WELL WON!
Instantly Frank closed the throttle, and shut off all power!
It was taking a big chance; but there was nothing else to be done. No
matter what it was Sandy had let slip, expecting that it would fall
upon the monoplane, to at least cause consternation, and in some way
lessen the speed of the smaller craft, Frank did not mean that it
should strike them, if he knew it.
Of course their speed instantly slackened; not much, perhaps, but just
enough to allow of a miss in the calculations of the unscrupulous Sandy.
Some object whizzed past, just in advance of the now descending
monoplane. Immediately it went by, Frank, under the belief that the
danger was now over, once more carefully opened the throttle.
Joy! the faithful little Kinkaid answered to the call, and began to
renew its former volleying. Once more they were going along swiftly,
though a bit lower than when the sudden emergency had caused such
prompt work on the part of the wide-awake pilot.
Frank shot a look upward.
The biplane had not diminished its speed an iota all this while. Puss
was attending to his part of the business, leaving all other matters in
the care of his well groomed assistant.
Both of them were leaning forward, staring down and backward at the
monoplane. Even at that distance Frank could see that their faces were
as white as chalk, as though the enormity of what they had done now
burst upon them. Perhaps they may even have felt a spasm of relief at
that moment, because the sand bag which had been dropped had missed its
intended target, thanks to Frank’s ready wit.
Now the monoplane seemed to be pushing forward with more speed than
ever, as if bent on making up for lost time. And Frank was rising, too,
for he knew he must of necessity find himself _above_ the crown of the
mountain, when ready to alight.
“What was that they dropped?” he asked of Andy.
“Looked like a sand bag,” replied the other; “but whatever would they
be doing with such a thing in a biplane?”
“That was what I wanted to know,” replied Frank, “when I saw it tied
there with a cord; and Puss explained that he and Sandy were not quite
heavy enough. Said their experiments had proved the biplane could make
faster time with a little more weight!”
“He just lied!” burst out the indignant Andy. “A hundred to one they
took that sand bag up with them on purpose to drop it on us if we tried
to pass. And look how he kept hovering up there. That gives him away, I
tell you!”
“Perhaps he got the idea from hearing how that other sand bag came down
on our lumber pile, nearly squashing us while we slept!” observed Frank.
“Well, he only had one, didn’t he?” questioned Andy, showing
considerable nervousness; for they were now once more directly under
the biplane.
“Only one, so the trick can’t be duplicated,” answered Frank,
confidently.
“I wouldn’t put it past that sneak Sandy, to let a monkey wrench drop
on us, if he could lay hands on one,” cried Andy; and then raising his
voice he shouted: “Hey! don’t you dare try that trick again! Accidents
don’t happen twice in succession; and they’ll hang you for murder if
anything knocks us out. They can see everything that goes on up here!”
Possibly this was stretching it pretty lively; but all the same Andy
meant to frighten Sandy, so that he would not dream of following up a
blunder by a second miserable attempt.
“It’s too late, anyhow!” said Frank, with a vibration in his voice that
might be caused by anticipated triumph.
“Yes, we’re passing them, as sure as you live! Look at the poor old
biplane dropping out of the race, Frank! Why, it might just as well
stand still as try to keep up with this dandy little airship, once you
pull the throttle wide open! We’ve got ’em beat to a frazzle, I tell
you! Goodbye, fellows. We’ll wait for you on top of old Blitzen and
Thunder! Sorry, but somebody’s got to eat the drumsticks of the turkey!”
Andy was feeling immensely relieved. The monoplane no longer ranged
under its larger opponent. Superior speed, backed by careful
management, had given them the lead. And as Andy declared, it looked
as though the race might end in a real Garrison finish, the one behind
shooting to the front when on the home stretch.
No matter what they would have liked to do, Puss and Sandy were now
helpless to hinder the triumphal arrival of their rivals on top of the
mountain. Everything depended on the success that might attend Frank,
when making his drop. Should he make a bad job of it, and shoot beyond
the other edge of the plateau, possibly after all the others might be
the first to land. It was their only hope.
Frank knew what he had before him. He was keenly alive to the chances
of making a poor landing. And like a wise general he had anticipated
all such things before now, even practicing stopping within a certain
limited space when going at full speed.
“We’re high enough, all right, Frank!” cried Andy reassuringly, as
they swooped down toward the top of the ominous cliffs that had always
barred their gaining lodgment on the crown of Old Thunder Top.
“Yes, no doubt about that, Andy,” returned the other, confidently.
“Now, be ready for your part. Remember, not to blunder, or we may lose
out yet. They are coming hotfooted after us, you know!”
“I’ll remember. You can trust me, Frank!”
Really, Andy was showing commendable grit and steadiness as the
termination of the fierce race through the upper currents of the air
drew nearer and nearer its termination. There was hope that in time he
might conquer that nervousness of his, and play his part as a worthy
successor to his famous father, the professor.
Like a great bird they sailed straight for the plateau marking the
flat top of the elevation. Frank could even see the nest of sticks and
grass that marked the home of the two great kings of the air, the bald
eagles, now circling around overhead, and evidently greatly excited at
the coming of these astonishing creatures, with their loud crackling
voices.
“Say, you don’t think they’ll tackle us, and knock us off the rocks?”
cried Andy, who had also been taking notice of the wheeling birds, now
swooping down, and anon rising higher on outspread pinions.
“Keep an eye on ’em!” was all Frank could say; for just then they were
close to the outer edge of the plateau, and his entire attention had to
be focused upon what was before him, since one little misjudgment might
bring about the ruination of his plans, however admirably fashioned.
Andy had already clutched the little pole to which the National
emblem was fastened, so that not a second might be lost in giving it
to the breeze, once his feet touched the plateau. But his anxiety
was sufficient to cause him to reach to the tool box, and extract a
rather long alligator-jaw wrench, which he had in his mind as the most
suitable weapon of defense, in case of an emergency, in which one of
those old pirates of the air figured.
Angry shouts came from the rear. Of course it was the very last
despicable little scheme of the baffled plotters, by which they hoped
to disconcert Frank enough to cause him to make a bad landing, so that
they might come swinging along in time to fly the flag first.
But Frank was not built that way. It would have to be something much
greater than a few harmless hoots, to cause him to lose his head,
especially when so very important a result depended on his nice
judgment.
He had calculated to a fraction of a foot just how far above the
plateau the monoplane was situated, so that when he shut off the engine
they would drop lightly just where he figured.
And Andy knew how to apply the drag brake, so as to haul up in a short
distance.
All the same it must have been a moment of extreme anxiety to both of
the daring young aviators. They had victory within their grasp, and in
another few seconds it would be clinched and riveted, when their flag
flew from the crown of the now conquered Old Thunder Top, that had so
long defied all attempts at mastery.
Just as Frank had figured the monoplane glided down after the engine
was stopped, and touched the rocks as gently as ever he had come to
earth, running along on the three bicycle wheels, jolting over the
rough surface, yet gradually coming to a standstill, as the brake got
in its work.
Indeed, the aeroplane had not actually come to a stop before Andy was
out of his seat, and wildly flaunting the flag that had been given him
by the head of the sports committee. He knew that every eye far away
was riveted on the spot, and that since the biplane was still afloat,
those who had glasses could readily see how the other air craft had
landed first, and hence won the race.
Of course Andy shouted like a young cowboy; he would hardly have been
human not to have found some such outlet for the pent-up emotions that
were threatening to suffocate him.
And naturally enough, those victorious whoops must have been so like
gall and worm-wood to the disheartened pair just about to alight on the
plateau, a quarter of a minute after the victors had taken possession.
Frank knew too that there must be the added consciousness of having
attempted a nasty trick, and failed! There is possibly no meaner
feeling that can overwhelm a boy than to realize that he has tried to
down a rival through trickery, that must have been apparent to many
eyes, and failed.
But Frank’s was a generous nature. Even then he was resolved not to
press the charge against his defeated rivals. No harm had resulted
from the contemptible endeavor to delay or injure them; and doubtless
already Puss must regret that he had ever allowed himself to conspire
with Sandy to carry it out. Surely he could not have realized what a
terrible thing it was they had attempted. Let it go as an accident
then; but all the same Frank was bound to make sure that he did not
again sail the upper currents under any sort of an air craft which
either Puss Carberry or Sandy Hollingshead piloted.
The others managed to alight on the plateau, though their momentum was
enough to have carried them over the other edge had not Frank, who had
left his own machine, laid hold and held the biplane back.
Puss looked white and confused. Sandy, on the other hand, scowled, and
clenched his hands menacingly, as though so sore over his defeat that
he was almost tempted to rush on the cheering bearer of the flag, and
have it out with him there on the very apex of Old Thunder Top.
Possibly the sight of that long alligator-jaw wrench which Andy still
clutched in his right hand may have deterred the belligerent Sandy,
though his face continued to work spasmodically, as though he might be
saying things not at all complimentary to the object of his aversion.
Suddenly Frank gave utterance to a shout. Faintly on the air came the
uproarious cheering of the tremendous throng, away down yonder on the
aviation field, as they saw the humiliation of the once proud Thunder
Top; but it was not in connection with this that Frank gave tongue.
“Look out!” he cried, “the eagle!”
Sandy Hollingshead happened to be the one picked out by the angry bird,
upon whom to first try his claws and beak. The boy turned at Frank’s
cry, and just managed to throw his arm up to screen his face from the
attack. But the heavy bird struck him with tremendous force so that
Sandy was hurled over upon the rocks, and more or less bruised and cut.
Andy ran toward him, bent on defending the prostrate lad from any
further attack on the part of the enraged feathered king of the air.
Then he stopped short, gaped at something that lay there on the rocks,
having fallen undoubtedly from one of Sandy’s coat pockets when he was
sent sprawling; and with a shrill laugh Andy snatched the object up in
his hand.
“Frank, looky here would you! Just think of me finding it up on Old
Thunder Top!”
And Frank stared, as well he might, for his chum was holding up the
missing little aluminum monkey wrench for which he had so long searched
everywhere.