CAPTURING AN AËROPLANE
As they sat with downcast countenances, reflecting upon their
uncomfortable position, Orissa said quietly:
"I've thought of something to relieve us. The idea came to me when
Chesty insisted our launch could run the blockade."
"Speak out, Ris," exclaimed Steve. "Your ideas are pretty good ones, as
a rule. What's the proposition?"
"Why, we all seem to have forgotten the Hy."
"The Hydro-Aircraft?"
"Yes. It is lying quite safe, and in apple-pie order, in the little
ravine at the foot of the bluff where we camped."
"But it is minus its plane-cloths," added Sybil. "Our tent is still
standing, for I saw it from deck only an hour ago."
"It won't take long to attach the plane-cloths," said Steve, "provided
those brigands will let us do it. It's rather odd they haven't taken
the trouble to capture the Aircraft already. It would be easy for
Ramon to declare it 'wreck.'"
"What would be the use?" asked Madeline. "They could not fly it, even
if they knew how to put it in order; and, as they imagine we cannot get
to it, they are not worrying about the thing. Of course they are able
to see that tent on the bluff as easily as we can, and by and by they
will go there and capture whatever the girls left."
"True. That is why we must lose no unnecessary time," observed Orissa.
"I do not yet see what the proposition is," asserted Chesty, in a
puzzled tone.
"I know what Orissa means," returned Steve quickly. "There's plenty of
gasoline on board--I think nearly a barrel--intended for the use of the
launch. If I could get to the Aircraft and fill its tanks with gasoline
no one could prevent my flying home, where I could get a ship and men
to come to our rescue."
"That interests me; it does, really!" said Mr. Cumberford. "It's so
easy and practical I wonder none of us thought of it before."
"I've had the possibilities in mind for some time," declared Orissa,
"but I had no idea we could get to the Aircraft until Chesty proposed
running the blockade in our launch."
"It's a fine idea," said Chesty, with enthusiasm. "I mean both our
ideas--the combination, Orissa."
"I believe it will solve all our difficulties," added Madeline,
confidently. "But will not this journey be a hazardous one for Mr. Kane
to undertake?"
"I think not," replied Orissa. "The same amount of gasoline that
brought Sybil and me to this place will carry the machine back again,
and Steve can go more directly than we came, for he knows exactly how
to head."
"Then!" said Chesty Todd, "the plan is this: We'll put enough gasoline
in cans to fill the tanks of the aëroplane, load 'em into the launch,
and to-night Steve and I will sneak out of this inlet, slip past the
Mexican's launch and hie us to that ravine of yours. Is there room
enough for our boat to enter the bay you described, or is that big rock
too close to shore to let us pass?"
"There will be just about room for you to pass in, I think," answered
Orissa.
"But the big launch couldn't do it?"
"Ramon's? No, indeed."
"Very good."
"Who will fly with me to San Diego?" asked Steve. "The Aircraft carries
two, you know. One of the women ought to go. I wish we could carry them
all away from this dangerous place."
"Let them draw cuts for it," suggested Chesty.
"You can let me out," said Sybil; "I won't leave Daddy."
"Nonsense!" cried her father.
"Then I'm nonsensical," laughed Sybil, "for I won't budge an inch
without you. That wicked Mexican might capture you in a jiffy if I
wasn't here to look after you. Not a word, sir; the thing is settled,
as far as I am concerned."
"I cannot go, of course," said Madeline. "This is my yacht and I must
stand by it, and by my men, to the last. Nor could I with courtesy
escape and leave my guests in danger."
"Then it shall be Mrs. Tupper," proposed Orissa.
"Me? Me? Goodness sakes, child," cried Mrs. Tupper, in great alarm, "do
you think I'd risk my life in that dreadful airship?"
"You'll risk it by staying," suggested her husband.
"But there's a chance of salvation here," asserted the lady, with
nervous haste. "I'd get light-headed and tumble out of that aëroplane
in two minutes. And they'd hear me yell from Japan to San Francisco,
I'd be so scared. I can stand death, Mr. Tupper, with Christian
fortitude; but not torture!"
"Orissa?" said Steve, inquiringly.
"Yes; I'll go. I may be of more assistance to you all by going than
by staying. And I will run the machine, Steve, and take you as a
passenger. I've tinkered that steering-gear until I know just how to
manage it."
Steve nodded.
"As I understand it, Miss Dentry," said he, "my mission will be to
charter a fast steamship, for which Mr. Cumberford and I will pay, and
bring it here to drag the _Salvador_ off this beach. The crew, which I
will see is well armed, will work in conjunction with yours and when we
outnumber Ramon Ganza's band of rascals he will probably run away to
his den without attempting to fight."
"Ramon never run," protested Pietro, shaking his head. "You cannot
scare Ramon. The more men you bring, the more he has to fight; that is
all."
This gloomy prophecy made them look grave for a time.
"Our Pietro is a pessimist," said Chesty, with assumed cheerfulness.
"But some day the Mexican government will find this invincible hero and
send a warship to blow his island out of the water."
"Why--yes!" exclaimed Madeline, with sudden inspiration; "the Mexican
government is interested in this affair. Why not fly to the nearest
point on the Mexican coast, Mr. Kane, and from there telegraph
President Madero? I believe he would send a warship at once, both to
capture Ramon Ganza and to rescue us from his clutches."
"Um-m. Madero has his hands full, just now, putting down revolutions at
home," Mr. Cumberford reminded her. "And maybe he isn't interested in
Ganza, who was convicted of a felony under the régime of Diaz."
"I can try him, anyhow," said Steve. "The Mexican coast is about fifty
miles nearer than San Diego."
"Madero has offer one thousan' dollar--Mexican--for capture of Ramon,"
said Pietro, proudly. "So much money shows Ramon is great man."
"In that case you'd better give Madero a chance at him, Steve," decided
Mr. Cumberford. "A man-o'-war would be more effective here than a
trading ship, and in the interests of humanity we should put an end to
this fellow's cruel tyranny for good and all. He's far better off in
jail."
After some further discussion this plan was finally decided on and
preparations were begun for the adventure. During the afternoon the
cans of gasoline were placed in the launch and Steve went over the
machinery of the little boat with great care, to assure himself it was
in perfect order.
The nights were never really dark until toward morning, when the stars
seemed to dim and the moon dipped below the horizon. Sometimes there
were a few drifting clouds, but they never obscured the sky long enough
to be utilized as a mask. So Steve decided to make his attempt at the
dark hour preceding dawn and made Orissa go to bed and get what sleep
she could. She said her good-byes to the others then, so it would not
be necessary to disturb them at the time of departure.
At three o'clock her brother called her and told her to get ready.
Chesty and Steve were seated in the launch when the girl arrived on
deck, and she quickly took her place. While it was much darker than
it had been earlier in the night, Orissa found she could see near-by
objects quite distinctly. Four of the crew, headed by Captain Krell,
were standing by to lower the launch over the side, and as the owls
were hooting their most dismal chorus their screams drowned any noise
made by the windlass.
No sooner had the launch touched the surface than Chesty dipped his
scull in the water and with a dexterous motion sent the little craft
forward toward the mouth of the inlet. They might have been seen from
the shore had the Mexicans been alert, but at this hour many who were
supposed to be watching had fallen asleep, and if any remained awake
their eyes were not turned upon the waters of the tiny bay. Quite
noiselessly the launch moved on and presently turned the point of rock
at the right.
Orissa stifled a cry and Steve's heart gave a bound as the bow of the
launch pointed straight at the big boat of Ramon, scarcely ten feet
distant; but Chesty saw the danger, too, and a sharp swing of the scull
sent the light craft spinning around so that it just grazed the side of
the Mexican's boat, in which all the occupants were fast asleep.
Next moment they had passed it, and still Chesty continued sculling, as
it was not safe as yet to start the engines. But when they had skirted
the shore for such a distance that the screeching of the owls would be
likely to drown the noise of their motor, Steve started the machinery
and the launch darted away at full speed.
Half an hour later they crept between the big rock and the bluff
and were safe in the deep hollow at the foot of the ravine, having
accomplished the adventure so easily that they marvelled at their own
success.
"Strikes me as a good omen," remarked Orissa, cheerfully, as they
disembarked and drew the launch upon the sands. "I hope the luck will
follow you on your return, Chesty."
"Me?" replied the big boy. "Why, nothing ever happens to me. Let us
hope the good luck will follow you and Steve, on whom the safety of the
entire party now depends. What first, Steve?
"The tent. We must get that down before daybreak, so they won't see us
working on it from the bay, and interfere with our proposed flight."
Orissa led the way to the bluff and at once Steve and Chesty began
tumbling the rocks from the edges of the canvas. This was no light
task, for the girls had erected a solid parapet in order to defy the
wind; but just as the first streaks of dawn appeared the tent came down
and they hastily seized the canvas, added it to the covering of the
upper plane, which had been inside the tent, and lugged it all down the
incline to where the frame of the Aircraft lay.
"Very good," said Steve. "We'll need the daylight now, in order to
attach the cloth."
They had not long to wait, and while Steve, assisted by Radley-Todd,
fastened the cloth in place with the clips provided for that purpose,
which Orissa had carefully saved, the girl herself inspected the
machinery and all the framework, even to the last brace, to be sure it
was in condition for the long trip. She also oiled the steering gear
and thoroughly tested it to see that it worked freely.
By nine o'clock the planes were tautly spread and the tanks had been
filled with gasoline.
"I think we are all ready for the start," said Steve. "But how about
you, Chesty? As soon as we roll the Aircraft to the top of the bluff
the Mexicans will see us and start for this place to try to intercept
us. Orissa and I will be gone, when they arrive; but they may find you,
unless you make tracks."
"How do you expect to regain the ship?" asked Orissa, who had not
considered this matter before.
"Don't worry about me, I beg of you," retorted the boy, hastily. "I
shall be all right. All ready, Steve?"
Steve looked at him thoughtfully.
"I think that when they see us fly away they may give up the idea of
coming here," said he; "and, in that case, you'd better lie here in the
ravine until night, when you can try to steal back in the same way we
came."
"All right, old man; never mind me."
"But we _do_ mind you, Chesty," said Orissa, earnestly. "You've been
a faithful friend ever since we got into this difficulty--and before,
too--so we can't have anything happen to you."
He blushed like a girl, but declared he would be perfectly safe.
"Don't take any foolish chances," urged Orissa.
"I won't."
They rolled the Aircraft up to the top of the bluff and set it with
the head facing the sea. Then Steve and Orissa took their places and
Chesty, giving them each a hearty handclasp, spun the propeller blade
as Steve started the engine.
At once the aëroplane darted forward, rose as it passed the bluff, and
sailed gracefully into the air. Chesty hid his six-feet-three behind
a boulder, to shield himself from observation, while he watched the
splendid machine turn upon its course and speed away over the Pacific
on its errand of rescue.
Then, with a sigh of relief and elation, the boy crept into the ravine
and descended to where his boat lay. Seated in the launch, calmly
awaiting him, were three of the Mexicans, headed by the one-eyed
Francisco.