[Illustration: AS HERC TURNED, HE WAS CERTAIN THAT HE HAD SEEN A FACE
VANISH QUICKLY FROM THE CASEMENT.
--Page 62.
]
THE
DREADNOUGHT BOYS
ON AERO SERVICE
BY
CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON
AUTHOR OF "THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON BATTLE PRACTICE," "THE
DREADNOUGHT BOYS ABOARD A DESTROYER," "THE DREADNOUGHT
BOYS ON A SUBMARINE," ETC.
NEW YORK
HURST & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1912,
BY
HURST & COMPANY
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. SOMETHING NEW IN NAVAL LIFE 5
II. "IF HE'S A MAN, HE'LL STAND UP" 17
III. FOR THE TROPHY OF THE FLEET 30
IV. THE AERO SQUAD 39
V. UNCLE SAM'S MEN-BIRDS 50
VI. NED INVENTS SOMETHING 59
VII. A RESCUE BY AEROPLANE 73
VIII. HERC GETS A "TALKING TO" 84
IX. A CONSPIRACY IS RIPENING 93
X. A DREADNOUGHT BOY AT BAY 103
XI. IN THEIR ENEMIES' HANDS 113
XII. "STOP WHERE YOU ARE!" 123
XIII. HARMLESS AS A RATTLESNAKE 136
XIV. FLYING FOR A RECORD 148
XV. A DROP FROM SPACE 156
XVI. THE SETTING OF A TRAP 167
XVII. THE SPRINGING THEREOF 178
XVIII. ON BOARD THE SLOOP 190
XIX. "BY WIRELESS!" 200
XX. NED, CAST AWAY 213
XXI. A STRIKE FOR UNCLE SAM 223
XXII. SOME ADVENTURES BY THE WAY 233
XXIII. "YOU ARE A PRISONER OF THE GOVERNMENT!" 243
XXIV. A DASH FOR FREEDOM 255
XXV. THE MYSTERIOUS SCHOONER--CONCLUSION 267
The Dreadnought Boys on Aero Service
CHAPTER I.
SOMETHING NEW IN NAVAL LIFE.
One breezy day in early June, when a fresh wind off shore was whipping
the water into sparkling white caps, excitement and comment fairly
hummed about the crowded foredecks of the big Dreadnought _Manhattan_.
The formidable looking sea-fighter lay with half a dozen other smaller
naval vessels--battleships and cruisers--in the stretch of water known
as Hampton Roads, which, sheltered by rising ground, has, from time
immemorial, formed an anchorage for our fighting-ships, and is as rich
in historical associations as any strip of sea within the jurisdiction
of the United States.
The cause of all the turmoil, which was agitating every jackie on the
vessel, was a notice which had been posted on the ship's bulletin board
that morning.
It was tacked up in the midst of notices of band concerts, challenges
to boxing matches, lost or found articles, and the like. At first
it had not attracted much attention. But soon one jackie, and then
another, had scanned it till, by means of the thought-wireless, which
prevails on a man-of-war, the whole fore part of the ship was now
vibrant and buzzing with the intelligence.
The notice which had excited so much attention read as follows:
"Enlisted Men and Petty Officers: You are instructed to send your
volunteer applications for positions in the experimental Aero squad.
All applications to be made in writing to Lieutenant De Frees in charge
of the experiment station."
"Aero service, eh?" grunted more than one grizzled old shell-back,
"well, I've served my time in many an old sea-going hooker, but hanged
if I'd venture my precious skin on board a sky-clipper."
"Aye, aye, mate. Let the youngsters risk their lily-white necks if they
want to," formed the burden of the growled responses, "but you and me
'ull smoke Uncle Sam's baccy, and take our pay with a good deck under
our feet."
But this state of caution did not extend to the younger members of
the ship's company. Least of all to Boatswain's Mate Herc--otherwise
Hercules--Taylor and his inseparable chum, Ned Strong, the latter of
whom was now chief gunner's mate of the biggest vessel in the navy.
Neither Ned nor Herc smoked. By observation of those who did indulge in
the practice, they had discovered that the use of tobacco affected more
senses than one, and rendered a man incapable of the highest physical
proficiency. The custom of smoking not only impaired the eyesight of
many a gunner, but in the athletic sports, of which both lads were
so fond, it also showed its bad effects. Ned knew of more than one
promising young gun-pointer who had been compelled to relinquish his
laurels on account of tobacco-affected eyesight.
As a consequence, the two trim, clean-cut lads, their faces bronzed and
clear from sea air and clean living, stood apart from the group about
the "smoke-lamp."
"I'm going to send in my name," announced Ned with twinkling eyes. "The
aero section of the navy is going to be an important one in the future.
There is a good chance for a chap to advance himself in such work."
"By the great horn spoon!" muttered Herc, in his enthusiastic,
whimsical way, "I'm with you, Ned. We'll be regular sky-pilots before
the summer's out!"
He began to rub his shoulder-blades, while a humorous smile played over
his freckled, straightforward features.
"What's the matter?" asked Ned, noting Herc's brisk rubbing of the part
aforesaid.
"Oh, hum! I thought I felt my wings sprouting," replied Herc, with a
broad grin.
"Tell you what, we've a few minutes yet. Let's get our ditty boxes--or
'ditto' boxes, as you used to call them--and write our applications at
once."
"Let's talk a while longer," said Herc, with an odd look.
"Why, what's the matter? Surely you aren't regretting your
determination already."
Herc, for reply, bent over and touched his feet.
"No; they're not cold," he said; "I thought for a minute they were."
Then he looked up into the cloudless blue vault of the heavens.
"Say, Ned, it's an awful long way up there, isn't it? How far, I
wonder?"
"What do you want to know for?" asked Ned, moving away.
"Oh, nothing. Only I'd like to know how far we are likely to tumble, in
case we get our applications accepted, and in case we fly as high as
the sky, and in case----"
"Oh, come on, Herc," urged Ned; "time enough to worry about that when
we are assigned to aero duty."
"All that goes up must come down," said Herc sagely, joining Ned
nevertheless, "but we've reversed the process."
"How do you make that out?"
"Well, when we were on submarine duty we explored the bottom of the
sea, didn't we? And now, if all goes well, we're going to venture
aloft."
Ned burst into a laugh, and they moved off arm in arm, exchanging
greetings with the crowd of blue jackets lounging about at the
after-dinner rest. As they threaded their way among them, Herc burst
into song:
"'There's a sweet little cherub that sits up aloft!' That's me, Ned."
"First freckled cherub I ever heard of," chuckled Ned.
Leaving the two lads to write their letters, we feel that it is now
our duty to let our readers know something more about Ned Strong and
Herc Taylor. They are two lads worth knowing. Neither of them much over
eighteen years of age, they had, during their short career in the navy,
each made his mark in no uncertain fashion. In his chosen branch of the
service, Ned Strong was admired by the officers and adored by the men.
His advance had been rapid, and some of his more enthusiastic friends
were already hinting at a commission in sight for him in the time to
come.
As for the merry, light-hearted Herc Taylor, that befreckled youth
had as many friends among officers and men as Ned, and was one of the
youngest bos'un's mates in the navy.
As readers of the Dreadnought Boys series know, both lads had entered
the navy, like so many other "likely" recruits, from a farm. From the
first a measure of luck had been theirs. But dogged perseverance, and a
determination to overcome all obstacles by honorable means, had, also,
aided them not a little in their rapid advance.
In "_The Dreadnought Boys on Battle Practice_," we followed the early
steps of their life in the navy. It was not all as pleasant as they had
imagined it would be. To the boys, as "rookies," much hard, and not
over-pleasant work, fell. But scrubbing decks, cleaning paint and the
like, they accepted in good part. "It's helping to keep our $5,000,000
home trim and fit," was the way Ned used to put it.
A ship's bully tried his best to make their paths thorny, but Ned,
in a battle that will live long in forecastle annals, bested him.
Kennell tried to take a despicable revenge. With a gang of rascals,
he concerned himself in a plot to injure the Dreadnought Boys. But
his machinations came to naught. Instead, Ned became the means of
saving the inventor of a new explosive and type of gun from a serious
predicament. Right after this, Herc's turn came, when he displayed
wonderful heroism following a disastrous "flare-back."
Following the stirring days at Guantanamo, came a voyage on a
torpedo-boat destroyer, the celebrated _Beale_. The two lads, on
this cruise, found themselves plunged into the very thick of a
South American revolution. The uprising seriously affected American
interests, and, by a stroke of good fortune, our lads were able to play
a prominent part in bringing the situation to a successful outcome. In
this book one of the many exciting adventures described was the lads'
escape from a prison, when it was shelled during a hot engagement, and
their subsequent daredevil dash on board a revolutionary torpedo craft.
By this time, although, of course, their participation in the
revolution could not be "mentioned in the despatches," the boys had
placed themselves in line for promotion. The eyes of their superiors
were on them. But success did not spoil them or "swell their heads."
They were still just as ready to fulfill an order promptly and
cheerfully as in their apprentice days. As that is the spirit that wins
in the navy, the Dreadnought Boys were singled out for some hazardous
work on board a new type of submarine. Enemies of Uncle Sam nearly
succeeded in sinking the diving boat for good and all with an infernal
machine, but the boys providentially discovered the plot in time, and
saved many lives. In that book, too, they had an interesting encounter
with Sound pirates, and played a rather prominent part in the pretty
romance of the diving boat's inventor.
The opening of this book finds them back on regular duty. Although the
routine of battleship life in times of peace may seem tame and humdrum,
the boys, nevertheless, devoted themselves to it with the same cheerful
zest which had carried them through so many dashing adventures.
But the quiet and monotonous daily existence which they had enjoyed
during and since the winter cruise to European stations, was not to
last long. Although they did not know it, the Dreadnought Boys were on
the brink of some most remarkable happenings.
"By the way," said Herc, as, their letters written and deposited in
the ship's post-office, the two chums emerged on deck once more, "you
haven't let this aerial business drive the recollection of to-morrow's
races out of your mind, have you?"
He referred to some contests ashore, which had been arranged with
enthusiasm by the officers and crews of the ships of the squadron.
"I should say not," laughed Ned. "Why?"
"Nothing, only there are a few chaps in the fleet who'd like to see us
both fall down hard. You're in good trim, Ned?"
"I think so. Feel fit, anyway."
"I needn't have asked you. I know you're always in good shape."
"I can return the compliment," laughed Ned.
Just then the bugles began singing the calls for the busy afternoon's
practice-work on guns and at drill. With a hasty word, the chums
separated and hurried to take their places in the big machine of which
they were already important cogs.