real grown-ups smiled at this, and although they did not dispute the
argument, neither of them could agree that seventeen and sixteen were
exactly mature.
“Well, probably--since we have planes and pilots it is wisdom to make
use of them and not delay needlessly,” Mrs. Austin finally announced.
“Atta girl!” Bob shouted. He picked her up in his arms and swung her
off the floor just to prove how big he really was.
“Robert!” His mother protested, so he sat her down again.
“Gosh, Mom, you haven’t called me that since I put the cat in the
frying pan,” he grinned.
“Did it jump into the fire?” Jim drawled.
“It did, and after Mom got through with me, I felt as if I had been
sitting in it. Wow, she did wave a wicked palm! It makes me warm to
think of it,” he laughed.
“Dismiss such unpleasant memories. Come on, I’m going to the Bar-Z.
Probably Don Haurea can give me some valuable information about
air-currents and other jams.”
“Flap along by yourself, Old Timer. I’m going to the Cross-Bar to look
at my new hotbeds. I want to be sure I have them in order to leave, and
I’ll get one of the boys to look after them.”
“Shall I take you along in the “Lark”?”
“No, thanks. Dad isn’t using the freighter, so I’ll take that, and
carry some pots back,” Bob answered. The “Freighter” was the name the
Flying Buddies had named the ranch plane.
“I think it isn’t very respectful to call the plane Dad and I use
a freighter--are we the freight?” his mother demanded with assumed
indignation.
“Nope,” he answered quickly, “but she’s a slow-boat compared to the
“Lark”, Mom, and before we leave, I’ll clean her up spick and span for
you.”
A bit later the two boys took off from the open corral, and the
difference in the two machines was immediately evident. The “Lark”
rose, like the bird from which her name was borrowed, while the other
plane went into the air at a more gradual ascent, and by the time Bob
had reached sufficient altitude to set his course, Jim was becoming a
speck in the distance. It did not take him long to reach Don Haurea’s
and leaving the bus with one of the men. He proceeded to the laboratory
where he knew he would find the Don busy at work.
“Good afternoon, my boy, something I can do for you?”
“I expect you can, sir. Fact is, Dad has to go to Peru, place in the
southern part called Cuzco--”
“Cuzco?”
“Yes sir, do you know it?”
“Rather.”
“Well, we persuaded him, Buddy and I did, to let us take him in the
“Lark”, and I thought I’d ask you about--well, the best route, and the
sort of air we are likely to hit, or get hit by.”
“How do you expect to go?”
“Haven’t had time to consider it much, but I thought of going to
Southern California and down that way, or shooting across Mexico,” Jim
told him. The Don pressed a button and one of the men appeared.
“Bring me the atlas, if you please.” Presently an enormous book, its
pages of fine quality paper, and the cover of light wood, which held
the sheets together with clamps, was opened before them. The maps
were the best the boy had ever seen and as he examined them he saw
that land, water and air were all carefully charted so one could tell
the depths of the sea, the proprieties of its surface, whether it was
rugged or comparatively smooth, the direction of tides and under-water
streams, also the force of the various winds and their usual course.
Each section of the world was recorded in the most complete detail, and
air currents marked clearly.
“Golly, what a set of maps,” he exclaimed in wonder.
“They are exceptionally fine and were compiled after years of the most
careful study. Now, let me see, going directly across Mexico would
seem like the better course, but I advise you to go to Miami, over the
Keys, to Havana, to Belize in British Honduras (you’ll have no trouble
finding people with whom you can talk), then to Panama, across and down
the coast line to Lima. Cuzco is inland.”
“That sounds like a good route.” Jim examined the map carefully. “It
gives us plenty of places to come down.”
“Yes. A part of the way the N. Y. R. B. A. air lines have mail and
passenger service.”
“That’s the New York, Rio and Buenos Aires line!”
“Yes. I’ll have one of the boys make you an itinerary so that you can
be over the water during the daytime unless you get in too big a hurry.
May I ask why you are going?”
“Dad and some friends of his are interested in a project down there
with some other business associates. One of his friends wrote
confidentially that my father better be on the ground. He’s making
quite an investment,” Jim explained.
“I see. I take it you expect to go and return as soon as possible.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, this route will really be the better one, and with two pilots
you can stay in the air as long as you like. I have been in Peru, and
don’t forget to take light clothing. It is very hot, unless you get
back into the mountains. Cuzco is two hundred miles from Lima and is
more temperate than places west of the Andes.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, you better leave the “Lark” here until you are ready to start.
Our men will put her in order for you, and I’ll see that she has one or
two extra conveniences. She is built to withstand acids--”
“Oh, we don’t expect to get into any trouble,” Jim laughed.
“Of course not, but if your father is planning to give his associates,
some of them, a surprise, you want to be prepared. Men of this age
are frequently particularly vicious if their financial plans are
threatened. This is something you want to remember, and so, do not take
any chances.” The Don spoke so earnestly that Jim was sobered.
“It’s kind of a wild country down there isn’t it?”
“Parts of it, certainly.”
“Not very thickly settled.”
“It isn’t always the isolated spots where the greatest evil is
committed. Be on your guard all of the time. I do not mean for you to
be stupidly fearful, but be precautious.”
“I understand. Thank you, Don Haurea, and you bet I’ll be glad to have
all the trimmings that the “Lark” will carry.”
“All right. You might study these maps while you are here, and later
I’ll send Zargo home with you, unless you will dine with me. I have not
had young company for some weeks.”
“I’ll be glad to stay, but jinks, I’m in working clothes.”
“Never mind that. Is the plane here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll have the boys set to work on her at once. When do you expect to
leave?”
“Not for a couple of days anyway. I know that Dad can’t start before
that.”
“Fine. Now, I’ll get back to my observations.”
“I thought I could take some lessons with me,” Jim remarked.
“We’ll have some prepared.”
Jim bent over the maps, made a memorandum of the route the Don
had suggested, a rough sketch on which he marked various items of
importance, and when the man came to tell him it was time to go to
dinner, the boy could hardly believe it. Half an hour later they were
seated in the cheery living room, and the meal was being served.
Through the first course they discussed this and that, then suddenly
Jim remembered that Don Haurea had said he had been in Peru.
“It must be an interesting country, down there, sir. Did you like it
when you were in Peru?”
“Very much indeed.”
“We studied its history in school, and I read some extra books
about the Conquistadores. Most of the writers soft peddled the old
duffers, but I got a hunch they were a pretty hot lot. Pizzaro and
his brothers--they were half brothers. Only one of them got back to
Spain, and he spent twenty years in prison. The Marquis Francisco was
assassinated, one brother was killed by the Indians, and the other was
hanged. Rather a come-down from being chief moguls, but I wasn’t a bit
sorry for them, they were a--” Jim saw Don Haurea’s face flush and was
filled with dismay lest he had said something personal.
“South America, particularly Peru, has stood for hundreds of years as
a monument to those men, whose ignorance, cruelty and avarice caused
them to commit crimes which constitute one of the greatest blots in the
history of the world,” the Don said. His eyes rested on his plate, then
he looked up with his usual pleasant smile. “No doubt you have guessed
that my regard for the ‘Marquis’ as they called him, his brothers and
also partner, Almagro, is not very high. They were all low born men,
except Hernando Pizzaro, who was the legitimate son of his father,
and as you say, the only one to return to Spain alive. It must have
been galling to him to return to his native land and be treated as a
criminal; he had sailed away as a great hero, had known the riches of
kings, but he died in comparative poverty.”
“He had it coming to him,” Jim declared. He was no end relieved that he
had not embarrassed his host, and he did wonder a bit why Don Haurea,
who was usually so perfectly calm and self possessed, should feel so
deeply about the fate of Peru and her neighbors. “I thought it was too
bad Spain didn’t take a tumble to herself sooner, she might have saved
something from the wreck.”
“She might have.”
“Buddy and I were talking about those countries, those old ones. Spain
had all South America, Central America, Mexico, part of the United
States, Portugal, and goodness knows what else, and now she’s one of
the least significant countries in the world, almost. Alfonso, he’s not
half bad and of course he can’t help what his predecessors did, but I
should think it would make him want to bite nails when he thinks, if he
dares to, what his country might have done in all these years.”
“Probably the history of his heritage does not constitute his happiest
reading,” the Don answered.
“Some of those chaps had brains enough to see that the system was a
blamed poor one, but they couldn’t do much until the worst was over.”
“A few of the men who went or were sent out were the finest of their
time, or any time. They were keen enough to see that their country must
lose instead of gain by the ruthless oppression of a race which was
intellectually superior to their own. The destruction of public works
as great as any in Spain, and the wrecking of a government under which
men lived more happily than any country before or since; could only
react like a boomerang against them. At the time the Pizarros invaded
Peru, there was no poverty among the people of the Yncas; there hadn’t
been a beggar in the land in hundreds of years; every man, woman and
child was trained as few were trained in the old world. There were no
rats, comparatively little disease, the travelers on the great roads
were guests at the depots--inns--the Spaniards called them, and there
was no oppression. The poor were cared for; everyone, from the greatest
to the least, worked, did his share and had plenty. They worshipped
the Sun--it was their God--and they had ceremonies in their beautiful
temples--but the conquerors called them heathen, destroyed the
wonderful works of art--destroyed them so effectively that the world
still wonders how the work was done. The great buildings were razed,
the gold ripped off. One man’s share was a huge gold sun, several feet
in diameter, of the purest quality, and he lost it with a throw of the
dice.”
“Jinks, I never read that,” Jim gasped. “Wow.”
“It is quite true. The gold and silver workers had made marvelous
vases, all sorts of pieces of service and statuary. When you are in
Cuzco you can see the remains of a temple. How the stones were brought
to that spot, put together, and worked, still is one of the world’s
mysteries. Depots were built in every province; a whole army on the
march could be supplied at a moment’s notice, and if disaster over-took
one section of the land, it could be re-supplied very quickly from
another. Runners traveled the road from one end to the other, men who
were swift of foot, and news was passed back and forth in an incredibly
short time.”
“It must have been lovely. I read somewhere that the roads were much
more marvelous than the ones built by the early Romans,” Jim said.
“They were. They went over desert and Mountains, were wide and smooth,
with beautiful shade trees and seats. The land was irrigated by a
system which is still a mystery. In years, ten or fifteen millions of
people were butchered without rhyme or reason, vast flocks of llamas
were almost wiped off the face of the earth, the highways were hacked
to pieces, and the guide posts set across the deserts were burned for
firewood.”
“The Ynca gave them a room full of gold as a ransom.”
“And they strangled him in spite of their promise to set him free. He
was not a particularly good man, but he was better than his captors.
During the weeks of his captivity he learned Spanish. He could read,
write and speak it, could play chess well, and cards. Several men who
surrounded him realized that he had a fine mind. A few like Ferdinand
De Soto, were greatly opposed to his death, but they were sent off to
another part of the country, and while they were gone charges were
trumped up against the Ynca. They killed him because they were afraid.
Had those men gone to the land, expressed a desire to trade with the
Ynca’s people, sent Christian missionaries if they wanted to, they
would have been kindly received, welcomed, and the Spaniards could have
made themselves richer than their wildest dreams. The world in general
would have been better and Spain might now be a great country instead
of a backward, poverty-stricken one. When you are in Cuzco you will see
Lake Titicaca, one of the highest in the world. It is about half as big
as Lake Champlain and very beautiful. I am sure that you will enjoy
seeing the country; the Andes are marvelous.”
“They must be. But, jinks, I guess I’ll feel a bit as you do, Don
Haurea. It was a rotten shame those people got such a raw deal,” the
boy said earnestly.
“Don’t let what I have told you prejudice you or spoil your trip.
Remember, the whole land is free now, and it was through the leadership
of some of the descendants of the Yncas that the different sections
managed, one by one, to shake off the yoke. You’ll have a marvelous
experience, and remember that when you are flying safe and high, those
sixteenth century men traveled horseback or on foot through leagues of
unbroken forests.”
“I will,” Jim promised.
VIII
AN OFFICER’S PLEA
Two mornings after the decision to fly to Peru had been made, the
Flying Buddies were at Don Haurea’s early, but it was not bright, for
it was bitter cold, and more snow was falling, or rather being driven
every which way so the air was almost as thick as milk. The boys had
beaten their way up against the north wind in the “Freighter” and
were now listening while the Don explained the changes which had been
installed in the “Lark”. A long roll of waterproof chart was on a tall
spool at the left side of the control board and at the other side were
small hooks so that it could be stretched across and observed without
obstructing the view of the dials and keys. The knob which tuned-in
with the central control power was turned half on.
“I did that so that I can keep in touch with you and any time you need
help we will be able to give it to you promptly. However, we shall not
interfere unless you are in difficulties, and when you are, just sit
back and let things alone unless you see a light across the radio.”
“All right. You can talk to us and we can talk with you over the radio,
but no one else can pick us up--what we say, I mean, unless we tune
down into the broadcasting belt,” Bob remarked in order to impress it
upon his own mind.
“Exactly. The little shutter thing like a camera will throw a light two
hundred feet ahead of you; but it will not light up the plane in case
you do not wish to reveal yourselves. The cabins are warm, and there is
a heating system which will dispel ice--prevent it from forming on the
wings and weighing you down. You can take moving pictures by releasing
this spring, then setting the pointer in the proper direction. The
glasses we have attached above your goggles on your helmets will be
more convenient to handle than heavy field ones. They have very rare
lenses so leave the flap over them except when you are using them
alone.”
“It sure beats me how we are to get so much power with so little
weight and extra luggage,” Bob frowned. “I can’t get that through my
head.”
“I know a little about it,” Jim put in. “We gather up energy as we go
along and store all we need.”
“That’s the idea. Here are a pair of caps--they are really gas masks.
Slip them over your heads, helmets and all. They are soft now, but
the warmth from your faces will give them body and if anyone should
attempt to put you to sleep when you want to keep awake, you will be
quite safe. Keep them in your pockets and put them on at the slightest
provocation. Your parachutes are of dark material instead of light, and
will open all around you, like life-belts. You can use them on sea and
land. There are two extra ones in case of an emergency or if you should
lose one.”
“Good gracious. It’s well Mom isn’t here, she’d think we are planning
to get into something awful.”
“We don’t expect to, but we may as well be on the safe side. We can
scoot along three hundred miles an hour if we have to, but you think
we’d better not do that because it would attract attention,” said Jim.
“Yes. Of course your trip is unheralded, but if anyone noticed the hour
you left one point, compared it with the time you reach the next, the
“Lark” would immediately become the center of observation. You have a
good supply of fuel, dining service if you decide to take your meals in
the air, communication with the rear cock-pit; and the man who wants to
sleep, if he isn’t in the pilot’s seat, can shove his chair out, tip
it back and make himself quite comfortable. I’d suggest that when you
get to the warmer temperatures that you fly low so the change from cold
to hot will not be too sudden and extreme. That is likely to be very
debilitating. I see that you are both wearing the emerald rings my son
gave you.”
“Oh sure, why, we’d feel undressed without them,” Bob laughed.
“That’s well. Keep them on, they may be of service. Now, that is all. I
trust that you will have a pleasant trip and that you’ll return in good
time. We shall look forward to seeing the “Lark” come soaring up the
Cap in a very few weeks. Good luck to you all.”
“Thank you, Don Haurea. I guess we’ll hop along. I was just thinking,
no one knows about our starting, so we might put on speed from here to
Miami and save some hours,” Jim proposed.
“A good idea. So long.”
“So long.” The Flying Buddies hopped into the front cock-pit, adjusted
the shelter and themselves. Jim sat before the controls, and Bob was
beside him.
“I can see where I have a good nap,” he yawned as he slid his seat
forward and lowered the back to a comfortable angle. The engine was
roaring, so was the north wind, but no one paid any attention to that.
The “Lark” rose swiftly, then, with the gale at her tail she made
record time to the K-A where Mr. Austin was already dressed in flying
clothes, with suit case and hamper beside him. It did not take long for
him to get into his place, while his wife looked on anxiously.
“Zargo will bring the “Freighter” home this morning, Mom,” Bob told her.
“All right, dear, thank you. This is awful weather--”
“We’ll be out of it into a summer land in a few hours,” Jim laughed.
“Don’t stay away any longer than you have to,” she urged, and she
smiled bravely, although she didn’t feel one bit comfortable about
seeing her men folk flying away from her.
“Not a minute,” they promised. “We’ll send you wireless messages every
day, and postcards with the place where we stopped marked by a cross.
Be good, Mom.”
Presently they were again climbing into the storm and as soon as
they had altitude enough, Jim leveled off, set the course south by
southeast, and opened her wide. The “Lark” split through the air like a
shot and an hour later had left behind her all sign of winter weather.
The two boys were intensely interested in the performance of the
plane and as the speed was recorded, they glanced at each other with
exclamations of enthusiasm. Before noon the peninsula of Florida was
stretched out beneath them, the waters rolling on either side; at one
o’clock they glided down to a landing at a private airdrome the Don had
recommended. A mechanic came to greet them, and he eyed the plane with
unconcealed admiration.
“Some bird!”
“We think so. Don Haurea suggested that we stop here. We want to go and
have lunch, replace the gas we have used, and start off in a couple of
hours,” Jim explained. At the mention of the Don’s name, the man looked
at them more closely.
“My boss isn’t here but I know that friends of Don Haurea are to
be given the works. I’ll be glad to do anything I can for you,” he
answered.
“Thank you.”
“Roll her up and I’ll lock her in that small hangar for you. I’ll give
you a key and in case I’m not here when you return just help yourself.
There is a filling tank in the house.”
“That is very courteous.” They exchanged introductions, a few words of
general interest, and when the “Lark” was housed, Mr. Austin joined
them. His face wore a frown.
“Didn’t we make rather good time, Jim?” he wanted to know.
“Rather,” Jim grinned, but he made no further explanation then.
“When do we eat?” Bob demanded. “To quote Yncicea, my esophagus feels
as if my pharynx was severed.”
“We’d better take you right to the nearest hospital,” Mr. Austin
laughed. “I’d say you must be suffering.”
“Right you are, but it’s a restaurant I need,” Bob declared.
“There is a very good hotel, any number of them in fact, but one I
think is pretty good about a mile from here. I’m sending one of our men
up that way in the car. If you care to go along he’ll give you a lift.”
“That is very kind, thank you so much,” Mr. Austin accepted. It did not
take long to get the “Lark” stored and locked in, then the party went
with the chauffeur for the drive into the lovely city. The hotel looked
most attractive, and the travelers decided it was exactly what they
were looking for. Presently they were seated in an out-of-door dining
room, and when they had given their orders Mr. Austin again broached
the subject of their speed.
“Didn’t we make the trip in rather short order?” he asked.
“Yes, we did, Dad. Don Haurea fixed the “Lark” so that she has extra
capacity, but we are not broadcasting the fact. Besides that, we flew
high and almost straight.”
“And we didn’t meet a bump,” Bob added. “Holy smoke, winter underwear
isn’t so good in Miami.” He began to squirm and the others watched with
sympathetic amusement.
“Suppose we buy some lighter things while we are here,” Dad proposed.
“Corking idea,” Bob agreed. “You can’t get them too light for me.”
“You fellows go shopping when we finish lunch, and I’ll go back to the
drome. I want to have a look at the “Lark” and fill her up,” Jim told
them.
“Come to think of it, didn’t Mom put lighter suits in the bag?”
“Yes, but just suits. She said we might need to buy extra ones and we
may as well do it while we are here,” Mr. Austin told them.
By that time the waiter appeared and the three gave their undivided
attention to the meal, which was a particularly tasty one. There were a
great many people in the place and they looked as if they hailed from
all parts of the world. The helmets of the three Texans attracted some
attention to their table and a few of the people smiled in a friendly
fashion as if flyers were everybody’s comrades. When they were about
half finished a party of two gentlemen and a young lady took the
nearest places. The girl looked as if she were mighty disappointed over
something and Jim heard her remarks.
“I think it’s a shame my brother could not be here,” she said.
“It sure is, Lillian, but the Marines down below us haven’t been given
any leave for several weeks. They have to keep right on the job while
things look nasty,” one of the men explained.
“Yes, of course, but I did hope Phil could make it. It’s been months
since he could get away.”
“He’ll get extra time later. Be a good sport and try to get along with
just us. We’re really not half bad companions if you’ll give us a
chance,” the man said gravely.
“You are both perfect dears. I’ve been so disgruntled that it’s a
wonder you haven’t wanted to drop me into the Gulf. I’ll try and make
amends.” She laughed gayly and her companions joined in heartily. After
that the three seemed to have a very jolly time, and Jim forgot all
about them. He was thinking of Don Haurea and his warning for them to
be on the alert, and that was one reason he was anxious to get back to
the drome and into the air as quickly as he could.
“I’d better reserve a room,” Mr. Austin suggested.