ON NEUTRAL SOIL.
"Surely you are not afraid, Alexis?" exclaimed Chester.
"Afraid!" shouted Alexis. "Of course I am not afraid. But"--he eyed the
large aeroplane dubiously--"but a man was not made to fly about in the
air like a bird, particularly a man of my weight. Besides, I do not like
great height. If I stand upon a precipice, I am immediately struck with
the notion that I must jump off. If I jumped from an aeroplane I might
upset it."
Both Hal and Chester laughed.
"I was that way myself once," said Chester, "so I know just how you
feel. Many a man, otherwise very brave, has that same horror of height.
However, you will soon get used to it."
"Maybe so," said Alexis dubiously. "However, if one man can fly, why, so
can I. I am willing to take a chance."
"Good!" exclaimed Hal. "Now to get started."
Leaving Lodz, the three had made their way north, keeping as close to
the German border as was safe, until they had reached Riga, on the Gulf
of Riga, which extends in from the Baltic Sea. Here they had at first
thought of going part of the distance by boat, but, because of the
likelihood of the approach of German warships in the Baltic, had given
up this plan and decided upon an aeroplane.
"We came to Russia in an airship," Hal had said. "We might as well go
back in one. Besides, it is quicker."
And so it was agreed.
Ten miles south of Riga, surrounded by Russian airmen, they climbed into
the craft which the Russian commander in the little city had provided
for them. The plane was large and roomy, having a seating capacity of
five.
Hal took his place at the steering wheel and Chester climbed aboard.
Still eyeing the flying craft suspiciously, Alexis followed Chester,
and, sitting down suddenly, took hold of the seat with both hands and
hung on for dear life, although the craft was still upon the ground.
Then he lowered his head and shut his eyes.
Hal gave the word, and willing hands started the machine along the
ground. Gradually it gained momentum until it was skimming over the
ground at a rapid gait. Then Hal threw over the elevating lever, and the
machine shot into the air amid the cheers of the Russians below.
Alexis was conscious of a sinking sensation in the region of his
stomach, and he ducked his head even lower as the car rose higher in the
air.
"Look up, Alexis!" shouted Chester, reaching over and laying a hand on
the Cossack's arm.
Now that the machine had reached a good height, Hal held it steady, and
it darted ahead on a straightaway course. The plane shook with the
vibrations of the engine, but otherwise there was scarcely a noticeable
motion.
Now that the machine was more steady, Alexis, in response to Chester's
command, slowly opened his eyes and looked about. Seeing nothing, he
closed them again immediately, and again ducked his head. Once more
Chester yelled at him to look about, and at last Alexis raised his head
and glanced into the distance.
"This is a terrible place for a man to be," he muttered with a shudder.
"If man were meant to fly he would have been given wings. It is tempting
the wrath of the elements to be here."
As he looked about him, however, and became conscious of the steadiness
of the craft, his composure returned, and soon he was making inquiries
regarding the construction of the craft, its speed and the height to
which it could ascend. He glanced over the side of the machine, and then
looked quickly upward again. The one glance below had made him ill.
He smiled faintly. "I can't look down yet," he said ruefully. "I suppose
I'll get used to it in time; but now I had better keep my eyes inside."
"How fast are we going, Hal?" asked Chester.
"Sixty-five miles an hour," was Hal's reply.
Alexis was astonished.
"Sixty-five miles!" he ejaculated. "Why, it seems as if we were standing
still."
"If we were close enough to the earth you would soon notice the
difference," said Chester.
For another hour they continued on their way without incident, and then
Chester discovered the dim outline of a second aircraft trailing them at
a distance. It was not gaining, but even when Hal put on more speed, at
a word from Chester, he was unable to shake it off.
"Evidently a German," said Chester. "I suppose he wants to see where we
are going."
For another hour the plane pursued them. Then Chester perceived that
there were two instead of one, and that both were creeping up on them.
With a cry to Hal, Chester picked two rifles from the bottom of the car.
"We'll have to fight them off!" he cried.
Alexis stirred uneasily in his seat.
"I was afraid of it," he muttered. "Now, what will happen to me when I
go hurtling through space to the ground below?"
He shuddered.
Hal, in response to a command from Chester, slowed down suddenly. Taking
careful aim at one of the pursuers, Chester emptied the magazine of his
first rifle. There came from behind the sounds of screams, followed by
an explosion.
"What was that?" cried Alexis in alarm.
"I got one of them!" replied Chester calmly. "The plane has gone to
earth."
The second pursuing plane reduced its speed, but still clung on the
trail of its would-be prey.
"We'll have to dispose of it some way, Hal," shouted Chester. "Turn
quickly and run toward it, and I'll see if I can't send it to the
ground."
He held his rifle ready as he spoke. Reducing the speed of the craft a
trifle, Hal brought its head about in a wide circle; then darted
suddenly toward the enemy.
But the latter was not caught unprepared, and a rifle bullet whistled
close to Alexis' ear.
The giant Cossack clapped a hand to his head and for the first time
looked toward the enemy. Then, reaching to the bottom of the machine, he
raised up with a weapon, and, aiming at the hull of the enemy in the
distance, poured the entire contents of the magazine into it. At the
same moment a well-directed shot from Chester's rifle struck the pilot.
He sprang to his feet, spun around crazily, and plunged from the car. A
moment later and the aeroplane blew up with a loud bang.
Alexis, who had seen the pilot go overboard, let out a cry of dismay. He
could not help but think of the terrible fall to the ground.
"Good work, Alexis!" cried Chester. "I told you you would get used to it
before long."
"I am not used to it," replied the giant, "but when a bullet whistles
past my ear I get mad. I just naturally have to fight back."
Nevertheless he made a brave effort to appear unconcerned, and he took a
look over the side. At that moment Hal allowed the car to glide slowly
nearer the earth. For a moment Alexis was unaware of this sinking
sensation; but suddenly treetops came into view, and the Cossack let out
a cry of alarm:
"We're sinking!" he exclaimed.
Hal laughed.
"Just coming down to get a look about," he replied. "Now, if you will
look over at the earth a few moments, you will soon overcome your
uneasiness."
Alexis, taking a long breath, did so; and he continued to peer over the
side, even after Hal, touching the elevating lever, sent the plane high
in the air again.
Darkness fell and still the 'plane sped on. Then, so suddenly that they
seemed to spring up from nowhere, the swiftly moving aeroplane was
surrounded on all sides--as it seemed to the voyagers--by a score of
hostile aircraft, while shots rang out from several sides.
Hal acted promptly, as had always been his wont. He allowed the 'plane
to drop a good quarter of a mile with a sudden lurch, and then righting
it, darted forward again. For a moment they had shaken off the foe, but
the latter was not long in finding them. Searchlights flashed in the
sky, seeking out the prey.
By a series of clever maneuvers, Hal succeeded in evading the hostile
craft during the long hours of the night, turning first this way and
then that, rising and falling. But with the first gray of dawn, it
became plain to both boys that escape was practically impossible.
Looking down Hal saw water below him, and at the same moment the hostile
air fleet ten 'planes strong, swooped down on them.
Chester's rifle cracked, as did that of Alexis. Bullets flew about all
three occupants of the machine, and then the craft, struck in a vital
spot, staggered. The 'plane began to sink slowly. In vain did Hal try to
check the descent. The machine, still heading slightly toward the north,
glided toward the water below.
Suddenly Hal made out something below besides water. It was land. The
lad breathed easier, for it was plain, that at the rate at which the
craft was sinking, it could clear the water by a good quarter of a mile,
beyond which the lad could see a sandy coast.
"It must be the coast of Sweden or Denmark," he said to himself, "in
which event we are safe, for it is neutral ground."
The Germans, realizing that their foe was sinking, did not waste another
shot on it, but swarmed after. Now the craft was close to the water.
Gently it skimmed over it, across a short stretch of sand, and then
settled slowly to the ground.
Hal and Chester glanced about. There was no one in sight on the sandy
beach and the Germans were coming right after them.
"Even though this be Sweden," said Hal, "unless Swedish troops come to
our aid, the Germans are likely to violate the neutrality of the country
and take us anyhow."
"Not without a fight," declared Alexis. "Let me get my feet on the
ground again, and I will show you such a fight as you never saw. On the
ground I can fight."
Now the 'plane was but a few scant yards from the earth. It grounded
with a shock.