's parachute that Jimmy Donnelly prized so highly
-is merely the counterpart of a piece of the parachute of that fine young
-pilot, the late Thomas Nelson. It is from the parachute he had when he
-stepped out of a burning mail plane at Ringtown, Pa., in the fall of
-1929. This keepsake was given to me by Dr. Leigh Breisch, of Lewisburg,
-Pa., with whose father Pilot Nelson spent several hours after that
-thrilling leap. His parachute was partly burned, and the bit of silk in
-my possession is scorched by fire. It is a prized possession, for I knew
-and greatly admired the dauntless young man who wore it.
-
-The descriptions of the radio beacons are as accurate as the writer can
-make them. The installation of these beacons marks a great step forward
-in the development of flying. Radio beacons are being erected as fast as
-possible along the entire transcontinental airway, and will also be used
-to guide befogged fliers on other routes.
-
-In the course of this story Jimmy Donnelly awakens a sleeping family
-whose home was afire, by diving at the house and making as much noise
-with his plane as possible. On various occasions Air Mail pilots have
-done exactly this thing. That excellent flier and former Air Mail pilot,
-Paul Collins, is one of the airmen who performed this trick.
-
-Covering floods, scouting out the marooned and helpless, and making
-aerial surveys of districts suffering from great calamities, is a
-commonplace among news fliers. Time and again they have carried food and
-medicine and clothing, and even newspapers, to persons marooned in
-floods or on ice-blocked islands or on stranded ships. In this story
-Jimmy Donnelly transports the stereotype matrixes from a flooded
-newspaper office to another newspaper plant miles distant, where the
-stereotype plates are cast and the edition printed. This thing actually
-happened in the Middle West, when a flier took the "mats" of the
-Hutchinson (Kans.) _News and Herald_ to the plant of the Wichita
-_Eagle_, where the papers were printed and then rushed back by plane to
-Hutchinson for distribution in that city.
-
-Many of the incidents pictured in the chapter about the New Hampshire
-flood are actual occurrences.
-
-Incredible though it may seem, even the affair with the bootlegger, in
-which Jimmy Donnelly is forced to fly a rum runner to Canada, actually
-happened. Shirley Short, former Air Mail pilot and flier for the Chicago
-_Daily News_, told me the story. Hamilton Lee, piloting a plane for the
-Chicago _Tribune_, transported food to folks marooned on an island in
-Lake Michigan. A bootlegger, flying over the island at the same time,
-broke a connecting rod bearing and got down safely, although his engine
-was torn half out of his plane. He clapped a pistol to Lee's head and
-forced Lee to carry him the rest of the way to the mainland. For the
-purpose of this story it was necessary to transfer the incident to Lake
-Ontario, but that does not alter the essential truthfulness of the tale.
-
-The fact is that almost everything in this book is based upon an actual
-occurrence, or was suggested to me by fliers as the result of their
-experiences. I mention this fact because, although this book is purely a
-piece of fiction, the purpose of the book is to show the part that
-fliers play in news coverage. Hence it had to be truthful in essence.
-
-For material and other assistance, the writer is indebted to many
-persons connected with the business of flying. In particular I wish to
-express my indebtedness to Pilot Warren J. White, of Albany, who "flew"
-the New York _Times_ from Albany to Lake Placid. Mr. White has had years
-of experience as pilot and manager of flying enterprises. He supplied
-much material, suggested many situations and incidents for this book,
-and finally checked the manuscript for inaccuracies and "touched up" the
-flying technique to give that part of the story a truly professional
-air. To Mr. C. G. Andrus, chief of the Eastern Division of the Airways
-Weather Bureau, I have long been indebted for information concerning the
-work of the forecasters in aiding pilots. To these men and to many
-others who have assisted me in the work of collecting material for
-flying-stories, I wish to express my hearty thanks.
-
-News fliers do the most remarkable things and have the most wonderful
-adventures. But like most other things connected with the business of
-collecting news, these adventures are seldom heard of excepting in
-newspaper or flying circles. If this story makes these achievements more
-evident to readers, the writer will be gratified.
-
-                                                     Lewis Edwin Theiss.
-
-_Lewisburg, Penna._
-
-
-
-
-Table of Contents
-
-   I--Jimmy Donnelly Scents a Story in a Scorched Piece of Parachute
-   II--A Flight in Quest of News
-   III--Jimmy Meets an Old Friend--Johnnie Lee, of the Wireless Patrol
-   IV--Jimmy Makes Good
-   V--The Long Flight to a Fire
-   VI--Flying Blind Over the Graveyard of Airplanes
-   VII--A Forced Landing in a Fog
-   VIII--Jimmy Saves a Boyhood Friend
-   IX--Covering a Great Flood by Airplane
-   X--Jimmy Visits a Lightship off the Coast
-   XI--Jimmy is Tricked by His Rival
-   XII--Jimmy Lands a Job for Johnnie
-   XIII--Jimmy Has an Adventure with a Bootlegger
-   XIV--Taking Help to Marooned Islanders
-   XV--Jimmy Joins the Caterpillar Club
-   XVI--The Bootlegger Repays Jimmy's Kindness
-   XVII--Jimmy Triumphs Over Rand
-
-
-
-
-                          The Flying Reporter
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER I
-
-     Jimmy Donnelly Scents a Story in a Scorched Piece of Parachute
-
-
-Jimmy Donnelly had just arrived at the hangar at the Long Island flying
-field where his plane was housed. To be sure, the plane really wasn't
-Jimmy's, because it belonged to the New York _Morning Press_; but Jimmy
-was its pilot, and had flown it ever since that great newspaper had
-decided that it must have a plane of its own. And Jimmy had piloted it
-so long, and had taken such loving care of it, that he felt as though it
-were his very own. Indeed, he could not have lavished more attention on
-the plane if it _had_ been his own. He was forever polishing and
-cleaning it, and checking over the engine, and keeping it tuned up to
-concert pitch.
-
-But just now Jimmy was not thinking about his plane. The morning mail
-lay before him on the table in the little hangar office. There were the
-daily papers, some circulars, and several letters. Jimmy had already
-slit the letters open. The one he picked out of the bunch was a rather
-bulky letter that bore, in the upper left hand corner, this return
-address: Warren Long, Hadley Airport, New Brunswick, N. J. But Jimmy did
-not need to read this return address to know from whom the letter came.
-He recognized the handwriting instantly. That was why he selected this
-letter in preference to any other letter, to read first.
-
-He knew perfectly well that it was from his old friend Warren Long, dean
-of Air Mail fliers, the pilot who had helped him to get into the U. S.
-Air Mail Service as a "grease monkey," and who had afterward assisted
-him up the ladder, rung by rung, until he, Jimmy, had attained his
-present enviable position as a flying reporter for the New York _Morning
-Press_.
-
-Jimmy wondered why Warren Long had written to him. He opened the
-envelope eagerly.
-
-Out dropped what looked like a white silk handkerchief. Jimmy was more
-puzzled than ever. With growing curiosity he pulled the letter from the
-envelope, spread it out on his desk, and read as follows:
-
-    Dear Jimmy:
-
-    Last night I had occasion to join the Caterpillar Club. It is
-    odd how a fellow's brain works at such times. As I was on my way
-    to the ground I thought of you. Why I should think of you at
-    such a time I do not know. But I did, and I said to myself,
-    "Jimmy would like a piece of this parachute. He's always
-    collecting souvenirs." So when I got my feet on solid ground
-    once more, I cut a piece of silk out of the 'chute, which was
-    already badly torn by the bushes, and here it is. You may like
-    to add it to your museum.
-
-    I suppose you'll read in the daily paper about my losing the
-    mail. I'm all cut up about it. This is the first cargo I ever
-    lost in ten years of flying the mail. I tried to save it, but it
-    was impossible. You see, my plane somehow caught fire. I tried
-    to extinguish the flames; but the fire must have been in the
-    crank-case or somewhere where the extinguisher fluid couldn't
-    touch it. Then I tried to reach the nearest emergency landing
-    field; but my engine went dead. The flames were spreading fast
-    and shooting back into the cockpit in sheets. There was nothing
-    to do but step out. My, how I hated to abandon the mail. But I
-    had no choice. So I disconnected my head phones from the
-    instrument board, picked up my flashlight, and stepped out.
-
-    The instant I did so the plane turned on her side and dived
-    straight after me. It was interesting to watch it. I was
-    evidently falling head down, for I could see everything without
-    even turning my eyes. My ship plunged like a rocket stick. She
-    was just one long streak of fire. I thought sure she was going
-    to hit me. I tried to crowd over and get out of the way. You
-    can't imagine what a funny, helpless feeling a fellow has when
-    he can't touch anything with either his hands or his feet.
-    Anyway, the ship just grazed me, but a miss is as good as a
-    mile. The instant she was past I started to pull the rip-cord. I
-    found my flash-light was in my right hand. I had to shift it to
-    my left hand. That didn't take very long, but I was then so near
-    the ground that every second counted. I made the shift and gave
-    the rip-cord a quick jerk. It wasn't a moment too soon, either.
-    While I was floating down the rest of the way to the earth I
-    thought of you.
-
-    While I was still in the air, my ship hit with a terrific
-    explosion. It was utterly consumed. Everything about it was
-    burned. Much of the metal was melted by the terrible heat. The
-    place where I came down was nearly half a mile from the spot
-    where the ship landed. There was a thick woods between me and
-    the ship. I could see the glare of the fire plainly, and I
-    hurried right over to the spot. A lad from the neighborhood
-    helped me. Some farmers were already there.
-
-    I am sending this bit of my 'chute for _you_ to add to your
-    collection, as I said, and I also write to tell you that if you
-    ever have to step out of your ship at night, be sure to take
-    your flashlight. I found mine more than useful. For I landed in
-    a scrub patch on a hillside. It was rough country and I was far
-    from being at my best. But with the aid of my flash-light and
-    the help of the lad I mentioned I had no trouble in getting to
-    my plane, and later in reaching a town.
-
-    I hope everything is going well with you. The best of luck to
-    you.
-
-                                                 Ever your friend,
-                                                        Warren Long.
-
-Jimmie stared at the letter incredulously. For a moment he was silent.
-Then, "Thank God Warren wasn't hurt!" he cried. "I wonder where it
-happened. And I wonder where Warren is now. And how in time did he get
-that letter to me so quickly?"
-
-For a time Jimmy was silent, thinking the matter over. Presently he
-thought he had solved the problem. "Warren left Hadley with the
-9:35 p. m. section of the mail," he muttered. "The fire probably
-occurred before he had been flying more than an hour or so. He was
-likely near some town where he could catch a late train, and he probably
-got back to Hadley early this morning. He must have written this note at
-once and got it into a mail for New York. It was mighty quick work, no
-matter how he did it. And it was just like Warren Long. He wanted to
-tell me about the flash-light and was afraid he would never think to
-mention it when he saw me. Gee! I am sure glad to have this piece of his
-'chute. You bet I'll put it in my 'museum,' as he calls my little
-collection of aviation keepsakes. Who wouldn't be glad to have a piece
-of Warren Long's parachute?"
-
-Jimmy picked up the little square of silk and smoothed it lovingly. The
-fabric was creamy white, beautifully woven, with a lovely sheen. It was
-thin and delicate and almost gauzy in effect, and one could hardly
-believe that so delicate a fabric could possibly have withstood the
-terrific strain imposed upon it when it suddenly opened by Warren Long's
-two hundred pounds--for with his heavy flying suit and the 'chute pack
-itself, the pilot must easily have weighed as much as that.
-
-In one corner of the square of silk was a dark, scorched space.
-
-"Gee!" said Jimmy. "That fire was a lot nearer getting Warren Long than
-he intimated. But that is like him. He would hardly have mentioned it if
-he had had a leg burned off. If his parachute got scorched like that, he
-certainly had a close call himself. I know that, all right."
-
-Jimmy spread the square of silk on his desk and smoothed it out with his
-hand. It had evidently been roughly and hastily cut from the parachute.
-The edges were jagged and uneven. "I'll get some woman to trim these
-edges and overcast them," thought Jimmy. "Then the silk can't unravel.
-And if I ever _should_ want to use it as a handkerchief, I could."
-
-A sudden thought came to him. Hastily he folded and thrust the bit of
-silk into the envelope. Then he reached for the _Morning Press_.
-
-"I wonder what the paper says about the affair," he muttered.
-
-The item he was searching for Jimmy found on the front page, near the
-bottom of column six. It was a brief story, hardly three inches long,
-telling how Long's plane had caught fire and how the pilot had jumped
-from the burning ship, after finding that he could not extinguish the
-blaze. Jimmy read the story and frowned.
-
-"Some country correspondent who doesn't know a good story when he sees
-one sent that in," growled Jimmy, indignantly. "Why, it's evident from
-Warren's letter that he had a most startling experience, with that
-flaming ship diving straight at him, while he was utterly powerless to
-help himself. That's great human interest stuff. It ought to be good for
-half a column any day. And if we had the details, I'll bet there'd be a
-front page spread in it."
-
-With Jimmy, to think was to act. He reached for the telephone.
-
-"Please give me the _Morning Press_," he told the telephone operator.
-
-A moment later he was talking to the city editor of that paper.
-
-"Mr. Davis," he said, "I have just been reading the story about Warren
-Long's parachute jump last night. I have had a note from Warren Long,
-too. It seems that when he stepped out of the burning plane he fell head
-first, and in that position he watched the plane as he dropped. The ship
-turned over almost as soon as he stepped out of her and dived straight
-at him, like a flaming arrow. Warren didn't dare open his 'chute for
-fear the plane would foul it and he would be killed. So he just kept on
-falling head first, watching the blazing plane as it tore after him, and
-hoping the thing would pass him clean and in time. For he wasn't very
-high up when he jumped. The ship barely missed him as it shot by. The
-instant it was past, Warren yanked his rip-cord, and it wasn't a moment
-too soon, either. The 'chute opened and kept him up in the air for a few
-seconds, while the ship hit the ground with a tremendous explosion. The
-fire that followed was terrific. Fortunately, the wind blew Warren well
-to one side. But he must have been burned some before he jumped, for he
-sent me a bit of his parachute, and the silk is badly scorched."
-
-"Do you know where Warren Long is now?" asked the city editor.
-
-"No, sir. But I suspect he came back to Hadley Airport on a train, and
-is probably at his home in Plainfield."
-
-"The story we printed is an A. P. despatch," said Mr. Davis. "All the
-papers will have it. Likely that is all the story any of them will
-carry. We ought to be able to get a good exclusive follow-up story. I'll
-send a man over to Hadley to get into touch with Long and get all the
-details from him. Meantime, I wish you would fly over to Ringtown, where
-the crash occurred, get all the facts you can there, and take pictures
-of the burned plane, the spot where the plane crashed, and anything else
-that will help the story."
-
-"All right, Mr. Davis. I'll be off as soon as I can get my plane warmed
-up. Be sure to tell the man you send to see Warren Long that I want
-Warren to give him the whole story. Otherwise he won't talk. But he'll
-do anything for me. Good-bye. I'm off."
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER II
-
-                       A Flight in Quest of News
-
-
-Fairly atremble with eagerness, Jimmy ran out into the hangar and made a
-rapid inspection of his plane, to see that everything was right. He
-glanced at the wheels, to see that the chocks were in front of them,
-then scrambled into the cabin and touched the starter. His engine
-answered with a roar. Jimmy throttled it down until it was idling
-gently. For a moment he sat listening to it. Then, satisfied, he climbed
-out of the ship, and set about completing his preparations for the task
-ahead of him.
-
-Had Jimmy been a little more experienced in newspaper work he would not
-have been so excited about this simple assignment that Mr. Davis had
-given him. All he had to do was to fly a hundred miles or so, gather a
-few facts, take a few pictures, and get back as quickly as possible. But
-there was no need to hurry, as there would have been had it been late in
-the day. Nevertheless, Jimmy was all atingle with enthusiasm and
-eagerness. He could hardly wait to be at his task.
-
-Jimmy had always been like that about anything in which he was
-interested. He put his whole soul into whatever he was doing. Doubtless
-he owed his present job to that very fact. For after he had lost his
-place as a reserve mail pilot, when Uncle Sam quit flying the mails,
-Jimmy had really created this present job for himself. He had told Mr.
-Tom Johnson, the managing editor of the _Morning Press_, that that
-newspaper ought to have its own plane and its own pilot. And when Mr.
-Johnson said that that was the last thing the _Morning Press_ needed,
-Jimmy had decided to prove to Mr. Johnson that the newspaper really
-_did_ need a plane and a pilot even though the managing editor thought
-otherwise. Jimmy proved his point by volunteering to execute two
-difficult commissions for the _Morning Press_ and then by succeeding in
-each commission. And in each case he owed his success to his enthusiasm,
-his whole-hearted devotion to his task, and his refusal to be defeated.
-In each case perseverance had won for him.
-
-First, he had volunteered to find Warren Long, when that veteran pilot
-was lost in "the graveyard of airplanes," as the mail pilots call that
-vast and terrible mountain wilderness in western Pennsylvania. And he
-had found him, after all other searchers had been baffled. He had found
-him disabled by a broken leg, in the path of an advancing forest fire,
-after a terrible forced landing. The story of that adventure is told in
-"The Search for the Lost Mail Plane." Thus, for the second time, Jimmy
-had saved the life of this brother pilot that he loved so well. The
-first time was when Warren Long's plane fell into the Susquehanna River
-immediately in front of Jimmy's home, and Jimmy had swum out in the icy
-water and rescued the unconscious pilot. The account of that rescue is
-given in "Piloting the U. S. Air Mail," That occurrence marked the
-beginning of the devoted friendship between this older pilot and the
-youthful Jimmy. So it is easy to see why Warren Long sent a bit of his
-parachute to Jimmy, who was interested in collecting such things, and
-why Jimmy told his city editor that Warren Long would do anything for
-him.
-
-The second commission that Jimmy had executed for the _Morning Press_
-was the running down of a gang of robbers after one of them had looted a
-mail plane that had crashed one stormy night in this selfsame "graveyard
-of airplanes." The story of that thief chase is told in "Trailing the
-Air Mail Bandit." It was a long, hard chase, too; and one which Jimmy
-would never have won had it not been for these very same qualities of
-enthusiasm, determination, and perseverance. For in this case Jimmy had
-had to work against the greatest obstacles and the most incredible
-discouragements.
-
-In both cases he won; and his success did far more than merely clear up
-two mysteries. It convinced Mr. Johnson that Jimmy was right when he
-argued that the _Morning Press_ ought to add a flier to its staff. Mr.
-Johnson added one; and quite naturally he chose Jimmy. Thus it was that
-Jimmy's job, like his plane, was brand-new.
-
-Although Jimmy had handled these two big stories successfully, though of
-course he had considerable help, he didn't feel any too sure of himself
-yet as a reporter. For during the short time that he had been a regular
-member of the _Morning Press_ staff, there had been few stories on which
-Jimmy could work. Mostly he had been doing tasks of the fetch-and-carry
-sort. He had transported pictures and camera men and reporters. But he
-had had little opportunity for independent news gathering. Hence he
-welcomed this present chance with such eagerness.
-
-But even though Jimmy was not yet a seasoned reporter, there was one
-quality he possessed that made up for much that he still lacked. He had
-a naturally keen news sense. He was gifted with what newspaper men call
-a "nose for news." He felt the dramatic possibilities in everything he
-heard and saw. He seemed to sense the facts that should be secured in
-order to make the most of a story. That was why he at once saw that the
-tale in the morning paper about Warren Long was faulty, that the
-correspondent had failed to secure the dramatic elements in the story
-that would appeal most to people. That was why Jimmy knew there was a
-real human interest story in this thrilling leap from a burning plane.
-It was this keen news sense that now made Jimmy so eager to get the
-facts--the significant facts--that the correspondent had failed to
-secure. Jimmy wanted to make good. He wanted to help his paper "scoop"
-all the other newspapers in New York. He believed he could do it. That
-was why he was all atremble with eagerness. Like a race-horse at the
-barrier, he was restive and impatient to go.
-
-But though Jimmy was green in the newspaper game, he was well seasoned
-in the flying business. He had had too much experience to take anything
-for granted. Hence, while his plane was warming up, Jimmy made sure that
-he was prepared for any emergency. He saw to it that his flash-light was
-in its place and in good working order. That was the first thing he
-thought of. In future it would always be the first thing he thought of.
-Warren Long's letter had made an indelible impression on his mind. He
-saw that the plane contained a little case of emergency rations that he
-habitually carried. He made sure his pistol was in place. That was a
-piece of equipment most fliers lacked. Mail pilots are compelled to
-carry pistols, and Jimmy had formed the habit of flying armed, while he
-was in the mail service. Experience had shown him the wisdom of having a
-firearm at hand in his ship. He made sure that he had his topographic
-maps and other articles that he had found to be necessary or desirable.
-Of course he put his camera aboard, with a plentiful supply of films.
-
-After a final close inspection of the plane, Jimmy put on his 'chute and
-snapped it fast. Then he climbed into the cabin, glanced at the
-instruments, held the stick back, and shoved the throttle forward. No
-longer was there the staccato of exploding gases, but instead a
-thundering roar. Jimmy kept her wide open while he noted the maximum
-number of revolutions his propeller was making, his oil temperature and
-oil pressure. Then he switched from one "mag" to the other, but noticed
-no difference in "revs." Gradually Jimmy throttled her down to a murmur.
-She was perfect!
-
-An attendant came forward and pointed to the chocks. Jimmy nodded "O.
-K." As the attendant pulled the chocks from the wheels, Jimmy glanced at
-the wind-sock on his hangar. Then he taxied slowly down the field. He
-headed into the wind and gave her full gun. The ship accelerated
-rapidly. With a thundering roar the ship took off gracefully, guided by
-an experienced hand and brain. Jimmy was off on his assignment.
-
-He cut over to the very edge of Long Island and followed the southern
-shore-line. Over the Bay and across the southern end of Staten Island he
-winged his way, heading south of west, to pick up the route of the Air
-Mail. Long before he crossed the Delaware, near Easton, he was right on
-the line. How much like old times it seemed, to be flying over the
-beacon lights. To be sure, they were not flashing now, in the morning
-light, but he knew where the towers were and he saw each one as he flew
-over it, where it stood like a friendly sentinel, to point out the path.
-
-In the clear light of day Jimmy had no need of guide-posts or flashing
-lights or radio signals. He knew the route as well as a schoolboy knows
-the way to the high school. But Jimmy's plane was equipped with radio,
-and ear phones were built into his flying helmet. Presently he "plugged
-in" to his instrument board to see if he could pick up the weather. That
-is a topic of constant interest to every flier. He had barely passed
-Numidia before he heard the Bellefonte radio man sending out his hourly
-weather report. "This is station WWQ, Airways Communication Station,
-Bellefonte, Pa., broadcasting weather information on the Chicago-New
-York airway. It is now 10 A. M. Eastern Standard Time. At Hadley Field,
-N. J., scattered clouds, ceiling unlimited, visibility eight miles, wind
-south, nine miles, temperature 50, dewpoint 29, barometer 29.98;
-Allentown, Pa., scattered clouds, ceiling unlimited, visibility seven
-miles, wind southeast, four miles, temperature 51, barometer 29.94. Park
-Place, Pa., broken clouds, ceiling estimated four thousand, visibility
-ten miles, wind southeast, fourteen miles, temperature 45, barometer
-29.89; Sunbury, Pa., overcast light haze, ceiling estimated twenty-five
-hundred, visibility four miles, wind calm, temperature 50, barometer
-29.81; Numidia, Pa., overcast light haze, occasional sprinkles of rain,
-ceiling twenty-four hundred, visibility three miles, wind southwest,
-five miles, temperature 49, barometer 29.79. This concludes the
-broadcast of weather information from station WWQ, Bellefonte, Pa."
-
-"That sounds good to me," thought Jimmy. "I ought to get over to
-Ringtown and back to Long Island without having to face any bad weather.
-I'm certainly glad of it, for I'll have enough trouble as it is."
-
-He flew on, his head phones still plugged in. Sounding endlessly he
-could hear the steady stroke of the Air Mail radio beacon sending a
-string of dashes--"dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah," which tells the pilot
-when he is exactly on the line. Jimmy had small need of any such help
-this morning, for the air was so clear that he could see for miles in
-every direction. But he thought of the invaluable help this radio beacon
-must be to the mail pilots in the fog. The device had been perfected
-since Jimmy was a mail pilot. He had never carried mail under its
-guidance. But he was as well equipped to profit by it as any mail pilot
-was. More than once he had been helped in bad weather by this very same
-signal, as he flew along the mail route.
-
-In a sense he was helped now. A little breeze had been coming up, that
-blew across the line of flight. Jimmy was being blown to one side,
-without realizing it. Of course he would presently have noticed that
-fact anyway, and brought his ship back to the line, but the signal in
-his ears gave him prompt warning. No longer did he hear the steady beat:
-"dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah." Instead, the head phones were saying:
-"dot dah, dot dah, dot dah, dot dah, dot dah." The radio signal had
-changed to dot dash, dot dash. That told Jimmy that he was to the left
-of the line. He knew that if he had chanced to be on the right side of
-the line instead, the signals would have changed to dash dot, dash dot,
-and his head phones would have said: "dah dot, dah dot, dah dot, dah
-dot." He nosed his ship a little into the wind, and presently he was
-right over the line once more, and the head phones again were singing:
-"dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah."
-
-"Gee," thought Jimmy, "if only they had had the radio beacon from the
-start, how very many tragedies the Air Mail would have been saved. It's
-fine for the men who are carrying the mail now. They always know when
-they are on the line, even if it is so foggy they can't see a thing. If
-it just weren't for these old Pennsylvania mountains, flying the eastern
-leg of the Air Mail would be pie. But I guess this leg will always be a
-graveyard. Hello, here's Ringtown. I've got to be thinking about getting
-down."
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER III
-
-     Jimmy Meets an Old Friend--Johnnie Lee, of the Wireless Patrol
-
-
-For many miles--ever since he crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania, in
-fact, Jimmy had been flying over a region so rough and rugged that it
-strikes terror to the heart of the aviator. For here Nature has plowed
-up the land in rugged furrows that rise thousands of feet. In places the
-earth is jumbled in confused masses. Rocks, trees, precipices, bogs, and
-deep ravines characterize the whole countryside. Rare, indeed, is the
-level spot that is large enough, or smooth enough, or firm enough to
-permit a safe landing. And well Jimmy knew what awaited him or any other
-aviator who was luckless enough to be forced down in this terrible
-region. And yet this country was tame beside that of the "graveyard of
-airplanes" in the western half of the state. It was here, when he was
-fairly in the heart of these terrible mountains, that Warren Long had
-found his plane afire. As Jimmy looked down now at the torn and jagged
-face of the country, he fairly shivered when he thought of the terrible
-situation in which his friend had been placed such a short time
-previously. For it was obviously impossible to land a plane safely in
-these ragged hills, especially in the dark; and to Jimmy it seemed
-almost as dangerous to trust to a parachute. For there was no way by
-which the falling flier could tell when he was about to land with a
-crash on a rock, or a jagged stump, or in the splintering arms of a
-pine-tree--no way, it came to Jimmy as an afterthought, unless he
-carried a flash-light powerful enough to pierce the blackness of the
-night. And Jimmy felt again that same feeling of gratitude to Uncle Sam
-that he had felt many a time previously for the little emergency landing
-fields along the lighted airway that the Government has spied out and
-marked off with encircling lights at night, where aviators in distress
-can land in safety.
-
-It was one of these emergency fields--that at Ringtown--which Warren
-Long had been striving to reach on the preceding night. And it was this
-same field that Jimmy was now heading for.
-
-Jimmy had been flying rather high. Gently pulling back the throttle, he
-went into a steep spiral. At about eight hundred feet he straightened up
-while he glanced at the wind-sock. "Bang" went the gun again, and Jimmy
-flew around the edge of the field into the wind. The field was none too
-large. Tall trees on the lee side of it called for plenty of energetic
-side-slipping and fish-tailing. Jimmy straightened her out, held her off
-to lose flying speed, and as soon as he felt the wheels touch hauled
-back on the stick and stepped on his brakes. Jimmy breathed a sigh of
-relief and thanked his lucky stars for those brakes, for the ship came
-to rest within twenty-five feet of a stone fence. In another moment he
-was taxiing safely across the field toward the beacon light tower, where
-a knot of men and boys had gathered, waiting for Jimmy's ship to come to
-rest.
-
-Jimmy throttled down his engine to let it idle for a few minutes so the
-valves could cool before he "cut his switch." He stepped to the ground.
-The little company of spectators surged toward him.
-
-"Can any one of you tell me----" began Jimmy. Then he stopped short and
-gazed at one of the group in silent astonishment. "Well, where in the
-world did you come from, Johnnie Lee?" he demanded, after a moment. And
-he stepped quickly toward a sturdy lad who stood somewhat behind the
-other spectators. "I haven't seen you for ages--not since I left home to
-learn to fly, in fact."
-
-"Jimmy!" cried the lad, rushing forward with outstretched hand. "I
-didn't know you at first, with your helmet on. I'm awfully glad to see
-you." And he fairly wrung Jimmy's hand.
-
-"What are you doing here?" demanded Jimmy, when they had finished
-shaking hands.
-
-"I might ask you the same question," laughed Johnnie. "I am here because
-I can't very well help it. My father's health broke down, and the doctor
-said he would have to get into the country. We have relatives close by
-named Healy. So Dad bought a little farm here. I've been at home, doing
-most of the farming. You are the first member of the old Wireless Patrol
-I have seen since we moved down here. My! It's been tough to be
-separated from all the gang. I think of the old days often, and of the
-fine times we used to have when we were in camp at Fort Brady."
-
-"They were good old days, weren't they, Johnnie?" said Jimmy. "How the
-old crowd has gotten separated. There's Alec Cunningham down in New
-Jersey in the oyster business, and Roy Mercer a wireless operator on an
-ocean steamer, and Bob Martin in the Lighthouse Service, and Henry
-Harper in the Coast Guard. My, it doesn't seem possible that the old
-crowd could be scattered so. Can you tell me about any of the other
-fellows of the Wireless Patrol?"
-
-"I can tell you a whole lot about Jimmy Donnelly," laughed Johnnie.
-
-"How's that?" demanded Jimmy. "What do you know about me and how did you
-find it out?"
-
-"You don't think anybody could have all the adventures you have had,
-finding lost air mail pilots and rounding up robbers and not have people
-know about it, do you? Why, I read about those things in the newspaper."
-
-"That reminds me," said Jimmy, "that I am here now for the _Morning
-Press_, to get more details about Warren Long's parachute jump last
-night. You can't tell me anything about it, can you?"
-
-"I certainly can," said Johnnie, "for I saw the whole thing happen, and
-the pilot landed right on our farm and I helped him get back to his
-burning ship to try to save some of the mail."
-
-"Well, if that isn't luck," said Jimmy. "Take me to the burned plane,
-will you, and tell me what you know about the affair."
-
-"All right. Come along," and Johnnie led the way toward a clearing on
-the slope of a hill at some little distance.
-
-The way was rough, for they had to pass over some stony fields and
-through a patch of timber. They had ample time to talk as they walked.
-
-"How did you happen to see Warren Long's burning plane?" asked Jimmy.
-
-"I was looking for it."
-
-"Looking for it! What do you mean?"
-
-"Just what I say. I was looking for it, though I had no idea it was
-going to be afire. You see, ever since you got into the Air Mail, Jimmy,
-I have been interested in the mail planes. I have always hoped that one
-of them would land here. And as long as you were a mail pilot I guess I
-was always hoping that you would be piloting the ship that stopped here.
-Well, I got so much interested in the mail planes that I kept right on
-watching for them, even after you left the service. You know the first
-night mail plane always comes over here just about bedtime, and I almost
-always step out-of-doors and watch it sail over."
-
-"I know how you feel," said Jimmy.
-
-"Well," continued Johnnie, "when I heard the mail plane coming last
-night I stepped outside as usual, and there was the plane. But something
-was wrong. It was afire. You could see the flames plainly. It flew in a
-crazy fashion----"
-
-"That must have been while Warren Long was fighting the flames,"
-interrupted Jimmy.
-
-"And it went sailing by pretty fast. For a time the fire seemed to die
-down, and I thought the pilot had it about out. Then it burst out worse
-than ever. By this time the plane was a long way past here. But it
-turned and headed back. I knew right away that the pilot was trying to
-reach the field where you just landed. I called to Dad that a plane was
-on fire and was heading for the landing field, and that maybe we could
-help save the ship if we got to the field in time. So we set out
-together for the field."
-
-"Do you live far from it?" inquired Jimmy.
-
-"About half a mile, I suppose, though our land runs clear down to the
-landing field. Anyway, before we were half-way to the field we saw that
-the pilot would never make it. The whole airplane seemed to be aflame.
-It was fairly spouting fire from all sides. I knew the pilot would have
-to jump, and I couldn't understand why he stayed with the ship half as
-long as he did."
-
-"You would if you knew Warren Long," interrupted Jimmy. "That was just
-like him. He risked his life to try to save the mail."
-
-"He risked it, all right," said Johnnie. "His plane was just a mass of
-flames. I don't see why he wasn't burned to death right in the cockpit.
-I just stood still and held my breath while I waited for him to jump."
-
-"Did you see him when he did jump?"
-
-"See him? Why, you could see everything. The whole sky was as light as
-day. Out he came in a tremendous dive right through a sheet of flame. I
-never breathed while I waited for him to open his parachute. Do you know
-what happened? It was awful."
-
-"What was awful?" demanded Jimmy.
-
-"Why, that burning ship turned over on its side the instant the pilot
-left it and dived straight after him. I thought sure the plane was going
-to crash into him. It was frightful to watch. My heart simply stopped
-beating while that plane roared after him. And the pilot was as cool as
-an icicle. He just kept on falling and falling and never moved a muscle.
-As the plane shot by him I thought it had struck him, and I cried right
-out. But somehow the plane missed him and shot down like a flaming
-meteor. Gee! You should have seen what happened then. Your friend had
-his parachute open the instant the blazing ship had passed him."
-
-"How high was he?"
-
-"Not very high. Just a few hundred feet. But the wind caught his
-parachute instantly and snapped it open with a jerk. I could see the
-pilot spin around like a weather-vane in a wind squall. You know he was
-falling head foremost all this time, and the parachute jerked him
-upright quicker than you could wink your eye. It must have given him an
-awful jolt."
-
-"What happened then?" demanded Jimmy.
-
-"Why, Dad and I separated. He ran toward the plane, to try to save the
-mail, but I never gave a thought to the mail. I ran to help the pilot. I
-couldn't help thinking that after all it might be you, Jimmy. You know a
-fellow can never be sure just who's in a plane."
-
-"That was mighty kind of you, Johnnie. But I wasn't in the plane, and
-that lets me out of the story. What did you do when you reached the
-pilot?"
-
-"I got to him soon after he hit the ground. He was all tangled up in his
-parachute, for he had come down in some scrub growth and the cords were
-twisted among the stems, and the parachute itself was fast in some
-bushes. He had landed pretty hard, too, and was half stunned. And he
-wrenched one of his ankles badly. Maybe it's sprained. Anyway, I helped
-him to get out of his harness, and I told him just to sit down and take
-it easy while I gathered up the parachute. But he didn't want to wait an
-instant. He said he had to get to the ship to try to save the mail. So
-he just snatched out his knife and cut a big piece out of the parachute,
-and then we hurried over to the burning ship as fast as he could walk.
-He never said a word, but I know his ankle must have hurt him terribly."
-
-"Did you save any of the mail?"
-
-"No. When we got there the fire was so hot you couldn't get anywhere
-near the ship. Dad and some other men had tried to pull some mail-sacks
-out of the plane, but it just wasn't possible. The fire was too hot. I
-wasn't much interested in the mail or even in the plane. I couldn't
-think of anything but the pilot. He looked awful. When we got near the
-burning ship, where it was light enough to see him well, I noticed at
-once that his eyebrows and lashes were burned off, his face was badly
-scorched and his hands were burned almost raw. It's a wonder he wasn't
-burned to a crisp."
-
-"His flying suit and his helmet and goggles saved him," said Jimmy.
-"What I can't understand is why he didn't jump sooner. He must have
-known well enough that the ship was doomed."
-
-"He did. I asked him why he stayed in it so long, and he told me that he
-couldn't leave the ship any sooner because it might have fallen on some
-of the homes beneath him. You see he was right over the town. So he just
-kept right on flying, with the flames all about him, until he was sure
-he was clear of the town. What do you think of that?"
-
-"I am not surprised. In fact, I should be surprised if he had done
-anything else. It's exactly the sort of thing Warren Long would do."
-
-"It was the bravest thing I ever heard of," said Johnnie.
-
-"Could you do anything for him?" demanded Jimmy. "His burns must have
-been very painful."
-
-"Sure we did. I took him home with me and mother put some grease on his
-face and bandaged his hands. But he didn't seem to think about anything
-except the mail. That evidently worried him. The pilot soon caught a
-train going east, and that is the last I saw of him."
-
-"Well, you certainly have given me a vivid account of the affair,
-Johnnie. You'd make a good reporter."
-
-"Gee! I'd like to be one. It's pretty dull out here in these mountains.
-Dad's got his health back now and doesn't really need me any longer.
-I've been looking for a job in town. If you know of any opening I wish
-you'd tell me about it, Jimmy."
-
-"I'll do all I can to help you, Johnnie, though I don't believe I can do
-much for you. You see, you have never had any experience as a reporter."
-
-By this time they had reached the burned airship. Several persons were
-gathered about it, for ever since daybreak people had been coming from
-far and near to take a look at it. Jimmy stood for some time viewing the
-sad wreck.
-
-"Thank God Warren escaped," he muttered.
-
-Then he slowly walked around the burned plane, trying to find the best
-point of view from which to get a picture. He took several snaps, from
-different angles, and then asked Johnnie to guide him to a spot where he
-could get the best picture of the region. Johnnie took him to a little
-knoll that rose sharply at no great distance, and from this
-vantage-point Jimmy secured an excellent picture of the countryside,
-with the wrecked plane in the very centre of the picture. Then he and
-Johnnie walked across the country to the spot where Warren Long had
-landed. The parachute was no longer there, as the remains of it had been
-gathered up by the crew sent from the Air Mail field to salvage what
-could be saved from the wreck. But Jimmy was able to see exactly where
-Warren Long had struck the ground, and to get some good snaps of the
-place.
-
-"I ought to see your father," said Jimmy, "and find out exactly what
-occurred in the effort to save the mail. Besides, I want to see him
-anyway. I haven't seen him since--I don't know when. And I want to see
-your mother, too."
-
-"We'll go over to the house," replied Johnnie.
-
-"Mother will be there, and Dad is at work somewhere about the place."
-
-They hurried over to the farmhouse, and found both of Johnnie's parents
-right at hand. It was a pleasant meeting, for Jimmy had known the Lees
-all his life. He had little time for visiting, however. Most of the
-little visit he spent in asking Mr. Lee questions about the burning
-plane and the effort to save the mail. When he had all the details he
-could gather, he said goodbye to Johnnie's parents. Then the two lads
-walked back to the landing field.
-
-Jimmy started his engine and let it run a few minutes to get warm. When
-he was ready to depart, he held out his hand to Johnnie. "I am ever so
-glad I found you," he said, "and I am more than grateful to you for what
-you folks did for Warren Long last night. You have helped me a lot,
-Johnnie. I won't forget about you when I get back to New York. If there
-is anything I can do for you, I will certainly do it. Now I must be off.
-They want these pictures at the office just as soon as they can get
-them. Good-bye." And Jimmy was off.
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER IV
-
-                            Jimmy Makes Good
-
-
-His mind white-hot with the fire of interest, his very soul atremble
-with eagerness to get the gripping story on paper, Jimmy drove his plane
-through the air like an eagle cleaving the sky. A stiff west wind that
-had sprung up hurled him onward. And Jimmy climbed high to get every
-ounce of help possible, for at the higher altitudes the wind was almost
-a gale. So he reached his hangar in an amazingly short time. He ran his
-ship under cover and saw that the gasoline supply was replenished
-immediately, to prevent the condensation of moisture in the fuel tanks
-as the ship cooled. Eager though he was to write, Jimmy was taking no
-chances of getting water in his gasoline. His oil supply was also
-replenished. These things attended to, Jimmy turned immediately to the
-business of getting his story ready for print.
-
-A taxi took him speedily to the _Morning Press_ office in Manhattan.
-There he told his city editor what he had learned. And he told it so
-eagerly and so convincingly that that usually bored individual sat up
-and listened with interest.
-
-"If you can put that on paper as well as you tell it," said the city
-editor, "you may write three-quarters of a column. We'll run two or
-three pictures with it, if they are any good, and play the story up for
-all it's worth."
-
-"What did you learn from Hadley?" asked Jimmy. "Have you heard from the
-man you sent down there?"
-
-"He couldn't get a thing at first-hand. Your friend the pilot is in bed,
-under the doctor's orders, and could not see our reporter. All the
-latter could get was what he picked up from men about the airport. There
-wasn't anything you don't have and nothing half so good. So there will
-be no facts for you from that source. Write what you have, as plainly
-and simply as you told it to me just now. I'll send you prints of your
-photographs as soon as they are done. We ought to have proofs very
-shortly."
-
-Jimmy had not expected to write the entire story. Indeed, he had not
-been certain that he would have a chance to write any of it. The man who
-had been sent to see Warren Long was an experienced and able reporter,
-and Jimmy rather expected that this reporter would do the writing, and
-that all Jimmy could do would be to tell his story to his fellow
-reporter. But the matter had turned out just the opposite. Jimmy himself
-was to write the story.
-
-He realized that once more a big chance had come to him. For weeks--ever
-since he had won his new job, in fact--he had been doing little
-assignments, hoping every day that something worthwhile would come his
-way; and now this thing had happened. He meant to make the most of it.
-
-Altogether without realizing it, Jimmy had prepared himself to do a good
-piece of work. He did not understand that the surest way to write a
-really great story is to be so full of a subject and to feel the story
-so intensely that one is just bursting with it. Yet that was exactly the
-situation Jimmy was in. His love for Warren Long, his admiration for
-that heroic pilot, and his desire to tell all the world what a truly
-remarkable thing his friend had done--all this, coupled with Jimmy's
-keen sense of the dramatic, had prepared him to write a gripping story.
-It was the same thing that had happened when he wrote the story of the
-Air Mail bandit. Jimmy was so full of the subject that he could think of
-nothing else.
-
-Now he sat down at a typewriter in a corner, where he was not likely to
-be disturbed, and got ready to write. He had been turning the story over
-and over in his mind. He wanted to begin it in a way that would catch
-and hold the imagination of the reader. The feature of the story that
-appealed to his own imagination most powerfully was the picture of
-Warren Long sitting in his flaming cockpit and being slowly roasted
-while he guided his plane away from the little hamlet and out to the
-uninhabited districts, where it could not possibly fall on a house and
-burn up some humble home. To Jimmy's mind that picture was even more
-compelling than the one of Warren Long's falling headfirst to earth and
-calmly waiting for his blazing ship to pass him before he opened his
-parachute. In almost any other case, this latter picture would have been
-an unparalleled feature. But to Jimmy, while it was extremely
-spectacular, it lacked the appeal of the other picture. And Jimmy was
-right. His news sense in this case was unerring. For Warren Long,
-risking death in his cockpit in order to save others, was a far more
-appealing figure than Warren Long doing something spectacularly cool and
-brave to save his own life.
-
-Jimmy rightly judged that what appealed to him most powerfully would
-also probably appeal most powerfully to others. So he began his story
-with this feature of greatest appeal--the picture of Warren Long's
-sacrificing himself to save some humble country folk that he didn't even
-know. When he had written what he had to say about this, Jimmy took up
-the story of the pilot's drop to earth, and the breathtaking experience
-he had had as his flaming plane dived after him. Finally he told the
-story, simply but graphically, of how Johnnie Lee had rushed over the
-rough mountain in the dark to aid the fallen pilot, and how he had taken
-care of him from the moment he came upon him, entangled in his parachute
-in the scrub growth, up to the moment that the pilot stepped on the
-east-bound train.
-
-So full of the story was Jimmy that he heard nothing, saw nothing,
-thought of nothing but the tale he was putting on paper. Before him he
-could see the scene he was picturing--see it as vividly as though he
-were still on the spot. And unconsciously he found himself using almost
-word for word the vivid description of the accident that Johnnie Lee had
-given him. His mind was so full of the story that, once he had begun to
-write, the tale came pouring from his typewriter as tumultuously and
-sparklingly as a mountain torrent rushes down its rocky bed. When at
-last he ended his story, he had done a truly fine piece of work. His
-tale was so fresh and vivid that it could not fail to attract attention.
-Jimmy, of course, did not realize that. All he knew was that he had done
-the very best he could. If there was any luck about the story, it was in
-the matter of the photographs. They were as clear and sharp as Jimmy's
-word pictures. And they illuminated the text excellently.
-
-When Jimmy had read the story over and made such corrections as appeared
-to him desirable, he took it to the city editor. Then, thinking the
-latter might wish to question him about some of the facts, he sat down
-and waited until his editor could read the story. Jimmy was right in his
-guess that Mr. Davis might want to ask about the story. But he was much
-surprised at the question Mr. Davis put to him.
-
-The latter read the story and then glanced through it a second time.
-Then he looked at Jimmy. "Where did you get the idea of writing this
-story as you have written it?" he demanded.
-
-Jimmy felt his heart sink. He was sure he had made a failure. But he
-answered cheerfully enough: "I wrote it that way, Mr. Davis, because I
-couldn't write it any other way. All I could see when I tried to write
-was Warren Long sitting in his burning cockpit and roasting while he
-piloted his ship to a point where it wouldn't do any damage when it came
-down."
-
-"Just keep on seeing things that way," said the city editor. And without
-another word he picked up the story and the photographs and walked away.
-
-Jimmy left the office somewhat puzzled and almost disconsolate. He felt
-sure his effort had been a failure. The city editor had not said one
-good word about it. And yet what did he mean by telling Jimmy to "keep
-on seeing things that way"? Jimmy was sorely puzzled. But if he could
-have seen where the city editor went and what he did with the story,
-Jimmy would have been amazed. For Mr. Davis went straight to the
-managing editor and laid the manuscript and the pictures on the latter's
-desk. All he said was this: "Here is a story young Donnelly just wrote.
-He flew over to Ringtown to get a follow-up on this morning's A. P.
-despatch about the parachute jump of a mail pilot there last night. I
-wish you'd read it."
-
-But Jimmy had no way of knowing this, and even if he had had he would
-hardly have understood the significance of the thing. He could hardly
-have known what it meant for the city editor thus to call the attention
-of the managing editor to a story before it got into type. But Jimmy
-would have been well enough pleased if he could have heard Mr. Johnson
-mutter to himself, after carefully reading the story, "Well, I guess we
-made no mistake in making a reporter out of Donnelly. I'll tell the city
-editor to try him out on something bigger than the assignments he has
-been getting."
-
-So was illustrated the law that "To him that hath shall be given." Jimmy
-had demonstrated his ability. And as is always the case, a display of
-ability was soon followed by greater opportunity.
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER V
-
-                       The Long Flight to a Fire
-
-
-Jimmy's next chance was not long in coming. A few days after he made his
-successful trip to Ringtown, Jimmy was called to the telephone in his
-hangar. Mr. Johnson was speaking.
-
-"We have just had a 'flash' from Cleveland," he said, "to the effect
-that there has been a terrible disaster in a hospital there. The burning
-of X-ray films filled the hospital with deadly gases, and apparently
-scores of people have been killed. We are getting the A. P. service, but
-the story is so big we should like to have our own man on the spot. I am
-sending Frank Handley over to you. Be prepared to take off the moment he
-arrives. You are to cooperate with him in handling the story. Handley
-knows exactly what I want and will give you directions. We especially
-want good pictures. In all probability the wires will be clogged with
-the volume of news matter filed. I am sending you to make sure that we
-get our story and the pictures. Get them back any way you can--by wire
-or by plane. But get them back. That is the important thing. Handley is
-already on his way and should reach you very soon."
-
-"I'll be ready for him, Mr. Johnson," said Jimmy, "and I'll do my level
-best to carry out your orders. What is my deadline?"
-
-"We want to be sure to catch the state edition. The presses start at
-midnight sharp. You ought to be here by eleven, and you _must_ be here
-by eleven-thirty at the latest."
-
-"I'll be there," said Jimmy, but little could he foresee what it was
-going to cost him to make good that promise.
-
-He hung up the telephone receiver and skipped out into the hangar to
-start his engine to warming. Then he gathered up his camera, his
-portable typewriter, and all the other equipment he ordinarily carried
-in his plane. The cabin of his ship was especially fitted up with a
-desk, where he or any one else could write. In this desk he stowed his
-typewriter and camera, so they would not be thrown about in the plane in
-case of rough going. In the floor of the ship there was a special
-opening for the taking of photographs vertically. The sides of the ship
-were lined with windows, to permit easy observation in all directions.
-
-"We probably shall not have a minute to get anything to eat," thought
-Jimmy. "I'll put a lunch aboard and we can eat it as we fly."
-
-He ran out to a near-by lunch wagon and had some sandwiches and milk
-prepared for him. By the time he got back with these, a taxi was just
-rolling up with Handley. Jimmy greeted his fellow reporter, whom he
-liked very much, and grabbed up the latter's little typewriter. Handley
-followed with a suitcase. They stowed the luggage in the plane, which
-was now ready to sail. Jimmy helped Handley buckle on a parachute. Then
-he strapped on his own. They stepped into the cabin and in another
-moment were climbing aloft as rapidly as Jimmy's engine would lift them.
-
-Once more Jimmy flew south of west to connect with the Air Mail route to
-Cleveland. A slight breeze was blowing at a higher altitude, so Jimmy
-went hedge-hopping along to avoid the wind as much as possible. The air
-seemed "dead" to him. It felt as though a storm might be brewing. So he
-plugged in with his head phones and listened for the hourly report of
-the Airways Weather Bureau. He hadn't long to wait. Soon he heard the
-wireless man at Hadley Field broadcasting. Jimmy listened intently. He
-learned that the weather was fair all the way to Cleveland. But the sky
-was overcast and the ceiling low. Visibility was poor. There was little
-wind. The prospect was for increasing cloudiness and bad weather.
-
-"We ought to make Cleveland all right," thought Jimmy. "It isn't quite
-400 miles from Hadley to Cleveland. There isn't any wind to speak of, so
-I won't have to stop at Bellefonte for gas. I ought to make the trip
-from Hadley in close to three hours."
-
-Jimmy looked down and saw that he was already almost abreast of that
-airport. "In three hours," he muttered, "I'm _going_ to be in Cleveland.
-This ship can do it, and I'll make her do it." He opened his throttle a
-little wider, and the plane darted ahead faster than ever.
-
-Away they soared, over the flat lands of New Jersey, above the hills of
-Pennsylvania, almost straight westward. As they drew near Ringtown Jimmy
-studied the country closely. He wondered if Johnnie were down there
-watching him.
-
-"If he has a good pair of field-glasses," thought Jimmy, "he will easily
-be able to identify the plane. We are flying so low that he can see my
-license number plainly. And he ought to be able to read the name New
-York _Morning Press_ painted on the sides of the ship. I guess I'll drop
-him a greeting."
-
-Hastily he drew a little pad of paper from his pocket, and while he
-guided the ship with his left hand scribbled this message with his right
-on the pad, which he placed on his right leg.
-
-"Hello, Johnnie. Going to Cleveland. Be back here about 9:30 to-night.
-Signal me as I go over. If you have a radio sending set, get in touch
-with me then. Jimmy Donnelly."
-
-Snatching from his pocket his handkerchief and a piece of string, Jimmy
-passed them over to Handley. "Tie strings to each corner of the
-handkerchief," he shouted into his ear, "and make a little parachute. I
-want to drop a message."
-
-Handley had the parachute made in no time. Jimmy handed him the message
-for Johnnie. "Tie it fast and put a weight on it," he shouted. "Look in
-the desk."
-
-Handley found some linotype slugs. He tied two or three to the little
-parachute. Jimmy motioned for him to toss the thing overboard. Handley
-slid a window open and dropped the message for Johnnie. They were almost
-directly over the little village. They could see a number of people on
-the ground watching them; for Jimmy was still flying as low as he dared
-to fly. The improvised parachute fluttered down, and several figures
-darted toward it. But long before Jimmy's message reached the earth,
-Jimmy himself was far beyond the town. It was impossible to see what had
-happened to his message, but Jimmie had no doubt it would get to Johnnie
-Lee promptly.
-
-On they roared. Jimmy's ship was built for speed. He seldom drove it at
-its fastest, for that was hard on the engine. But to-day he pushed it
-along much faster than his ordinary cruising speed. He fully intended to
-reach Cleveland within the specified time.
-
-As they winged their way westward, Jimmy studied the sky intently. No
-ray of sunlight anywhere penetrated the dark cloud masses. The sky had a
-sullen, angry aspect. Though the air was quiet, Jimmy felt that perhaps
-this was the calm before the storm. He was quite sure that the good
-weather could not last until he was safely back on Long Island. So he
-listened closely to the weather broadcasts and tried to read the signs
-in the sky.
-
-Jimmy made the Cleveland Airport by three o'clock. Before his ship
-glided to earth, he and Handley had consumed their little luncheon, and
-thus fortified were ready to plunge into the difficult task that lay
-ahead of them. They waited only long enough to order their plane
-serviced promptly, then they stepped into a taxi and were whirled toward
-the city.
-
-At Handley's suggestion they drove directly to the office of the Police
-Commissioner, where Handley presented his credentials and asked that he
-and Jimmy be given police passes. This took a little time, but Handley
-was too experienced a reporter to take any chances of delay later on.
-Their request was promptly granted. Thanking the Cleveland officials,
-the two New Yorkers hurried back to their taxi and were whirled off to
-the scene of the disaster. So great was the jam of trucks and fire
-apparatus and other vehicles that their taxi could not approach within
-several blocks of the hospital. Handley paid the driver.
-
-"We shall need you all the afternoon," he said. "Stay right here and
-wait for us. We shall probably have to drive about considerably."
-
-The driver agreed to wait for them, and Jimmy and his companion raced
-toward the hospital. Handley had his typewriter and Jimmy his camera.
-Newsies were crying the latest extras of the local papers. The New
-Yorkers bought copies of every paper offered for sale and hastily
-scanned them, marking names and addresses. Then they pushed on.
-
-Though it was now more than four hours since the explosion occurred,
-there was still great excitement and activity about the hospital.
-Policemen and firemen were still stationed about the place. The dead and
-injured had been removed and the fire extinguished. But the building
-still smoked, and the air was heavy with that peculiarly offensive odor
-that comes from a burned building, combined with the noxious fumes from
-the burned X-ray films and chemicals that still persisted in the
-neighborhood.
-
-Coming to the scene so late, Jimmy and his comrade were at a great
-disadvantage. The dead and injured had been removed, the former to the
-county morgue, the latter to various hospitals within the city. Those
-people who had been present when the fire started were mostly gone.
-Policemen, firemen, doctors, and officials, nervously unstrung by the
-day's tragedies and taxed by conflict with the surging crowds and by
-repeated interviews with newspaper men, were blunt, brusque, and often
-rude. Crowds thronged about the place and it was difficult to move.
-
-"We want to get hold of some of the people who saw the thing from the
-start and get statements from them," said Handley. "Then we want to
-interview just as many doctors, nurses, patients, firemen, policemen,
-and others who were witnesses of the tragedy as we can get in touch
-with. We ought to have pictures of the interior of the wrecked building
-and the outside. And we should have some showing the work of rescue in
-progress. Maybe we can buy these latter pictures. You try for some
-photographs and I'll get interviews. When you get your pictures, hunt me
-up. I'll be somewhere about the place."
-
-Jimmy thrust his police pass into his hatband and hurried toward the
-wrecked building. A policeman was guarding the entrance. Jimmy did not
-know whether the policeman would permit him to enter or not. A thought
-came to him. He stepped up to the bluecoat. "I'm told that you rescued
-more people than almost any other man on the force. I want your picture
-for tomorrow's paper. Just step inside the reception room where I can
-get you without this crowd and let me snap a picture, won't you please?"
-And Jimmy darted right on into the hospital.
-
-The policeman, with a self-conscious look on his face followed. Jimmy
-didn't give him time to say a word. "Stand right over there, where the
-light's good," he said. And when the policeman hesitated, Jimmy took him
-by the arm and shoved him against the wall. Then he backed off and
-snapped a picture of him.
-
-"That's fine," said Jimmy, talking as fast as he could to prevent the
-policeman from saying anything, "but it doesn't show what it should.
-This reception room is hardly damaged at all. I want you with a
-background that will show the danger you had to face. Some of the rooms
-upstairs are pretty well torn to pieces, aren't they? I want a picture
-of you with that background. Come on." And Jimmy scurried up a stairway.
-
-The policeman followed. By this time he had found his tongue. He seemed
-pleased with Jimmy's interest. "The worst looking room is over here," he
-said, and he led the way through a corridor filled with debris. The
-plaster had been blown from the ceiling, the walls were torn and broken,
-the window-glass was blown out, furniture was smashed and splintered,
-and the entire room was in a state of the utmost confusion.
-
-"Stand right there," said Jimmy, posing his victim before a shattered
-and bulging section of wall. Then he snapped his picture before the
-policeman could protest.
-
-"I believe I can get some better pictures up here than any I have," said
-Jimmy, and he took several pictures that perfectly portrayed the havoc
-wrought by the explosion.
-
-"I must get back to my post," said the policeman, suddenly remembering
-that he was supposed to be guarding the front door.
-
-Jimmy's heart fell. He thought he was about to be ordered out of the
-building. But he was equal to the occasion.
-
-"You won't be leaving the place for a while, will you?" he asked. "I
-want to talk to you. I'll look you up at the front door just as soon as
-I get another picture or two."
-
-The policeman hesitated. He glanced at Jimmy's police pass, and though
-he had been ordered to keep everybody out of the building except
-policemen, firemen, and hospital employees, he allowed Jimmy to remain,
-while he himself returned to guard the front door. Doubtless he thought
-that the damage was already done, and that it would do no harm if Jimmy
-did get another picture or two. As for Jimmy, the moment the policeman's
-back was turned he scurried higher up in the wrecked building and took
-picture after picture.
-
-His remark about the policeman's bravery had been a shot in the dark.
-Jimmy hadn't any idea whether the man had been present during the
-disaster or not. But he knew the weakness most folks have for wishing to
-appear like heroes, and he knew that policemen are no exception to the
-rule. As luck would have it, this policeman had actually had a share in
-the work of rescue. Jimmy found that out when he hurried back to the
-front door after getting all the pictures he wanted.
-
-"Please spell your name for me," he said, as the policeman turned to
-greet him. "I want to be sure I get it right."
-
-"L-a-f-f-e-r-t-y--Dennis Lafferty," the policeman spelled out, a letter
-at a time.
-
-"That's fine," said Jimmy. "I just hate to get a man's name wrong. And
-I'd hate mighty bad to get yours wrong after all the fine work you did."
-
-Jimmy could see the man swelling with pride.
-
-"I only did my duty," he said.
-
-"Tell me about it," urged Jimmy. "Maybe the fellow who told me about it
-didn't have the story straight."
-
-"Well," said Lafferty, "I was on duty directing traffic two blocks down
-the street when the explosion occurred. I heard it and ran up here. A
-woman was struggling to get out of the door right where we are, and I
-rushed up to help her. Just then I got a whiff of the gas. I knew right
-away what it was, for you see I was in the World War. So I jammed my
-handkerchief over my nose, grabbed the woman by the arm, and helped her
-out of the building. When I turned to go back I saw clouds of yellow gas
-swirling out through the door. I knew it was worse than useless to go
-back into the building, so I ran around to the side of the structure to
-see if there was some other way to get people out.
-
-"By that time the firemen had begun to arrive, and they were driven back
-by the gas just as I had been. Battalion Chief Michael Graham was the
-first chief on the grounds. When he saw it was useless to try to enter
-the first floor, he ordered a motor extension ladder run up to the roof.
-Then he and some of his men went up it. I scrambled after them. Two
-firemen hacked away a skylight and three or four of us was lowered into
-the building by ropes."
-
-Just then Handley went hurrying past the front door.
-
-"Frank," shouted Jimmy. "Come here a moment."
-
-Handley turned, saw Jimmy, and came up the steps to him.
-
-"How are you making out?" he asked.
-
-"Fine," said Jimmy. "I want you to meet Policeman Dennis Lafferty. He
-was one of the first policemen to arrive after the explosion. Mr.
-Lafferty, this is Mr. Handley, my fellow reporter."
-
-Handley held out his hand to the policeman.
-
-"Mr. Lafferty was just telling me about the way he and some firemen got
-into the building by way of the roof. They saved a lot of people that
-way. I've got some good snaps of Mr. Lafferty and I want to be sure to
-get his story correct." Then he turned to the policeman. "Won't you tell
-the story to Mr. Handley?" he asked. "I've got to get some more
-pictures. Handley and I are working together on this story."
-
-"Sure," said the policeman. "It's all one to me."
-
-He began to talk to Handley and Jimmy hurried away to get some exterior
-views. He was able to climb up on a building across the street and get a
-picture of the crowd that jammed the street and the open lawn by the
-side of the clinic building. Extension ladders were still raised to the
-roof and to different windows, and by good luck a number of firemen were
-coming down two of them. From other points of vantage Jimmy snapped the
-building and the crowd several times. When he had taken all the
-photographs he wanted, he hurried back to the front of the building.
-Handley had just met one of the hospital doctors, who had returned to
-the building to try to secure some important papers. The physician
-courteously stopped to answer Handley's questions. Jimmy seized the
-opportunity to talk to Policeman Lafferty again.
-
-"Did you see any other people who helped in the rescue?" he asked.
-
-"Sure. I saw lots of them. There were dozens of folks who had a hand in
-it."
-
-"Tell me about some of them, won't you please? What was the most
-striking thing you saw?"
-
-"I hardly know," said Lafferty. "But there was a big colored fellow who
-saved a lot of people. You ought to know about him."
-
-"What did he do and what is his name?" asked Jimmy.
-
-"His name is Chapin--Bob Chapin. He's a tremendous big fellow. He works
-in a garage near here. When he heard the explosion and found the
-hospital was afire, he grabbed up a ladder and ran up here quick. He put
-the ladder up to a window where a lot of people was trying to get out.
-The ladder was too short. So Chapin picked it up, rested it on his
-shoulders, and shoved the end up to the window. It just reached. Ten
-people come down the ladder while he held it on his shoulders. Then he
-ran inside and carried out about as many more. He saved almost two dozen
-people."
-
-Just then Handley came hurrying back. "We've got to move along, Jimmy,"
-he said. "We've played in luck here. I've got more stuff than I ever
-dreamed I could get. Now we must hustle over to the hospitals and the
-morgue and get names and see how the injured are doing."
-
-They said good-bye to Policeman Lafferty and thanked him for his help.
-Then they raced down the street toward the place where their taxi driver
-awaited. The man was there. They climbed into the car and were whirled
-off at speed to the Mt. Sinai Hospital, where most of the victims had
-been taken.
-
-By this time the hospital authorities had secured some sort of order.
-Lists of names were posted, which helped the reporters greatly. As the
-emergency patients were placed everywhere, in corridors and hallways as
-well as in the wards, Jimmy and his comrade managed to reach several of
-them and get from them first-hand accounts of what happened in the
-hospital immediately after the first explosion occurred. Also they were
-able to talk briefly with one or two nurses.
-
-From the Mt. Sinai Hospital they drove to the other hospitals and
-finally to the morgue. They secured all the names available of both the
-dead and injured.
-
-"We've had wonderful luck," said Handley. "I've got enough stuff to
-write columns, and I don't know how much more you have."
-
-"Let me tell you what I picked up," said Jimmy. "Some of it may be
-better than some of the stuff you have. Anyway it will be different."
-
-They hurried out to their taxi and got into it. "Here are my notes,"
-said Jimmy. "Now let me tell you briefly what they mean."
-
-Hastily he ran over the incidents he had gathered. Handley followed the
-notes as he listened. When Jimmy finished, Handley looked at his watch.
-"Give me that typewriter quick," he said. In another moment the keys
-were flying under his fingers.
-
-"Wait," said Jimmy. "While you write I could be getting rescue
-pictures." Without a word, Handley grabbed his things and stepped from
-the cab. "I'll write right here on the hospital steps," he said. "Hurry
-back."
-
-Jimmy directed the taxi driver to take him to the nearest big newspaper.
-They drove off at speed. Jimmy found the city editor, told him who he
-was, and asked if he could buy a few rescue pictures for use in the
-_Morning Press_ in New York. He showed his _Press_ credentials. The city
-editor turned him over to the photograph staff and Jimmy got several
-good prints that showed firemen carrying unconscious victims down
-ladders at the wrecked hospital. He thanked the newspaper men for their
-help, ran out to his taxi, and was rushed back to his comrade. Handley
-was still pounding away on his typewriter, utterly oblivious to all that
-went on about him. He hardly even looked up when Jimmy sat down beside
-him and started to read the story Handley had written. Jimmy marveled as
-he watched his colleague dash off the tale. He wondered if he would ever
-be able to write like that. He was amazed at the gripping quality of the
-story Handley had written. At last the latter tore the final sheet from
-his typewriter. He had made carbon copies as he wrote. Jimmy had already
-sorted out the two sets of sheets. He stuffed one copy of the story into
-his own pocket and handed the other copy to Handley.
-
-"We've certainly played in luck," he said. "Let us hope I have as good
-luck getting back to the office."
-
-Jimmy glanced up at the sky. So intent had he been upon his work that he
-had forgotten about the weather. What he saw now brought a deep frown to
-his face. "We'll have to be stepping," he said. "It's already
-six-thirty. I should have been off before this."
-
-"I'll stay here and get more stuff," said Handley. "Good luck to you."
-He turned to the driver of the taxi. "To the airport as fast as you can
-make it," he said. "This man has to be in New York by eleven o'clock."
-
-They dashed off at speed. At the airport Jimmy hurried to the office of
-the weather forecaster. There he found Mr. Beverly Graham, who was in
-charge of the entire eastern section of the Airways Weather Bureau, and
-who had been the forecaster at Hadley Field in the days when Jimmy was
-in the U. S. mail service.
-
-"Well, where in the world did you come from, Jimmy?" asked Mr. Graham,
-as he jumped to his feet and held out his hand. "I'm glad to see you."
-
-"Not half as much as I am to see you," replied Jimmy, shaking Mr.
-Graham's hand heartily. "You know I'm flying for the New York _Press_,
-and I've got the story of the hospital disaster in my pocket and a
-camera full of pictures. I've got to reach New York as quick as I can
-get there. What's the weather like along the line?"
-
-Mr. Graham frowned and looked at Jimmy intently. "I'm sorry you have to
-fly to-night," he said. "The weather couldn't be worse. There's the
-densest kind of a fog from one end of Pennsylvania to the other."
-
-"I'm sorry, too," said Jimmy, looking glum. "But it has to be done. The
-_Press_ simply _must_ get these pictures."
-
-"I know how you feel about it, Jimmy. If you must go, perhaps you can
-get up above the fog. Be sure to ride high and follow your radio beacon
-exactly. That'll guide you all right if you don't have a forced landing.
-Your greatest difficulty will probably be to get down safely. The fog
-isn't so bad along the coast yet, but we can't tell what conditions will
-be like when you reach there. The wind is pretty quiet. There's a
-twenty-mile wind at 5,000 feet. I can't tell you what it is like above
-that. We couldn't see our balloons beyond that height, and even this
-information is two hours old. Fog and clouds have shut out every thing
-up high the past hour. Here's a weather chart for you with the latest
-news we have been able to collect. Fog is solid through Pennsylvania."
-
-Jimmy studied the chart for a moment. His face grew very serious. Then
-he said, "Thanks ever so much. I must be off. Good-bye." He held out his
-hand and the forecaster shook it warmly.
-
-"I don't like it, Jimmy," he said. "I hope you get through safely.
-Remember to fly high and follow your radio beacon carefully. Don't take
-any chance of getting lost in the fog. We'll do all we can to help you
-make it."
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER VI
-
-              Flying Blind Over the Graveyard of Airplanes
-
-
-Jimmy looked very sober as he climbed into his plane. He was about to
-tackle the meanest job a pilot is called upon to attempt. Had he been at
-the other end of the line, starting westward, with the wind in his face,
-instead of starting eastward, with the breeze at his back, he would
-hardly have dared to attempt it. But inasmuch as he did not have to make
-a landing in Pennsylvania, he was willing to try it, although the
-weather man had suggested that by the time he reached Long Island it
-might be foggy there also. Jimmy decided to take the chance.
-
-But he wasn't going to take any more chances than he absolutely had to
-take. So he switched on his navigation lights, tested his landing
-lights, made sure his flares were hooked, ready for release, and glanced
-at his instruments. Then he speeded up his engine and listened to its
-roar. The instant he was satisfied that everything was working
-perfectly, he took off.
-
-He hopped into the wind, then circled back to the east, and was away
-like an arrow. Although the atmosphere at Cleveland was only beginning
-to grow foggy, before Jimmy had risen a hundred feet in the air the
-bright lights of the airport began to be blurred. As Jimmy passed
-directly over the great hangar, after circling, he could barely tell
-where it was. In another minute low clouds had wiped out every trace of
-the earth. No matter where he looked, nothing was visible but thick,
-clinging banks of fog.
-
-Jimmy had been in fog before, but he had never made a trip such as this
-one promised to be. Always the fogs he had ridden through had dissipated
-after a time, but this fog-bank bade fair to cover every inch of the
-four hundred and fifty miles or so to his home field. The possibilities
-of getting lost, of crashing, of meeting with dire disaster in a flight
-of such length, were too many for Jimmy to allow himself to consider
-them.
-
-He did not permit himself even to think of these possibilities. Instead,
-he called up every bit of flying ability he possessed to meet the
-situation. At two or three hundred feet elevation he had gone blind.
-From that point onward, he had to fly wholly by his instruments.
-
-Setting his course by his compass, he sat listening to the guiding note
-of the radio beacon, his eyes glued to the instrument board. From his
-compass his eyes darted to his turn-and-bank indicator, then to his air
-speed indicator. Occasionally he glanced at his engine instruments, to
-see that his propeller was making the necessary revolutions per minute,
-that the engine temperature was not too high, that his oil pressure
-remained constant.
-
-But mostly he kept watch of his speed and of his position. The steel
-ball in the centre of the turn-and-bank indicator had to be kept right
-in the centre. Every time the ball began to slide one way or the other,
-Jimmy had to bring his ship back to a level keel, for the moving steel
-ball showed that he was beginning to dip to one side or the other. Sense
-of balance told him little or nothing; and had it not been for his
-indicator, he might soon have been flying upside down, as many a pilot
-before him had done. Nor could he allow his ship to drop below a speed
-of sixty miles an hour, lest it come crashing to earth.
-
-All the while the radio beacon signal was buzzing loudly in his ears.
-"Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah," the signal sounded. It came to him with
-startling intensity. That was because his ship was close to the beacon
-itself. As he traveled onward, Jimmy knew, the signal would grow fainter
-and fainter, for during the first half of the flight to Bellefonte he
-would be guided by the signals from the airport he had just left. Beyond
-that he would be guided by the Bellefonte signals, and he knew these
-would grow ever louder as he neared that field.
-
-Up he climbed, and up and up, seeking to get above the fog. Again and
-again he glanced at his altimeter, but though he had risen to five
-thousand feet, and then six and seven and eight thousand, he was still
-in dense mist. He continued to climb, to watch his instruments, to
-listen to the radio beacon. All the time he was trying to check his
-position. He watched his air speed indicator. He watched his tachometer,
-which indicated his revolutions per minute. He watched his clock. He
-checked one against the other. With a twenty-mile wind at his back,
-Jimmy figured he must be making fully one hundred and fifty miles an
-hour. At that speed he should make his home field in close to three
-hours. Then he should have to make the trip to the New York office of
-the _Press_. It looked to Jimmy as though he ought easily to reach the
-_Press_ office by eleven o'clock. The thought heartened him.
-
-He could travel faster, if he had to, but he did not want to drive his
-ship as fast on the return trip as he had driven it in coming west. It
-was too hard on the ship. So he watched his instruments and held his
-plane to the speed indicated.
-
-All the while he climbed. Up he went steadily. From eight thousand feet
-he climbed to nine, then ten. Still the fog was unbroken. But his engine
-worked marvelously in the heavy air and he kept his ship nosing higher
-and higher. Suddenly, at eleven thousand feet, he shot up above the fog.
-The night was clear as crystal. Above him twinkled innumerable stars.
-With a deep sigh of relief Jimmy climbed a little higher, then
-straightened out and rode on level keel. Below him spread endless masses
-of cloud, more wonderful than an ocean, dimly lighted by the stars
-above. So long as he could ride above the fog his trip was now an easy
-one. He had only to follow his compass and the radio beacon. The
-difficulty would come when he had to drop down through the fog and make
-a landing.
-
-While Jimmy was thus fighting both to insure his safety and to gain his
-goal, agencies of which he was not aware were also at work to try to
-make his progress safe. Hardly had Jimmy left the ground at the
-Cleveland Airport before Beverly Graham hurried into the radio room.
-
-"Sparks," he said to the radio man, "I wish you would send a message on
-your printer saying that Jimmy Donnelly, flying for the New York
-_Morning Press_, just left here, heading for Long Island. The message
-will reach caretakers at beacons all along the route. Tell all
-caretakers to report his progress to me as he goes over their beacons.
-Nobody else is flying east at this time that we know of and it's very
-doubtful if anybody else will go over the route to-night."
-
-The wireless man turned to his printer and began to pound out the
-message on the keyboard. But the machine on which he was writing, though
-it somewhat resembled a typewriter, was not a typewriter at all, but an
-electric printing or teletype machine, which reproduced the message on
-similar machines at Bellefonte and Hadley Field and other stations as
-fast as it was written. In no time, therefore, these two Air Mail
-stations and the caretakers at various landing fields, knew that Jimmy
-was flying east in the fog. Thus as Jimmy passed over Mercer and Clarion
-and other points on the airway in western Pennsylvania his progress was
-promptly reported to his friend, the chief forecaster.
-
-But long before Jimmy reached the "graveyard of airplanes" he himself
-was aware that Beverly Graham was making a special effort in his behalf.
-When he was only a short distance out of Cleveland he heard the hourly
-weather broadcast from the Cleveland radio man. Jimmy listened intently,
-though there was little they could tell him about the weather that he
-did not already know. The usual, stereotyped broadcast contained no
-reference to the wind. That was the one thing Jimmy wanted to know
-about. A moment later he heard the Cleveland radio man saying: "Mr.
-Donnelly, in the New York _Morning Press_ plane, will please note that
-the wind has shifted slightly from west to southwest and has increased
-to twenty-five miles an hour. He will also please listen carefully for a
-message when he passes over Bellefonte."
-
-"Good old Beverly," said Jimmy. "He never forgets a friend. He didn't
-want me to fly tonight, but now that I am up in the air he's doing all
-he can for me. I wonder what he has instructed Bellefonte to do. I'll
-thank him at once."
-
-When Jimmy's plane was built it had been equipped with a radio receiving
-set. But about two weeks before he was ordered to Cleveland, Jimmy had
-succeeded in having a sending set installed in the plane, thus bringing
-his ship right up to date. Not even all the mail planes had sending sets
-as yet, though some of them did.
-
-Jimmy picked up his instrument, put the mouthpiece to his lips, and sent
-this message into the air: "Jimmy Donnelly, of the _Morning Press_,
-speaking. Cleveland weather forecast received. Also special notice as to
-force and direction of the wind. Will get into touch with Bellefonte as
-I go over. Thanks very much for help. I shall need all I can get."
-
-He replaced the mouthpiece and settled back in his seat. A quick glance
-at his instrument board assured him that all was working well. He looked
-at his clock and tried to figure out his position. Suddenly he became
-aware that the buzzing in his ears had altered. No longer did he hear
-the regular "dah, dah, dah, dah, dah," which told him he was directly on
-the air line. Instead Jimmy heard the signal "dot dah, dot dah, dot dah,
-dot dah, dot dah." He knew he was to the left of the course.
-
-"That's the work of the wind," thought Jimmy. "Shifting to the
-southwest, it has blown me to the northeast of the line. I'll move over
-to the right a little."
-
-He kicked his rudder bar, shoved his stick over ever so slightly, and
-sat listening. "Dot dah, dot dah, dot dah," sang the ear phones, but
-presently the signal changed. "Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah," it went. He was
-back on the course.
-
-"Gee, but I'm glad I'm flying in the year 1929, and not half a dozen
-years ago," thought Jimmy. "I'd soon be way off my course and never know
-the difference if I didn't have this radio set. I tell you, a compass
-doesn't help much when there's a cross-wind. Half a dozen years ago,
-before there were any radio beacons, I'd have had to make this trip by
-dead reckoning, and I'd probably have landed in Connecticut, or
-Massachusetts, or any old place except Long Island."
-
-He flew on, listening carefully to the buzz of the radio beacon, and
-intent upon his task. He was pleased to know that his friend, the
-forecaster, had taken so much trouble on his account. He would have been
-still more pleased could he have known to what extent the weather man
-was laboring in his behalf. For after Jimmy left the Cleveland Airport,
-Beverly Graham sat down at his desk and devoted himself to doing all
-that he could to get Jimmy through in safety.
-
-Suddenly Jimmy heard a sharp signal, sounding above the dull buzz of the
-directional beacon. A smile of satisfaction flitted over Jimmy's face.
-"I'm right over Brookville," he muttered. Quickly he glanced at his
-clock, then made a rapid calculation. "I'm right on the line and right
-where I ought to be at this minute," he thought. "I'm making almost
-exactly 150 miles an hour."
-
-What he had heard was a marker beacon. At intervals along the airway,
-radio signals are sent up vertically, just as they are sent horizontally
-from the radio beacons at Cleveland, Bellefonte, and Hadley Field. These
-vertical radio beams are audible only for the brief spaces of time it
-takes a plane to sweep over the stations sending them. The present
-signal was gone almost as soon as Jimmy heard it, but it gave him a
-world of information and assurance. It told him, not merely that he was
-on the line, which he already knew, but it also told him the exact point
-on that line which he had reached. He soared onward with increased
-confidence.
-
-Intently he watched his instrument board. From time to time the radio
-beacon warned him that he was being blown from the direct line, and he
-nosed his plane back to the path. Everything seemed to be going well.
-His clock told him that he should be nearing Bellefonte, the half-way
-point between Cleveland and Hadley Field. Also, the radio signals were
-now so much more powerful that he knew he must be close to the beacon
-emitting them.
-
-For some time Jimmy rode with only the roar of his own engine and the
-buzzing of the radio beacon reaching his ears. He was certain, however,
-that he must be near Bellefonte. The radio beacon signals came so
-loudly. Suddenly, above the steady buzz of the directional beacon came
-the sharp signal of the Bellefonte marker beacon. Jimmy drew a breath of
-relief. "Halfway," he muttered, "and everything as fine as silk."
-
-Hardly had he heard the marker beacon before a voice sounded in his
-ears: "This is Bellefonte Weather Bureau speaking to Jimmy Donnelly, of
-the New York _Morning Press_. As nearly as we can judge by the sound of
-your engine, you are directly over the field. Fog continues bad
-throughout Pennsylvania. Wind remains unchanged--southwest, twenty-five
-miles an hour. Conditions much better after you pass the mountains. Some
-fog in New Jersey and may be more before you get there."
-
-Instantly Jimmy answered through his sending set. "This is Jimmy
-Donnelly speaking to Bellefonte," he said. "Your message received.
-Thanks ever so much. Have you any information about weather between
-Hadley Field and Long Island?"
-
-"No," came the reply, "but will tell Hadley to get latest information
-and talk to you as you go by. Good luck to you."
-
-"Please tell Long Island I am coming," said Jimmy. "I ought to hit there
-about ten o'clock. Please ask the radio man there to listen in for me
-about that time. I'll get in touch with him after I pass Hadley. Thanks
-ever so much."
-
-Jimmy went sailing straight on through the fog. Ahead of him lay the
-worst place on the entire mail route, the Woodward Pass. But he was
-light of heart. He knew where he was, he knew how high he had to be to
-pass safely over the mountains, and he had no fear of losing his way.
-Had he been left to reckon out his position himself, he would have been
-worried and uncertain, no matter how regularly his propeller turned, no
-matter how accurate his clock. But with the radio keeping him on the
-course and telling him the precise moment when he passed over
-Bellefonte, there could be neither doubt nor uncertainty. So he flew on,
-almost jubilant. He was making the schedule he had set for himself. He
-felt sure he was going to succeed.
-
-On he went, carefully watching his instruments, and trying to figure his
-position from moment to moment. Now he felt sure he was past the
-mountains beyond Bellefonte and flying over the lovely Penn's Valley. In
-a few minutes he was approaching Woodward Pass. He pictured Winkelblech
-Mountain rearing its great bulk directly in the line of his flight,
-where he should turn to the right and shoot through the pass. But
-to-night he was not shooting passes. He was thousands of feet above the
-pass. Suddenly, for the merest fraction of a second, he thought he saw a
-gleam of light. It must have been the beacon on Winkelblech, he thought,
-shining through some rift in the fog. In a few moments he knew he must
-be past the mountains and sailing over the beautiful Buffalo Valley. But
-only his instruments told him so. Below him he could see nothing but
-fog.
-
-Ahead of him lay more mountains--wicked ones, too, through the great
-reaches of the anthracite coal field, where the earth is as rough and
-rugged as the outside of a black walnut shell. But the furrows in the
-earth are great mountain ridges, and the wrinkles are hills and
-precipices.
-
-On he flew, following the radio beacon intently, watching his time,
-calculating his position. He could see absolutely nothing. He wanted to
-see nothing but the instruments before him, for it was almost terrifying
-to look out into the fog. His instruments seemed friendly to him.
-
-Now he felt sure he was over Sunbury. One hour more would bring him to
-Hadley Field, for it was exactly 150 miles between the two points. In
-half an hour, three quarters of an hour at most, the worst part of the
-trip would be over. The Pennsylvania mountains would be passed, and
-underfoot would lie the flat agricultural lands of New Jersey, where he
-might hope to land in safety if he were forced down, though there seemed
-to be little chance of that.
-
-He rushed on through the night. Ahead of him, he knew, the country was
-far less rugged for a distance. The mountains melted into hills of
-perhaps eight hundred feet elevation, and there were many farms and
-smooth fields. But soon after he should pass Elysburg, just ahead, the
-land would rise up sharp again, in hills twelve hundred feet high.
-Beyond them was lower land once more, and then the ridges climbed up,
-just before Ringtown was reached, until their summits towered two
-thousand feet aloft. Little did Jimmy care about that. He was far, far
-above them. The mountains meant nothing to him. Already the marker
-beacon at Numidia was sounding in his ears. Soon, now, he would be
-entirely past the mountains.
-
-Suddenly he noticed that his engine was beginning to heat. He glanced at
-his oil gauge and found that it was no longer working. Instantly he
-looked at his tachometer. His engine speed was falling rapidly. Jimmy
-opened his throttle. There was no answering response from the engine.
-Instead, it beat slower and slower. It was making twelve hundred
-revolutions per minute. It fell to nine, then seven hundred. His ship
-slowed dangerously. He began to lose altitude. There was nothing to do
-but come down. Otherwise he would soon fall. He decided to try to make
-the landing field at Numidia. Then he saw that he could not do it. The
-wind at his back would prevent it. His engine was too weak to fight the
-breeze. It would blow him far to one side of the little landing field.
-
-An icy feeling grew about Jimmy's heart. He knew what was coming--a
-forced landing among the mountains, in the densest sort of fog. Already
-he was far down in the mist clouds. Vision was absolutely cut off. For a
-single instant he felt numb, almost paralyzed. Then he rallied all the
-skill he had, to fight for his life.
-
-The next landing field was at Ringtown. It was only eleven miles from
-Numidia to Ringtown, and he had already passed over part of the
-distance. He must make the landing field at Ringtown. He must keep his
-ship in the air until he could reach that field. If only his trouble had
-occurred a bit sooner, he could have made the field at Numidia. The
-marker beacon would have helped him to get down to the right spot. How
-he was going to tell where the Ringtown field was, in this awful fog,
-Jimmy did not know. He could not even guess.
-
-Between him and Ringtown were those stern and beetling hilltops--those
-mountains that towered heavenward for two thousand feet. Could he get
-over them? With his face drawn and serious Jimmy glanced at his
-altimeter. He was still well above that height, but he was losing
-elevation steadily. Could he get over those mountain crests? Could he
-find the landing field if he did get over?
-
-Suddenly he thought of his radio. He put the mouthpiece to his lips.
-"This is Donnelly of the _New York Press_," he said firmly and evenly.
-"I am between Numidia and Ringtown. My oil line has gone bad. My engine
-is failing. I am losing altitude fast. I am trying to get over the
-mountains west of Ringtown and land at that field. May need help."
-
-Jimmy had no idea whether or not any one would hear his call. Ordinarily
-the radio men would not be listening in for messages. Yet there was a
-chance that they might be listening to-night, because of the very bad
-weather. But Jimmy was reckoning without Beverly Graham. The moment he
-found that Jimmy had a sending set, the latter had issued orders that a
-constant watch be kept on the air. Hence Jimmy's message came to waiting
-ears. The Bellefonte radio man caught it.
-
-He didn't even wait to answer Jimmy. There is no caretaker at the little
-Ringtown landing field. The Bellefonte operator knew that. But he
-snatched up his telephone and tried to get a connection with a man at
-Ringtown who had control over the field. The telephone operator was a
-long time in getting the connection. When finally the Bellefonte
-operator got his man, he said hastily: "A flier is making a forced
-landing at your field right away. See if you can do something to help
-him."
-
-But meantime, though the operator almost failed in his effort to get
-help for Jimmy, help from another source was at hand. Johnnie Lee had
-gotten Jimmy's parachute message and read it. When night came on, and he
-saw what the weather was like, he doubted very much if Jimmy would
-attempt to return to New York. But if Jimmy did fly over, Johnnie wanted
-to signal him. He wanted his old friend to know that he had received his
-message. He knew that it was idle to attempt to send a message up
-through the fog with so impotent a thing as his flash-light. And so for
-a long time Johnnie had been at work preparing for a bonfire.
-
-Fearful of setting fire to his father's buildings, Johnnie had been
-stacking up old boards and rails on top of a pile of old wood that stood
-close to one edge of his father's farm, and almost adjoining the landing
-field. He had thrown coal oil on the pile, saturating it thoroughly, and
-he had a bucket of gasoline all ready to throw on the heap before he
-touched a match to it.
-
-But that was not all. As Jimmy had suspected, Johnnie had a radio
-sending set, like most of the other members of the Wireless Patrol. It
-would not carry his voice so very many miles, but Johnnie knew it would
-carry well enough for him to hold a conversation with Jimmy as the
-latter neared Ringtown. Even now he was at his radio, listening. He had
-been there for some time. He had caught the weather forecast from
-Bellefonte. He felt sure that if Jimmy had left Cleveland, he ought to
-be nearing Ringtown. So he listened hopefully yet fearfully. And
-suddenly he caught the very message that galvanized the Bellefonte
-operator into action. Jimmy was calling for help. He was near at hand.
-He was trying to make the Ringtown field, but there was nothing to guide
-him.
-
-The instant Jimmy stopped speaking, Johnnie sent a call speeding through
-the air. "Jimmy Donnelly," he said. "This is Johnnie Lee speaking. I
-heard your call for help. I have a big bonfire ready to light. I will
-touch it off at once. Maybe you can see it through the fog. The landing
-field is just beyond it. Is there anything else I can do to help you?"
-
-Instantly there was an answer. "God bless you, Johnnie. Light your fire
-quick. I'm coming down fast, but I believe I'm going to clear the
-mountains. Get your fire lighted quick."
-
-Johnnie did not tarry a single instant. Out of the house he darted and
-away he rushed across the fields to his pile of wood, heedless of the
-dark and the fog. He knew the way perfectly and his flash-light helped
-him to avoid loose stones. He reached his beacon without a fall or a
-twisted ankle.
-
-Grabbing up his bucket of gasoline he threw it over his pile of wood.
-Then he struck a match and tossed it toward the heap. There was a
-terrific burst of flames that shot fifty feet into the air. Then the
-oil-soaked pile of wood caught fire. The flames soared upward. The fire
-grew intense. The oily wood burned with terrific heat. The glare of the
-flames lighted the entire region. Even through the fog the flare of the
-fire could be seen for a long distance. It turned the mist into glowing
-clouds. It shone through rifts in the fog, like the electric beams of
-searchlights penetrating the openings between cloud masses.
-
-Suddenly Johnnie thought he heard the drone of a motor. Then the sound
-faded away. The noise of the fire drowned out more distant sounds. The
-snap and crackle and hiss and roar of the burning heap shut out every
-trace of the hum of a propeller. For a moment Johnnie stood near his
-beacon, vainly straining his ears for some further trace of an airplane.
-Then he ran hastily off to one side. Again he heard the faint drone of a
-motor. Then the sound died away. But Johnnie felt sure he had not been
-deceived. Jimmy was going to make it. He was going to reach the field in
-safety.
-
-Again Johnnie strained his ears, to catch another shred of sound. A puff
-of wind brought him what he was listening for, loudly, unmistakably.
-Once more the sound died away. But Johnnie knew he had not been
-mistaken. He had heard an airplane. Suddenly the sound came to him with
-startling distinctness. He strained both ears and eyes as he peered
-upward through the fog.
-
-Suddenly there was a bright glow aloft. Johnnie's heart stood still. He
-listened for an explosion. He was frozen with horror. The plane
-overhead--Jimmy's plane--was afire. He gazed fearfully into the
-concealing fog to see where the plane was falling. He saw it coming down
-with a rush, flaming fiercely. The cloud of fog was all aglow with the
-brilliant light. It shone even brighter than Johnnie's bonfire.
-Regardless of what might happen to him if the plane exploded, Johnnie
-rushed toward the spot where it was apparently going to crash. Johnnie
-reached the place. He paused, looking upward. He held his breath,
-waiting for the smash. Down came the glowing light to the earth. Johnnie
-let out a yell of relief. It was not the plane that had fallen, but a
-flare that Jimmy must have dropped.
-
-Quickly Johnnie looked aloft again. He stared through the fog banks.
-Dimly he saw something glowing. He watched, breathless. Almost instantly
-the glow over his head became two luminous spots in the mist. They grew
-brighter fast. Now Johnnie was certain he knew what he was looking at.
-The luminous spots were the landing lights of a descending plane. They
-seemed to be jumping right at him. Johnnie knew the plane was coming
-straight toward him. It was almost upon him. He leaped to one side. He
-was not a moment too soon. The descending plane swished past him, seemed
-to rise lightly, then leveled off, hit the ground heavily, bounced, came
-to earth again, and went rolling and jolting straight across the landing
-field.
-
-Johnnie raced after the ship. It came to rest. A figure stepped from the
-cabin. Johnnie raced toward the man.
-
-"Hello!" he cried.
-
-"Hello yourself," came the answer. "Who are you?"
-
-"This is Johnnie. Thank God you got down safe."
-
-They clasped hands and stood silent.
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER VII
-
-                       A Forced Landing in a Fog
-
-
-For a second the two old friends held each other's hand. Then some one
-was heard running toward them. A man appeared in the fog.
-
-"It's the man who looks after the field," said Johnnie, as soon as he
-could distinguish the approaching figure. "I suppose he heard you land
-and has come to help."
-
-The man rushed up. "Are you all right?" he asked anxiously. "Did you get
-down without much damage?"
-
-"Don't believe I broke a thing," said Jimmy.
-
-"You know my plane is built with unusually strong underpinning. Let's
-take a look at her."
-
-Johnnie's bonfire gave them enough light to see by. Quickly they
-examined the plane. Nothing was wrong externally.
-
-"Let's take a look at the oil line," said Jimmy. "Something went wrong
-with it."
-
-He reached into his plane and drew out his flash-light. "Hold it," he
-said, shoving it into Johnnie's hand. Then he turned and opened the
-cowling of his engine.
-
-With practiced eye he glanced along the length of the oil line. At first
-nothing wrong was apparent. But on the bottom of the engine compartment
-was a telltale pool of oil. Jimmy twisted his head and got a look at the
-underside of the oil line. The pipe was cracked open along the seam. The
-crack extended for several inches. Practically all the oil had dripped
-from the engine.
-
-"Vibration must have done that," said Jimmy, as he turned to his
-companions and explained what was wrong. "Likely it happened when I went
-west this afternoon, for I flew the ship pretty hard. I suppose the seam
-gave way then, and the hard trip to-night has opened it up. Have you got
-any tire tape, Johnnie?"
-
-"Plenty of it," said Johnnie. "I'll fetch you some."
-
-"Bring all you can get," shouted Jimmy after the fast-disappearing
-Johnnie. "And arrange for some oil. I'll need a lot. Hurry as fast as
-you can, Johnnie. I mustn't lose a minute."
-
-Jimmie stepped into the cabin of his ship and threw open a locker, in
-which he carried odds and ends that might be useful to him in just such
-an emergency as this. There were rolls of tire tape here. Jimmy grabbed
-them. In another moment he was rapidly taping the broken pipe-line. Over
-the actual opening in the seam he wound several thicknesses of the tape.
-Then he began to twist the stuff around the remainder of the little
-pipe. There was no telling how soon the rest of the seam would open, and
-Jimmy meant to play safe. He used all the tape he had, and when Johnnie
-came back with additional rolls, he added these to his reinforcements.
-When all the tape was wrapped, he breathed a sigh of relief.
-
-"I don't believe we'll lose any more oil," he said, "even if the whole
-seam opens up. She's wound tight and thick. Now, how about oil? Could
-you get any?"
-
-"Dad's bringing all we have," said Johnnie. "We buy it in thirty-gallon
-barrels, as we can get it so much cheaper."
-
-"Thank heaven you've got plenty of it," said Jimmy. "It'll take a lot.
-How is your father going to get it here?"
-
-"On the truck," said Johnnie. And even as he spoke they heard the
-chugging of a motor and a farm truck came nosing through the fog.
-
-Jimmy stepped to the truck and greeted Mr. Lee. "It's mighty kind of you
-to help me out," he said. "I thought I was done, when I was forced down.
-But now I can take off again and I can still get to New York on time.
-I'll lose half an hour here probably, but there's still time enough if I
-don't have any more trouble."
-
-Johnnie filled the oil tank as fast as he could. Jimmy snatched the
-opportunity to look his motor over. Everything seemed to be right. Then
-he watched the oil gauge and told Johnnie when to stop pouring oil. He
-made everything tight about the cowling, gave the ship a final
-inspection under the rays of his flash-light, and stepped into his
-cabin.
-
-Now he would know whether he might possibly still succeed in his
-enterprise. He was fearful that the engine might have overheated and
-been injured when it was running with insufficient oil. Would it start
-now? And if it started, would it run? Could he depend upon it? Would it
-have power enough to lift him from the ground? Could he trust it to
-raise him high enough aloft to clear the mountains so close in front of
-him?
-
-Fearfully Jimmy pressed the starter. There was an explosion, the
-propeller turned over once or twice and stopped. Jimmy's heart almost
-stopped with it. The engine was ruined. It would not go. He had failed
-in his effort. He had lost his big opportunity. All these thoughts
-flashed through Jimmy's mind. Then came another. "It's got to go," he
-muttered.
-
-He choked the engine and again touched the starter. For a moment the
-starter whirred noisily, but the engine did not explode. Then there was
-a bang, the propeller whirled madly about, and the engine began to hum
-smoothly.
-
-"There wasn't any gas in it the first time," thought Jimmy.
-
-Then he sat and listened. His motor ran as well as ever it had run. It
-was purring as smoothly as a sewing-machine. He ran his eye over his
-instrument board. The oil gauge was registering now. Everything looked
-right. He did not take time to make his usual tests. Throttling down his
-engine, he leaned from the cabin.
-
-"A million thanks, everybody," he said. "I'll get into touch with you
-later. I've got to be off this instant or I'll be late with my stuff.
-Goodbye and good luck to you all. Thanks ever so much."
-
-He closed the cabin door and stepped into the pilot's seat. The engine
-began to pick up. It beat faster and faster. Presently the plane started
-to roll forward, very slowly. Jimmy drove it straight on until he could
-see the little, low boundary lights that marked the edge of the landing
-field. He drove the ship close to them, turned it about to head it into
-the wind, then went charging blindly back across the field through the
-fog, almost straight at the reddish blur that he knew was Johnnie's
-bonfire. His engine functioned perfectly. He gathered speed. Suddenly
-the plane lifted from the ground and soared almost directly above the
-blazing pyre. For a single instant it was visible in the red mist above
-the flames. Then it vanished from view in the fog as a stone disappears
-beneath the water.
-
-Inside the plane Jimmy sat tense. His first effort was to gain
-elevation. Before him, at almost no distance, the hills once more
-reached an elevation of 2,000 feet. He had to climb a thousand feet to
-reach their tops, another thousand to be safe. But there was this factor
-in his favor. He was flying with the wind. The air would rush upward
-when it struck the slopes of the mountains and he would be borne upward
-with it.
-
-But Jimmy was not waiting for any ascending currents of air to carry him
-aloft. He opened his throttle wide and climbed as rapidly as he could
-push his ship upward. For a few moments he thought of nothing else. He
-wanted to gain altitude. With every second he breathed more easily. His
-altimeter showed him he was mounting fast. Now he was at 1,300 feet, now
-1,500, now 1,800, now 2,000. Up he went. His altimeter registered 2,500
-feet. Jimmy knew he was safe. No hilltop in the region towered so high.
-At 3,000 feet he felt still better. But he did not stop climbing until
-he was thousands of feet aloft.
-
-All the time he had been climbing, Jimmy had also been trying to keep on
-his course. The radio beacon made that easily possible. All the time it
-had been singing in Jimmy's ears, "dah, dah, dah, dah," and Jimmy
-thought he had never heard sweeter music.
-
-Assured of sufficient elevation, certain that he was on the line, Jimmy
-felt sure that nothing could now prevent him from reaching his goal. He
-was elated. He might have broken his landing gear at Ringtown. The plane
-might have nosed over and damaged his propeller. He might even have
-crashed. Any one of these things might have happened and one of them
-almost certainly would have happened, had it not been for Johnnie Lee's
-beacon. Added to the light of the revolving beam from the landing field
-tower and his own flare, it had enabled Jimmy to get down safely. It
-wouldn't matter if he did smash his landing gear when he came down on
-Long Island. He would then be at his destination.
-
-So Jimmy sailed ahead jubilantly. And his jubilation increased as he
-flew along. He knew just where he was. He glanced at his clock, to check
-the time, and ran his eye over all his other instruments. Everything
-seemed to be working right.
-
-Meantime, the forces on the ground had not been idle. The moment that
-Jimmy took off from Ringtown, the man who had helped Jimmy there hurried
-to the telephone and informed the Bellefonte radio man that Jimmy had
-landed safely at Ringtown, had repaired a leak in his oil line, and had
-taken off again. At almost the same time word came to Bellefonte to the
-effect that a plane had just passed over the Park Place beacon. That was
-reassuring news, for it told the watchers that Jimmy had gotten safely
-aloft once more.
-
-On he went, boring through the fog. To this he gave small heed. His
-entire attention was centred on his instrument board. He watched that
-like a hawk. From his turn and balance indicator, which told him when he
-was on a level keel and was flying straight, his eyes jumped to his
-tachometer, to his oil gauge, his oil temperature gauge, his altimeter,
-and so on from instrument to instrument. But most often his eye fell
-upon the oil gauge. Despite his confident remarks about the security of
-the pipe-line, he was none too sure that he would not have further
-trouble with it. But none developed, though Jimmy soared along, mile
-after mile.
-
-A half hour passed. Jimmy had his eye on his clock. "We ought to be
-close to Easton," he thought. He glanced out through the fog, though he
-had no hope of seeing anything but mist. Nor did he see anything else.
-Yet the mist had a luminous quality he had not noticed at any other
-time. He sped on and presently the mist lost its luminous effect. For a
-moment Jimmy was puzzled. Then a look of inquiry came to his face.
-"Could that have been from the lights of Easton?" he thought. "If it
-was, the fog is not so dense."
-
-He flew on. The radio beacon kept him straight on the course. His clock
-and his tachometer assured him that he was well past Easton. He felt
-easier in his mind. There were no more mountains to face. The waves of
-land that make Pennsylvania so rugged were flattening out. Nowhere
-before him, Jimmy knew, were there hills higher than 800 feet and soon
-he would be over country as flat as a sea on a calm day. The thought
-cheered him. His radio signals were growing much stronger. He knew that
-meant that he was approaching Hadley Field. He began to peer out into
-the mist, hoping to find it lessening.
-
-Presently a bright flash of light shone for a second against a bank of
-fog. Jimmy almost cried out with joy. It was the beam of a revolving
-beacon. Soon he saw another flash of light. He began to descend and came
-down cautiously until he was within a thousand feet of the earth. And
-now he could see, here and there as he flew, luminous patches in the
-fog. He knew well that these bright spots were the lights of towns. He
-calculated his position and slowly dropped down another hundred feet.
-
-He knew now that he was nearing Hadley Field. All about him were Jersey
-towns. He could begin to make them out more plainly. The mist was no
-longer in unbroken clouds. It was growing thin and stringy. Occasionally
-through a rift in it he could catch a clear glimpse of lights on the
-ground. And now he began to see the beams of the revolving lights at
-frequent intervals.
-
-He decided to try to talk with the Hadley radio man. Picking up his
-mouthpiece, he sent forth a call: "Jimmy Donnelly, in the _New York
-Press_ plane, calling Hadley Field."
-
-The call was answered as soon as he had done speaking. "Hadley Field
-answering Donnelly," came the reply, sharp and crisp. "Is everything all
-right with you?"
-
-"Couldn't be better," replied Jimmy, "except for fog. That is growing
-less. What can you tell me about the weather between here and Long
-Island?"
-
-"It improves all the way. Long Island just told us that there was almost
-no fog there."
-
-"Won't you ask them to have a taxi ready for me when I arrive," said
-Jimmy. "I've got to rush some films to the _Press_ office. I mustn't
-lose a minute."
-
-"We'll call them right away and tell them you want a taxi. Have you any
-idea where you are?"
-
-"I ought to be near--why, there's your neon light and the beacon over
-the hangar. Now it's gone again. I must be very close to Hadley. It
-didn't seem to be more than two miles away."
-
-"We can hear your motor," came back the reply. "We'll tell Long Island
-you'll be there very soon. Good luck to you. We'll call them at once."
-
-Plainer and plainer Jimmy could see the glowing lights below him. He
-dropped down another hundred feet. Suddenly he heard the marker beacon
-at Hadley Field. Now he was sure he knew where he was. There were the
-lights of New Brunswick. Beyond was Metuchen. Much farther away was a
-glow that must be Perth Amboy. Jimmy thanked his lucky stars. No longer
-would he have the radio beacon to direct him. He must find his own way.
-Unless fog arose immediately, there would be no difficulty about that.
-In a few minutes he would be at his airport.
-
-The radio beacon had already ceased to beat in his ears. He was past
-Hadley Field. He set his course direct for his destination, noted the
-compass direction, and flew on. Soon he was over Staten Island. He flew
-above the Narrows and was over Long Island. Below him for miles glowed
-the lights of Brooklyn. His plane rushed on like an eagle. Soon Brooklyn
-was behind him. His own field lay just before him. There were fog clouds
-and shreds of fog, but it was easy enough to see down between them.
-Another half hour, Jimmy knew, would probably put the whole island under
-a deep blanket of fog. He had often seen the fog making up as it was
-now. But he cared nothing at all about what conditions would be like in
-half an hour. For he was home. His landing field was just under him.
-
-He nosed his ship downward, shut off his power, and came down in a long
-glide. The field was well lighted. He could see the earth perfectly. He
-put his ship down in a three point landing, and rolled across the turf.
-Then he taxied rapidly to his hangar, gave a shouted order to fill the
-gas and oil tanks, threw off his parachute, grabbed his camera, and
-rushed out to the waiting taxi. In another second he was speeding toward
-Manhattan.
-
-It still lacked several minutes of his deadline when he rushed into the
-_Press_ office and laid his story on the city editor's desk. A copy boy
-ran to the photograph department with his camera. Jimmy sank into a
-seat. He suddenly felt weak. He was all atremble. It was the let down
-after the tremendous strain he had undergone.
-
-The managing editor came walking out of his office. He held out his hand
-and shook Jimmy's warmly. "It was a fine piece of work, Jimmy," he said.
-"Handley telegraphed us about you and the bad night. We have followed
-you all the way across. You had us pretty badly frightened when you told
-Bellefonte your engine was failing and you were making a forced landing
-in the mountains. And our relief was great when we found you were
-patched up and on your way again. It is equalled only by our pleasure in
-seeing you."
-
-Jimmy looked abashed. Then he lost all sense of self-consciousness as
-the thought of Johnnie Lee popped into his head.
-
-"I might not be here now, Mr. Johnson," he said, "if it had not been for
-my old friend Johnnie Lee. It was his bonfire that saved me. Without it
-I should almost certainly have crashed. I owe my life to him and the
-_Press_ owes its pictures and its story to him. He wants to be a
-reporter, Mr. Johnson. Can't you help him? Haven't you a job for him?"
-
-"Has he done any reporting, Jimmy? Has he had any experience?"
-
-"No, sir. But he is clever enough. He could learn quickly, if you would
-give him a chance. And I have no doubt he would be glad to work for very
-little pay or maybe none at all until he learned how to do the work.
-Can't you take him on, Mr. Johnson?"
-
-"I'm sorry, Jimmy, I'll gladly send him a check for his help to-night.
-We are always willing to pay anybody who helps us get news. But we have
-no use for green reporters here. We need trained men. We seldom hire
-cubs any more. We want men with experience."
-
-"But you took me on," protested Jimmy, "and I was perfectly green."
-
-"You came on as a flier, Jimmy. And you would be the last man in the
-world to say you were green at that job."
-
-"But I learned how to get news. So could Johnnie."
-
-"Yes, you did, Jimmy. You picked up the knack readily. And if you
-continue to improve, you'll make a great reporter some day. But you
-evidently had it in you."
-
-"Maybe Johnnie does, too."
-
-"I'm sorry, Jimmy. We can't possibly take him on. But if he got some
-experience--if he showed us that he knew how to handle a story--I might
-give him a chance. I feel very much indebted to him. It was a great
-thing for you to get through with that story, even if you were delayed."
-
-Jimmy looked alarmed. "The story will make the edition, won't it?" he
-asked.
-
-"Absolutely. And we'll scoop every other paper in town on pictures. The
-only other pictures in the city were sent by wire, and they aren't half
-as good as actual photographs. What's more, we'll have one feature that
-no other paper in the country will have. That is the story of how the
-_Morning Press'_ flying reporter dared a fog that stopped even the Air
-Mail, and got through. The story is already in type, Jimmy."
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER VIII
-
-                      Jimmy Saves a Boyhood Friend
-
-
-Jimmy was almost startled at the managing editor's announcement. Then he
-felt embarrassed. It had never occurred to him that his paper would
-print the story of his flight. He had not thought his flight worth
-telling about. In fact, he had not thought of anything except getting
-back with the news. Had not Handley wired the managing editor about the
-perilous trip Jimmy was making, and had not that enterprising individual
-gotten into touch with the Airways Weather Bureau and urged its
-personnel to do everything possible to insure Jimmy's safety, the tale
-would probably never have been known in the _Press_ office. For Jimmy
-would doubtless have walked in and apologized for being delayed. He
-would probably have said that he had had engine trouble and had landed
-at Ringtown to fix an oil pipe that was leaking. That would have been
-just like Jimmy. And no one would have known the difference.
-
-But the managing editor, despite his accustomed gruffness and sharpness,
-was at heart the kindest of men. His harsh exterior was merely a mask he
-wore. He was fond of Jimmy. He had been truly worried about his flying
-reporter. He understood Jimmy well enough to know that the lad would
-make every effort humanly possible to get back with the photographs and
-the story.
-
-Indeed, that was the real reason he liked Jimmy so much. Loyalty and
-enthusiasm counted greatly with the managing editor. And he knew that
-Jimmy was one hundred per cent. faithful. So he had taken the matter of
-Jimmy's flight in hand, and had done all he could to help his pilot get
-through. By telephone he had been kept informed of the lad's progress,
-and he had even been in conversation with the field worker at Ringtown.
-That was how he knew all about the matter. Ordinarily he had little to
-say to any one by way of commendation or praise. But this time he forgot
-his own rule of "not spoiling good reporters by praising them." He had
-spoken from his heart.
-
-There really wasn't much danger of the managing editor's spoiling Jimmy,
-or of anybody else's doing it, for that matter; because Jimmy was so
-intent on doing something, on accomplishing something, on getting ahead
-and climbing up, that he had little time to think about the things he
-had done. What interested Jimmy was the things he _hoped_ to accomplish.
-He was always studying how to be a better flier and how to gain more
-ability in his new task as a newspaper man.
-
-For a short time he had no assignments that taxed his abilities in
-either direction. He took the _Morning Press_ camera man out to take
-pictures, on several occasions; he transported photographs himself; and
-he did one or two little tasks of reporting. But things moved so slowly
-for several days after the flight from Cleveland that time began to hang
-heavy on Jimmy's hands and he was growing restless for a task that
-seemed to him worthwhile.
-
-It came, as most newspaper stories come, unexpectedly. Early one evening
-an A. P. "flash" was received, saying that a great dam had burst in
-northeastern New Hampshire. A town had been partly wiped out by the wall
-of water that poured down the narrow valley. Scores were dead or
-missing. Hundreds were homeless. It was a disaster of the worst kind.
-
-Managing Editor Johnson saw at once that this was no mere local story.
-This was a story of the widest interest. It was almost a "national"
-story. The destroyed town was far up in the northern part of the State,
-is a rough and rugged region. It would be utterly impossible to get one
-of his own men there in time to get a story for the next day's paper. He
-would have to depend upon local correspondents. Fortunately the _Press_
-had a correspondent at Berlin, which was not many miles distant from the
-wrecked village. Mr. Johnson ordered this correspondent to the scene at
-once, and made what arrangements he could with the telegraph company to
-expedite the handling of the despatches that might be filed. Then he
-called up Jimmy.
-
-"We have just had a flash from the A. P.," he said, "about a dam that
-has burst north of Berlin, New Hampshire, partly wiping out the town of
-Northend. It won't be possible for you to do anything to-night, I
-suppose, but I wish you would take off at daybreak and get up there as
-quick as you can. The place is in the very peak of the State. It's the
-northernmost town. We will get the general story through the A. P. and I
-have sent our Berlin correspondent. But we want a story by a staff
-member. Get all the incidents you can--the sort of stuff you and Handley
-gathered at Cleveland--and in particular get lots of pictures. We need
-the pictures especially. Get back here at the earliest moment you can."
-
-"All right, Mr. Johnson," said Jimmy, "but I won't wait until morning.
-I'll take off at once. I can follow the New York to Boston lighted
-airway and stop at Springfield for the night. I know the way well. I
-could go all the way, but I don't know anything about the airports up in
-the White Mountains. I might have trouble in landing. So I'll stay at
-Springfield for the night and hop off from there at dawn. That will get
-me there early in the morning."
-
-"Good," replied the managing editor. "That ought to get you back here by
-late afternoon. Good-bye and good luck to you."
-
-Jimmy hopped off as soon as he could get ready. He was glad to be in the
-air again, happy to have a real task ahead of him. To be sure, there was
-nothing apparently difficult about this job. There was plenty of time,
-and the work ought to be easy. But Jimmy already knew enough about
-newspaper work to understand that one can never tell what will develop
-in any story. Before he got through with it, this assignment might bring
-him some thrilling experiences. At any rate, here was another chance to
-make good. This time he was wholly on his own.
-
-Furthermore, the night was perfect. In flying language it was a "C. A.
-V. U." night--a night with ceiling and visibility unlimited. Not a cloud
-flecked the sky. The deep blue inverted bowl of the heavens seemed
-immeasurable. Myriads of stars hung in the firmament. So clear was the
-atmosphere that they made the night luminous. Indeed, the stars alone
-would have lighted the earth. But a glowing young moon added its
-brilliant beams, making the night almost like day. It was an evening to
-gladden a pilot's heart.
-
-It did gladden Jimmy's. He felt so gay and frolicsome that he could
-hardly refrain from doing a few barrel rolls, or looping the loop, or in
-some other way giving expression to his mood. But when he remembered
-that he was a fully accredited member of the staff of a great newspaper,
-and saw that it would not be seemly for a real reporter to be doing
-somersaults like a child, he restrained himself and flew along soberly
-enough. Yet his heart was singing gaily.
-
-It was little more than nine o'clock when Jimmy hopped off from the Long
-Island airport. He had only a trifle more than 100 miles to go. He could
-make it easily in an hour, and in much less time if he chose to do so.
-But there was no call for haste, and Jimmy didn't want to get to
-Springfield too soon. He was enjoying the night and the ride altogether
-too much. So he flew along at a lazy gait.
-
-He had crossed the upper part of New York City, so that he could fly
-over the East River rather than the Sound. And he had picked up the line
-of beacons that marks the airway from Newark to Boston. Ahead of him he
-could see revolving beacon after beacon, at ten-mile intervals, as one
-sees street lamps stretching along a city boulevard. The way was as
-evident as Broadway at noon. But on a night like this Jimmy didn't need
-any lights on earth to guide him. The beacon lights in the heavens would
-have guided him anywhere.
-
-It seemed to him that he reached Hartford, the capital city of
-Connecticut, in no time. Below him he could see the lights of the city,
-stretching in long rows for miles, like orchards of lights. Ever so
-plainly he could see the familiar landing field, where the pilots stop
-to pick up mail. It was all aglow with its encircling white boundary
-lights, its green lights that show the descending pilot the best way of
-approach, its red markers on top of buildings and telephone poles, to
-tell the pilot where danger lurks aloft, and its clustered lights and
-beacons at the hangar. Jimmy had been there often and knew the place
-well.
-
-From Hartford to Springfield was such a mere hop that Jimmy didn't want
-to stop when he reached the latter city. If he could not play, at least
-he could express his feelings by extending this wonderful flight a
-trifle. He wondered where he should go. Then he thought of an old
-friend--a lad he had not seen for a long time--another member of the
-Wireless Patrol--Carl Dexter.
-
-Jimmy had visited him once, after Carl moved away from Pennsylvania. He
-knew where Carl's home was. It was in the town of Wilbraham, in
-Massachusetts, only a few miles from Springfield. Of course, Jimmy had
-no hope of seeing Carl, but he thought he would fly over the lad's home
-and take a look at the region. He liked it greatly, and it held pleasant
-memories for him. If he could not see Carl he could at least drop him a
-note, saying that he had passed in the night. Perhaps Carl might even
-see his plane and remember about the incident. He would circle around
-the place and perhaps the family might notice his plane. So, instead of
-landing at Springfield, Jimmy remained in the air.
-
-He flew lazily over the city, to take a look at it by moonlight. He
-could see everything plainly. There was the peaceful Connecticut River,
-asleep under the rays of the moon, and the brightly lighted memorial
-bridge that crossed it. At a distance rose the high tower he had had in
-mind as a guiding light, with its great lamp glowing aloft. And only a
-few miles distant, shining almost level with his eyes, was the flashing
-beacon on Mt. Tom. It was all familiar to Jimmy. He was glad to see it
-again.
-
-When he had flown over the city, he banked sharply to the right and
-turned to the east, trying to pick out the clustered lights of the
-village of Wilbraham, which was less than nine miles distant. In five
-minutes he was over the place. Just beyond, he could plainly see the
-bulk of Springfield Mountain. It lay dead ahead of him. At the foot of
-it he saw a long line of lights that marked the country highway. Here
-and there shone the lamps of snug little homes. On the slope of the
-mountain scattered lights betrayed the presence of other country
-dwellings. If he kept straight on, Jimmy would have to fly right over
-the mountain. But just now he had no intention whatever of attempting to
-fly over the mountain. He kicked his rudder and shoved his stick over
-until he was flying parallel with the ridge. Then cautiously he began to
-descend. He was trying to find the house in which his friend lived. It
-was on the slope of the mountain, perhaps a mile or two from the
-village. Jimmy recalled that fact distinctly.
-
-He dropped down as low as he dared. He was within four hundred feet of
-the ground. He could see every feature of the landscape sharply in the
-bright moonlight. But it was a little difficult to pick out one
-particular house, when he had visited the neighborhood only once and had
-never seen the region from the air. So he had to swing about in a great
-circle. That took him a little closer to the mountain than he had
-intended to fly. But the air was calm and he did not anticipate any
-danger.
-
-Now, as he circled close to the slope of the hill, he saw, here and
-there, little homes tucked away in little farms on the wooded side of
-the mountain. The moonlight glistening on the dewy roofs made them shine
-out startlingly.
-
-But suddenly he saw something that made him catch his breath. From a
-window of one of these hillside homes flames were licking upward. At
-first Jimmy doubted his own eyes. But a second glance told him he was
-not mistaken. The flames grew swiftly in intensity, and leaping tongues
-of fire were soon shooting from several windows. Even from his position
-high in the air Jimmy could see that the fire was in the first floor of
-the building. The flames were now lighting the place up brightly.
-
-Jimmy came down a little lower and circled above the house. Nowhere
-could he see a sign of life. He glanced at his clock. It was almost
-ten-thirty. "All abed and sound asleep," muttered Jimmy. "They'll all be
-roasted sure if some one doesn't waken them."
-
-He circled lower. Nowhere could he see a soul. Yet the place had the
-appearance of being inhabited. Close by, in the barnyard, Jimmy saw
-cattle. Then he _knew_ the place was occupied. Now he saw a dog running
-about excitedly. Meantime, the flames grew brighter and brighter. The
-first floor windows were fairly belching smoke and flames.
-
-Something must be done to save the family so sound asleep in this
-isolated home. For a second Jimmy glanced about to see if there was a
-field handy where he could land. It was some distance to the nearest
-one. Whatever was to be done must be done instantly. There was no time
-to hunt out a landing place.
-
-Without a moment's hesitation Jimmy circled back toward the house. He
-shoved his stick over and nosed his plane downward. Then he gave her the
-gun. The ship shot earthward like a meteor. She gained tremendous speed.
-Jimmy flew her straight at the blazing house. When he was so close it
-seemed as though he could not possibly avoid crashing into the
-structure, he pulled back on his stick and zoomed up over the housetop,
-his engine beating with a thunderous roar.
-
-Swiftly he circled and bore back toward the doomed habitation. Again he
-dived at it, like a hawk after a pigeon, and again he zoomed up over the
-housetop. His engine, racing at full speed, set the mountain to echoing
-with mighty reverberations. The dog, the poultry, everything that could
-make a noise was adding to the uproar, so terrified were they.
-
-Now Jimmy came close to the house and on level keel circled as close to
-it as he could. All the while his engine was thundering at high speed.
-Round and round he circled, watching the place closely, hoping that he
-would accomplish his purpose before it was too late.
-
-At last he saw a head poked from a window. Another followed. The family
-was at last awake. Jimmy drew a breath of relief and instantly lifted
-his plane to a higher altitude. He had gotten dangerously close to the
-tree tops.
-
-There was nothing more he could do in his plane. He wanted to help these
-unfortunate folks. Perhaps the barn and the live stock could be saved,
-even if the dwelling was doomed. But Jimmy could give no assistance in a
-plane. He must get to the ground.
-
-He flew out toward the open farm land. There were fields everywhere.
-Most of them were too little for his purpose. But not far away he saw a
-field that seemed to stretch for hundreds of yards along the roadway,
-which here parallels the mountain. Jimmy could see it plainly in the
-moonlight. It looked smooth and safe. Jimmy judged it was a mowing, or
-hayfield. He swooped toward it. At the far end of the field he could
-dimly discern on a little ridge of land a great barn with a huge silo. A
-low white dwelling rose between it and the road. The sight reassured
-him. The field _must_ be a smooth mowing. He felt certain now that he
-could land in safety. He circled, so as to approach the field again from
-the lower end, dropped a flare, switched on his landing lights, and came
-down sharply over the trees that lined the end of the field. He could
-see well. He noticed that the field sloped upward slightly toward the
-distant house and barn. Bringing his plane down almost to the earth, he
-straightened her out, and just as his wheels were about to touch the
-ground lifted her nose a trifle. A second later he set her down
-perfectly, shut off his gas, and let the ship roll up the little slope
-to a standstill.
-
-Jimmy was out of the ship and out of his parachute like a flash. But
-already near-by dwellers were collecting around his plane.
-
-"There's a house on fire on the mountain," cried Jimmy. "Everybody in it
-was sound asleep until I woke them a moment ago. They need help. They
-may be burning to death. Come on. Who knows the way?"
-
-"This way," shouted a lad who had just come up. "Follow me."
-
-The entire group raced after him, as he ran down the highway, then
-turned into a wood road that led directly up the slope of the mountain.
-
-Now it was plain enough that something was burning. Through the trees
-shone a red glare, and the sky above was rosy with the flames. Showers
-of sparks could be seen shooting skyward. The wood road appeared to lead
-directly toward the burning house, which was located at no great
-distance from the main highway.
-
-Up the road they raced as fast as they could travel. The entire
-countryside seemed to be lighted by the fire. In no time they reached
-the burning building. The first floor was a mass of flames, and the fire
-was rapidly eating its way to the roof. The owner had escaped, with his
-wife and two children; but a grown lad, who slept on the third floor,
-was trapped and could be seen leaning from an attic window. The father
-was trying to rescue him.
-
-He had gotten a ladder, but it was many feet too short. There was no
-apparent way to reach the lad. The father was part way up the ladder. He
-was calling to the boy to jump into his arms.
-
-"Wait!" cried Jimmy, as he rushed up. "Don't do that. You'll both be
-hurt. There must be some other way." His mind was working fast. An idea
-came to him. "Have you a rope?" he demanded.
-
-"Sure. A long hay rope."
-
-"Let me have it quick," said Jimmy. "We can save him with that."
-
-The rope was fetched. From his pocket Jimmy took a ball of twine he had
-been using back at his hangar. The twine was thin but strong. He picked
-up a long, thin stone, tied one end of the twine to it, called to the
-lad in the window to catch it, and threw the stone up to him. The first
-attempt failed. Jimmy threw the stone up again and the lad caught it.
-Jimmy tied the twine to the hay rope. Fearful lest the heavy rope break
-the twine, he mounted the ladder almost to its topmost rung, gathered up
-a great length of the rope to take the weight from the twine, and held
-the rope up toward the lad above him.
-
-"Pull it up carefully, but hurry," he said. "It's hot on this ladder."
-
-Quickly the lad hauled up the twine, then carefully raised the rope
-until he could clutch the end of it. A cry of relief went up from the
-watching crowd as he grasped the rope. The lad disappeared within the
-attic, dragging the rope behind him. In a moment he reappeared at the
-window, slid out over the sill, and on down to the ladder. He had
-fastened the rope within the attic. Jimmy tarried on the ladder until
-the lad's feet were firmly planted on a rung. Then he scrambled to
-earth, quickly followed by the lad he had rescued.
-
-Once they were on the ground, the lad turned to Jimmy and held out his
-hand. Both boys gave a cry of astonishment. The lad who had just slid
-down the rope was Carl Dexter, Jimmy's old friend in the Wireless
-Patrol. They grasped hands eagerly and greeted one another in a manner
-that astonished the crowd.
-
-"Carl!" cried Jimmy. "I had no idea that was you. The light was so
-flickering and uncertain, and your hair is rumpled and I just didn't
-recognize you. I didn't know your father, either, but that is not
-strange. He has grown a beard since I saw him. I suppose I have grown so
-in the years since we met that he didn't know me either. I'm awfully
-glad to see you. It has been more than two years since we met."
-
-"No more than I am to see you, Jimmy. But it's terrible to see you under
-these circumstances. How did you get here? What brought you here?"
-
-"I'll tell you all about that later," said Jimmy. "We've got to try to
-save the barn just now. The house will go sure."
-
-They ran to the endangered structure and found most of the neighbors
-battling hard to protect it. A bucket brigade had been formed. Water was
-being thrown on roof and wall. The dwelling was absolutely doomed. In
-the end, after a hard battle, the firemen succeeded in saving the barn,
-some other outbuildings, and all the stock and implements.
-
-When a lull came in the fire fighting, Jimmy and his old friend drew off
-to one side, and Jimmy began to tell Carl how he happened to be flying
-in the neighborhood and how he discovered the fire. Suddenly he stopped
-talking and a strange look came into his face. He seemed to be debating
-something in his mind.
-
-"Carl," he said, "I'm in a queer position. I have no business to be here
-at all. I ought to be in Springfield. My managing editor thinks I am
-there. Gee! He might even have been trying to get me. He may have some
-orders for me. I never thought of that. I could slip right back there
-and maybe he'd never know the difference. But here's a story. It's a
-good story, even if I did have a part in it. The _Press_ ought to have
-it. Maybe we can scoop the other New York papers on it. I'm going to
-shoot it in as quick as I can, no matter what the Old Man says about my
-taking too much rope. He can fire me if he wants to. But I'm not going
-to see the _Press_ beaten on its own story. Gee! He'd fire me for that,
-sure. How can I get to a telegraph office quickest?"
-
-"In a motor car, I should think. Thank heaven the barn didn't burn. Our
-car is in it. I'll pull on some trousers and----By Jove! I don't own any
-trousers. They are all burned up. I'll go as I am. And I'll get you to
-the telegraph office as fast as gasoline will take us."
-
-He did. Jimmy ran into the office and began to write. He handed the
-sheets to the operator as fast as they were written, with the injunction
-to rush the stuff. The operator ticked off the story as Jimmy wrote.
-
-Because he was full of the matter, and because he could see so vividly
-in his mind the scene he was describing, Jimmy once more wrote a
-gripping story. He told in simple words how the pilot of the _Morning
-Press_ plane, flying over Wilbraham, had noticed flames issuing from a
-hillside home; how the pilot had awakened the sleeping inmates by diving
-at the house with roaring motor; how later the pilot and a farm boy had
-saved the life of a lad trapped in the third floor of the burning
-building; and how this rescued youth had proved to be a lifelong friend
-of the pilot.
-
-"Gee," said Jimmy, when he had finished the story, "I slipped up there.
-I forgot to get the name of that farm boy. I'll let it go now, but I'll
-be more careful next time."
-
-Then he wrote another message. It was to the managing editor.
-
-At once the managing editor got into touch with him by telephone.
-
-"We have further news about the New Hampshire flood," he said. "It's
-even bigger than I thought. I'm sorry I didn't send another man with
-you."
-
-"I've got a friend here," answered Jimmy, "who could help me if you are
-willing. It's the lad we just saved from the fire. He's an old friend. I
-can make good use of him. Shall I take him?"
-
-"Get anybody you can who can help you," was the answer.
-
-Jimmy called out to Carl: "Could you go on up to New Hampshire with me
-and help me cover a flood story?"
-
-"If they can spare me at home, I'll go gladly if it will help you any."
-
-Jimmy turned back to the telephone. "I think it is all right, Mr.
-Johnson," he said.
-
-"Very well. Make all the speed you can. This is a big story and all the
-papers will be after it hot. Use the telegraph or the telephone if you
-break down. Make sure that we get the story and get it in plenty of
-time. And don't forget that we want good pictures. They are more
-important than the story. We'll get a story from the A. P., anyway. The
-telegraph editor tells me you just sent in a rattling good story about a
-fire. Keep it up. Get us an even better one about the flood. Good-bye."
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER IX
-
-                   Covering a Great Flood by Airplane
-
-
-When Jimmy explained to Mr. Dexter that he needed help the next day and
-had asked Carl to assist him, Mr. Dexter reluctantly consented for Carl
-to go with him. Carl was really needed at home in this emergency, for
-there would be much to do. But Mr. Dexter was so grateful to Jimmy for
-saving his son's life, and for perhaps saving all their lives, that he
-did not feel as though he could refuse the request. So it was settled
-that Carl and Jimmy should take off at dawn the next morning.
-
-Neighbors lent the lad some shoes and clothes. And though these did not
-look very well, they answered the purpose all right. The question of
-shelter for the night was solved with equal ease. Neighbors took the
-homeless family into their own homes. Jimmy wanted to be near his plane.
-The lad who had guided Jimmy from his plane to the burning home said
-that his grandfather lived in the white house by the mowing where the
-plane was standing, and would be glad to take the two fliers in for the
-night. So Jimmy and Carl found themselves housed for the night in a very
-comfortable home, close by the airplane. They were assured that no one
-would molest the ship, for the big farm dog would drive off all
-intruders.
-
-Relieved in his mind, Jimmy prepared to get some sleep, in preparation
-for the hard day he foresaw for the morrow. But before he went to bed,
-he got out his maps and studied the topography of the region over which
-he had to fly the next day. Northend, the town that had been wiped out
-by the flood, was some miles north of Berlin. It was at the lower end of
-a little valley, which was almost entirely surrounded by mountains. The
-Androscoggin River flowed through the little city.
-
-"It's plain enough what has happened," said Jimmy to Carl. "There must
-have been a dam up the river and it gave way. There was no place for the
-wall of water to go but straight through the heart of Northend. These
-two mountains at the southern end of the town are like the shoulders of
-a bottle. There's only a narrow neck between them, for the water to pass
-through. If this jammed up with debris, the whole town would be under
-water."
-
-They studied the map in silence for a few moments. "Gee!" said Carl.
-"There's plenty of mountains up there. How are you going to get there?"
-
-"We'll fly directly up the Connecticut River, between Vermont and New
-Hampshire, until we pass South Columbia. Then we'll fly east past the
-mountains until we strike the Androscoggin. We'll follow that stream
-south to Northend. What we'll do for a landing-place I don't know. The
-map doesn't look very promising. But I suspect we can pick out some
-place that will answer. Anyway, we'll cross that bridge when we get to
-it. But you can remember to watch for possible landing-places after we
-leave the Connecticut to-morrow. That's a rough country up there in
-northern New Hampshire."
-
-Their thoughtful hosts looked after the lads' every need, even to
-lending them an alarm clock. Soon the boys were sound asleep in a bed as
-soft as down. It had been an exciting day for both of them, and each was
-ready for slumber.
-
-When the alarm rang, Jimmy sat up in bed indignantly. "Confound that
-thing!" he said. "Something's wrong with it. We haven't been abed ten
-minutes."
-
-But his watch showed him that the only thing wrong was his own sense of
-time. It was almost dawn. The boys arose instantly and dressed quietly,
-so as not to disturb their hosts. They tiptoed down-stairs, their shoes
-in their hands. But when they reached the kitchen there was a surprise
-in store for them. Their hostess was not only up and dressed, but a
-substantial breakfast awaited them. Jimmy hardly knew what to say or how
-to thank her. She told him the best thanks would be for the two boys to
-eat a good breakfast. In that way they thanked her heartily enough.
-Then, bidding their kind hosts goodbye, the two lads hastened to the
-plane, started the engine, and soon hopped off.
-
-Straight to Springfield they flew, and there Jimmy landed and had his
-supply of gasoline and oil replenished. Then they took off for the
-north, sailing straight up the valley of the Connecticut. On another
-occasion Jimmy would have been glad to fly leisurely along this
-beautiful river and enjoy the fine scenery. But to-day he had no time
-for anything but his job. Well he knew that hard on his heels would come
-rushing a whole company of newspaper men, if indeed some of them had not
-even preceded him in the dark. His job was to get to Northend as quickly
-as he could, and collect the material he needed. An hour's start, he
-knew well, would make all the difference in the world to him. So he
-opened his throttle and pushed his ship along at a fast pace. He had
-considerably more than 200 miles to go, for he was playing safe by
-doubling around the mountains instead of flying directly over them. But
-in considerably less than two hours he had covered the route selected
-and was flying south along the Androscoggin, close to Northend. So far
-he had not seen a plane anywhere, and he believed he was the first news
-flier to reach the scene.
-
-As he came south along the little river, the land began to rise in
-swelling heights to right and left, and the level bottom-land became
-narrower and narrower. Presently the _Morning Press_ fliers found
-themselves almost surrounded by mountains. It was like flying through a
-break in the side of a bowl into the bowl itself. Ahead of them, behind
-them, and to right and left of them, mountains rose, steep, rugged, and
-menacing. And in the very centre of this bowl-like valley lay Northend.
-
-At the present moment the valley was in very truth a bowl, for it was
-fairly covered with water. From mountain to mountain the water reached,
-and what had been the city of Northend looked like a collection of tiny
-islets in the centre of the vast lake. Individual houses and blocks of
-buildings lifted their dark roofs above the turbid waters.
-
-"Makes you think of huckleberries floating in a bowl of milk," Carl
-shouted to Jimmy.
-
-And that was what the scene did resemble. The huckleberries, of course,
-were houses. In the centre of the town the buildings rose in solid
-blocks, like squares of brown bread that had gotten in with the
-huckleberries. But in the residential districts the houses stood apart,
-well separated, and on the very outskirts of the town they were farther
-and farther apart. Isolated homes rose from the flood out in what must
-have been the suburban or rural regions. Nowhere within the limits of
-the city was there a foot of dry ground visible.
-
-"It's terrible," shouted Jimmy. Carl nodded his head.
-
-Jimmy made a complete circle around the little valley, at a good
-elevation. From that height he and Carl could see everything. Their
-vision ranged from mountain to mountain, unobstructed. Nowhere was there
-another plane. Nowhere was there evidence of activity, save in one or
-two places where small boats were being navigated from house to house.
-Jimmy was thrilled at the thought that he was the first outside
-correspondent actually to reach the scene. He resolved that he would
-also be the first to take to the outer world an eye-witness story of the
-disaster. He knew he must work fast to do it. Other newspaper men would
-soon be on his heels. They would be coming in droves.
-
-"Get my camera," he shouted to Carl, "and take a snap or two of the
-scene. Get a picture that shows the whole valley under water, with
-Northend in the centre of it."
-
-Carl could handle a camera, and leaning through an open window, he got
-several good pictures. The rising sun was shining down into the valley
-by this time, illuminating it well.
-
-Now Jimmy brought his ship down in an easy glide until he was not more
-than 200 feet above the flood. He flew back and forth over the town.
-Carl snapped pictures as they flew and Jimmy watched every feature of
-the scene before him. Now he could see many people looking out of the
-upper floors of their homes. He could trace the course of the river by
-the line of debris and wreckage. For the flood had gone tearing through
-the city, wrecking, smashing, demolishing everything in its pathway.
-Before it had been swept a vast mass of material, consisting of
-outbuildings, uprooted trees, broken telephone poles, railroad ties, old
-boats, wooden bridges, sawlogs, pulp timber, porches, fences,
-boardwalks, demolished homes, and a thousand other objects that the
-rushing waters had wrenched loose or broken down or torn up. And all
-this mass of debris, jamming at the bottle neck, had backed the water up
-and submerged the town. Jimmy had read his map aright.
-
-As he flew, Jimmy made mental note of striking things he saw. Here was a
-house tilting at an unbelievable angle, its underpinning evidently
-washed away. Here were motor cars standing on their roofs, only their
-four wheels showing above the flood. Here were the remains of an iron
-bridge that must have weighed scores of tons. Yet the iron work was
-rolled into a great mass, like a ball of rope, and the whole thing
-rested on a smashed front porch of a home. The entire front of the house
-was caved in by the force of the blow struck by the iron. Here were
-railroad cars turned upside down.
-
-Through the centre of the town was a wide gap between rows of buildings.
-At first Jimmy did not catch the significance of this. He thought it was
-the river bed. Then something reminded him of the stream as he had seen
-it a few miles above Northend. There it was only a little river, a few
-rods wide. This breach in the centre of the town was of vast width.
-Suddenly Jimmy understood. Whole blocks of houses had been washed away.
-They must be jammed up with the other debris at the bottle neck below.
-He shuddered at the thought. The loss of life must have been appalling.
-
-Along either side of this wide pathway of death, the flood waters had
-left their marks. Debris of every conceivable sort had been washed up on
-either side of the furrow the flood had plowed through the town, and
-there a million odd things had lodged. Old boxes, chicken-coops, boards,
-timbers, door-steps, wooden gates, tin cans, and a multitude of other
-things had been forced in between houses or up on porches, or through
-first floor windows, until the scene was terrible beyond description. It
-was plain enough where the wall of water from the broken dam had gone
-surging through the town. Like a giant among pygmies, it had mowed down
-everything in its path.
-
-Back and forth Jimmy flew over the distressed city. On the flat tops of
-business buildings he saw many people. The upper floors of buildings
-seemed to teem with people. On the hills opposite the town he now saw
-figures moving. He judged they were people who had reached the heights
-before the flood overwhelmed the city, or else they were folks from the
-neighborhood who had come to the assistance of the marooned townspeople.
-Long ago, all those who could be rescued had been rescued, or had gone
-to their deaths. How many of them there were and who they were Jimmy
-could not even guess. But he knew the total must be terrible. He could
-not help to save anybody, but he could get into touch with the survivors
-and get the story of the disaster. He began to look about for some means
-of accomplishing this end.
-
-Near the centre of the town was a building that stood up one or two
-stories higher than any other structure in the city. It was a great
-squarish building, that looked as firm as Gibraltar. Jimmy had noticed
-it as soon as he reached the town. He couldn't help noticing it. And he
-also saw that there were people on the flat roof. Now he flew toward
-this building, dropping as low as he dared to come. Suddenly his eye
-shone with pleasure. On the front of the structure he caught sight of a
-large sign, with the gilded name "Northend _Daily News_." He glanced at
-the group of people on the roof. He was so close to them that he could
-almost tell the color of their eyes. To his astonishment he saw that a
-desk had been carried to the roof, together with many chairs, and that a
-man was seated at the desk, busily typewriting.
-
-The sight stirred Jimmy's heart. "It's the editor of the Northend _News_
-writing the story of the flood. I'll bet a dollar it is," thought Jimmy.
-"If only I can get that story, the _Morning Press_ will have the biggest
-scoop in years."
-
-He pulled out a pad and scribbled on it as he flew: "Have you the story
-of the flood? Can I get it from you? I am from the New York _Press_."
-Then he turned to Carl. "In my tool kit you'll find a large spool of
-safety wire," he said. "Get that out, put a weight on it, and tie this
-note to it."
-
-Carl fished out the wire, weighted one end of it with a monkey-wrench,
-and tied the note to it. Then Jimmy headed directly into the stiff
-breeze which was coming up, and when they neared the building again
-throttled his engine down until the ship seemed hardly to have any
-forward motion. Carl, meantime, had paid out the wire. Several men on
-the roof grabbed for the message, but all missed it. Jimmy made a circle
-and once more flew over the roof. This time some one caught the note.
-
-Jimmy circled the town and flew back over the _News_ building. Now he
-saw white marks on the roof. Some one had been making great letters with
-a piece of chalk. They were a message for him. This is what they said.
-"Have entire story. Press room flooded. Have made mats. Can you take to
-Berlin and arrange to have edition printed and sent here? A truck can
-reach west side of town by the hill road."
-
-When Jimmy read that he couldn't suppress a whoop. "Carl," he cried.
-"Just think! He's got the story set up and the mats made for casting the
-stereotype plates. If we can get those mats, we can get proofs of the
-whole story. It'll be the beat of the year."
-
-He scribbled another note. "Will land and try to reach you. Have
-everything ready. Will fly to Berlin with the mats and make arrangements
-for edition for you." The next time he flew over the _News_ building,
-this message was skilfully dropped by Carl and caught by the group on
-the roof.
-
-"They got it," shouted Carl.
-
-Jimmy smiled and nodded. Then he pulled back on his stick, lifted his
-plane to a higher elevation, and went soaring straight toward the
-nearest hillside, looking for a possible landing-place.
-
-On a hillside farm he found a place that looked favorable. Twice he flew
-over the place studying it. The ground seemed rough. He was fearful of
-it. But he saw no better place and decided to chance it. He came down in
-a long glide, barely missing some trees. Then he straightened out for a
-landing. His plane was just skimming the ground, and Jimmy was waiting
-for it to lose flying speed when he noticed a low stone wall at the
-other end of the field. Jimmy knew he was overshooting too much to dare
-attempt to kill his surplus speed by fish-tailing. He burst the gun wide
-open and eased back on the stick. In a second the ship was once more
-over the tree tops, and Jimmy circled back again into the wind for
-another try at the field. He did a nose high slip and then proceeded in
-disgust to pancake her in. It was a dangerous move, even for the most
-skilled pilot, for always there is danger of falling off on one wing,
-due to a lack of flying speed. The ship was settling vertically. Just
-before she hit, Jimmy burst the gun half open to give her a little more
-forward speed, so she would not settle so hard on her undercarriage.
-Then she struck, but not hard enough to break anything. Rapidly she came
-to rest. With a sigh of relief he throttled down his engine and climbed
-from the plane. He let his motor idle for a few minutes, then cut the
-switch.
-
-"We'll go over to those folks yonder and talk to them," he said,
-starting toward a group of people who were doing something at a
-distance.
-
-They hurried to the workers. A number of people who lived on the hills
-were busy making rafts at the water's edge to rescue the marooned; for
-there were many folks in the flooded area whose position was still
-precarious. Jimmy talked to the workers. They told him the story of the
-breaking of the dam. This was a huge reservoir in the hills, only a
-short distance above the city. Continuous rains to the north had swollen
-every brook and rivulet until the impounded water had reached a
-threatening height. There was anxiety about the dam, but no actual fear
-of its breaking. Then suddenly, without warning, the dam had slid from
-its foundations, releasing the entire body of water at once. That was
-what made the catastrophe so awful.
-
-A wall of water thirty feet high had swept down the valley. Naturally it
-followed the trough of the Androscoggin. That stream, already bank full,
-could not hold another drop. The result was appalling. Straight through
-the town the huge wall of water had gone, thundering and destroying,
-smashing and devastating, sweeping away houses as though they had been
-chips. Whole blocks of buildings, on either bank of the stream, had been
-picked up and swept down-stream. Jimmy's guess was correct.
-
-Scores had been killed or were missing. Had the disaster occurred in the
-daytime, it might have been possible to save many of them. But coming as
-it did, just at nightfall, the flood had done its worst. To venture out
-into the roaring waters in the dark was sheer suicide. There had been
-some rescues. They told Jimmy about those they knew of. There had been
-many deeds of daring. Jimmy learned the stories. Now a great effort was
-being made to save those who were still in danger. For the waters were
-yet deep and the current swift. Indeed, in the centre of the town the
-water was still eight feet deep and sweeping along swiftly, cutting away
-ground, undermining houses, uprooting poles, and spreading destruction.
-The work of rescue had been made difficult through the loss of boats.
-Most of the boats in the town had been swept away in the first fierce
-rush of water.
-
-There was one little boat at hand. It was a rickety, sorry-looking
-craft, and it evidently leaked badly. But still it was a boat. Jimmy
-looked at it. He decided that it would hold together for a few hours
-longer.
-
-"Who owns this boat?" he inquired.
-
-"I do," said a farmer. "But it ain't much of a boat. I caught it in the
-flood last night."
-
-"I'll give you five dollars for it for one hour," said Jimmy.
-
-"You can have it," said the farmer, "but I warn you it ain't safe to get
-in it. We tried it and had to come back. The thing almost sunk with us."
-
-"We'll try it," said Jimmy. "Got something we can bail with?"
-
-The farmer got them an old pail. There were oars in the boat. Jimmy got
-two strong poles from a pile of wood that lay near.
-
-"Come on, Carl," he said, stepping toward the craft. "Let's empty her."
-
-They drew the boat ashore and turned it on its side. When the water had
-run out, they pushed the craft into the flood, stepped carefully into
-it, and shoved off. The farmer's description had not been exaggerated.
-Water began to seep into the boat rapidly.
-
-"Take the oars and row as hard as you can, Carl," said Jimmy. "I'll bail
-and tell you how to pull."
-
-Carl began to row rapidly, and Jimmy started to throw out the water. By
-bailing vigorously he could just about keep up with it. They made good
-progress until they came to the built up part of the town. Here the
-water rushing between the houses caused eddies and delaying currents.
-But they kept on steadily, Jimmy telling Carl which way to pull, while
-he himself tossed out bucket after bucket of water. Without the bucket
-they would have sunk in a short time.
-
-They drove straight out toward the street on which the _News_ building
-stood. There they turned and floated straight down the street with the
-current. The waters were still tearing along between the houses at a
-terrifying rate. It was appalling to think what it must have been like
-when the flood was at its crest. There was little to do now except bail
-and steer. There was still plenty of drifting debris in the water, and
-this made it dangerous. Always there was the chance that some half
-sunken log, swirling up beneath them, would overturn their boat and
-catapult them into the flood.
-
-They drew near the _News_ building. "We've got to be sure we make it,"
-said Jimmy. "If we are carried past, it will be a deuce of a job getting
-back. Get your rope in hand. Put your oars in the boat. I'll steer her
-with a pole. Grab a window-frame. I'll knock out the glass if
-necessary."
-
-They drew swiftly near the _News_ building. It had suffered, like every
-other building in town. The water was up to the second story. Apparently
-it was going to be difficult to make a landing.
-
-"Get ready now," cautioned Jimmy. "If we miss her, I'll try to shoot the
-boat around the corner of the building. There'll be an eddy there. Grab
-anything you can catch hold of, and hold fast to your rope."
-
-Jimmy forced the boat toward a second-story window. The window was
-closed. It looked as though they would have a hard time to make an
-entrance. Jimmy raised his pole to smash the glass. He was just about to
-strike, when the sash was flung up and a man's head thrust through the
-window.
-
-"Give me your rope, quick," said the man.
-
-Carl thrust out his hand with the rope. The man took the rope and
-carefully snubbed the boat. "Look out," he cried. "Watch that you don't
-get thrown out."
-
-The boat swung round in the current and came to rest alongside the
-building. Jimmy and Carl climbed carefully through the window, helped by
-the man within.
-
-"We are the fliers who dropped you the message," said Jimmy. "We've come
-for the mats."
-
-"Good," said the man. "Come up on the roof and talk to the boss."
-
-They ran up the steps to the roof. There sat the man Jimmy had seen at
-the desk. He was still typewriting. Jimmy made himself known.
-
-"I'm from the New York _Morning Press_," he said. "Tell me about the
-flood, and about your own situation and what you want me to do."
-
-"No use to tell you anything," said the editor. "Every word I know about
-the flood is already in type. You can have complete proofs of it if you
-will take my mats to the office of the Berlin newspaper and get them to
-print the edition. I want 5,000 copies. They can send them back here by
-truck or any way they wish, but I must have them at the first possible
-moment. We'll establish headquarters over on the shore, near the place
-from which you started. We've been watching every move you made. That's
-near the highway that skirts the west side of the valley. Tell them to
-send their papers there just as quick as they can get them printed. By
-that time the water will have gone down some and maybe altogether. They
-are making arrangements to dynamite the jam at the gorge below town.
-That will let the water drain out."
-
-Meantime, a printer had been wrapping the mats up carefully in oiled
-paper. Another man had attached a long rope to Jimmy's boat and had
-worked the boat around into the eddy at the down-stream side of the
-building. Still another printer came to the roof with duplicate sets of
-proofs for Jimmy.
-
-The latter assured the _News_ editor that he would not fail to carry out
-his commission. "I ask just one thing," he said. "Give me an assurance
-that I have a start over the next reporter."
-
-"I'll do that," said the editor. "I can't hold out any news, if any
-reporter questions me, but I'll give out no more proofs. That's only
-fair. It's in return for your help. Now you'll have to be hurrying, for
-there comes your first competitor."
-
-Jimmy whirled and looked upward. Sure enough, there was another plane
-coming down the valley.
-
-Jimmy delayed only long enough to talk to some of the men on the roof.
-He soon found they knew little except the general story of the flood.
-They were all employees of the _News_. All had been at work in the
-building when the flood overwhelmed the town on the previous evening.
-They had remained there because they believed they were safe in the big
-steel and stone structure. But reporters had managed to get abroad and
-before the telephone lines were all down they had telephoned in dozens
-of stories about the flood. Later some of them had made their way back
-to the _News_ building in a boat, with detailed stories of rescues,
-deaths and drownings, heroic acts, and the names of the flood victims
-whose bodies had been recovered and identified. And now Jimmy had proofs
-of all their stories, together with all the tales he and Carl had picked
-up, and their photographs and mental pictures of what was left of
-Northend.
-
-No wonder Jimmy wanted to be off with this treasure trove, when he saw a
-competitor winging toward the town. Bidding farewell to the _News_
-editor, Jimmy and Carl carefully entered their boat, bailed it, and
-shoved off. The trip back was even harder than the journey out to the
-_News_ building, for now Jimmy had a great roll of mats to keep dry. He
-was forced to bail with one hand. It was difficult work to keep up with
-the incoming water, but he toiled like a Trojan and almost kept up. By
-the time they reached the shore there must have been two inches of water
-in the boat, but that meant nothing to either lad.
-
-Jimmy paid the farmer for the use of his boat. He delayed a little to
-ask further questions about the flood, and picked up additional
-incidents; for several people had joined the rescue group while he and
-Carl were gone. Just as Jimmy was starting for his ship, he saw that the
-other airplane was landing close to where his own ship stood. He delayed
-to see who the newcomer was. He was sorry enough he had waited, when the
-latter stepped from his plane. It was Rand, a man who formerly worked
-for the _Morning Press_ and who had been discharged by Mr. Johnson
-because he utterly failed to solve the problem of the air mail bandits,
-whereas Jimmy had uncovered the whole story.
-
-Even before that event occurred, Rand had disliked Jimmy. But since Rand
-had been discharged by the _Morning Press_ he had hated Jimmy with
-malignant intensity. He had done everything he could, at every turn, to
-trick and discredit him. And Jimmy knew well that the fellow would
-hardly stop at anything to accomplish his purpose. Now Jimmy walked
-briskly by him, merely nodding. But Rand answered the nod with a cutting
-oath.
-
-In a few minutes Jimmy and Carl hopped off for Berlin. Almost straight
-south they flew, with the Milan Hills on their right and the
-Chickwolrepy Mountain on their left. It was no distance at all to
-Berlin. At least, it took almost no time at all to reach that city. But
-Jimmy had to circle several times before he was willing to land. Even
-then he was fearful of the result. For the only place that looked
-possible was the flat land along the river, and this had been under
-water. Even yet there were little pools here and there in the
-depressions. Jimmy was afraid his plane might bog down and nose over. If
-it did, that was the end of his flight--the flight that promised so much
-for him.
-
-For a moment he was tempted to go on, and mail the mats back from the
-next town. But he had promised to put them in the hands of the Berlin
-editor. Jimmy always tried to make his word as good as his bond. So now,
-after studying the ground carefully, he picked out the most promising
-looking spot and came down in a long glide. Just as his ship was about
-to hit the ground, he gave her the gun for a second, to increase her
-momentum, set her down on three points, and held his breath. The field
-was not as wet as it looked, and the mud was only surface mud. His ship
-rolled safely to a stop.
-
-Jimmy was out of her in a flash. Throwing off his parachute, and leaving
-Carl to guard the plane, he hurried off with his mats. In no time he
-found the editor of the Berlin paper, delivered the mats and the
-message, and was back at his ship. But on the way he had stopped at a
-garage to engage some gasoline. Soon a tank wagon rolled up, and Jimmy's
-tanks were quickly filled. Then, waving good-bye to the circle of
-admiring small boys, Jimmy hopped off.
-
-A great, bald-faced, precipitous hill rose to the west of the town.
-Jimmy circled over the city, to gain altitude. Below him he noticed the
-great pulp mill and the enormous pile of pulp wood, that rose like a
-little mountain close beside the river. The whole atmosphere was
-redolent of the sulphur used in making paper.
-
-But Jimmy had little interest now in sightseeing. The instant he had
-gained sufficient altitude, he darted away to the west, shot between the
-hills, and sped straight as an arrow to Lancaster, the nearest town on
-the Connecticut.
-
-Then he banked to the left and with throttle opened wide went roaring
-down the valley of that river, over the same route by which he had come.
-He dropped Carl at Springfield, after getting his promise that when
-things were straightened out at home Carl would come to New York to
-visit him.
-
-Again he took off, and this time he did not come to earth again until he
-landed at his home field. A taxi once more took him to the _Press_
-office, where he delivered his news proofs and films to the city editor,
-then sat down and for a long time worked industriously at his
-typewriter, putting down on paper the description of what he had seen
-and learned at Northend.
-
-His trip back to Long Island was a pleasant one. Again he had been equal
-to the occasion. Once more he had made good. But there was one memory of
-his recent trip that left a bad taste in his mouth. That was the thought
-of Rand. On several occasions now he had gotten the better of the
-fellow. Each time Jimmy had triumphed over him, Rand had made his hatred
-more evident, had tried meaner tricks to thwart Jimmy. But never before
-had Rand cursed him at sight or seemed so venomously hostile.
-
-"I'll have to watch him carefully," thought Jimmy. "He is vicious enough
-to do most anything." And Jimmy was right, as coming events were to
-prove.
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER X
-
-                 Jimmy Visits a Lightship off the Coast
-
-
-For some time after his flight to Northend Jimmy found life rather tame.
-No really big stories happened in the eastern part of the country. So
-Jimmy was occupied from day to day with minor tasks that provided little
-excitement. Yet all the while he was learning more about his job. From
-day to day he talked with fellow pilots at the Long Island airport, and
-drew from them as much as he could in the way of helpful suggestions
-about flying. For some of them had had extremely trying experiences.
-Whenever he was with newspaper men Jimmy asked as many questions as he
-could about reporting and news coverage. He bore in mind what the
-managing editor had said to him: "If you continue to improve, you'll
-make a great reporter some day." It was Jimmy's ambition to be one of
-the very best. So he welcomed every experience that added to his
-knowledge.
-
-Even when his work seemed tamest he was acquiring facts and knowledge
-with surprising rapidity; and all that he learned enlarged his
-background and was just so much preparation for the day when he should
-truly become a great reporter. One of his assignments was to fly out to
-an incoming steamer in a seaplane and bring ashore some important news
-photographs from Europe. It was on this flight that Jimmy had his first
-sight of a lightship anchored at sea. He was instructed to meet the
-incoming ship near the Ambrose lightship, off the entrance to the
-Ambrose Channel that leads from the deep water of the sea up to the New
-York harbor.
-
-Jimmy knew the approximate hour of the steamship's arrival at that
-point. He flew out to sea a little early, to be certain that he was on
-time. He was to get the pictures when the ship slowed down to pick up
-the pilot who was to guide her up the channel to her dock. Arrangements
-had been made by wireless with the photographer, who was aboard the
-liner. He was to get the pictures down to Jimmy in the seaplane.
-
-When the latter reached the lightship, the ocean liner was not yet in
-sight. Jimmy decided that he would not fly out to sea to meet her. He
-was a little distrustful of all this vast stretch of water about him. He
-had been ordered to meet the ship when she picked up her pilot. The
-pilot boat was cruising not far away. Jimmy decided that he would come
-down on the water, which was very calm, and take a look at the
-lightship. So he flew close to the vessel, then came down in a long
-glide, and was soon bobbing safely on the gentle swells of the Atlantic.
-
-The lightship was only a few hundred feet distant. Jimmy turned the nose
-of his plane toward the vessel and taxied to a point close to leeward of
-it. He had never seen such a curious craft. It was a clumsy, bunty sort
-of ship, apparently not more than a hundred feet long, with bulging,
-bulky bow, like that of a Dutch canal-boat. The sides of the vessel were
-very high for a ship of her length. The ship was a straw color; and
-painted on her hull in huge letters was the word _Ambrose_. She had two
-masts, and at the top of each mast was apparently a guide light,
-protected by a circular black iron grating, to flash out warning signals
-in the dark.
-
-Jimmy taxied as close to the ship as he dared. The crew of ten or a
-dozen men was lined up along the leeward rail, watching him. Apparently
-the men thought he wished to board the ship, for one of them had a light
-line in his hand. Seeing that, Jimmy decided he would go aboard. He
-scanned the sea and saw no sign of an approaching liner. Then he forced
-his plane a very little closer to the lightship and waited. At once the
-man with the coil of rope drew back his arm and flung the line straight
-toward Jimmy. It sped through the air, uncoiling as it flew, and dropped
-lightly on the fuselage of the plane. Jimmy stepped out on a wing and
-secured the line. In another moment he had been drawn close up to the
-ship. A port opened. A sailor skilfully drew one wing up to the side of
-the ship, holding it so it would not bump the vessel. Jimmy walked out
-on the wing and climbed aboard the vessel. At once his plane was allowed
-to drift a few fathoms to leeward, where it was safe.
-
-The sailors, eager for news from shore, flocked around Jimmy. They plied
-him with questions. When he had answered all they asked, he put a few
-questions himself. He wanted to know about all the interesting things he
-saw. The huge anchor chain and the anchor itself interested Jimmy. The
-chain was the thickest chain Jimmy had ever seen. The links were made of
-iron two inches thick, and each link was strengthened by a cast-iron
-stud. Jimmy whistled when the captain told him that a single fathom of
-the chain weighed close to 200 pounds, and that the entire chain,
-measuring only 120 fathoms, weighed about twelve tons. Of course, the
-chain had to be moved by an engine.
-
-The anchors, too, attracted Jimmy. One of them was at the bottom of the
-sea, of course, but the other was stopped fast at the bow of the vessel,
-ready to be let down at a moment's notice. It was a mushroom anchor, and
-got its name from its shape; for it looked for all the world like a huge
-metal toadstool. The circular edge of the anchor was sharp, so it would
-bite into the bottom of the sea easily.
-
-But the thing that interested Jimmie most was the light. This, the
-captain said, was an occulting white light, that was visible for twelve
-out of every fifteen seconds. The light at the forward masthead is
-always used, excepting when that light is out of commission. Then the
-after light shines.
-
-"If there was a string of lights like this one, each with a distinctive
-flash," said Jimmy, "a fellow could find his way by night at sea as
-easily as he can follow his route on land when he follows the Air Mail
-beacons."
-
-"There is a string of lights all along the coast," said the captain,
-"and each has its distinctive flash. Most of them are on land, but a few
-are floating lights, like this, which mark danger points far out from
-shore."
-
-Jimmy discovered that the great twelve-inch steam fog-whistle blows for
-three seconds in each fifteen, when the fog is bad at this light
-station, and the fog bell rings once every thirty seconds. Once every
-twelve seconds the submarine bell strikes two groups of two strokes
-each. And the radio fog-signal of the _Ambrose_ lightship is a
-continuous string of dashes, exactly like the signal of the radio
-beacons along the lighted airway. Thus, whether a passing ship's captain
-sees the light or merely hears the fog-horn, or detects the radio
-signal, he knows what lightship he is passing.
-
-Jimmy was so much interested in learning about the lightship that he
-could have spent hours aboard of her, but the captain warned him that
-the liner was visible on the horizon. Jimmy knew it was time for him to
-be stirring. His plane was drawn up to the ship and he got carefully
-aboard of her. Soon he was in the air. He came down close to the
-pilot-boat, which was ready to put a pilot aboard the approaching
-steamer. The men on this boat said they would get his photographs for
-him when they put the pilot aboard the liner.
-
-The big steamer came plowing along, her speed gradually lessening, until
-she was practically at a standstill. Meantime a rowboat had taken the
-pilot from the pilot-boat to the side of the liner. The pilot climbed up
-the ladder at the side of the ship and spoke to the photographer who
-stood at the rail, ready with his photographs. These were carefully
-wrapped for protection. He handed them to a sailor who slipped down the
-ladder with them and put them in the hands of one of the men in the
-rowboat. The little craft headed about and pulled for the pilot-boat.
-The liner began to move slowly and presently was steaming away at a
-rapid rate.
-
-Jimmy was all ready to board his plane when the men got back with his
-pictures. He stowed them in his coat, climbed carefully aboard his ship,
-and floated away to a safe distance. Then he rose from the water, headed
-his plane straight for his landing-place on the southern shore of Long
-Island, and went streaking back with his pictures. He gave them to a
-waiting messenger and hustled to get back to his own field.
-
-As he drew near the hangar he noticed great activity. Mechanics were
-bustling about, ships were on the line, ready to take off, and pilots
-were getting into their flying togs. Jimmy knew something was in the
-air. He was just about to ask some one what was up when a mechanic who
-looked after his ship spied him and shouted: "Call up your office. You
-are wanted. There's a big story that broke up in Pennsylvania. I've got
-your ship ready to go at a moment's notice. She's been warming up for
-half an hour."
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER XI
-
-                     Jimmy is Tricked by His Rival
-
-
-In a moment Jimmy was in telephonic communication with his chief. "There
-has been a big coal mine disaster, Jimmy," said Mr. Johnson. "We have
-just received a despatch from Shenandoah about it. The mine is near that
-city. More than one hundred men are believed to have been imprisoned in
-the mine. It is not known how many are dead or whether any of the
-entombed miners are still alive. We want as complete a story of the
-disaster as you can gather in a short time, and we particularly want
-photographs. You've got just about time enough to get there and get some
-photographs before dark. You can pick up your story after you get your
-pictures. Then hustle back here. If you make as good time as you have
-made on some other assignments, you can get back here before 10:30. You
-ought to make it by 11:00 for sure, and you _must_ be here by 11:15. I
-would send Handley with you, but he is in Phillipsburg on a story. I
-will try to get into touch with him by phone, and order him to go to
-Shenandoah, to follow up the story to-morrow."
-
-"I'll do my best, Mr. Johnson," said Jimmy. "Good-bye. I'm off." And in
-less than no time he _was_ off.
-
-The minute Jimmy had reached a safe altitude and was straightened out on
-his course, he began to consider how he should cover this story. He had
-never reported the story of a coal mine disaster. He was a little
-uncertain as to how to get at it.
-
-First of all, there was the matter of topography. Shenandoah was in the
-very heart of the anthracite region in Pennsylvania. That meant it was
-right among the hills. Jimmy knew the region well. It was almost on the
-Air Mail route. In fact, in a straight line it was only three miles from
-Ringtown. But a great ridge--the North Mahanoy Mountain, that towered
-aloft almost 1,900 feet--rose between Ringtown and Shenandoah. The
-highway between the two places, circuitous and winding, was probably
-twice that distance. Jimmy was of course sure that he could make a
-landing at Ringtown. But whether he could do so at Shenandoah or not, he
-did not know. The town itself occupied almost every foot of the level
-land in the little bottom in which it stood. On every side the ground
-rose sharply.
-
-Jimmy managed to get the proper topographic map from his map case.
-Folding it in small compass he studied it as he flew along. The only
-place where there seemed to be even the possibility of making a safe
-landing was in the tiny bottom along Lost Creek, southwest of the town.
-But the more Jimmy studied the map, the more impossible this place
-seemed for his purpose. Jimmy finally decided that he would not take a
-chance. He would land at Ringtown, get a motor car, and drive to
-Shenandoah.
-
-"If Johnnie Lee is home," thought Jimmy, "there won't be a bit of
-trouble about that. Johnnie will take me over there in his car. That
-will be just the thing, too. Then he can help me cover the story. I can
-tell him what to do and he can do it readily enough. It will give him a
-start toward reporting. Johnnie will know the country round about, too,
-and that may be a very great advantage. For I see now that it is going
-to hustle me to get back on time. I'm sure glad this has turned out this
-way."
-
-A load seemed to drop from Jimmy's mind. He had come to a decision as to
-his course. Now he had only to drive ahead as fast as possible along the
-way he had chosen. He felt his confidence growing.
-
-Suddenly he heard his own name sounding in his head phones. "The New
-York _Press_ speaking to Jimmy Donnelly," said the voice. "We have been
-in touch with Handley at Phillipsburg. He will go with you to
-Shenandoah. Land at Easton and wait for him. He is on the watch for
-you."
-
-Jimmy hardly knew whether to be pleased or sorry. He would be glad
-enough of Handley's help. Even the two of them could not clean up the
-story in the short time Jimmy would have at the scene of the disaster.
-But now that Jimmy saw an opportunity to help his friend Johnnie Lee, he
-rather regretted that Handley was to join him. They could hardly bother
-with Johnnie now.
-
-These thoughts went through Jimmy's mind in an instant. They did not
-prevent him from answering promptly the _Morning Press_ message. He put
-his mouthpiece to his lips and said: "Jimmy Donnelly talking to the New
-York _Press_. I have your message about Handley and will wait for him at
-Easton."
-
-When Jimmy reached that city, it looked for a little time as though he
-would not be able to keep his word. It hardly seemed possible to make a
-landing. But west of the city Jimmy found some fields and got down
-safety, though he had a scare when he saw a fence loom up suddenly
-before him. His plane struck sand and came to a stop within ten feet of
-the fence.
-
-Jimmy hopped out of the ship and looked about him. Handley was nowhere
-in sight. "He'll have to come along pretty soon if we are to get the
-stuff back to New York in time," thought Jimmy. "I wonder if there is
-anything I could do to help matters."
-
-He thought of Johnnie Lee. "If I could talk to him," muttered Jimmy, "I
-could put him right to work."
-
-With Jimmy, to think was to act. Not far away was a house. Jimmy raced
-over to it, and was rejoiced to see that telephone wires ran to the
-house. He knocked at the door. A pleasant faced woman answered his
-knock.
-
-"Good afternoon," said Jimmy, politely. "I need very much to use a
-telephone. May I use yours?"
-
-The woman looked him over. "I take it you are the pilot of the plane
-that just landed," she said.
-
-"I am," said Jimmy, "and I am in a trying situation. It will help me
-greatly if I may use your phone."
-
-"Go ahead," she said. "You are welcome. I'll be glad if it will help
-you."
-
-Jimmy called for the long-distance operator and asked for the Lee home
-in Ringtown. He begged the operator to hurry the call, as it was an
-urgent one. In a very few moments Jimmy had his connection. To his
-delight, Johnnie himself answered the telephone. Jimmy recognized his
-voice at once.
-
-"Hello, Johnnie," he said. "This is Jimmy Donnelly. Have you heard
-anything about a mine explosion in your neighborhood?"
-
-"We sure have," said Johnnie. "It was near Krebs. It was a terrible
-affair."
-
-"Where's Krebs?" demanded Jimmy.
-
-"About two miles from here. It's at the foot of North Mahanoy Mountain."
-
-"What do you know about the disaster, Johnnie?"
-
-"A lot, Jimmy. My father's first cousin, Pat Healy, telephoned us all
-about it. He's a foreman in the mine, and was just on his way out when
-the explosion occurred. He got out all right, though he was hurt some.
-But he says there are scores of men entombed."
-
-"Can you get hold of him again, Johnnie?" cried Jimmy, his voice almost
-shaking with eagerness.
-
-"Sure. He lives near us. Why?"
-
-"It's like this, Johnnie. I'm on my way out to cover this story. I've
-got to get pictures and as much of the story as I can pick up in a
-little while. But I had to land in Easton to pick up Mr. Handley. That's
-going to delay me a lot. This is a chance for you to show what you can
-do in collecting news. Will you try it?"
-
-"Will I? You bet your neck I will. What do you want me to do?"
-
-"Have you got a camera?"
-
-"Yes, I have."
-
-"Then get some pictures of the wrecked mine if you can, and of the mine
-entrance, injured miners, crowds at the shaft, or anything else that
-will illustrate the story."
-
-"I can do that easily. I can drive to the mouth of the mine in less than
-ten minutes. I'll hustle right over and get all the pictures I can.
-Anything else?"
-
-"Sure. Get the story. Get hold of your father's cousin again. Find as
-many survivors as possible. See anybody you can who is in authority at
-the mine and get a statement from him. Get all the details you can."
-
-"Just what do you want, Jimmy?"
-
-"Find out what happened, when it happened, where it happened, how it
-happened, why it happened, and to whom it happened. Get every detail you
-can about every phase of the story. Get the names of the dead and
-injured, if possible. Find out how many are still in the mine. Maybe Mr.
-Healy can tell you. Get a story of the explosion from him. Find out how
-it happened and what caused it. Get Mr. Healy to tell you about the mine
-itself--what it is like, whether there is any chance for rescue, whether
-there are places where the imprisoned men can take refuge in the mine.
-Ask all the questions you can think of. Try to get enough stuff together
-so you can tell me a complete story of the disaster when I get there."
-
-"I'll do it, Jimmy. I'm off this minute. Good-bye."
-
-Jimmy said good-bye and rang off. "That was a lucky thought," he
-muttered, "to set Johnnie to work. He's evidently got the inside track.
-He may be able to get the whole story."
-
-Jimmy ascertained the amount of his tolls and paid the woman. She had
-heard his talk with Johnnie and was intensely interested. She asked
-Jimmy question after question about his work as a flying reporter.
-Before Jimmy knew it, half an hour had passed. Then he noticed a clock
-and frowned. He looked out at his plane. Some small boys had gathered
-about it, but there was no sign of Handley. Fifteen minutes more passed,
-and Jimmy was growing desperate. Finally he reached for the telephone
-again. "Please get me the New York _Morning Press_" he told the
-operator.
-
-When Jimmy finally got his connection, he called for Mr. Johnson. "Have
-you any idea how long it is going to take Handley to reach me here at
-Easton?" he asked. "I've waited for him more than an hour already. I've
-got to push on if I am to get any photographs."
-
-"What's this about Handley and Easton and waiting an hour? What are you
-talking about?" demanded the managing editor.
-
-"What am I talking about!" exclaimed Jimmy. "I am talking about Handley.
-You ordered me to wait for him in Easton. I've been here at Easton for
-more than an hour. Can you give me any idea how soon he will arrive? I
-can't possibly wait much longer if I am to get back with the story in
-time for the midnight edition."
-
-"You're in Easton! Waiting for Handley! What are you talking about? I
-never ordered you to stop at Easton. You ought to be in Shenandoah this
-very minute."
-
-"You never ordered me to stop at Easton!" cried Jimmy. "Somebody did. I
-received a radio message forty minutes after I took off, telling me you
-had ordered Handley to join me here and ordering me to wait for him. I
-acknowledged the message and supposed you had my acknowledgment."
-
-"Somebody has put one over on you, Jimmy," said the managing editor.
-"It's a pretty bad business. But we have no time to discuss it now. Get
-on to Shenandoah as fast as you can and do the best you can. I want to
-see you about this as soon as you get back here. Now hustle."
-
-Jimmy was mortified, angry, and anxious. His face showed his anxiety. He
-paid his telephone tolls and raced back to his plane. As fast as he
-could, he got his ship into the air. Then he opened his throttle as far
-as it would open and went streaking along the Air Mail route for
-Ringtown.
-
-In less than half an hour he dropped down on the landing field at that
-place. He leaped from his plane, threw off his flying togs, and raced
-for Johnnie Lee's house. Johnnie's mother met him at the door.
-
-"Johnnie's expecting you," she said. "He called up a few minutes ago and
-said you should call him at Healy's when you arrived. Come in. I'll get
-the connection for you." And in no time she had it. She asked for
-Johnnie and handed the receiver to Jimmy.
-
-"Hello, Johnnie," he said. "This is Jimmy. I just arrived at your house.
-Where are you? How can I get into touch with you?"
-
-"I'm at Healy's. It's straight down the road. Mother will show you the
-way. Come over as quick as you can. Mr. Healy is talking to me now."
-
-Jimmy hung up the receiver, got directions from Mrs. Lee, and raced down
-the road. In ten minutes he was in the Healy home.
-
-"What have you done and what have you learned?" Jimmy demanded, after
-Johnnie had introduced him to Mr. Healy.
-
-"I went right over to the mine with my camera, after you called me, and
-I have a whole roll of films for you--a dozen pictures. They ought to be
-good, for the conditions were just right for taking them. I got a
-picture of the mine mouth, the crowd about it, some snaps of the rescue
-crews descending into the mine, one of an injured miner who was hurt in
-the attempt at rescue, and other similar pictures."
-
-"Good! They are just what I want. What about the story?"
-
-"I believe I have the whole thing. Mr. Healy was in the mine when the
-explosion occurred. In fact, he was close to the very spot where it
-happened. He saw the explosion occur. He was injured slightly, but not
-disabled. He gathered together all the men within call and started for
-an old opening that is no longer used. The explosion had prevented
-escape through the shaft used nowadays. Gases began to spread through
-the mine, and the men with Mr. Healy were overcome one by one. Those
-still able to walk tried to drag the others out. But the only man who
-got out on his own feet was my cousin. He dragged out one man. Then he
-collapsed himself. He came to in about half an hour and managed to
-stagger home. He telephoned about the man he had dragged out, and some
-miners came and got him. We heard about it over the telephone, just
-before you called me from Easton."
-
-"Won't you repeat your story to me, Mr. Healy?" asked Jimmy. "Just start
-at the beginning. Tell me what the conditions were like in the mine when
-the explosion came. That is, about how many men you think went into the
-mine, how many were still in it, and what the mine is like. Give me a
-mental picture of it, so I can follow your story. Then start again with
-the explosion and tell me what you saw and did." For half an hour Mr.
-Healy talked steadily, stopping only when he was interrupted by Jimmy
-with a question. He gave Jimmy an excellent picture of the mine
-workings. Mr. Healy had been a foreman in this particular mine for
-years, and knew every foot of it as workers above ground know the cities
-in which they live. Then he told of the explosion, pictured the damage
-it did, showed how it shut off escape by the newer shaft, and pictured
-the situation of the imprisoned men. He estimated their number at more
-than one hundred.
-
-"If the gas was as severe in other chambers as it was where we were," he
-said, "most of those one hundred men are now dead. I have been using the
-telephone, and so far as I can learn, we two men who got out through the
-old drift are the only men who have escaped. Unless some of the miners
-were able to retreat to dead ends of passages, ahead of the gas, and
-make air-tight barricades to keep the gas out, I fear every man in the
-mine is past help. But we shall not know for sure until the rescue crews
-have searched every foot of the workings. That will take many hours, and
-perhaps some days."
-
-Jimmy checked back over his notes. His story seemed to be very complete.
-He asked for a few more details about this point or that. Then he thrust
-his notes into his pocket. "You have given me a very complete account,
-Mr. Healy," he said. "I can write a mighty clear story just from these
-notes. But I must see the mine myself, and the mine mouth, and the
-crowds, and if possible I must talk with some of the officials. You
-don't feel well enough to go over there with me, do you?"
-
-"Yes, I am all right now," said Mr. Healy. "I'll be glad to go with
-you."
-
-They hurried out to Johnnie's car and were rushed over to the mouth of
-the mine, which was hardly more than a mile distant. Parking the car,
-the three walked about through the crowd, observing, asking questions,
-gathering up what incidents they could.
-
-"There's the superintendent," said Mr. Healy, as a large man came out of
-one of the mine buildings. "Would you like to talk to him?"
-
-"I surely would," answered Jimmy.
-
-"Then come on."
-
-They walked toward the man. While they were still at some distance from
-him, they saw a young man hurry up to him and lay a detaining hand on
-his arm. The superintendent looked surprised. The young man said
-something. The superintendent brushed him roughly aside and went on. He
-seemed angry. He was still frowning when he came face to face with Mr.
-Healy and the two lads.
-
-"Pat, I'm mighty glad to see you," said the superintendent, "but I am
-mighty sad to see you alone. I fear it's all up with the men
-underground."
-
-"This young man wants to talk to you," said Mr. Healy. "He's a reporter
-from New York."
-
-"So was that jackass that just tried to stop me," said the
-superintendent. "I don't want to talk to reporters."
-
-"But this lad is a very good friend of mine," urged Mr. Healy. "And he
-is a gentleman. I know you will be willing to talk to him."
-
-"Well, what is it?" said the superintendent. "I haven't much time to
-spare. This is a crowded hour for me."
-
-"Thank you very much," said Jimmy. "I know how you feel. I don't blame
-you for not wanting to talk about this terrible affair. I appreciate
-your courtesy." Then Jimmy began to ask questions, in a courteous,
-considerate manner. The mine official gave him all the information he
-asked for.
-
-When the interview was ended, the superintendent walked on. So did the
-Healy party.
-
-Presently Jimmy heard a voice saying: "There he is. He's the only man
-who escaped unaided. He dragged out another man, and they are the only
-men who have reached the surface so far."
-
-"I'll get a statement from him," replied another voice.
-
-Jimmy knew this latter voice well--too well. He began to tremble with
-anger. A sudden light shone in upon him. Now he understood the game that
-had been played upon him. Now he knew who had tricked him into landing
-at Easton. The voice he was listening to was the voice of Rand.
-
-Like a shot Jimmy turned to Johnnie. "If you think anything of me,
-Johnnie," he said, "don't let your cousin talk to the fellow who is
-coming to interview him. It's Rand, the fellow I have told you about. It
-was Rand who stopped the superintendent a little while ago, though at a
-distance I did not recognize him. But I know well enough now who it
-was."
-
-Johnnie laid his hand on Mr. Healy's arm. "Pat," he said, "this fellow
-who is approaching to talk to you is Jimmy's worst enemy. He has just
-played a dirty trick on him. Don't say a word to him."
-
-"Played a dirty trick on Jimmy, did he? Very well. He gets no news from
-me."
-
-A moment later Rand stepped up and began to question the mine foreman.
-"I have nothing to say. See the superintendent," snapped Mr. Healy. And
-turning on his heel, he strode away, with Johnnie and Jimmy at his
-heels.
-
-But as Jimmy walked away, he said: "Rand, dirty tricks don't pay. You
-thought you had put over a clever one when you got me down at Easton
-to-day, but your game failed. This is what came of it. You lose out
-yourself." And Jimmy hurried after Mr. Healy and Johnnie, while Rand
-stood and cursed him. "I'll get you yet," Jimmy heard him say. But Jimmy
-wasn't caring about Rand's threats. He held all the aces in the pack
-himself.
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER XII
-
-                     Jimmy Lands a Job for Johnnie
-
-
-When Jimmy had finished writing his story, after a fast trip back to his
-office, where he arrived well ahead of his deadline, he reported to the
-managing editor.
-
-"Well, I see you got here in time anyway, Jimmy," smiled that official.
-"Your photographs are fine, but they are a little small. Why didn't you
-use your regular news camera?"
-
-"I didn't take the pictures, Mr. Johnson. Johnnie Lee took them. He had
-to use his own camera because I was miles away, at Easton. He got the
-story, too, and he got the details in fine shape. If it hadn't been for
-Johnnie, I guess I'd still be at the mine."
-
-"This sounds interesting. How did your young friend get into the affair,
-anyway? Tell me about it."
-
-"There isn't much to tell, Mr. Johnson. When I landed at Easton, and
-didn't see Handley anywhere, I suspected I might have to wait some time
-for him, so I called Johnnie up at his home. By good luck he was right
-at hand. He lives within two miles of the wrecked mine. I asked him to
-see what he could do for me. He skipped right over in his car, got the
-photographs, rounded up the only man who escaped from the mine on his
-own feet, and had the whole story in hand when I reached there. He
-introduced me to this survivor, who is a foreman in the mine, and so was
-able to give us such a comprehensive description of the place. Then
-Johnnie took us both back to the mine, so I could see the place and the
-crowds for myself. The foreman got me an interview with the mine
-superintendent. And by the way, the superintendent had just refused to
-talk to Rand."
-
-"Rand, eh? So he's working on this story." The managing editor's eyes
-narrowed to mere slits. He looked at Jimmy intently. "You don't suppose,
-Jimmy, that Rand----"
-
-"Yes, sir, I _do_ suppose so," interrupted Jimmy. "I'd be willing to bet
-my last nickel that it was Rand who tricked me into landing at Easton.
-You know the paper he works for has a plane at the same field where we
-keep ours. I didn't see Rand at the field before I took off, but I
-believe he was there. And I believe that in some way he got wind of the
-fact that you had ordered me to Shenandoah. I have no proof of that, and
-I don't see how I can get proof. He might easily have picked up the fact
-from employees about the field. My mechanic knew that you wanted me to
-make the trip. He told me so the instant I got in from my flight out to
-sea. He might have mentioned the matter to other people about the field.
-Of course everybody soon knew about the disaster, and it was a safe bet
-that I would have to fly to the scene. Rand would know that."
-
-"Yes, or some one may have tapped our wire. Or some one may be paying
-mechanics at the field to keep tabs on you. I know of at least one
-newspaper in this town that wouldn't be above such work. You just watch
-yourself, Jimmy. Keep your eyes and ears open and see if you can't find
-out more about this matter. Everything turned out well this time, but
-you won't always have a Johnnie Lee on the spot to pull you out of a
-hole."
-
-"That's what he did, Mr. Johnson. Johnnie pulled me out of a great big
-hole. I might have rounded up the story after I got there, but I could
-not possibly have gotten the pictures also. It grew dark soon after I
-reached the mine. Johnnie made a fine job of it. I believe you will say
-so, too, when you read his story."
-
-Just then a copy boy thrust some proofs into Mr. Johnson's hands.
-
-"Here it is," said the managing editor. "Now we'll see what your story
-is like."
-
-"It's really Johnnie's story, Mr. Johnson," protested Jimmy. "Please
-read it and see if you don't think Johnnie has shown enough ability now
-to start in as a cub."
-
-Mr. Johnson smiled. "What a fine world it would be, Jimmy," he said, "if
-we all had such loyal friends as Johnnie Lee has in you."
-
-Then he began to read, and the expression on his face showed well enough
-that he was interested. When he had finished, he laid down the proofs.
-"It's a good story, Jimmy," he said. "Then does Johnnie get his job?"
-demanded Jimmy.
-
-"You are nothing if not an ardent partisan, Jimmy. I hadn't any idea of
-employing Johnnie; but he has been so useful to us that if he wants to
-come on here and start in as a cub, at the lowest salary we pay cubs,
-we'll give him a chance. I somehow have a feeling that he has good stuff
-in him."
-
-"Indeed he has, Mr. Johnson. You'll never be sorry you hired him. When
-do you want him to report for work?"
-
-"There's no hurry, Jimmy. I'll drop him a line in a few days. I want him
-to understand exactly the terms on which he comes and the amount of pay
-he will receive while he is learning his job."
-
-"Thank you ever so much, Mr. Johnson. I'll do all I can to help him make
-good." And Jimmy walked out of the managing editor's office as happy as
-a lark. Altogether, it had been a mighty good day for Jimmy.
-
-"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," he thought. "If Rand hadn't
-pulled me down at Easton, Johnnie would never have gotten this job. It
-just seems to me as though most of the things that look like
-difficulties when they occur are really opportunities. It's been that
-way with me more than once. The main thing is to keep a stiff upper lip,
-use your head, and just keep on going. I'll try to remember that the
-next time I get in a pinch."
-
-Jimmy went back to his ship, to see that she was put in shape for
-instant use again. He was very happy. Not only had he made good again
-for himself, but he had helped his old friend. He had secured for him
-the opening that Johnnie so much desired. He wanted to write to Johnnie
-and tell him about the situation, but he decided not to do it. "Mr.
-Johnson evidently prefers to write to him himself," thought Jimmy. "I
-don't want to do anything that could possibly gum things up." So he
-restrained himself.
-
-It wasn't long, however, before Jimmy had abundant opportunity to tell
-Johnnie all about the matter. A new and important airport was to be
-opened in central Pennsylvania. Celebrated fliers by the dozens were to
-be on hand. An attractive program of races and flying stunts had been
-arranged, and the affair had been given great publicity. Mr. Johnson
-decided to send a man to cover the story. Quite naturally, he selected
-Jimmy.
-
-"Go up there and get us a good story, Jimmy," he said. "If all the
-fliers are present who are advertised to be there, this will be a very
-interesting gathering. And by the way, I suppose you will fly out along
-the Air Mail route. If you do, stop at Ringtown and take Johnnie Lee
-along with you. I wrote him two days ago, offering him a job, and I just
-received his reply. He is eager to come. Pick him up and take him to the
-airport opening with you. I'll give you credentials for him. He can
-start right in with you. And remember, I expect you to help him learn
-his job."
-
-"Thank you, Mr. Johnson," replied Jimmy. "I'll do my very best to help
-Johnnie. You won't be sorry you hired him. I'll pick him up as I fly
-out, and bring him back to the city with me."
-
-"That's exactly what I wish," replied the managing editor.
-
-So it happened that when Jimmy flew to the air races, he stopped at
-Ringtown and picked up his old friend. Then the two flew on to the
-airport.
-
-The aviation meeting was all it had been advertised to be. Scores of
-pilots were present, many of them famous veterans of the air. The edge
-of the flying field was lined for hundreds of yards with ships that were
-crowded so close together their wing tips almost touched. There were
-flying machines of almost every known variety. Tiny Moth planes stood
-wing to wing with huge tri-motored cabin ships that would hold a dozen
-passengers each. There were monoplanes and biplanes, and even some
-gliders were to be seen. The Army and the Navy were represented by
-several fliers each. The planes of the latter instantly caught the eye
-as they stood on the line in military formation, noticeable among all
-other planes for their blazing insignia on their wing surfaces. It was a
-sight to delight a pilot's heart.
-
-Yet the ground show was nothing compared to the exhibition in the air.
-Aloft there was a constant stream of ships. Some were arriving, some
-departing, some were carrying passengers at so much a ride, some were
-stunting, and others were merely aloft for the pleasure of it. Then came
-races. The air was cleared of all other fliers, and the speedsters had
-their innings. Back and forth they darted along a course many miles
-long, one end of which was in the centre of the new airport. Around the
-striped pylon they roared, some darting upward on the turn, others
-roaring around on level keel. And so steeply were the ships banked that
-each seemed fairly to be standing on one wing as it whirled around the
-pylon. It was a stirring sight.
-
-But the performance that stopped every heart and made every onlooker
-hold his breath was the parachute jumps. Jimmy and Johnnie had gone
-aloft again by the time the jumping started. Ever since Jimmy had
-received the piece of Warren Long's parachute, he had felt a particular
-interest in parachute jumps. He believed he could see the jumps better
-if he were in the air, about on the level with the jumpers, than he
-could see them if he were on the ground. Likewise, he wanted to get some
-photographs of the jumpers, taken from aloft. So he and Johnnie had gone
-aloft once more.
-
-They flew along lazily, to the rear of the ship that held the jumpers.
-And they were a little lower than this ship. Jimmy wanted to see just
-how the parachutes worked. He had selected an excellent viewpoint; for
-when the first jumper walked out on a wing of the ship and calmly
-dropped toward the earth, Jimmy could see his every movement. Down
-dropped the man, straight as a plummet, hardly moving his body or limbs,
-until he was well below the plane. Then Jimmy saw him reach for the
-rip-cord, grasp the metal ring, and give it a sharp jerk. With an
-instant response the covers of the parachute pack snapped open, the
-folds of the white silk "umbrella" were caught by the wind, ballooning
-out and opening full with a crack that could be heard all over the huge
-airport. The downward flight of the jumper was checked. With a jerk he
-spun upright, then settled toward the earth under his wide-spreading
-canopy. He landed safely, amid great applause. Johnnie got several fine
-snaps with the camera while the jump was taking place.
-
-Another jumper followed. This one elected to come down awhirling. He
-stepped off backward, and went spinning toward the earth like a ball.
-When he pulled his rip-cord, his parachute pulled him upright with a
-jerk that, as Jimmy phrased it, must have splashed his liver against his
-backbone like a butcher throwing a slab of beef on the block. But the
-jumper landed safe and sound and appeared none the worse for his
-experience.
-
-The best performance--at least the one that most attracted the
-crowd--had been reserved for the last. A woman was to do some stunts and
-then put on a parachute and jump. She was a slender young flier, whom
-the _Morning Press_ men had noticed at the hangar. She was clad in a
-light flying suit, and her short hair was bound tight with a broad red
-ribbon wound about her brow.
-
-When she came out on the wing of the plane, preparatory to giving her
-exhibition, Jimmy could feel his pulse quicken perceptibly. The sight of
-men about to risk their lives had not stirred him so much. They were
-fliers, like himself, and every pilot expected that some day he might
-have to make the trip to the ground in a parachute. But to see a young
-woman risking her life, merely to make a show for a curious multitude,
-stirred Jimmy as it did others. He knew well enough that the crowd on
-the ground was standing in breathless suspense. He flew his plane as
-near to the jumper's ship as he dared, so Johnnie could get some
-close-up snapshots.
-
-Jimmy watched the woman like a hawk. He noticed her every movement. She
-made her way along the wing of the plane. A rope ladder had been
-fastened to a strut. This the woman untied and lowered. Then she swung
-over the edge of the wing and made her way down the rope ladder. She had
-no parachute. Should she lose her grip or be jolted from the ladder she
-would fall straight to earth and be crushed. Jimmy almost shuddered as
-he looked at her. It seemed terrible to him that any one should risk
-life in this way. He could hardly bear to watch her. Yet he had come
-aloft to see the performance and he steeled himself to watch. He kept
-his plane moving at the same rate as the exhibition ship but at a lower
-level.
-
-Down the rope ladder came the young woman. This swung and swayed
-uncertainly in the breeze. At the bottom of the ladder was a strong
-metal rung or crossbar. It helped to keep the ladder from blowing
-backward too far. When the performer came to this metal bar she did not
-pause but grasped it with both hands and lowered her body into space.
-There she dangled, a thousand feet in air, with nothing between her and
-an awful death but her own good grip. Jimmy could feel chills of horror
-running up and down his spine. He prayed that the air would stay calm.
-He could hardly bear to look at the woman when she released one hand
-from the bar and swung for a moment by a single arm. It was too much for
-Jimmy. He looked away.
-
-When he brought his glance back to the woman she had altered her
-position. Now she was hanging by her knees, her head down, as the ship
-flew along. For several minutes she did acrobatic stunts at the end of
-the swaying ladder. And during all that time Jimmy was in a tremble. But
-the young woman was as steady as Gibraltar. She lost neither her nerve
-nor her grip. Presently she climbed back up the ladder, rolled and
-fastened it to the strut, and then climbed to the upper wing, where she
-braced herself and stood upright with nothing whatever to hold to, while
-the ship shot through the air at seventy miles an hour.
-
-Again Jimmy was in a fever of fear. If she slipped, if the plane plunged
-and threw her off her balance, if the air grew bumpy and tumbled the
-ship about, there could be but one end to the exhibition. The young
-woman would be thrown off her balance and blown out into space. Once
-more Jimmy turned his look away. He could not bear to look at her.
-
-When he glanced again at the ship he was following he saw something that
-electrified him, that shocked him into instant activity. From the
-crankcase of the ship ahead of him flames were leaping.
-
-Quick as thought Jimmy turned to his companion. "Get the tie rope," he
-shouted, indicating with a sweep of his arm where he kept the rope with
-which he tied his plane down when he had to leave it out over night.
-
-Johnnie had the long, strong rope out in no time. He knotted one end of
-it fast in the cabin, so it could not get away from him. Meantime Jimmy
-opened his throttle and his ship darted upward and to one side. In a
-moment it was almost wing and wing with the exhibition ship.
-
-The other pilot glanced out and saw Jimmy's plane. Johnnie leaned from a
-cabin window and began making vigorous gestures. He pointed to the woman
-on the upper wing of the exhibition plane. She was utterly unconscious
-that anything was wrong. Then Johnnie held up his rope and made a
-gesture to indicate that he would try to pick up the woman on the plane
-wing. For a moment the pilot looked at Johnnie as though he did not
-comprehend. It came to Johnnie that the pilot did not yet know his ship
-was afire. The flames were underneath the engine, and he had not yet
-noticed them. Violently Johnnie gestured toward the crankcase. The pilot
-got partly to his feet and peered over the edge of his plane. Instantly
-he saw what was wrong. Johnnie once more held up his rope and pointed to
-the woman on the upper wing. The pilot nodded agreement.
-
-"He understands," shouted Johnnie.
-
-With a suddenness that almost threw Johnnie off his feet, Jimmy banked
-his plane and circled. In a moment he was once more to the rear of the
-exhibition plane, but now he was above it. The ship was flying slowly,
-on level keel. Very carefully, like a refueling plane about to fuel
-another ship, Jimmy flew his craft over and a trifle ahead of the other
-plane. Johnnie was watching carefully.
-
-"There!" he shouted. "You're just right. Slow her up a bit."
-
-Jimmy followed instructions. In a moment he was keeping pace with the
-other ship, but was slightly in advance of it. Johnnie leaned through
-the open window and started to lower the rope. The wind blew it almost
-straight back. He drew the rope in and fastened the starter handle to it
-with a loose knot. Then he leaned from the window once more and
-carefully but swiftly lowered the rope.
-
-Meantime the young woman on the wing below him had been watching with
-curious interest. She did not understand what was afoot. It was well she
-did not. She might have lost her nerve. She caught the rope as it came
-level with her and held it uncertainly, meantime looking up at Johnnie
-questioningly. Johnnie saw that she did not comprehend the situation. He
-pointed toward the blazing crankcase. The girl held fast to his rope and
-took a step toward the leading edge of the plane wing. The moment she
-saw the flames she shrank back in evident terror, and Johnnie's heart
-almost stood still with fear lest she fall from the plane wing. But she
-recovered her nerve in an instant. Grasping the starter handle, she
-quickly untied it and laid it down on the wing. That one act told
-Johnnie that she had a complete grip on herself. Otherwise she might
-thoughtlessly have tossed it into the air. In a second the girl had the
-rope around her body, just below her arms. She tied it tight, with knot
-after knot. Then she looked up and nodded.
-
-Johnnie braced himself and began to haul on the rope. A foot at a time
-he dragged the girl upward, while she clung with both hands to the life
-line. It was fortunate she was light in weight. Johnnie was working at a
-disadvantage. He could not get all his muscles into play. Yet slowly he
-lifted the girl upward until she could grasp the window-frame. Then
-Johnnie threw open the cabin door, which was immediately beside the
-window, and reached out and grasped the girl. At the same time she slid
-her foot within the cabin of the plane and pulled herself, with
-Johnnie's help, after it. Even above the roar of both motors Johnnie
-could hear the tremendous cheer that came up from the ground. Johnnie
-slammed the door shut and fastened it. Then he turned to the girl. She
-had slumped to the floor, as pale as death. But it was merely the
-reaction after her moment of peril.
-
-Meantime, Jimmy opened his throttle, pulled back on his stick, and shot
-his plane upward for hundreds of feet. By the time he leveled off, the
-pilot below him, who had seen a part of the rescue, had acted to save
-his own life. The fire had spread rapidly. Flames were beginning to
-shoot into the cockpit. Adjusting the stabilizer of his ship so that she
-was slightly nose heavy, the pilot headed his plane toward a near-by
-woods. Then he stepped over the side, and a moment later was floating
-safely downward under his open parachute. He landed near the flying
-field, without a scratch.
-
-Seeing the pilot safe and the air clear, for the burning plane soon
-crashed in the woods, Jimmy swooped down and landed in the middle of the
-flying field. His plane rolled rapidly toward the judge's stand and he
-taxied it close to the railing that kept the crowd from the field. A
-doctor and several officials rushed out to the ship to look after the
-young woman. She was still in a state of collapse. Carefully they
-assisted her to the hangar and gave her the necessary attention.
-
-Jimmy was glad enough to have her off his hands. He was waiting for his
-engine to cool a bit before cutting the switch. Then he intended to
-hurry to the telegraph station and send off a wire. His whole attention
-was now centered on the story he must send.
-
-What was his astonishment, then, when the crowd broke through the
-barriers and a veritable mob came charging toward him as he stepped from
-his ship. For a second Jimmy was dumbfounded. He did not understand what
-was happening. But it did not take him very long to learn. As he and
-Johnnie stepped clear of the ship the crowd thundered up. A hundred
-hands were thrust out at them. A babel of voices arose in shouted
-greetings. Men and women swarmed about them, patting them on their
-backs, slapping their shoulders, and reaching for their hands. Then
-somebody caught them both from behind, eager hands lifted them bodily,
-and in another moment they were riding from the field on the shoulders
-of sturdy men, while the crowd yelled itself hoarse.
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER XIII
-
-                Jimmy Has an Adventure with a Bootlegger
-
-
-It was nearly ten o'clock that night when the two young fliers walked
-into the _Morning Press_ office in New York, tired but happy. Jimmy had
-filed his story as soon as he could get away from the crowd and write
-it. A hasty bite to eat had followed, and then the two young reporters
-had hopped off for Long Island, which they reached quickly and without
-incident. Now Jimmy was waiting to see the managing editor.
-
-He did not have to wait long. Mr. Johnson soon sent for him. Jimmy took
-Johnnie with him, and the two stepped into the managing editor's office.
-
-"Well, Jimmy, I'm glad to see you back safe and sound," said Mr.
-Johnson. "Sit down and tell me about your trip. I have about come to the
-conclusion that any time news is scarce hereafter I shall send you out
-on an assignment. You seem to have more adventures than any reporter I
-ever heard of. When I hired you, it was to _get_ the news. I never
-dreamed that you would also _provide_ the news. As I recall it, I paid
-you a certain sum to act as pilot, and I had to increase your pay
-considerably when you blossomed out into a reporter as well as a pilot.
-Now I suppose you'll be asking for still more money because you _make_
-the news as well as report it."
-
-Jimmy laughed with the managing editor, who was evidently feeling well
-pleased. "I'll be glad to tell you about my trip, Mr. Johnson," he said,
-"but first I want to introduce my friend Johnnie Lee. He's your new
-reporter and he helped to make the news to-day."
-
-"Johnnie, I'm glad to know you," said Mr. Johnson, shaking the lad's
-hand warmly. "You certainly made a fine start with the _Press_. It was
-my idea that you were to come here as a cub, and start at the very
-bottom of the ladder. But it looks as though you have been learning some
-tricks from Jimmy. I suppose you'll want a raise right away." And the
-managing editor laughed heartily.
-
-"No, sir," said Johnnie. "I don't want anything more just now than a
-chance and enough to live on." Then he added, "But I'll try to deserve
-the raise before very long."
-
-"You had better borrow a rabbit's foot from Jimmy," chuckled Mr.
-Johnson. "He carries them in every pocket. He has--excuse me, until I
-look at these."
-
-A copy boy had just brought him proofs of Jimmy's photographs.
-
-"Jimmy," said the managing editor, after looking at the proofs, "just
-what breed of rabbit is it that you get your rabbit feet from? You have
-the greatest luck of any fellow I ever knew. You've got the most
-remarkable picture here that's been taken since--since--well, since
-Clint Murphy snapped Forest O'Brine working on the engine of the
-endurance plane, the _St. Louis Robin_, 3,000 feet above the ground.
-That picture was a wonder. But you've got one here to equal it. It's a
-close-up snap of that woman parachute jumper dangling from her plane."
-
-"I'm mighty glad it came out good," said Jimmy, "but I didn't take it.
-Johnnie snapped all the photos while I flew the ship. It's his picture,
-Mr. Johnson."
-
-"It doesn't matter who snapped the camera," said the managing editor.
-"It took two of you to get it. We'll surely beat the town on this."
-
-"Yes, we shall," replied Jimmy. "There wasn't another plane in the air
-when she was performing except our two ships. Nobody else could have
-gotten a close-up of the thing."
-
-"I'd just like to know, Jimmy," grinned the managing editor, "exactly
-what breed of rabbit you cultivate. You take a tip from me, Johnnie, and
-get some feet from this same breed. Now you boys run along. I've got to
-get to work."
-
-Jimmy introduced his friend to Mr. Davis, the city editor, who would
-henceforth be Johnnie's boss. Then he made Johnnie known to several of
-the reporters. Finally the two young men left the office and went to
-Jimmy's boarding house, for they had decided that they would room
-together. In a little while they were both asleep, but at intervals
-through the night Jimmy dreamed about the accident to the parachute
-jumper that he had witnessed.
-
-He saw little of Johnnie thereafter, for their hours did not
-synchronize. Most of the time Jimmy's work was done in daylight hours,
-whereas Johnnie went to work early in the afternoon and worked until
-late at night. But they roomed together, sleeping in separate beds, and
-left notes for each other, and could of course see each other when
-occasion demanded.
-
-The days passed quickly. Johnnie learned rapidly. Jimmy had few
-assignments of an exciting nature. His luck seemed to have deserted him.
-He carried pictures, transported reporters, covered a few unimportant
-stories. Time hung heavy on his hands. Meantime the autumn passed and
-winter came. It came with a rush and it came early. Almost over night
-the balmy days of Indian summer changed into days of fierce winds and
-icy chill. From all parts of the country came reports of intense cold.
-Almost in a twinkling navigation in the north was tied up. The lakes and
-streams were frostbound and frozen. Steamers were caught in the ice, far
-from land. Suffering was intense. Deaths were reported in many quarters,
-due to the cold. Isolated lighthouse keepers and the dwellers on remote
-islands were cut off from communication. In many of these isolated
-places food and medicine ran low. The weather itself, with the attendant
-difficulties of travel, the deaths, the hardships, all consequent upon
-the intense cold and the deep snow and ice, became a leading story.
-
-Day after day, belated tales of freezing, hardship, death, heroic
-rescues, blizzards, storms, and other phases of the weather, or stories
-incident to the abnormal cold, came trickling belatedly into the office.
-The managing editor watched this news with growing interest. He had
-lived, in his younger days, on the very northern border of the country
-and even in Canada. He knew what these periods of cold and storm meant
-to the people living in isolated places. And so, when one day there came
-a belated despatch to the _Press_, saying that a feeble wireless message
-had been received by a boy wireless operator in Smithville, in northern
-New York, telling of the plight of people on a neighboring island, in
-Lake Ontario, the managing editor was filled with both interest and
-sympathy. The island was absolutely cut off from communication with the
-mainland by the terrible ice, food was running low, and a whole family
-was dying of pneumonia because of the lack of certain medicines.
-
-"It's really a story for the Montreal or Rochester papers to cover,"
-thought Mr. Johnson, "but up to this time they haven't done it. If we
-could slip in there ahead of them, we'd not only do some real good, but
-we'd bring a lot of credit to the _Morning Press_. I believe I'll see
-how it looks to Donnelly."
-
-He called Jimmy on the telephone and told him about the situation. "Do
-you think you could reach the place safely with your plane?" he asked.
-
-"Let me look at my maps before I answer you," said Jimmy.
-
-Jimmy studied them a moment. "If I flew to Smithville, which is only six
-or seven miles south of Sackett's Harbor," he said, "and hopped off from
-there, I should not have to fly over more than a few miles of water.
-There are several islands in a straight line close to Smithville. In
-case of a forced landing, I could probably make one of those islands. I
-think I can do it all right, and I'll be glad to go. It won't take so
-very long to make it, either."
-
-"Then get your ship ready at once. I will have a physician make up a
-package of medicines and write down some directions to be followed in
-caring for patients with pneumonia. You take the stuff out to the island
-and find out how many are ill and how ill they are. Leave the drugs and
-the directions. Fly back to Smithville and communicate with me from
-there. Then we can determine what should be done further. Perhaps you
-will have to take a physician to the island. We'll do all we can to help
-these poor people on the island."
-
-When all was ready, and Jimmy had his medicines aboard, he hopped off
-and headed straight for the Hudson, up which river he flew as far as
-Albany, where he swung to the left and followed the Mohawk River to
-Rome. Thence he followed the railway tracks direct to Smithville, where
-he landed in a great snow-covered field. He had had his plane equipped
-with skis, and the snow did not bother him at all.
-
-Jimmy climbed out of his plane and walked into the village to ask some
-questions. He wanted to know about the possibility of making a safe
-landing at the island, whether or not he had selected the safest route,
-and what was known in Smithville concerning the condition of the people
-on the island. He found the lad who had heard the wireless message, and
-he got information on all these points. He was soon satisfied that the
-islanders needed help, and that he had chosen the very best way to get
-there. The villagers told him he had estimated the distance correctly
-and would have to cross only a few miles of the lake. But there was
-little open water, they said, and the chances were that in case of a
-forced landing he could get down safely on the ice, which was very
-thick, and also rough. Jimmy said he had a radio sending set and asked
-some of the radio fans to listen in for him during the next half hour.
-Then he prepared to hop off.
-
-To his surprise, another plane soared into the sky from a point near the
-lake shore on the other side of the village, just as Jimmy was about
-ready to take off. He looked at the plane with dismay. Another newspaper
-was going to beat him, he thought, and beat him by the tiniest of
-margins. But when he suggested as much to the townsfolk who had gathered
-about his plane, they laughed. Also they winked their eyes.
-
-"Never mind about him," they said. "The only medicine he carries is for
-snakebites. He flies back and forth between Canada and points along the
-shore hereabout. Just what he carries we don't know for sure, but we can
-all guess. He'll go right on over to Canada."
-
-Relieved, Jimmy hopped off, headed straight out over the frozen lake
-toward the first island, and opened his throttle. He did not like the
-looks of the rough ice beneath him, and he meant to reach the island as
-speedily as possible. Soon he saw that he was flying faster than the
-bootlegger ahead of him. But as he had only a few miles to go, he
-thought he should hardly overtake the man.
-
-On they flew, Jimmy following straight after the other plane, and all
-the time creeping up on it. To fly to the island took less than ten
-minutes. Yet Jimmy was glad enough when he neared the shore, for he did
-not like the looks of the rough pack ice beneath him. He had just
-started to circle over the island, in order to search out a landing
-place, when he noticed the bootlegger's plane acting crazily. Jimmy saw
-at once that something was wrong with the craft. Also, he saw that the
-pilot, who was already at the farther end of the island, was making a
-desperate effort to turn and effect a landing. The ship came down fast,
-landing on ground that was none too smooth, but was apparently not
-harmed, though the running gear might have been broken. About that,
-Jimmy could not be sure without a close inspection.
-
-Sweeping completely around the island, Jimmy saw that there was no
-better place to land than the open space in which the bootlegger had
-been forced down. So he came down cautiously, in as easy a glide as he
-could make, ready to give her the gun instantly, should the place prove
-impossible. But he found a long, fairly smooth stretch before him, and
-set his ship down neatly in the snow. She slid for some distance, then
-came to rest in perfect safety.
-
-Jimmy hopped from his plane and looked about him. On one side was the
-other flying machine, and the pilot of it was walking toward him with
-great speed. On the other hand, at a considerable distance, was a little
-group of houses, doubtless the residences of the stricken islanders. But
-they were evidently not all stricken, for several men could be seen
-coming toward him.
-
-For a moment Jimmy stood looking at them, trying to count them. He was
-curious about these isolated islanders, and not a little sympathetic
-toward them. He wondered what sort of people they would prove to be. And
-he was eager to get their story, and to deliver the medicines. He was
-also curious to know what manner of man the bootlegger would prove to
-be. And presently, hearing the latter's step at hand, he spun about to
-face him, and found himself looking into the barrel of a revolver that
-the approaching bootlegger had leveled at him.
-
-Jimmy's heart began to beat violently. He was so utterly taken by
-surprise that he did not know what to do or say. For a moment he was
-silent. The bootlegger did the talking.
-
-"Get back into your plane," he said sharply.
-
-Jimmy did as ordered. There was nothing else to do. To his astonishment
-the bootlegger climbed into the plane after him, shut the door, and sat
-down in one of the seats. The revolver he still held in his hand
-menacingly.
-
-"Take off as quick as you can," he said gruffly.
-
-Jimmy glanced at the advancing islanders and played for time.
-
-"What's the big idea?" he asked, trying to appear calm, though his heart
-was beating a tattoo against his ribs.
-
-"I just put a connecting-rod through my crankcase," growled the man.
-
-"Then you want to be ferried ashore," said Jimmy. "Just as soon as I
-speak to these men I'll take you. I've got a package for them."
-
-The man raised his pistol. His face was black as a thunder cloud. "If
-you know when you're well off, kid," he snarled, "you'll do what I tell
-you. Hop off and hop off quick, or I'll drill you full of holes and fly
-your old crate myself." Jimmy saw that he was in a tight place. He swung
-about and hopped off. He headed straight back for Smithville.
-
-"Turn her in the opposite direction," growled the man, "and just keep
-going."
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER XIV
-
-                   Taking Help to Marooned Islanders
-
-
-Jimmy obeyed the command with alacrity. There was nothing else to do. In
-a moment he was flying on precisely the same course he had followed in
-coming to the island from Smithville. Soon he was beyond Duck Island and
-heading for Prince Edward, that great, bold Canadian peninsula that
-thrusts out far into the lake. A long point of land reached straight out
-toward Duck Island. Jimmy could see this point easily, for it was hardly
-more than a dozen miles in an air-line. At some distance from the end of
-this point were small islands, and they were almost in Jimmy's line of
-flight. Five or eight minutes of flying would take him to land again, so
-he had no apprehensions about the short flight over this reach of open
-lake.
-
-But Jimmy wasn't at all comfortable in his mind about other aspects of
-the situation. If the bootlegger wanted simply to be carried across to
-Canada because his own plane had gone bad, that was one thing. Jimmy
-didn't in the least object to ferrying a man over a dozen miles of
-lake--even a bootlegger--if the man was in trouble. But would that be
-the end of the matter?
-
-Now that the bootlegger's own plane was out of commission, he might
-decide to take Jimmy's. That wasn't such a pleasant prospect. But there
-was still another angle to the situation. If the man seized the plane,
-would he not almost necessarily feel compelled to get rid of the
-evidence of his crime? In short, would he not find it expedient to get
-rid of Jimmy? When Jimmy thought of the old saying, so commonly quoted
-by criminals, that "dead men tell no tales," he could feel the cold
-shivers run up and down his spine.
-
-Jimmy wanted to turn around and talk to his captor. He felt as though a
-bullet might come crashing through his back at any instant. It seemed to
-him that he simply must look around and face the bootlegger. Yet he
-hesitated. The man had told him to fly straight on. That was evidently
-what the fellow wanted--to get to his destination. He was getting there,
-and he seemed satisfied. Jimmy decided that the best course was to
-attend to his flying and make careful note of the country over which he
-passed, together with the compass bearings, rate of speed, prominent
-landmarks, etc., so that if he had the opportunity to fly back, he could
-find his way. So he centred his whole attention on the matter of
-navigation and soon found that he felt relieved in mind. He could think
-better. He was not so oppressed by fear.
-
-But Jimmy had far less time for thought than he had anticipated. In six
-or seven minutes he had reached the tip of the Prince Edward peninsula,
-and in twenty minutes he was over the very heart of this body of land.
-Still he kept on as straight as the crow flies.
-
-Now, for the first time, his unwelcome passenger spoke. "Set her down in
-the open space just ahead," he said gruffly.
-
-Jimmy eased his plane toward the ground and throttled down his engine.
-The uniform whiteness of the snow made it difficult for him to
-distinguish the contour of the ground. But as he came lower, he saw that
-there was a great, smooth area ahead of him that had quite evidently
-been used for landing planes. The snow was streaked with the long
-parallel marks of giant skis. Jimmy picked out a pair of ski marks and
-set his ship down safely almost in the very treads he was watching. The
-plane slid safely to rest. The landing ground was in a lonely region,
-and not a house or a human being was in sight.
-
-"Get out," said the man brusquely.
-
-Jimmy stepped from the plane. His captor followed.
-
-"Now that you succeeded in tracking me down, what do you intend to do
-with your information?" he demanded, as he toyed with his revolver
-suggestively.
-
-"Tracking you down!" exclaimed Jimmy, amazed. "I don't even know what
-you are talking about. I never saw you before, never heard of you, and
-certainly never tried to trail you. Where did you get that idea?"
-
-The man looked at him uncertainly. "Ain't you one of them government
-prohibition agents?" he asked.
-
-A great light dawned upon Jimmy's mind. He actually laughed. "That's a
-good one," he exclaimed. "So you took me for a 'dry' agent. No, I'm not
-a government agent. I'm a newspaper reporter. I represent the New York
-_Morning Press_. Look at the name on the side of my ship."
-
-"I can't read," said the man. "It makes no difference if you are a
-newspaper man. You was on my trail."
-
-"You've got another guess," said Jimmy. "I flew up here to carry
-medicines to some people on Duck Island who are sick. We just got a
-newspaper despatch telling about them. There's a whole family dying over
-there because they lack medicine. Nobody could get to them because of
-the ice. My boss used to live up this way, and when he read the despatch
-he sent me up to help them."
-
-The bootlegger looked at Jimmy intently. "You don't look like you was
-lyin'," he said.
-
-"Of course I'm not lying," protested Jimmy.
-
-"Here's the medicine." And stepping into the plane, he picked up the
-bulky package he had been transporting and opened it.
-
-The rum runner looked at it and then at Jimmy. "Say, kid," he blurted
-out suddenly, "you're all right. To think you'd come clean from New York
-and risk your life flyin' over the lake just to help some sick folks. By
-Joe! I'll look in on them folks myself, next time I go over the island.
-If they need help, they need it quick I reckon. So you'd better be on
-your way. I'm much obliged for the ride. Maybe this'll square things
-with you." And he reached into his pocket, pulled out a huge roll of
-bills, peeled off a one hundred dollar gold certificate and thrust it
-into Jimmy's hand. "Now you better hustle," he said.
-
-Jimmy was too much astonished for words. He did not want to take the
-man's money. He wanted less to cross the fellow, for the rum runner was
-quite evidently a desperate character. Wisely, Jimmy decided to go while
-the going was good. He handed the bill back to the man.
-
-"Thanks," he said. "It will be worth more to me if you will look after
-those people on the island. Spend the money for them. I probably can't
-get up here again. Good-bye." And climbing into his plane, Jimmy was off
-as soon as he could lift his ship from the snow. He opened his throttle
-wide. In a minute he was far away, beyond the possible range of any
-pursuing bullet that might come his way. He breathed freely again, and
-flew straight as an arrow back toward the island.
-
-Once fairly aloft, Jimmy began to meditate on his adventure. Suddenly an
-idea came to him. "Gee!" he thought. "I'm sure glad this was such an
-isolated place we landed in. I don't believe there was a soul within
-miles. It was a good thing, too. Nobody could get my license number. If
-any one had noticed it, I might get into a jam with the Canadian
-officials for landing on Canadian soil without clearing the customs.
-Well, I guess I had a good excuse, anyway. But just the same, I'm glad
-nobody could get my number."
-
-As he approached the island, he saw a group of people clustered about
-the bootlegger's airplane. They were examining it carefully. Evidently
-they had been much mystified by what had taken place. They came
-thronging eagerly about Jimmy's plane as he set it down in the snow.
-
-Jimmy stepped from his ship, with the medicines in his hand. "I am from
-the New York _Morning Press_," he said. "We received a despatch a few
-hours ago from Smithville, saying that you were cut off here by the ice
-and that people were very sick with pneumonia and lacked medicines. My
-paper has sent you the drugs you need, and some directions for using
-them."
-
-When Jimmy saw the expressions of gratitude that came on the faces of
-the people about him, he felt that he was more than repaid for anything
-he had done or could do to help them.
-
-"Come with us," they said. "We want you to talk to some of the people
-that are in trouble."
-
-Jimmy went with them. Neighbors were caring for the stricken family. One
-or two of the ailing ones were too sick to be seen. But Jimmy was able
-to talk briefly to the mother of the family and the oldest boy. He got
-from them their story, which was a startling tale in itself. The entire
-family of seven--father, mother, and five children--had gone, some days
-previously, to pay a visit to friends on the mainland. The lake was not
-then frozen so solidly. There were wide, open leads of water, which made
-it easily possible to reach the mainland. The visit lasted several days.
-Just before the return home, the great cold wave came. When they were
-half-way to the island, their motor went dead. A storm came up, and they
-drifted helplessly before it for twelve hours. The waves washed into
-their boat until they were all drenched. They could do nothing but sit
-in their boat and pray that the ice would not crush it. Their situation
-had finally been discovered, and hardy neighbors, taking their lives in
-their hands, had launched the most powerful boat on the island and
-fought their way to them. Thus their lives were saved for the time
-being, although every one of the seven was stricken with pneumonia, and
-it looked as though two of the seven might die. There was just a chance
-that the arrival of the medicine might arrest the disease.
-
-Jimmy was powerfully affected by this recital. He had seldom been so
-close to human suffering. Never had he been in touch with people so
-pitifully situated as these folks had been. Glad, indeed, was he that he
-had attempted the journey, and that there were great newspapers like his
-own, to take upon themselves the relief of suffering and the righting of
-wrong when other agencies failed.
-
-One thing was sure, Jimmy thought. These suffering ones certainly must
-have medical treatment. And so, taking a hasty departure, he flew back
-to Smithville and got into touch with his chief, setting the story
-before him fully.
-
-"Get a doctor and rush him to the island," Mr. Johnson wired back.
-
-Jimmy secured the only physician in the neighborhood, loaded the doctor
-and the necessary supplies in his plane, and was soon back on the
-island. The medical assistance came in time. The doctor was able to give
-immediate treatments and to leave directions for further care.
-
-As for Jimmy himself, nothing was too good for him on the island. The
-inhabitants would have given him almost anything he asked for, so
-grateful were they for his efforts in their behalf. But Jimmy wanted
-nothing. He was more than repaid by their gratitude and their
-friendship.
-
-It was with real regret that Jimmy said goodbye to these new-found
-friends. He was amazed to see how rapidly a mutual feeling of regard had
-sprung up between these people and himself in such a short time. He
-understood, of course, that this was because of the unusual conditions
-under which they had come to know one another. When the time for
-departure came, he shook hands with them all, promised to come back to
-the island some time, and then ferried his doctor back to Smithville.
-And now he went winging his way home across the great Empire State, to
-his old quarters at the Long Island flying field.
-
-Weeks later Jimmy learned that the rescue efforts he had set in motion
-had been wholly successful. Every one of the seven sufferers had
-recovered. But more astonishing than that was the news that for a week
-after Jimmy's departure, the sick islanders had daily treatment from the
-Smithville physician. The rum runner from Canada had flown the physician
-back and forth every day, as long as it was necessary, in a new plane,
-and had concluded the matter by paying the doctor handsomely for his
-services.
-
-Jimmy mused over this for quite a while. "It just shows," he concluded,
-"that the poet was right when he said there is so much bad in the best
-of us and so much good in the worst of us that we ought to be mighty
-careful what we say about anybody."
-
-
-
-
-                               CHAPTER XV
-
-                    Jimmy Joins the Caterpillar Club
-
-
-For many weeks after Jimmy's return from this trip he found life tame
-and colorless, although he was busy enough. There were flying
-assignments aplenty; but Jimmy found them very ordinary experiences. The
-day had long since passed when Jimmy could get a thrill merely by making
-a flight in the air. And that was about all his assignments now amounted
-to. One of the first of these flying assignments was a commission to
-hunt for a lost yacht. A small pleasure craft had disappeared somewhere
-along the Atlantic coast between New York and Boston. It was not known
-whether the craft was floating helplessly on the sea, or whether it had
-put in at some isolated harbor, or whether it might have gone down, with
-all on board. The owner was a man of importance. With a small group of
-friends he had ventured out on the ocean, and the party had utterly
-vanished. Great anxiety was felt for their safety, and because of the
-social and business prominence of the missing man, the newspapers joined
-in the hunt.
-
-Jimmy had little expectation of finding the lost yacht. The story
-promised to be an easy one to cover. Jimmy would fly until he found the
-boat or failed to find it. In the one case there would be nothing to
-write, or next to nothing, whereas in the other there would be little to
-do, probably, except drop a note to the boat, promising aid, then fly
-back to land and send out a relief ship, and finally to write a story to
-the effect that the missing boat had been found.
-
-Jimmy secured permission to take Johnnie with him on this trip. Or, to
-be more exact, the city editor assigned Johnnie the job of flying with
-Jimmy. And that was about all the assignment amounted to. They flew for
-hours, and covered a tremendous stretch of shore-line and coastal
-waters, but discovered no trace of the missing ship. They got back to
-the hangar cold, hungry, and stiff, and Jimmy at least was thoroughly
-disgusted. To Johnnie the trip was thrilling enough.
-
-Soon afterward Jimmy made a flight that was far more interesting. The
-managing editor telephoned him to get ready to fly to Auburn, New York,
-where rioting had broken out in the state prison. Handley was sent along
-to write a story, for this was a two-man job. The flight up state was
-ordinary enough, but the riot within the prison walls was far different.
-Buildings were afire, prisoners were armed, guards were located in
-strategic positions, and a real battle was in progress within the walls,
-while outside were ranged troops and policemen, hastily collected and
-thrown about the institution to prevent a general escape of prisoners.
-
-When Jimmy reached the place he found his was the first airplane on the
-job. He flew over the prison so that he and Handley could get a good
-view of what was going on within the walls. He saw in a moment that a
-real battle was raging. From the building that had fallen into the hands
-of the rioters bullets were evidently flying in volleys. Prison guards
-were answering with an incessant rifle fire. Within the walls things
-were smashed and broken. Flames were blazing high. Structures had been
-set on fire by the rioters. It was impossible for firemen to get into
-the buildings to fight the flames.
-
-Again and again Jimmy circled over the prison, while Handley took
-snapshots of the scene. Then Jimmy landed his ship and Handley left him,
-to gather the remainder of his story on the ground and put it on the
-wire, while Jimmy himself sped back to New York with his photographs.
-
-Long afterward he learned that, altogether unknown to himself, he had
-played a most important part in subduing the mob and restoring authority
-and order in the prison. For some of the rioters later told the guards
-that when Jimmy's plane appeared and began to circle above the prison,
-the rioters were certain it was an army bomber, hovering above them with
-intent to blow them all to eternity should they get the upper hand of
-the guards. That belief broke their fighting spirit. They knew they
-hadn't a chance to succeed. And scores of rioters gave up at once.
-
-The prison riot assignment was followed by one to cover a big railroad
-wreck, and that in turn by an order to assist in a search for four
-coastwise fliers who had taken off in the South, with intent to race a
-fast train to New York, and who had utterly disappeared. Jimmy flew for
-hours along the Atlantic coast, but like other fliers who were engaged
-in the same task, discovered absolutely no trace of the missing airmen.
-
-By this time Jimmy's engine was in need of overhauling. Indeed, it had
-somewhat alarmed him on his homeward flight from the search for the lost
-fliers. But he had made his airport safely, though he felt sure he could
-not have flown much farther. His engine was not only beginning to miss
-badly, but it quite evidently needed attention.
-
-At once Jimmy got the managing editor on the telephone. "Mr. Johnson,"
-he said, "the engine in my plane will have to be 'pulled' right away. I
-can't make another flight until it has had a thorough overhauling. I've
-flown this ship more than 500 hours, with only one top overhaul of the
-motor. In the Air Mail we used to 'pull' the motors every time they had
-done 500 hours. I just barely got back safely to-day."
-
-"Very well," said the managing editor. "Arrange to have your plane
-overhauled at once. How long will it take?"
-
-"It's a pretty long job, Mr. Johnson. I should judge it would take two
-weeks. As long as the ship has to be laid up, we might as well have it
-checked over thoroughly. While they are working on the engine, we ought
-to have the wings inspected internally, to see that all the fittings are
-in shape and to see if any drag wires need tightening. We might need new
-pins in the hinges of the control surfaces, and some of the control
-cables may need replacing. The brakes should be taken up, too. In fact,
-there's no end of things that ought to be checked over. It's a big job,
-but it must be done. It isn't safe to fly the ship any longer without a
-complete overhaul."
-
-"That's too bad," said the managing editor, "but if it is necessary have
-it done. The difficulty is not about the repairs, but about the loss of
-the use of the plane. We simply can't get along without a plane. Is
-there a ship you can hire if the need arises?"
-
-"Yes, sir. There's an old open cockpit _Travelair-Whirlwind_ here, Mr.
-Johnson. It's an old-timer, but it has a good engine and flies well. We
-can hire it for very little. But I suggest that you do not wait till the
-need arises, for somebody else might have the plane out at the very
-moment we want it."
-
-"Then go hire it at once, Jimmy, for as long a time as you think you
-will be without your ship."
-
-"I think they will rush my work if I ask them to do it," said Jimmy. "I
-am sure they can have the job finished inside of two weeks. Suppose I
-charter this old ship for that period."
-
-"Very well, if that is long enough. If it isn't, make it longer. We
-mustn't be caught without a plane. You never can tell when a story will
-break that will have to be covered by flight."
-
-Jimmy rented the old _Travelair-Whirlwind_ and had it moved to his
-hangar. His own ship was rolled away to the shop, where the mechanics
-could work at it conveniently. Then Jimmy transferred to his new plane
-all the equipment that he ordinarily carried in his own ship--maps,
-camera, flash-light, and similar necessary articles. Also, he got out
-his flying suits, for now he would have to ride in the open.
-
-It was well that Jimmy acted promptly about the old ship; for hardly had
-he gotten her ready for flight before the managing editor was on the
-wire again.
-
-"Jimmy," he said, "I'll have to ask you to jump right out on another
-flight. Is everything all right about your new plane?"
-
-"Everything is O. K., Mr. Johnson. I've had her rolled into my hangar
-and serviced. I've put all my outfit aboard of her. She's ready to fly
-at a minute's notice, and so am I. Where do I go this time?"
-
-"Jimmy," said the managing editor, "this is a very serious and important
-mission which I am about to entrust to you. One of the under secretaries
-of war from Washington was here to talk to me about certain matters that
-are to be decided at the peace conference in London, now in session. I
-cannot tell you what these things are, but they are affairs of great
-moment. The under secretary left my office to go to Chicago. I have just
-found that he left some very important papers behind him. These he
-absolutely must have in Chicago, where he is going for a conference
-before he starts for Europe. I could stop him by a telegram sent to his
-train, but it is highly important that he be in Chicago at the earliest
-possible moment. He must not be delayed a second. At the same time, he
-absolutely must have these papers. What I want you to do is to get them
-into his hands. Deliver them to him in person and to no one else."
-
-"Yes, Mr. Johnson. Have you any suggestions?"
-
-"I've been studying maps and time tables, Jimmy, and I think you can do
-this nicely. If you fly to Bellefonte, which is right on the lighted
-airway, you can there take a motor car to Tyrone, which is perhaps
-thirty miles distant. The train on which the under secretary is
-traveling is due to stop at Tyrone. There you can board his train and
-put the papers into his hands. I will wire him on the train that the
-papers he left in my office are going ahead by plane, and will be handed
-him at Tyrone."
-
-"You couldn't possibly have planned the thing out any better, Mr.
-Johnson," replied Jimmy. "I know that whole section well. From
-Bellefonte I shall drive to Milesburg, where I hit the new cement road
-from Lock Haven to Tyrone. It is as fine a strip of cement as there is
-in the United States. It runs along the Bald Eagle Creek, and for miles
-is as level as a floor. A motor car can almost fly along there. But you
-should have a car at the flying field to meet me. The field is several
-miles outside of the town of Bellefonte, and I'll save a lot of time if
-the car is on hand when I arrive."
-
-"Very well. I'll telegraph for a car and it will be at the flying field
-when you arrive. How soon can you take off, and how long will it take
-you to reach Bellefonte?"
-
-"It's 215 miles from here to Bellefonte, by the lighted airway. I can't
-expect to get much more than 100 miles an hour out of this plane, and if
-there is a strong west wind I can't do nearly as well as that. It will
-probably take me two hours and a half and perhaps even three hours. I
-should be in Tyrone within another hour, easily."
-
-"That ought to give you plenty of time, Jimmy. The secretary's train was
-due to leave Philadelphia at 6:30 p m. So it has been under way about
-fifteen minutes, for it is now quarter of seven. It takes the train five
-hours and a quarter to reach Tyrone from Philadelphia. That should put
-it there at 11:45. If it should be late, it may not reach there before
-midnight. You should have an hour's leeway."
-
-"I will if I can get off soon," said Jimmy, "but what about the papers?
-How am I to get hold of them promptly?"
-
-"They should be in your hands within a few minutes. Handley is rushing
-them to you in a fast taxi. He also has some money for you. You may need
-more cash than perhaps you have in your pocket."
-
-"Very well, sir. I'll start my engine to warming, and be ready to take
-off the instant Handley gets here. Good-bye. I'll do my best, Mr.
-Johnson."
-
-"Good-bye, Jimmy. The best of luck to you. Let me have a wire from you
-as soon as you put the papers in the secretary's hands."
-
-Jimmy rang off and ran out into the hangar to warm his engine. Then he
-inspected his ship to make sure he had every necessary piece of
-equipment. Before he had finished his inspection, a taxi rushed up and
-Handley stepped out.
-
-"Here are your papers and your money, Jimmy. I suppose the Old Man
-phoned you about them. I hope you have a quick trip. The best of luck to
-you."
-
-Jimmy thanked his colleague and stowed the papers and the money in an
-inner coat pocket, where he could not possibly lose them. Then he pulled
-on his flying suit, buckled on his parachute, climbed into his cockpit,
-nodded good-bye to his mechanic, and soared up into the night.
-
-As he left the earth, Jimmy glanced at his clock. It was exactly seven.
-He looked aloft, into the night. The sky was a deep, dark blue. Stars
-shone dimly through a slight haze. He could see quite well. "If it stays
-like this," he thought, "I won't have a bit of trouble to get there. But
-I sure do wish I had my own ship. These open cockpit planes certainly
-are back numbers."
-
-Jimmy centred his attention on his instruments, and was soon satisfied
-that everything was working perfectly. His plane seemed to function
-better than he had expected it would. He covered the thirty-five miles
-to Hadley Field in a fraction more than twenty minutes. "That's almost
-105 miles an hour," thought Jimmy. "I didn't believe the old boat would
-do it. But it will be a different story when I turn west and face the
-wind. There's only a twelve-mile breeze blowing, they said, but even
-that will cut me down to ninety miles an hour."
-
-He flew along the old familiar airway. The visibility was good. Beneath
-him he could see the clustered lights of town after town, as he roared
-across New Jersey. He knew every town as he passed over it. He checked
-time and distance as he flew along. It seemed almost no time before he
-was approaching Easton. He thought of Rand, and the latter's effort to
-trick him; and he was glad it had happened. It had resulted in Johnnie
-Lee's getting the job he was so eager to have.
-
-Westward Jimmy roared along, straight as the crow flies. Beneath him, on
-hill and meadow, shone the beacon lights, stretching out before him in
-an endless row of revolving lights. For miles ahead of him he could see
-these friendly beacons.
-
-Before he knew it he was over Sunbury. He noticed that the haze was
-increasing rapidly. He thought it might be fog rolling up from the
-Susquehanna. Soon he was at the Woodward Pass. There was the lofty
-beacon on the brow of Winkelblech Mountain. Jimmy was high above it. Now
-he was past the mountain and soaring over Penn's Valley. A very few
-minutes would put him into Bellefonte. He glanced at his clock. He had
-made amazingly good time. He was going to reach Bellefonte in close to
-two and a half hours after all.
-
-Now he was passing Millheim, with its blazing beacon on the crest of
-Nittany Mountain. The mist was increasing. It bade fair to be bad. But
-it could not gather quick enough to interfere with him. In no time he
-would be in Bellefonte. But suddenly his struts and wires began to hum
-and vibrate. The vibration rapidly grew worse. The humming grew into a
-screech. Jimmy's blood began to run cold. His plane was icing up. The
-thing most feared by airmen was happening to him. Along the edges of his
-wings, he knew, ice was forming, as the mist froze fast to the fabric.
-If it continued to form, it would destroy the shape of his wings. They
-would lose their lifting power. Then nothing under heaven could keep him
-aloft.
-
-And his wings _were_ icing up rapidly. He could tell that from the
-feeling of the plane beneath him. It no longer slid through the air with
-its smooth, hawk-like passage. Its flight was becoming uncertain. It
-trembled and shook. The ship responded but slowly to his control.
-Desperately he strove to climb. If he could reach either a colder or a
-warmer stratum of air, the ice would melt. He dared not descend, for
-beneath him were these terrible mountains. He found it impossible to
-climb. The ship had utterly lost its power to do so. Yet Jimmy fought
-with all his ability to force the craft upward. He tried every trick he
-had ever heard of, to lift the plane higher. He could not gain an inch.
-
-On the other hand, Jimmy knew full well that he was coming down. His
-altimeter showed that he was losing altitude steadily. He had been
-flying at 5,000 feet elevation. Already he was down to 4,500 feet. The
-mountain beneath him towered up to 2,000 feet. If only he could make the
-next few miles, and get over the high crests near Bellefonte, he would
-be all right. The landing field was at an elevation of only 1,200 feet.
-He believed he could glide down into it in safety.
-
-But suddenly his plane began to spin. It was absolutely out of control.
-Frantically Jimmy kicked at his rudder, shifted his ailerons, tried
-every trick he knew of to get the ship out of the spin. He could do
-absolutely nothing with it. The plane was beyond all control.
-
-With dismay Jimmy realized that he was in a flat spin. He thought of
-Jack Webster, the mail pilot, who had been caught in exactly the same
-way just a few miles farther west only a few months previously. The
-thought made Jimmy's heart stop beating. For the centripetal force of
-that spin had held the mail pilot fast in his cockpit, and he had fallen
-with his plane and been cruelly injured.
-
-Jimmy knew that there was not a second to lose. He must get out of the
-ship, and get out quick. He thought of Warren Long. He tried to keep his
-head. He reached for his switches and shut off his ignition, to prevent
-an explosion when the ship struck. Then he dropped both of his flares.
-They burst on the night like magnificent rockets, lighting up the
-mountain below them, like noonday. Jimmy took a single look over the
-side of his ship and began to struggle frantically to get out of his
-cockpit. Below him was nothing but jagged rocks and menacing tree
-growths.
-
-Vainly he struggled. He could not lift himself out of the ship. Had the
-craft been under control, he could have flipped it over and catapulted
-himself out of the cockpit. But the plane was going down on level keel,
-whirling about like a top. Again Jimmy struggled. Desperately he fought
-to get out of his seat. With all his strength he pulled at the sides of
-the ship and shoved upward with his legs. Still he was held fast, as by
-a giant hand. Again he heaved his body upward, convulsively,
-frantically, with terrible effort. This time he was successful. He
-gained his feet. As he did so, he could see over the side of his ship.
-
-The mountain was rising up to meet him at a terrifying pace. He was
-frightfully close to the ground. Snatching up his flash-light, he
-stepped out on the wing, then dived headlong into space.
-
-He held his breath, fearful lest the whirling plane should strike him.
-It missed him by inches. He fought for self-control, lest he should pull
-the rip-cord too soon and cause his own death. Plainly he could see the
-spinning ship above him. He was going down head first, just as Warren
-Long had gone. Now he judged he was safe. Instantly he tore at the
-rip-cord. The steel ring came away in his hand. The parachute snapped
-out with a crack. It came ballooning open. With a jerk that almost
-knocked him senseless, Jimmy was snapped into an upright position. Then
-he went floating straight down.
-
-Instantly he looked below him to see what was there. Then he glanced
-above, fearful that the falling ship might drop on him. The wind bore
-him slightly to one side of the descending plane. Jimmy drew a breath of
-relief and centred his attention on the ground at his feet. The flares
-were dying out. He snapped on his flash-light. At first it seemed
-terribly feeble. Then his eyes grew accustomed to the altered light. He
-saw he was going to land in some saplings. His feet went crashing down
-through the tree tops. Branches broke beneath him. They also broke his
-fall. Jimmy reached out and grabbed a little limb. It tore away from the
-tree trunk under his weight. But it almost stopped his descent.
-Desperately he clutched at another branch. This one was tougher and
-bigger. It held. Jimmy found himself motionless, not ten feet from the
-ground. He had suffered only a few bruises and scratches. He slid the
-rest of the way down the tree. He was on his feet, safe and sound.
-
-But he was in a terrible plight. Five minutes more in the air would have
-put him into Bellefonte in safety. Now he was miles from the flying
-field, deep in the mountains, in the black of night.
-
-Yet he had one advantage. He was not lost. He knew almost exactly where
-he was. Even as he was falling he had noticed the beacon at Mingoville.
-Now as he turned his powerful flash-light this way and that, he saw that
-he had landed in a notch. He knew it must be the Mingoville notch. And
-if it was, there was a trail running through it. He tore off the
-parachute and made his way down the slope of the notch to the bottom.
-Sure enough, here was the trail. Jimmy knew it led directly into
-Mingoville.
-
-Recklessly he raced down it. The powerful ray from his flash-light
-illuminated the path ahead of him. Its beam, almost horizontal, showed
-him the irregularities of the way better even than the noonday sun would
-have done. Under other circumstances he would not have dared to run down
-this rough mountain path as he was now tearing along it. But he used the
-utmost care in striding, and succeeded in missing loose stones that
-would have turned his ankle.
-
-Down the trail he ran, panting, sweating, his heart pounding in his
-breast. But never for a moment did he slacken his speed. In ten minutes
-the trail opened into a road. Not far away was a house, and through a
-window a light was shining.
-
-Jimmy ran toward the house, shouting as he ran. A man stepped out of the
-door as he came panting up.
-
-"I just jumped out of an airplane," said Jimmy, "and I've got to get to
-Bellefonte at once. Have you got a car?"
-
-"Sure," said the mountaineer deliberately.
-
-"I'll pay you $25 to take me to Bellefonte. And if you get me there
-quick, I'll make it $30," said Jimmy. "I'm trying to catch a man for
-whom I have important despatches. I have to get there in the least time
-possible."
-
-"I'll take you," said the mountaineer.
-
-"Hurry," panted Jimmy.
-
-The man ran for his barn. The car was inside. It was an old Ford. Jimmy
-groaned when he saw it. The man started to crank it. To Jimmy it seemed
-as though the thing would never start. But finally it coughed, then
-began to explode regularly. The motor sounded good to Jimmy. The man
-drew on an old overcoat that was in the car. "Get in," he said. Jimmy
-obeyed with alacrity. The man let in his clutch and the car rolled out
-into the road.
-
-"Drive as fast as you can make her go," urged Jimmy. "I have very
-important despatches for an official of the government. I simply must
-catch him. He's on his way west. If you hurry, there's a chance."
-
-The man threw caution to the winds. Twenty-five dollars was more money
-than he had seen at one time in years. He opened the throttle wide. The
-little Ford tore along the road. It roared and rattled. It bounced and
-swayed. When it struck a bump it leaped like a rabbit. But the man never
-slackened his speed and Jimmy clung to the seat desperately.
-
-"I want to go to the flying field," said Jimmy. "There's a car waiting
-for me there to take me to Tyrone."
-
-"I'll put you there in no time," said the mountaineer.
-
-Jimmy looked at his watch. There was just a possibility that he could
-make it if everything went well. Jimmy sat in silence. But his heart was
-beating fast with anxiety and apprehension.
-
-On they raced through the night. The man seemed to know the road
-perfectly. He tore around sharp bends, dashed into dark hollows, went
-roaring along the straight stretches, almost without altering his pace.
-Suddenly he applied the brakes. Then he shot around a sharp corner.
-Ahead of them lights were gleaming. Jimmy recognized the flying field.
-He thrust his hand into his pocket, drew out his roll of bills, and
-counted out $30. As the Ford came to a stop before the hangar, Jimmy
-thrust the money into the driver's hand, leaped from the car, and raced
-for a powerful, big motor that stood a few rods distant.
-
-He ran up to the driver, who was sitting on the front seat.
-
-"Is this the car engaged by the New York _Morning Press_ to take a man
-to Tyrone?" he asked.
-
-"Yes," said the driver, in surprise. "He's coming in by plane and ought
-to have been here some time ago. I'm beginning to be alarmed about him.
-Know anything about him?"
-
-"I'm the man," said Jimmy, climbing into the car. "My plane iced up and
-fell near Mingoville, but I wasn't hurt. Get started, please."
-
-The driver was off like a shot. Jimmy looked at his watch.
-
-"You've got thirty-five minutes to make it," he said.
-
-The driver's only response was to put on more speed. Over rough roads he
-went spinning, as recklessly as the mountaineer had done in his Ford.
-But the great car he drove took up shocks and the speed did not seem so
-great. Jimmy wanted to protest, but when he glanced at the speedometer
-he thought better of it. He sat in silence, watching the road, as they
-went roaring along.
-
-Once on the cement highway, the driver opened his throttle, and Jimmy
-watched the indicator on the dashboard creep up. From forty-five miles
-an hour it climbed to fifty, to fifty-five, to sixty, to seventy, to
-eighty miles an hour. And there the speedometer finger stood as though
-glued to the spot.
-
-They neared Tyrone. Jimmy watched the lights draw near. The driver began
-to slacken his speed. They reached the fringes of the town. Close at
-hand Jimmy heard a long, shrill blast of a locomotive whistle. He knew
-it was a train blowing for Tyrone. It was going to stop. He glanced at
-his watch. It lacked two minutes of being 11:45.
-
-"Step on it," begged Jimmy. "That's the train I must catch."
-
-The driver turned a corner and straightened out for a dash. He shoved
-his speed up and up while Jimmy sat with his heart in his mouth. They
-could never stop if anything came out of a side street.
-
-But nothing did. They roared on to the station. The train was standing
-at the platform. The locomotive was panting restlessly, as though eager
-to be off.
-
-"All aboard," came a deep voice through the night.
-
-Jimmy leaped from the still moving car, and raced down the platform
-toward the train. The train began to move. Jimmy put everything he had
-into a last desperate sprint. He reached the car vestibule just as the
-conductor was closing the door. Jimmy grabbed the hand rail and swung up
-on the step. The conductor slammed the door open and grabbed him.
-
-"Is the--assistant secretary--of war--on this train?" panted Jimmy.
-
-"He is," said the conductor.
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER XVI
-
-                 The Bootlegger Repays Jimmy's Kindness
-
-
-Jimmy delivered his papers to the under secretary and got a receipt for
-them. He left the train at Altoona, wired the managing editor a brief
-statement of his experiences, then registered at a hotel and went to
-bed. Utterly worn out by his trying efforts, he slept like a stone and
-did not awaken until almost noon the following day. Then he ate some
-breakfast, hired a taxi-cab, and drove back to Mingoville. He sought out
-the mountaineer who had driven him to Tyrone on the preceding night, and
-the two climbed the notch and found the fallen _Travelair_. It was a
-complete "washout," but Jimmy found that his camera was not much harmed,
-and he secured his maps, a compass that was still intact, his parachute,
-and a few other articles. Then he had the mountaineer drive him back to
-Bellefonte, whence he made his way by train to New York, where he
-reported at once to the managing editor.
-
-"So you decided to join the Caterpillar Club, did you?" said Mr.
-Johnson, speaking jestingly but shaking Jimmy warmly by the hand. "I'm
-mighty glad to see you back, _mighty glad_. I had some real shivers when
-I read your telegram saying that your plane had fallen and that you had
-had to jump for your life. And I was more than amazed to learn that,
-despite your accident, you still succeeded in accomplishing your errand.
-It must have been a tight squeeze, Jimmy. I want to know how you did
-it."
-
-Jimmy fished out one of his topographic maps. "I fell right here," he
-said, putting his pencil point on the spot that represented the gap
-above Mingoville. "It was great luck. Had I been a mile distant in
-almost any direction, I could never have made that train at Tyrone."
-
-"It was a wonderful achievement, Jimmy. I want to hear every particular
-of the story."
-
-Simply Jimmy related what had happened to him, beginning his tale with
-the moment when he felt his plane icing up.
-
-"It's a great story, Jimmy," was the managing editor's only comment.
-"You should have told me about it in your wire last night. I want you to
-tell Handley what you have just told me. It will make a great story for
-the _Press_. Of course we must not betray the fact that the under
-secretary of war lost some state papers. For the purpose of this tale
-you were merely bearing confidential despatches to him from the
-_Press_."
-
-So it happened that Jimmy once more figured in the news columns. He
-disliked so much publicity. But he understood that this was a great
-story for his particular newspaper to print. The thing that pleased him
-most was the fact that he had made good. He had delivered the message to
-Garcia. Nor was Jimmy at all displeased when he found at the end of the
-week that he had been given a nice bonus for his work.
-
-His own ship was ready for flight once more within the period that Jimmy
-had designated as the time allowance for the job. But for some time
-there was again a dearth of interesting assignments. Meanwhile winter
-was succeeded by early spring, the snow disappeared in the region of New
-York, though there was plenty of it left in the far north and would be
-for weeks to come. Jimmy had the skis on his plane replaced by wheels,
-for everywhere in the territory that he was likely to cover there was
-now bare ground.
-
-The first break in this new stretch of uninteresting days came when
-Jimmy was sent to the pine barrens of New Jersey, to take photographs of
-a great forest fire that was sweeping through the pines. Jimmy had seen
-forest fires in Pennsylvania, but nothing like this crown fire that was
-roaring through the pine woods in a line twenty-five miles long, laying
-waste not only thousands of acres of timber land, but utterly destroying
-scores of homes within the forested area.
-
-On another occasion he was sent down the Bay to take photographs of an
-incoming steamer from Europe that had effected a daring rescue in
-mid-ocean of the crew of a sinking freighter.
-
-But the assignment that gave Jimmy the greatest thrill he had had in a
-long time was an order to fly to the eastern end of Lake Ontario once
-more, and cover the wreck of a lake steamer. This craft, one of the
-first ships to make its way from its winter harborage through the
-disintegrating ice of the lake, had been caught in a terrible gale and
-dashed on one of the small islands just off Smithville.
-
-Jimmy was atingle with enthusiasm the instant he got word from the
-managing editor. It was already well into the evening. Only a flash had
-come--the merest hint of the great story that eventually
-unfolded--saying that the steamer had gone aground on the island. The
-storm had somewhat abated, though it was still blowing hard. But at the
-Long Island hangar there was small evidence of any disturbance in the
-air.
-
-"Would it be possible for you to get up there to-night?" asked Mr.
-Johnson. "Or is it better to wait until morning? If you _could_ reach
-the scene to-night, we could almost certainly get something into our
-city edition about the wreck. That goes to press at 3:30 in the morning.
-But we could hold it, or we could get out an extra. What do you think
-about it, Jimmy?"
-
-"We ought to be able to do it, Mr. Johnson. Of course, it depends upon
-what the flying is like farther north. But right here the air is quiet
-enough. At the very least, I could fly until I was forced down. Then I'd
-be just so much nearer the spot, and could doubtless get there quickly
-by motor. The only difficulty is the one of landing. There are no beacon
-lights to guide me and no illuminated landing fields. A fellow always
-runs a chance of 'washing out' a ship when he lands in the dark."
-
-"Then you don't think it advisable to attempt the trip to-night?"
-
-"I didn't say that, Mr. Johnson. I'm going to make the trip. But I
-wanted you to understand the difficulties. I've been over the route, and
-I can cover it again without difficulty. The night is clear and there is
-starlight enough to illuminate things a little. I know a number of
-people at Smithville. I'll wire to the postmaster and ask him to burn a
-bucket of gasoline in the field where I landed last winter. I can get
-down all right, I'm sure. But the wire facilities are not very good up
-there."
-
-"All right. I'll get into touch with the Western Union and see if we
-can't get a wire ready for your use. You make whatever arrangements are
-necessary and get off as soon as you can. How long should it take you to
-reach Smithville?"
-
-"Unless I have to fight a stiff wind, I ought to make it in two hours
-and a half. It's almost nine now. I ought to get there by midnight at
-latest. In two hours more I ought to have a story on the wire for you.
-We ought to catch the city edition without difficulty."
-
-"Very well, make your arrangements and get off. Have your mechanic
-telephone me the moment you start."
-
-Jimmy instantly called the Western Union and dictated a telegram to the
-postmaster of Smithville, asking him to burn a bucket of gasoline in the
-best landing field possible, when Jimmy approached and circled the town.
-Unless held up by wind, he said, he should be due in two hours and a
-half. Then, without waiting for a reply, Jimmy hopped off as soon as he
-could.
-
-Straight up the Hudson flew Jimmy, speeding along at 120 miles an hour,
-the pace he knew he must make to land him at Smithville within the
-designated time. He had no trouble in following the Hudson to Albany,
-nor in going up the Mohawk to Rome. His troubles began after he left
-that point and started to follow the railroad to Smithville, for the
-wind, which had been freshening ever since he left Albany, was now
-blowing half a gale. But it was a quartering wind for Jimmy and did not
-delay him nearly so much as a head wind would have done. It did make the
-flight very rough and bumpy. But Jimmy wisely flew at a good altitude,
-even though the wind was stiffer up high, and in a little more than two
-hours and a half was approaching Smithville.
-
-He could make out the tossing expanse of the lake. The lights of
-Smithville showed him exactly where the village was, and his memory told
-him just where the field should be in which he had once landed. He nosed
-his ship downward and started a big swing around the town. Lower and
-lower he glided, waiting for the expected flare. He was sure his running
-lights must be visible from the ground, for the night was still
-perfectly clear, though he was not so certain that the roar of his motor
-could be heard. The blustering of the wind might drown out the sound. At
-any rate, they would be looking for him, and they would see him. So he
-eased his plane earthward, gliding lower and lower, and waiting for the
-flare.
-
-Suddenly it came. A burst of flame sprang up, though it was not where
-Jimmy had expected to see it at all. It lighted up a wide expanse of
-land. The place looked wet to Jimmy, but he could not be sure about
-that. At any rate, it undoubtedly was the best landing place possible.
-He knew his friends would not pick out any other landing place. So Jimmy
-shoved his stick over a little more, shut off his engine, and glided
-down. He leveled his ship off, let her lose flying speed, and set her
-down. Instantly he knew that something was wrong. Water began to fly.
-His wheels gave forth squdgy, wallowing sounds. In a second his plane
-bogged down. Over she nosed into the soft ground. His propeller was bent
-almost double. His under-carriage seemed to give way. His engine plowed
-into the mud. His tail was standing high in air.
-
-Fortunately Jimmy had braced himself at the first sound of splashing
-water. He was thrown forward, and though his face was somewhat cut and
-he suffered several hard bumps, he was not really injured. Instantly he
-cut his switch and shut off the gas. Then he leaped from the plane to
-see what had happened. He found he was in the centre of a great stretch
-of bog. His plane was hopelessly mired and out of commission for days.
-
-At a distance he saw men with lanterns. He splashed through the swampy
-ground toward them. They came hurrying in his direction. Foremost was
-the village postmaster.
-
-"What in thunder did you make a flare in a swamp for?" demanded Jimmy,
-mad as hops. "My plane is completely out of commission."
-
-"We did just what you asked us to do," replied the postmaster, somewhat
-taken aback by Jimmy's fiery greeting.
-
-"What I asked _you_ to do!" said Jimmy. "Why, I asked you to light a
-flare in the best landing place available. Is that your idea of a good
-landing place for a plane?"
-
-"But in your second telegram you said to put the flare in a swampy place
-as you would fly still farther north from here and your ship still wore
-skis."
-
-"My second telegram! My ship still wore skis! I never sent you any
-second telegram. I never told you I had skis on my ship."
-
-"Well, somebody did. Here's the telegram. It's signed New York _Morning
-Press_." And the postmaster fished out of his pocket two yellow telegram
-blanks and thrust them into Jimmy's hand.
-
-"Somebody has played another trick on me," said Jimmy. "But it won't do
-any good. My ship may be disabled, but I am not. There's still the
-telegraph to fall back upon. I can get a message back to New York that
-way."
-
-"But you'll need your plane to fly out to the wreck."
-
-"Thunderation!" said Jimmy. "Isn't there a boat to be had?"
-
-"Yes, but it's terribly rough. Nobody around here would go out on the
-lake in a sea like the one that's running now."
-
-"Well, can I get the story of the wreck here?"
-
-"No. Nobody knows a thing about it except that the ship has piled up on
-the nearest island. We can see her with our glasses. But that's all we
-know. That's all we had to send to the newspapers."
-
-"Isn't there any boat that can make it out to the island? I'll pay
-anybody well who'll take me out."
-
-"The only fellow who would dare it is that bootlegger who held you up on
-your former trip here. He stops at nothing. He's got a boat specially
-made for rough weather."
-
-"Where is he?" asked Jimmy. "Can I get in touch with him?"
-
-"Yes, you can. He's been in town for several days. The lake has been too
-rough even for him. I'll show you where he hangs out." And the
-postmaster tramped off, with Jimmy at his side and a group of villagers
-following behind them.
-
-They found the rum runner. The man jumped up suspiciously as they
-entered the house where he was staying. He glanced from the postmaster
-to Jimmy and back again. At first he did not know the stranger. But
-before the postmaster could say a word he remembered Jimmy's face.
-Instantly he held out his hand.
-
-"Hello, Kid," he said. "I reckon I know what brings you back here. You
-gave me a ride across the lake some time ago and I suspect you want one
-in return? Do I win or lose on that guess?"
-
-"You win," said Jimmy, shaking the fellow's hand. "I want a ride and I
-want it bad."
-
-"You can get it," said the rum runner. "I've been out studying the lake
-for the last half hour. The waves is dyin' down fast. I've got a boat
-that'll make it easy. Once we get in the lee of the island, there won't
-be nothin' to it--absolutely nothin'."
-
-"How soon can we start?"
-
-"Right off. Come on."
-
-The bootlegger's power boat proved to be a tremendously sturdy craft,
-with high prow, a deep cabin roofed over, and the tiniest of cockpits in
-the stern, where there was also an engine that appeared to be of great
-power. Jimmy and the owner climbed aboard. The latter turned on an
-electric light.
-
-"Put this on," he said, handing Jimmy a lifebelt. Then he drew on
-another himself.
-
-He started his motor and let it run quietly a few moments to heat up.
-Then he opened the throttle to test it. The engine answered with a roar
-as powerful as that of Jimmy's plane. The ship strained at her hawsers.
-
-"Now, Kid, you go inside the cabin and sit down. You're likely to get
-hurt if you don't. If it gets too rough for you, just lay right down in
-a bunk. Don't take no chances on breakin' an arm or somethin'."
-
-Jimmy obeyed. The rum runner threw off his lines. He opened his
-throttle. The ship left her little harbor. In a moment she was tossing
-wildly on the waves of the open lake. The owner gave his engine more
-gas. The craft forged ahead. Jimmy had never had such a ride. Like a
-chip in a whirlpool the little boat was thrown about. Now it leaped high
-upward. Now it dropped downward with a suggestiveness that almost made
-Jimmy sick. Now it struck a huge wave, that came crashing back over it,
-and the impact made the sturdy craft tremble and quiver. But all the
-time it bored straight through the sea, its motor roaring, its propeller
-whirling wildly as the stern was thrown up out of the water. At times it
-plunged headlong down the slope of a great wave, only to go crashing
-into the following crest. It shook and shivered. It groaned and creaked.
-But not for one instant did the motor falter or its deep-throated roar
-subside.
-
-Almost before he knew it, Jimmy found himself in calmer water. The boat
-still rose and fell. It still rocked and swayed. But there was a
-perceptible difference in its motions. They were less violent. The sea
-was not so turbulent. The craft wallowed less in the waves. And the
-farther they went the smoother their passage continued to grow.
-
-Jimmy rightly guessed that the boat was in the lee of the island. It
-was, in fact, driving into a little cove or bay, well protected, on the
-leeward side of the island. When Jimmy looked out and saw land to right
-and left of him he was amazed. They had made the trip to the island in
-astonishingly little time. Despite wind and wave, the rum runner's
-powerful boat had crossed the three miles of water with great speed. Now
-the craft ran swiftly up the little bay and slid to a grating stop at a
-little landing at the very end of the cove.
-
-"Come on," said the rum runner, making his boat fast. "I'll take you
-over to the wreck."
-
-Rapidly he led the way across the island, which just here was hardly a
-mile wide. Then the two made their way out to the end of a long point of
-land, on the tip of which lay the stranded vessel. It was driven far up
-on the sands. Only a few hundred feet of water separated it from the
-shore. But those few hundred feet were frightful to behold. On this
-windward side of the island the sea was terrible. Huge waves came
-roaring in from the open lake, to crash against the helpless ship and go
-thundering completely over it. Jimmy looked at the scene with an awe
-that bordered on terror. Never before had he beheld such an exhibition
-of the fury of wind and wave.
-
-Near by was a cottage. Lights still shone in the windows.
-
-"The folks in that house ought to be able to tell us something about the
-wreck," shouted Jimmy to his companion. "Let's go talk to them."
-
-They walked to the cottage and knocked at the door. It was opened
-promptly and they stepped inside. A great fire was blazing in the
-hearth. Before it sat a man half dressed. Articles of clothing were
-hanging before the blaze. The man seemed distressed.
-
-Jimmy introduced himself to the cottager. The man recalled him at once
-as the flier who had brought help from the city during the winter.
-
-"What brings you here now? Is there anything I can do for you?" asked
-the islander.
-
-"I came to get the story of this stranded vessel. Perhaps you can tell
-me something about it."
-
-"I can," said the cottager, "but this man can tell you far more. He is
-the mate of the ship. He was swept overboard and was all but drowned
-before we got him ashore. He can tell you everything."
-
-Jimmy sat down and began to talk to him. Reluctantly at first, then
-eagerly as he found relief in conversation, the man related his story:
-how the ship had put out from port at the first possible moment with a
-cargo of freight and a considerable passenger list; how progress had
-been incredibly slow because of the heavy ice; how the storm had caught
-them only a few miles off shore; how the steamer's propeller had been
-broken by ice; and how she had then drifted helplessly before the wind,
-finally to crash on the beach before them, with the loss of many lives,
-and the probable loss of many more. For it was impossible to get to the
-ship with the sea as it was, and the vessel was breaking up. It was only
-a question of hours until it would go to pieces. Of all those washed
-overboard--probably a score or more--the mate was the only one who had
-reached the shore alive.
-
-For an hour Jimmy talked with the downcast sailor. He plied the man with
-a hundred questions. He got every detail of the trip, from the start to
-the present moment. And he secured many names of passengers and crew.
-Then thanking the sailor and the cottager, he took his leave,
-accompanied by his rum-running friend.
-
-"Have you got all the facts you want?" asked the latter.
-
-"I've got all I have time to get now. I must put what I have on the
-wire. Later I can get more details and in the morning some pictures."
-
-They hurried to the boat, boarded it, and crossed to the mainland,
-running before wind and wave. Their speed amazed Jimmy. They made the
-crossing in no time at all. Jimmy rushed to the telegraph office, which
-he found open and waiting for him, with an extra operator who had been
-ordered on duty especially to forward Jimmy's story. Jimmy wrote a few
-lines and handed them to the operator. Then, with the telegraph key
-clicking in his ear, he wrote and wrote, tearing off sheet after sheet
-from his pad and handing each sheet to the operator as fast as it was
-written. When he laid the last sheet before the operator he glanced at
-the clock. It was half past two. Jimmy smiled with happiness. He had
-"caught" the city edition.
-
-As Jimmy and his new friend came out of the telegraph office they heard
-the hum of a plane overhead. Down came a ship, circling, and settling
-cautiously lower. Then it dropped a flare, turned its landing lights on,
-and glided safely to earth in a big field. Two men got out of it--the
-pilot and a passenger. They hurried over to Jimmy and the rum runner. In
-the dark Jimmy did not recognize them.
-
-"Is there any way we can get to the island, where that ship is wrecked?"
-demanded one of them. "We'll pay well to get there."
-
-Jimmy bristled with anger as he heard the voice. It was Rand's. Jimmy's
-rum-running friend turned to him. "What about it? Shall I take them
-over?"
-
-"Not if you're a friend of mine," said Jimmy. "This fellow is my worst
-enemy. He has played me no end of dirty tricks, and I think he played me
-one this very night."
-
-"Then I don't take him," said the bootlegger. "Let him get to the island
-the best way he can."
-
-They turned away from the newcomers. Rand was swearing furiously. But
-Jimmy paid no attention to him and presently was beyond the sound of his
-voice. Briefly he told his friend of the difficulties he had had with
-Rand. "I'm just as sure as I can be that now I know who sent that second
-telegram here that pulled me down in the bog and put my ship out of
-commission. I don't know what I am going to do, for I had expected to
-fly out to the ship and get some photographs at sunrise and then rush
-them to New York. The local correspondents can finish up the story."
-
-"Don't you worry about no pictures," said the rum runner. "I got my
-airplane all fixed up--new motor and everything. She's right at hand,
-and come daybreak we'll go git them pictures and then start for New
-York. I got business down that way and I'll be glad to make the trip.
-You done me a fine service once and I ain't never goin' to forget it."
-
-
-
-
-                              CHAPTER XVII
-
-                        Jimmy Triumphs Over Rand
-
-
-When Jimmy and his lawless friend from the border reached New York late
-the next morning with the first photographs of the wreck to arrive in
-that city and with some additional facts about the wreck, the rum runner
-wanted to say good-bye at once, but Jimmy would not consent to this. He
-insisted that they go see the managing editor. Finally the bootlegger,
-whose name was LaRoche, agreed, and early that afternoon the two met
-again at the _Morning Press_ building. They were at once admitted to the
-managing editor's office.
-
-"Well, Jimmy, you seem to have had another interesting adventure," said
-Mr. Johnson, as he welcomed his subordinate. "I'm mighty glad you got
-out of it safe and sound."
-
-Jimmy introduced LaRoche to Mr. Johnson, then said: "You speak of my
-having another adventure, Mr. Johnson. What do you refer to?"
-
-"Why, to your trip out to the island through the storm last night. I
-judge that was an experience you won't soon forget."
-
-"For me it was an adventure," said Jimmy, "though to Mr. LaRoche it was
-a very ordinary experience, I judge. I shall not soon forget it. Nor
-shall I forget the other adventure I had."
-
-"The other adventure! You speak in riddles, Jimmy."
-
-Jimmy told his chief about the beacon in the bog, about his landing in a
-swamp and being hopelessly disabled, and about the two telegrams
-received by the postmaster of Smithville.
-
-While Jimmy was talking he could not fail to notice the countenance of
-his chief. The most extraordinary expressions followed one another on
-the managing editor's face. Interest, amazement, concern, and finally an
-expression of angry determination were all momentarily portrayed on Mr.
-Johnson's expressive countenance.
-
-"Now I understand everything," said he.
-
-Jimmy waited for enlightenment.
-
-"While you have been gathering a story of heroism and death in the
-north," said the managing editor, "I have been picking up one of
-cowardice and treachery here in New York. I didn't fully understand what
-it all meant until I heard what you have just told me. Now I comprehend
-it all. Your story and mine make a beautiful mosaic. They dovetail
-together into a completed tale. Would you like to hear _my_ end of that
-tale?"
-
-Jimmy was all eagerness. "I can't imagine what you have in mind," said
-Jimmy, "but of course I want to hear about it."
-
-"Very well, here it is. Your friend, Mr. LaRoche, will be interested,
-too. He has had some small part in the story, too."
-
-Both the managing editor's hearers looked their astonishment.
-
-"When you set out for Smithville last night, Jimmy," began the managing
-editor, "we did everything we could possibly do at this end to make your
-flight both safe and successful. I sent you reluctantly. I knew flying
-conditions could not be any too good in a region where a great steamer
-had just been blown ashore. The fact is, I was a little
-conscience-smitten, I guess. Your narrow escape at Mingoville has been
-constantly in my mind. But I allowed you to go--yes, I even urged you to
-go--and after you had taken off I began to worry about you and so I
-quite naturally left nothing undone to insure the safety of your trip."
-
-Both Jimmy and his companion were completely mystified. They sat in
-silent expectation, waiting for what was to follow.
-
-"First of all," continued Mr. Johnson, "I sent Johnnie Lee over to your
-hangar. There was nothing in particular for him to do except to be there
-in case you should send back any radio messages as you flew. You see, I
-have learned about your Wireless Patrol and how skilful all you boys are
-with the wireless. So it occurred to me that Johnnie might be able to
-handle a radio conversation better than almost anybody else on the
-staff. Johnnie went over to the flying field immediately."
-
-The managing editor paused as though to arrange his thoughts. After a
-moment he continued. "Johnnie seems to be very wide awake. He evidently
-nosed around the field and soon learned that the _Despatch_ man was
-having trouble to get his plane into the air. The _Despatch_ no doubt
-received the flash about the wreck of the lake steamer at the same time
-we got it. Its plane should have taken the air as quickly as you got
-aloft with our ship, Jimmy. But something went wrong with it. An hour
-after you had departed, the pilot and his mechanics were still working
-desperately to get the ship into shape to fly. Johnnie didn't know what
-was wrong, and of course he didn't make inquiries in a rival's hangar.
-But he did discover that the reporter who was to be flown in the plane
-was the fellow he had seen at the coal mine disaster at Krebs. He knew
-that the fellow had played you some dirty tricks, and he decided he
-would keep an eye on him."
-
-"You bet Johnnie would," interrupted Jimmy. "He's a real friend."
-
-"Well," continued the managing editor, "this chap Johnnie was watching.
-Rand presently went to the office in his hangar. Johnnie strolled over
-that way and peeped in. Rand was standing by a closet in the rear of the
-office. The door was open only part way, but Johnnie could see that Rand
-was talking into a telephone receiver that stood on a shelf in this
-closet. This seemed queer to Johnnie, because there on the desk was the
-regular instrument. Johnnie tiptoed close to a window, which was open a
-crack for ventilation. He was in the dark and could not be seen. He
-heard Rand say something about 'skis on a plane' and 'flying farther
-north from there.' Johnnie of course couldn't make anything out of that,
-and quite naturally he never connected the message with your flight."
-
-Jimmy drew a long breath. "I understand the whole story now," he said.
-
-"Not quite, Jimmy. Let me go on. Rand got off eventually and the force
-at Rand's hangar went home. Johnnie came back to our hangar. But there
-wasn't a thing to do, aside from making frequent inquiries at the radio
-office, and he got to wondering about that queer telephone he had seen
-Rand use. So he picked up a flash-light, slipped into Rand's office,
-which was unlocked, and went to the closet. It was locked. Johnnie had
-his keys and with one of them was able after a little effort to unlock
-the closet. There was the telephone, on a separate wire, which came up
-through the floor. You know how ramshackle those hangars are. Well,
-Johnnie was able to trace that wire. And where do you think it ran?"
-
-"I don't know," said Jimmy.
-
-"It was spliced to our own telephone wire. In short, Rand had tapped the
-wire in our hangar, so he could overhear our conversations."
-
-"Quite evident," said Jimmy. "But what I don't understand is why Rand
-was _tallying_ on our wire. That would give him away, sure."
-
-"I couldn't have understood it either, had it not been that I had
-occasion to talk to a Western Union man. I had already arranged to have
-the wire at Smithville opened for you, Jimmy, but about three hours
-after you took off I had to call the telegraph people again. And it was
-only by the merest chance that the matter was mentioned then. The fellow
-I was talking with remarked that he had just come down from Canada and
-that unless my reporter was going pretty far north, he would have
-trouble landing on skis. I didn't know what he meant. That brought out
-the fact that a second telegram had been sent about the matter of a
-landing ground at Smithville. I knew you had no skis on your plane now
-and I said there must be a mistake about the message. The telegraph
-official assured me that you had sent a second message from Long Island.
-When I checked up on the time the message was sent, I saw right away
-what had happened. Some one had sent a message in your name. We traced
-the call and it came over our wire."
-
-The managing editor paused. "Please go on," said Jimmy, who was sitting
-tensely on the edge of his chair.
-
-"Well, I got in touch with Johnnie over at the field. He had just
-ferreted out the secret telephone wire. It was easy enough then to put
-two and two together. But the thing that worried me was the plight you
-were in, Jimmy. I knew that unless you had had a mishap on the way, you
-were already at Smithville. Whatever was to happen had already happened.
-I got a connection on the telephone with the postmaster up there--the
-fellow you said you knew--and he said you had gone out on the lake with
-Mr. LaRoche here, and that nobody in the town expected to see you come
-back alive. So you can understand how anxious I was and how tremendously
-pleased I was when your story began to come in. By the way, Jimmy, what
-about your plane? What is to be done about it?"
-
-"Oh, I have already arranged about that. The plane isn't really hurt
-any. The propeller is gone, and maybe the undercarriage is damaged some.
-But the ship itself is all right. I left directions for the plane to be
-pulled out on firm land and cleaned thoroughly. They are to wire me as
-soon as this is done and tell me if anything is needed. Then I shall go
-up there with my mechanic and put on a new prop and make any other
-repairs necessary. I don't think the job will amount to much."
-
-"You were mighty lucky, Jimmy, and we were all tremendously relieved
-when we found you were safe. Of course we are pleased about the story.
-We scooped the town, as I suppose you already know. But that was a small
-matter alongside of your safety."
-
-"What I want to know," said Jimmy, trying to change the subject, "is
-what to do about Rand. He is a poor loser. Every time I beat him he
-tries some underhand work. What am I to do about it? I could beat him
-up, and I once threatened to do it; but that would not stop him from
-attempting these dirty tricks."
-
-"Jimmy," said Mr. Johnson, "you are not to do anything about Rand. I
-will attend to that. In fact, I have already attended to it. Here is a
-letter I have written to him. In it I have told him that we have
-absolute proof of his dirty work that might well have cost you your life
-at Smithville. What he did will without doubt constitute a crime in the
-eyes of the law. I have told him as much. I have also told him that
-unless he resigns from the _Despatch_, gets out of newspaper work
-entirely, and promises never again to attempt in any way to interfere
-with you, I shall hale him into court and stop at nothing until I see
-him behind prison bars."
-
-"Do you think he will resign?"
-
-"Jimmy, if this case ever went to court, and we spread on the records
-all we know, not only about this case but about other dastardly things
-he has done, Rand would be so discredited that no editor would ever
-again hire him, and he might find it difficult to get a job of any sort
-whatever. I'm mightily mistaken about Rand if he doesn't quit cold when
-he gets my letter. But if he doesn't, I shall proceed against him at
-once."
-
-Jimmy left the office both happy and sorry. He was glad he was to be
-free from the competition of such a man as Rand. He was sorry that
-through him misfortune came upon another--even Rand. He said as much to
-LaRoche.
-
-"Forget, Kid," replied the rum runner. "You're a square shooter clear
-through. Otherwise I wouldn't never have had nothin' to do with you. But
-this other fellow is only a rattlesnake. You hadn't nothing to do with
-his downfall. He brought that on himself. And if it hadn't come now,
-through you, it would have come later through some one else."
-
-Jimmy walked with LaRoche to the latter's headquarters in a tough
-riverfront hotel. "You've been a real friend to me," he said. "I
-appreciate it, I don't know how to thank you."
-
-"I don't want no thanks. You've been my friend. Don't you suppose I like
-the friendship of a kid as white as you are? When you get in trouble
-again, let me know. You can always count on Henri LaRoche."
-
-The rum runner held out his hand. Jimmy shook it warmly. "Good-bye and
-good luck to you," he said.
-
-At the end of the week Jimmy sauntered into the office to get his pay.
-There was a notice conspicuously posted on the bulletin board. He
-stopped to read it. Then a great smile came over his countenance, for
-this is what he read:
-
-                            Staff Promotions
-
-    Johnnie Lee and Jimmy Donnelly, for excellent work in connection
-    with the coverage of the steamship disaster in Lake Ontario,
-    will each receive a bonus of $50, together with an increase in
-    salary, same to be effective at once.
-
-                                                       Tom Johnson
-                                                    Managing Editor.
-
-
-
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