A HYDROPLANE RESCUE
All this while Andy's nerves had been strained to a high pitch. And it
was not at all singular, therefore, that when the anticipated event came
to pass he gave vent to a loud cry.
"Looky! Frank; they're going to drop! Something must have happened to
the motor or else a plane guy broke to cripple them!" was what he almost
shrieked.
Frank was watching, though he had not uttered a single sound. He knew
that the half expected crisis was now upon them. At least his heart
found cause for rejoicing that if an accident had to happen, it affected
the other aeroplane rather than their own. It is much easier to bear
watching another's troubles than to bear your own.
What Andy had said was the truth, for the craft they were chasing after
had taken a sudden dip, and was fluttering downward.
If you have ever seen a crippled bird trying hard to keep afloat, you
can have a pretty good conception of how that biplane dropped lower and
lower toward the water.
That it did not fall like a lump of lead spoke volumes for the
magnificent management of the pilot who controlled the levers, and whose
long experience had taught him just what to do in such a dreadful
emergency as this.
Frank had instantly cut off much of their power, though they still
continued to sweep onward toward the place of the catastrophe, and were
rapidly drawing near the falling aeroplane.
Both boys stared at the terrible picture of the descending biplane
nearing the heaving surface of the lake. It seemed very serious indeed,
for any one to drop in this way; and yet how much more dangerous to fall
upon land, where the wrecked aviators would stand a good chance of
broken limbs, even though they saved their necks.
Then a cry from the impulsive Andy told that the biplane was in the
water. If the engine had broken loose there was a pretty fair chance
that the craft with its long extended planes would float, and even bear
up the two aviators. Perhaps the quick-witted Casper Blue had looked out
for just such a contingency, and found a way to free the framework from
the dead weight of the motor.
Frank had all he could do to manipulate his own craft, for in order to
alight successfully, even as a wild duck does, he must make a turn, and
head up into the wind.
That meant the passage of a certain length of time; and meanwhile who
could say what might not be happening to the imperiled men?
On the other hand, Andy could not tear his horrified gaze away from the
wreck of the fallen biplane; and it was really upon him that the
navigator must depend for his information as to how things were going.
Fortunately Andy could talk as well as look; no matter if his tongue did
show a decided inclination to cleave to the roof of his mouth with
horror, he managed to find a way to make it wag.
"It floats, Frank, sure it floats!" he ejaculated, presently, even as
the other was in the act of making a sweeping curve, and skilfully
ducking a squally puff of wind, turn back over the course they had just
covered, to sink down upon the heaving waters when he found the chance.
"Yes, they must have kicked the engine overboard. That makes three poor
old Perc has lost, don't it? There they are, both of 'em, squattin' in
the middle of the wreck, just as cool as you please, awaitin' for us to
call in and take 'em off. Hope it don't sink before we c'n get back. If
either one can't swim they'd go down like a stone. Now you're around,
Frank; and we're heading straight for the place. Hurrah! Hold hard there
and we'll lend you a helpin' hand!"
He even waved toward the two men by now pretty well submerged in the
water, but who seemed to be still clinging to the floating aeroplane, as
though recognizing that their position might be much more desperate
should they cut loose from that buoy.
Frank was watching closely, to pick out a favorable opportunity to
alight. Well did he know the chances he and his chum were taking in thus
dropping upon the heaving surface of such a tremendous body of water as
Lake Ontario. It was true that they had successfully performed this
operation many times with their other hydroplane, but that was upon the
much calmer waters of little Sunrise Lake, where the sea never arose
heavy enough to imperil the floating aircraft. It would be much more
perilous now, under these conditions; but Frank had made up his mind to
attempt the rescue of those in the water, and was not to be easily
daunted.
When the right opening came he allowed the hydroplane to dip gently
down, making sure that there was as little violence as possible in the
drop, because of the chance of burying the forward propeller under; or
losing his balance, upon which so much depended.
Andy knew what he was expected to do, and was nimbly endeavoring to
swing his weight this way or that after they had launched on the waves,
so as to keep the pontoons on an even keel, and prevent a disastrous
spill. For once this occurred, the hydroplane would be of little more
advantage than the wrecked biplane, which barely upheld the two clinging
men, and was evidently sinking lower under the strain, with each passing
second, until the end must be in sight.
At least they had dropped safely. The pontoons had been cleverly
adjusted so as to bear a just proportion of the weight, and they did
their duty faithfully and well in this great crisis.
Of course, the next thing was to try and work closer to the sinking
biplane, and take the men aboard, one at a time. That would be a risky
proceeding, requiring all the skill that Frank could bring to the front.
In the first place he had chosen to drop beyond the wreck of Percy's
biplane. This he had purposely done, in the hope that the wind might
drift them down upon the other aircraft.
A minute's observation convinced Frank, however, that if they waited for
this to happen, the frail support which was buoying Casper Blue and his
mate up would have gone under long long before they could get within
touch.
Already the second man was shrieking for them to hurry, because he could
feel himself slowly but surely sinking; and he let them know that he
could not swim a stroke.
Plainly, then, they must do something to quicken things, if they meant
to be of any service to the two rogues, thus brought to a sudden halt
just when escape had seemed most bright.
Frank remembered his engine. But would it work under such strange
conditions as this? He quickly saw that the rear propeller was half
buried in the water; and if it turned at all would have to churn things
just as though they were in truth a queerly fashioned boat, instead of
an airship, intended to mount to lofty heights, and vie with the eagle
in his circling above the clouds.
Quickly, then, he started to make the trial; and Andy, seeing his
movement, comprehended what he must have in mind; for he swung out in
such fashion as to preserve a balance, and thus help things along as far
as lay in his power.
What a sensation of relief that hum of the faithful little Kincaid
engine brought in its train, as it once more took up the burden of its
busy song. Why, it seemed to Andy as though he could almost shout in
sudden relief, when he heard it first, and saw the water flying from the
partly submerged propeller.
But Frank was wise enough not to turn on full speed, knowing what a
terrific strain this condition of affairs must be upon the entire
fabric, flimsy at best; and if anything gave way it was all over with
them; for if a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a
heavier-than-air flying machine certainly comes under the same category.
"We're going it, Frank!" shouted Andy, when he saw that their speed had
increased several hundred per cent, and that they were now heading
straight for the partly submerged air navigators.
It never occurred to Andy that either of the men might offer the
slightest objection to being rescued. Frank looked a little further
ahead; but even he could hardly believe that Casper Blue would prefer
to drown rather than be saved.
What Frank was really concerning himself about more than anything else
was how he could stow away the two fellows, once they found a chance to
climb aboard the hydroplane; and whether he could get enough impetus
from the engine with such an unusual load, to rise from the water, once
he elevated his planes.
"Hurry! oh! Hurry! I'm going down!" cried the larger man.
Casper never said a word. Possibly, being a swimmer, he did not feel the
same degree of terror that his companion experienced. Then again, he may
have been coolly figuring on how he might turn the rescue to his own
advantage in some way; for he seemed to have that little black box slung
over his back by means of the strap; and it was easy to understand that
it must, as Andy had guessed, contain something of considerable more
value than a mere camera.
Now they were closing in. The hydroplane round-up was being carried out
in what seemed to be a successful manner; and if all went well during
the next few minutes the drifting fugitives would be hauled aboard by
Andy, who stood ready to act the part of gallant rescuer to the king's
taste.
It happened by mere accident that they were on that side of the sinking
wreck where the larger man clung; and this was just as it should have
been, since he seemed more in need of help, at least in far greater
distress of mind, than the smaller man.
"Get ready, Andy!" warned the pilot; "I'll shut off the power if it
seems best; but it may keep us on a more even keel if we move along."
"I'm going to try and get hold, and then pull him aboard; hope we don't
have a spill, though!" the other sent back, as he braced himself as best
the conditions allowed.
Frank gave one little turn to the rudder, for he was afraid that they
might get past without coming in reach. Then the gap was completed, and
Andy, leaning over, managed to get hold of the sinking man by the collar
of his coat.
There was where the greatest danger lay.
When a man or a boy has the terror of drowning pressed in upon his
heart, he is usually a most unreasonable being; and will even clasp his
intended rescuer about the neck, and prevent him from carrying out his
plans that might have worked well only for this blundering.
"Take it easy, you!" yelled Andy, as he saw the man clutch hold of the
framework of the hydroplane, and struggle desperately to work his way
along to where the others were. "If you give us half a chance we'll save
you, all right; but upset us and well all like as not go down together.
Slower, I tell you, or I'll give you this to teach you something. This
ain't an ocean liner, d'ye understand. Let up!"
Whether it was the excited words of the boy, the manner in which he
flourished that short steel bar, or his ferocious looks, that brought
the excited man to his senses no one could ever say; but he did relax
some of his frantic movements and began to act more within reason.
This presently gave Andy the opportunity he wanted to stretch out a
helping hand, and get a firm grip of the other's coat collar; after
which he exerted himself to the utmost to assist him to climb aboard.
What with his own weight, and the fact that his clothes were dripping
with water, the addition of the new passenger caused the delicately
constructed and already heavily freighted hydroplane to sink more
deeply.
Frank, in that supreme moment realized that it would be almost a
hopeless task to think of once more flying, with such a cargo aboard.
Possibly the best they could do would be to keep afloat, and hope that
the pursuing tug might come up with them before the darkness set in;
and they could all be rescued.
Now that the first of the imperiled airmen had been hauled aboard, there
remained but Casper Blue himself. The wreck had not as yet sunk wholly,
since, relieved from the weight of the heavy man, it seemed to possess
enough buoyancy to remain on the surface of the water. But this could be
only for a short time; the planes would soon be thoroughly soaked, and
then the end must come, when the clinging man would find himself
deprived of all support, and must swim or go down.
He had something of a half defiant look on his small sunburned face, as
he saw Andy trying to draw the wreck toward him, with the evident
intention of giving him the next opening. Perhaps he was half inclined
to take his chances as he was, rather than allow these two boys to make
him a prisoner.
Frank had his mind made up. He figured that both men had been long
enough in the water to have their weapons well soaked, so that they
would be in no condition to threaten their rescuers.
"The box, make him pass it up first, or we leave him here!" he called
out to Andy, as the latter was about to reach out and lay hold of the
smaller man.
Casper Blue glared almost savagely at Frank. For the moment the Bird
boys even thought the enraged man would hurl defiance back at them, and
declare that he preferred taking his chances with the wreck rather than
give up the spoils.
But just then it happened, fortunately, that the remnant of the biplane
began to settle more positively than before, warning him that it was
folly to pin any hope on its buoying him up more than a few minutes at
most.
"Here, take it!" he snarled, handing up the box; which Andy immediately
passed over to his cousin before he would stretch out his hand again to
render the defeated yeggman any assistance.
Then Casper Blue was drawn aboard, and lower still sank the buoyant
hydroplane, until both propellers were almost wholly submerged beneath
the surface of the heaving billows that came rolling on, steadily and
remorselessly.