_Eavesdropping_
When Linda and Louise came downstairs in their flying suits, ready to
start for Plattsburg, they saw it was snowing. Mrs. Bancroft, entering
the living-room with a thermos bottle of coffee, immediately assumed
that they would stay with her for another day.
"You girls have never flown in a snowstorm, have you?" she asked.
"No, but we have to begin sometime, Mrs. Bancroft," replied Linda,
cheerfully. She was anxious to be off; the flight promised to be a
wonderful adventure.
"I don't see any reason why you should ever have to fly in bad
weather," remarked the older woman. "There are so many beautiful days."
"But when we are commercial pilots, we'll have to," Linda explained.
"So we might as well get used to it."
"You don't mean that you expect to take a regular paid position in
aviation after you graduate, do you?" she demanded, in amazement.
"Yes. Rather!"
"You young girls certainly are marvelous! I suppose you'll put the idea
into Nancy's head too.... Well, if there's no use urging you to stay,
I think you had better make your start. You don't want to risk flying
after dark."
"Linda's even done that," boasted Louise.
Hearing the taxi, which was to take them to the airport, they bade a
hasty farewell and departed.
"You're not afraid, are you, Linda?" inquired Louise, as they sped
across New York City.
"Not a bit! Only I wish we had as good directions for finding
Plattsburg as Ted gave us to follow coming here. It makes it so much
easier."
"Maybe we'll find a letter or a wire at the airport," surmised Louise.
What they found, however, was far better than either. Standing beside
the Arrow, which had been pushed out in readiness for the flight, was
Ted Mackay himself, grinning as usual.
"How do you happen to be here, Ted?" cried Louise, as she jumped out of
the taxi.
"I was as far east as Washington yesterday," the young man told her.
"And I thought it would be nice to see you."
"Better than nice," laughed Linda. "Most helpful!"
"Come into the hangar where it's warm," advised Ted, "and we'll figure
everything out."
As soon as they were within the shelter of the big building, he reached
into his pocket and brought out a map.
"This is your best course," he said. "I've indicated a lot of landings,
in case you need them--for it will be impossible to see the ground if
this snow keeps on, so you must watch your mileage. Perhaps, though,
you'll fly into clearer weather as you go north.
"Look out for Lake Champlain, then you'll know you're right. It's
probably frozen over now."
He handed Linda the map, together with his Washington address, where he
said he would be stationed for several days, and where he would expect
their telegrams.
"One tonight from Plattsburg," he reminded them. "One tomorrow from
Montreal--after you get back from that Convent. You better stay over a
day at Montreal and have your plane inspected. Even at that, you ought
to get back to Spring City the day before New Year's."
"And then we can go to the dance!" exclaimed Louise. "That will delight
your Aunt Emily, Linda!"
But Linda was not thinking about social events. Her mind was entirely
occupied with her plane and her flight.
"This map is marvelous, Ted," she said, after she had examined it
closely. "And how about the Pursuit? Did you give her the once-over
yourself? Of course I know the airport made the inspection."
"I did, too. She's absolutely O.K. You have nothing to worry about,
except the weather. I want you to make me just one promise, Linda."
"Yes?"
"You won't fly any longer than you have to through sleet and hail. If
ice forms on your wings and propeller, you'll have a tough job. Even
the old, experienced pilots--Army men--hate it, and avoid it whenever
they can. If it starts, make a landing as soon as possible.... Yes, one
other thing: When you get to Montreal, make careful inquiries about
the location of this Convent--about the land around it, I mean. They
can tell you all about it at the airport, and if there isn't a good
big space, don't attempt to go there in the Pursuit. Take a taxi or a
train."
"Well, I never had so many instructions in all my life!" laughed Linda.
"But I'm going to take them all seriously, Ted, and follow them to the
letter."
"We think you're an old peach, Ted!" put in Louise. "We'd never be able
to get along without you!"
He smiled and held out his hand. "Good-by," he said. "And good luck!"
The girls taxied along the snow-covered ground and rose into the air,
where the gentle, silent flakes of snow were falling all about them.
The atmosphere gave them the queerest sensation; they seemed to float
suspended in the sky. It was like fairyland, a region apart from the
world, and they gazed at it in awe. Then Linda climbed higher, until
they were well over the cloud line, and the sun shone and the sky was a
deep blue.
On and on they flew, now and then shifting controls--first Linda and
then Louise, taking turns sipping their coffee in their intervals of
rest. Neither cared to eat. It would be more fun to be terribly hungry
and order a grand hot dinner at Plattsburg.
The landing was difficult, for it was hard to see when they flew lower.
But Ted's directions had been so accurate that they found the desired
airport, and came down gracefully. Giving their instructions to the
attendant, the girls left the plane and taxied to the largest hotel.
"Do you think we ought to change our clothing before we order dinner?"
asked Louise. "I'm simply starved."
"So am I. No, don't let's bother. We're dry enough, when we take off
these leather coats. Let's see what we can get to eat!"
Since it was neither lunch nor supper time, the clerk seemed somewhat
doubtful, but the good-natured headwaiter, smiling at their aviation
costumes, said he would see to it at once. He put them into a little
alcove just off the lobby, behind some big plants, where they would not
be stared at, and served them a delicious hot dinner, cooked especially
for them.
How good it tasted! It seemed as if nothing had ever been so
satisfying. They enjoyed every mouthful. Indeed, the warmth of the
atmosphere and the food made them feel so deeply contented that they
did not even talk. A radio was playing in the reception room, and the
hum of voices in the lobby seemed distant and soothing.
But presently, as they were eating a lovely concoction that was called
by a French name, and apparently was a sort of glorified fruit pudding,
they heard two voices close to them, near and distinct, yet low. They
could not see the speakers, but the voices were somehow familiar, and
it was not long before they identified them.
"I think you ought to take that Moth back, Sis," insisted the man's
voice. "That club may be wanting to use it."
"Calm yourself," returned the girl, haughtily. "You don't suppose any
of those spoiled babies would fly in this kind of weather, do you?
Besides, I have important business on!"
"Business?"
"Sure. I'm making money, Bob! Get that under your skin. I've got to
have it--and I'm getting it."
"So you can fly over the ocean--after that prize?"
"Certainly."
There was silence for a moment, and Louise and Linda looked at each
other breathlessly, hardly daring to move lest they reveal their
presence. So this was where Miss Hulbert was--on business! They waited,
hoping to hear more.
"Tell me more about your job," urged Lieutenant Hulbert, voicing
Linda's and Louise's wish.
"Can't. It isn't a job.... It's business--and it's a secret.... Oh, not
so easy, either. I may be killed, or put in prison. But I've got to
have money! And you won't get it for me!"
"How can I, Bess?" demanded the young man, irritably. "I can't work any
harder than I'm doing now."
"You know well enough what you could do!"
"You mean marry Kitty Clavering?"
"Now you're talking!"
"Well, I won't!"
"Don't you like her? She's not bad--really quite cute-looking, I think.
Now if I asked you to propose to either of those two awful girls that
think they know all about flying--you know the ones I mean, one of 'em
named after Lindbergh--that would be something else again. But I should
think any man could stand a harmless little thing like Kitty Clavering,
for the sake of all those millions."
It was all Linda and Louise could do to keep from bursting out laughing
at Miss Hulbert's description of themselves. But they restrained their
desire, for the sake of the fun of hearing more.
"That's just it!" the unhappy young officer was protesting. "I'm in
love with Kitty--too much so to ask her to marry me when I have nothing
to offer her."
"You fool!" exclaimed his sister, in utmost contempt.
"Oh, I'll probably ask her, in the end. I won't be able to help myself.
I've been staying away from her--sending that other fellow to give the
lessons while I was away--but it doesn't help. I'm all the crazier
about her.... But get this, Sis--if I ask her, it will be to live on my
pay, until I can make more!"
"Then," announced Miss Hulbert, "I have nothing more to say. But mark
this, Bob, and remember it, if I come to any accident or disgrace:
remember, it is you who shoved me into it!"
"That's utter rot!" he stormed, forgetting to keep his voice low.
"Nobody has to get into disgrace, unless they do disgraceful things!"
"Sh!" warned Bess. "You needn't broadcast your feelings and opinions to
the world. No use making anybody suspect me, before it's necessary....
Well, so long! If you ever change your mind, you can wire me at the
Flying Club, or at my New York apartment. I shan't be here after
tonight."
In another minute they were gone, and Louise and Linda sat staring at
each other in silence, too amazed even to speak.
"Poor boy!" were the first words which Linda finally uttered. "To have
a sister like that!"
"I'm thinking more about 'poor us'," answered Louise. "From her
conversation, I take it that Bess Hulbert is rapidly raising money.
Money to fly the Atlantic!"
"So it sounds."
"I'd like to know how she's doing it," mused Louise.
"She said it might bring disgrace," replied Linda, thoughtfully....
"Funny she should be here--in Plattsburg.... Lou, do you suppose she
could be 'Mr. Hofstatter'--or rather, Mr. Hofstatter's employer?"
"That's an idea, Linda!" cried Louise, her eyes flashing with
excitement. "Only it seems too impossible. How could she have gotten
word of your father's business?"
Linda was silent for a moment.
"Through me," she announced, finally. "Remember the day I showed my
handkerchief to the girls, and explained all about where Daddy was
getting them? Remember how interested she was--and even knew the name
of the Convent?"
"That's right! I do! And she made some nasty remark about making money
from nuns!"
"So she did. I was furious.... And the very next day Ralph told me she
had gone to Canada in the Moth, in search of a job!"
"It's true! It's true!" exclaimed Louise, jumping up from the table.
"No use to hunt Hofstatter now--he's only a pawn in her game--if we are
correct in our guess. We must go right to the Convent!"
"Tonight?" asked Linda, doubtfully.
"No, of course not. Tomorrow. And it's clearing up, Linda. Oh, we're
the luckiest girls in the world!"