THE ALBATROSS FLIES ON ONE CELL
It was just after nine o’clock the following morning when the Albatross
settled to the ground close by the camp.
“Here’s hoping that no one has rifled the grub,” Gordon said as he
leaped to the ground.
“We’ve had enough interruption for a while and that’s a fact,” Bill told
him as he hurried to the spot where they had cached their provisions.
“Guess everything’s all right,” he announced a moment later after a
hasty examination.
“That’s good news,” Rogers smiled. “Are we going to take the rest of the
day off or are we going to get busy?”
“The rest of the day? Where do you get that stuff? The day is young
yet,” Gordon told him. “Of course we’re going to get busy. What do you
think we’re here for?”
“How about the tide?” Bill asked as he glanced at his watch.
“Must be about half way out,” Rogers told him.
“Then we’ll have several hours,” Bill said. “Think it’s safe for all
three of us to go?”
“Lightning never strikes twice in the same place,” Gordon told him.
“Meaning you think it’s all right to leave things to look out for
themselves?”
“I’d say so. I don’t believe anyone comes along here once in a dog’s
age. But don’t forget to hide the cells.”
“Why not take the plane and land it on the beach where we want to start
in and then we can keep an eye on it,” Rogers suggested.
“That’s using the old bean,” Gordon told him. “And we won’t have to walk
so far either.”
“Which sure appeals to you,” Bill laughed. “But I do think it’s an
excellent plan.”
So a moment later they were again in the air and soon dropped over the
cliffs at the point where the fissure was located. There was plenty of
space between the rocks and the water to land and, as the tide was still
going out, they felt safe in leaving the plane.
“I’d like to take another look up this ravine before we do anything
else,” Rogers said as soon as they were ready to start on the search.
“From the map I don’t think it’s likely that the place is there but I’d
like to look again just the same.”
“Suits me,” Gordon told him.
“And I suppose we’re as likely to find it one place as another. A map as
old as that one isn’t likely to be very accurate,” Bill added as they
started off up the narrow defile.
“There’s the rock that came pretty near putting me out of business,”
Gordon told Bill a few minutes later as he stopped and pointed to the
stone which had fallen from the top of the cliff and had so narrowly
escaped him.
“It would have done just that if it had hit you,” Bill shuddered.
They spent nearly two hours hunting both sides of the ravine but found
nothing and at last Rogers advised going back and starting over again on
the cliff facing the ocean. “It isn’t in here that’s certain,” he
declared as he mopped his face.
“Well, we didn’t expect it was,” Gordon told him, “so we don’t need to
be disappointed.”
“You sound as though you didn’t expect to find it at all,” Bill told him
as they started back.
“Don’t you believe it,” Gordon retorted. “I didn’t mean that at all. Of
course we’re going to find it. Have we ever fallen down on anything
we’ve undertaken?”
“But there’s got to be a first time,” Rogers reminded him.
“I know, but this isn’t going to be it,” Gordon insisted.
“Got a hunch?” Bill laughed.
“Maybe,” Gordon replied, returning the laugh.
By this time they had reached the entrance to the ravine and for a
moment they paused looking both ways to make sure no one was in sight.
“Did you take the cells out?” Gordon asked Bill.
“I sure did,” Bill assured him. “Don’t catch me leaving them anywhere in
it.”
“Then let’s go.”
They walked slowly along the foot of the cliff keeping their eyes on the
almost perpendicular walls that they might miss no single chance. About
a quarter of a mile from where they had left the plane was a sharp break
in the cliff and as soon as they rounded it they were out of sight of
the Albatross, a circumstance which made them all a bit uneasy. But no
one mentioned it, and they had proceeded nearly another half mile when
Bill, who was a few feet ahead of the others, suddenly stopped and
pointed to a spot on the wall about ten feet from the ground.
“What do you make of it?” he asked.
“Looks as though it might be a stone set in the face of the cliff,”
Gordon told him.
“That’s what I thought.”
“Where do you mean?” Rogers asked taking a step nearer the cliff.
“Right over your head,” Bill told him. “Don’t you see it?”
“You mean where that crack is?” Rogers again asked pointing.
“That’s it.”
“Well, all I’ve got to say is that you must have mighty sharp eyes to
notice it,” Rogers told them. “Of course I see it now but I never would
have noticed it.”
“What made me notice it is that it’s a different kind of stone from the
rest of the cliff,” Bill told him.
“I believe you’re right,” Rogers agreed. “It does seem to be a bit
darker in color, but the difference is so slight that not one in a
hundred would have noticed it.”
“Oh, Bill’s got sharp eyes all right,” Gordon told him.
“I’ll say he has,” Rogers agreed.
“Listen, now,” Bill said as he picked up a stone about the size of his
fist. “I’m going to hit the wall just beyond that crack and then I’m
going to hit the other side of it and I want you to note if there’s any
difference in the sounds. Well, how about it?” he asked after he had
made the experiment.
“There was a difference,” Gordon declared and Rogers agreed with him.
“I thought so myself,” Bill told them. “But let’s try it again.”
They tried the experiment several times and they were all thoroughly
convinced that the stone did not form an integral part of the cliff.
“That stone has been put there sure as you’re born,” Bill declared.
“And it must have been put there for a reason,” Gordon added.
“I believe you’re right on both counts,” Rogers told them.
“And it looks to me as though we were at the end of our search,” Gordon
said.
“Don’t be too sure of that,” Bill cautioned him. “There’s lots of room
for a slip yet.”
“Oh, I’m not counting any chickens before they’re hatched,” Gordon
grinned. “But it looks hopeful, as the old maid said when a man tipped
his hat to her.”
“Well, the next question is how are we going to find out,” Bill said.
“And rather a hard question at that,” Rogers added.
“If that stone was set in there the fellow that did it sure did one
mighty fine job,” Gordon declared. “Look how fine the crack is all
around it except on that one side. Why, it must have taken him a long
time to get it just the right shape.”
“No doubt about that,” Rogers told him, “But remember, he was hiding
something very valuable and, according to his own account, he had lots
of time on his hands.”
“Well, it isn’t getting us anywhere standing here talking about it,”
Bill told them.
“Action is what we want,” Gordon added.
“Get up on my shoulders and hit it with a rock again,” Bill said as he
took his stand close to the wall.
“There’s a hollow place behind it,” Gordon assured them a moment later.
“Seems pretty solid, doesn’t it?” Rogers asked.
“Sure does. But a crowbar might do the trick.”
“A drill and a stick of dynamite would be better,” Bill said as Gordon
jumped to the ground.
“Neither of which we’ve got,” Gordon declared.
“But I reckon we can get both in Honolulu,” Rogers told him.
“Well, there’s lots of time for that,” Bill said. “Let’s look around
first and see if we can find anything nearer.”
“You don’t expect to find a crowbar lying around loose, do you?” Gordon
laughed.
“Hardly that,” Bill told him, “but we might find a pointed stone which
we could use. You see, it might not take much of a tug to get it out.”
“It won’t do any harm to try at any rate,” Rogers said as he began
looking around.
But it seemed that all the available stones were of the wrong shape
until, after a search lasting all of an hour, Bill found one that he
thought might answer. He was some distance from the others when he
picked it up and shouted:
“Here’s one.”
The stone was about a foot and a half long and a couple inches wide, and
an inch thick except at one end where it tapered to what was almost a
knife-like edge.
“It’s got to come out mighty easy for that thing to do it,” Gordon
declared as he took the stone in his hand.
“I know it, but we can try it,” Bill retorted.
“Sure we can,” Gordon agreed handing the stone to Rogers. “Hand it to me
when I get up on Bill’s shoulders,” he told him. “All right,” he said a
moment later, “let’s have it.”
“Work it easy, now,” Bill cautioned.
It was an awkward place from which to work as he had to reach above his
head, but he soon had the edge of the stone in the crack and began to
pry.
Snap.
“I told you so,” Gordon said as he jumped to the ground. “That thing
snapped as soon as I put the least pressure on it.”
“The stone didn’t move any before your crowbar broke, did it?” Rogers
asked.
“Not a move,” Gordon told him.
“Well, I guess we’ll have to get the proper tools before we can
accomplish anything,” Bill said.
“Anyhow it’s about time for dinner,” Gordon reminded him.
“That tummy of yours,” Bill laughed.
“Well, it’s most two o’clock, and——great guns, look at the tide.”
So intent had they been on their occupation that they had completely
forgotten all about the tide and now they were astounded to see that the
water at points was almost at the bottom of the cliff.
“We’ve got to hustle if we want to get around the point without having
to swim,” Bill shouted as he started off on a run.
“We’re not going to do it without getting our feet wet,” Gordon told him
as he fell in at his side.
“We’ll be lucky if that’s all we get wet,” Rogers added close behind
them.
“Suppose the plane’s all right?” Gordon panted when they were about half
way to the point.
“I’m not so sure,” Bill told him. “But it won’t be long if it stays
where it is, that’s certain.”
“We’re going to get wet all right,” Gordon declared a moment later as
they came near the point and he could see the surf breaking on the
rocks.
“Well, it won’t be the first time,” Bill puffed. “The only thing I’m
worrying about is whether or not the water has reached the plane.”
“We’ll know in a minute,” Rogers told him.
“It’s a good thing there isn’t much wind,” Gordon said as they reached
the point and started to wade.
They rounded the point without getting into the water above their knees,
and Bill gave a sharp cry as he saw the plane about a quarter of a mile
down the beach.
“The water has got it all right and we’ve got to make it in nothing flat
if we’re going to save it,” he yelled as he increased his speed.
There was need of haste for the water had not only reached the plane but
had gone so far beyond it that every wave, as it rolled in, was rocking
it violently. There were, they knew, a number of rather large rocks near
where they had left it and the great danger was that it would come down
on one of them and be damaged. They could see that the surf was washing
nearly to the foot of the cliffs. Indeed, there was only a narrow strip
of beach left where they were at the moment and opposite the plane the
cliff came down nearer the ocean.
“Gee, but this tide sure does come in fast when it gets started,” Gordon
panted running close behind Bill.
“Seems that way,” Bill flung back.
“We may have to pull her up in the ravine.”
“Not a chance.”
“Guess you’re right. I reckon the water comes up too far.”
The plane was swishing about in a foot or more of water when they
reached it and they lost no time in getting a hold on it and pushing it
toward the cliff.
“Think we can make it from here?” Gordon asked when the plane was only a
few feet from the cliff.
“Guess so. Jump in and we’ll make a stab at it,” Bill told them.
The plane was now situated so that the water reached it only when the
surf rolled in and then it was not deep enough to move it. In a minute
they were all in their seats and Bill was slipping one of the cells in
its place in the motor which ran the elevator. But when, he felt in his
other pocket for the other cell he caught his breath.
“’Smatter?” Gordon asked.
“I’ve lost one of the cells,” Bill told him.
“You can’t have,” Gordon insisted.
“Perhaps I couldn’t but I did. It must have slipped out that time I
tripped and fell just after we rounded the point.”
“Slip it in the other motor and we’ll see if we can take off the regular
way,” Gordon advised.
“Impossible,” Bill told him. “Too many rocks in the way.”
“What’ll we do then?”
“I was thinking that perhaps we could put the cell in that motor and
jockey down to the path in front of the camp and then we could pull her
out.”
“Better make it snappy then,” Rogers spoke for the first time. “We’ll
have to run through some water as it is, I’m afraid.”
By the time he had finished speaking Bill had changed the cell and a
moment later pushed over the switch. As he had said there were too many
rocks of large size along the beach in that particular locality to
enable him to run fast enough to allow of a hop off, but by running
slowly he believed he could steer by them. He turned the wheel as the
plane started and it swung out toward the ocean and almost at once was
in a foot or more of water.
“Why didn’t you turn the other way?” Gordon shouted.
“Wasn’t room,” Bill retorted.
“Look out or you’ll swamp her.”
“I’m doing the best I can.”
“Don’t I know it?” Gordon cried.
The plane was now headed the other way and moving slowly toward the
cliffs. Then, without warning it gave a sudden lurch and they could feel
the wheels settle down as the plane came to a sudden stop.
“Struck a hole,” Gordon announced.
“How’d you guess it?” Bill smiled as he began speeding up the motor.
Faster and faster whirled the propeller, but the plane did not move even
when he had the switch on the next to the last notch.
“I’m afraid to give her the last notch,” Bill said.
“How come?” Gordon asked.
“It’s likely to strain her,” Bill told him. “There must be a rock or
something in front of one of the wheels, maybe both.”
“I’ll see,” Gordon told him as he leaped over the side of the cockpit.
“I’ll say there is,” he announced a moment later after a hasty
examination. “And it’s too big to move, must weigh a ton.”
“If we get out do you think we can push her back?” Rogers asked.
“Just a minute till I see what’s behind,” Gordon told him. “It’s in a
pretty deep hole but maybe we can do it,” he told them.
Rogers and Bill were out by the time he had finished speaking, the
latter having shut off the power when Gordon got out. But, light as was
the plane in comparison with other planes, it was too heavy for them to
move under the circumstances.
“She’s wedged in there for keeps, I’m afraid,” Bill panted, shaking his
head.
“Let’s put the cell in the other motor and see if she’ll go up
straight,” Gordon suggested.
“Won’t do any harm to try,” Bill agreed as they climbed back.
“I was afraid it wouldn’t work,” Rogers said a few minutes later, after
Bill had turned all the power into the elevator.
“Maybe if you and I get out she’ll do it,” Gordon proposed.
“It’s worth a try,” Rogers agreed.
“Wait a minute till I slow her down a bit,” Bill ordered.
Thus lightened the plane gave a lurch when Bill pushed the switch to the
last notch and the next instant it shot up into the air, and reached an
altitude of nearly a hundred feet before he could get the motor slowed
down.
“That did the trick,” Gordon declared, looking up at the plane.
“Sure did,” Rogers agreed.
“But look,” Gordon cried, “the wind’s taking him out.”
“And pretty fast, too,” Rogers agreed.
So intent had they been with the problem of getting the plane out of the
hole none of them had noticed that the wind had strengthened and was
blowing directly off shore.
“He’s still going up.”
“Wonder what his idea is.”
“Maybe he thinks he will strike an ocean breeze if he goes up far
enough.”
As each in turn expressed an opinion the plane was rapidly mounting and
soon it was up so high that it looked hardly larger than a small bird.
Then, suddenly, Gordon gave a gasp.
“I believe he’s falling.”
“Nonsense,” Rogers told him.
“I tell you he is,” Gordon insisted, and Rogers could no longer deny it.
Down plunged the plane, gaining speed rapidly, and Gordon groaned in
anguish while Rogers placed his arm about his shoulders in an effort to
comfort him.
“What could have——”
But he never finished the sentence. The plane was only a few rods from
the surface of the water when they saw that the forward propeller was
revolving and just before the plane touched the water it had gained
enough headway to arrest its downward plunge and in another minute the
danger was passed and the Albatross swept over their heads with Bill
leaning over the side of the cockpit waving his hand at them.
“Do you know what he did?” Gordon gasped.
“Started the propeller by the force of the air,” Rogers answered him.
“Not a bit of it. You can’t start an electric motor that way.”
“Gee, that’s so. I never thought of that, but you don’t mean——”
“But that’s just what he did. He changed that cell to the other motor
while the plane was falling and, thank God, he got away with it.”
“Who’d have thought of it but he?”
“And who else would have had the nerve to try it if he had?”
“Who indeed?” Rogers echoed. “But, I say, we’ve got to beat it and beat
it quick.”
“I’ll say so,” Gordon agreed as they started on a run through the water
which was now well above their knees.
The plane was circling around overhead and, as they looked up, they saw
that Bill was motioning to them to hurry.
“I’m afraid he’s going to have trouble in landing,” Rogers panted as
they hurried along side by side.
“Probably that’s what he is trying to tell us,” Jack replied.
The water by this time was touching the foot of the cliffs every time a
roller ran up the beach and they knew there was one place just before
they reached the path where it would be much deeper and they also knew
that the depth was increasing every minute.
“We may have to swim,” Gordon said.
“Guess it won’t be that deep,” Rogers replied.
And he was right, for although the water reached well above their
waists, they were able to keep their feet, and a moment later were
running up the pathway toward the camp. As they reached the place Bill
flew by scarcely ten feet over their heads making as little speed as was
possible to keep the plane in the air.
“Going to hit just beyond the camp,” he shouted. “Stand by to help put
on the brakes.”
“Give us time to get set,” Gordon shouted back and Bill waved his band
to tell them that he understood.
“He’ll hit right about here,” Gordon told Rogers indicating the place.
“And we want to stand right here,” he continued taking his position
about twenty feet from the landing spot. “He won’t be going very fast
and it’s up to us to catch hold of the plane and stop it before it hits
those rocks, and it’s going to be some job.”
“We’ll have to catch hold of the tips of the wings,” Rogers said.
“I reckon.”
“Think we can reach them?”
“Come to think of it I doubt it. We could reach them perhaps but there’s
nothing to get a grip on. No, we’ll have to let them go over us and grab
hold of the sides of the cockpit.”
“That’s my idea. Here he comes.”
The plane was only a short distance away and they could see that Bill
had shut off the motor and that the propeller had nearly stopped. Then
the plane struck the ground and they ducked. A moment later and the
plane rolled between them and they grabbed for the sides of the cockpit.
Fortunately they both got a good hold and, although they were swept from
their feet, their weight helped and the plane came to a stop just six
inches from a large rock.