A Perilous Take-Off
The girls knew that Joe Arnold was an enemy far more dangerous than
Bud Hyslop or Jim Heron, for he was their superior in brains and
experience, and was quite as unscrupulous. Joe Arnold, they knew was
their father’s rival and would do anything to injure Dick Mapes, to
discredit him and ruin his business. And now here was Arnold before
them.
The sisters tiptoed back down the hill where they could talk without
being heard, taking Sally with them. The three girls clung together.
These were desperate men, taking desperate chances, therefore they
might do terrible things, even commit murder to get what they wanted.
There was silence for a long time then Terry spoke in low tones.
“Listen, Prim. I’m certain that _Skybird_ is all ready to take-off. So
is Joe Arnold’s plane. But I must get the _Comet_.”
“Terry, don’t be ridiculous. We can’t get any of the planes with those
men there.”
“We’ll have to take a chance. We’ve got to do it!” said Terry.
“But Dad says that there is never any excuse for taking chances,”
cautioned Prim.
“That’s all right. Dad will change his mind when he knows what we
know.”
“But what do you want me to do, Terry? I’ll do anything you say!”
agreed Prim.
“First, I want you to be game. I’m going down the hill and take a look
at _The Comet_ and see if there is plenty of gas and oil. Don’t speak,
no matter what. I’ll be all right!”
“I’ll be game, only I wish you wouldn’t go. It’s too dangerous, Terry.
Please give it up!” Prim clutched her sister’s sleeve.
“Don’t hold me back, Prim. I’ve got to go! It’s the only way out. Now
that the fog has lifted, everything is in our favor. It’s now or
never.”
As Terry slipped quietly down the hill, Sally and Prim returned
cautiously to the crest where they could see what was going on. Terry
was gliding about among the planes, keeping herself hidden from the
man, who was sitting with his back toward her. Terry reached _The
Comet_ unobserved. It stood to reason, she thought, that Bud Hyslop
would have the planes ready for a quick take-off at any moment. With a
tiny flashlight that she always carried in the pocket of her leather
coat, she looked over the plane. Everything was set.
Just as Terry was starting to return, Joe Arnold threw away his cigar,
rose, stretched and took a leisurely turn around the planes. Terry
crouched low and scarcely breathed. Prim, on the hill above, almost
screamed in fear as the man walked within a few feet of the hidden
girl. It seemed hours to Terry and her sister before he turned away
and strode over to Dan. He gave the boy a poke in the ribs.
“You take a turn,” he said. “I’ll try and get a wink of sleep,” and
Joe Arnold stretched himself on the ground.
Sally pressed her companion’s hand. “Luck is with us, Prim,” she
whispered.
“But what’s keeping Terry so long? Why doesn’t she come?” asked Prim
anxiously. For Terry was slipping once more between the planes. She
crossed a space near the campfire and busied herself about Joe’s air
craft, then went noiselessly up the hill to safety.
Dan Brent was restless. He walked up and down anxiously, looking
toward the trail as if he suspected that someone was watching. Finally
Sally could stand it no longer; she picked up a pebble and threw it at
the boy’s feet. Dan understood and without a bit of hesitation, walked
up the trail.
Terry and Prim stepped back to let Sally talk with Dan alone.
“What are those men planning to do, Dan? Have you found out anything?”
demanded Sally.
“I heard them say they were soon going to take the boys back to the
States. They talk straight enough. I don’t know which to believe,
these fellows or the girls you have.”
“If you’re wise, you’ll believe what _I_ tell you. The idea of you
being taken in by _them_! A lot of crooks!”
“I’m not taken in by them, Sally. I have their number. They’re not
playing fair, I know that. If they were, they wouldn’t try to cheat me
out of that fifty dollars they promised. But are your girls on the
level?”
“You bet they are,” said Sally.
“Then I’ll throw in with you and tell you everything those fellows
said. I heard them talking and I have a tip about where those
kidnapped boys are.”
“Where?” demanded Sally. “Tell me, quick! Don’t keep us waiting!”
“_Us!_ What do you mean?” demanded Dan. “You mean your friends?”
“Come and talk to them yourself. The girls are right here. They
escaped,” said Sally as she drew the boy down the trail.
“I don’t exactly know where those kidnapped flyers have been taken,”
he explained to Terry and Prim. “But they are out with the fishermen.
Bud told Joe that he had hired a launch to take them out. I think the
boys are safe enough. The fishermen are all decent people, they
wouldn’t do them any harm.”
“Oh, is that so, Dan? What about old Mackey Jones? He isn’t exactly
what I’d call decent!”
“That’s right, Sally. He doesn’t amount to much, but we don’t know
whether the boys are on his boat. How could Bud Hyslop be able to pick
out the only crook among the fishermen?” asked Dan.
“I guess Jim Heron could tip him off to anything of that sort that was
needed. But how are we going to find out where Mackey Jones is
fishing? Sometimes they’re miles and miles away. What we want to find
out is whose launch took them out.”
Dan jumped to his feet. “I have it,” he exclaimed. “Why didn’t I think
of it before? Old Spencer was the man who told me to come up here and
get this job. Likely as not he took them out in his motor launch. I’ll
go and see him right now.”
“All right, Dan,” said Terry quietly. “You go and see if you can get
the information out of this man, Spencer. Here’s five dollars. Promise
more, if you have to and get back as soon as you can. We want to
take-off in the planes before these men wake up.”
The boy hurried away and in half an hour had returned with the
information. He also had the five dollars which he offered to Terry
but she refused it. Old Spencer had taken the boys out to Mackey
Jones’ fleet and as Bud had short-changed him he said he’d have
nothing more to do with the scheme. And Dan could not persuade the
stubborn old salt to make the trip and bring the boys back.
“That’s all right, Dan,” said Terry. “Joe Arnold might have caught on
and beat him there. You come along with us and we’ll fly out to that
fishing fleet and bring the boys back ourselves.”
“Gee!” exclaimed the astonished Dan. “I don’t know about that! I’ve
always wanted to go up in one of them planes, but lots of them crash
around here.”
“If we’re going to go, Terry, let’s get started. Joe and Bud will be
waking up soon,” said Prim.
Terry took command at once. “Now Dan, you’re coming along! You have
to! Go down there and get into the rear cockpit of _The Comet_. Don’t
make any mistake! And Prim, you hop off with _Skybird_!”
At that moment Sally threw her arms about Terry’s waist. “Take me with
you, Terry, please! Don’t leave me here. I don’t want to stay another
day. Please, Terry. I’m frightened of Jim Heron. You heard him
threaten me. He’ll see the ladder and think I helped you escape.”
Terry looked at the frightened face staring up at her in the darkness.
She hesitated for a moment then said: “All right, go with Prim. Now be
quiet. And when you hear me give a loud whistle start your engine,
Prim, and get out of here in double quick time. Fly straight to Harbor
Grace.”
They crept down the hillside slowly, fearing that the sound of their
footsteps might waken the men. There was not a move from the sleepers.
Everything was still.
Then suddenly from the woods came the report of a gun, then another.
Somebody had let off both barrels of a shotgun, as a signal. The next
moment Jim Heron came crashing through the brush, his white hair
flying, his eyes wild, and yelling at the top of his voice.
“Wake up, Bud Hyslop. Watch out for trouble!” he shouted. “Those two
girls got away and they are trouble makers, sure enough!”
Jim Heron’s warning came too late.
A loud whistle from Terry rent the air followed by a deafening roar of
the two airplane motors. Bud Hyslop and Joe Arnold jumped to their
feet. Arnold made a dash toward _The Comet_ as it started to move
forward. He grabbed the cowling.
“Not so fast, Terry Mapes. You may be smart, but you’ve met your
match. Shut off that engine!”
Terry’s heart sank. It was hard to be so near to freedom, and then to
lose out!
Dan Brent saw the danger. He grabbed up a wrench and brought it down
with all his force on the knuckles of the man. Joe gave a howl of pain
and anger. His hand dropped, and Terry sent her plane taxiing across
the bumpy surface of the ground to a quick take-off. As she pulled
back the stick to send the plane upward, the engine sputtered and for
an anxious second the girl felt that all was over. Then _The Comet_
took the air and followed the _Skybird_.
As Joe Arnold saw them climbing into the sky, he sprang to his own
plane and worked the controls. Something was wrong. The ignition had
been tampered with.
“It’s Terry Mapes’ work! I know her,” cried Bud Hyslop. “She’s too
smart for us, Joe Arnold.”
“Keep quiet. Who’s asking your opinion?” With an oath he turned to Jim
Heron and cried, “Why didn’t you guard those girls? You were paid to
watch them! You old fool!”
“Don’t talk to me like that,” retorted Jim in a rage. “Who are you,
anyhow?”
For answer Joe Arnold drove his fist into the old scoundrel’s face and
Jim Heron fell backward in a heap. This was a dose of his own
medicine!
Bud interfered and the three rascals quarreled violently, calling each
other names until finally Joe Arnold cried:
“Come on, Bud, we’re wasting time. Get busy and repair that ignition,
quick. Maybe we can catch those two Mapes girls before they do any
more damage.”
“You’re on,” said Bud. “Let’s go!”
Jim Heron rose from the ground and shouted, “Where’s my pay for
guarding them girls?”
“You can whistle for it!” said Joe Arnold. “Just keep on whistling!”
Half an hour later the Mapes twins set down their planes on the
landing field of the Harbor Grace airport, taking on a supply of oil
and gas. As Terry watched the men at work, Prim suddenly ran to her
sister thrusting a torn newspaper into her hand.
“Oh Terry, read this. They’ve arrested Dad! They are going to grill
him to find out if he knows anything about the kidnapping. Oh Terry,
what will we do?”
Terry’s face turned pale as death. Then determination to win once more
came to her aid.
“Prim, there’s only one way in which we can help Dad. We must get
those boys back to Elmwood. Let’s go. Prim, you take Sally in _The
Comet_ and when you get one of the boys aboard make a straight shoot
home. Don’t even wait for me, if I lag behind. Get back to Dad!”
The girls lost no time in getting their planes started.
“You’re in luck,” cried Dan through the earphones. “It’s not often
that the sea is as smooth as it is today. Sometimes the wind howls
around here like all furies—that’s when some of the fishermen’s boats
get lost. And you’re in luck again because Mackey Jones’ fleet is
headed home.”
Terry kept her plane down toward the water and a moment later Dan
again called, “I’m sure that’s Mackey Jones’ fleet below you.” Terry
banked and circled over the boats. She was answered by a vigorous
waving of arms from the bow of the largest vessel.
“There they are! There’s your friends. How are you going to get them
into the plane?” cried Dan.
But at the moment, other figures ran to the boys and the pair
disappeared. They had been thrust down the hatchway.
Terry circled and banked and finally landed on the water within
hailing distance of the boat. Mackey Jones, himself, in one of the
smaller craft, rowed close and demanded to know what she wanted.
“I want those two young men you have there,” said Terry, with decision
in her voice.
“We haven’t seen any young men,” answered the fisherman.
Terry laughed. “Then you’ve got poor eyesight. We saw them from the
air. We also saw you shove them down the hatchway. You’d better bring
them out quickly, if you don’t want trouble.”
“Nothing doing! I’ve got my orders.”
“Who from?” asked Terry. “What will he pay you?”
“He’ll pay a good price. I work hard for my money, and fifty dollars
isn’t picked up so easy.”
“Fifty dollars? Did he give it to you?” called Dan.
“No, but he promised he would. Anyway I’ve got the boys and he won’t
get them till he gives me the fifty dollars.”
“I’ll pay you sixty,” said Terry, “and all you’ll have to do for that
extra ten spot is to row the boys from your boat to the plane. That’s
easy money. Is it a bargain?”
The old man took a moment for thought. “You’ll pay me sixty dollars
now, cash in hand?” he asked.
“Yes sir, cash in hand just as soon as the boys are alongside this
airplane. No promises, but good hard cash!”
“It’s a bargain,” said Mackey Jones. Turning to his men, he ordered,
“Row for your lives, men! Hurry! That girl may change her mind!”
A few minutes later Terry saw the hatch being opened and the two boys
scrambled out. They were hustled without ceremony into the boat and
Mackey Jones and his men rowed for dear life.
While Mackey Jones was bringing the boys toward the plane, Dan said,
“You can drop me here, if you like. I’ll go back with the fleet.”
“All right, Dan, and thank you for your help.” The girl passed him a
roll of bills but Dan shook his head. “You’ve already paid me five
dollars, that’s plenty for what I did.”
But Terry pressed the money into his hand. “No Dan, take it, you
earned it. Some day we’ll see you again. You’ll want to see Sally and
you’ll always be welcome at Elmwood.”
The boy had no time to answer for Mackey Jones hailed them.
“Here you are, Miss! Now where’s my money?”
Terry wrapped the bills in her handkerchief and dropped them into the
boat as Allan and Syd shouted a greeting.
“Why Allan, what’s the matter?” cried Terry as she saw his bruised
face and his arm done up in a sling. “Are you hurt badly?”
“It’s nothing serious, Terry. I broke my arm. I had a set-to with Bud
Hyslop and another old villain. I’ll tell you about it some other
time,” returned Allan.
“Want an extra hand, Mackey Jones?” called Dan.
“Sure, climb out!” said the old man.
Dan and Syd helped Allan into the rear cockpit of _Skybird_. “Syd,
you’re to go with Prim in _The Comet_. She’s to come down as soon as
I’m out of the way.”
“_The Comet!_” cried Allan. “Terry Mapes, where did you get my plane?”
“I stole it!” she said with a toss of her head. “But that story can
wait until later,—and Syd, you’d better take the controls. Prim is
tired out!”
“O. K. Chief!” Syd’s brown eyes were full of fun once more as he gave
a mock salute.
“And Syd, make a bee line for home. The plane is all set, gas and oil
and everything. Our next stop is The Dick Mapes Flying Field!”
“That’s the best trade I ever made,” said Mackey Jones, as he pocketed
the money.
The boys laughed heartily. “That’s what he thinks of us,” said Allan
as he settled in the seat.
With a wave of her hand to the fishermen, Terry started her engine,
throwing up a shower of water in front of the plane as she gained
speed for the rise.
Terry sent the _Skybird_ into the air, nose tilted for a sharp rise.
Then she levelled out and began circling, waiting to be certain that
Mackey Jones was playing fair and would allow Syd to go with Prim.
As she brought her plane once more over the fishing boats, Syd was
climbing into the _Comet_. The boy looked up and waved his hand to
indicate that everything was all right.
Terry soared high into the air, straight up into the glorious morning
sunlight. She felt fine! She had accomplished what she had set out to
do. Allan and Syd were safe.
And now for home!
Finally Allan spoke. “There’s another plane coming our way. Maybe it’s
our dear friend Bud Hyslop. Wants to see if I have been looked after
properly!” said Allan with a laugh. “He’s so thoughtful of my
comfort!”
Terry glanced at the far speck in the sky. “It may be an enemy.”
“That’s what I just said. It may be Bud Hyslop. But I’m not afraid of
that fellow.”
Terry headed her plane straight for Elmwood. “We’ll get away from
here,” cried the girl.
“What’s all the hurry! Let’s take our time and enjoy the scenery,” the
boy answered, still in a happy mood.
But Terry was sending her plane forward with wide open throttle. “We
haven’t any time to lose, Allan Graham. That plane is coming, and
coming fast. I can’t be sure who it is but I’ll make a guess. It’s Joe
Arnold! And he’s after us. He’s a dangerous man!”