THE EVERGLADES IN AN AEROPLANE.
"Hurray, we are in communication with the _Tarantula_."
It was Frank who spoke. Seated at the field wireless apparatus, with the
metallic headpiece about his ears, he rapidly noted down the reply to
the message he had flashed out some time previously. The message was
signed:
"Selby," and read:
"Am standing by, off the coast. Communication perfect. Will keep in
touch constantly."
Frank's message had been a brief outline of his plans, which were to
sail in the _Golden Eagle II_ that afternoon if feasible, and ascertain
the exact location of the camp of the formula stealers, and leave the
rest of the plan of procedure to such circumstances as might arise.
Feverishly working, the boys and their aides got the _Golden Eagle II_
in shape for flight by noon of that day. Thanks to the specially
prepared engine-bed that the boys had had constructed, there was little
to do except to bolt the driving machinery in place, after which but
little adjustment was necessary to true it up with the shafts. While
Harry and Lathrop took up positions at the propellers and the rest of
the party hung onto the winged ship with might and main, Frank carefully
adjusted the engine, having timed it down to its lowest number of
revolutions.
"Now," he cried when all was ready.
The boys gave the propellers a twist. To their delight the engine worked
as smoothly as a sewing machine. The power was then cut off and the work
of stocking up the lockers beneath the transoms in the pilot-house
begun. It was Frank's intention that if it became necessary to settle
down anywhere for any length of time to use the pilot-house as a camping
place. This would save the necessity of a tent and as every ounce of
weight counts in an aeroplane this was an important consideration. The
canvas screens--of the lightest grade of duck carefully
waterproofed--which have been previously mentioned were provided for
this very purpose as were also mosquito net curtains for fine weather.
Frank's navigating instruments found their place in a pocket handy to
the steersman's hand. The compass of course being adjusted in a balanced
socket that kept it always visible to the helmsman. The operating keys
of the _Golden Eagle II's_ wireless apparatus were in the rear of the
chassis and in the space beneath its stand was coiled the five hundred
feet of rope through which ran a strand of phosphor bronze wire which
was to be used for grounding the current. Alongside the reserve gasolene
found its place.
The searchlight, swinging easily on a pivot, was also of course a part
of the helmsman's equipment, and handy to him was slung his revolver in
a big loose holster. The rifles and ammunition and the stock of
provisions carried went in the lockers, as well as a waterproof
sod-cloth to place beneath the chassis if camping on wet ground, and a
small blue-flame oil-stove made of aluminum. The few cooking utensils
carried were also of aluminum and nested. The last thing to go aboard
was a folding canvas boat of which more later.
All these preparations concluded, the boys partook of the last dinner
they were to eat in company for perhaps several days. Over the meal,
which Pork Chops had made quite an elaborate one in celebration of the
occasion, final plans were discussed. Lathrop was to have charge of the
wireless apparatus and at all hours of the day or night either he, Ben
Stubbs or Billy Barnes was to be on duty beside it on the watch for
calls. The boys would also, it was agreed, watch their apparatus
constantly. Frank's ingenuity had provided each machine with an
appliance, not unlike the ordinary telephone bell, which commenced
ringing loudly as soon as any other instrument within range got "in
tune." This was a patentable improvement, as an ordinary wireless
machine has no such convenient attachment and only apprises its operator
of a call by a faint click hardly audible to the unpracticed ear.
After lunch the boys went over every rod and wire of the aeroplane and
found her to be in first class shape. While these preparations were
going on Quatty had been eyeing the craft with the liveliest indications
of fear.
"Ah'd jes' as soon ride on de back ob a fish eagle," he said
apprehensively.
"Why, Quatty, you're not going to back out now, are you?" asked Frank
with a smile at the negro's trepidation.
"Lord, no, Massa Frank, ah said ah'd go wid yo' an' I will, but ef it
wasn' fo' dat rifle I wouldn' go not fo' nuffin'. Say," he added
suddenly, "could ye jes' wait a while till I paddle home an' say
goo'-bye to my wife?"
"No, we can't," laughed Frank, ruthlessly cutting short the black's hope
of even a moment's reprieve from going aloft in the object of his
terror.
"Are we all ready, Harry?" he asked the next minute.
The younger boy nodded.
"Hold on a minute," cried Frank suddenly, "there is one thing we've
forgotten."
He ran back into the hut and reappeared with a small object he had
fished out of his toilet-bag.
It was a silken American flag. The boys attached it to a small pair of
halyards at the stern of the chassis and ran it up.
"Come on in with you, Quatty," cried Harry, when this was completed.
Speechless with terror the negro hobbled up to the machine and
hesitatingly clambered into the chassis. He sat quivering like a jelly
on the floor of the pilot-house as the boys followed him.
"What are you squatting on the floor for?" asked Harry, laughing, "don't
you want to see the scenery?"
"Ah can see all ah wan' right yar," was the terrified darky's reply.
With a final handclasp the boys followed the negro into the chassis and
Harry took up his place at the engines and Frank got into the steerman's
narrow seat. Lathrop and Billy Barnes were at the propellers ready to
give them the twist that would start the machinery.
"Let her go," cried Frank with a backward glance. Harry bent low over
the carburettor and carefully adjusted it and the lubricating system.
The next minute, with a roar like that of a dozen Gatling guns, the
engine started up. Volumes of blue smoke poured from the exhaust which
also shot out jets of ruddy flame. To anyone not used to the racket of a
powerful engine suddenly turned up to its full power it was actually
terrifying. Quatty writhed in a paroxysm of terror on the quivering
floor of the pilot-house as the whole fabric of the aeroplane shook as
if it had been convulsed by an earthquake.
Like a big ungainly bird it ran rapidly over the ground for a few dozen
yards and then as it gathered speed under its rapidly revolving
propellers, Frank threw in the top speed clutch and jerked back the
lever that controlled the rising planes. Like a perfectly trained animal
the big air-craft obeyed and rose as gracefully as a butterfly into the
air. For fully ten minutes, till they were clear of the tree-tops, Frank
kept her rising--the terrified Quatty rolling about on the inclined
floor of the pilot-house like a rubber ball. Then as she soared safely
above all obstructions he threw her onto an even keel and headed her due
east.
Far below them Harry, leaning over the stern, could see the small
clearing in which stood the dead sailor's habitation and the rapidly
diminishing figures of Lathrop, Billy, Ben, and Pork Chops waving a
frantic adieu. The darky had in his hand a frying-pan which he
flourished and was evidently shouting, for he had his hand at his lips,
but of course anything he might have said was at that height inaudible.
Once on an even keel Frank threw in the mufflers and throttled the
engine down a little so that the uproar that had so terrified Quatty was
diminished. Occasionally as she struck some contrary air-current the
aeroplane would give a dip that terrified the negro into fresh
convulsions, but otherwise the really alarming sensation that
accompanies the rising into the upper air of an aeroplane had ceased and
they were driving ahead calmly enough, though not fast, for there was a
stiff northeast wind blowing.
"Well, Quatty, what do you think of it as far as you've gone?" jestingly
asked Harry as, having adjusted his engines to suit him he sat wiping
his hands on a bit of greasy waste.
"Ah's jes' as soon ride on a buckin' broncho as on dis yar contraption,"
rejoined Quatty, who had by this time scrambled to his hands and knees,
"it's eben worser dan I thought."
A diplomatic idea entered Harry's head. They would have to get Quatty
over his scare before he would be of any use to them and this necessity
gave rise to Harry's inspiration.
"Well, I think you are a very brave man, Quatty," he said solemnly;
"that Pork Chops is such a coward that he wouldn't dare to do what
you've done."
[Illustration: The Boy Aviators set out in the _Golden Eagle II_.]
"Is dat so, Massa Harry, fo' a fac'?" asked Quatty eagerly.
"Yes indeed," went on Harry seriously, "he's such a coward that he would
have fainted if we had even suggested coming up with us to him."
"Well, I'se a berry brave nigger and dat's a fac'," proudly said Quatty
rising to the bait, "them no 'count southern niggers ain't got no real
courage no-how."
So well did Harry's diplomatic admiration work that before they had been
afloat in the upper air for half an hour more Quatty was seated on one
of the transoms holding onto a strap provided for the purpose and
piloting Frank as the ship forged steadily along into the wind, her
engine running without a skip or a start.
It was a marvelous panorama that lay spread out far below them. Their
bird's-eye view showed them immediately beneath the floating craft the
myriad green-clad islands of the archipelago threaded by bands of
sparkling blue water. Soaring in the air about them, but at a respectful
distance, and doubtless marveling at the invader of their realm, were
kitty-hawks and fish-eagles and sometimes even the rare Everglade kite.
If it had not been for the speed they were going nothing would have
pleased Harry better than to get out a rifle and try a little target
practice at the myriad bird-life that soared beneath and around them.
But it was not so much the immediate scene, beautiful as it was, that
gripped the attention of the voyagers. Far in front of them lay a broad,
dark band of trees that they knew marked the mainland and was the thick
belt of cypress trees that gives its name to the Big Cypress Swamp.
Beyond this again lay a scene that made their hearts beat high. It was a
vast, an apparently illimitable stretch of brown prairie, looking from
that distance very much like our western plains viewed from a mountain
top. In the golden glow of the afternoon it shimmered and shone hazily
like a magic land. Here and there patches of dark cloud-like blue dotted
it and these the boys knew were the islands that are scattered at more
or less frequent intervals among the watery wastes of the 'glades and on
one of which, with a catch of the heart, they realized lay the object of
their long quest.