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diff --git a/37175-8.txt b/37175-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ed8bbe0 --- /dev/null +++ b/37175-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6660 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Boy Aviators' Flight for a Fortune, by Wilbur Lawton + +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 Boy Aviators' Flight for a Fortune + +Author: Wilbur Lawton + +Illustrator: Charles L. Wrenn + +Release Date: August 23, 2011 [EBook #37175] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY AVIATORS' FLIGHT FOR *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Illustration: FRANK WAS LIFTED BY MAIN FORCE AND PLACED IN IT.--_Page +228._] + + + + + THE BOY AVIATORS' + FLIGHT FOR A FORTUNE + + BY + CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON + + AUTHOR OF "THE BOY AVIATORS," + "DREADNOUGHT BOYS," ETC. + + _ILLUSTRATED BY_ + _CHARLES L. WRENN_ + + NEW YORK + HURST & COMPANY + PUBLISHERS + + + + + Copyright, 1912, + BY + HURST & COMPANY + + + + + CONTENTS + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. On Brig Island 5 + II. The Wireless 22 + III. A Night Alarm 36 + IV. Cut Adrift 45 + V. Adventures on the Hulk 56 + VI. Harry Meets an Old Friend 66 + VII. A Puzzling Problem 80 + VIII. The Derelict Destroyer 89 + IX. The Flight of the "Sea Eagle" 97 + X. "C. Q. D.!" 112 + XI. "Good Luck!" 121 + XII. Through the Night 129 + XIII. A Twentieth-Century Rescue 137 + XIV. Ben's Plan Stolen 148 + XV. What Happened Ashore 158 + XVI. Off on the "Air Route" 170 + XVII. An Aerial Ambulance 180 + XVIII. An Errand of Mercy 189 + XIX. Plumbo Found Wanting 199 + XX. Frank's Battle 209 + XXI. A Rascally Trick 219 + XXII. Reunited! 230 + XXIII. Off Once More 237 + XXIV. A Struggle for Life 246 + XXV. A Race to Cloudland 253 + XXVI. The Boy Aviators' Pluck 264 + XXVII. Captured by Aeroplane 275 + + + + +THE BOY AVIATORS' FLIGHT FOR A FORTUNE + + + + +CHAPTER I.--ON BRIG ISLAND. + + +The sharp bow of Zenas Daniels' green and red dory grazed the yellow +beach on the west shore of Brig Island, a wooded patch of land lying +about a mile off the Maine Shore in the vicinity of Casco Bay. His son +Zeb, a lumbering, uncouth-looking lad of about eighteen, with a +pronounced squint, leaped from the craft as it was beached, and seized +hold of the frayed painter preparatory to dragging her farther up the +beach. + +In the meantime Zenas himself, brown and hatchetlike of face, and lean +of figure--with a tuft of gray whisker on his sharp chin, like an +old-fashioned knocker on a mahogany door--gathered up a pile of lobster +pots from the stern of the dory and shouldered them. A few lay loose, +and those he flung out on the beach. + +These last Zeb gathered up, and as his father stepped out of the dory +the pair began trudging up the steeply sloping beach, toward the woods +which rimmed the islet almost to the water's edge. All this, seemingly, +in defiance of a staring sign which faced them, for on it was printed in +letters visible quite a distance off: + + PRIVATE PROPERTY. + NO TRESPASSING! + +Instead, however, of checking the fisherman, it caused old Zenas to +break into a harsh laugh as his deep-set, wrinkle-surrounded eyes dwelt +for an instant on the inscription. His jaw seemed to set with a snap, +and his thin lips formed a narrow, hairlike line as a second later he +saw something else. This was a stout wire fence, clearly of recent +construction, which extended along the edge of the woods. Apparently it +must have encircled the island, for it ran as far as eye could see in +either direction. + +"Waal, I'll be dummed-gosh dummed!" snorted Zenas, his thin nostrils +dilating angrily. + +"Put up a fence now, have they?" he continued. "Waal, if thet ain't ther +beatingest! A passel of city kids ter come hyar and think they kin run +things in Casco Bay!" + +"I reckon thet fence ain't goin' ter hinder us powerful much, dad." + +"Waal, I swan _not_. Come on, Zeb, look lively with them pots; we've got +ter git across ther island an' back ez slippy ez we kin." + +But as father and son resumed their journey, the thick brush suddenly +parted and down a narrow path a boyish figure came suddenly into view. +The newcomer was a tall, muscular youth, with a face tanned to a healthy +brown by constant outdoor life. His clean-cut figure and frank, open +countenance formed a striking contrast to Zenas' crabbed features and +the shifty look of his son. + +"Where do you intend going?" demanded the boy, as he halted a few paces +on the opposite side of the fence. + +"You know waal enough, Frank Chester, or whatever yer name is," growled +out Zenas, "we're goin' across ther Island ter stow our lobster pots, +just as we've bin a-doin' fer years." + +"I'm very sorry. I don't want to seem unfair, but, as I explained to you +the other day, this island is now private property. It was rented from +Mr. Dunning of Portland on the express condition that we were not to be +interfered with." + +"Land o' Goshen! So ye think yer kin come hyar an' run things ter suit +yerselves, do yer?" + +"We rented the island for that purpose. As I said before, we are all +very sorry if it interferes with your convenience; but there's Woody +Island half a mile below, and closer in to Motthaven, too, why won't +that suit you as well?" + +"'Cos it won't. Thet's why. Brig Island's bin here a sight longer than +you er I, and it's goin' ter stay hyar arter we're gone, too." + +"I don't quite see what that has to do with it." + +"Waal, I do. We ain't used ter bein' dictated to by a passel of kids. +I've bin usin' this island fer ten years or more. It suits me first +rate, and I propose ter go on using it, and ther ain't no kids kin stop +me," spoke Zenas stubbornly. + +"Well, we shan't keep you from it for more than a few weeks at most--at +least I hope so," rejoined Frank, with perfect good nature, "after that, +although we have leased it for a year, we shall be glad to have you use +it in any way you like." + +"I want ter use it right now, I tell yer." + +"Well, you can't!" + +Frank's control of himself was beginning to ooze away in the face of +such mule-like obstinacy. + +"Kain't, eh? We'll see. You're alone on the island ter-day, I seen ther +other kids go ashore this mornin'. Come on, Zeb, climb over thet fence." + +"Thet's right, dad," applauded Zeb, "ef he gives yer any sass jes' hit +him a clip in ther jaw. Reckon that 'ull stop him fer a while." + +As his son spoke Zenas made as if to lay his hand on the top wire of the +fence preparatory to scaling it. Frank Chester stepped hastily forward. + +"Don't try to climb that fence!" he warned. His tone was so earnest +that, involuntarily, Zenas checked himself. + +"Why not?" he demanded. + +"Because if you do you are going to get hurt. I give you fair warning." + +"Shucks! ez if a kid could bother me. Come on, Zeb." + +As he called to his son, Zenas clapped his hand on the top wire. Zeb, +with a contemptuous grimace at Frank, did the same. + +"We'll show yer----" Zeb was beginning, when a singular thing happened. + +[Illustration: "OUCH! WHAT IN THE NAME OF TIME HIT US!"] + +Zenas, with a yell, sprang into the air and, tripping as he came down, +alighted in a sprawling heap among the freshly-tarred lobster pots. His +gray goatee wagged savagely as he lay there impotently clenching his +fists, alternating this performance by vigorously rubbing his elbows. In +the meantime his son, giving vent to a no less piercing cry, had +executed a backward bound from the fence with as much velocity as if he +had been a rubber ball. + +"Ouch! What in ther name of time hit us!" he demanded. + +"Dear land o' Goshen! What was thet?" shouted his parent. + +Frank had some difficulty in steadying his voice to reply. The sight of +the two lately militant figures sprawling there on the beach was too +much for his gravity. + +"_That_," he managed to gasp out at length, "that was a _mild_ current +of electricity running through those wires. You recollect I warned you +not to touch them." + +"You--you--you young villain!" roared Zenas, springing to his feet with +great agility for one of his years, "I'll have ther law on yer!" + +"Consarn you, yes!" echoed Zeb, "assault and battery!" + +"No, not batteries--a dynamo," Frank could not resist saying. "If you +think of going to law over it," he added, more seriously, "please +recollect that I warned you not to touch those wires. Furthermore, you +were defiantly trespassing on private property, although you could see +that sign from quite a distance out on the water." + +The elder Daniels' face was a study at this. But his son continued to +bellow angrily. + +"You may hev injured dad and me fer life!" he shouted. + +"Oh, no; on the contrary, a mild shock of electricity is a fine thing +for the system. But," and Frank smiled, "don't take an overdose." + +"Oh, y'er laughin' at us, are yer? Waal, maybe ther laugh 'ull be on the +other side of yer face nex' time we meet." + +All this time the elder Daniels had remained silent, gathering up his +scattered lobster pots. Evidently he did not meditate a second assault +on the fence. Now he turned the overboiling vials of his wrath on his +son. + +"Pick up them pots, consarn ye!" he rumbled throatily, "and git out 'er +this." + +Zeb obeyed, and then, with what dignity they could muster, the two +shuffled back down the beach to their dory. Then they shoved off and +began pulling for Woody Island. Frank Chester watched them in silence. +But they did not look his way once during the swift row. When they +landed on the distant islet, he saw Zeb turn and shake his fist in the +direction of Brig Island with vicious emphasis. The elder fisherman, +however, simply strode off along the beach of the adjacent island +without turning. + +"Well, the fence certainly served its purpose," said Frank to himself, +as he turned away; "it proved as effectual as it did that night we used +the same sort of contrivance to put to rout the rascals who wanted to +wreck the old Golden Eagle. Sorry I had to give those fellows such a +severe lesson, though. They liked us little enough before. They'll have +still less use for us now." + +He was about to retrace his steps up the path when his attention was +arrested by a sudden sound--the sharp "put-put-put!" of a motor boat. + +"I'll bet that's Harry, Billy and Pudge coming now!" he exclaimed. "I'll +go round to the hulk and meet them." + +So saying, he started off along the beach. In a few seconds he rounded a +wooded promontory and passed out of sight. Right here, perhaps, is a +good place to give those readers who have not already formed their +acquaintance, some further idea of who Frank Chester and his companions +are, and how the quartet came to be on Brig Island, off the coast of +Maine, in the island-dotted Casco Bay region. + +The first volume of this series related the adventures of Frank and +Harry Chester, two bright, inventive New York lads of seventeen and +sixteen, in the turbulent Central American Republic of Nicaragua. In +this book was set down the part that their aëroplane, _The Golden +Eagle_, played in the drama of revolution, and followed also the +tempestuous career of their chum Billy Barnes, a young reporter whom +they met in the tropics. Mr. Chester, a New York man of affairs, owned a +plantation in Nicaragua, and the boys and their aëroplane were the means +of saving this from the depredations of the revolutionaries. But in an +electric storm in which she was driven out to sea the _Golden Eagle_ was +lost. By means of the wireless apparatus with which she was equipped, +the lads, however, managed to communicate with a steamer which picked +them up and saved their lives. + +In The Boy Aviators on Secret Service, the second volume of the Boy +Aviators' series, we find them in the mysterious region of the +Everglades. Once again they demonstrated--this time for Uncle Sam--the +almost limitless possibilities of the two greatest inventions of modern +times--the aëroplane and wireless telegraphy. In this book we related how +the secret explosive factory was located and put out of commission, and +what dangers and difficulties surrounded the boys during the process. + +Not long after this a strange combination of circumstances resulted in +the boys taking a voyage to Africa. In The Boy Aviators In Africa you +may read how they discovered the ivory hoard in the Moon Mountains, and +how the Arab slave trader, who had cause to fear them, made all sorts of +trouble for them. The first aëroplane to soar above the trackless +forests of the Dark Continent conveyed them safely out of their +dilemmas, and indirectly was the cause of their being able to voyage +back to America on a fine yacht. + +The boys had figured on resting up after this, but the love of adventure +that stirred in their blood, as well as their warm friendship for Billy +Barnes, prompted them to take part in a cross-continent flight against +great odds. The story of the contest, The Boy Aviators in Record Flight, +related stirring incidents from coast to coast. Readers of that volume +will readily summon to mind the ruse by which the lads escaped the +cowboys and baffled some renegade Indians and, finally, their fearful +battle in midair with the sand storm. + +The story of an old Spanish galleon enthralled in the deadly grip of the +Sargasso Sea furnished the inspiration for the tale of the Boy Aviators' +Treasure Quest. But they were not alone on their hunt for the long-lost +treasure trove. Luther Barr, a bad old man who had caused them much +trouble before, fitted out a rival expedition. High above the vast ocean +of Sargasso weed the boys had to fight for their lives with a crew of +desperate men in a powerful dirigible craft. How they won out, and +through what other adventures they passed--including the surprising one +of the "rat ship,"--you must read the volume to discover, as we have not +space to detail all that befell them on that voyage. + +Then came what was, in many respects, their queerest voyage of all--the +flight above the Antarctic fields of eternal ice, in search of the goal +of discoverers of half a dozen nationalities, the South Pole. The Boy +Aviators' Polar Dash was a volume full of swift action and enterprise. +Many hardships were endured and dangers faced, but the boys did not +flinch when duty required their best of them. They emerged from the +frozen regions having achieved a signal triumph, but one which would not +have been possible of accomplishment without their aëroplane. + +Having thus briefly sketched the previous careers of the Boy Aviators, +we shall give a short account of how they came to be on Brig Island, and +then press on with our story. About a month before the present story +opens then, a scientific friend of Mr. Chester's, Dr. Maxim Perkins, had +called on the Boy Aviators' father and requested the aid of the young +aërial inventors in some problems that were bothering him. Dr. Perkins +was already an aviator of some note, but his achievements had not found +their way into the newspapers as, like most scientific men, he did not +care for publicity in connection with his experiments. + +In common with the rest of the civilized world Dr. Perkins--horrified at +a mid-ocean tragedy in which hundreds of lives were sacrificed--had set +his wits to work to devise some means of life saving--in addition to the +regular boat equipment--which might be easily carried by ocean liners. He +was convinced that it would be feasible for vessels of that description +to carry an auxiliary fleet of what he termed +"dirigible-hydro-aëroplanes." By this rather clumsy name he meant a +combination of the hydroplane, dirigible and aëroplane. But although his +ideas on the subject were clear enough in theory, he was rather hazy +about the practical side of the matter, and this was the object of his +call on Mr. Chester--to ask the aid of the Boy Aviators in carrying out +his experiments. + +To make a long story short, arrangements were finally completed by which +the doctor had leased Brig Island, and had set up on it such sheds and +appliances as would be needed by the boys in their work. These included +a wireless, by means of which communication with the mainland might be +kept up--via Portland--and also a unique piece of apparatus (if such it +could be called) of which we shall learn in the next chapter. + +The boys had now spent two busy weeks on the island, and the work that +they had mapped out for themselves was so nearly completed that they had +felt justified that morning in wirelessing Dr. Perkins to come and see +how things were going on. As we have seen, their stay on the island had +not been altogether tranquil. The spot had been used for years by the +fishermen as a sort of stowage place for their apparatus, and also, +sometimes, as a summer residence. With the coming of the boys and their +necessarily private work, all this had been changed, and the resentment +of the fishermen had been bitter. Of all the complainers, Zenas and his +son were the most aggressive, however, and had openly threatened to +drive the boys off the island. + +To avoid being taken by surprise the lads had rigged up the electric +fence, which device, as readers of The Boy Aviators on Secret Service +will recall, had been used by them before with success to repel +unwelcome visitors. + +Let us now rejoin Frank Chester as he goes to meet the approaching motor +boat on which his brother Harry, Billy Barnes and Pudge Perkins, the +doctor's son, had visited the mainland for provisions and mail that +morning. + + + + +CHAPTER II.--THE WIRELESS. + + +As Frank rounded the point, the waves almost lapping his feet as he +edged along the rocky promontory, he came into full view of the adjunct +to the little settlement which was mentioned in the preceding chapter. +This was nothing more nor less than the hulk of what had once been a +fair-sized schooner. But her masts had vanished, and on her decks +nothing now rose above the bulwarks but a towering structure of +sufficiently odd form to have set the wits of every man in Motthaven who +had seen it at their keenest edge. + +This structure began about amidships, where it attained a height of some +thirty feet. From thence its skeleton form sloped sharply down toward +the stern of the dismantled hulk, much in the manner of the "Chute the +Chutes" familiar to most lads throughout the land from their having seen +them at amusement resorts. The old schooner--formerly rejoicing in the +name of _Betsy Jane_--had been picked up for a song in Portland by the +Boy Aviators, who saw in it exactly what they needed for a bit of +experimental apparatus. At their orders the inclined "slide" had been +built, and when this was accomplished the craft had been towed into the +cove, where it now lay anchored by a stout line, about 200 yards off +shore. + +As Frank came into view of the black old hull, swinging on her mooring +line on the turning tide, a "Hampton" motor boat came chugging round the +_Betsy Jane's_ stern. In it were three lads. The one in the bow handling +the wheel is already familiar to our readers, who will at once recognize +the cherubic, smiling features of the spectacled Billy Barnes. In the +stern, tending to the engine--a five horse power one of the +make-and-break type--was Harry Chester, Frank's younger brother, and +standing amidships, waving cheerfully to Frank, was a youth best +described as being "tubby" of build, with round rosy cheeks and a most +good-natured expression of countenance. + +This last lad was Ulysses--otherwise "Pudge" Perkins, the son of the +aërial scientist who had sent the lads on their strange mission. + +"Batter and butterflies!" he shouted, as the boat drew closer and he +spied Frank, "how are you, Frank? Get lonely without your chums?" + +"No; I rather enjoyed myself," laughed back Frank, shouting his words +across the water; "you see, while you were away I had some quiet, and a +chance to work out a few problems." + +"Mumps and mathematics!" sputtered Pudge amiably, "you don't mean to say +I worry you, Frank?" + +By this time the motor boat had approached close to her mooring, at +which swung a small boat of the dory type. The motor boat was speedily +made fast, and the boyish occupants tumbled into the small boat and +Harry rapidly sculled them ashore. Before leaving the motor boat some +sacks of supplies had been thrown in, and the small craft was so heavily +laden that Pudge had to be sternly warned to keep still on peril of +swamping it. + +"Dories and dingbats! as if my sylphlike form could bother this staunch +craft! Yo-ho! my lads, yo-ho! pull for the shore and don't bother about +me." + +The beach was reached without catastrophe, and while Frank helped the +others unload the supplies he told them of what had occurred during +their absence. + +"After you left," he said, "I got busy figuring on that plane problem. +All at once I heard voices, and by listening I soon recognized them as +Zenas Daniels and that precious son of his. As I knew what ugly +customers they were I turned the current into the fence and sauntered +down toward the shore. Sure enough it was Zenas and Zeb and they tried +to rush the fence." + +Frank then went on to tell of what had happened. Shouts of laughter +greeted his narrative. + +"Sugar and somersaults! But I'd have liked to see those chaps do a +flip-flap," chuckled the rotund Pudge, hugging himself in his joy. + +"I guess Zenas must have learned that electricity is good for the +rheumatiz," laughed Billy Barnes gleefully; "I'd like to have had a +picture of them when they hit the wire," he added, swinging his +inevitable camera at the end of its carrying straps. + +"It would have been worth while," laughed Harry; "but come on, boys, +let's get this stuff up to the hut. Anything to eat, Frank? I'm hungry +enough to swallow one of old Zenas' lobster pots." + +"Sandwiches and sauerkraut! So am I," chimed in Pudge. + +"Great Scott!" cried Billy Barnes, "as if we didn't know that. If you +told us you _weren't_ hungry it would be something new." + +"Well, I don't see where I've got anything on you when it comes to meal +times," retorted the fat youth. + +"Only about six inches more around the waist line," grinned Billy, +dodging a blow from the fleshy youth's fat but muscular arm. + +Shouldering the supplies, which consisted of such staples as bacon, +flour, sugar, rice and so forth, the lads made their way up the beach, +having first carried the dory's anchor far up above highwater mark. They +took their way along the electrically-charged fence till they came to a +spot where there was a gate and a switch to break the connection. Frank +turned off the switch, grounded the current, and opened the gate, +through which they passed, and entered on a narrow path winding up among +the rocks. When they had all gone through, Frank closed the gate, +snapped on the switch again and the fence became as mischievous as +before. + +In single file, headed by Harry, for Frank had now taken a rear place, +they toiled up the steep path until, at the summit of the rocky little +cliff, it plunged into the woods. Traversing these for a short distance, +and always climbing upward, for the island converged to a point in the +middle, they at length emerged on a clearing, evidently of nature's +workmanship, for there was no trace of recently felled trees or other +human work. + +The floor of this clearing was of rock, and off at one side a clear +spring bubbled cheerfully over into a barrel set so as to catch the +overflow. In the center of the open space stood a small but +substantially-built portable house--one of the sectional kind. This +formed the living quarters of the young island dwellers. Above it rose, +like gaunt, leafless trees, two iron poles set thirty feet apart and +stayed by stout guy wires. Between those two poles were suspended, by +block and tackle, the aërials, or antennæ, by which messages were caught +and sent. Within the hut was the rest of the wireless apparatus, which, +with the exception of some improvements of Frank's devising, was of the +portable kind--the same in fact that they had used in Florida. Outside +the hut was a small shelter covering a four horse-power gasolene engine, +which generated the power for the station. + +As most boys are familiar nowadays with the rudiments of wireless +telegraphy we are not going into technical details concerning the plant. +Suffice it to say that the boys were able to converse with Portland, +under favorable conditions, and judged that, in suitable weather, they +had a radius of some two hundred and fifty miles. + +But it was off to one side of the clearing, the side nearest to the +cove, that the most interesting structure on the island was situated. +This was more of a covering than a shed, for it consisted merely of a +roof supported with uprights; but in bad weather canvas curtains could +be drawn so as to make its interior stormproof. + +This shed was now open, and under the roof could be seen what was +perhaps at the moment the most unique machine of its kind in the world. +Looking into that shed you would have said at first that it housed a +boat. For the first object that struck your eye was a double-ended, +flat-bottomed craft of shimmering aluminum metal, about thirty feet in +length and built on the general lines of one of our life-saving craft. +That is to say, with "whalebacks" at each end containing air chambers, +and plenty of beam and room within the cockpit. A peculiar feature, +however, was the addition of four wheels. + +But the boat theory would have had to be abandoned the next moment, for +above the hull of the whaleboat-shaped craft was what appeared to be the +understructure of an aëroplane. But the planes--the broad +wings--themselves were lacking. The twin propellers connected to a motor +within the boat were, however, in place. Apparently they were driven by +chains, similar to, but stouter than, the ordinary bicycle variety. + +All about was a litter of tools and implements of all kinds. Several +large frames leaning against one side of the shed appeared to be the +skeleton forms of the wings which were soon to be added to the +superstructure. + +"Tamales and terrapins!" cried Pudge admiringly, as he gazed at the +uncompleted craft, "but she begins to look like something, eh, Frank?" + +"Yes," nodded the young aviator, "but until your father arrives we +cannot adjust the wings. There is a lot of theoretical work connected +with them that he will have to do. By the way, I wonder if Portland's +got any answer to our message yet?" + +Followed by the others, Frank entered the living hut, which proved to be +a snug, neat compartment about fifteen feet in length, by ten in width. +It had four windows, two on a side, and a door at one end. At the other +end was the wireless apparatus, with its glittering bright metal parts, +and businesslike-looking condensers and tuning coils. Along the walls +were four bunks, two on a side, one above the other. In the center were +a table and camp chairs, and from the ceiling hung a large oil lamp. + +A shelf held a good collection of books on aëro and wireless subjects, +and at one side of the door was a blue-flame kerosene stove. On the +other side of the door was a cupboard containing crockery, knives, forks +and cooking utensils. Altogether, if the boys had not been there for a +more serious purpose, the place might have been said to form an almost +ideal camp for four healthy, active lads. + +"Start up the motor, Harry," said Frank, as soon as they had deposited +their burdens, "and we'll try and get some track of Dr. Perkins. His +answer to our message ought to be in Portland by now." + +The younger Chester lad hastened outside, and soon the popping of the +motor announced that it was running. Frank sat down at the key and, +depressing it, sent a blue-white flame crackling across the spark gap. +Out into space, from the aërials stretched above, the message went +volleying. It was the call of the Portland station that Frank was +sending. He flashed it out three times, as is customary, and then signed +it F-C., the latter being Brigg Island's agreed-upon signature. Then, +while the others gathered round, Frank adjusted the "phones," the +delicate receivers that clamp over the ear and through which, by way of +the detector, any message vibrating in the air may be caught as it +encounters the antenna. + +Frank listened some time but--save for the conversation of two wireless +operators far out at sea--he could hear nothing. With a gesture of +impatience Frank began adjusting his tuning coil. All at once he broke +into a smile of satisfaction. At last Portland was answering: + +"F--C! F--C! F--C!" + +"All right," rejoined Frank, sending a volley of sparks crashing and +flashing across the gap as soon as he could break in, "is there any +answer to my message?" + +"Yes. Perkins will be at Motthaven to-morrow night. He wants you to meet +him," came back the answer, winging its way over the intervening miles +of space. + +"Is that all?" + +"That's all." + +Frank removed the "phones," grounded his key and told Harry he could +stop the motor. + +"I'll be glad when the doctor does get here," he confided to the others, +after he had communicated the message, "for I'm beginning to think that +we are in for some sort of trouble. Those two Daniels are pretty +influential in the village, and it only needs a word from them to turn +the whole crowd against us." + +"We could stand 'em off," bragged Pudge grandiloquently, "lassoes and +lobsters, we could stand 'em off. I half wish they would come--buttons +and buttercakes, but I do!" and Pudge doubled up his fists and looked +fierce. + +"You forget, Pudge," said Frank, "that we are here in positions of +responsibility. All this property is your father's. It is our duty to +see that no harm comes to it. A bunch of those fishermen inflamed by +anger might be able to do more harm here in an hour than could be +repaired in months, not to mention the cost." + +"Surely you don't think they'd come down to actual violence, Frank?" +inquired Harry. + +"I don't know. The two Daniels looked mighty savage to-day, I can tell +you. If it hadn't been for the electric fence they might have made +trouble. At all events I'll be glad to have some advice." + + + + +CHAPTER III.--A NIGHT ALARM. + + +After supper that night, a meal consisting of fried salt pork, boiled +potatoes and some fresh fish which Frank had caught earlier in the day, +the elder of the Chester lads called what he termed "a conference," +although Billy Barnes declared it was more in the nature of a "council +of war." + +We are not going to detail here all that was said as it would make +wearisome reading; but, after an hour or more of talk, Frank spoke his +mind. + +"It may be all foolishness, of course," he said, "but I think that we +ought not to leave the island unguarded to-night. Daniels and his son +have had a taste of that wire fence and they may have figured out some +way to get around it--it would be a simple enough matter to do, after +all." + +"Well, what's your proposal?" inquired Billy Barnes. + +"To patrol the island all night, taking turns on watch. It's not more +than a mile or so all round it, and it ought to be an easy matter to +keep the ground thoroughly covered." + +"Rifles and rattlesnakes!" burst out Pudge, "I thought this was to be a +sort of working vacation and not a civil war." + +Frank smiled, and then assumed a graver expression as he went on: + +"There is so much valuable property here which it would be easy for +malicious people to injure that I wouldn't feel justified in leaving the +island unguarded all night. What do the rest of you think?" + +"Just as you do, Frank," rejoined Harry heartily, while Billy and Pudge +nodded vigorously; "we've got to keep a sharp lookout. I nominate myself +and Pudge for the first watch--say from eight to twelve. You and Billy +can go on duty from midnight till daylight." + +After some discussion this order of procedure was adopted. Promptly at +eight o'clock Harry and Pudge Perkins went "on duty," while Frank and +Billy turned in to get what sleep they could. As a matter of precaution, +when they came to the island, the boys had brought along a revolver, and +Harry was armed with this when he went on duty. He was not, of course, +to use it as a weapon of offence, but it was agreed that, in case there +was any alarm during his watch, he was to fire it three times, when the +others would come to his assistance. + +Harry and Pudge accompanied each other as far as the gate, and then +threaded their way down the path among the rocks toward the beach. A +mild current had been turned on in the fence, enough to give an +uncomfortable shock to any one tampering with it, but not enough to +exhaust the storage batteries which supplied it. + +When they reached the beach, Harry paused. + +"We'd better start this patrol in opposite directions," he said, "and +then we can meet each other once on every circuit." + +"All right," agreed Pudge, "but--pirates and parachutes--keep a good eye +open." + +"Don't worry about me," rejoined Harry; "so long!" + +As he spoke each boy stepped off into the darkness to begin the patrol. +As Harry trudged along the beach his mind was full of the events of +which Frank had spoken that afternoon. Up in the lighted hut, with his +companions around him, it had seemed a very remote possibility to the +boy that any attack should be made on the island. But pacing along under +the stars, with only the sound of his own footsteps for company, placed +a very different light on the matter. What if the disgruntled fishermen +should make a night descent on the island? + +"This won't do," exclaimed Harry to himself, coming to a sudden halt in +the cove opposite to which the motor boat was moored, and where a +blacker patch on the dark sand showed him the beached dinghy, "it's no +use getting shivery and scared just because a couple of cranky fishermen +are so sore at us. I've got to brace up, that's all there is to it." + +His surroundings, however, were not calculated to soothe the nervous +suspense of the lad. Except for the stars glittering like steel points +in the night sky there was no light. The night was so pitchy dark, on +the beach under the shadow of the trees, that he could hardly see with +certainty a yard ahead of him. The surf roared hoarsely against the +rocks at the point--for the tide was full, and the night wind moaned in +the trees like a note of warning. + +With an idea of carrying out his patrol properly, Harry went toward the +darker patch amid the gloom which showed him where the beached dinghy +lay. He examined it as well as he could, and made sure that it was well +above tide water. Having completed this, he paced on, and in due time +heard footsteps approaching him which he knew must be those of Pudge +Perkins. A minute later the two young sentinels met and exchanged +greetings. Pudge had nothing to report, except that it was what he +called a "creepy" job. However, he pluckily averred: "Ghosts and +gibberish, Harry, I'm going to stick it out." + +"That's right," approved Harry, and after a few words both boys once +more started out on their lonesome tours of duty. + +In due course Harry again reached the cove opposite the schooner hulk, +and this time, being rather tired, he decided to sit down on the beached +dinghy and take a rest. But, to his astonishment, it didn't seem to be +in the place where it should have been. + +"I could have sworn it was right here," said Harry to himself, as he +trudged about on his quest, "it must be close at hand. Guess I'll fall +over it and hurt my shins in a minute." + +But although he reassured himself, the boy felt far from secure in his +belief. After a further painstaking search he was fain to confess--what +he really believed from the first--that the dinghy which had lain there a +short time before had mysteriously vanished! + +"Can it be those miserable Daniels?" gasped Harry to himself. "Yes, it +must be," he went on, answering his own questions, "who else would have +done it, unless it drifted off." + +He was moving about as he spoke, and as he uttered the last words he +stumbled across something that showed him very plainly that the dinghy +could not have drifted away from the beach. What he had fallen over was +the anchor firmly embedded in the sand, with a length of rope still +attached to it. + +Harry felt along the bit of rope in the darkness till he reached the end +of it. Then he struck a match. In the flicker of light which followed he +saw plainly enough what had occurred--the rope had been slashed through. +The boy had just made this discovery when from the water he heard +something that caused him to listen acutely, bending every sense to the +operation. + +What he had heard was the splash of an oar, and a quick exclamation of +impatience, as if the rower, whoever he was, had blamed his involuntary +misstroke. + +"Some one's out there, and they're aboard the schooner, too; or I'm very +much mistaken," exclaimed Harry to himself, as, listening acutely, he +caught the sound of footsteps proceeding, seemingly, by their hollow +ring, from the decks of the dismantled hulk; "what will I do? If I fire +the pistol I'll scare them off, and if I don't----" + +He stopped short. A sudden daring idea had flashed into his mind. The +boy hastily slipped off his shoes and divested himself of all but his +undergarments. Then, leaving his pistol on the beach, he slipped +noiselessly into the bay and struck out in the direction of the +schooner. The water was bitterly cold, as it always is off the Maine +coast, even in the height of summer, but Harry kept dauntlessly on, +determined to brave anything in the execution of his purpose. + +The hulk lay only about a hundred yards off the shore, and before long +he could see her dark outlines looming up against the lighter darkness +of the sky on the horizon. He fancied, but could not be certain that it +was not an illusion, that for an instant he could see two forms creeping +along the decks. The next moment something showed up ahead of him with +which he almost collided. + +Harry, with a gasp of gratitude, for the water had chilled him to the +bone, recognized it as the motor boat. As silently as he could he drew +himself up into it, and then, casting himself flat in the cockpit, he +listened with all his might for further sounds from the schooner. + + + + +CHAPTER IV.--CUT ADRIFT. + + +He did not have long to wait. Seemingly, whoever the marauders were--and +as to their identity the lad could hazard a pretty good guess--they did +not bother much about lowering their voices. + +"By the jumping crickey!" he heard coming over the water from the +schooner, "jiggered if I kin make out what they cal'kelated ter use this +hulk fer." + +"Hush! Not so loud, pop. Ther sound carries tur'rble fur over ther +water." + +"As if I didn't know thet, Zeb, but what do we care? Them kids is fast +asleep, and anyhow, we cut the dinghy adrift so they couldn't do us any +harm ef they wanted to." + +"Thet's right, too; but some of 'em might be prowling about. They're up +ter all sorts uv tricks. I ain't forgot thet thar fence, I kin tell yer. +My arm's a-tingling yet whar thet electricity hit me." + +Soaked through as he was, and chilly into the bargain, Harry couldn't +help smiling as he heard this eloquent testimonial to the efficacy of +the "charged" fence. He had caught the name of "Zeb," too, which +speedily removed all doubt from his mind as to the identity of the +marauders. + +"The precious rascals," he thought, while his teeth chattered with cold, +"I'm mighty glad I did swim out here, even if I am almost frozen to +death. If they aren't under arrest to-morrow it won't be my fault." + +Little more was heard from the schooner, but from what he could catch he +surmised that the two fishers were completely mystified by the craft. +Presently he heard their footsteps descending the gangway and then came +the splash of oars. They were dipped silently no longer, a pretty sure +sign that the two rascals didn't much care if they were heard or not. +After a moment the splashing sound grew more remote, and Harry knew that +the two prowlers had taken their departure. + +There was a scull in the motor boat and as soon as he was sure that the +Daniels were out of earshot, Harry up anchored and began sculling the +motor boat toward the hulk. The distance was so short that he did not +want to bother to start the engine, and in a few seconds he was +alongside the dark hulk. He shoved along the side till the motor boat +grated against the gangway, and then, not forgetting to make the motor +craft fast, he leaped up the steps, with the purpose of discovering what +harm, if any, had been wrought aboard the _Betsy Jane_. + +Harry knew where a lantern was kept, and descending into what had once +been the cabin he began rummaging about for it. In the pitchy blackness +the task took him longer than he had anticipated, but at last he found +the lantern and the matches which lay beside it. Hastily striking a +light he soon had the bare cabin filled with the yellow rays of the +lamp. As has been explained, the _Betsy Jane_ had been purchased as a +sort of "trying-out" appliance for the inventions of Dr. Perkins, and +therefore the cabin contained nothing in the way of furniture. The lamp, +in fact, had only been placed on board as a precaution in case a riding +light was ever needed on the anchored hulk. But as she had remained at +her moorings in the isolated cove this was not, of course, necessary. + +A brief look about the cabin showed Harry that nothing had been molested +there. In fact, as has been said, there was nothing to molest. A door in +the forward bulkhead led into the empty hold, and the boy next made his +way there, the lamp casting weird shadows on the timbers as he went. His +steps rang hollowly through the deserted ship, and he could hardly +repress a shudder as he threaded his way among the stanchions, which, +like the pillars in a church, upheld the deck above his head. + +Reaching what had been the forecastle of the _Betsy Jane_, Harry came to +the conclusion that nothing had been damaged below. His next task was to +go up on deck. His examination below decks had been painstaking, and had +occupied him some time, but he was determined to make it a thorough one. +The fact is that an ugly suspicion had crept into Harry's mind as he lay +in the bottom of the motor boat listening to the two Daniels on board +the schooner. This was nothing more nor less than a dread that they +might have "scuttled" the craft. From what he knew of them the two were +capable of anything, and he thought that in their rage at finding +nothing on board that they could damage they might have bored holes in +the schooner in order to sink her. His investigation of the hold, +however, had shown him--to his great relief--that nothing of the sort had +occurred. + +Coming on deck Harry made as careful a search for damage as he had done +in the hold. But the inclined superstructure remained intact, and +nothing indicated that the Daniels had done anything more than stroll +about, trying to discover what the object of the schooner was. + +So intent had Harry been on his task that he had, for the time being, +completely forgotten that Pudge must be anxiously looking for him. Going +into the eyes of the craft he sent a hearty hail ashore: + +"Pudge ahoy! Oh-h-h-h, Pu-d-g-e!" + +Then he stopped to listen intently. But no reply came to his hail. He +tried it again and again, without success. Then he determined as a last +resort to fire the agreed-upon three shots. He did not want to alarm his +companions unnecessarily, but surely, he thought, it would be a good +idea to arouse them and communicate what had occurred since he left the +hut. + +Up to that moment the boy had completely forgotten that he had left the +pistol on the beach. He felt compelled to laugh at himself for his +absentmindedness, but while the laugh was still on his lips something +happened that caused it to freeze there. + +A mass of cold spray was suddenly projected over the bow. At the same +instant the old hulk quivered at the smart "slap" of a wave. + +"Gracious!" thought Harry to himself, "the sea must be getting up. I +reckon I'd best be going back ashore." + +As he made his way aft toward the gangway he found that the sea must +indeed have risen since he came on board. The old hulk was rolling about +like a bottle, and he had to hold on to the rail as he made his way +along the decks. Getting into the motor boat under these conditions was +no easy task. But it was accomplished at last. + +"I guess I'll start the engine before I cut adrift," said Harry to +himself. + +Later on he was to be very thankful he did. Turning on the switch and +gasolene he began to "spin" the fly wheel; but beyond a wheezy cough the +motor gave no sign of responding. For more than half an hour the boy +worked with might and main over the refractory bit of machinery, but to +no effect. The engine was absolutely "dead." + +"What can be the matter with it?" thought Harry to himself. "It's never +acted this way before." + +He stood up, too engrossed in his problem to realize what a sea was +running. Before he could recover his balance the pitching craft almost +bucked him overboard. + +"Gracious! the waves are getting up with a vengeance," exclaimed the boy +to himself; "I can never scull ashore in this sea. Queer, too, there, +doesn't seem to be any more wind than when I left shore. Certainly I've +never seen the sea as rough as this in the inlet before." + +With the object of finding out what ailed the obstinate motor, he +returned to the deck of the schooner where he had left the lamp. Getting +into the motor boat with it once more, by dint of much balancing and +holding on he cast its rays on the single cylinder. Almost +simultaneously he saw what had happened. Somebody, he had no difficulty +in guessing who, had removed the sparking points. No wonder that no +explosion had followed his efforts to get the craft under way. + +"Well, here's a fine fix," thought Harry; "even if I could attract their +attention ashore I've got no means of getting there. Oh, if I won't get +even with those Daniels as soon as I get a chance! Wonder what I'd +better do?" + +His first move was to clamber back on board the schooner, for the wild +rolling of the motor boat, as she plunged about at the foot of the +gangway, was not helpful to thought. Gaining the deck once more Harry +sought out the cabin and seated himself on the edge of one of the empty +bunks which ranged its sides. + +Suddenly it occurred to him that he was uncommonly sleepy, and at the +same time he thought that possibly it would be a good idea to pass the +rest of the night in slumber. He had no watch, but he imagined that it +could not be so very far to daylight. With this object in view he cast +himself down in the bunk and, despite the hardness of the bed and the +chilliness of his scantily clad limbs, he rapidly slipped away from his +surroundings into a dreamless sleep. + +When he awoke the sun was shining through the stern ports. That is, it +was for one instant, and then in the next it was obscured again. Harry +was enough of a sailor to know that this meant a cloudy day, with +possibly a piping wind scurrying the clouds across the sky. + +"Thank goodness it's daylight anyhow!" he exclaimed, jumping from his +uncomfortable couch, with an ache in every limb in his body; "now to go +on deck and attract their attention ashore." + +Utterly unprepared for the shock that was to greet him, Harry bounded up +the companionway stairs and on to the deck. + +Had a bomb exploded at his feet he could not have been more +thunderstruck than he was at the sight which greeted him. + +There was no island, no distant mainland. Nothing but miles upon miles +of tumbling blue water in which the _Betsy Jane_ was wallowing about, +casting showers of spray over her bow every time she nosed into a +billow. + +Harry's heart stood still for an instant. His senses swam dizzily. Then, +with a sudden return of his faculties, he realized what had occurred. + +The mooring rope of the _Betsy Jane_ had been cut or had broken, and he +was miles out on the Atlantic without a prospect of succor. + + + + +CHAPTER V.--ADVENTURES ON THE HULK. + + +A sudden sharp puff of wind, followed by a heavier dip than usual on the +part of the dismantled hulk, apprised the boy that both breeze and sea +were increasing. Putting aside, for the moment, by a brave effort, his +heart sickness, Harry ran to the rail and peered over the side. The +motor boat was careering gallantly along by the side of her big consort, +and the boy was glad to note that the painter still held, despite the +strain. + +But Harry knew, from his examination the previous night, that it would +be useless to try to escape by the motor craft. She was disabled beyond +hope of repair, unless he could get another spark plug. Having made sure +the motor craft was all right, Harry returned to the bow and sat down to +think the situation over. + +It would have been a trying one for a man to face, let alone a lad; but +Harry's numerous adventures had given him a power of calm thought beyond +his years, and he managed to marshal his ideas into some sort of shape +as he crouched under the bow bulwarks. + +"Evidently the _Betsy Jane_ was caught by the tide, when it turned, and +carried out to sea," he thought, "and then, when the wind got up, she +drifted still faster. I wonder if her mooring rope broke or if it was +cut--guess I'll take a look." + +The boy dragged inboard the end of the mooring line that still hung over +the bow. One look at it was enough. The clean cut strands showed +conclusively that it had been severed, just above the water line, by a +sharp knife. The fact that the Daniels could not know that any one would +come on board after they slashed the line did not make their act any +less heinous in Harry's eyes. It had been their deliberate intention to +set the schooner adrift, and they had succeeded only too well in their +act of spite. + +"Whatever will they be thinking on the island when they discover all +this?" thought Harry with a low groan. "They'll imagine that I'm dead, +or at least that some fatal accident has befallen me, and, worst of all, +they have no boat to use to reach the mainland. They are just as much +prisoners as I am." + +Sharp pangs of hunger now began to assail the lad, and he recollected, +with a thankful heart, that on board the motor boat there were the +remains of a lunch they had taken ashore with them on their expedition +the previous day. There was also a keg of water. Harry lost no time in +descending the gangway and making his way to the locker where the food +had been stored. First, however, he made a foray on the water keg. +Taking out the stopper he found that it was only half full, but he +slaked his thirst gratefully, taking care to use as small a quantity of +the fluid as possible. He knew that before long the water might be +precious indeed. + +In the locker he found the remnants of the lunch. As he consumed the +scraps of bread and cheese, and a small hunk of corned beef, he recalled +with what light hearts they had fallen to the meal of which he was now +devouring the remains. The recollection almost overcame him. With a +strong effort the boy choked back a sob and formed a grim determination +not to dwell upon his miserable situation more than was possible. He +felt that the main thing was to keep a clear head. + +There was some spare rope on board the hulk, and with this Harry made +the fastenings of the launch more secure, leading one end of the rope on +board the schooner itself, and making it fast to a cleat. He felt that +the craft would be more safe if attached thus than would have been the +case had he depended on the gangway alone. + +This done, he took a look about him. He had had a vague hope that he +might sight a ship of some sort, but the ocean was empty as a desert. +Not a sail or a smudge of smoke marred the horizon. All this time the +wind had been steadily freshening, and Harry judged that the schooner +must be drifting before it quite fast. The inclined superstructure +naturally added to her "windage" and made her go before the gale more +rapidly. The sea, too, was piling up in great, glistening, green water +rows, which looked formidable indeed. But so far the _Betsy Jane_ had +wallowed along right gallantly, only shipping a shower of spray +occasionally when a big sea struck her obliquely on the bow. + +"If only I had plenty of food and water," thought Harry, "this would be +nothing more than a good bit of adventure, but----" + +In accordance with his resolution not to dwell on the more serious +aspects of his predicament he dismissed this side of the case from his +mind. But as the day wore on, and he grew intolerably thirsty, the +thought of what might be his fate, if he did not fall in with some +vessel, beset his mind more and more, to the exclusion of all else. In +the afternoon, as closely as he could judge the time, he took another +drink from the fast-diminishing supply in the keg. He noticed, with an +unpleasant shock, that the fluid was growing alarmingly lower. Before he +took the draught he had cleaned up the remaining crumbs left in the +locker, and was now absolutely without food. + +The rest of that afternoon he passed watching the empty sea for some +sign of a ship, but not a trace of one could he discover. Utterly +disheartened he watched the sun set in a blaze of crimson and gold. The +sunset lay behind him, and Harry knew by this that he was drifting east +at a rapid rate. Just how rapid he had, of course, no means of +calculating. Of one thing he was thankful--the sea had not increased, and +the wind appeared to have fallen considerably with the departure of +daylight. + +"Surely," thought the boy, "I must have drifted on the track of ocean +vessels by this time. I know there's a line to Halifax, and another to +Portland, besides the coasters." + +With this thought came another. What if he should be run down during the +night? The idea sent a shudder through his scantily clothed form. He +knew that derelicts are often the cause of marine disasters, and during +the dark hours the hulk might invite such a fate if he did not take +steps to guard against it. + +Accordingly he lit his lantern and hung it in the underpinning of the +inclined superstructure. + +"At least they can see that," he thought, as he completed the hanging of +his warning light. + +Then, having done all he well could under the circumstances, Harry cast +himself down in the lee of the weather bulwarks and tried to sleep. But +in his scanty attire he was far too cold to do aught but lie and shiver +till his teeth chattered. He determined to pass the rest of the night +below, and once more sought a couch in the empty bunk. But sleep was a +long time coming. Tired, excited and hungry as the boy was, he could not +compose himself to slumber. Ten or a dozen times he started up and ran +to the deck, thinking that he had heard the distant beat of some +vessel's engines. But each time it proved a false alarm. + +At length tired nature asserted herself, and he sank to sleep in good +earnest. When he awakened it was daylight, and there was an odd feeling +about the motion of the _Betsy Jane_. She seemed to have ceased her +rolling and pitching, and was almost steady in the water. Suddenly there +came a jarring crash that almost threw Harry out of the bunk. + +Much startled, he ran on deck, and found, to his astonishment, that the +vessel lay right off an island. Seemingly she had grounded on a reef of +rocks stretching out from the island itself. At any rate, as the waves +rocked her she gave a jarring, crunching bump with each pitch of her +hull. The island appeared to be a small one, and in general appearance +was not unlike Brig Island. In fact, at first Harry had thought that in +some magical way the _Betsy Jane_ had drifted back to that small speck +of land. But a second glance showed him that the island off which the +dismantled hull had grounded differed in many essentials from the one he +had left. Far to the westward, about twenty miles as well as the boy +could judge, lay a dim streak of dark blue that Harry guessed was the +mainland. But for all the good it did him it might have been a hundred +miles removed. + +Harry was still gazing at the island and wondering how he could reach it +before the _Betsy Jane_ pounded herself to pieces on the rocks, when he +started violently. The island was not, as he had supposed, +uninhabited--at least, he had caught sight of a swirl of blue smoke +rising from among the trees on its highest part. This meant help, +companionship and food. An involuntary cry of joy rose to the boy's +lips, which the next instant turned to a groan as he looked over the +side of the schooner and saw that the reef on which she had struck was +much too far out from the shore for him to try to swim the distance, +even if a roaring, racing tide would not have made it suicidal to +attempt the feat. + +"Unless I can attract the attention of whoever lives there by shouting, +I'm as badly off as I was before," exclaimed Harry, in a voice made +quavery by panic. + + + + +CHAPTER VI.--HARRY MEETS AN OLD FRIEND. + + +All at once, while he was still gazing at the column of smoke shoreward, +Harry became aware of a figure coming out of the woods toward the beach. +He shouted with all his might, and the man who had appeared from the +undergrowth waved a reply. + +Then his voice came over the water. + +"What's up?" + +The tone somehow was strangely familiar to Harry, and, for that matter, +when he had first seen the figure of the newcomer it had struck him with +an odd sense of familiarity. Suddenly he realized why this was. + +"Ben Stubbs!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. + +"Ahoy, mate!" came back after a pause; "who are you?" + +"Harry Chester!" + +"By the great horn spoon! What the dickens are you doing out there?" + +Cupping his hands to make his voice carry the better, Harry hailed back +once more. + +"I drifted here on this hulk. Can you take me off?" + +"Can I? Wait a jiffy." + +Ben Stubbs--for it was actually the "maroon" whom the boys had rescued +from a miserable fate in the Nicaraguan treasure valley--began running +along the shore as fast as his short legs would carry him. Presently he +vanished around a wooded promontory, leaving Harry in a strange jumble +of feelings. What could the good-hearted old companion of several of +their adventures be doing on this desolate island off the Maine coast? +When they had last heard from him he had been running a tug boat line in +New York harbor, having purchased the business with the profits made out +of the discovery of the treasure trove in the Sargasso Sea. + +Before a great while the man who had so opportunely appeared came into +view once more This time he was in a skiff, rowing with strong strokes +toward the stranded hulk of the _Betsy Jane_. Harry watched him with +eager eyes. Fast as Ben Stubbs rowed, it seemed an eternity to the +anxious boy before his strangely rediscovered friend reached the side of +the grounded schooner. + +When he did so he hastily made fast, and was up the gangway ladder three +steps at a time. Fortunately for his haste, the sea had diminished in +roughness considerably, and the _Betsy Jane_ lay almost motionless on +the reef. Otherwise he would have stood a strong chance of being thrown +from his footing. Harry was at the gangway as Ben Stubbs' weather-beaten +countenance came into view at the top of the steps. + +Ben seized the boy's hand in a grip that made Harry flinch, but he +returned it with as strong a clench as he could. For a moment both of +them were too much overcome with emotion at the strange meeting to utter +a word. It was Ben who spoke first. + +"Waal, what under the revolving universe are you doing here?" he +demanded. + +"I was about to ask the same question of you." + +"It's a long story, boy, and you look just about played out. What has +happened? I never dreamed that you were even in this neighborhood." + +"I guess the same thing applies to me, so far as you are concerned, +Ben," rejoined Harry, between a laugh and a sob. "As for myself, I've +been adrift all night on this old hulk. Some rascals cut her loose from +her moorings at Brig Island." + +"Wow! you've drifted all the way from there. Why, it's fifty miles or +more away." + +"I know it. It seemed a million to me. What worries me is what the +others must be thinking. They won't know if I'm dead or alive." + +"We'll find a way to let 'em know, never fear," struck in Ben in his +deep, rumbling voice; "but I reckon you're hungry and thirsty?" + +"Am I? Why, I could eat a horse without sauce or salt, as you used to +say." + +"Then get in the skiff and come ashore. I've got a sort of a hut there. +It ain't much of a place, but I've got enough to eat and a good spring +of clear water, and I can give you a suit of slops." + +"But the schooner?" demanded Harry. + +"She'll be all right, I reckon. She's lying on a sort of sandy ridge +that runs out here. The sea's gone down so that she won't do herself any +harm, and we can't do her any good right now. You see, the tide is +falling. When it rises we'll try to get her off and anchor her in a +snugger berth." + +Harry might have argued the point, but the prospect of food and drink +made so strong an appeal to him that he did not stop to waste words. +Five minutes later they were rowing ashore, and, while Ben bent to the +oars with a will, Harry told him in detail all that happened since they +came to Brig Island, and the reason of their presence there. He knew +that he was safe in confiding in old Ben. + +The relation of his story occupied the entire trip to the shore, and +when Ben had beached his skiff he seized Harry by the arm and began +hurrying him up the beach toward a small hut, half canvas, half lumber, +which stood back under the shelter of a low bluff. The boy was +desperately anxious to learn the reason of Ben's presence on the island, +for he knew it could have no ordinary cause. But the weather-beaten old +adventurer would not allow the boy to say another word till he had +clothed himself and eaten all he could put away of a rabbit stew washed +down with strong coffee. + +"Now, then," remarked Ben, as soon as Harry had finished, "I suppose +you're a-dyin' to hear what I'm doin' on Barren Island, which is the +name of this bit of land?" + +"I am, indeed," declared Harry, shoving back the cracker box which had +served him as a chair; "the last person in the world I would have +expected to see when the _Betsy Jane_ grounded was Ben Stubbs." + +Ben chuckled. + +"Allers turnin' up, like a bad penny, ain't I?" he said, shoving some +very black tobacco into his old pipe. "'Member ther time I dropped out +of the sky in thet dirigible balloon?" + +"Well, I should say I did," laughed Harry; "but how you got here is past +my comprehension. What became of the tug boat line?" + +Ben snapped his fingers. + +"All gone, my lad! Gone just like that! I reckon I'm not a good hand at +business, or the crooked tricks that answers for that same. Anyhow, to +make a long yarn a short one, I went on a friend's note and he dug out. +That was blow number one. To meet that note I had to mortgage some of my +boats, and in some way--blow me if I rightly understand it yet--I got +myself in a hole whar' the lawyer fellers bled me till I was mighty near +dry. I tried to struggle along, but it wasn't no go. Then came a strike +of tug boat hands and that finished me. I couldn't stand the long lay +off without anything to do, so I sold out for what I could get, and--and +here I am." + +"I'm mighty sorry to hear that you failed, Ben," said Harry with real +sympathy in his tones, "but you haven't said yet what you are doing here +on Barren Island, as you call it." + +"I'm a-gettin' to that, lad," said Ben, emitting a cloud of blue smoke; +"give me time. As I told you, that feller on whose note I went, +skedaddled. You see, I'd trusted him as my own brother, bein' as I knew +his father when I was a miner. He--that's this chap's father, I mean--was +a Frenchman, Raoul Duval was his name, and his son's name the same. Old +man Duval made his pile in Lower Californy and was makin' fer his home +in New Orleans when ther steamer he was travelin' on blew up, and he and +all his gold dust--a whalin' big lot of it--went to the bottom. + +"I never calculated to hear anything more of Duval arter this, but one +day this young feller I've been tellin' you about shows up in New York +and hunts me up. He tells me that he's old Raoul's son, and that he'd +had a run of hard luck and so on, and wants to go into business, and if, +for his father's sake, I'll help him out. I asks him how he found me +out, and he says that in his father's letters home I had often been +mentioned, and that when he heard of the Stubbs Towing Line he made +inquiries and found that I was in all probability the same man. + +"As I told you, I let him have the money. It don't matter just how much, +but it was quite a bit. You see, I did it for the old man's sake. I was +sorry afterward. Young Duval wasn't a chip of the old block at all. He +was idle and dissipated. His business went under and he skipped out." + +"Did you lend him this money without security of any sort?" asked Harry +incredulously. + +"In a way, yes. In another way, no. The young chap, when he came to me, +had a wild story about knowing where the steamer on which his dad lost +his life had sunk. He said that from letters written home before he left +Lower Californy, he knew the old man was carrying with him, besides the +dust, a fortune in black pearls. Of course, all these went down when the +steamer blew up. He had tried, he said, to get a lot of folks interested +in a scheme to get at the wreck and recover the dust and the pearls, but +they had all laughed at him. He said if I'd give him the money he wanted +he'd give me, in return, the plan of the location whar' the steamer went +down." + +"And did he?" + +"Yes; but since he acted as he did I guess there's no more truth in his +yarn than there was in anything else he told me. Anyhow, I've never +bothered my head about the matter since." + +"Have you got the plan?" + +"Sure enough," Ben fumbled in his pocket, "here it is; it's a roughly +drawn thing, as you see, but I reckon if the ship was really there it +would be an easy matter to locate her bones." + +Harry nodded. He was looking over the map with deep attention. It was, +as Ben had said, a crudely drawn affair, and purported to have been +sketched by one of the survivors of the wreck, who, of course, did not +know that in the returning miner's cabin there was so much wealth. + +"How did young Duval get hold of this?" he asked at last. + +"He said that by chance he met a man who was the lone survivor of the +disaster. This feller didn't know who Duval was, and began talking to +him about the wreck. Duval, recollecting that his father had carried a +sum that amounted to more than $75,000, was naturally interested. He +asked the man if he could draw him a sketch of the scene where the +steamer sank. The feller said he could, and that thar sketch is what he +drawed. At least that's Duval's story, and I'm frank to tell you I don't +believe a word of it." + +"But still you haven't told me what you are doing on this island," said +Harry after an interval. + +"That's so, too, lad. I got so interested in tellin' my troubles I clean +forgot about Barren Island. Well, it's this way. Arter the crash I felt +ashamed to show my face. Oh, all the creditors were paid up--every last +one of 'em. But I felt like I was an old failure, and good fer nuthin', +so I remembered all of a sudden about this island that I'd been stranded +on a good many years ago. I made inquiries and found that I could live +here rent free as long as I liked, with none to interfere, and so I came +here. It's quiet and might be lonesome to some folks, but it suits me +well enough, and I was calculatin' to spend the rest of my days here, +till you came along. But I feel different now." + +"How's that?" asked Harry, not knowing well just what to say to the old +man who took his business failure so much to heart. + +"Why, I was watching you studyin' that map. I could see by yer face that +you put some stock in Duval's yarn. Ain't that so?" + +Harry could not but confess that it was. The old man's story, and the +map, had aroused in him the strong desire for adventure that both Boy +Aviators possessed to a marked degree. Of course, from what Ben had +said, Duval did not appear to be a person on whom much reliance could be +placed, but then, again, there was the map, and it at least, even if +crude, appeared to have been a genuine effort to mark the spot where the +wreck lay. It showed a bayou marked "Black Bayou," running back from the +main stream of the Mississippi. A black dot some distance up this bayou +was lettered "Belle of New Orleans," presumably the name of the steamer +on which Duval met his end. + +The boy was still pondering over the map when, from seaward, there came +a sound that made both Harry Chester and Ben Stubbs spring to their +feet. + +"It's a gun!" shouted the old man, as the booming echoes died away; "may +be a ship in distress." + +"Hardly, in this weather," rejoined Harry, in a perplexed tone. + +But Ben Stubbs had darted from the shanty and was running for the +beached skiff. A minute later Harry was close on his heels, and +presently they were pulling around the point, about to run into the +surprise of their lives. + + + + +CHAPTER VII.--A PUZZLING PROBLEM. + + +It is now time that we returned to the island where we left Pudge +Perkins patrolling the beach, and Frank Chester and Billy Barnes wrapped +in slumber. Frank had set the alarm clock for midnight, when it had been +arranged that he and Billy were to turn out on patrol, and its insistent +clamor had only just commenced when he sprang out of his bunk broad +awake and prepared to go on duty. Billy stretched and yawned a bit +before he, too, tumbled out. + +"Gee whillakers!" he exclaimed, as he got into his clothes, "it seems to +me that we are making a lot of fuss over nothing, Frank. I don't believe +those fellows will come near the island to-night." + +"Perhaps not; but it's our duty to be on guard. If anything happened to +Dr. Perkins' invention now it would be almost impossible to repair it in +time for the tests he wants to make." + +Talking thus the two lads got into their clothes, drank some coffee, +which Frank had prepared while they were dressing, and then set out into +the night. They made for the cove from which Harry had started his +eventful swim. + +"Best wait here till they come round," said Frank, and he and Billy +found places in the sand and made themselves as comfortable as possible +till they should hear the footsteps of one of the young sentries. They +had not long to wait. Hardly fifteen minutes had elapsed before Frank's +sharp ears caught the sound of some one approaching. A minute later +Pudge joined them. His first words were not calculated to make the +newcomers feel at ease. + +"Where's Harry?" he demanded. + +"Don't you know?" ejaculated Frank with considerable surprise. + +"No. I've been making my patrol regularly, and the last three times I've +been round I haven't met him." + +Frank's face could only be dimly seen in the darkness, but all his alarm +was plain enough in his next words. + +"What can have become of him?" + +"Maybe he took the dinghy and decided to look over the motor boat and +the hulk," suggested Billy. + +"That's easy enough to find out," declared Frank, starting for the place +where the dinghy had been beached. A moment later he stumbled over the +anchor and, closely following this, by the aid of a lighted match, he +made the discovery that the rope had been slashed. + +"Harry never took that dinghy," he exclaimed apprehensively, "there's +been some crooked work here." + +"Thunder and turtles! What do you mean?" gasped Pudge, fully as +anxiously. + +"That some one has landed here and stolen the dinghy and taken Harry +along with them. I can't think of any other explanation. Harry would +never have cut that rope." + +"You mean he's been carried off?" The question came from Billy Barnes. + +"I can't think of any other explanation. Pudge, did you hear anything +that sounded suspicious?" + +"Oilskins and onions, no! Not a sound. Let's fire a pistol and see if we +get any answer." + +"That's a good idea, Pudge--Great Scott!" + +"What's the matter?" demanded Billy Barnes, as Frank broke off short and +uttered the above exclamation. + +"Look here! Harry's clothes! Wait till I get a light. There! Now, see +all his outer garments and his pistol lying by them." + +"Gatling guns and grass hoppers, if this doesn't beat all." + +"He can't have been carried off, then," burst out Billy, "but if he +wasn't, how did that dinghy rope come to be cut?" + +Frank made no answer at the moment. The discovery of Harry's clothes on +the beach had put a dreadful fear into his mind. What if the boy had +heard a disturbance on the hulk or on the motor boat and, having swum +off to see what was the trouble, had been seized with a cramp and +drowned? + +But Frank firmly thrust the question from him the next minute. Such +thoughts were by far too unnerving to be dwelt on. The others remained +silent. They seemed to be waiting for Frank to speak. Presently the +words came. + +"It's too dark to see anything out there," said the boy, in as firm a +voice as he could command. "Let's fire three shots--the signal we agreed +upon--and then if Harry is on the hulk or the motor boat he will be sure +to answer them." + +The others agreed that this seemed about the best thing to do, and +Pudge, taking Harry's discarded weapon, fired it three times. Then came +a long pause, filled with an ominous silence. + +"Try again," said Frank in a strained voice. Once more three sharp +reports sounded. But again there was no answer. + +"That settles it," declared Frank solemnly; "something has happened to +Harry. We must get out to the hulk and to the motor boat." + +"How? The dinghy's gone, and----" + +"I'm going to swim for it." + +Already Frank had thrown off his outer garments. On the beach lay a balk +of timber which they sometimes used to tie the dinghy to. Frank now +ordered his companions to help in rolling this down to the water. + +"I'm going to use it as a help in swimming out there," he said; "the +water's pretty cold, and I don't want to risk a cramp." + +"Wait till daylight, Frank," urged Billy; "it won't be long till dawn +now, and----" + +But Frank cut him short abruptly. + +"My brother's out there somewhere," he said in a sharp, decisive voice, +"and I'm going to find out what's happened to him." + +A minute later Frank was in the water pushing the balk of timber before +him and heading, as nearly as he knew how, for the spot where the hulk +and the motor boat had been moored. + +It was more than half an hour before Billy and Pudge saw him again. Then +he reappeared, chilled through and shivering in every limb. His first +words almost deprived his companions of breath. + +"They're gone!" he exclaimed. + +"What!" the exclamation came from both Billy and Pudge simultaneously. +They guessed by some sort of intuition what Frank referred to. + +"Yes, they're both gone," repeated Frank; "the _Betsy Jane_ and the +motor boat." + +"Are you sure you're not mistaken, Frank?" inquired Billy, unwilling to +believe the extent of the catastrophe that had overtaken them. + +"I'm as sure that they're gone as I am that I am standing here," was the +reply. "I cruised about on my log for quite a radius, and couldn't +discover a sign of them. I found the motor boat's buoy, though. She had +been untied by some one." + +"But the _Betsy Jane_? Schooners and succotash! The _Betsy Jane_!" broke +in Pudge. + +"Gone, too," Frank's voice broke, "but I wouldn't care about either if I +only knew what had become of Harry." + +"Come on up to the hut and we'll have some hot coffee and talk it over," +said Billy, who saw that Frank, besides being almost numb with cold, was +half crazy at the mystery of Harry's fate. + +Frank suffered himself to be led up to the hut and the rest of the night +was passed in speculation as to the fate of the missing boy. All three +of the lads were pretty sure that the two Daniels had had a hand in the +night's work somehow, but they were far from guessing what had actually +occurred. + +Soon after daylight the wireless began working. Dr. Perkins notified +them from Portland that he expected to arrive that afternoon at +Motthaven, and wished them to meet him. Frank found some relief for his +wrought-up feelings in informing the inventor of what had occurred. + +"Will charter fast boat and be there with all speed," came the reply +through the air; "make the best of it till I come. Am confident that +everything will come out all right." + +And with this message the "marooned" trio on the island had to be +content. The day was passed in making a careful survey of the island to +discover, if possible, some trace of the marauders. But none was to be +found. The tide had even obliterated any footmarks they might have left +in the damp sand. Thoroughly disheartened and miserable, the boys ate a +scanty lunch and then sat down to await the arrival of Dr. Perkins. + +It was sundown when a fast motor boat appeared to the southward, +cleaving the water at a rapid rate. A quarter of an hour later Dr. +Perkins was hearing from the boys' own lips the strange story of their +adventures of the past day and night. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII.--THE DERELICT DESTROYER. + + +Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and +Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point. Not half a +mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars +and Stripes floating from her stern. From her bow a puff of smoke was +drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the +shot which had aroused them. + +But what could she be doing? Above all, why had the shot been fired? +Harry's eyes furnished the answer as he saw that part of the rail of the +schooner was missing, a jagged break showing where it had been torn +away. + +"Great guns!" shouted Ben, "they've bin firin' at your old hulk." + +As he spoke there was a flash from the side of the lead-colored craft, +and a projectile shrieked by above the pair in the boat, causing them to +duck involuntarily. + +"Cracky!" shouted Harry, "I've got it. That craft is a derelict +destroyer. One of Uncle Sam's craft whose duty it is to put obstructions +to navigation out of the way." + +"You're right, boy, and they are bent on sending that there _Betsy Jane_ +to the bottom." + +"We must stop them," ejaculated Harry excitedly; "that schooner is +wanted by Mr. Perkins to use in his experiments. That's why he had the +runway built. We must signal them somehow." + +"No need to, lad. See, here comes a boat." + +Sure enough, as he spoke a cutter was lowered from the warlike-looking +vessel's side, and before long, impelled by muscular arms, it was flying +over the water toward the hulk. + +"Pull round and meet them," suggested Harry. + +But Ben was already doing that very thing. So fast did the government +cutter approach that just as the skiff was rounding the stern of the +ill-used _Betsy Jane_, the former craft, with a dapper young officer in +the stern, was drawing alongside the hulk. + +The astonishment of the officer was great when Harry explained matters. + +"It's lucky that I decided to make an examination into the effect of the +shots already fired before I finished her up," he laughed. "I am in +command of the United States derelict destroyer _Seneca_, yonder. We've +just despatched an old hulk some miles out at sea, and when, on our +return down the coast, we saw your old hull, we thought it was a good +chance to try out a new kind of gun we have to despatch these menaces to +navigation." + +"I'm glad we heard your first shot in time to explain matters," said +Harry; "this craft belongs to Dr. Perkins, the aëronautical inventor, +who wishes to use it in some experiments. As I told you, I unfortunately +drifted to sea in it when some rascals cut the rope." + +The officer sympathized to the full with Harry and offered to give him a +spark plug for his motor boat from a supply carried for a similar craft +on board the _Seneca_. + +"But," he continued, "I've got a better plan than that. I'm bound down +the coast. I know Dr. Perkins slightly and should be glad to do him a +service. Why not accept a tow from me? I'll get you to Brig Island by +nightfall anyway, and that's much quicker than you could tow this hulk +with the motor boat, even if you _could_ get her off the sand." + +Harry gladly agreed to this arrangement. A line was made fast to the +_Betsy Jane_ and affixed to the towing bitts of the derelict destroyer. +The tide by this time had turned, and after a short struggle the _Betsy +Jane_ once more floated in deep water. + +"I don't know if this is exactly regular," remarked the young officer in +command, when the hulk lay bobbing astern of the trim and trig +government craft, "but I guess it's all in the line of duty. So come on +board." + +Harry and Ben were in the skiff alongside the _Betsy Jane_ when this +offer was made. + +Without hesitation Harry stepped upon the companionway. He turned to +Ben, and was about to bid that veteran adventurer good-by, with a +promise to visit Barren Island in the near future, when, to his +astonishment, Ben calmly hitched his skiff alongside the motor boat and +stepped up after him. + +"I reckon I've had about enough of that island," he said; "I'm a-goin' +to ship with you on this cruise if it's agreeable." + +"Agreeable?" laughed Harry. "Why, Ben, you are as welcome as the flowers +in May. But haven't you left a lot of stuff behind on the island?" + +"Nothing that 'ull hurt. The only other suit I own you've got on, and +funny enough you look in it, too," and Ben chuckled; "as for the hut and +what grub's left, and so forth, any one's welcome to 'em that takes a +fancy to 'em. I've got a bit left in the bank yet, and I guess I can +afford a new outfit anyway, so heave ahead, Mister Skipper, as soon as +you're ready." + +The officer, who had watched this scene in some astonishment, broke into +a laugh. + +"I see you are an individual of impulse," he said, "but if you want to +go along it will spare my sending a man on board the schooner to help +our young friend." + +"Waal, then, it's an arrangement that's agreeable to all parties," +rejoined Ben, lighting his pipe; "so that's all settled." + +A short time later the _Seneca_ moved ahead, at first slowly, and then +faster, while the wandering _Betsy Jane_ followed docilely after her +through the now calm sea. True to Lieut. MacAllister's promise, they +were off Brig Island by sunset. As deep water extended close inshore, +the derelict destroyer was enabled to tow the hulk almost up to the +boys' "front door," so to speak, and from the beach a little group set +up a loud cheer as the _Betsy Jane's_ spare anchor rattled down and she +swung at rest. + +The presence of the little party to witness the arrival is due to the +fact that Lieut. MacAllister, who knew from Harry that there was a +wireless on the island, had kept his operator busy sending "bulletins" +to Dr. Perkins all the way down the coast; and so, when first the +_Seneca's_ smoke streaked the horizon, all was ready to give the +returned wanderer a big reception. + +The _Betsy Jane_, having been safely anchored, the _Seneca_, with three +toots of her siren, departed on her way, while Harry and Ben lost no +time in tumbling into the skiff and rowing ashore. To describe what took +place then would take up a lot of space without giving any clearer +picture of the reunion that each of you can imagine for himself. + +Readers of the former volumes of this series know how highly the Boy +Aviators regarded Ben Stubbs, and after a short conversation with him +Dr. Perkins came to share their good opinion of the rugged old +adventurer. It would be impossible to tell with accuracy how many times +that night Harry's story was told, and how many times Frank and the +others repeated the tale of their anxious hours while he was missing. +The first wireless flash from the _Seneca_, Frank described as "the best +thing that ever happened." This opinion the others heartily echoed. + +"Well," said Dr. Perkins, as at last they made ready to "turn in," "all +is well that ends well, and to-morrow I have an announcement of some +interest to make to you lads. From my inspection of the work done so far +on the '_Sea Eagle_,' as I have decided to christen her, I think that +within a few days we can take her on her trial trip." + +"Anchors and aëroplanes!" shouted Pudge, in high glee, "I book passage +right now!" + +"And I--and I--and I," came from the others, while Ben Stubbs inquired +plaintively if there would be room for him. + + + + +CHAPTER IX.--THE FLIGHT OF THE "SEA EAGLE." + + +Having already given a brief description of Dr. Perkins' _Sea Eagle_, it +would be wearisome to dwell in detail on all that was done during the +next week to put that craft in shape for the final tests, upon which so +much depended. It may be said here, though, that besides a visit paid to +Motthaven in an effort to secure the apprehension of the two Daniels, a +search was prosecuted for the missing dinghy. Neither mission proved +successful. + +The Daniels, having discovered that Harry was on board the _Betsy Jane_ +after they cut that craft loose, had vanished from the little community. +As for the dinghy, it was supposed that they had taken that small craft +with them. At any rate, it was impossible to get any news of their +whereabouts on shore. This may be attributed to a distinct prejudice +felt by the fishing community against the dwellers on Brig Island. Your +down-easter is inquisitive to a degree, and the secrecy under which +operations on the island were carried on was felt as a distinct affront +to the little town. So therefore, although the local authorities +promised every co-operation in seeking out the Daniels and punishing +them for their outrageous conduct, it may be doubted if the efforts went +much further than the mere assurance. + +But after all, in the rush of interesting work that was now on hand, the +Daniels were almost forgotten. The _Betsy Jane_ had been towed round +into the nearer cove, where she could be constantly watched, and the +motor boat was used in the operation, the officer of the derelict +destroyer having fulfilled his promise to furnish the boys with a new +spark plug for the engine in place of the one taken by the marauders. + +The morning after Harry's return to the island Dr. Perkins had laid down +a systematic plan of action. Frank and Harry were assigned to aid him in +giving the finishing touches to the _Sea Eagle_, while his son and Billy +Barnes were set to work with axes to clear a sort of runway down to the +beach. Both Billy and Pudge would much rather have had a hand in the +mechanical part of the work, but they pluckily went ahead on their +designated duty and stuck to it till a broad path had been cleared from +the summit of the island to the margin of the beach. + +When this "roadway" through the brush had been cleared, two lines of +planking, firmly nailed to stout supports, were run down on each side of +it, forming a sort of railway, similar to those from which vessels are +launched. + +It was down this runway that it was designed to introduce the _Sea +Eagle_ to her initial plunge. At last the day arrived when all was +complete, and the _Sea Eagle_ was pronounced fit for the test. During +the night before this event not one of the boys got more than half his +usual allowance of sleep. In fact, it is doubtful if Dr. Perkins enjoyed +much more repose. + +By earliest dawn they were out, to find every promise of a glorious day. +Breakfast that morning was a hasty apology for a meal, and hardly had it +been gulped down before all hands were in the _Sea Eagle's_ shed. As has +been said, the boat-like underbody of the craft had been mounted on a +wheeled frame before it was assembled. All that had to be done then to +get everything in readiness for the final test was to make fast a block +and tackle to a stoutly rooted tree, and then wheel the _Sea Eagle_ to +the top of the inclined runway. + +When the odd-looking craft was safely poised on the top of the rails the +loose end of the tackle was made fast to the stern of the substructure, +and Billy, Pudge and Harry were delegated to "belay" the rope as +required. Frank and Dr. Perkins seated themselves in the "boat," and at +the words "Let her go!" the _Sea Eagle_ in her wheeled frame began her +descent down the runway. By means of the tackle the three boys at the +summit of the incline easily controlled the novel craft's descent, +stopping from time to time while Dr. Perkins and Frank made a survey to +see that all was going well. + +"Bunting and buttercakes!" grumbled Pudge, as the boys alternately "let +go" and "hauled in" on the tackle, "I thought a launching was more of a +gala event than this." + +"I guess the doctor is too anxious to test out the _Sea Eagle_ to bother +with the trimmings," laughed Harry; "it's _results_ that he's after." + +As a matter of fact, the launching of the _Sea Eagle_ was a very mild +affair compared with what might have been expected. Had the villagers +ashore known of it, doubtless a small fleet of boats would have been +lying off the cove to witness it, but it was for that very reason that +the deepest secrecy had been observed, and that the early hour had been +chosen. As Dr. Perkins said, he "didn't want any fuss and feathers" made +over what was merely, after all, an experiment. + +The rolling glide down the runway was made without incident, and at last +the bow of the _Sea Eagle's_ "hull" struck the water. A cheer went up +then that, rang shrill and clear out over the calm sea. Even Dr. Perkins +joined in the enthusiasm, as well he might, for the goal of his ambition +was in sight at last. + +The _Sea Eagle_ had been sent on her initial voyage without the +aëroplane wings or the auxiliary lifting bags being attached. It was +desired, first of all, to try out her qualities as a water skimmer. As +soon as she was fairly afloat, the wheeled carriage on which the descent +had been made was drawn ashore. Having been weighted before the start +was made, it of course sank under the _Sea Eagle_ when the sea and air +craft floated, thus allowing it to be reclaimed with ease. + +"Looks like a butterfly with its wings clipped off," commented Billy +Barnes as, with the others, he hastened to the beach as soon as their +task was over. + +Indeed, the odd-shaped hull, with its naked frame and two gaunt aërial +propellers, did look strangely incomplete. But the boys knew that the +wings were all ready for instant attachment. In fact, it was one of the +features of the _Sea Eagle_ that the craft was capable of being taken to +pieces and put together again with very little loss of time or labor. + +As the hydroplane portion of the _Sea Eagle_ floated clear of the +weighted frame in which it had made its journey to the beach, Frank +looked inquiringly at the inventor. His hand was on the self-starting +device which put the powerful motor in operation. Dr. Perkins was +actually pale, and Frank could see that his strong hand shook +perceptibly as he nodded his head. + +But he mastered his nervousness quickly, and, grasping the +steering-wheel in a firm grip, he spoke: + +"You can start up now," he said. + +Frank turned the starting handle, admitting a charge of gas to the +cylinders. Then he pressed a button and instantly the motor responded +with a roar and a series of explosions, like those of a battery of +gatling guns going into action. Having started it he admitted gasolene, +and adjusted the carburetor till the cylinders were all working +steadily. + +Close to Dr. Perkins' hand was a lever. This, when moved, "threw in" the +clutch connecting the motor with the driving mechanism. Directly Frank +had finished tuning up the motor Dr. Perkins' hand reached for the +lever. He jerked it nervously back. There was a whirr and a buzz, as the +chains whirled the twin propellers round, and at the same instant the +_Sea Eagle_ darted forward like an arrow from a bow. + +Faster and faster she went, getting up speed with seemingly marvelous +rapidity. But instead of driving deeper into the water, under the +pressure of the aërial propellers which rushed her forward through the +atmosphere, the faster the _Sea Eagle_ was driven the more lightly did +the craft skim the surface of the water, till at top speed--2,000 +revolutions a minute--her bottom barely touched the water. This was owing +to the peculiar construction of the hull, which was designed so as to +"plane" the water in exactly the manner it did. + +Cheer after cheer broke from the lads on shore as they saw the swift +craft dart off, slicing the tops of the small waves like a cream +skimmer. Dr. Perkins circumnavigated the island three times before he +gave the signal to Frank to slow down. Then, releasing the clutch, the +inventor allowed the _Sea Eagle_ to come to rest, with its bow almost +touching the beach. + +"Now we will have a weight test," he announced; "come on, boys." + +The lads ashore surely needed no second invitation. Without bothering to +remove shoes or stockings they waded into the water and out to the _Sea +Eagle's_ side. In less time than it takes to tell it they were swarming +over the side of the cockpit and struggling for positions near the +engine. But Dr. Perkins made them arrange themselves so that their +weight would be evenly distributed. Ben Stubbs and Harry sat in the +extreme stern, while Pudge and Billy occupied opposite seats amidships. + +This done, off darted the _Sea Eagle_ once more, and speedily set at +rest all doubts as to her capability to "plane," or skim the water, +under an added load. + +"It's like riding on a floating island over a sea of raspberry ice cream +soda," declared Billy, when he was asked later to describe his +sensations. + +But a severer test awaited the _Sea Eagle_, namely, the trying out of +her capacity actually to rise into the air. The craft was run partially +ashore, and the great wings bolted in place and the stay wires adjusted. +The stay wires were tightened by turn buckles till they were taut as +fiddle strings, assuring stability of the wings. But in addition the +wings were, of course, partially supported on the light but strong +skeleton framework before noticed. + +Much to the disappointment of the others, only Frank and Harry Chester +and Dr. Perkins were to participate in the flying trials. But they took +it all in good part, being promised rides later if the tests were +successful. As before, the _Sea Eagle_, after she had been backed off +and the propellers started, skimmed along the top of the water like a +flying fish. But all at once the watchers on shore saw her rise bodily +from the water and soar upward into the air. Higher and higher went the +craft, gliding like a gull through the ether. It was an inspiring sight, +and a perfect tornado of yells broke from Ben Stubbs, Billy and Pudge. +But those on board the _Sea Eagle_ could not hear the sounds of +enthusiasm above the roaring of the motor. + +Under Dr. Perkins' skillful guidance the _Sea Eagle_ climbed the aërial +staircase till a height shown by the barograph to be almost 4,000 feet +had been attained. + +"Now to test the buoyancy apparatus," cried the doctor suddenly. "Shut +off power, Frank." + +Frank, who knew what was coming, obeyed the order and turned a valve +admitting the pure hydrogen gas from one of the cylinders into the +buoyancy devices. Instantly the upper wings swelled, till they resembled +puffed-out mattresses more than anything else, and the "volplaning" +downward movement was perceptibly checked. But, setting the descending +device, Dr. Perkins headed the _Sea Eagle_ for the water, and, +skillfully manipulating the craft, landed it as lightly as a drifting +feather on the water by the hull of the _Betsy Jane_. + +Now came a further trial of the capabilities of the wonderful new craft +which, so far, had proven such a success. Dr. Perkins set the planes in +a rising position and allowed the _Sea Eagle_ to hover above the _Betsy +Jane_, like the bird for which the aërial craft had been named. Then +suddenly he began a rapid descent, landing finally on the very summit of +the inclined runway before mentioned. The sides of the _Sea Eagle_ were +equipped with large metal hooks, which were hastily thrown out by the +boys and attached to four "eyes" arranged to receive them. + +When this had been done the suction pump was set to work, and the +inflated wings emptied of the gas, which was forced back into its +receiver, and the valve closed. It was calculated that less than two per +cent of the gas was lost during the process. The _Sea Eagle_ was now +once more a simple hydroplane, without any buoyancy device. + +At a word from Dr. Perkins the hooks which had held the machine in place +were disengaged, and instantly the craft began to glide down the runway. +Half way down the engine was started, and when the graceful craft +reached the abrupt end of the incline, the _Sea Eagle_ went soaring off +into space like a huge white-winged bird. This test was regarded by Dr. +Perkins as the most important, for it proved the entire practicability +of launching the _Sea Eagle_ from a ship far out on the ocean. + +After circling in the air a few times the tests were concluded by a +rapid drop toward the earth right above the summit of the island. Just +as it seemed as if the new craft must end her career by being dashed to +bits against the construction shed, a skillful twist of the steering +device sent her soaring upward once more. Two more swinging aërial loops +were described, and then, with hardly a jar or vibration, the _Sea +Eagle_ was brought to rest by her inventor, almost in front of the shed +where she had been assembled. + +As the thrilling and wonderful trip was concluded, the boys came +pressing about Dr. Perkins, showering congratulations and good wishes. + +"Why, one could fly across the ocean in such a craft," declared Frank +enthusiastically. + +The others laughed, but, to their astonishment, Dr. Perkins looked +perfectly serious. + +"I have a long trip in view," he said, "a flight that will test every +wire and bolt in the _Sea_ _Eagle's_ construction. I did not announce +this before for I wished first to see if everything worked +satisfactorily." + +"No doubt about that," said Billy Barnes with enthusiasm. He had been +dodging about the great flying machine, taking photos from every +possible angle. + +"No," admitted Dr. Perkins; "I must say that so far the _Sea Eagle_ is +all that I could desire. But the final test will put that beyond the +shadow of a doubt. Do you boys wish to undertake a long trip?" + +"Cookies and cucumbers! Do we!" roared Pudge, as the others pressed +eagerly about to hear the unveiling of the doctor's plan. + + + + +CHAPTER X.--"C. Q. D.!" + + +But they were compelled to curb their impatience till that evening after +supper, for the doctor set every one busily to work "stabling" the _Sea +Eagle_ and attending to the engines after the hard test they had +undergone. Every part was carefully gone over, and it was found that +despite the strain of the novel craft's first try-out, nothing save a +few minor adjustments were required. + +"Now, dad," said Pudge, after the dishes had been washed and Ben had his +pipe going, and the others were perched on the edge of the lower bunks, +like so many birds on a rail, "now, then, dad, we are ready to hear your +plans for that cruise." + +Dr. Perkins smiled. + +"I'm afraid, my boy," he said, "that you are in for a disappointment. +While I thoroughly believe the _Sea Eagle_ is capable of conveying our +whole party through almost anything, I am unwilling to place too great a +burden on her at her first long-distance trial." + +Pudge's face lengthened. + +"Oceans and octopuses!" he groaned, "I s'pose I'm to be left behind, as +usual." + +"I'm afraid it will be necessary," was the reply; "you see, there will +only be room under my present plan for experienced navigators. But not +to keep you in suspense any longer, my present plan is to cruise down +the coast to Florida, round that peninsula, and then fly up to New +Orleans, and then possibly I might test out the _Sea Eagle_ still +further on a flight up the Mississippi." + +"Wow! And we're to miss all that?" + +"Not _all_ of it, Pudge," smiled the doctor. "I was planning to send you +and Billy on ahead to meet us at New Orleans and make arrangements for +our arrival there." + +"Cookies and catamounts! That's not so bad. I've always longed to see +New Orleans. But, then, would you take us with you up the Mississippi?" + +"If we go--yes." + +"Look a-here," struck in Ben's bass voice at this point, "I don't want +to butt in, or nothing like that, doctor; but this here is a cruise that +just suits me. Would you have any objection if I went along with ther +boys ter New Orleans?" + +"Why, I hadn't thought of it," confessed Dr. Perkins. + +"You see, I've got some partic'lar business down that way," said Ben, +with a portentous wink at Harry; "ain't I, Harry?" + +The boy addressed instantly guessed that Ben referred to the supposed +treasure trove lying at the bottom of the Black Bayou. Now, in the rush +of events following Harry's return from his strange cruise on the _Betsy +Jane_, he had quite forgotten about Raoul Duval's map. But now it +flashed back on him, and the recollection caused him to flush with +excitement. + +Dr. Perkins looked puzzled, while a glance of intelligence shot between +the grizzled old adventurer and the boy. + +"Have I got your leave to tell about the sunken steamer?" inquired +Harry. + +"Sure. Heave ahead, my boy," was the hearty answer; "I was never much of +a hand at spinning a yarn." + +"Pirates and petticoats! What's all this about a yarn and a sunken +ship?" demanded Pudge. + +"Sounds like some fresh adventure. Anything like the Buena Ventura +cruise?" asked Billy Barnes, referring, of course, to their experiences +in the Sargasso Sea. + +"I hope not," laughed Harry. "No, this is a much tamer affair," he +continued. "Ben, here, thinks that he knows of a craft sunk in a bayou +off the Mississippi, on board of which is a small fortune in gold dust +and black pearls." + +"Gold dust and black pearls!" cried Billy Barnes. "Wow! that sounds like +a regular story." + +"Suppose we let Harry heave ahead, as Ben calls it, and tell us what all +this is about," suggested Frank quietly. But his eyes were shining. He +knew that what Harry was about to communicate must be of deep interest +from the manner in which the boy had spoken. + +"Yes, let us hear the story," said Dr. Perkins; "since we plan to be +down in that region, anything of interest to be investigated will add to +the pleasure of the trip." + +Thereupon Harry, without further delay, plunged into the narrative as +Ben had related it to him. He was interrupted from time to time by +excited exclamations, but at last he finished his narration and then, +turning to Dr. Perkins, he said: + +"What do you think of it, sir?" + +"Aye, aye," growled out Ben, "supposin' the yarn is true, have I got a +legal right to the stuff?" + +"Undoubtedly, if you have papers assigning the claim to you," said Mr. +Perkins, after a moment's thought. + +"Oh, I've got them fast enough. I was goin' to chuck 'em away, but I +thought better of it. Glad I did now, but you see I never thought I'd +have a chance to go down there." + +Ben reached into his pocket and drew out a battered, brown leather +wallet. From it he produced Raoul Duval's promise to deed him his +(Duval's) interest in the supposed treasure chest, providing the loan +Ben had made the mining man's son was not repaid. He handed the document +to Dr. Perkins, who perused it with knitted brows. + +"This certainly appears to give you a legal claim to whatever may be of +value in the late Duval's effects," he said. + +"Then you think it is worth looking into?" + +"By all means. While the story sounds fanciful to a degree, it is not +much more so than plenty of recorded cases. At all events, no harm can +be done by trying to locate the wreck, and it may be the means of +rehabilitating your fortunes." + +"I dunno what that means," grinned Ben, "but if it signifies that I'm to +get some money out of the cruise, I'm willing right now to split it up +any way it suits you." + +"We can talk about that later," said Dr. Perkins, with a smile at the +old man's enthusiasm; "now would you mind letting me have a look at that +map to which Harry has referred?" + +"Here it be," grunted Ben, once more diving into the wallet and +producing the map that Harry had looked over on Barren Island. + +"At any rate, this looks definite enough," declared Dr. Perkins after a +careful examination of it. "Of course, as this Duval appears to be a +thorough rascal, he may have 'cooked this up,' as the saying goes, in +order to induce you to make him a loan. But certain things about it make +me believe that it may be genuine. I recall reading some time ago a +newspaper account of mysteries of the Mississippi, and among them was an +account of the serious disaster to the _Belle of New Orleans_, so, at +any rate, that part of the story is authentic enough." + +"Meanin' it's true," murmured Ben. "Waal, if you'll help me we'll soon +find out the truth of it, or otherwise." + +"As I said," rejoined Dr. Perkins, "I had intended to cruise up the +Mississippi from New Orleans. What you have told us furnishes us with a +distinct object in making the trip, and," he added with a smile, "I +suppose the spice of adventure about it does not displease the lads +here." + +Frank was about to reply when, from the wireless table, there came a +queer buzzing sound from an instrument which the boy had connected with +his detector. + +"Hullo! some one is sending out a message," he exclaimed, "and our wires +have caught it. Wonder what it can be." + +The boy rose and went over to the wireless table. Seating himself on the +stool in front of the instruments he adjusted the "phones" and began +putting his variable condenser in tune to catch whatever message was +pulsing through the air. + +"What's coming?" demanded Harry, as the instruments began to crackle and +snap. + +"Don't know yet," spoke Frank, again changing the capacity of the +condenser; "looks as if----" + +He ceased speaking suddenly. Sliding his hand across the table he made +an adjustment to catch longer sound waves. Instantly a hail of aërial +dots and dashes came pattering against his ear drums, like rain on a +window pane. + +With startling suddenness Frank sensed the meaning of the storm of +desperate flashes. + +"C-Q-D! C-Q-D! C-Q-D!" + +"Some one out at sea is calling us in distress!" he cried loudly. The +others, brim full of excitement, rose and crowded about him. But Frank +waved them back. + +"No questions yet, please!" he said sharply, and then bent all his +faculties to catching the voice out of the black night. + + + + +CHAPTER XI.--"GOOD LUCK!" + + +The silence in the hut was absolute as Frank bent low over his +instruments. Even Pudge was subdued for once. There is something +thrillingly dramatic to the most phlegmatic of temperaments in the idea +of a wireless call for aid. Across unknown miles the message comes +winging through the air--an appeal out of space. + +Of course, the others could not catch what was coming, for the whisper +of the wireless waves sounds faint and shadowy even to one with the +"phones" clasped to his ears. But Frank's manner showed plainly enough +that, whatever was winging its way to his organs of hearing, was +exciting to the last degree. + +Suddenly the boy switched to his transmitting apparatus. With his helix +he began attuning the length of his sparks, while the snake-like blue +flame hissed and crackled across the "high-efficiency" spark gap. It +looked like a living thing of lambent fire, as it writhed and screamed +in response to the pressure on the key. + +"What's wanted? Where are you?" + +This was the message that went speeding out on the air waves from the +aërials above the hut. + +"This is the yacht _Wanderer_, from New York to Rocktown. We have struck +a derelict and are leaking badly. Who are you?" + +"A station on Brig Island, about four miles at sea from Motthaven. Where +are you?" + +The latter question was unanswered for the time being. Instead came +another query: + +"Have you any means by which you can get to our assistance? We are in +dire peril." + +"We will try to aid you. But what is your position?" + +"Wait. I'll look at the chart." + +There came a pause, during which Frank rapidly detailed what he had +heard to the eager group of listeners. But in the midst of it the +unknown sender broke in once more. + +"We are about twenty miles to the southeast of you, on an almost +straight course. Can keep afloat only a few hours longer. Can you get +tug from the mainland?" + +"Impossible," flashed back Frank, "but will do what we can. Are you at +anchor?" + +"No, but the drift is very little. We are off soundings. Can you come to +our aid?" + +Frank's fingers pressed down on the key firmly. Rapidly he sent this +message pulsating: + +"How many on board?" + +"Three. Owner, a friend and a hand." + +"All right. Standby!" + +"Good-by, and hurry," came out of the night, and then--silence. + +Frank disconnected his instruments and turned to the others. Rapidly he +detailed the impending tragedy out there in the darkness. + +"Can't we get to them in the motor boat?" demanded Harry breathlessly. + +Frank shook his head. + +"Not in the time we have. They can't keep afloat much longer, recollect. +What can be done? Is there no way we can help them?" + +"Yes, there is." + +The words came quietly but in a decided tone from Dr. Perkins. Frank was +the first to guess the import of the speech. + +"The _Sea Eagle_!" he exclaimed excitedly. + +Dr. Perkins nodded. + +"Yes. Here is our chance to test her in the service of humanity. She is +ready for flight this instant." + +"But in the darkness? How can we pick up this yacht?" + +"By the searchlight. Most likely the yacht has rockets. When she sees +our searchlight she will send some up. That will give us her bearings. +The general location of the craft we know." + +"Are we all to go?" demanded Pudge. + +"Hardly," rejoined his father, slipping into an overcoat, for the night +was somewhat chilly, though the air was calm. "Frank and Harry, I need +you two. You others await our return. Have hot coffee and food ready, as +the survivors may be in need of nourishment." + +"Aye, aye, sir," responded Ben; "and now, sir, if I may give a bit of +advice, lose no time in getting away. I've been in some sea disasters +myself, and sometimes every second counts." + +"You're right, Stubbs," ejaculated Dr. Perkins. "Boys, get the _Sea +Eagle_ ready. I'll bring along the searchlight." + +While Frank and Harry hastened on their errand, Dr. Perkins got the +searchlight out of its locker. It was a small but powerful one, +constructed so as to fit into a socket on the _Sea Eagle's_ "bow." Its +light was supplied from a small dynamo connected with the engine of the +sea-and-air craft. By the time the doctor was ready the _Sea Eagle_ had +been wheeled out of her shed, and Frank gave a sharp hail. + +"All ready, doctor!" + +"With you in a moment, my boy," was the response, as the inventor +hastened out into the darkness. + +The outlines of the _Sea Eagle_ loomed up gray and ghostly in the gloom. +Only a tiny speck of light showed in her bow by the steering wheel, +where a minute electric bulb shed light on the compass. This light was +obtained from a storage battery of peculiarly light construction, +connected with the dynamo before mentioned. + +The boys had clambered on board as soon as the airship had been wheeled +out of its shed. They extended their hands to Dr. Perkins and helped him +on board. The searchlight was put in place and its wires connected to +the storage battery. A snap of a switch and a sharp pencil of light cut +the night. The appliance worked to perfection. + +"Now, then," said the doctor, as he took the wheel, "the less time we +lose, the better. Frank, you had better apply the buoyancy apparatus, as +we must make an abrupt rise to clear the trees." + +"Why not launch from the runway?" inquired Frank; "wouldn't that be +quicker?" + +"That's right. I think it would. Head the prow round for the rails." + +Willing hands pushed the _Sea Eagle_ around, for on her ball-bearing +supporting wheels she handled very easily, despite her great weight. + +Presently the craft was poised at the summit of the incline, ready for +her rush downward. + +"Give her power!" cried the doctor. + +Frank seized the self-starting lever, and gave it a twirl. A pressure of +his forefinger on the button followed, and almost simultaneously the +motor began to thunder and roar. + +"Right here!" cried Frank. + +"All right. Hold tight. I'm going to apply full power." + +Dr. Perkins jerked back the clutch lever as he spoke. There was a +jarring shock, and then a downward rush through the night, the +searchlight cutting a blazing white path through the blackness. Down, +down they raced at terrific speed. Suddenly the jarring movement ceased. +The _Sea Eagle_ appeared to glide upward as if drawn skyward by +invisible ropes. As the craft left the rails, and began soaring to the +stars that looked quietly down on the exciting scene, a sound was borne +upward to the aërial voyagers. + +"Good-by." + +And then an instant later in Ben's stentorian tones: + +"So long, mates! Go-o-o-d luck!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII.--THROUGH THE NIGHT. + + +Up and out into the night winged the great sea-and-air craft, the +powerful motors working without a skip, and the propellers beating the +air with a noise like the drone of a mastadonic bee--or more +appropriately, night beetle. Above shone the stars, steady points of +brightness in the dark blue canopy of heavens; below stretched the +silent, empty sea, heaving gently. The air was calm and still, and the +_Sea Eagle_ cleaved her way through it powerfully. Dr. Perkins set the +course at due southeast, and kept a careful eye on the compass. + +"What speed are we making?" shouted Frank presently. + +The inventor glanced at the aërial speed meter, a device of his own +invention. + +"Close to fifty," he shouted back, for, owing to the roar of the engines +and propellers, it was necessary to raise the voice in speaking to any +one at a distance. + +"Then we should be in the vicinity in half an hour?" + +"Yes; that is unless----" + +But Dr. Perkins broke off abruptly. The _Sea Eagle_ had now attained a +height of some five hundred feet, at which altitude he intended to keep +the craft till they reached the vicinity of the disabled yacht. + +The cause of the sudden breaking off of his shouted remarks was this: +Without the slightest warning the _Sea Eagle_ gave a sickening dip +downward, and rushed toward the sea; or rather, to those in the falling +ship, it seemed as if the sea was racing up devouringly toward them. + +"Gracious, what's happened?" shouted Harry. + +But Frank was too busy with the engine to answer just then. + +"Power! Give me lots of power!" yelled Dr. Perkins. + +But although Frank instantly opened up the motor to its full capacity of +two thousand revolutions a minute, the downward rush still continued. + +"The sea! We'll be plunged into the sea!" cried Harry, in alarm, +gripping a side support. + +Indeed there appeared to be good cause for his apprehension, for the +_Sea Eagle_ was falling like a stone flung into space. All this, of +course, took place in far less time than it takes to describe or to read +it. In fact, hardly had Harry shouted his fears before the _Sea Eagle's_ +"hull"--as we must call the hydroplane part of the craft--struck the +water, and a huge cloud of spray flew high on either side. + +But instead of diving, the _Sea Eagle_ shot forward over the waves, +gliding over their tops for some time before Frank shut off the motor. +Even then such was the "shooting" velocity gained, that the _Sea Eagle_ +still continued to scoot along until the young engineer, in response to +Dr. Perkins' instructions, reversed her propellers, and thus brought the +craft to a speedy standstill. + +"What on earth happened?" demanded Frank anxiously, as the _Sea Eagle_ +lay still, bobbing up and down on the gentle swell. + +"We struck an air pocket. An empty hole in space where there was no +ether to support us," explained Dr. Perkins. + +"Gracious; I thought we were goners," cried Harry, still a little shaky +over the fearful sensation of the fall. + +"Had the _Sea Eagle_ been of different construction we should have dived +as straight to the bottom as a loon," said the inventor, "but the +spoonlike construction of the bow allowed me to handle her so that, +instead of the impulse of the fall being downward, it was diverted into +a forward movement along the surface." + +"Shall we go up again?" asked Frank, after a hasty examination had been +made to ascertain if anything had parted or snapped under the strain of +the suddenly arrested tumble through the air pocket. + +"Yes. We had better lose as little time as possible," was the rejoinder. +"If you are ready, start the engine up, and we will try a flight from +the surface of the water." + +"You want full power?" asked Frank. + +"Yes; but start up gently at first, gradually increasing to top +velocity. I think, however, that we shall leave the water at about 1,500 +revolutions a minute." + +The next minute the roar of the newly started engine prevented further +conversation. In order to develop every ounce of power of which the +motor was capable Frank had opened the muffler cut-out, and the uproar +was terrific. Spurts of greenish flame spouted from the exhausts, and +the acrid smell of burning oil and gasolene filled the air. To any one +less accustomed than the Boy Aviators to the uproar of aërial motors, +the noise would have been alarming to say the least. They, however, were +too much used to such scenes to pay any attention to it. + +Faster and faster the _Sea Eagle_ sped over the waves, till her keel +barely touched the tips of the swells. Then suddenly the jerky motion +ceased, and the craft, buoyed by its wings, began to soar upward in a +steadily increasing gradient. Before ten minutes had passed they were +once more on an even keel at a five-hundred-feet altitude, and bearing +steadily for the southwest. + +Frank looked at his watch. + +"We ought to be getting pretty close to that yacht by now," he remarked +to Harry, who had seated himself at his side, and was assisting in +attending to the lubrication and watching of the motor. + +"I'll keep a sharp lookout," rejoined Harry; "they surely ought to hear +the noise of our motor and send up a rocket or wave lights, or +something, if they are in the vicinity. + +"That's just what I think. Keep your eyes open while I watch the +engine." + +Harry peered out into the night, but as far as he could see nothing +appeared but the reflection of the stars in the water to relieve its +blackness. + +"I can't see anything yet," he said, after a while. + +"Just keep on looking," rejoined Frank; "there's a chance that they may +have drifted from the position they gave us." + +"Well, in any case it would have been impossible for us to fly direct to +the spot," rejoined Harry; "this thing is a good deal like looking for a +needle in a haystack, to my way of thinking." + +"I'm not so sure of that. If they are anywhere within five or six miles +they must hear the beat of our motor." + +"Wonder why Dr. Perkins doesn't switch on the searchlight. Hullo, there +it goes now." + +As Harry spoke, a fan-shaped ray of brilliant white light cut the night +in front of the _Sea Eagle_, like a radiant sword. Hither and thither it +swept over the dark sea; but it revealed nothing. All at once Dr. +Perkins shut the searchlight off. + +"If they have seen it they will reply in some way," he shouted in +explanation to the boys. "Keep a bright lookout for an answer. I'll keep +the _Sea Eagle_ swinging in circles. We have been doing thirty miles an +hour, and even allowing for the delay when we struck the air pocket we +ought to be in the disabled yacht's vicinity by this time." + +As the searchlight was extinguished Harry peered out into the darkness +with straining eyes. Suddenly he gave a shout and clutched Frank's arm. + +"What's that," he shouted, "that light off there to the south?" + +"It's a lantern," cried Frank; "somebody's waving it." + +Dr. Perkins confirmed Frank's supposition, and the _Sea Eagle_, on her +errand of rescue, was headed for the swinging pin-point of light in the +distance. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII.--A TWENTIETH-CENTURY RESCUE. + + +As he flew his craft in the direction of the feeble beacon of distress, +Dr. Perkins once more switched on the searchlight. Its comforting beam +shot across the sea, and finally ceased its swaying and centered on a +strange sight. As a dark scene in a theater is illumined at one single +point by the calcium light, so the search rays concentrated themselves +on a striking picture of distress at sea. + +Framed in the circle of white light the boys could see a small gasolene +craft, apparently up to the rails in the water. At any rate nothing of +the hull but a narrow white strip could be seen, while, on the top of +the raised deck cabin crouched the figures of three men. One of these +had been swinging the lantern, but he ceased as the bright light from +the _Sea Eagle_ bathed the group in its rays. One single mast arose high +above the pitching hull, and from it could be seen wires strung down to +the cabin top. Evidently this was the wireless apparatus which had been +the means of bringing the Boy Aviators and their friend to the rescue. + +The yacht could not have been more than fifty feet in length--a very +small craft to be equipped with wireless; but her owner, if he was on +board, must have been congratulating himself at that very moment on his +wise precaution. + +It was but a few minutes after the searchlight had first revealed the +_Wanderer_ and her distressed company that the _Sea Eagle_ was swinging +in a graceful, birdlike circle in the air above the sinking craft. + +Frank seized up a small megaphone, which formed part of the sea and sky +ship's equipment. + +"Ahoy! Aboard the yacht!" he cried. + +"Ahoy!" came back the cry, with a note of incredulous wonder in it, as +well there might be, considering the extraordinary circumstances. + +"Are you the folks we talked with by wireless?" called Harry. + +"The very same," was the shouted reply, "but who are you? Can you get us +off this? The ship won't last much longer." + +"We'll get you off all right," exclaimed Frank comfortingly, and as he +spoke Dr. Perkins allowed the _Sea Eagle_ to glide down to the surface +of the waves, alighting on the water about five hundred feet from the +castaways. He at once headed the _Sea Eagle_ round, and calling for +reduced speed made for the sinking yacht. + +"Slow down! Stop her! Reverse!" he shouted in rapid succession, as they +bore down. + +"On board the yacht!" hailed Frank, as they glided up alongside, "throw +us a line." + +The desired rope came snaking through the air, falling across the _Sea +Eagle's_ bow. Harry bounded forward and made it fast. + +"Now haul in," ordered Dr. Perkins, as soon as the propellers had ceased +to beat the air; "easy now; we don't want to foul the wings." + +His order was obeyed; and before long the _Sea Eagle's_ bow was scraping +the side of the _Wanderer_. Fortunately, the sea was smooth, or the +maneuver would have been impossible of execution. As it was, however, on +the easy swell that was running it was made with comparatively small +difficulty. + +"Well, great Cæsar's ghost!" blurted out a stout, blond man in yachting +costume, who occupied, apparently, the position of owner of the yacht, +"if this isn't the twentieth century with a vengeance. Just think of it, +Griggs--rescued by an aëroplane!" + +The man addressed, a good-natured-looking man, almost as corpulent as +the first speaker, nodded appreciatively. + +"We don't really know how to thank you folks," continued the stout man; +"we haven't much longer to stay above water, as you see. We hit a +derelict at dusk, and stove in our port bow. The water came rushing in +so fast that I had barely time to flash that wireless that you so +providentially caught." + +"It was feeble enough, I can tell you," Frank assured him; "fortunately, +we were not far off, and so managed to catch your appeal for help." + +The stout man was again warmly thanking his rescuers, when Dr. Perkins +interrupted. + +"Suppose you come on board," he said; "by the looks of your craft she is +likely to take a plunge at any minute. I'd like to be able to cut loose +from her before that happens." + +Taking this hint, the stout man clambered on board the _Sea Eagle_ with +more agility than might have been expected from a man of his heavy +build. This done he extended a hand to his friend, and then came the +turn of the third occupant of the cabin roof to disembark. This third +man was evidently, from his costume, a paid hand on board the _Sea +Eagle_. He was slight and dark and foreign looking, with beady black +eyes, and a not over-prominent chin. + +Directly all were on board, Dr. Perkins ordered Frank to "cast off" from +the sinking yacht. It was well this order was obeyed promptly, for +hardly had the _Sea Eagle_ been disengaged from the other craft's side, +than the _Wanderer_ gave a sudden plunge, bow downward, under the waves. +For one instant her stern upreared itself vertically, showing the rudder +and propeller, and then, as if by magic, the whole craft vanished, to +find a grave in the ocean bed. + +All this was seen by the searchlight, which Dr. Perkins had kept +concentrated on the yacht while the last act of this ocean drama was +being consummated. As the yacht vanished a deep sigh broke from the +stout man. + +"Good-by, poor old _Wanderer_," he said, "there's an end of this +cruise." + +"I am sorry that she was not in a condition to tow to Brig Island," +remarked Dr. Perkins. + +"My dear sir, so far as the actual monetary loss is concerned it was +fully covered by insurance," responded the stout man; "my only regret is +to see a craft I was very fond of end her days in such a fashion. Also, +I am afraid my friend Griggs here will be disappointed at the failure of +our cruise." + +"Good heavens!" cried Mr. Griggs, who appeared to be a highly nervous +individual, "I'm glad to have my life, Sterrett--glad to have my life. If +I don't catch my death of cold over this I'll be fortunate indeed." + +"In the meantime," struck in the man addressed as Sterrett, "we are +forgetting in our own troubles the debt of gratitude we owe to our +friends here. In the first place, let me introduce ourselves. I am Paul +Sterrett, late owner of the _Wanderer_. This is my friend, Samuel +Griggs, and yonder," indicating the foreign-looking third man, "is +Francis Le Blanc, our cook and general handy man. We left New York on a +cruise up the coast sometime ago, and up till to-night experienced no +mishaps. However, as my friend says, we must not repine; we should +consider ourselves fortunate indeed to be onboard your remarkable craft +instead of being in a watery grave, as we must have been had it not been +for your opportune arrival." + +"We consider ourselves fortunate to have been of service to you," +responded the inventor, and then went on in his turn to introduce +himself and his party, and also give a brief explanation of the _Sea +Eagle_, which had, as may be imagined, excited the liveliest curiosity +on the part of the rescued castaways. + +"But as we shall now get under way without further loss of time," he +concluded, "you will be able to see for yourselves just how the _Sea +Eagle_ is controlled, and what she can do." + +As he finished this speech, Dr. Perkins extinguished the searchlight, +which had still been playing on the oil-streaked waters which marked the +burial spot of the ill-fated _Wanderer_. This done, he gave Frank the +"come ahead" signal. Obediently, as usual, the motor began its song, and +the propellers took up the whirring, buzzing refrain. Mr. Sterrett and +his companions sat perfectly still in the positions in the stern which +had been assigned to them. Had it been light enough to read the +expressions on their faces one would have said that they were absolutely +dumbfounded. + +Of course both Mr. Sterrett and his friends--as well informed men--knew +the wonderful capabilities of the modern aëroplane. They had witnessed +many flights, and in common with the generality of progressive +Americans, knew the general principles of aërial locomotion. But when +the _Sea Eagle_ from a "boat" turned suddenly into a hydroplane, they +exchanged swift expressions of the utmost astonishment. Only their +companion, the paid "hand" from the yacht, sat sullenly unimpressed. In +fact, since he had boarded the _Sea Eagle_, he had not uttered a +syllable, only mumbling his thanks when Mr. Sterrett and his companion +had finished expressing their gratitude for their rescue. + +Under the skillful guidance of Dr. Perkins, and the constant attention +that Frank paid to the whirring motor, the _Sea Eagle_ made a quick run +back to the island, being guided, when she was still some distance away, +by the ruddy glare of a big beacon fire lighted by Ben Stubbs. It was an +instance of the veteran adventurer's thoughtfulness and resource that he +had thought of doing this, for in the hurry of the departure, no such +instructions had been given him. But on his own responsibility he had +kindled the blaze which materially aided the swift return of the _Sea +Eagle_ to her eyrie. + +Reaching the island, the aërial wonder was sent swinging in decreasing +circles, till Dr. Perkins was sure of a safe drop to the workshop on the +summit of the little spot of land, and then, with a breath-catching +rapidity, the helmsman sent his wonderful vessel earthward, bringing it +to a stop within the ruddy glow caused by the blazing bonfire which had +guided them. + +As the _Sea Eagle_ settled to the earth the party that had been left +behind on the adventurous night flight pressed to the side of the novel +craft. A glance showed them that the mission of Dr. Perkins' craft had +been crowned with success, and Billy and Pudge began plying the returned +voyagers with eager questions. Ben Stubbs was slightly in the +background, and it was not till Mr. Sterrett and his companions had +stepped out on to the ground that he got a good look at them. + +When he did, he gave a deep-drawn gasp of surprise. An expression of +supreme amazement overspread his weather-beaten countenance. But his +eyes did not fix on Mr. Sterrett or his companion, Griggs. Instead they +traveled beyond the nattily clad yachtsmen and rested on the slim figure +of the paid "hand." + +"Raoul Duval, as sure as there's a north star!" choked out Ben, half to +himself, "waal, if this ain't a small bit of a world!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV.--BEN'S PLAN STOLEN. + + +For his part Duval was no less quick in recognizing Ben Stubbs. At the +moment, Dr. Perkins and the rest were standing in a group a little +apart, and discussing their adventure, while Mr. Sterrett was loud in +his praises of the _Sea Eagle_, which he described as the most wonderful +craft on earth. Giving a swift look round to see that he was unobserved, +Duval pressed a finger to his lips to enjoin silence on Ben, and then +beckoned him to come a short distance out of the firelight. + +Ben, in wonderment as to this unexpected reappearance of the young man +who had exercised such sharp practice on him, obeyed the summons. But +when he addressed Duval it was in an angry tone. + +"What's this mean," he exclaimed, "how did you come here?" + +"As you see, by that air ship," was the reply; "I never expected to see +you here, however. I tell you, Stubbs, I've had a lot of hard luck. When +those boys and that professor-chap rescued us I had been compelled to +ship as a deckhand and cook on that yacht. Just think of it." + +"A mighty good thing for you, say I," grunted Ben brusquely, "a little +good, honest, hard work will take some of the crooked kinks out of your +brain. My recommendation to you, Duval, is to stick to that sort of a +job, and in time you'll learn to be a man." + +Duval shot a look full of malice at the blunt old fellow. But his face +was in the shadow, and Ben did not notice it. Instead he continued: + +"But I ain't the one to bear a grudge, Duval, although you did come +mighty near shipwrecking my faith in human natur'. Shake hands, mate, +and for your old father's sake I'll do what I can fer you. I ain't one +to kick a man when he's down." + +Duval extended his thin, long-fingered hand, and Ben seized it in his +rough paw and shook it with a heartiness that made the dark-skinned +Duval flinch. + +"There!" exclaimed the old fellow heartily, as he relinquished his grip, +"that's all ship-shape and in good trim. Now let's get back to the rest +of 'em afore they see us talking apart." + +"You're not going to give me away to them?" asked Duval, almost +breathlessly. "Sterrett thinks I'm all right, and may give me a better +job some time." + +"I won't stand in your way, lad," heartily rejoined Ben. "In fact, I'd +like to help you get on your feet again." + +"How about that plan of the location of the _Belle of New Orleans_?" +asked Duval, without paying any attention to Ben's last remarks. + +"Safe enough in my pocket, mate," replied Ben, tapping his worn coat; +"why do you want to know?" + +"I wondered if you had investigated my story." + +"No, I haven't yet; but I don't mind telling you that I may do so before +very long. And I'll tell you right now, Duval, that if we recover +anything valuable from that wreck I'll see to it that you get a good +share of it, and then you can set up in business again and make a new +start." + +Duval expressed what appeared to be very deep thanks for Ben's +generosity. But, in reality, his thoughts were busy elsewhere. An idea +had come into his head that was to bear strange fruit before very long. +They joined the group clustered about Dr. Perkins without their absence +having been noticed. Billy and Pudge had seen to it while the _Sea +Eagle_ was on her mission of rescue that a good hot lunch should be +ready on the return of the expedition. A few moments after Ben and Duval +joined the others Pudge announced this fact, and the party trooped into +the hut, nothing loath, to fall to with hearty appetites on a good meal. +Soon after they "turned in," the boys insisting on the strangers taking +their bunks, while they and Ben Stubbs put up with "shake-downs" on the +floor. + +It was very late--or rather early morning--when they retired, and before +long all were wrapped in the deep sleep of exhaustion. Ben was the first +to awaken, to find the sun streaming into the hut. + +"Great guns!" he exclaimed, glancing at Billy's alarm clock on a shelf, +"it's after seven." + +Broad awake in a jiffy, he aroused the others, going from the floor +sleepers to the bunks. Dr. Perkins, Mr. Sterrett and the latter's friend +were awakened in turn, and it was not till then that Ben noticed that +Duval's bunk was empty. + +"Good fer him," he said to himself warmly, "the young chap has started +to turn over a new leaf by gittin' out early. I'll take a turn outside +afore breakfast and see if I can find him." + +But Duval was not about the workshop, nor did Ben's calls summon him to +breakfast. It was not till that instant that an ugly suspicion flashed +into Ben's hitherto unsuspecting mind. Without saying a word to the +others he hastily drew out his wallet and, withdrawing to a corner of +the hut, examined its contents. Instantly his suspicions were verified. + +The plan of the location of the wreck of the _Belle of New Orleans_ was +missing! + +Stifling his anger as well as he could, Ben hastened to the beach. As he +had suspected the moment he found the plan missing, the small skiff was +gone. What had happened was as plain as print to Ben now. Young Duval +had waited till all in the hut were asleep, then he had stealthily crept +from his bunk, recovered the plan he had given to Ben, and had decamped +in the small boat. + +"Waal, the dern scallywag!" burst out Ben, as he stood on the beach in +the first shock of his discovery. + +In his anger he shook his fist at the strip of sea between the island +and the mainland to which, he did not doubt, Duval had crossed in his +flight. + +"The--the--precious scamp!" he continued, his bronzed features working, +"and I trusted him as I would have trusted his dad." + +Shaking his head, Ben slowly made his way from the beach back to the +hut. He said nothing of his discovery during breakfast, but after the +meal he found a pretext for drawing Dr. Perkins to one side. To him he +communicated what had occurred. + +"A good riddance of bad rubbish," said Dr. Perkins when Ben, whose voice +shook with anger, had concluded his story; "we are cheaply rid of him, +Ben." + +The inventor, while not a selfish man, was so wrapped up in the success +of the _Sea Eagle_ that, to him, the loss of the plan of the wreck did +not appeal in the same way that it did to Ben Stubbs. But the old +adventurer took him up indignantly. + +"Bad rubbish, as you say, sir," he grated out, "but if that paper hadn't +bin worth something Duval wouldn't have taken it. It's good-by to +recovering that stuff from the _Belle of New Orleans_ now." + +"By Jove! I'd quite forgotten my promise to you," said Dr. Perkins +contritely; "but never fear, Ben, I'll see that you are not a loser." + +"It ain't that," rejoined Ben; "I don't give a snap for the plan; but +it's the ingratitood of that young whippersnapper that's got me sore. +I'd like--I'd like to find that wreck just to get ahead of him." + +"Humph!" rejoined the inventor, "I understand your feelings. He has +certainly treated you very badly. But possibly we can think up some way +to outgeneral him." + +"Don't see how we are goin' to do it without that plan," rejoined Ben; +"but I ain't one to cry over spilt milk. It's gone, and that's all there +is to it. The best thing to do is to forget it." + +Frank and Harry, on their way to the _Sea Eagle's_ shelter, were passing +at the moment. After asking the inventor if he thought it would be +advisable, and receiving an affirmative reply, Ben called them over. As +briefly as he could he told them what had happened. + +"Well, the precious rascal!" broke out Frank; "I thought there was +something snaky-looking about the chap last night. Isn't there a chance +of catching him?" + +"Not such a slick rascal as he is, Frank," rejoined Ben despondently; +"no, the plan is gone, and gone for good--so good-by to that." + +But Harry now spoke up, and to the astonishment of the others his voice +did not hold a trace of the disappointment they could not help but feel. + +"Cheer up, Ben," he said heartily, "and by the way you might just cast +your eye over this and see if it looks familiar." + +As he spoke he dipped a hand into his breast pocket and produced a +folded paper. Ben, with a mystified expression, took it and opened the +thing up. The next instant it almost fell from his hands. + +"Why!--why, by the glittering Pole Star!" he choked out, "it's the plan +itself!" + +"Not exactly," laughed Harry, "but I think it's a pretty good copy. You +see I always liked drawing and that sort of thing, so when you showed me +that plan I memorized it, and when I got a chance I sketched out this +copy in case anything happened to the original. I think it's good enough +to take a chance on." + +"Good enough!" roared Ben, "why, lad, it's the plan itself. Now, then, +if we don't beat Master Duval to the _Belle of New Orleans_ call me a +double-decked, lee-scuppered sea cook!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV.--WHAT HAPPENED ASHORE. + + +As Ben had surmised, Duval had waited till the boys and their friends +were sound asleep, and had then, in accordance with a plan he had +thought of the instant he set eyes on his kind-hearted friend, sneaked +out of his bunk and, tip-toeing softly to Ben's clothes, located the +wallet and with small trouble or loss of time abstracted the plan of the +lost wreck. During the evening the ingrate had heard a description of +the island given to Mr. Sterrett by Dr. Perkins, so that after taking +the plan he left the hut and made for the beach by the path through the +woods. + +Shoving off the skiff, he had taken up the oars and started rowing as +fast as he could for the mainland. But what with the darkness and his +unfamiliarity with that part of the coast, he had failed to land in the +cove adjoining the fisher village of Motthaven, and had beached his +craft a considerable distance to the south of the place. It was just +growing light when the bow of the skiff grated on the sand, and Duval +hastily scrambled out and started off. His object was to find a railroad +station and travel as far as his scant supply of money would take him +from the vicinity of Brig Island. + +After that his plans were still vague; but he had an indefinite idea of +getting to New York or some large town, and interesting anybody with +capital to finance an expedition for the recovery of the gold dust chest +and the bag of black pearls that lay at the bottom of the Black Bayou +amid the moldering timbers of the lost steamer. The utter depravity and +black-heartedness of this plan, and his base ingratitude to the man who +had aided him in every way, did not strike him. Instead, there was but +one over-mastering thought in his mind, and that was to secure whatever +treasure might be in the wreck as quickly as possible, and then vanish +from America for some foreign country with his ill-gotten wealth. + +Busy with such thoughts as these, he hastened up the beach in the gray +of the dawn, and finding a rough sort of path leading up the low cliff +that overhung the beach, he started to ascend it. He had not gone more +than a few paces, however, before he saw, buried back in some trees, a +rough-looking hut. + +Duval was hungry and thirsty, and, moreover, his long row, at such a +feverish pace, had exhausted him. Determining to tell a story that would +account for his presence in that isolated part of the coast at such an +early hour, he made up his mind to apply at the hut for some +refreshment. His story was to be that he had set off on a fishing +expedition and had lost his way and been wandering all night. + +"Probably only some fool fisherman lives there who will believe anything +I choose to tell him," he thought; "these fellows are all as thick as +mud, anyhow." + +Musing to himself in this fashion, the renegade fellow made his way +toward the hut and, coming to the door, knocked loudly on it. But there +was no answer, and when, after repeated knockings, he could elicit no +response, Duval determined that, as there appeared to be nobody at home, +he would walk in uninvited and see what he could "forage" for himself. + +The door was unlocked; in fact, it had no latch and hung crazily on its +rusty hinges. Opening it, Duval found himself in an interior as rough +and uncouth as the outside of the hut had promised. A table made of old +planks, seemingly flotsam from the beach, two soap boxes for chairs, and +a rough sort of bunk, or rather shelf, littered with a pile of dirty old +blankets, made up the furnishings. On the table were the remains of a +meal, which had consisted apparently of roasted lobsters and fish. Two +tin cups and tin plates, with battered knives and forks beside them, +completed the table service. + +"Confound it all," muttered Duval, "whoever lives here is as poor as a +church mouse. Some miserable fisherman, I suppose, who has hardly enough +to keep body and soul together." + +He walked to a corner of the shack where there was a sort of cupboard +contrived out of old boxes. He had guessed that this formed the pantry +of the establishment. Sure enough, in it he found a loaf half consumed, +and the remains of a roasted lobster, as well as some scraps of fish. He +was too hungry to be particular and was just about to start eating when +a quick step behind him caused him to start violently, dropping the food +he had in his hand. + +But before he could utter a word the young man--or, rather, loutish +boy--who had entered so quietly, owing to his being barefooted, stepped +up to him and, raising a heavy oar he carried, dealt the intruder a blow +that deprived him of his senses for the time being. + +As Duval fell to the floor a man in rough fisherman's garb, with a +wrinkled, mahogany-tinged face and a tuft of gray whisker on his +prominent chin, entered. + +"Why, Zeb, what's up?" he exclaimed, in an astonished voice. + +"I found this feller snoopin' about in here, pop," was the rejoinder, +"an' I calkelated ter lay him out till we could find out what his +business was." + +"Good ernuff, boy," responded the elder Daniels, for most of our readers +must be aware by this time of the identity of the two newcomers; "but +who do yer suppose he is? He's dressed like one of them fancy sailors +off'n a yacht." + +"Dad, I figger he's a detective sent here by them kids on Brig Island. +That's the way it looks to me." + +"I guess you're right, Zeb. Here, give me a hand to get him up on the +bunk. By hickory, but you must have hit him a clip." + +"Reckon I did land kind er hard on him, dad, but I wasn't takin' chances +of his turning on me." + +The two worthies lifted Duval's limp form and laid it, not over-gently, +on the tumbled pile of frowsy blankets. This done, a sudden thought +struck the elder Daniels. + +"Calkerlate I'll take a look through his pockets," he said; "might +rummage out something worth havin'." + +Zeb helped his father in this task; but aside from a small sum of money, +and a collection of worthless odds and ends, they found nothing that +appeared to them to be of importance. In an inner pocket Zeb came across +the stolen map. Much mystified, he showed it to his father. + +"What do you think this kin be, pop?" he inquired. + +The old man took it and knitted his brow over the document in a puzzled +fashion. + +"By hickory, I kain't make it out," he confessed; "thar's some riting in +ther corner, though. Spell it out, Zeb." + +Zeb, obediently, but somewhat laboriously, read out: + +"'Map of the location of the wreck of the _Belle of New Orleans_.' +That's what it says; but what does it mean?" + +"That's plain enough, ain't it?" retorted the old man. "It's a map of +some wreck or other, but what does this feller want with it? That's the +question." + +"Better ask him. He's opening his eyes and coming to." + +Sure enough Duval stirred uneasily, and threw up his hand as if to ward +off a blow. + +"Don't hit me, Frank Chester," he cried out; "I'll give back the plan I +stole." + +"Oh-ho! That's the way the wind blows, is it?" muttered the elder +Daniels, and then, addressing Duval, who was now staring wildly about +him, he said: + +"So you come from Brig Island, eh, my hearty?" + +"Yes; but how did I get here? Oh, I remember now. I was looking for food +and somebody struck me." + +"That was me, I reckon," grinned Zeb, "who are you, anyhow? Did those +kids on Brig Island send you here after us?" + +What with the effects of his blow, and his alarm at his position, Duval +lost his customary caution. + +"I'm no friend of anybody on Brig Island," he exclaimed, "but what do +you know about that place, anyhow?" + +"A whole lot," grimly rejoined the elder Daniels; "now, see here, my +lad, you'd best make a clean breast of it. How did you come by this +plan?" + +The old fisherman, who was pretty keen-minded, had guessed by Duval's +guilty manner that there was some mystery connected with the document +which he now flourished. + +Duval sat up on the bunk and pleaded for the return of the plan; but to +no avail. + +"I'm smart enough to see through a wall when there's a hole in it," said +old Daniels; "now, see here, I reckon you ain't no friend of them kids +on the island?" + +Duval shook his head. He had, of course, no reason to dislike the boys; +but he was an arrant coward at heart, and saw that the men in whose +power he was, hated the young dwellers on Brig Island. He therefore +thought it good policy to affect to be of their way of thinking. + +"I'm no friend of theirs," he said, rather sullenly, "but what's that to +you?" + +"May be a whole lot, if this plan is what I think it is. Now I've a +pretty good idea that you come by it in no very honest way. Ain't that +so?" + +"I--I was given it," stammered Duval uneasily, while Zenas' little +gimlet-like gray eyes bored him through. + +"That's a lie," rejoined Daniels easily; "come on, out with the truth, +now. It won't do you no harm, and may keep you from the constables." + +This was a shrewd move on Daniels' part. Duval's eyes dilated with fear +at the idea of coming within the reach of the law. Without more ado he +blurted out part of the story of the lost _Belle of New Orleans_, and +offered to let Zenas share in the prize if he should locate it. While +Duval was talking the elder Daniels had leaned forward, consumed with +interest. Avaricious to a degree, the thought of the sunken treasure +made him fairly burn with desire to gain it. + +"You're sure that was a true story that feller give you?" he asked, as +Duval concluded his story. + +"I'm certain of it. I know for a fact that my father had a lot of gold +dust and those black pearls with him on his last voyage, for he had +written home about the fortune that he was bringing." + +"Humph! Waal, your story sounds all right, and I don't know but what +you've come to the right shop to get some one to help you get at the +wreck. I've got a diving outfit and a little money, and I kin raise some +more. Now sit down and Zeb will get you a bite to eat, and we'll talk +things over." + +And thus was begun an alliance which was to prove a source of much +trouble to the Boy Aviators and their friends in the near future. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI.--OFF ON THE "AIR ROUTE." + + +In the meantime indignation was at white heat on Brig Island. Mr. +Sterrett was for advertising the disappearance of Duval, and offering a +reward for his apprehension. He confessed that he had not liked the +man's looks, but had shipped him as help was hard to get at the time. +Dr. Perkins agreed that it might not be a bad idea to communicate at +once with the authorities and try to have the rascal captured. + +"But," he added, "I am afraid he is too clever a scamp to fall into the +clutches of the law very easily." + +"I am of that opinion, too," frankly admitted Mr. Sterrett, "but it will +do no harm to do all we can to place him where he belongs." + +To get ashore Frank had first to swim off to the motor boat, for the +skiff, as we know, had vanished. He then ran the engine-driven craft in +alongside some rocks that sloped down into deep water, and from that +elevation the party embarked. A quick run was made to Motthaven, from +whence a description of Duval was wired to the metropolitan police, and +the local authorities urged out of their usual lethargy by promises of a +reward if Duval was found. Late that afternoon the search yielded +results in the finding of the abandoned skiff, and the discovery of the +hut in which the Daniels had been living since the boys had instituted +proceedings against them. + +Some evidences of a hasty departure were found, but no clews that would +give any idea of whither the fugitives had proceeded. In fact it was +only by piecing together some scraps of torn paper that it was +discovered that the hut had been used by the Daniels as a refuge. + +"Well," said Dr. Perkins that evening, after they had bidden good-by to +Mr. Sterrett and his friend, who had returned to New York, "well, in my +opinion the less time we lose in getting to Black Bayou the better it +will be, for, to my mind, there is little doubt that Duval means to +forestall our friend, Ben Stubbs, in ransacking the wreck." + +The others agreed that this seemed highly probable, and Dr. Perkins made +immediate arrangements for a caretaker to occupy quarters on Brig Island +during their absence. This done, a return was made to the little +settlement, and the next day final preparations were made for the +adventurous trip through the air. The _Sea Eagle_ was provisioned, and a +light wireless apparatus installed, the stay wires being used as +aërials. Of course the instruments were not so strong as those used at +the shore station, but it was calculated that they had a capacity of +about twenty miles over land, and forty above the sea, depending, of +course, a good deal on the wave adjustment and the weather conditions. + +Twenty-four hours after the adventurers had started work on the _Sea +Eagle_, the craft was ready for her dash. Ben Stubbs, Pudge Perkins and +Billy Barnes were to go to New Orleans, there to await the arrival of +the party. Their departure took place amid regretful wails from Pudge, +who loudly declaimed: + +"Aërials and ant-hills! I don't see why we can't go by the _Sea Eagle_." + +But Dr. Perkins' word was law and he had decided that the fewer persons +who took part in the test the better the chance of success would be, and +as Frank and Harry were both experienced aviators he placed great +reliance in their aid. The morning after the departure of the New +Orleans-bound passengers the caretaker and his family arrived. They were +honest folk from the shore, who could be trusted to look after the many +valuable devices on the island, and keep curiosity seekers off till the +party returned. For Dr. Perkins had decided to use Brig Island as a +permanent workshop, and expected, if the _Sea Eagle_ proved a success, +to build many craft like her and dispose of them at good prices. The +working of the electric fence was explained to the caretaker; but he +declared: + +"I reckon my old gun will do more to keep undesirables off than any of +them electric didoes." + +There was now nothing more to do, the caretaker being duly installed, +but to take to the air, in what was, at that date, the most unique +aërial craft in existence. For the voyage, beside the provisions and +extra fuel and oil, life belts had been provided, and not a detail had +been overlooked. It was seven o'clock on a fine, breathless morning when +Dr. Perkins gave the order, "Start up the engines!" + +A thrill shot through both Frank and Harry at the words. Experienced in +aërial adventure as were both boys, they could not but feel that they +were embarking on the most adventurous undertaking of their lives. + +"We're off!" cried Harry, as a quiver ran through the craft, and the +motor roared from its exhausts, emitting clouds of mingled flame and +blue smoke. + +"Yes; off on a fight for fame and fortune!" cried Frank, as Dr. Perkins +threw in the clutch; and, with her propellers beating the air so rapidly +that they were a mere blur, the _Sea Eagle_ shot skyward. + +In half an hour's time, to the watchers on the island, the aërial craft +had dwindled to a mere dot in the distant sky, and five minutes later +she vanished from view. The boys gave many backward looks as they winged +away from Brig Island. Despite their adventures, they had spent many +pleasant days there, and it appeared to them to be almost a second home. +Of all that they were to experience before returning to the island they +little dreamed at the moment, but their hearts beat high with exultation +as the _Sea Eagle_ winged her way southward at forty miles an hour, and +about five hundred feet above the ocean. + +They had been in the air about an hour when they encountered a situation +which may become common enough before many years have passed, but which +was an exciting novelty to them. Off on the horizon a liner was sighted, +steaming toward the American coast. Before long they made her out to be +a big, two-funneled craft, painted black, and with numerous decks rising +above her shapely hull. + +"One of the transatlantic liners that make Portland their terminal," +decided Dr. Perkins. + +"Shall I wireless them?" said Harry. + +"Yes, do so. It will be an interesting experiment, and besides will show +how the apparatus will work." + +Harry lost no time in getting to work. After a brief interval he +"raised" the operator on the liner, Dr. Perkins keeping the _Sea Eagle_ +swinging in big, lazy circles while he did so. + +"We sighted you from the bridge half an hour ago," flashed the operator, +"who and what are you?" + +"The hydro-aëroplane _Sea Eagle_, bound from Maine for New Orleans. Who +are you?" flashed back Harry. + +"The _Ultonia_, of the Portland and Liverpool line, eight days out from +England," was the rejoinder; "have you got any American newspapers on +board?" + +Now it happened that Dr. Perkins had brought some papers of the day +before along in his pockets, and at Harry's request he handed them to +him. + +"What are you going to do?" asked Frank. + +"I was going to suggest that we dive across the _Ultonia_ and deliver +the papers," said Harry; "can we do it, doctor?" + +"By all means," rejoined Dr. Perkins, deeply interested; "flash them a +message of what we intend to do so that they may be prepared." + +Harry sent out the message and the operator flashed back a quick +"Thanks," adding the next moment: "Good-by. I'm going to beat it out on +deck and watch you." + +Frank, in the meantime, had done the papers up in a compact bundle and +weighted them with an empty beef can. + +"All ready?" cried Dr. Perkins. + +"All ready, sir," was the prompt reply from the boys. + +"Then hold tight. I'm going to make a swift dive." + +The liner was now almost directly underneath the soaring _Sea Eagle_. +Her rails were black with passengers craning their necks upward at the +great, man-made bird. From her funnels poured clouds of inky smoke, +while her sharp prow cut the water on each side of her bow into +sparkling foam. On the bridge were uniformed officers, pointing +binoculars and spy glasses aloft, for the operator had communicated the +news of what the _Sea Eagle_ was about to do. + +Suddenly the watching throngs of ocean travelers saw the _Sea Eagle_ +poise in air like a hawk about to pounce. Then down she came, cleaving +the air like a falling stone. + +A great cry went up from the packed decks. It seemed as if the air craft +must perish, that nothing could check her fall, and that she was doomed +to plunge headlong into the sea. But in a flash the cry changed to a +mighty cheer. + +Less than forty feet from the water the _Sea Eagle_ was seen to shoot +upward and straight toward the steamer. Like an arrow from a bow the +great aërial craft shot whizzing above the liner's bridge, and under the +wireless aërials extending from mast to mast. Just as she roared by +above the officers' heads, like some antedeluvian thunder-lizard, +something was seen to fall downward and land on the top of the +charthouse. It was the bundle of papers thrown by Harry. A sailor +scrambled up and got them, while the crowded decks yelled themselves +hoarse. + +Then the _Sea Eagle_ soared up high above the mast tips, and Harry +seated himself at the wireless once more. Presently to his ears came a +message from the speeding liner far below. + +"Captain Seabury wishes to congratulate you on the most wonderful feat +of the century." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII.--AN AËRIAL AMBULANCE. + + +Harry was about to flash back an answer to the message of congratulation +when, suddenly, into the scene of triumph was injected a grim note of +threatened tragedy. One of the passengers, a young woman who had been +leaning far out over the rail of the boat deck waving a handkerchief of +filmy lace and linen, was seen, all at once, to topple from her perch. + +The next instant, and while her shrill scream for help still rent the +air, a young man who had been standing beside her jumped out into space +without waiting to do more than strip off coat and shoes. The _Ultonia_ +was speeding ahead at the fastest gait her twin screws were capable of. +She was a large vessel, probably some 15,000 tons of registration, and +her momentum was too great to stop her for a considerable distance. + +From the _Sea Eagle_ horrified eyes saw the accident, and witnessed the +young woman's head bob up for an instant amid the frothy wake of the big +craft. The liner's whistle screamed out a shrill alarm, and men could be +seen scampering to lower a boat, while life buoys were thrown overboard. + +But before anything more could be done the _Sea Eagle_ took a sudden +swoop, a swift dive downward, characteristic of the bird for which she +had been named. + +The wonderful craft struck the water with a force that sent a cloud of +spray boiling up about her, temporarily hiding her substructure and her +occupants from view. + +"She's sunk!" went up a moaning cry from the decks of the liner. But, +no! An instant later it was seen that the _Sea Eagle_, an aëroplane no +longer but a winged boat, was speeding as fast as her twin propellers +could drive her toward the spot where the young woman had last been +seen. + +Hardly a word, except Dr. Perkins' caution to "hang on tight," had been +exchanged between the aviators from their simultaneous observation of +the accident till the moment the _Sea Eagle_ struck the water. But now +orders came quick and fast. + +"Attend to the engines!" + +The order came from Frank, and Harry sprang into the place his brother +vacated. + +Frank hastily buckled on one of the life jackets and then, as the _Sea +Eagle_ skimmed the water at a twenty-five knot gait, he scanned the +seething lane of foam behind the liner. Suddenly he saw what he was +looking for. A white, imploring face, crowned with a wealth of golden +hair. + +"Save me!" screamed the girl who, although she had been swimming, was by +this time too exhausted with the effects of her immersion and the weight +of her water-soaked clothes, to keep up any longer. Without an instant's +hesitation, Frank leaped into the water and began striking out with +powerful strokes for the sinking girl. He reached her side just as she +was going down for the third time. + +[Illustration: WITHOUT AN INSTANT'S HESITATION, FRANK LEAPED INTO THE +WATER.] + +In the meantime the young man who had sprung after her had also become +exhausted, and would certainly have sunk had not Dr. Perkins headed the +_Sea Eagle_ in his direction. Leaning far out as they came alongside the +struggling man, Harry grasped him by the collar, and then half dragged +him into the hydroplane portion of the air craft. This done, full speed +was made for Frank and the young woman. + +None too soon did they reach Frank's side. With the blind instinct of a +drowning person the young woman was clinging so tightly to Frank that, +strong swimmer though he was, he had much difficulty in keeping above +the water. Dr. Perkins ordered the motor stopped as they neared the two, +and allowed the _Sea Eagle_ to glide up to them. Then both he and Harry +bent all their strength to hauling on board, first the young woman and +then Frank. + +By this time the liner's speed had been checked, and her officers were +swinging her in a broad circle to the scene of the accident. A boat had +been lowered and was heading for the _Sea Eagle_, but Dr. Perkins, +snatching up the megaphone, hailed the oarsman and told them that +everything was all right. + +This done, power was applied once more, and the _Sea Eagle_ headed for +the liner's side. As if guessing his intention a gangway had been +lowered, and all was ready for their reception as they came alongside. +In the meantime the young man had introduced the golden-haired young +woman as his bride, and himself as Stanley Travers, of Portland, Me. To +say that both he and Mrs. Travers were grateful would be not to state +one half of their actual feelings. + +In fact, their expressions of appreciation took so long that one of the +officers at the head of the gangway shouted: + +"This is a mail boat and we must hurry, please." + +While this was going on congratulations on the plucky act had been +shouted down from the uniformed skipper on the bridge and from a score +of the passengers that banked the rails three and four deep. + +At last Mr. and Mrs. Travers, wet to the skin, clambered up the liner's +tall, black side, and the boat was hauled up on the davits. As the big +craft, dipping her ensign and blowing her siren, heaved ahead, a shout +of enthusiasm went up. But it was drowned by the roar of the _Sea +Eagle's_ motor. Hardly had the propellers of the vessel begun to churn +the water once more before Dr. Perkins' craft rose from the water like a +white-winged sea gull after a refreshing dip. As the gallant sea-and-air +ship rose, her three occupants waved their hands in farewell in +rejoinder to the babel of shouts beneath them. + +"Well, at any rate, if the _Sea Eagle_ never does anything more," +remarked Dr. Perkins, "she has accomplished a great deal." + +"I should think so," exclaimed Frank, who had slipped into dry clothes +as soon as the _Sea_ _Eagle_ took the air once more; "it isn't every +craft that finds her baptism in life-saving at sea." + +As long as they could see the _Ultonia_ the big liner continued to blow +her whistle, and doubtless the eyes of all her passengers remained fixed +attentively on the wonderful sky ship as she waxed smaller and smaller +against the blue. That afternoon the voyagers found themselves off Cape +Ann. High above the cape they flew, cutting off a good chunk of distance +in this way. The folks in West Gloucester stared in wonderment as the +huge air ship soared by high above the town, and when a short time later +the aviators passed above the white-winged fishing fleet, every tin pan +and fog horn in the flotilla of small craft sounded an enthusiastic "God +speed" to the air travelers. + +Far behind the main body of the fisher craft lagged a small sloop, and +as the _Sea Eagle_ came closer to her the boys noticed that her flag was +flying from the peak "union down," a sign of distress the world over. +The big hydro-aëroplane was flying low at the time, and it was easy to +see, without the aid of glasses, that several men were running about the +sloop's decks and shouting something up at the air voyagers. + +"Shall we go down and see what the trouble is?" asked Frank, as he and +Harry saw the signs of distress. + +"Yes," decided the doctor, "no craft, either of the air or of the sea, +can disregard such a signal of disaster. It will be odd if, for the +second time on the very first day of our cruise, we are able to render +aid to somebody who needs it badly." + +The boys thought so, too, and as they dropped seaward the minds of all +three occupants of the _Sea Eagle_ were busy with speculations +concerning what could be the cause of the sloop's distress. Dr. Perkins +caused his craft to alight gently on the sea a short distance from the +sloop, and then headed her over the waves toward the distressed vessel. +As they drew closer they could see a grizzled-looking fellow, in rough +fisher's garb, leaning over the side. + +"Come quick!" he shouted, "there's been bad work going on aboard!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII.--AN ERRAND OF MERCY. + + +"What's up?" cried Frank. + +"Yes, what's the trouble?" came from Dr. Perkins. + +"Trouble enough. We sprang a leak two days ago, out on the fishing +banks, and have been at the pumps ever since. Now we've got the leak +stopped, but my mate, Joe Higgins, was struck on the head by the boom +and is so mortal bad that if we don't get a doctor for him pretty quick +I'm afraid he'll die. Then, too, our provisions is run out." + +While the man was reciting this catalogue of mishaps the _Sea Eagle_ was +run alongside, and Dr. Perkins made her fast with a line the man flung +to him. + +"First let's have a look at the injured man," he said and, without +further delay, Captain Zebedee Crooks, as he informed the travelers his +name was, led them aft to a tiny cabin, stuffy, dark and reeking of +fish. The boys followed Dr. Perkins into this wretched little den and +Captain Zebedee lighted a sea lantern. + +Its rays showed them a heavily built man of middle age lying on a +locker. His head was bandaged, and although he breathed he showed no +other signs of life. Dr. Perkins, with the skill of a professional man, +made a hasty examination. + +"This man is badly hurt," he said at length. "I am afraid his skull is +fractured, but of that I cannot be certain. He should be ashore in a +hospital." + +"Aye! I know that," rejoined Captain Zebedee, "but at the rate we are +going now we won't get ashore till to-morrow night, and by that time +poor Joe may be dead." + +"I think it extremely likely," replied Dr. Perkins, "but we must get him +ashore at once." + +"What, in that sky schooner of yours?" Dr. Perkins nodded. + +"Yes, we must get him on deck without further loss of time. Then we'll +rush him to a hospital." + +"The good Lord who sent you here bless you!" exclaimed the rugged old +fisherman, affected almost to tears. "I never thought when I seen you +away up thar in ther sky that you'd bother to notice the poor _Star of +Gloucester_; but you did. You come down from the clouds like so many +angels." + +"Funny-looking angels," remarked Frank to Harry, in an undertone. But +Captain Zebedee's gratitude was so heartfelt and earnest that neither of +the boys could find it in them to smile at his odd phrases. + +Captain Zebedee summoned some of his crew from the deck and as tenderly +as possible the injured man was conveyed from the cabin. This done, he +was lowered into the _Sea Eagle_ and laid on a pile of blankets already +prepared for his reception. + +"Better make for Bayhaven," counseled Captain Zebedee; "there's a good +hospital there, and it lies right on the coast about in a straight line +from here." + +Dr. Perkins nodded, and then, having seen that the injured man was in a +position to endure the ride comfortably, the flight to the shore was +begun; but not till a substantial amount of provisions and some fresh +water had been supplied to the fishing smack. As the _Sea Eagle_ took to +the air the _Star of Gloucester_ was set before the wind, and staggered +off on her slow course once more. The last the boys saw of the clumsy +fisherman, the stout figure of Captain Zebedee was leaning on the stern +bulwarks waving to them as they winged shoreward. + +The coast was a rocky one, with gaunt cliffs and few habitations. But as +they reached it and flew low above a small house on the summit of the +cliffs, they spied a man at work in a small garden. Of him Frank +inquired the way to Bayhaven. The man was too much astonished to answer +at first, and stood looking stupidly up at the winged monster above him. + +But finally he collected his wits and pointed to the south. The _Sea +Eagle_ was thereupon headed round, and, not long after, her passengers +came in sight of a tiny town huddled in a cove almost at the water's +edge. Heading out seaward once more, Dr. Perkins dropped to the water in +the harbor, and then at reduced speed ran the _Sea Eagle_ up to the long +wharf which jutted out at the foot of the little city's main street. + +By the time they arrived alongside of the jetty half the population of +the town was on hand to greet them. Their approach through the air had +been seen when they were still some distance off, and as the _Sea Eagle_ +was the first air ship ever seen in Bayhaven it may be imagined what a +sensation Dr. Perkins' craft created. + +But all eager questioners were waved aside while Dr. Perkins and his +young friends called for volunteers to help lift the injured man out of +the _Sea Eagle_. A dozen willing hands responded, and before long the +mate of the _Star of Gloucester_ was on his way to the hospital in a +wagon which had been hastily converted into an ambulance. It may be said +here that, thanks to the prompt manner in which aid had been secured for +him, the man recovered after a long illness, and was able to resume his +work on Captain Zebedee's ship, where he never tires of telling of how +he was saved by an aërial ambulance. + +Dr. Perkins accompanied his patient to the hospital, where he saw him +comfortably settled. In the meantime Frank and Harry had been left on +guard with the _Sea Eagle_, for the crowd had grown so large, and so +curious, that it would not have been wise to have left the ship to the +mercies of the inquisitive. The boys answered a perfect hailstorm of +questions as good-naturedly as possible, but once or twice they had to +use physical means to keep the younger element of the population of +Bayhaven off the decks. + +By the time Dr. Perkins returned they were heartily tired of their job, +and hailed his proposal that they should go up to town and purchase a +fresh supply of provisions, with much delight. Leaving Dr. Perkins to +cope with the throng, the two boys, arm in arm, made their way through +the press and set off for the main street, which sloped up from the +wharf. One or two of the crowd followed them, gaping curiously at the +youthful aërial voyagers. But the boys were too used to the curiosity of +crowds to mind this, and before long their followers dropped back to +gape at the great flying machine. + +They found the town a small, uninteresting place. There were several +shops, a hotel, with the usual group of loungers hanging about the +porch, and further back a canning factory, which gave employment, in one +way or another, to most of the inhabitants of Bayhaven. Beyond the hotel +was a big "general store." Entering it, the boys made a variety of +purchases, and arranged that the goods should be shipped to the _Sea +Eagle_ as soon as possible. + +They were just leaving the place when out of the dusk--for by this time +it was getting late--there came a figure that caused both boys to come to +a dead stop in petrified astonishment. As for the man who had caused +their sudden stoppage he, for his part, appeared to be nonplussed for a +second. But the next moment he turned and fairly ran out of the store. + +"After him!" cried Frank; "it's that rascal Duval!" + +"That's what!" cried Harry, no less excited. + +Both boys, to the utter amazement of the storekeeper, who thought they +had gone suddenly crazy, dashed out of the door of the emporium, and +taking the steps outside in one jump they made off in the direction in +which Duval, for there was no doubt it was he, had vanished. But as ill +luck would have it, the cannery whistle had just blown for the cessation +of the day's work, and round the corner there streamed a big crowd of +the employees. + +It took the boys some time to work their way through the throng, for +some of the men were inclined to tease them by stepping in their way and +otherwise annoying them so that by the time they got through the crowd +all hope of catching, or even sighting, Duval was gone. + +Greatly disappointed, and almost as much mystified by their sudden +encounter with the rascally Frenchman, the boys decided to turn back and +go down to the _Sea Eagle_. On their way they discussed Duval's sudden +reappearance with interest. + +"What can he be doing here?" wondered Harry. + +"Blessed if I know," was the rejoinder, "but I'll bet he's up to some +mischief or other. My! How he ran when he saw us." + +"He had good reason to," declared Harry; "I guess we'd have had him +arrested if we'd ever caught him." + +"Not much doubt of that," declared Frank; "we could have charged him +with the theft of that boat, anyhow, and that would have held him in the +custody of the authorities till we could have obtained further +evidence." + +"Well, I don't imagine we'll see him again," decided Harry, as they +turned into the Main Street. + +"No such luck," declared Frank. + +But, after all, the boys were to see Duval again, and sooner than they +expected, too. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX.--PLUMBO FOUND WANTING. + + +They were still talking in this vein when they reached the wharf. The +crowd had, by this time, thinned out somewhat, and they made their way +to the _Sea Eagle_ without difficulty. They found Dr. Perkins talking +with a most peculiar looking individual. He was long and lanky as a bean +pole, and his thatch of bright red hair was crowned by a hat that a +scarecrow might have disowned. + +"Wonder who our new-found friend can be?" laughed Harry, as they +clambered down a rough ladder to _the Sea Eagle's_ deck. + +They soon found out. Dr. Perkins, it appeared, had decided to spend the +night at Bayhaven, and had engaged quarters at the hotel which the boys +had passed. The man with whom he was talking rejoiced in the name of +Plumbo Boggs, and was a village character. However, he was honest, +though not overmuch endowed with brains, and had been recommended to the +inventor as a reliable man to leave in charge of the _Sea Eagle_. + +Immediately Dr. Perkins had introduced this strange character, Plumbo +broke out into rhymed speech which was a peculiarity of his. Some odd +twist in his brain made it impossible for him to express himself in +prose. + +"I'm Plumbo Boggs of old Bayhaven; from harm your air ship I'll be +savin'," quoth he, striking an attitude. + +"Do you always talk that way?" inquired Frank. + +"Yes; I'm a poet, though you didn't know it," was the response. + +"Well, I don't know that that will keep you from being a good watchman," +smiled Dr. Perkins. + +"I'll watch by day or I'll watch by night; you'll soon find that I'm all +right," was the quick response, while Plumbo's blue, rather watery eyes, +flashed feebly. + +"That's satisfactory. Mind, you are to let no one on board, under any +pretext whatever." + +"Pretext is a word that I don't understand; but I'll keep them off +though they come in a band," rejoined Plumbo. + +"How much will you do the job for?" asked Dr. Perkins. + +"Two dollars will be my price to stay here; pay it and then no trouble +you'll fear." + +"I'll agree to that," said Dr. Perkins, "we are going uptown now. I'll +have your supper sent down to you and you are to remain here till you +are relieved by us early to-morrow." + +"I'll stay right here, watchful and steady; you'll find me here when to +go you're ready," declared Plumbo. + +"And now that everything is well I guess we'll start for the hotel," +said Frank, and not until both Dr. Perkins and Harry burst into a roar +of laughter did he realize that he had caught the rhyming "infection" +from the poetical Plumbo. + +"Be sure and don't forget my supper; I like pork and beans and bread and +butter," called Plumbo after them as they left the wharf, and he took up +his vigil. + +"An eccentric sort of character, but I guess he'll take good care of the +_Sea Eagle_ while we're gone," said Dr. Perkins. + +It was on the tip of Frank's tongue to tell about their encounter with +Duval; but the next instant he decided not to speak of it. Dr. Perkins +had several important matters on his mind, and after all, the boy +argued, Duval could not do them any harm now. After supper the editor of +the local paper called round at the hotel to elicit from the aërial +voyagers the story of their trip as far as it had gone. He was also +correspondent for the Associated Press, he informed them. Dr. Perkins +granted him a careful interview, in which he described part of their +adventures, but was cautious not to reveal any of the details of the +_Sea Eagle's_ construction. Shortly after the newspaperman had taken his +departure the party retired, having left an early call for the morning, +for it had been determined to get under way as soon as possible the next +day. + +Bayhaven retired early to its rest, and the streets were deserted when, +soon after midnight, three men walked down the main street, taking care +to keep in the shadows of the buildings as they proceeded. One of the +men was Duval, and the others were the Daniels, father and son. Their +presence in Bayhaven is soon explained. + +As we know, the elder Daniels had offered to get money to finance the +trip to the Black Bayou, and it was from relatives in Bayhaven that he +calculated on getting it. The trio had arrived in the town the day +before, and Daniels had promptly obtained the money as a loan, he having +represented that the treasure was undoubtedly to be found in the +long-forgotten wreck. + +They had been on the streets the day before when the approach of the +_Sea Eagle_ was announced, and Duval instantly guessed that the oncoming +air ship was the same that had rescued him and his employers from the +illfated _Wanderer_. Neither the Daniels nor Duval himself knew anything +of the destination of the _Sea Eagle_, nor did they guess for an instant +that Harry Chester carried with him an exact duplicate of Duval's stolen +plan. But their evil natures prompted them to do all the harm they could +to the party, and it was with this end in view that they were making +their way down the badly lighted and deserted streets of Bayhaven at +such an hour. Duval's dislike of the boys had been roused to fever heat +by their chase of him in the afternoon, and he was burning to do them +some injury. From one of the elder Daniels' relatives the rascals had +learned that Dr. Perkins and his two young friends were registered at +the hotel, leaving the _Sea Eagle_ in charge of Plumbo. At once they had +decided to visit the air ship and see what harm they could do it. + +Stealthily they advanced toward the wharf, revolving in their minds as +they went what they would do when they got there. + +"We'll have to get that half-witted chap out of the way," declared +Duval, in a low tone, "or he may make an outcry and arouse the whole +place." + +"Leave that to me," Daniels assured him; "we'll fix him up all right." + +"You don't mean to hurt him? I don't want to get mixed up in anything +like that," whimpered Duval, who was somewhat of a coward, as we know. + +Daniels actually chuckled. + +"Waal, you are a chicken-hearted fool," he muttered, "but don't you be +scared. There won't be no necessity of hurtin' this Plumbo. I can +recollect him from a time when I was here years ago. He's soft-headed +and talks poetry. Them two things most allers goes together I've found." + +Nothing more was said till they reached the wharf. It was dark and +deserted, but in the starlight the dim outlines of the _Sea Eagle_ could +be seen as she lay at her moorings. + +"I'll bet a cruller that chap's asleep," whispered Zeb, as they crept +forward cautiously. + +"Hope so. It'll make our work a lot the easier," chuckled his worthy +father. + +But the next moment they had undeniable proof that the watchman was not +slumbering. From amidst the ghostly outlines of the _Sea Eagle_ came +Plumbo's voice. + +"Who's there so late? Answer up, mate." + +"Is that you, Plumbo?" said the elder Daniels. + +"Yes, this is me, as you can see." + +"How are we goin' ter see you when it's so confounded dark?" growled +Daniels. + +"Well, what do you wish? To bathe or fish?" inquired Plumbo, ignoring +this remark. Then he continued: + +"You'd better skip. You'll not board this ship." + +"That's just what we came here to do," replied Daniels, in an unruffled +tone; "your mother is very ill and we come down to take charge of the +air ship while you go home as quick as possible." + +Now poor Plumbo's love for his widowed mother was a matter of common +talk in the village, and the cunning of the elder Daniels had suggested +this scheme to him as they came along. It worked even better than he had +dared to expect. The rhyming watchman gave a gasp of pained +astonishment. + +"I must go home; though I ought not to roam," he said. + +"Make your mind easy about that, lad," Daniels assured him; "we'll watch +this cloud clipper while you're gone. Dr. Perkins told us to stay here +while you are gone." + +"I'll go home in a hurry; be back in a scurry," declared Plumbo, who was +completely taken in. His none too acute brain had been easily imposed +upon by Daniels' rascally trick. He scrambled up on the wharf and at +once set off on a run for his home, crying as he went: + +"Watch every crack till I can get back." + +"Oh, go to the dickens while we get our pickin's," growled out young Zeb +Daniels, at which specimen of wit his father laughed heartily, though in +a subdued way. + +"Now, then, boys," said Daniels, as Plumbo's footsteps died away, "get +busy and spile this cruise for that bunch of fine gentlemen. We'll show +'em what it means to try to take folks' livings away." + + + + +CHAPTER XX.--FRANK'S BATTLE. + + +It was about midnight that Frank, for no reason that he could explain, +awakened with a vague feeling of uneasiness. Try as he would he could +not compose himself to sleep again, but lay awake, struggling with a +sort of intuitive suspicion that all was not well with the _Sea Eagle_. + +At last, so strong did his conviction become, that, although he was +ridiculing his fears all the time, he arose and dressed himself, and +then started out for the wharf. For a moment he thought he would rouse +Harry, who slept on another bed in the same room; but in the end he +decided not to disturb his brother's repose. Perhaps he had a vague fear +of ridicule, but at any rate Frank crept out of the hotel alone and made +his way silently down the dark and empty streets. + +"This is certainly a fool's errand I'm going on," he told himself; "I +suppose that my reward for my pains will be to hear some more of +Plumbo's poetry, and yet--and yet, I can't help it. I couldn't sleep +another wink unless I was sure that the _Sea Eagle_ was all right." + +Musing thus, and minimizing his own fears, Frank came in due time to the +wharf. He made his way down it and was about to step forward to descend +the ladder that led to the _Sea Eagle's_ deck, when he heard something +that made him pause. He recognized the sound instantly. + +It was the rasp of a file! + +"My gracious! Somebody _is_ tampering with the _Sea Eagle_!" exclaimed +the boy to himself. "My fears were not as groundless as I thought them, +after all. I wonder if that rascal Duval----" + +The current of his thoughts was suddenly checked at this point by +another noise near at hand. It seemed to come from behind a big pile of +boxes on the wharf. + +"Goodness! What's that?" thought Frank, and then for the first time it +flashed across him that if more than one man was engaged in the +nefarious work that he was sure was going on, he was at a serious +disadvantage. He had no weapons but his hands, whereas the others were +undoubtedly well armed. + +"I'll slip back uptown as quickly as I can and arouse the authorities," +he decided, "if they are quick we can catch the rascals red-handed. I +wonder what can have become of that fellow Jumbo or whatever his name +was? I suppose he went to sleep or something. Well, it serves us right +for leaving such an eccentric fellow on guard." + +Frank, who had been crouching in the shadow of the very boxes behind +which he had heard the suspicious sounds, rose quickly to his feet. He +was just slipping off, congratulating himself that he had been +unobserved when from behind the boxes a dark figure suddenly emerged. + +"Hands up, Frank Chester," it exclaimed; "we've got you where we want +you this time." + +"Zeb Daniels!" exclaimed Frank, dumbfounded with astonishment. He had +not supposed the rascally young fisherman within miles of the place. + +"Yes; that's me. Don't move a step or you'll get hurt." + +But Frank's indignation overcame his prudence. + +"What are you doing here?" he demanded angrily. + +"None of your business." + +"It isn't, eh? Well I know that you are damaging Dr. Perkins' boat in +some way and----" + +Frank stepped deftly aside as Zeb, who was a far heavier, stronger boy +than the young aviator, made a tigerish jump at him, at the same time +brandishing a thick club threateningly. + +But Zeb's sudden rush proved his undoing. Before he could recover his +balance Frank had planted a clean, hard punch on the young ruffian's +jaw, and Zeb reeled back dizzily. He recovered himself almost instantly, +however, and without making a sound hurled himself at Frank once more. +In a rough and tumble fight the sturdily built fisher boy might have +been a match for Frank Chester, but Frank had already gained some +advantage and he met Zeb's frenzied charge coolly. + +Zeb, as he got within reach, let loose a tremendous swing which, if it +had struck Frank's head as his burly young opponent intended, might have +laid him flat. But to his astonishment Zeb's fist met only empty air. +Frank had ducked the blow with consummate ease, and the next instant: + +One! Two!--Crack! Smack! Two well-planted blows landed on Zeb's face and +body. Frank was rushing in to complete his victory when he was suddenly +seized from behind in a powerful grip and hurled to the ground with +great violence. + +Zeb's father, on board the _Sea Eagle_, had heard the disturbance, and +had swiftly and silently climbed the ladder leading up on to the wharf. +Behind him, but at a prudent distance, came Duval. The Frenchman had no +love for fighting, unless the odds were all in his favor, and he was by +no means certain how many men might have attacked them. + +The elder Daniels took in the situation in a flash, and pinioned Frank's +arms, just as the latter was about to put an end to the battle. Duval +saw instantly that there was no personal danger to himself, and while +the elder Daniels held a grimy, leathery paw over Frank's mouth to +prevent his shouting for aid, Duval pinioned the lad's lower limbs. +Helpless as a baby Frank lay there on his back, completely at the mercy +of three individuals whom he had no reason to suppose would handle him +gently. + +While he still lay there a helpless captive, young Daniels came up, and +doubling up his fist deliberately struck the helpless boy in the face. +But the elder of the Daniels angrily checked him. + +"Stow that," he muttered roughly. "What's the matter with you?" + +"I wanted to get even with him," whined Zeb; "he licked me and----" + +"Waal, git even some other way. Bring me that rope off them pile of +boxes while I make him fast." + +Zeb said no more, but obediently fetched the rope, and before many +minutes had passed Frank was bound hand and foot. Moreover, a gag, +consisting of a dirty fragment torn from the elder Daniels' shirt, was +thrust into his mouth. + +"What'll we do with him now?" demanded Zeb, when this had been done. + +"Humph, I hadn't thought of that," rejoined the elder fisherman; "we +can't leave him here, for we don't want any one to find him when they +come down, as they are bound to do afore long when that idiot Plumbo +finds out that we've fooled him. What _will_ we do with the young game +cock?" + +"I'd like to chuck him overboard," quoth Zeb amiably, staunching his +bleeding nose with a dirty coat sleeve. + +"Don't waste time talking rubbish," angrily rejoined his parent; "see +here, Duval, kain't you think of something?" + +"Yes, I can," was the eager reply; "it's just occurred to me. Ho! ho! I +guess that'll keep him quiet for a while." + +"Well, what do you propose to do?" growled Daniels. "Don't stand there +like an owl. Out with it." + +"Well, my friend, you see those big barrels over there?" + +"Yes, what about them?" + +"We'll put him in one of those and give him a sea trip." + +"By Jeehosophat, but that's a notion! I reckon by the time he's picked +up, or drifts ashore, he'll be sorry he interfered with us." + +"That's a great scheme," chuckled Zeb, equally delighted. "That's what I +call getting even in good shape." + +"Hold on a minute; how's the tide?" murmured Daniels. "We don't want him +to be picked up too quick." + +"The tide's running out, pop," said Zeb, after a minute; "I tell you, +though, what's the matter with putting the barrel in that dory there and +then loading him in it? We can row out a ways and then dump him +overside." + +"That's the best idea yet," warmly approved his worthy parent; "come on, +boys, tumble the barrel into that dory. Lively, now!" + +The barrel, quite a big one, which had been used for salting down fish +and was quite watertight, was lowered into the dory that Zeb's sharp +eyes had spied with some difficulty. + +Frank had watched the movements of his captors as well as he could in +the darkness; but he was quite unable to guess what all this meant, +which, perhaps, was just as well. As the conversation had been carried +on in whispers, he had not overheard a syllable of the rascally plan to +set him adrift out of pure malice. + +Still bound and gagged, he was lowered into the dory, unable to call out +or move, despite the now serious alarm he felt. What could the men be +going to do with him, he wondered, and was still busy speculating on his +probable fate when Zeb and his father cast off the dory and, with rapid +strokes, began to row toward the mouth of the harbor on which Bayhaven +is situated. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI.--A RASCALLY TRICK. + + +While all this had been occurring on the wharf Plumbo Boggs had +discovered the deception that had been practiced on him, and was +hastening as fast as he could to the hotel. Even he, whose mind could +not be called quick acting, realized that he was the victim of a trick, +the object of which was, in all probability, to injure the _Sea Eagle_. + +Arousing the night clerk, Plumbo begged to be directed to Dr. Perkins' +room. The night clerk knew the eccentric character, and lost no time in +escorting him to the doctor's quarters. Plumbo thundered on the door +with noise sufficient to arouse the other guests. + +"What is it? What's happened?" shouted Dr. Perkins, thinking for an +instant that the place must be on fire at least. + +"Oh, doctor, come quick! They've played us a trick!" yelled Plumbo. + +"Who? Where? What do you mean?" exclaimed Dr. Perkins, coming to the +door. + +"Two men and a lad; they've fooled me bad." + +"Do you mean that they persuaded you to leave the _Sea Eagle_ alone and +unguarded?" + +"They told me a story to get me from there; or I'd have given your air +ship the best of good care," pleaded Plumbo, seriously alarmed at the +angry look that had come over the doctor's face. "Don't be angry with +me, I pray; if they hurt it I'll ask you no pay." + +"As if that would help," cried Dr. Perkins angrily; "wait there till I +get some clothes on." + +He retreated into the room and as he hastily donned some garments he +wondered who the men could be who had induced the soft-witted poet to +leave his position of trust. + +"For the life of me I can't imagine who they can be," he was thinking, +while he hurriedly laced his shoes, when the door opened and in walked +Harry fully dressed. + +"I heard the noise in the corridor, and heard Plumbo telling you that +something had happened to the _Sea Eagle_," he said excitedly. + +"I don't know that anything has happened yet," cried Dr. Perkins +anxiously; "I'm hoping not. But from what I can gather from Plumbo's +foolish talk three men induced him, on some pretext, to leave the ship +unguarded. I must say it looks suspicious. But I cannot think who there +is in this place where we are unknown who would want to harm us." + +The thought of Duval flashed across Harry's mind. He and Frank had +decided not to tell Dr. Perkins about their encounter lest it should +worry him; but surely the time to tell about it had come now. + +"We ought to have told you," he said, rather falteringly, "but we did +not want to cause you undue anxiety,--we saw Duval this afternoon." + +"What!" + +Dr. Perkins almost shouted the question, or rather exclamation, in a +thunderstruck tone. + +"Yes. We tried to catch him, but he escaped us. Frank can tell you all +about it. By the way, where is Frank?" + +"Isn't he in your room?" + +"No; when I was awakened by the noise in the passage I saw that his bed +was empty. I supposed that he had got out of bed ahead of me and had +come in here." + +"I haven't seen him since we retired." + +"Then where can he be?" + +The inventor and the boy aviator stared at each other for an instant. + +"Good gracious, this looks serious, indeed," exclaimed Dr. Perkins; "not +in his room, and not in the hotel, apparently. Where can he have gone +to?" + +"That's what's worrying me," cried Harry, in a rather quavering tone; +"I'm sure, perfectly sure, that that rascal Duval knows something about +him wherever he is. Maybe he heard some word of a plot to injure the +_Sea Eagle_ and has gone down to see if he can frustrate it. Duval----" + +"Yes; but Duval, if it is he, is not alone in this thing. Plumbo says +there were two men and a lad." + +"Two men and a lad," cried Harry joyously, "then the lad must have been +Frank." + +"But who could the others have been? They all came together and sent our +watchman away." + +"It's all a deep mystery, doctor. I think our best plan is to make all +the speed we can to the wharf. Perhaps we can find some solution there." + +"Yes; let us do so at once. I am all ready, are you?" + +"Yes; I hurried to get dressed as soon as I heard the noise in the +corridor." + +Plumbo was waiting, and as they hastened down the street he explained in +his odd rhyming speech just what had happened. He could not describe the +men except to say that one had whiskers on his chin. In a part of the +country where this is a favorite facial adornment this information was +not much of a clew. + +It took the alarmed party much less time to reach the wharf than they +would have thought was possible. In fact, almost the whole distance was +traversed at a run. But when they arrived at the wharf and a lantern, +which Dr. Perkins had had the foresight to bring along, had been +kindled, they found nothing to inform them as to what had taken place. +The doctor had not expected to find Plumbo's three men there, but he had +had an idea that he would find something damaged about the _Sea Eagle_. +But as careful an examination as it was possible to make by lamplight +failed to reveal any trace of damage. + +Naturally this, instead of helping to clear the mystery, only deepened +it. What object could the men have had who had sent Plumbo off on his +wild goose chase if it had not been to wreak injury to the _Sea Eagle_? + +"Maybe they were some inventors who wanted to steal your ideas," +suggested Harry, recalling some experiences of their own with +unscrupulous aviators. + +But Dr. Perkins shook his head. + +"Every important feature of the _Sea Eagle_ is fully covered by +patents," he said; "there isn't a single idea they could appropriate in +the short time they could have spent here anyhow." + +Harry had to admit that this was so, but to tell the truth his thoughts +were centered more on Frank and on the strange circumstances surrounding +his disappearance than they were on the _Sea Eagle_. + +"I'm as certain as that daylight will come again that Frank fits into +this mix-up somewhere," he said, voicing his thoughts, "but the question +is where?" + +"Well, he's not here now, that's certain," declared Dr. Perkins. "I +propose that we should return to the hotel now that we have discovered +that no damage has been done. He may meet us there." + +"Let's search the wharf first," said Harry, but, naturally, even their +painstaking search failed to reveal any trace of Frank's fate till, all +at once, Harry, who was carrying the lantern, came upon his brother's +cap lying where it had fallen in the scuffle among the boxes. + +The bit of headgear had been kicked close to the string-piece of the +wharf, and a fearful fear that made Harry's head swim shot into his +mind. Could Frank have come down to the wharf, suspecting mischief was +on foot, and have either fallen or been thrown into the water? + +"Look--look here, sir," he exclaimed in a shaking voice, as Dr. Perkins +asked him what was the matter. + +"What is it?" asked the doctor, coming forward. "A clew?" + +"Yes; it's--it's Frank's cap, doctor. Pray heaven no harm has befallen +him." + +"If it has, swift vengeance is going to overtake somebody," declared Dr. +Perkins, clenching his hands; "where did you find the cap?" + +"Close to the string-piece. You--you don't think he could have fallen +over?" + +"Nonsense," declared Dr. Perkins with a confidence he was far from +feeling; "we'll get him back again safe and sound, never fear." + +But Harry's heart sank as he fingered his brother's cap. + +"I'm trying to think so, too, sir," he said miserably; "but--but----" + +He paused abruptly, for he could not have gone further without breaking +down. Harry had gone through some anxious moments in his life, but never +had his heart sunk so low as it did that night on the Bayhaven wharf. + +In the meantime, let us see how it was faring with the boy whose +disappearance had caused such cruel fears--fears which even the vengeful +tempers of Daniels and his son would have been satisfied with. We left +Frank gagged and bound on the bottom of the dory, while Zeb and his +father were pulling with strong, swift strokes for the open water. + +The dory shot swiftly and silently seaward, with Frank completely in the +dark as to what was to be his fate. It occurred to him, though, that +perhaps they meant to maroon him on some island. This thought did not +give him so much anxiety as might have been expected, for he knew that +the waters about Bayhaven were fairly populous with boats, and did not +suppose that his captors meant to keep him a prisoner any longer time +than would be necessary for them to take their departure from that part +of the coast before the authorities could be notified. + +Imagine, then, his thrill of surprise when the boat suddenly stopped and +the barrel, into which some big stones had been thrown to keep it +upright in the water, was lowered from the dory. This done, Frank was +lifted by main force and placed in it. + +A brutal laugh broke from Zeb and his father as they shoved the barrel +containing its helpless captive away from the side of the dory. Duval +said nothing, but his white teeth showed in a grin in the starlight. +Frank, gagged as he was, could not utter a word or move a limb. He could +only realize, with dumb agony, the terrible nature of his fate. + +Still laughing, the brutal rascals who had conceived the idea of setting +him adrift, rowed off at a quick rate, leaving the barrel and its +helpless occupant bobbing up and down on the swells of the starlit sea. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII.--REUNITED! + + +Frank's heart sank as he cast a look about him and perceived the +helplessness of his position. + +"If I could only get this gag off and shout for help," he thought, +"maybe somebody would hear me." + +But there seemed to be no means of compassing this end, try as he would +to think of some way. All at once, as the stars were beginning to fade +and a faint flush of gray appeared in the east, he perceived a nail +sticking up on the rim of the barrel. This gave him an idea. By bending +slightly he would be able to bring the edge of the gag against the sharp +pointed bit of metal, and possibly tear it out. At any rate, it was +worth trying, and Frank at once proceeded to put his plan into action. + +It was a hard job to bend low enough to bring his mouth on a level with +the nail, but fortunately the barrel was a large one, and consequently +he had not so very far to stoop. By making a desperate effort he +succeeded at last in dragging the gag across the nail. In doing this he +scratched his chin, but he did not mind that, for the nail caught and +held the rag, tearing it out of his mouth as he moved his head. + +"Hurray!" breathed Frank, inhaling a great lungful of fresh air. "Now I +can at least make a racket, and maybe that will bring some one." + +With all his might he began shouting for help. In the still morning air +his voice carried clearly across the water, and to the lad's huge +delight it was not long before he perceived, coming toward him a small +fishing boat, which, from the "chugging" sound it made, was evidently +furnished with a gasolene engine. + +But the question that now agitated the boy was, "Would they see him or +hear his voice above the loud noise of the motor?" If they did not, +Frank realized that his plight would pass from a serious to a desperate +state, for the barrel was, by this time, caught in a current which was +rapidly increasing the distance between himself and the shore. + +To his intense relief, however, he saw the fishing boat suddenly change +her course, and before long she was close enough for him to read the +name "_Two Sisters_" on her broad, bluff bow. + +"Waal, by the tarnal!" came a gruff voice, "who and what are yer out +here in a ba'rl?" + +The speaker, a burly-looking fellow, with a rough but kindly +countenance, regarded Frank's face, which was all that was visible of +him, with the most intense astonishment, as well he might. In a long +experience off shore, covering all sorts of adventures, Captain Elihu +Carney of the _Two Sisters_ had never before beheld a floating barrel +with a human head projecting from it. + +"It's a kid--a boy!" shouted one of his mates from the stern of the _Two +Sisters_, where he held the tiller. + +"Crack-e-e! so it air. Hey, kid, what yer doin' out here? Takin' a +cruise, or is this one of them new-fangled health cures?" + +"It's neither, I assure you," cried Frank; "get me out of this and I'll +tell you all about it." + +"I'll run alongside and you can climb out." + +"No, I can't," returned Frank; "I'm bound hand and foot." + +"What! Say, you be'ant one of them movin' picter fellers makin' a fillum +be yer?" + +Captain Carney's rugged face held a look full of suspicion. Once not +long before his boat had been boarded by a beauteous maiden, apparently +fleeing from a band of desperadoes. The gallant captain had fished her +out of the dory in which she was rowing from her pursuers and had +threatened the apparent rascals with all sorts of dire things. Then to +his chagrin a voice had hailed him: + +"Hey, you old mossback! You've spoiled a grind!" + +A "grind" being moving picture language for a film. + +"I certainly am not," returned Frank indignantly; "no moving pictures +about this, I can tell you. This is the real thing." + +"Waal, as I don't see no camera about I reckon it's all right. Put her +head round, Eph, and we'll pick him up, but 'once bitten twice shy,' you +know." + +Eph, the helmsman, brought the bow of the _Two Sisters_ round and slowed +up the engine. A minute later the fishing boat's side was scraping the +barrel, and Captain Carney's muscular arms lifted Frank out of his +floating prison as if he had been an infant. + +"Waal, I'll be double decked consarned!" he roared, as he saw the ropes +that confined the boy's limbs. "Who done this?" + +"Some rascals who had good cause to wish me harm," said Frank. "I +suppose they thought they could get rid of me while they made their +escape." + +"What's the world comin' to?" cried the rugged skipper, throwing up his +hands. + +He reached into his belt for a tarry sailor's knife and cut Frank loose +in a few strokes of the keen blade. But the boy was so stiff from loss +of circulation that it was some time before he recovered the use of his +limbs. The _Two Sisters_, it turned out, was headed for Bayhaven, to +which port she belonged, but so far had Frank drifted in his--or rather +somebody else's barrel--that he was able to tell his whole story before +the wharf was reached. + +As they neared it the skipper ordered Eph to blow the compressed air +whistle so as to apprise every one ashore that something unusual was +happening. Among the crowd that hastened to the wharf in response to the +frenzied tooting Frank recognized Dr. Perkins and Harry. As they drew +close he saw how white and strained their faces were, and realized what +anxiety they must have been through on his account. He shouted loudly, +and at the sound of his voice both Harry and the staid inventor set up a +series of cheers that drowned the tooting of the whistle. As for Plumbo +Boggs, who was also on the wharf, he burst into rhyme at once. + +"Home again! home again from the stormy sea; now that your chum is found +all right, don't blame me!" + +So saying he capered about, snapping his fingers and performing a dozen +odd antics while the _Two Sisters_ was making fast. Without waiting for +Frank, who was still stiff and sore, to come up on the wharf, Harry and +Dr. Perkins jumped to the deck of the _Two Sisters_, and the former +fairly threw his arms about his brother's neck. + +"If you only knew how glad I am you have come back," he exclaimed. + +"What ever happened to you?" demanded Dr. Perkins. + +"It's a long story," said Frank, "and I'm famished. Suppose we ask +Captain Carney and Eph to breakfast with us and while we are eating I'll +tell you all about it." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII.--OFF ONCE MORE. + + +AS our readers are fully acquainted with Frank's adventure it would only +tedious to relate all that took place at the breakfast. It may be said, +however, that both Captain Carney and his mate received a substantial +recognition of their services, from Dr. Perkins, in the form of a check. +At first the bluff fishermen were by no means willing to take pay for +what they had done, but were finally prevailed upon to accept the +present, which, as Captain Carney owned, "would come in mighty handy." + +After the conclusion of the meal all hands adjourned to the wharf, and a +thorough examination was made once more of the _Sea Eagle_, with the +object of detecting any damage which the Daniels and Duval might have +done her, and which might have been overlooked in the lamplight +investigation made by Dr. Perkins and Harry. A bright spot was found on +one of the metal braces. Undeniably it had been done by the teeth of a +file, but it was only a superficial damage, which did not affect the +strength of the _Sea Eagle_ in any way. + +"I guess Frank scared them away before they had time to do any more +harm," was Dr. Perkins' conclusion; but later on he was to have a +different opinion. + +As things were at present, however, Dr. Perkins felt no hesitation in +declaring the _Sea Eagle_ fit to resume her voyage without further +delay. The fresh provisions being on board, and there being nothing to +prevent an immediate start, the voyagers at once made ready for a +continuance of the trip which, so far, had proved so packed with +adventure. + +The gasolene tank was refilled, and the emergency receptacles for the +liquid fuel seen to. Plumbo Boggs was paid and instructions left to +telegraph Dr. Perkins in New Orleans in case any trace was found of the +miscreants, who undoubtedly had intended to injure the _Sea Eagle_, and +who had played such a dastardly trick on Frank. + +"You'll fly from the sea far up to the sky; good-by! good-by! good-by! +good-by!" cried Plumbo Boggs as the ropes that held the _Sea Eagle_ to +the wharf were cast off and, amidst a loud cheer from the crowd, the +engine was started. + +It was a fine summer morning with a glassy sea and a sky that was +cloudless, except in the east, where a great mass of castellated white +clouds were piled up. + +"You'd best hug the shore," were Captain Carney's parting words of +advice. "To my mind we'll have a storm of some sort before the day's +out." + +But in the noise and excitement of the departure his words were unheard +and the _Sea Eagle_ started off down the coast with the warning +unheeded. Dr. Perkins ran the craft over the water till the mouth of the +harbor was reached, easily outdistancing some fast launches that tried +to keep up with them. When they got "outside," the _Sea Eagle_ was +driven ahead at top speed, and with her rising planes set at a sharp +angle she was driven upward till a height of some five hundred and fifty +feet had been obtained. Her course was due south. + +They were flying over a small island not far from the shore when Frank, +who was looking over the side, noticed a dory ashore on the beach. He +had hardly noticed this before three figures came running down to the +beach and pointed upward. One of them jerked a rifle up to his shoulder, +and a minute later a puff of smoke came from the barrel. Simultaneously +a bullet sang through the rigging of the _Sea Eagle_, boring a small +hole in one of the upper planes, but, fortunately, not striking any +vital part of the craft or doing injury to her passengers. + +"That's those rascals now!" exclaimed Frank indignantly. "They must have +rowed down to that island and are waiting there for a chance to get +ashore quietly. Shall we go down and attack them?" + +Dr. Perkins shook his head. + +"Nothing much would be gained by it," he said, "and it would only delay +our trip." + +The _Sea Eagle_ was flying fast, and the rascals on the island, who, as +Frank had rightly guessed, were the two Daniels and Duval, had no chance +to try a second shot. At noon, after a steady flight all the morning, +the voyagers found themselves off Martha's Vineyard. A hasty lunch was +eaten in midair, with the _Sea Eagle_ still winging her way like a +grayhound of the sky. + +The shore swam by below them like a panorama, but they only viewed it +indistinctly, as the course was kept about five miles off shore. In the +afternoon they saw, off to the right, a stretch of mammoth hotels and +amusement resorts. + +"Atlantic City!" cried Frank. "I'll bet there are hundreds of glasses +leveled at us from the boardwalk right now." + +"I guess so," rejoined Harry. "We must look funny way out here at sea." + +It was half an hour later that Frank's attention was attracted to the +sky by the sudden blotting out of the sun, which had been shining +brightly. He gave a cry of alarm as he looked upward. A vast bank of +black clouds had come rolling up, like a sable curtain, blotting out the +blue sky. The sea below was leaden and angry in hue, and its surface was +flecked with white caps. + +"We're in for some bad weather, I'm afraid," declared Dr. Perkins, when +Frank called his attention to it. + +Hardly had he spoken before, from the cloud bank, a red, jagged flash of +lightning blazed. It was followed almost instantly by a sharp clap of +thunder, and some heavy rain drops began to patter on the broad upper +planes of the _Sea Eagle_. + +"I'll make for shore," declared Dr. Perkins; "we must be about off Cape +May now. We can lie there in shelter till this blows itself out." + +"That will be the best idea," said Frank. "This is going to be a hummer. +Wow! Look at that!" + +A flash of lightning, that seemed as if the whole curtain of clouds had +been split from top to bottom, had caused his exclamation. So brilliant +was the glare that it caused them all to blink involuntarily. + +"Put on full speed, Frank!" shouted Dr. Perkins above the deafening peal +of thunder that followed. + +Frank needed no second bidding. He opened both gasolene and spark levers +to their full capacity. Dr. Perkins had already headed the _Sea Eagle_ +for the distant low-lying shore. This caused the craft to plunge almost +as much as if she were "bucking" into a heavy sea. For the wind was off +shore, and the thunder storm, as such storms frequently do, was coming +up against it. + +Suddenly, in the midst of the fight with the wind, Frank noticed an +ominous sound from the motor. It gave a sort of spluttering, coughing +exhaust and slowed down perceptibly. + +"What's wrong now?" he exclaimed anxiously. "Gracious, if the motor +should go out of business now!" + +He did not say this aloud, but bent over the laboring machine to try and +ascertain what was the matter with it. + +"More speed!" cried Dr. Perkins from the forward part of the air ship; +"we can't fight this wind at this pace." + +"There's something the matter with the motor," shouted Frank above the +now almost continuous rolling of the thunder. "I can't make out what----" + +A sudden loud report, like a pistol shot, came from the engine--a +back-fire, as it is called--and the next instant the motor stopped dead. + +The _Sea Eagle_ was at that moment some 750 feet above the angry sea, +with the storm raging about her furiously. Before Dr. Perkins could +realize what had happened, the big craft began to drop downward with +sickening velocity, while her occupants clung on to whatever was handy, +with the desperate clutch of drowning men. + +Frank had just time to shout: + +"The life preservers! Quick, quick! for heaven's sake!" + +But there was no time to obey the order before the _Sea Eagle_ struck +the waves, hurling spray and wind-driven foam in a great cloud all about +her wings and substructure. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV.--A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE. + + +The next moments were filled with anxiety. The sea was running high, +and, although Dr. Perkins had brought his craft upon a level keel by +skillful volplaning, before it struck the waves, the situation was +extremely serious. + +The hydroplane portion of the _Sea Eagle_ was built lightly, and, +although it was well strengthened with braces, the test was a severe +one. Over the bow the crests of the waves broke constantly, showering +the occupants with spray. The _Sea Eagle_ was tossed about helplessly, a +plaything of the waves, while her adventurers strove to collect their +thoughts and decide what was to be done. + +First they adopted Frank's suggestion and donned the life jackets, so +that if the worst came to the worst they would have a fighting chance +for their lives. When this had been done, Frank, who had had some +experience in motor boats, supervised the rigging of a "spray-hood" +across the bow. This kept some of the spray out, and, although it was +formed of sheets of spare canvas intended to be used as waterproof night +coverings, it answered its purpose well enough. + +"Do you think that there is a chance of our keeping afloat?" asked Harry +when this had been done. + +"Well, we appear to be making out all right so far," rejoined Dr. +Perkins; "the wing floats are working well, and if only we can get the +engine going again we may be able to fly ashore yet." + +The wing floats referred to were nothing more nor less than the light +cylindrical pontoons affixed to each lower wing tip. They acted +precisely as "outriggers" would do in steadying the _Sea Eagle_. In +fact, had it not been for this lateral support, the craft must have +turned turtle under the terrific tossing she was receiving. + +"I'm going right to work on the engine," announced Frank. + +With Harry to help him, the lad proceeded to carry out this purpose. But +it was the hardest bit of "trouble finding" he had ever done. The motion +of the _Sea Eagle_, as she was tossed on a wave crest and then hurled +into the abyss beyond, made it hard to hold on, let alone investigating +the complicated mechanism of a motor. But as time wore on and they still +kept afloat, they began to have hopes that they would at least stay on +the surface till the engine could be started once more. + +One after another Frank made the different tests employed to ascertain +the various troubles that may assail a gasolene motor. He tested the +ignition, the spark, the gasolene supply and the bearings. Everything +appeared to be all right, and he paused in a puzzled way before he went +to work on the carburetor. That is a delicate piece of mechanism, even +to an ingenious boy like Frank Chester; but he finally concluded that +the trouble must lie there. His first task was to open the relief cock +and drain the brass bowl of the mixing chamber. + +He turned the valve, and the mystery of the stoppage of the engine was +instantly explained. + +Sand had been placed in the carburetor by persons whom Frank had little +difficulty in mentally identifying. + +"So that was what those rascals did!" he cried aloud. "No wonder we +couldn't find anything the trouble with the ship. They were too foxy for +that, and could hardly have found a better way of injuring the _Sea +Eagle_ than to do that." + +"Is there any way of fixing the damage?" asked Dr. Perkins, who, with +Harry, had hastened to Frank's side as he cried out over his discovery. + +"Yes. Thank goodness, we've got a spare carburetor on board, for it +would take a week to clean out this. If no sand has got into the +cylinders I think I can promise to get things going again before very +long." + +Out of the locker in which the spare parts were kept Frank produced +another carburetor. But unscrewing the feed pipe and taking off the old +mixing chamber and adjusting the new one were tedious tasks, especially +under the circumstances in which Frank was compelled to work. But at +last it was done, and with a beating heart Frank adjusted the +self-starter. A few seconds now would decide their fate. + +Harry shivered in anticipation of failure as his brother, having got the +engine going by the just mentioned appliance, turned on the gasolene and +spark. + +For a breathless instant their fate hung in the balance, and then there +came the welcome sound of the exhaust. Bit by bit Frank allowed the +speed to increase, till the engine was running at its full capacity of +revolutions. But the propellers were not turning, as before testing the +motor he had thrown the clutch out of gear. + +"I think that we can try to rise now," he said calmly, after the motor +had run without a miss or a skip for ten minutes or so. + +"I think so, too," said Dr. Perkins, "and I want to tell you, Frank, +that you have done what I would not have believed possible under the +conditions." + +Another anxious moment followed when the clutch was thrown in and the +full load of the propellers came upon the engine. But not a hitch +occurred. The large-bladed driving fans of the _Sea Eagle_ beat the air +rapidly and surely, and the hydroplane-formed underbody began to glide +over the tops of the waves, instead of rolling and pitching helplessly +among them. To the westward, too, there showed a patch of lighter sky, +heralding the passing of the storm. + +But, as if unwilling to allow them to escape without again bringing +their hearts into their mouths, the storm had one more buffeting to give +them. As full power was applied, and the _Sea Eagle_ rose above the +tossing wave crests and headed slantingly skyward, there came a sudden +puff of wind. + +Skillful as Dr. Perkins was, it caught him momentarily unprepared. In +the wink of an eye the _Sea Eagle_ careened over, almost on her "beam +ends." It seemed as if the right hand wing tips actually touched the +water. One inch more and there might have been an abrupt conclusion to +this story, but Dr. Perkins' hands seemed to be everywhere at once. They +flashed among levers and wheels. + +For the space of a breath the _Sea Eagle_ hung almost vertically, and +then the big craft suddenly righted and shot upward on an even keel once +more. But the moment had been an awful one, and as they winged their way +upward not one aboard was there but felt that they had been delivered +from a dreadful fate by what might well be described as a miracle. + +[Illustration: ONE INCH MORE AND THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ABRUPT +CONCLUSION TO THIS STORY.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXV.--A RACE TO CLOUDLAND. + + +Scudding before the wind, for the half gale that was blowing had shifted +during their battle with the waves, the aërial voyagers made fast time +beneath the storm wrack racing by overhead. In fact, it appeared to the +boys that they actually outflew the wind. At any rate, it was not long +before the thunder of the great breakers on a low, sandy beach told them +that they were close to the shore. + +An instant later houses and streets came into view, and Dr. Perkins +began looking anxiously about beneath for a place to land. He soon spied +a spot,--a large ball-ground, or at least it appeared to be one, not far +from the center of the city. Calling to Frank to "stand by" the engines, +he began to descend in a series of circles. + +Coming to earth in a high wind is a risky bit of business for the air +man, about as dangerous a maneuver, in fact, as can be imagined. But in +this case there was no choice for Dr. Perkins and his young friends, +unless they wanted to be carried clear across the cape and into Delaware +Bay. + +Below them they could now see excited crowds racing toward the +ball-ground, as soon as it became evident that that was the spot where +the air men intended to alight. This did not please Dr. Perkins at all. +A crowd was the last thing that he wished to have about when he made his +drop earthward. But there was no help for it, and he kept on descending, +trusting to the good sense of the throngs below to get out of the way +when the time came. + +But crowds have never been remarkable for their common sense, and this +one was no exception. The last "bank" had been made with safety, and the +_Sea Eagle_ was making a clean-cut swoop to earth, when the crowd rushed +in right below her. To have kept the craft on its course would have +meant much injury, and possible loss of life. On the other hand, Dr. +Perkins knew that in the wind that was blowing it would be dangerous in +the extreme to the air craft to change her course. + +"Get out of the way!" he shouted. + +"Out of the way unless you want to get hurt!" yelled Frank and Harry. + +But the crowd, like foolish sheep, only stared and gaped, and made not +the slightest effort to avoid the on-driving _Sea Eagle_. + +There was only one thing to do, and Dr. Perkins did it. There was a +quick twist of his steering wheel, and the _Sea Eagle_, instantly +obeying her helm, darted off in an opposite direction to the one in +which she had been advancing. Like a flash Dr. Perkins pulled the rising +lever, at the same time shouting to Frank to stop the engines +momentarily. He thought that the _Sea Eagle_ would rise of her own +volition, and knew that if the engines kept driving at top speed that +his craft would be plunged prow first into the earth. + +So he chose the lesser of the two evils, and the maneuver might have +been successful but for one thing. There was not room in which to +execute it. + +The _Sea Eagle_ hesitated, half rose, and then crashed down to the +ground, landing heavily on one wing tip and smashing it to bits. Frank +and Harry were pitched clean out of the hydroplane substructure when the +impact came, and a cry of alarm went up from the crowd. But Dr. Perkins +clung to his seat and brought the big craft to a stop. + +Fortunately neither Frank nor Harry had been much injured, beyond being +badly shaken up and bruised, and they were both on their feet again in a +jiffy after the accident. The crowd, as if realizing that its actions +had had a good deal to do with the accident, forebore to press in, and +they made their way to Dr. Perkins' side without difficulty. + +"Is she much injured?" was Frank's first question. + +"By good luck I think we have escaped serious damage," rejoined Dr. +Perkins, "but only an examination can tell." + +At this moment a well-dressed, prosperous-looking man came elbowing +through the crowd. He came straight up to Dr. Perkins with hand +extended. + +"Well, Perkins!" he exclaimed. "I always told you you'd have a tumble +some time, and now you've had it; right in my back yard, too. But I'm +sincerely glad to see that neither you nor your machine appears to be +much injured." + +The newcomer was Mr. James Studley, an old acquaintance of the +inventor's, who was summering at Cape May. The doctor was very glad to +see him and accepted his cordial invitation to spend the night at his +house, the boys, of course, being included in the invitation. + +In the meantime, a squadron of police had arrived, who drove back the +crowds, and arrangements were made to keep a guard on duty all night +till an examination of the wrecked machine could be made. + +"The accident, if it had to happen, could not have occurred more +conveniently, so to speak," Dr. Perkins confided to his companions as +they followed Mr. Studley to a handsome house not far away. "Mr. Studley +is a manufacturer of aëroplanes, and has started a factory here, so that +very probably we can get material to repair our damages without much +trouble." + +This was good news indeed to the boys, who had begun to fear that the +trip might be abandoned. + +They enjoyed a good dinner and a change into dry clothes as the guests +of Mr. Studley and his wife, and bright and early the next morning +repairs were made to the splintered wing tip, which was not so badly +damaged as had at first appeared. Mr. Studley, who had provided workmen +and materials for the task from his aëroplane factory, refused to hear +of any compensation. + +"Such services should be rendered freely and gladly by one birdman to +another," he declared laughingly. "Who knows that some day I may not +drop in on you at your island, in more senses than one." + +As every trace of the storm had vanished, and the morning was bright and +clear, no obstacle opposed itself to the continuance of their journey as +soon as the repairs had been completed. So fine was the weather, in +fact, that Mr. Studley declared his intention of accompanying them in a +light "runabout" aëroplane of the monoplane class, for a short distance. + +The machine, a pretty little affair of the Bleriot type, was soon +wheeled out, and Mr. Studley declared all was ready for the start. As on +the evening before, a large crowd had gathered, but the police kept them +back, and gave the two vastly different aëroplanes a clear field in +which to rise. A greater contrast could not well be imagined than that +presented by the heavy, rather cumbersome-looking _Sea Eagle_ with her +substantial underbody and huge wing spread, and the trim, dainty little +monoplane, which was named the _Green Firefly_. + +"We're all ready when you are," exclaimed Dr. Perkins, turning to his +friend, who was already seated in his long-bodied, gauzy-winged air +craft. + +"All right! Clear the way!" cried Mr. Studley with a wave of his hands. + +His mechanics gave the propeller of the monoplane a twirl, as it was not +provided with self-starting mechanism, and a moment later the roaring +fusillade of the _Sea Eagle's_ motor was drowning the sharp, angry, +hornet-like buzzing of the _Green Firefly_. + +"Go!" yelled Mr. Studley, and simultaneously, as it seemed, the two sky +ships dashed forward over the smooth sward. + +"Hooray!" shouted the crowd. + +"They're off!" shouted others. + +And then, a minute later: + +"Look! They're going up!" + +"So they are!" cried the spectators, as if there was any room for doubt +about the matter. + +The light _Firefly_ was first, by the fraction of a second, to point her +sharp nose up toward the tranquil blue dome of the sky. But the _Sea +Eagle_ was not tardy in following. + +"Come on!" shouted Mr. Studley, casting a swift glance back over his +shoulder at his large comrade of the air. He appeared to think that he +would have little difficulty in distancing the huge machine. + +"We haven't begun yet!" cried Dr. Perkins back to him, with an answering +wave of the hand. + +Nor was the _Sea Eagle_ as yet making a quarter of the speed she was +capable of. On account of her great weight, and general size of her wing +spread, it was not advisable to "open everything up" at once when she +made an ascent from the land. + +The _Firefly_ darted ahead like some creature that rejoiced to be +sporting in its element. But close behind came a roar and whirr as Frank +let out another notch on the _Sea Eagle_. Up and up they flew, while the +crowd below dwindled to pigmies, and the houses looked like so many toy +Noah's Arks. It was plain enough that Mr. Studley was engaged in a +good-natured effort to show his friend that the _Firefly_ was an +infinitely faster craft than her cumbersome rival. He darted this way +and that, making spirals and doing rocking-chair evolutions with the +perfection of aërial grace. + +Dr. Perkins attempted none of these stunts, but from time to time he +turned back to Frank and nodded as a signal to give the craft a little +more power. + +By the time the twin propellers were developing their top push and +speed, the owner of the _Firefly_ realized that he had a tussle on his +hands. He ceased his graceful evolutions and settled down to real +flying. But he had not gone a mile over the aërial race track before the +_Sea Eagle_ thundered past him like a "Limited" of the skies. + +"Good-by and thank you!" Dr. Perkins found time to yell, as they flashed +past, bound due south once more. + +"Good-by. Good luck to you!" came from Mr. Studley, as he waved his hand +in the realization that he was beaten. + +There was no time to exchange more words. In a few minutes the boys, +looking back, could only see a black speck like a shoe button against +the sky to mark where the defeated _Firefly_ was turning about and +heading for home. + +As for the _Sea Eagle_, at sixty miles an hour, and with her motor going +faster every minute, that staunch and speedy craft was winging her way +at top speed for her distant goal. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI.--THE BOY AVIATORS' PLUCK. + + +But it was almost a week later that the 1,400 odd miles down the coast +to Fernandina, Florida, and from thence overland to the Crescent City, +were completed. Storms and minor accidents spun out the voyage to this +length, although Dr. Perkins had calculated on making a faster run. In +fact, his aim had been to make about 500 miles a day, with night flights +to help out, if possible. + +Many interesting incidents, which it would require another volume to +chronicle in detail, marked the trip. Off Savannah the _Sea Eagle_ towed +a disabled motor boat, containing a pleasure party, into port, and a +short time later flew above the Atlantic squadron of the United States +fleet bound south for target practice. Aërial greetings were exchanged +by wireless between the _Sea Eagle_ and Uncle Sam's bulldogs of the +ocean. + +The next day the _Sea Eagle_ was once more enabled to render aërial +ambulance service by taking an injured keeper from a lighthouse off +Fernandina into port, and arranging for a substitute to be sent out at +once. At every city they stopped they received a great reception, for by +this time the flight of the _Sea Eagle_ had received the attention of +the country through the medium of the newspapers. + +Possibly one incident may be worth chronicling in more detail. This +occurred when, a short time after rising for a night flight from Eufala, +Alabama, to the Mississippi State line, Frank descried, through some +trees, what he thought was the rising moon. + +"That's the funniest-looking moon I ever saw," declared Harry, who +happened to be doing duty as engineer. + +"Why, what's the matter with it?" demanded Frank. + +"Why, it's red." + +"Probably caused by the mist from some marshlands," decided Dr. Perkins, +who was resting, while Frank guided the _Sea Eagle_, at which he had +become quite expert. But the next moment he changed his opinion. + +"It isn't the moon at all. It's the glare from a fire, and a big one, +too. Let's hurry up, boys." + +Neither Frank nor Harry needed any urging, and the _Sea Eagle_ was soon +traversing the air so fast that the wind sang in their ears. As they +raced along the glare grew brighter and angrier, glowing with a lambent +red core from which flames could be seen leaping skyward like a nest of +fiery serpents. + +A few minutes brought them into full view of the conflagration. It +proved to be a fine old farm-house. The front of the place was a mass of +flame, and the blaze appeared to be bursting through the roof. Men could +be seen running about the grounds like a nest of disturbed ants, and +others were hastening on foot, in autos and in buggies, from every +direction. + +Nobody paid any attention to the oncoming aëroplane in the excitement, +and when it dropped to earth on the lawn in front of the blazing +building, there was the liveliest sort of confusion. Some of the farmers +did not know what to make of the visitor from the skies, but their more +enlightened neighbors soon informed them, and recalled the newspaper +accounts they had read of the _Sea Eagle's_ great flight. + +"Anybody in the building?" shouted Frank, jumping from the _Sea Eagle_ +as the craft came to a standstill. + +Nobody answered for a moment, but suddenly, from the back of the +building, came a piercing scream. + +"Help! Help!" + +"Goodness, that's a woman calling!" exclaimed Frank. "Come on, Harry." + +Both boys dashed round to the rear of the blazing mansion, and there, at +a third-story window, they saw a woman with a baby in her arms, leaning +out and frantically calling for help. + +"Get a ladder!" shouted Frank. + +"No time to hunt for it," cried Harry. "We'll have to try another way." + +"What do you mean?" + +"See the flat roof of that coach house over there? If we had a board we +could make a bridge from it to the window." + +"But how are we to get to the roof of the coach house?" + +"Fly there." + +"What! in the _Sea Eagle_?" + +"Why not? The roof is flat and big enough to give us room to land if we +are careful." + +"Cracky! I think you're right. Has anybody got a board?" + +"Here you are," exclaimed a man who had darted off to a lumber pile when +he overheard Harry's plan. + +"Good! I think this will be long enough. Come on, Harry, let's lose no +time. See, the flames are almost at that part of the house." + +At top speed the two boys ran back to the _Sea Eagle_, calling to Dr. +Perkins to join them. Hastily they explained what they meant to do. Dr. +Perkins was inclined to doubt if the plan was feasible, but as it +appeared to be the only way to save the woman and the child, he agreed +to attempt it, grave though the risk of disaster to the _Sea Eagle_ +appeared to be. + +While the excited men gathered about, and the woman's cries still filled +the air, the _Sea Eagle_ was started up, and after circling about, +dropped to the coach house roof. The big craft landed without mishap, +but Frank reversed the engines barely in time to prevent her from +rolling off. However, with the front wheels of the substructure on the +very brink of the cornice, the _Sea Eagle_ came obediently to a +standstill. + +They had brought the board with them, and it was shoved across to the +woman, who saw at once what they intended to do. She secured it to the +ledge of the window at which she had been standing, and Frank worked his +way across the plank bridge and took the child in his arms. He recrossed +in safety with it, and then came the woman's turn to trust herself to +the frail bridge. But she hesitated till smoke was pouring into the +room, and then, fairly driven to try the slender support, she began to +cross it. + +From the coach house roof the boys called encouragingly to her, for the +plank was far too weak to bear the weight of two persons. Even under +Frank and the baby it had sagged ominously. Something in the woman's +face as she neared the end of her journey caused Frank to reach out +toward her. It was well that he had the foresight to do so, for as she +reached the end of her journey she suddenly fainted. + +Another instant and she would have fallen forty feet to the ground, but +Frank caught her dress in a strong grip. Luckily, it was of stout +material and did not rip as he seized it. Dr. Perkins and Harry came to +his aid the next minute, and with their united strength they managed to +draw the woman's limp form to safety. + +Hardly had they done so before the flames began breaking out fiercely +from the back of the house, and, driven by the strong wind, they were +uncomfortably close to the coach house roof. No time was lost in placing +the woman and her infant in the _Sea Eagle_, after which the air craft +was started. Dr. Perkins rose to a suitable height from which to make a +safe descent, and then swept down to the ground, carrying the first +woman and child in the history of the world to be saved from a blazing +building by aëroplane. + +The woman soon recovered after some friends of the neighborhood had +taken her and her child to a nearby dwelling. + +The owner of the building, and the husband of the woman who had been so +bravely rescued, now came bustling up, his face beaming with gratitude. +At the moment he was not thinking of the fire but of the brave strangers +from the sky who had saved his wife and child. + +"I don't know who you are, or where you came from," he exclaimed, "but +you literally dropped from the skies when all hope appeared lost. I was +in town buying stock, and on my way out I saw the flames coming from my +home. Knowing my wife and child had retired I dreaded to think what +would have happened if they had not been aroused. I arrived here in time +to find my worst fears realized. How can I ever thank you for what you +have done?" + +"Oh, we only tried to do what we could," said Frank modestly; "we saw +the fire and came down to see if we couldn't help." + +"I owe the lives of my wife and child to your quickness and courage, and +that wonderful airship of yours," vehemently declared the man, whose +name was Winfield Thomas, a wealthy farmer. "It was a real blessing you +happened along as you did." + +Dr. Perkins and the boys could only repeat how glad they were to have +done what they could. Without waiting much longer, except to +congratulate Mrs. Thomas on her quick recovery, and to express the hope +that she would feel no bad effects from her experience, the voyage was +shortly resumed. But the adventure at the burning farm house long +remained in the boys' memory, and strengthened their attachment to the +_Sea Eagle_. + +Nearing New Orleans they caught a wireless message from Billy Barnes +telling them that he had secured quarters for the _Sea Eagle_ in +Algiers, a suburb across the river from the city. That night one stage +of the trip was concluded when, in answer to a signal given with a blue +lamp, they dropped into a field on the outskirts of Algiers and housed +the _Sea Eagle_ in a large barn. + +"Thunder and turtles!" cried Pudge when that night in the St. Charles +Hotel they were relating their adventures. "You fellows have all the fun +and we do all the work." + +"Never mind, Pudge," said Frank; "I guess we'll have adventures in +plenty ahead of us when we try to locate the wreck of the _Belle of New +Orleans_." + +"Which will be as soon as possible," said Dr. Perkins. "Our trip has +taken us longer than I anticipated, and there is a strong chance that +Duval may have got ahead of us." + +"There's another reason for hurrying," declared Billy, who had just +wired to his paper a long account of the _Sea Eagle's_ trip; "they say +that the river is rising. There have been unprecedented rainstorms and +the levees are weakening. Negroes are at work on them all along the +line, but they doubt if they can make them hold if the river keeps +rising." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII.--CAPTURED BY AËROPLANE. + + +During the short time that they had been in the city Ben Stubbs and his +two young companions had done wonders in the way of collecting equipment +for the purpose of rifling the treasure which it was expected lay in the +submerged hulk of the _Belle of New Orleans_. A diving suit with pumping +apparatus of the latest type, blocks and tackles and hand spikes were +among the things laid in stock. Ben had also invested in a new device, a +submarine searchlight. The choice of this last was warmly approved by +Dr. Perkins. + +"I was wondering how it would be possible to find one's way about the +sunken ship without some such article," he said approvingly, and old +Ben's rugged face glowed with satisfaction. + +"Trust an old timer, sir, for remembering those things," he said. + +"Indeed, nobody could have selected a more complete outfit," rejoined +Dr. Perkins. + +The inventory of the goods was taken the next morning, and hiring a boat +the stuff was transported to Algiers, where the _Sea Eagle_ had been +looked after over night by a couple of darkies. + +As they crossed the river in a hired boat they noticed how swiftly the +current ran and how discolored it was. The negro who rowed them +commented on it, too. + +"Dey be po'ful big flood befo' long, genelmen," he opined, "an' when ole +man Mississip' git up on his hind lags ain't nuffin' kin stop him. Dem +lebees dey go jes lak so much straw er hay." + +"All the more reason for our making haste," said Dr. Perkins, addressing +the others; "it would be hard fortune indeed if Ben were to be robbed of +his fortune by a flood." + +The shed which had sheltered the _Sea Eagle_ overnight was close to the +water's edge so that the goods were soon transported on board. All was +found to be in good shape, and the two darkies, who had watched the air +craft overnight, received an extra gratuity for their pains. The +adventurers had been particular not to give out any details of their +flight, and it was expected that they would stay in New Orleans for some +days before proceeding, so that no curious crowd, only a few negroes and +stragglers, were on hand to see them start. + +Dr. Perkins had an excellent chart of the river, showing distinctly the +location of Black Bayou, which lay back from the river amidst a maze of +other wriggly creeks and water courses. The _Belle of New Orleans_ had +been on her way to a "far back" plantation to pick up cotton, when she +blew up, which accounted for the wreck being submerged in such an out of +the way place. + +As they flew along the river, but far above it, they could see human +beings, busy as ants, working along the levees, strengthening them +against the dreaded floods which already had devastated whole sections +of country in Ohio and farther up the mighty stream. At length the +course of the _Sea Eagle_ was changed till she was flying over a perfect +maze of water courses and bayous, winding in and out of a dense forest. +From above, it looked like a lace work of water overlying a piece of +dark green plush. + +But the map showed a landmark for Black Bayou. Harry's plan was marked +"Ruined plantation house and sugar mill." Frank was the first to spy out +this important "bearing." The _Sea Eagle_ was at that time not very far +up, and the gaunt walls and desolate overgrown buildings of the once +prosperous place could be seen clearly. "Giant cypress with three +forks," was the next marking, and, sure enough, on a little patch of an +island, not far from the ruined plantation, they presently saw a gaunt +dead tree answering this description. + +"Bayous and bullfrogs! We're getting hot now!" cried Pudge excitedly. +"Ben, I believe that that rascal was telling the truth after all." + +"I'm inclined to think so, too, Master Pudge," rejoined Ben; "and +look--look there--that must be the Catfish Island marked on the plan. See, +it's just the shape of one of them critters." + +"So it is, Ben," cried Frank, peering down. "Goodness, this _is_ +exciting, though. Just think, in a short time we shall know if our +flight for a fortune is----" + +"A fizzle or not," interrupted the slangy Pudge. + +"Right off Catfish Island two points to the north," read out Harry. + +Dr. Perkins glanced at the compass and slightly altered the direction of +the _Sea Eagle;_ then he allowed the great craft to drop gently to rest +on the waters of Black Bayou. + +Harry referred to the plan again. + +"North a hundred yards to the Lone Pine Island." + +"There it is," cried Frank, indicating a small spot of land on which a +dead pine reared its bare trunk. + +Hardly had he spoken when a canoe shot round a bend in a small bayou +just ahead of them, and a wild-looking man, who had been paddling it, +checked his frail craft. His unkempt whiskers covered him almost to his +waist, and his clothes were ragged to a degree. But none of them thought +of this as the swamp dweller so unexpectedly came into view. + +"Is this the Black Bayou?" they cried almost in chorus. + +The other nodded and stared wildly and half in alarm at the +strange-looking craft that confronted him. + +"_Oui!_ Thees Black Bayou," he rejoined in soft, broken accents; "what +you want, eh?" + +"Did you ever hear tell of the _Belle of New Orleans?_" asked Ben, in a +voice that shook with suppressed excitement. + +To his astonishment the Acadian--for the weird figure in the boat was one +of those strange dwellers of the cypress swamps--burst into a loud laugh. + +"Oh ho! Oh ho!" he cackled; "what you want wid zee _Belle of New +Orleans_, eh? What you want weez her?" + +Ben hesitated, and before he could reply the other burst into another +weird cackling laugh, and held up a small object. + +"You want zee pearl, zee gold, hey? Zey all gone! See, I have one. Zee +men who come here two day ago give it me for help zem. Adieu!" + +Before anybody on the _Sea Eagle_ could utter a word the fellow gave a +deft stroke of his paddle and his canoe shot off into the trackless +paths of the swamps. + +"Well, what under the sun!" burst out Frank, while Pudge weakly +ejaculated: + +"Centipedes and spongecakes!" + +"It's all clear enough," exclaimed Ben bitterly. "Those ruffians got +ahead of us. That 'Cadian took them to the scene of the wreck and +they've rifled it." + +"That was undoubtedly a black pearl he held up," said Dr. Perkins in a +faint voice. "I suppose they gave him that for guiding them here." + +The sudden shriek of a high-crested kingfisher made them look up +suddenly. The bird was darting from tree to tree on an island at a +little distance. Suddenly something that lay at the foot of a tree +caught Ben's sharp eyes. + +"What's that? That glittering thing yonder?" he exclaimed, pointing. + +"Easy enough to see," said Dr. Perkins, starting up the _Sea Eagle_ for +the little island. + +"It's a diving helmet!" cried Frank as they drew closer to the object, +"just look, the rascals must have left it there after they got the +treasure out of the sunken wreck. I guess they thought that as they were +so rich they need not bother with it." + +They landed on the island as disconsolate and downcast a band of +treasure hunters as ever set foot on the site of a treasure trove. +Abundant evidences of a camp were all about them. The ashes of a fire, +and scraps of food and paper. One of these caught Frank's attention. It +was a fragment of newspaper, and what had challenged Frank's notice was +that a band of red ink had been drawn around some printing on it. Frank +read the marked portion with a somewhat vague curiosity. For the moment +he did not realize what an important clew he had stumbled upon. Then it +rushed upon him with full force. + +Ben and the others were on the shore of the island pointing down into +the muddy waters of the bayou. + +The earth was trampled in the vicinity, and showed plainly that the +miscreants who had stolen the treasure had carried on their operations +from that point of the bank. + +"Down thar somewhar' lies the wreck of the _Belle of New Orleans_," said +Ben, shaking his head dolefully, and pointing into the black current; +"but it ain't going to do us no good, mates. It ain't going to do us no +good; them sea skunks has got ahead of us for fair." + +It was at this point that Frank's shout interrupted them. + +"What is it?" cried Dr. Perkins. + +"This paper. Come here. I think it's a clew to where they have gone." + +They crowded about him while Frank read out from the marked paper. + +"'The new South American Commerce Company's steamer _Buenos Aires_ sails +to-morrow for the latter port. She is a fast, capable craft and will +make a direct run to the Argentine. The inauguration of this service is +a distinct addition to the commercial importance of New Orleans and +establishes new trade relations with South America.'" + +"Very pretty," said Ben; "but what does it prove?" + +"Yes, I don't see much of a clew in that," put in Harry. + +But Frank raised his hand to command silence. + +"Listen a minute," he said. "Of course, I may be altogether wrong, but +it seems to me that the reason this paragraph is marked is because those +fellows meant to sail on this very boat." + +Ben brought his hand down on his knee with a resounding whack. + +"By hookey, lad!" he roared; "that's reason. That's solid sense and +reason." + +"What is the date of that paper?" asked Dr. Perkins. + +"Luckily the paragraph was torn off from the top of the page," said +Frank, "and the date of the issue is legible. It is dated yesterday." + +"Then the _Buenos Aires_ sailed this morning?" + +"Yes; that's the way it looks." + +"And while we are wasting time here she is heading down the river for +the open sea," groaned Harry. + +"Can't we wireless to New Orleans and find out?" asked Pudge. + +"That's a mighty good idea, Pudge," said his father, "but the set we +have on the _Sea Eagle_ wouldn't carry as far as that." + +"Then let's get on board again and fly back as quickly as possible. We +are only wasting time here," said Frank. + +His suggestion was quickly acted upon, and the voyagers reëmbarked. They +were a very different party from the pleasantly excited expedition that +had set out that morning so full of hope and enterprise. Frank alone +kept up his spirits. He sat constantly at the wireless as they winged +their way back to New Orleans, incessantly trying to get into +communication. + +At last he caught the operator of the Harbor Master's office. Instantly +he flashed his query: + +"Did _Buenos Aires_ sail this a. m.?" + +"Yes. Ship sailed early to-day." + +"Where will she be now?" + +"About off Fort Jackson, near the mouth of the river," came the reply. +"She has wireless, but it is out of order, so that I can't tell you +exactly where she is right now." + +"Thanks!" flashed Frank and disconnected. + +He quickly communicated his tidings, and immediately a hasty, excited +consultation followed. The result of it was that Dr. Perkins decided to +ground the _Sea Eagle_ in Algiers. This done, Ben would swear out a +warrant before the most available justice, and then, if they could find +a deputy nervy enough to make the trip, he was to be taken on board the +_Sea Eagle_ and the _Buenos Aires_ overtaken before she got beyond the +jurisdiction of the State. + +But after landing in Algiers these plans were changed. It was decided +instead to swear out a federal warrant, as there was grave danger of the +ship getting out of the State's power before they could overtake her. On +the extraordinary circumstances being related to him, the U. S. +Commissioner at New Orleans readily granted the warrant for the arrest +of all three of the rascals. It now remained only to find a Deputy U. S. +Marshal courageous enough to make the trip through the air. + +The only one available seemed a bit doubtful. + +"A trip in an aëroplane!" he said. "I've never taken such a journey and +I'm scared of the blessed things. You see, I've got a wife and family, +and----" + +"Don't be afraid. There's really no danger, and we'll be over water most +of the way," urged Dr. Perkins. + +The deputy seemed to come to a sudden conclusion. His eyes snapped and +his lips tightened. + +"All right, I'll go with you!" he suddenly cried. "Wait till I 'phone +the missus and I'm your man. Those rascals played you a mean trick, and +I'd like to see you win out." + +The hearts of the adventurers gave a bound of hope. There was a chance +of seeing justice come into its own, after all. + + * * * * * + +The _Buenos Aires_, a fine ship of five thousand or more tons, dropped +rapidly down the river. She had few cabin passengers, and of these only +three were on deck. The remainder were in their cabins putting their +belongings to rights. + +These three men were the elder Daniels, his loutish son and Duval. But +they all wore smart new clothes, and Duval had shaved off his mustache. +As for the two Daniels, it is an example of what clothes can do to say +that they looked more like prosperous, rather countryfied commission +dealers than rugged fishermen from Maine. + +"Let's have a look at them pearls again," Daniels was saying, after he +had given a cautious glance about him to make sure they were not +observed. + +Duval reached into his pocket and drew out a canvas bag. From it he +poured out a number of black, lustrous objects, catching them in a +cupped hand. + +"Twenty of the beauties," he exclaimed; "twenty black pearls--the rarest +gems that come out of the ocean." + +"What are they worth again?" asked the elder Daniels, licking his lips +anticipatively. + +"Thirty thousand dollars at the least." + +"Jiminy! Hold me, some one!" sputtered Zeb. + +"And that, counting the gold dust in the cabin, makes a fortune of close +upon seventy-five thousand dollars we got out of that old hulk, don't +it?" + +"That's right," answered Duval; "you fellows did a good day's work for +yourselves when you knocked me on the head in that hut." + +"Waal, I should say so. Let's go below and look at that gold again. I +kin hardly keep my fingers frum touching it. We're rich, boys, we're +rich!" + +The three worthies disappeared below after Duval had carefully replaced +the black pearls in their bag. It was some hours later when they came up +again and the ship was passing the Port Ead's light. + +"We're safe now," exclaimed Duval in a low tone; "even if they do +discover the trick we've put up on em, they could never catch us now. In +another two hours we'll be out on the gulf and by to-morrow we'll be out +of reach of any one in Yankeeland." + +"Hulloo, what's up astern?" asked Zeb suddenly. "What are they all +pointing at?" + +"Pointing at? What do you mean?" demanded Duval, suspicious as are most +guilty consciences of anything unusual. + +"Something in the sky. Hark! They are shouting!" + +"_Something in the sky!_" + +Duval's face went white. His knees shook. By a flash of guilty intuition +he had guessed what that something was, even if the next minute a shout +had not split the air. + +"An aëroplane! It's an aëroplane!" + +Duval's knees quivered under him. He trembled like a man with the palsy. +Old Daniels came up to him hastily. + +"Duval, they've sighted one of them airyoplanes--you don't think----" + +"No, I don't _think_. I know," choked out Duval, "they are after us. +Hark!" + +From the distance came the sound of shots high up in the air. In reply +to the signal--for such it was--the _Buenos Aires'_ whistle emitted three +long, mournful toots. Her engines began to slow down. As Duval felt the +steamer's speed check he dashed below to his cabin. As for Daniels, he +stood rooted to the spot, his lips moving, but no speech coming from +them. Zeb was nowhere to be seen. + +Up on the _Buenos Aires'_ lofty flying bridge her officers, in the +meantime, had been almost equally excited. They had seen the aëroplane +some time before; but as nowadays such craft are a fairly common sight, +they had not paid overmuch attention to it. It was not till the unusual +size of the craft was revealed that they scrutinized it closely. + +Then, as the big winged man-bird swung above the steamer's masts, had +come the quick six pistol shots. An imperative signal, rightly +interpreted "Stop!" + +The whistle had replied and the vessel's way been checked as the +jangling signals sounded in the engine-room, and "Slow down" flashed up +on the telegraph. + +"What do you want?" hailed the captain through a megaphone, as the _Sea +Eagle_--for of course our readers have guessed the identity of the craft +of the air--swung above him. + +"We want to board you with a United States warrant!" came the startling +reply from midair. + +"A warrant! For some of my passengers?" + +"Yes; for three men whom we have reason to believe booked passage as +Daniel Maine and son and another one who calls himself Francis Le +Blanc." + +"I have three such men on board and recognize the authority of the +United States. How will you board me?" + +"We'll come alongside." + +The captain looked as if he didn't understand how this was going to be +done, but gave orders to stop the ship, drop anchor and lower the +gangway. This was done, and the _Sea Eagle_ dropped to the water +alongside with perfect precision. In the meantime, the wildest +excitement reigned on board. Rumors flew thick and fast as to the errand +of the men from the air. + +Lest it should be wondered how Dr. Perkins and his companions knew the +names under which the three rascals had sailed, we had better clear this +matter up. Before embarking in the _Sea Eagle_ in pursuit of the _Buenos +Aires_, a passenger list had been obtained from the offices of the +steamship company. It will be recalled that Francis Le Blanc was the +alias, or false name, which Duval had used when in the employ of Mr. +Sterrett on the yacht _Wanderer_. This gave them a clew, and when they +came across the names Daniel Maine and son, booked for an adjoining +cabin, there remained small doubt that those names concealed the two +Daniels. + +The _Sea Eagle_ was soon made fast, and Marshal Howell, followed by Dr. +Perkins and the two Boy Aviators, sprang up the gangway. The others they +had been compelled to leave behind, as, with the three prisoners to +carry back, the _Sea Eagle_ would have been overcrowded. + +As they reached the top of the gangway Captain Stow and his officers +advanced to meet them. + +"To what am I indebted for the honor of this visit?" asked the seaman. + +The marshal showed his authority and his warrant. + +"We don't wish to detain you longer than necessary, captain," he said, +"so will you have us shown to their cabins?" + +The captain himself led the way below, and conducted them down a +corridor to the stern of the ship. As they reached the end of the +passage a door was thrust suddenly open and a bullet whizzed past +Frank's head. At the same instant Zeb's figure appeared in the doorway. + +But before he could fire another shot the marshal had wrested the pistol +from him and burst into the cabin. Frank was close behind him. At a port +hole was Duval; he had something in his hand and was just about to hurl +it out of the port hole, when Frank, in one bound, was at his side and +had his arm captive. With a snarl like a wounded wild beast Duval turned +on him, whipping out a knife as he did so. But before any harm could be +done, Dr. Perkins seized and disarmed him. + +It was speedily found that the bag which Frank had saved was the one +containing the black pearls which Duval, in his extremity, had +determined to throw away rather than let any one else gain their +possession. The Marshal slipped the handcuffs on Zeb and Duval, who +submitted sullenly to arrest. It was not till then that their thoughts +turned to the elder Daniels. He was not in his cabin, and search of the +ship failed to reveal him. The mystery was soon to be explained, +however. + +A boat with a colored oarsman had been lying alongside the steamer +waiting to take off the pilot. In the confusion old Daniels had opened +the bag of gold dust, selected a packet, and, dropping into the boat, +told the negro to row him ashore to secure help for the officers. The +negro naturally supposed that he was acting under proper instructions, +and put the old fisherman ashore. He was never heard of again. + +Zeb and Duval sullenly refused to utter a word, but ultimately, after +their return to New Orleans, Frank had an interview with Duval in his +prison cell, in which he made a clean breast of everything. From +Bayhaven they had hastened south by fast trains, stopping on the way to +buy diving dress. The Acadian whom the boys had encountered in the +swamps had guided them to the scene of the wreck, receiving one black +pearl as his reward. + +Of the voyage back from the _Buenos Aires_ with the two prisoners not +much can be said. It was made at a good rate of speed, and both Duval +and Zeb were docile. Indeed, there was no use in their being otherwise. +On account of his youth and the pleadings of Dr. Perkins and the boys, +Zeb got a light sentence in a reformatory institution, and it is hoped +that he will prove a far better character when he gets out. Duval was +more severely dealt with, but even he got off more lightly than he +deserved, thanks to the clemency of the people he had wronged. + +And so ends the story of the Boy Aviators' Flight for a Fortune in the +most wonderful aëroplane constructed up to date. But no doubt, in the +rapid march of events, even the _Sea Eagle_ will soon be surpassed. +Already, while this book goes to press, plans are being made by no less +than four separate aviators to dare the terrors of a transatlantic +passage. Whether they will succeed or not is in the lap of the future, +but the author is certain that some day flights across "The Pond" at +seventy or eighty miles an hour will be so common as to attract but +small attention. + +Some of my readers doubtless wish to know how Ben disposed of his +fortune. Well, part of it he wisely invested in real estate, and the +rest he is thinking of putting into the company Dr. Perkins has formed +to manufacture _Sea Eagles_. Mr. Sterrett is a member of the company, +and so are the Boy Aviators. Naturally Ben's keen wish to have them +share some of his good fortune was refused, for, as we know, the Boy +Aviators' adventures in the past had netted them a good share of this +world's goods. Billy Barnes is publicity agent at a good salary for the +_Sea Eagle_ Company, Ltd., and the work just suits his tastes. As for +Pudge, he is as hard a worker as anybody at the plant on Brig Island, +learning the business "from the bottom up." + +And so, wishing them well in their future undertakings, we will here +take leave for the present of our friends, until we hear of them again +in the next volume, entitled "The Boy Aviators with the Air Raiders." + + THE END. + + + + +BOY AVIATORS' SERIES + +By Captain Wilbur Lawton + +Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys + +Cloth Bound, Price, 50c per volume + +The Boy Aviators in Nicaragua + +Or, Leagued With Insurgents + + The launching of this Twentieth Century series marks the + inauguration of a new era in boys' books--the "wonders of modern + science" epoch. Frank and Harry Chester, the Boy Aviators, are the + heroes of this exciting, red-blooded tale of adventure by air and + land in the turbulent Central American republic. The two brothers + with their $10,000 prize aeroplane, the Golden Eagle, rescue a chum + from death in the clutches of the Nicaraguans, discover a lost + treasure valley of the ancient Toltec race, and in so doing almost + lose their own lives in the Abyss of the White Serpents, and have + many other exciting experiences, including being blown far out to + sea in their air-skimmer in a tropical storm. It would be unfair to + divulge the part that wireless plays in rescuing them from their + predicament. In a brand new field of fiction for boys the Chester + brothers and their aeroplane seem destined to fill a top-notch + place. These books are technically correct, wholesomely thrilling + and geared up to third speed. + +Sold by Booksellers Everywhere + +HURST & CO.--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BOY AVIATORS' SERIES + +By Captain Wilbur Lawton + +Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys + +Cloth Bound, Price, 50c per volume + +THE BOY AVIATORS ON SECRET SERVICE + +Or, Working With Wireless + + In this live-wire narrative of peril and adventure, laid in the + Everglades of Florida, the spunky Chester Boys and their interesting + chums, including Ben Stubbs, the maroon, encounter exciting + experiences on Uncle Sam's service in a novel field. One must read + this vivid, enthralling story of incident, hardship and pluck to get + an idea of the almost limitless possibilities of the two greatest + inventions of modern times--the aeroplane and wireless telegraphy. + While gripping and holding the reader's breathless attention from + the opening words to the finish, this swift-moving story is at the + same time instructive and uplifting. As those readers who have + already made friends with Frank and Harry Chester and their "bunch" + know, there are few difficulties, no matter how insurmountable they + may seem at first blush, that these up-to-date gritty youths cannot + overcome with flying colors. A clean-cut, real boys' book of high + voltage. + +Sold by Booksellers Everywhere + +HURST & CO.--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BOY AVIATORS' SERIES + +By Captain Wilbur Lawton + +Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys + +Cloth Bound, Price, 50c per volume + +THE BOY AVIATORS IN AFRICA + +Or, An Aerial Ivory Trail + +In this absorbing book we meet, on a Continent made famous by the +American explorer Stanley, and ex-President Roosevelt, our old friends, +the Chester Boys and their stalwart chums. In Africa--the Dark +Continent--the author follows in exciting detail his young heroes, their +voyage in the first aeroplane to fly above the mysterious forests and +unexplored ranges of the mystic land. In this book, too, for the first +time, we entertain Luther Barr, the old New York millionaire, who proved +later such an implacable enemy of the boys. The story of his defeated +schemes, of the astonishing things the boys discovered in the Mountains +of the Moon, of the pathetic fate of George Desmond, the emulator of +Stanley, the adventure of the Flying Men and the discovery of the +Arabian Ivory cache,--this is not the place to speak. It would be +spoiling the zest of an exciting tale to reveal the outcome of all these +episodes here. It may be said, however, without "giving away" any of the +thrilling chapters of this narrative, that Captain Wilbur Lawton, the +author, is in it in his best vein, and from his personal experiences in +Africa has been able to supply a striking background for the adventures +of his young heroes. As one newspaper says of this book: "Here is +adventure in good measure, pressed down and running over." + +Sold by Booksellers Everywhere + +HURST & CO.--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BOY AVIATORS' SERIES + +By Captain Wilbur Lawton + +Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys + +Cloth Bound, Price, 50c per volume + +THE BOY AVIATORS TREASURE QUEST + +Or, The Golden Galleon + +Everybody is a boy once more when it comes to the question of hidden +treasure. In this book, Captain Lawton has set forth a hunt for gold +that is concealed neither under the sea nor beneath the earth, but is +well hidden for all that. A garrulous old sailor, who holds the key to +the mystery of the Golden Galleon, plays a large part in the development +of the plot of this fascinating narrative of treasure hunting in the +region of the Gulf Stream and the Sargasso Sea. An aeroplane fitted with +efficient pontoons--enabling her to skim the water successfully--has long +been a dream of aviators. The Chester Boys seem to have solved the +problem. The Sargasso that strange drifting ocean within an ocean, +holding ships of a dozen nations and a score of ages, in its relentless +grip, has been the subject of many books of adventure and mystery, but +in none has the secret of the ever shifting mass of treacherous currents +been penetrated as it has in the BOY AVIATORS TREASURE QUEST. Luther +Barr, whom it seemed the boys had shaken off, is still on their trail, +in this absorbing book and with a dirigible balloon, essays to beat them +out in their search for the Golden Galleon. Every boy, every man--and +woman and girl--who has ever felt the stirring summons of adventure in +their souls, had better get hold of this book. Once obtained, it will be +read and re-read till it falls to rags. + +Sold by Booksellers Everywhere + +HURST & CO.--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BOY AVIATORS' SERIES + +By Captain Wilbur Lawton + +Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys + +Cloth Bound, Price, 50c per volume + +THE BOY AVIATORS IN RECORD FLIGHT + +Or, The Rival Aeroplane + +The Chester Boys in new field of endeavor--an attempt to capture a +newspaper prize for a trans-continental flight. By the time these lines +are read, exactly such an offer will have been spread broadcast by one +of the foremost newspapers of the country. In the Golden Eagle, the +boys, accompanied by a trail-blazing party in an automobile, make the +dash. But they are not alone in their aspirations. Their rivals for the +rich prize at stake try in every way that they can to circumvent the +lads and gain the valuable trophy and monetary award. In this they stop +short at nothing, and it takes all the wits and resources of the Boy +Aviators to defeat their devices. Among the adventures encountered in +their cross-country flight, the boys fall in with a band of rollicking +cowboys--who momentarily threaten serious trouble--are attacked by +Indians, strike the most remarkable town of the desert--the "dry" town of +"Gow Wells," encounter a sandstorm which blows them into strange lands +far to the south of their course, and meet with several amusing mishaps +beside. A thoroughly readable book. The sort to take out behind the barn +on the sunny side of the haystack, and, with a pocketful of juicy apples +and your heels kicking the air, pass happy hours with Captain Lawton's +young heroes. + +Sold by Booksellers Everywhere + +HURST & CO.--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BOY AVIATORS' SERIES + +By Captain Wilbur Lawton + +Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys + +Cloth Bound, Price, 50c per volume + +THE BOY AVIATORS POLAR DASH + +Or, Facing Death in the Antarctic + +If you were to hear that two boys, accompanying a South Polar expedition +in charge of the aeronautic department, were to penetrate the Antarctic +regions--hitherto only attained by a few daring explorers--you would feel +interested, wouldn't you? Well, in Captain Lawton's latest book, +concerning his Boy Aviators, you can not only read absorbing adventure +in the regions south of the eightieth parallel, but absorb much useful +information as well. Captain Lawton introduces--besides the original +characters of the heroes--a new creation in the person of Professor +Simeon Sandburr, a patient seeker for polar insects. The professor's +adventures in his quest are the cause of much merriment, and lead once +or twice to serious predicaments. In a volume so packed with incident +and peril from cover to cover--relieved with laughable mishaps to the +professor--it is difficult to single out any one feature; still, a recent +reader of it wrote the publishers an enthusiastic letter the other day, +saying: "The episodes above the Great Barrier are thrilling, the attack +of the condors in Patagonia made me hold my breath, the--but what's the +use? The Polar Dash, to my mind, is an even more entrancing book than +Captain Lawton's previous efforts, and that's saying a good deal. The +aviation features and their technical correctness are by no means the +least attractive features of this up-to-date creditable volume." + +Sold by Booksellers Everywhere + +HURST & CO.--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BOY INVENTORS SERIES + +Stories of Skill and Ingenuity + +By RICHARD BONNER + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid + +THE BOY INVENTORS' WIRELESS TELEGRAPH. + + Blest with natural curiosity,--sometimes called the instinct of + investigation,--favored with golden opportunity, and gifted with + creative ability, the Boy Inventors meet emergencies and contrive + mechanical wonders that interest and convince the reader because + they always "work" when put to the test. + +THE BOY INVENTORS' VANISHING GUN. + + A thought, a belief, an experiment; discouragement, hope, effort and + final success--this is the history of many an invention; a history in + which excitement, competition, danger, despair and persistence + figure. This merely suggests the circumstances which draw the daring + Boy Inventors into strange experiences and startling adventures, and + which demonstrate the practical use of their vanishing gun. + +THE BOY INVENTORS' DIVING TORPEDO BOAT. + + As in the previous stories of the Boy Inventors, new and interesting + triumphs of mechanism are produced which become immediately + valuable, and the stage for their proving and testing is again the + water. On the surface and below it, the boys have jolly, contagious + fun, and the story of their serious, purposeful inventions challenge + the reader's deepest attention. + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BORDER BOYS SERIES + +Mexican and Canadian Frontier Series + +By FREMONT B. DEERING. + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid + +THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL. + + What it meant to make an enemy of Black Ramon De Barios--that is the + problem that Jack Merrill and his friends, including Coyote Pete, + face in this exciting tale. + +THE BORDER BOYS ACROSS THE FRONTIER. + + Read of the Haunted Mesa and its mysteries, of the Subterranean + River and its strange uses, of the value of gasolene and steam "in + running the gauntlet," and you will feel that not even the ancient + splendors of the Old World can furnish a better setting for romantic + action than the Border of the New. + +THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE MEXICAN RANGERS. + + As every day is making history--faster, it is said, than ever + before--so books that keep pace with the changes are full of rapid + action and accurate facts. This book deals with lively times on the + Mexican border. + +THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS. + + The Border Boys have already had much excitement and adventure in + their lives, but all this has served to prepare them for the + experiences related in this volume. They are stronger, braver and + more resourceful than ever, and the exigencies of their life in + connection with the Texas Rangers demand all their trained ability. + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +BUNGALOW BOYS SERIES + +LIVE STORIES OF OUTDOOR LIFE + +By DEXTER J. FORRESTER. + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid + +THE BUNGALOW BOYS. + + How the Bungalow Boys received their title and how they retained the + right to it in spite of much opposition makes a lively narrative for + lively boys. + +THE BUNGALOW BOYS MAROONED IN THE TROPICS. + + A real treasure hunt of the most thrilling kind, with a sunken + Spanish galleon as its object, makes a subject of intense interest + at any time, but add to that a band of desperate men, a dark plot + and a devil fish, and you have the combination that brings strange + adventures into the lives of the Bungalow Boys. + +THE BUNGALOW BOYS IN THE GREAT NORTH WEST. + + The clever assistance of a young detective saves the boys from the + clutches of Chinese smugglers, of whose nefarious trade they know + too much. How the Professor's invention relieves a critical + situation is also an exciting incident of this book. + +THE BUNGALOW BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES. + + The Bungalow Boys start out for a quiet cruise on the Great Lakes + and a visit to an island. A storm and a band of wreckers interfere + with the serenity of their trip, and a submarine adds zest and + adventure to it. + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +DREADNOUGHT BOYS SERIES + +Tales of the New Navy + +By CAPT. WILBUR LAWTON + +Author of "BOY AVIATORS SERIES." + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid + +THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON BATTLE PRACTICE. + + Especially interesting and timely is this book which introduces the + reader with its heroes, Ned and Herc, to the great ships of modern + warfare and to the intimate life and surprising adventures of Uncle + Sam's sailors. + +THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ABOARD A DESTROYER. + + In this story real dangers threaten and the boys' patriotism is + tested in a peculiar international tangle. The scene is laid on the + South American coast. + +THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON A SUBMARINE. + + To the inventive genius--trade-school boy or mechanic--this story has + special charm, perhaps, but to every reader its mystery and clever + action are fascinating. + +THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON AERO SERVICE. + + Among the volunteers accepted for Aero Service are Ned and Herc. + Their perilous adventures are not confined to the air, however, + although they make daring and notable flights in the name of the + Government; nor are they always able to fly beyond the reach of + their old "enemies," who are also airmen. + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +FRANK ARMSTRONG SERIES + +Twentieth Century Athletic Stories + +By MATHEW M. COLTON. + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 60c. per vol., postpaid + +FRANK ARMSTRONG'S VACATION. + + How Frank's summer experience with his boy friends make him into a + sturdy young athlete through swimming, boating, and baseball + contests, and a tramp through the Everglades, is the subject of this + splendid story. + +FRANK ARMSTRONG AT QUEENS. + + We find among the jolly boys at Queen's School, Frank, the + student-athlete, Jimmy, the baseball enthusiast, and Lewis, the + unconsciously-funny youth who furnishes comedy for every page that + bears his name. Fall and winter sports between intensely rival + school teams are expertly described. + +FRANK ARMSTRONG'S SECOND TERM. + + The gymnasium, the track and the field make the background for the + stirring events of this volume, in which David, Jimmy, Lewis, the + "Wee One" and the "Codfish" figure, while Frank "saves the day." + +FRANK ARMSTRONG, DROP KICKER. + + With the same persistent determination that won him success in + swimming, running and baseball playing, Frank Armstrong acquired the + art of "drop kicking," and the Queen's football team profits + thereby. + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +MOTOR RANGERS SERIES + +HIGH SPEED MOTOR STORIES + +By MARVIN WEST. + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid + +THE MOTOR RANGERS' LOST MINE. + + This is an absorbing story of the continuous adventures of a motor + car in the hands of Nat Trevor and his friends. It does seemingly + impossible "stunts," and yet everything happens "in the nick of + time." + +THE MOTOR RANGERS THROUGH THE SIERRAS. + + Enemies in ambush, the peril of fire, and the guarding of treasure + make exciting times for the Motor Rangers--yet there is a strong + flavor of fun and freedom, with a typical Western mountaineer for + spice. + +THE MOTOR RANGERS ON BLUE WATER; or, The Secret of the Derelict. + + The strange adventures of the sturdy craft "Nomad" and the stranger + experiences of the Rangers themselves with Morello's schooner and a + mysterious derelict form the basis of this well-spun yarn of the + sea. + +THE MOTOR RANGERS' CLOUD CRUISER. + + From the "Nomad" to the "Discoverer," from the sea to the sky, the + scene changes in which the Motor Rangers figure. They have + experiences "that never were on land or sea," in heat and cold and + storm, over mountain peak and lost city, with savages and reptiles; + their ship of the air is attacked by huge birds of the air; they + survive explosion and earthquake; they even live to tell the tale! + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +GIRL AVIATORS SERIES + +Clean Aviation Stories + +By MARGARET BURNHAM. + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid + +THE GIRL AVIATORS AND THE PHANTOM AIRSHIP. + + Roy Prescott was fortunate in having a sister so clever and devoted + to him and his interests that they could share work and play with + mutual pleasure and to mutual advantage. This proved especially true + in relation to the manufacture and manipulation of their aeroplane, + and Peggy won well deserved fame for her skill and good sense as an + aviator. There were many stumbling-blocks in their terrestrial path + but they soared above them all to ultimate success. + +THE GIRL AVIATORS ON GOLDEN WINGS. + + That there is a peculiar fascination about aviation that wins and + holds girl enthusiasts as well as boys is proved by this tale. On + golden wings the girl aviators rose for many an exciting flight, and + met strange and unexpected experiences. + +THE GIRL AVIATORS' SKY CRUISE. + + To most girls a coaching or yachting trip is an adventure. How much + more perilous an adventure a "sky cruise" might be is suggested by + the title and proved by the story itself. + +THE GIRL AVIATORS' MOTOR BUTTERFLY. + + The delicacy of flight suggested by the word "butterfly," the + mechanical power implied by "motor," the ability to, control assured + in the title "aviator," all combined with the personality and + enthusiasm of girls themselves, make this story one for any girl or + other reader "to go crazy over." + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + +MOTOR MAIDS SERIES + +Wholesome Stories of Adventure + +By KATHERINE STOKES. + +Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid + +THE MOTOR MAIDS' SCHOOL DAYS. + + Billie Campbell was just the type of a straightforward, athletic + girl to be successful as a practical Motor Maid. She took her car, + as she did her class-mates, to her heart, and many a grand good time + did they have all together. The road over which she ran her red + machine had many an unexpected turning,--now it led her into peculiar + danger; now into contact with strange travelers; and again into + experiences by fire and water. But, best of all, "The Comet" never + failed its brave girl owner. + +THE MOTOR MAIDS BY PALM AND PINE. + + Wherever the Motor Maids went there were lively times, for these + were companionable girls who looked upon the world as a vastly + interesting place full of unique adventures--and so, of course, they + found them. + +THE MOTOR MAIDS ACROSS THE CONTINENT. + + It is always interesting to travel, and it is wonderfully + entertaining to see old scenes through fresh eyes. It is that + privilege, therefore, that makes it worth while to join the Motor + Maids in their first 'cross-country run. + +THE MOTOR MAIDS BY ROSE, SHAMROCK AND HEATHER. + + South and West had the Motor Maids motored, nor could their + education by travel have been more wisely begun. But now a speaking + acquaintance with their own country enriched their anticipation of + an introduction to the British Isles. How they made their polite + American bow and how they were received on the other side is a tale + of interest and inspiration. + +Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price. + +HURST & COMPANY--Publishers--NEW YORK + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Boy Aviators' Flight for a Fortune, by +Wilbur Lawton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY AVIATORS' FLIGHT FOR *** + +***** This file should be named 37175-8.txt or 37175-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/1/7/37175/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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