PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN
That evening the secretary of the Aëro Club telephoned Mr. Cumberford to
ask if he wished to withdraw his entry from contest in the coming
aviation meet.
“By no means,” was the reply.
“But you state that Kane is to be the aviator, and we are informed that
Kane has a broken leg.”
“Leave the entry as it stands: ‘Kane, Aviator,’” said Cumberford,
positively.
“Very well, sir,” returned the secretary, evidently puzzled.
But his friend Burthon, who had suggested his telephoning, was highly
pleased when he learned Mr. Cumberford’s decision.
“All right,” he observed, with satisfaction; “we’ll leave the Kane
Aircraft on the programme, for everyone is talking of the wonderful
device and the announcement of its competition will be the greatest
drawing card we have. But the entry of ‘Kane, Aviator’ will disqualify
anyone but Kane from operating the aircraft, and I happen to know his
leg is in a plaster cast and he cannot use it for months to come.”
“Won’t it hurt us to disqualify the Kane Aircraft and have it withdrawn
at the last moment?” inquired the secretary, doubtfully.
“No; for I’m going to spring on the crowd the biggest surprise of the
century—Burthon’s Biplane.”
“Are you sure of its success, sir?”
“Absolutely. Kane copied his machine from mine, as I have before
explained to you, and in addition to all the good points he has
exhibited I have the advantage of a perfect automatic balance. If Kane’s
device had been equipped with it he wouldn’t have fallen the other day.”
Perhaps Mr. Burthon was sincere in saying this. He had had no
opportunity to examine Stephen’s latest creation at close quarters, but
on the day of the trial at Kane Park he had observed the fact that
Stephen had abandoned the automatic balance he had first patented, and
now had recourse to crossed planes. Both Burthon and his mechanics
considered the original device the best and most practical, and they
depended upon it for the biggest advertisement of Burthon’s Improved
Biplane, having of course no hint that Stephen had tested it and found
it sadly lacking.
On the 26th the Burthon flyer was ready for trial, and Tot Tyler, after
several attempts, got it into the air and made a short flight that
filled the heart of Mr. Burthon with elation.
“Curtiss and the Wrights will do better than that, though,” observed the
ex-chauffeur, “to say nothing of those daredevils Latham and Hoxsey.
I’ll improve after a few more trials, but I can’t promise ever to do
better than the other fellows do.”
“That isn’t to be expected,” returned Burthon. “I’m not backing you to
excel the performances of the old aviators; that isn’t my point. The
improvements and novelties we have to show will take the wind out of the
sails of all other aëroplanes and result in a flood of orders. Comparing
machine for machine, we’re years in advance of the Wrights and
Curtiss—and centuries ahead of those foreign devices.”
“Perhaps,” admitted Tot. “But Kane’s aëroplane is practically the same
as your own, and it is still on the programme.”
“It won’t fly, though,” declared Burthon, with a laugh. “Don’t worry
about anything but your own work, Tyler. Leave all the rest to me.”
The man knew his employer was playing a hazardous game and that he had
stolen outright the Kane Aircraft, and while the knowledge did not add
to Tot Tyler’s nerve or assurance he was gleeful over the prospect of
“doing” his enemy, Cumberford. The little fellow was bold enough—even to
the point of bravery—and fully as unprincipled as his employer. His
hatred of Cumberford was so acrid that he would have gone to any length,
even without pay, to defeat his plans, and Burthon found him an eager
and willing tool. Nevertheless, the little man scented danger ahead of
them and had an idea that trouble was brewing from some unknown source.
By this time Burthon had begun a campaign of widespread publicity, and
in spite of the long list of famous aviators in the city the newspapers
were filled with pictures of the Burthon device and accounts of the
marvelous flights of Totham Tyler. Nothing more was heard of the Kane
Aircraft, but the public had not forgotten it and many were puzzled that
two local aëroplane makers should be exhibiting identically the same
improvements, each claiming to have originated them. As for the visiting
aviators, they were interested, but held their peace. The performances
at the coming competition would tell the story of supremacy, and
whatever good points were displayed by the local inventors could
doubtless be adapted to their own craft. They waited, therefore, for
proof of the glowing claims made in the newspapers. Many promising
inventions have turned out to be failures.
The public was, to an extent, in the same doubting mood. Kane’s
magnificent public flight had ended with an accident, while Tyler’s
preliminary exhibitions were in no way remarkable as compared with
records already established. The meet would tell the story.
Meantime Orissa completed her repairs. On the day that Steve came home
from the hospital in an ambulance she wheeled him in an invalid chair to
the hangar and allowed the boy to inspect a perfect aircraft. The young
man suffered no pain, and although he was physically helpless his eye
and brain were as keen as ever. Being wheeled around the device, so that
he could observe it from all sides and at all angles, he made a thorough
examination of his sister’s work and declared it excellent.
“Think you can manage it, Ris?” he asked, referring to her proposed
venture.
“I am sure I can,” she promptly replied. “You must understand—all of
you,” turning to confront Mr. Cumberford and Sybil, who were present,
“that I am not undertaking this flight from choice. Had Steve been able
to exhibit his own aëroplane I might never have tried to fly alone; but
it seems to me that our fortune, my brother’s future career, and our
friend Mr. Cumberford’s investment, all hinge upon our making a good
showing at Dominguez Field. No one but me is competent to properly
exhibit the aircraft, to show all its good points and prove what it is
capable of doing. Therefore I have undertaken to save our reputation and
our money, and I am sure that my decision is proper and right.”
“I agree with you,” said Steve, eagerly. “You’re a brave little girl,
Ris.”
“I have but one request to make, Mr. Cumberford,” she added.
“What is it, Orissa?” he inquired.
“Do not advertise me as ‘The Girl Aviator,’ or by any other such name. I
prefer people should remain ignorant of the fact that a girl is
operating the Kane Aircraft. Can’t you keep quiet about it?”
“I can, and will,” he asserted. “Indeed, my dear, I much prefer that
course. It will be all the more interesting when—when—the discovery is
made.”
“I do not wish to become a celebrity,” she said, seriously. “One in the
family is enough,” glancing proudly at Steve, “and I’m afraid nice
people would think me unmaidenly and bold to become a public aviator.
I’m not at all freakish—indeed, I’m not!—and only stern necessity
induces me to face this ordeal.”
“My dear,” said Mr. Cumberford, looking at her admiringly, “your
feelings shall be considered in every possible way. But you must not
imagine you are the first female aviator. In Europe—especially in
France—a score of women have made successful flights, and not one is
considered unwomanly or has forfeited any claim to the world’s respect
and applause.”
“The most successful aviators of the future,” remarked Stephen,
thoughtfully, “are bound to be women. As a rule they are lighter than
men, more supple and active, quick of perception and less liable to lose
their heads in emergencies. The operation of an aëroplane is, it seems
to me, especially fitted to women.”
“Ah!” exclaimed Sybil, with a whimsical glance at the speaker, “I have
discovered my future vocation. I shall aviate parties of atmospheric
tourists. When the passenger airships are introduced I’ll become the
original sky motoress, and so win fame and fortune.”
Steve laughed, but shook his head.
“The airship of the future will not be a passenger affair,” he
predicted, “but an individual machine for personal use. They’ll be
cheaper than automobiles, and more useful, for they can go direct to
their destination in a straight ‘air-line.’ Men will use them to go to
business, women to visit town on shopping expeditions or to take an
airing for pleasure; but I’m sure they will be built for but one
person.”
“Then I’ll have one and become a free lance in the sky, roaming where I
will,” declared Sybil.
This unconventional girl had developed a decided fancy for the inventor,
and while in his presence it was noticed that she became less reserved
and mysterious than at other times. Steve liked Sybil, too, although she
was so strong a contrast to his own beautiful sister. When she cared to
be agreeable Miss Cumberford proved interesting and was, Steve thought,
“good company.” Orissa observed that Sybil invariably presented the best
side of her character to Steve. While he was in the hospital the girl
visited him daily, and now that he had come home again she passed most
of her time at the hangar.
Mr. Cumberford was greatly annoyed to learn that the Kane headquarters
at Dominguez Field had been given a location in the rear of all the
others, where it would be practically unnoticed. Of course this slight
was attributed to Burthon’s influence with the committee of
arrangements, of which he was a member. Burthon’s own hangar, on the
contrary, had a very prominent position. From his man Brewster, as well
as from others, Mr. Cumberford also learned that Burthon had hinted he
would prevent the Kane Aircraft from taking any part in the contests.
All these things worried the Kane party, whose anxieties would have been
sufficient had they not been forced to encounter the petty malice of
Burthon. Sybil, silently listening to all that was said, assumed a more
mysterious air than usual, and on the day previous to the opening of the
great aviation meet she informed her father that she would not accompany
him to Dominguez, where he was bound to attend to all final
preparations. The decision surprised him, but being accustomed to his
daughter’s sudden whims he made no reply and left her in their rooms at
the hotel.
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