KIDNAPPED
"Not a trace, Bob. I don't know what to make of this."
"Nor I, Frank. A fellow wouldn't believe that right here near New
York, in the most densely populated part of the East, two men could
steal an airplane and escape without a trace."
"Oh, I don't know, Bob. You remember last winter when that aviator
from the upper end of Long Island was last seen flying across the
Sound toward the Connecticut shore and was never seen or heard of
again."
"But, Frank, here forty-eight hours have passed. Here we are, Tuesday
morning. Dad has wired every city, town and hamlet in the East. Not a
sign of the machine, nor of the men."
It was, in truth, Tuesday morning. The morning when, everything going
as planned, they should have been setting out on their flight to the
Hampton camp in New Mexico. Instead, the boys were moodily pecking at
breakfast, the airplane had disappeared, and the trip seemed more and
more remote.
To add to their worries, they had been unable to reopen communication
with their chum, Jack Hampton, by radiophone, since that first and
only time the previous Saturday afternoon. All their efforts to call
him met with no response. The day before, moreover, a telegram had
been sent Mr. Hampton by Bob Temple's father, informing him in code of
recent mysterious occurrences, including the theft of the airplane,
telling him the boys had tried to call Jack by radiophone, but without
response from his powerful New Mexico station, and asking whether all
was well with him. No answer had yet been received.
"Mister Robert," said Mary, the maid, entering the breakfast room, as
the two boys sat in moody silence, "your father wants you and Mister
Frank in the library."
The boys hurried to the library at once, where they found Mr. Temple,
very grave of face, bent above a lengthy telegram which he had just
finished decoding.
"It's from Jack," he said, "And the poor fellow is in a lot of
trouble. Listen."
He read:
"Dear Friends, Father has been kidnapped. Two men in airplane carried
him away into Old Mexico. Since getting your telegram few minutes ago
realize it may have been your airplane. Wasn't there and didn't see
it but description of machine given by cowboy on the range who saw it
all tallies with description of your machine."
Mr. Temple paused for breath, and Frank, who had been computing
mentally, interrupted.
"Our plane could do it all right," he said. "That is, if--When did
this happen?"
"Monday noon or a little later," said Mr. Temple.
"Well, they stole it sometime Saturday night," said Frank. "Yes, they
wouldn't have had to make more than eighty miles an hour steady flying
to do it. But where did they get the petrol?"
"Why," Bob reminded him, "we had her stocked with oil and gas. And the
spare tanks filled, too. That wasn't impossible."
Mr. Temple resumed:
"Haven't answered your radiophone calls because didn't get them. Have
been so busy running around in circles, haven't had time to watch the
telephone. But if you call me when you get this shall be on the watch.
Father was kidnapped Monday noon. No word from him. Need your help."
"He certainly does," said Mr. Temple, emphatically, as he concluded
reading. "And he'll get it, too. Come on, boys, let's call him up."
Evidently Jack was on the watch for their signal, for he answered at
once, and as soon as each had tuned to their private 1,800-metre wave
length, the Temples and Frank were given the full details as to the
kidnapping of Mr. Hampton.
He had been riding horseback across the range, miles from any oil
derricks or pumping stations, on his way to visit one of the
"independent" oil operators.
A lonesome cowboy hunting a stray was the only other human being in
sight, and he was a half mile away. Suddenly out of the sky swooped an
all-metal airplane, glistening in the sun. It made a beautiful landing
on the sandy soil, bumped along over a few clumps of mesquite, and
came to rest close beside Mr. Hampton. The latter jumped from his
horse, and started running toward it. Evidently, Jack thought, his
father believed the Temples and Frank had unexpectedly arrived.
Then the watching cowboy saw two men leap from the airplane and start
for Mr. Hampton, who turned as if to run. Thereupon, one of the two
pointed a revolver at him and he turned, perforce, and surrendered. He
was put into the airplane, the two men again climbed aboard, and the
machine soared up into the sky before the astonished cowboy could more
than set his horse in motion.
All this Jack explained and then asked:
"Mr. Temple, what would you advise me to do?"
"Does anybody else know of this?"
"Only the cowboy who saw it and I," said Jack. "This cowboy knew
father by sight, and came direct to me with the information. I've
made him promise not to tell anybody until he hears from me."
"That's right, Jack," said Mr. Temple, very earnestly. "This
information must not get out. I believe, Jack, your father will be
safe from harm and that the men who seized him are intent on
embroiling Mexico and the United States. Now we don't want any more
wars, Jack, and we must try to get your father back without the aid of
troops."
"Yes, sir," said Jack. "Father and I have suspected what the game was,
and that was why I told the cowboy to say nothing."
"Good," said Mr. Temple, approvingly. "Now, Jack, that the mystery of
the airplane's disappearance has been cleared up, we are ready to
leave at once. We can get out of New York City on the 6 o'clock train
tonight. Look for us Friday. I'll say good-bye until then, and let the
boys speak to you, for I know they are dying to do so."
While the boys and Jack conversed, Mr. Temple sought out his wife.
After explaining the necessity for his abrupt departure with the boys
for New Mexico, he said:
"I should worry if I thought you would be subjected to annoyances
while we were away. But I believe there will be no more trouble here.
And with the servants in the house and the guests you have invited,
you may feel perfectly safe."
"Oh, Dad, I think you're awfully mean not to take me along," pouted
Della, who was present.
"Why, Lassie," said her father, "with a bunch of harum scarum boys to
look after, my hands will be full enough."
"Yes, you think they're just boys," flashed his young daughter. "But
you wait and see. They'll be taking care of you. Just you wait and
see. Frank is awfully clever."
"Frank?" said Mr. Temple teasingly, with a meaning look.
Della flushed, and made an excuse to leave the room a moment later.
"I wish, George, that you wouldn't tease her about Frank," said Mrs.
Temple. "She's such a child."
"Yes," said Mr. Temple, thoughtfully. "I suppose so. But," he added,
"I'm glad she likes Frank."