choice, to accept this man's offer under the belief that the amphibian
would be better cared for and secured against any possibility of harm.
Of course he had no reason whatever to fear any rough-house treatment,
but long years ago young Ralston had learned the wisdom of "locking the
door _before_ the horse was stolen" and thereby saved himself
considerable trouble.
An air pilot's ship is to him what the valuable race-horse represents to
the track plunger--a thing to be guarded at all times as the day of the
great turf events draws closer since some desperate gambler might
attempt to dope the animal in order to win his heavy wagers.
So too, it would be a simple thing to disable the motor of a plane or
else so damage a wing that it must be out of the question for the craft
to pursue its customary duties until it had been taken to a repair shop
and put in condition. With time so valuable to them, so vital to Buddy
Warner, they could not afford to take any chances.
Before he quitted the landing-field, he made up his mind to have a
little confidential talk with Bart Hicks whom he had already sized up to
be an honest, efficient airman to whom any one could tie with an
assurance of being given a square deal.
"Perk, stick close to Suzanne--I'll be back in a short time," was what
he said to his chum. The other wagged his head as though he understood,
even though there must be a certain amount of deafness on his part,
caused by the continual racket of the motor and propeller, lasting from
the time they took off in the gigantic Colorado Canyon.
A number of willing hands took hold, and the big amphibian was shoved
and hauled to a large hangar in which one ship had already been berthed.
Jack incidentally learned that the doors would be closed immediately and
locked, although no harm had ever been done a ship since the airport was
established.
Jack had already noted that they were getting to be up to the times, as
if the citizens might be of an enterprising sort. Landing lights had
been installed while a flashing beacon close by had already started into
action, showing that an airmail crate was expected any minute or else
one was due to take off.
It was evident that Bart Hicks felt a certain amount of natural
curiosity concerning these guests of the field. He had noted that their
ship was a brand new one and also the fact that the pilot who brought it
down so cleverly must be an experienced hand. Then too, the presence of
Suzanne interested him in the bargain, she looked so confident and had
all the little airs of a full-fledged pilot in the bargain--trust his
old eyes to discover these patent facts.
"Come far, sir?" he was saying casually after the ship had been safely
housed in the big hangar, doubtless the property of the aircraft company
contracting with the Government for carrying the mails and express
matter.
"We spent last night in the Colorado Canyon and have been covering all
the ground possible ever since, flying low so as to keep tabs on the
ground for as you might guess, we're one of the many parties out
searching high and low for Buddy Warner and his crate."
"I reckoned you might be sir," the superintendent of the field quickly
remarked, displaying more or less sympathy in his voice.
"My pal and I have been thrown into the hunt by our employers like the
rest of the bunch working the same racket," continued Jack,
diplomatically adding, "you see we happen to have run across a young
woman pilot who had to make a forced landing down on the river sand in
the canyon and it was absolutely necessary that we take her along with
us. You can understand just why that could be when I tell you her name
is Suzanne Cramer and that she is Buddy Warner's sweetheart!"
Bart immediately displayed the most intense interest it seemed, just as
wise Jack had figured out. He was a family man and in full sympathy with
everything that had to do with the fortunes of honest, clean minded
young people--for Jack knew there was a heap of truth in that old saying
to the effect that "all the world loves a lover" and he was now playing
the game for all it was worth.
"That's mighty fine I must say, Mr. Ralston," Bart said, for he had
learned the names of the two airmen, "and I must say that girl is some
daisy, to start off searching for her beau, and she an air pilot in the
bargain. I'm tickled pink to have you all stay over in our little burg
for even a night and if we can do anything to help you out just give me
the tip and it'll sure be done."
That was just what Jack most wanted to hear. Before they took off again
he was determined to do his best to get hold of some information that
would prove of more or less value to himself and Perk.
"I'm meaning to ask you a few questions in the morning Mr. Hicks," he
hastened to say, "especially connected with the country to the east and
northeast, for I figure the chances are three to one Buddy Warner must
have made a forced landing of some sort in that quarter. The wind, the
night he vanished, was blowing from the southwest and pretty gusty at
times. Visibility was poor also, so if he lost connection with the
beacons before reaching your station, he'd be blown off his course. Do
you agree with me, sir?"
"I call it right smart reasoning," Bart Hicks told him. "Three other
ships dropped in here nights so as to save their gas and get some rest;
and not one of the pilots seemed to know what course he ought to lay
out--just kept swinging this way and that at random, hoping for a streak
of good luck to strike them. I reckoned they were leaving a lot of
ground uncovered, working without any system as they did."
"That's what I thought would happen," continued Jack quietly, feeling
that he had already made a good impression on the other and could hope
for results when it came time to "squeeze the bag." "We mean to devote
ourselves to that particular locality so as to find out where he crashed
and whether he is still alive or not."
Bart Hicks gave a shrug with his broad shoulders.
"For the sake of that little girl, I sure do hope you find him alive,
partner," he said feelingly as became one airman toward another.
"She came straight out here from his old mother," continued Jack, "who
gave her blessing to the mad scheme; but now that she is in our charge,
my pal and I will see that she comes to no harm. I am greatly obliged to
you, Mr. Hicks, for your kindness in sheltering our ship. You can
understand what it means to us now, while on this sad errand of mercy,
to know that no harm will happen to the crate."
"Don't mention it partner!" hastily exclaimed the other. "Why, I've been
just itching right along to get busy and look over that territory you've
been speaking about, but my duties here kept me pinned down, though I
took it out in doing a heap of growling and swearing too. Tell the
little girl for me, will you, that we've all been wishing her Buddy
would turn up safe and sound. I have a daughter about her age, I reckon,
and I just know how she must feel. See you in the morning at daybreak,
Mr. Ralston."
"Thank you again many times, sir."
Jack felt that he had made a warm friend in honest Bart Hicks. He saw
the respectful way in which the field superintendent shook hands with
Suzanne, after all of them had entered the gentleman's car and were
ready to start for the hotel and how pleased the girl looked as he
murmured a few words of sincere sympathy. Things at least seemed to be
working along the line he had laid out. Of course, no one could say this
early in the game whether anything worth while would develop from the
circumstances springing out of their decision to spend the night in the
valley town.
XXIV
ONE CHANCE IN A THOUSAND
The little hotel to which they were taken by the kind owner of the
five-passenger car proved to be all they could wish for. It looked
scrupulously clean and the rooms to which they were shown seemed to give
promise of a comfortable night's sleep, though Jack doubted whether the
excited girl would obtain the rest she needed so much.
He promised to knock on her door at daybreak so that they might secure
the early breakfast he had ordered and be off to the flying field to
make a start.
He and Perk had a double room with twin beds and were not long in
turning in, both of them being more or less tired after a gruelling day
aloft. Jack had no idea they would be disturbed during the night, for
they were utter strangers in the town and such things as robberies were
absolutely unknown, or so the hotel proprietor had assured him in answer
to an incidental question.
He was up at the first peep of dawn and had Perk on his feet without any
unusual racket. Later on Jack kept his promise about tapping on the door
of Suzanne's room and was a bit surprised when she opened it, disclosing
the fact that she was fully dressed as though she had been up for some
time, which indeed was a fact.
He would never forget the yearning look she gave him when, seated at the
table, they started their simple breakfast. It was as though her heart
were in her throat, choking her and Jack, realizing the girl must be
close to the breaking point, quickly started talking of outside matters
and even cracked a little joke to try and divert her mind from the
subject that had gripped her day and night for so long.
About the time they settled their account and were ready to start for
the field, a car stopped at the door and their accommodating friend of
the night before, Mr. Caleb Cushman, accompanied by his wife, appeared.
They came early to have the pleasure of taking them to where they meant
to start off again--perhaps his good wife also wished to meet the brave
girl who was the now famous Buddy Warner's sweetheart. Apparently they
both knew about this important fact, showing that Mr. Cushman must have
been in touch with Bart Hicks by telephone since last they saw the
latter, and learned this thrilling circumstance that might put their
little town on the map, with all the big newspapers of the country
blazing inch high scareheads on their front pages when covering the
latest sensation along aviation lines.
Although Jack would not admit that he felt the least uneasiness
concerning the safety of the amphibian, nevertheless he gave a sigh of
relief when after looking the ship over he found everything in shipshape
condition.
"Get that gas aboard as quick as you can, Perk," he told his comrade for
he had contracted to have the tank filled to full capacity while the
chance held good, and besides he wished to have a little further
conversation with affable Bart Hicks, with the hope of picking up a few
crumbs of information in regard to the terrain they meant to cover on
this most important day.
Accordingly he drew the ground superintendent aside and plied him with a
variety of questions, all of which the accommodating test pilot answered
to the best of his ability.
Jack had him describe the general character of the ground and just as he
anticipated, learned that it was actually the roughest section in all
the region.
"Rocks--deep gullies that seem to have no bottom--peaks with slithering
points that look like the savage steel tips of spearheads--the worst
territory for a poor devil of an air pilot to crash in or have to make a
forced landing that you could run across in a hundred square miles. I'd
say there wasn't over one chance in a thousand that the lad could get to
the ground alive and even granted that he did, wounded as he must be, he
never in the wide world would be able to find his way out of that hole.
I'm sorry to have to say that, Mr. Ralston, but it's the truth."
Jack may have winced, but just the same he showed not the slightest sign
of being yellow.
"Tell me about that thousandth chance, brother," he observed, at which
the other looked him keenly in the face, shrugged his shoulders and went
on to say:
"Guess you're clear grit all right, son. The best pilots are built that
way. Look at our Lindy now, and you'll find he never flinches, no matter
what happens but always does the one right thing as if by instinct. Fact
is, when I mentioned that there might be a tiny loophole for a poor
devil who had to go down in that god-forsaken stretch of wilderness, I
must have been thinking of that strange old hermit who has a secret
hideout somewhere in that country. There's a beautiful little clear
water lake surrounded by peaks and heavy woods that no white man's ever
fished in or set eyes on at close quarters, 'cept maybe that queer old
chap."
"Please tell me all you know about him," pursued Jack eagerly, just as
if he was trying to clutch some minute shred of hope that was difficult
to capture.
Bart Hicks laughed shortly.
"I can tell you all that in a jiffy Mr. Ralston," he hastened to reply,
"because none of us happen to know anything at all about who and what
the old party is. About twice a year, spring and fall, he bobs up here
with a sure footed mule and buys all sorts of grub and stores. He never
stays overnight and seems to hate the sight of a real house. Some
curious minded folks, thinking that perhaps he had struck a rich mine
there in that rockhouse district, have tried to follow him but had to
give it up and come back beaten. He doesn't fetch free gold out with him
but plain, everyday Government yellow-back bills. We don't know a thing
about the secret trail he takes to make his way through all that riotous
land.
"I've heard pilots tell how they'd seen spirals of wood smoke rising and
those who happened to be flying low say they could see his campfire was
close to the brim of that crater lake--for some say it lies in the
crater of an extinct volcano. That's about the whole story as far as any
of us know it, Mr. Ralston and I'm winding up by saying again it would
be just one lone chance in a thousand that a poor air pilot dropping
down there would be found and rescued by that mysterious old hermit."
"As you say, it's a desperately small opening and not very promising at
best," Jack told his new friend with the same resolute look on his face,
"but it may be we'll have to place our hopes on such a slender chance
after all. At any rate I'm meaning to look into that matter before
giving up the game as impossible. It wouldn't be the first time such a
mere thread turned into a stout cable that's saved the ship from
destruction."
"Never say die, eh? I'd think that'd be your motto, Mr. Ralston,"
observed the field superintendent who apparently had come to have more
or less admiration for the young air pilot who carried himself so
buoyantly, so confidently, as though he absolutely believed in himself.
By now Perk had finished his job of refueling the plane and was rubbing
his soiled hands with a bit of waste.
"All fixed, are we brother?" asked Jack and for almost the first time on
record, those close by learned that Perk was not at all dumb, but had a
fluent voice of his own.
"Wall," he drawled with a wicked wink toward Jack, "guess now she's
loaded to capacity an' then some 'cause I've got six gallon cans o'
juice stowed away where they ain't goin' to take up much room, an'll
keep us on the wing a bit extra. Then too, partner, here's a waiter
comin' from our hotel joint carryin' a package o' eats in the shape o'
sandwiches which I took the trouble to order an' which you'll have the
pleasure o' payin' a hull dollar for right on the spot."
"Good for you, Perk!" laughed Jack, who seldom had to worry about a
sufficiency of food when traveling in the company of such an excellent
provider as Gabe Perkiser who never had any difficulty in hearing the
"call of the eats" so many times per diem.
Apparently they were all ready to make the jump-off, the amphibian
having been taxied to the head of the runway where a simple slant would
help give her "gangway," as Perk often called it.
Just then Bart Hicks came up and shoved a bit of paper into the pocket
of Jack's leather flying coat.
"Just take a squint at that when you find time, brother," he remarked
and held out his hand for a parting grip. "Shake hands, Jack, and here's
wishing you all the luck going in your present job as well as in all
others they put on your shoulders--you too, Perk old hoss."
There was something a bit mysterious about the way Bart Hicks said that,
and Perk had it on the tip of his tongue to demand an explanation but
since the pilot just then drew back the stick and the motor commenced to
roar as the amphibian started down the slant, he had to take it out in a
goodbye wave of his hand and let it go at that.
They rose like a bird long before the termination of the runway had been
reached for those sloping wing-tips were fashioned so as to make it easy
to take off successfully in one-third the distance formerly deemed
necessary for a ship with a powerful enough set of motors to lift a
heavy weight and get away with it.
Looking back, Suzanne could see the little bunch that had seen their
takeoff, including some mechanics and field hands as well as Bart Hicks,
Mr. Cushman and his wife. They were all waving their hands wildly and
possibly giving tongue in the bargain, although the noise prevented her
from making sure of this. She answered their salutes with her little
pocket handkerchief and then wiped her eyes as though the long repressed
tears just would break through her guard, and run down her pretty
cheeks.
They were now fully launched on another day's weary though eager search,
with no one being qualified to prophesy what the outcome of the new
flight would be. Jack had mapped out in his mind the country over which
he meant to fly with little save his own conception to assist him.
One thing was sure, when they had covered a stretch of several miles in
a straight run, it could be set down as certain nothing had missed their
close attention and that there would be no necessity for returning over
the same ground again. This was a fight to a finish and a clean-up as
they went along, so Jack kept hugging that tiny hope to his heart and
wondered what the eventual outcome of the adventure would prove to be.
As yet it was a toss-up, as far as he could see.
XXV
THE NEVER SAY DIE SPIRIT
"Hot ziggetty dog! all set now for another long spin, combin' the
country as we go along, eh partner?"
Perk had no sooner arranged his head-phones after seeing that Jack had
his fixed for service, than he commenced business at the old stand. Perk
was just burning to get certain things out of his system that had been
dammed up by his playing dumb on the previous evening.
"So far as I know nothing has been overlooked Perk--if only that left
wing aileron doesn't play us a dirty trick and fall off, we'll be
alright."
"I tell you I tested it an' it's okay, Jack, don't crab my game if you
have any respect for my feelin's. When I say a thing's all to the good
it's there, every time."
"Forget it brother, we've both been under a heavy strain lately and apt
to show undue anxiety. Today ought to prove which way the wind's going
to blow for us. See, already she's at the old job, covering every rod of
ground with the powerful glasses. All I can say is I wish her all the
luck going, poor kid."
"But just the same you ain't any too--er--sanguine--is that the word I
want, partner? A sort o' yearnin', hopin' but kinder afraid things
mightn't turn out so well in the end?"
"I get you, Perk, and according to my notion there are three of us in
the same boat right now. I'm holding the ship in right along, so we'll
make certain nothing gets away from us."
"Yeah, an' by the way Jack, didn't I see our good pal, Bart, stick
somethin' in your pocket jest before we skipped off--looked kinder like
a piece o' paper to me--did you ask him for his home address or
somethin' like that?"
Jack laughed.
"So you saw him do that, did you, old Hawk-eye--no, I didn't ask him for
anything in that line--he did more than enough for us as it was."
Perk seemed to be consumed with curiosity which he made no attempt
whatever to smother, for after a bit of grunting he went on to say
suggestively:
"Huh! that looks a whole lot queer to me, partner. Why should Bart Hicks
want to act like he might be an informer, tryin' to hand you a leadin'
clue to a smashin' big mystery an' on the sly in the bargain? Huh! seems
to me he must 'a' had some good reason for doin' sech a stunt as that!"
"Thunder! Perk, if you don't make me think of the picture we used to see
in the magazine ads, where a baby in a bathtub is reaching out to get
hold of a cake of soap with a well known brand on it with the words 'He
won't be happy till he gets it.' Right now you're just eaten up with
curiosity about that slip of paper Bart crammed down in my pocket and
there'll be no peace in the camp till you know its contents."
Perk unblushingly chuckled, as if ready to "acknowledge the corn."
"Lemme have the stick, partner," he hastened to suggest, "I'm jest as
fit as a fiddle to lay things out for a few hours, an' mebbe it'll tone
me down some."
"Oh! all right brother, here you go then."
The transfer was made "as slick as grease," according to Perk's mind and
so Jack felt in his coat pocket to immediately draw out a sheet of
paper, evidently torn hastily from an account book, and upon which there
was considerable writing, none too legible.
He fastened his eyes on this and Perk could see that whatever the tenor
of Bart's secret communication was, it appeared to afford Jack
considerable interest. Several times as he read on he nodded his head,
as if agreeing with certain statements in the missive, all of which
redoubled poor Perk's eagerness to have a share in the proceedings.
"Well, that certainly takes the cake," Jack was heard to say after he
had evidently reached the finish of the note.
"Ain't you goin' to let me in on the fun, partner?" begged the other
almost pathetically. "I'm sure all het up with a desire to know what's
goin' on."
Jack nodded his head again and then started to relieve his chum's mental
burden.
"Seems like the joke's on us, Perk, old boy," he began.
"Joke hey? Bart Hicks played one on his unsuspectin' guests then, did
he?" Perk grumbled as if terribly upset. "I didn't think he was that
sorter cad."
"Oh! you'll take that back after you find out what I meant by the word
'joke'," Jack hastened to assure him. "Listen, partner, I'm going to
read you the whole letter, because it's no easy job to get the hang of
Bart's handwriting. Reckon he wasn't great shakes at penmanship when he
went to school, for he does spell something fierce, but I'm going to
keep this, all right, for it's a cinch Bart outsmarted two fellows who
reckon themselves some clever at their business. But listen and grab
what he says here."
"Go to it, old hoss," begged the waiting Perk most eagerly.
"'Hats off, boys--I'm on to your curves okay. Happens I got a younger
brother a holding down a job in the same crowd you run with--mebbe you
remember young Doug Hicks, him that fetched in all by his lonesome the
four ginks makin' up that slick gang of international crooks doin'
business as the Keating Bunch'--what d'ye think of that, Perk, Doug
Hicks turning out to be the kid brother of our new friend, Bart, isn't
that the limit though? Well he goes on this way: 'He often mentioned
both you lads in his letters to me, and when you introduced yourselves I
just knocked wood, but didn't let on I got the drift of things. But say,
don't you worry any, boys, I'll never leak a drop, so your secret is as
safe as a new dollar bill. Go to it, and fetch in Buddy Warner, for if
anybody can do that, it's bound to be you two. So-long. Your friend,
Bart Hicks, all wool and a yard wide.'"
Perk was making all manner of queer faces as though this wonderful
disclosure had taken his breath away but through it all there struggled
that happy-go-lucky grin of his, to proclaim his full appreciation of
the contents of the flying field test pilot's unique communication.
"Jest what that gink is--all wool and a yard wide--honest goods, you bet
every time," he finally managed to say with numerous chuckles
accompanying the words. "Sure we know Doug Hicks, the boy who's goin' to
make a name for himself in the Secret Service one o' these days, if he
don't get bumped off by some hijacker's lead. Queer what a little ole
world this anyhow--kickin' up against Bart Hicks in this jumpin'-off
part o' the country. We sure do strike the strangest happening in our
line o' work, don't we?"
"We certainly do," came the quick reply as Jack folded up his letter and
put it carefully away. "While you're doing duty brother, I'll get busy
with some calculations I have in mind. Keep her headed just as she is,
and in half an hour we'll bank and come back along a parallel line, so
as to cover all the ground up and down, up and down, through the whole
day."