AT THE HOSKINS FARM
"Well," Andy went on to remark, presently, "I see you are turning back
again in the direction of the head of the lake. I hope, Frank, you don't
mean to go all the way to Bloomsbury, and put the police in possession
of the few facts we've succeeded in picking up."
"That was not my calculation at all," replied the other, "in the first
place, we suspect a good deal, but up to now we haven't got very much
positive evidence on which to found a case. I'd like to know a little
more before I get the Chief on the wire, and put him wise."
"Then when we get near the northern end of the lake perhaps you'll think
it best to make a landing somewhere, and prowl around on foot, finding
out what we can," Andy, continued eagerly; for he had become much worked
up by this time, and was hoping that fortune would be as kind to them as
on a previous occasion, which all Bloomsbury remembered very well.
"If we can only find a decent opening where we could make a get-away
again, that is the only thing that bothers me," Frank replied.
"Now, I remember noticing a field near what seemed to be a lonely
farmhouse; in fact there were a number of open places there, and they
seemed to have Canada thistles growing in clumps, all a-bloom, as if the
farmer had given up cultivating, and let things just go to rack and
ruin. I was never up there myself, but from what I've heard my father
say, I rather think that must be the Hoskins place. They say he
consulted some fortune teller a couple of years ago, who told him he
would some day discover a gold mine on his property that would make him
a millionaire; and ever since the farmer has spent about all his time
digging here and there, but up to now without any success at all."
"Why, yes, I remember hearing a lot about the queer old farmer myself,"
Frank went on to say. "He's got a wife, and a half-grown daughter named
Sallie. I met her at a country dance last winter, and she's a pretty
nice sort of a girl. Now, we've been on the move a good while, Andy, and
perhaps we might manage to make the Hoskins farm around the dinner
hour."
"A bully good idea, too, Frank, and don't you forget it!" cried the
other, with considerable show of enthusiasm. "Now, I just bolted what
little breakfast I got this morning, and already I feel hungry enough to
eat nearly anything. And speaking generally, these country people do set
a great table; though I don't know how it will be with the Hoskins,
because, if they've been neglecting their farm to chase around after
rainbows, they probably won't be any too flush with supplies. But any
port in a storm, and I guess we'll be able to get filled up; if only we
can make a landing, and find the farm."
"As I figure it out, Hoskins' place wouldn't be over a mile or so
directly above Norton's Point, Andy," the pilot of the expedition
continued, thoughtfully.
"Yes," Andy said, encouragingly.
"And perhaps, now, we might happen to run on some sort of a little clue
there. For instance, one of those yeggmen may have wandered around, and
bought some eggs or milk from the farmer's folks; because, if they've
been camping out in the woods, they've had to eat all the while, you
know."
"A good idea, Frank; and we'll ask, if we're lucky enough to happen
around the lonely farm about meal time."
"I'm going to make it a point to be there, and as we've got some time
to kill meanwhile, let's hop over to that nice landingplace at the foot
of old Thunder top, and overhaul the machine again. There are a few
things I'd like to tinker with, because I'm not quite pleased with the
way they work; and you know, Andy, I'm a regular crank about having a
motor run like a watch."
"Well, I'm getting that way mighty fast, thanks to your hints, and the
knowledge of how it pays, when you're taking your life in your hands
every time you go up in one of these heavier-than-air outfits," was what
the other Bird boy observed, with what was a thoughtful look, for him;
because, as a rule, Andy appeared to be a merry chap, and laughing much
of the time.
Within half an hour they had successfully landed at the place indicated,
and which had witnessed the coming and going of the young aeronauts on
numerous occasions.
Here at least they could remain and take things easy while waiting for
the morning to slip along, so that eleven would roll around. Little
danger of their being bothered by curious persons here; indeed, the boys
had never yet known a solitary man or boy to come around the place.
They could look up while lying there on their backs, and watch the
fleecy clouds sailing swiftly past the lofty crown of the rocky
mountain. And how vividly there came into their minds memories of lively
times which they themselves had experienced up there on the summit of
old Thunder top.
They spoke of them now, as they lay stretched out on the soft turf, and
watched the two white headed eagles soaring far up in the blue heavens,
around and around in circles, without ever seeming to flap their great
wings.
Once the young aviators had engaged in a terrible conflict with those
two mighty birds, on the crown of the mountain, where they had landed
with their aeroplane, and been looked upon as intruders by the eagles,
possibly under the belief that they entertained hostile intentions
toward the fledglings in their nest that was built amidst the crags,
close to the tip of the lofty peak.
Frank and Andy often spoke of that thrilling episode, but never without
some sort of little shiver, because it had been a serious time with them
since one blow from those powerful wings might have toppled them over
the edge of the dizzy height, and sent them to their deaths.
But they had succeeded in beating their feather antagonists off by the
aid of clubs which they wielded with vigor; and after the eagles learned
that no harm was intended to their young by these bold navigators of the
upper air currents, they came to have more respect for the strange
winged thing that came humming up from the earth on more than one
occasion.
When eleven o'clock came around, the boys were off again, and headed
toward the northern end of the lake.
Of course they kept close down to the treetops, because, once they
discovered the opening, they would wish to drop into it as easily as
possible.
Suddenly Andy, who was on the lookout, while Frank paid more attention
to the easy working of the motor, and the steering of the hydroplane,
uttered an exclamation of satisfaction.
"I see it, dead ahead!" he remarked, in a satisfied tone. "We made a bee
line to the place from the foot of the mountain, Frank. And unless I'm
away off in my guess, the farmhouse lies over yonder beyond the trees;
so nobody's apt to see us come down; and we can make any sort of yarn we
want, to explain just why we're here right now."
"We can do that all right, without telling anything that isn't so,"
replied the other aviator. "The farmer doesn't know us, though Sallie
will, and on that account we must be careful what we say. But the
dinner's the main thing just now. And at the same time we'll try and
pick up a little information, if Farmer Hoskins happens to know anything
that would interest two fellows of our stamp."
He passed over the opening once, to make sure that it contained all the
necessary requisites for a successful landing, and also a launching of
the airship. Then, making a graceful sweep back again, Frank allowed the
aeroplane to drop lightly to the ground. It landed in almost the center
of the field, and both boys saw that they might get away again without a
great amount of trouble.
"Fine!" was the comment of the pilot, as he jumped to the ground, and
bent over to detach some part of the machinery without which the motor,
as Andy always said, "would not move worth a cent." This he often took
with him, just as a chauffeur might the spark plug of an automobile,
rendering it helpless unless the would-be thief were prepared to supply
the deficiency off-hand, which was a remote possibility that never
worried Frank.
"Now for grub!" announced the hungry Andy, leading off in the direction
where he had reason to believe the farmhouse lay; Frank always declared
that Andy had a most wonderful nose for a meal that was preparing, and
could spot a camp a mile away just by the smell of frying onions, or
coffee cooking.
At any rate he proved to be a successful pilot on the present occasion,
for in a short time they were passing through an abandoned grain field
where the bees and butterflies were swarming about the many lavender
colored flowers of the great clumps of thistles; and the smoke from the
farmhouse kitchen arose just over a little knoll.
"Told you so," said Andy, as they drew near the house, and caught
fragrant odors of cooking in the air.
Upon their knocking a girl came to the open door, and recognized Frank
immediately as a boy she had met at the country dance the preceding
winter. But nothing she said would indicate that the Hoskins, living
here away from the world as they did, with the head of the house
spending all his time hunting for that treasure-trove he still believed
in, had heard anything to speak of about the wonderful things the Bird
boys had been doing lately.
Frank was glad of this, and he just casually mentioned that they
chanced to find themselves near the farm, and wondered if they could get
dinner there.
So the good housewife was brought out, and with true country hospitality
she immediately invited both boys to sit down with them, although saying
that they were not as well supplied with the good things that used to be
seen on their table before father took to boring those horrid holes all
over the place, thinking to strike a coal vein, or perhaps a silver
mine.
He was off now, and would not show up until night, for the farm was one
of vast dimensions, and covered miles of territory.
"But we have a boarder," said Sallie, as they sat down at the table.
"Sometimes he's here to meals, and again he gets so far away chasing his
butterflies that he just carries what he calls a snack in his pocket.
Such a queer little man he is too, with his brown glasses on, and always
running this way and that with his little net in which he captures the
butterflies that come to the thistles on our old barren fields. Perhaps
he'll turn up while you're here. I'd like you to meet Professor
Whitesides, who is from a big college, he tells us, and spending his
vacation in the way he likes. Sometimes I think he's a little off up
here," and she touched her head as she said this, "and that perhaps he
got hurt worse than he thinks, the time he met with the accident that
crippled his arm."
Somehow Andy looked up when he heard about that broken arm to find his
cousin giving him the wink, while his eyebrows were elevated in a
suggestive way, just as much as to say:
"Now, here's something mighty interesting already that would pay us to
look into; because we know of another fellow who is troubled with a
crippled arm and his name happens to be Casper Blue!"