The Sky Pilot's Great Chase; Or, Jack Ralston's Dead Stick Landing

X
IN A SNUG HARBOR

It turned out to be rather a wet job, forcing the amphibian along against the waves and the wind, constantly increasing in vigor and both of them, as well as the girl, were more or less soaked before sufficient speed could be attained to permit the boat to swing upward and take to the air. Superior skill accomplished Jack’s end at last and they left the agitated surface of the lake to ascend and head toward the shore.

Of course there was no way of asking the questions Perk had on the tip of his tongue, since she could not possibly hear anything he might say, what with the clamor of motor exhaust and spinning propeller, together with the shrill whistle of the wind amidst the struts.

But then according to Perk’s mind there was no need of hearing any explanation, for it was all so simple – the girl had foolishly ventured out farther than discretion warranted in such a frail craft then the sudden rising of wind and waves had alarmed her, and she must have plied her paddle with such good will that suddenly it had snapped in the middle where possibly a knot in the wood had proved to be its weakness, leaving her helpless far from land and with a storm gathering.

No wonder the poor child was frightened – any man might have felt a chill passing over him as he contemplated his slender chances of being saved. And strangest of all, it had been no rescuing boat from the shore that arrived in time to take her aboard, but an airship dropping down from the clouds in the most miraculous way that could ever be imagined.

It was now their bounden duty to get her ashore as quickly as possible, for probably her folks would have discovered that she was missing and filled with fears, were at their wits end to figure how they could discover her whereabouts and go to her assistance.

Imagine their amazement when looking far out over the heaving waters they discovered a sky-scraper zooming along, suddenly make downward swoops and presently float upon the lake, for what object they could only surmise and feed their sinking hearts with wild hopes. Then to see the airship again taking wing, and even head toward the land, must have filled them with a wild enthusiasm. Jack knew very well what sort of reception he and his chum would be apt to receive and was determined to avoid it if possible, even to the point of seeming unmannerly. He could not enjoy the thought of being made to pose in the role of a hero when all they had done was of a most ordinary character.

“See that crowd gathering on that little dock – she pointed to it, an’ tried to let me know it was where she came from.”

Perk was calling in the pilot’s ear as he himself thrust out his hand and called Jack’s attention to the excited little group of gesticulating, waving people. The girl was once more making use of her distress flag, but now her face was lighted up with enthusiasm rather than flooded with despair for she must begin to feel like some fairy-book maiden being brought safely back to her father’s palace after being torn from the castle of the odious ogre – that is about what her sensations must be, Jack was telling himself, if she had a spark of romance in her makeup, which was very likely the case.

Jack went about carrying out his plans by cutting off the engine and gliding down toward the water, comparatively smooth so close to the shore for the wind just then was coming off the land.

They struck with a great splash and the impetus almost sufficed to carry the amphibian to the outer edge of the miniature wharf, suitable only for small boats. Eager hands were held out to the girl, already leaning far over and in danger of falling overboard in her desire to reach her dear ones. But zealous Perk kept hold of her until she could be drawn up by many willing hands to be fairly smothered with a multitude of kisses, the women in particular showing their enthusiasm in this regard.

“Push off!” Jack told his chum who was kneeling there, gazing at the riotous scene, his face decorated by one of his customary grins.

So it happened that a minute or so afterwards, when the tattoo of the working motor startled the group around the girl, to their astonishment and dismay as well, they discovered the rescuing airship moving rapidly away. In vain did they hold out their hands and beckon as though actually pleading to the airmen to come ashore and accept their warm thanks for saving the life of the one so dear to their hearts. Both Jack and Perk smiled, but only shook their heads in the negative as they passed further away from the little landing with its excited group.

There was Perk sending kisses back with all his soul and Jack could see that this was for the benefit of the little girl, who, pushing to the front of the milling crowd was blowing kisses after them, as if in her heart she must let them know how grateful she felt for what they had done.

That was quite enough for Jack – the memory of the little deed would often arise in his mind and make him all the more satisfied that he had not waited to listen to the applause of those good people who must likely enough always believe it was about the only case on record where two gallant chaps who had actually done a creditable deed, refused to be lionized because of their modesty.

Perk was again paying some attention to the weather, for those black clouds seemed to be gathering thicker than ever toward the southwest aid from the signs, it would not be difficult to prophesy the coming of a fairly savage summer storm.

“Going to be some buster, seems like to me, Boss,” mentioned Perk with a hint in his voice as if he would be pleased to hear what his comrade thought of the proposition and likewise what course they should pursue in order to escape as much of the coming turmoil as lay in their power.

“Between you and me and the lamp-post, brother,” Jack remarked a bit seriously, “I don’t seem to hanker much about climbing in hopes of getting through all that black mess, it’s got a venomous look to me as though it might turn out to be one of those electrical twisters we’ve heard about. I’ve half a mind to run in closer to the shore in hopes of finding some sort of a point heading out into the lake behind which we could run and be sheltered from the worst of the blow. How about that, Perk?”

“Sounds good to me, ol’ hoss an’ by the same token I kinder guess I just sighted the cape we want, a mile or so ahead there.”

He pointed as he spoke to what looked like a fairly sizable point that jutted out from the shore and behind which they would undoubtedly find a lagoon deep enough for their purpose.

“Yes, I see what you mean and here we go licketty-split for that headland,” Jack told him without loss of time.

Indeed, the grumble of distant thunder had by now grown more like a roaring lion or a bull alligator in a swamp, challenging a rival to deadly combat.

“The closer we get the better I like that cape,” Perk was saying as he continued to stare through the glass, “it’s pretty high land and ought to shield us fairly well from any blow I’m glad to say, ’cause the wings o’ the best ship ever built are kinder weak stuff and likely to be blowed away in a gale when held fast by an anchor or hawser.”

Jack was picking the proper spot on which to alight – of course that would be on the water, but then it would be an easy matter for them to taxi around the point and find a safe harbor if things were as they pictured them.

This program was duly carried out without the slightest difficulty. The friendly tongue of high land proved all they could have hoped for and Jack readily drove his boat around its tip, to bring up further on where the ground rose to its maximum height.

“Looks okay to me, Perk,” he called out as he stopped his motor.

“Couldn’t well be bettered I’d say, partner.”

“Then drop the mudhook, and see what kind of holding bottom you get,” Jack told his mate which Perk proceeded to do without loss of time.

Thus they found themselves apparently sheltered in safety behind a barrier that should hold back the riotous winds as well as the waves that would soon be beating heavily against it. With the cabin for shelter they would not have anything to complain about, unless the storm should turn into a regular cyclone and Jack could hardly conceive such a thing possible away out there on the shore of Great Salt Lake, far removed from the hurricane districts of the Mexican Gulf.

XI
A STORMY NIGHT

By this time the forerunners of the gale had arrived with considerable electrical display and reverberating thunder. Of course the two flyers had removed their ear-phones since the motor lay silent and the whirlwind propeller had also ceased to spin around with incalculable speed but when the thunder began to roar at its loudest they found it necessary to shout in order to make themselves heard.

“Say, promises to be some screecher, b’lieve me!” was the way Perk put it when an extraordinarily loud crash almost burst their eardrums, the preceding flash having seared their eyes and nearly blinded them.

“Some fireworks for a fact,” conservative Jack admitted frankly, “didn’t reckon on such an exhibition so soon. But see here, Perk – ”

“Yeah!” snapped the other, showing his readiness to act if anything was needed along the order of further security from the rain that was now drenching the shore line as if a cloud had burst.

“Seems to me you’re forgetting something, partner,” continued Jack.

“As what, Boss?”

“Isn’t it about time for grub?” demanded Jack whose face was set in a grin a sudden flash of lightning disclosed.

“Je-hos-i-phat! if that ain’t the very first time I ever did forget such a thing as eats!” burst out the chagrined co-pilot. “That’s a fact, it is our time for attendin’ to the gnawin’ down below-stairs. Wait up, buddy, an’ I’ll fix things up okay in a jiffy.”

He was as good as his word, although the measure of action he mentioned has never as yet been exactly settled. Perk knew just where he had put his supplies and trotted them out with alacrity, likewise undoubted pleasure for that sacred rite of eating was one of the duties the war veteran always stood by manfully.

Undoubtedly both of them had partaken of meals under many peculiar conditions but if their comments had any bearing on the subject never before had they dined under such frightfully noisy accompaniments as right then with the cannonading from heaven’s heavy artillery constantly booming, the wind howling like a pack of maddened wolves and the waves smashing against that little rocky ridge that sheltered them so bravely.

Perk had lighted the stub end of a candle so that they might not be in complete darkness, for it was as though midnight had arrived, especially between the vivid flashes as streaks of lightning went zigzagging athwart the black dome overhead.

Calmly they continued to munch their sandwiches and take occasional sips of hot coffee from the thermos bottle, Perk having supplied a couple of large aluminum cups for the occasion.

“Don’t seem to let up any that I c’n notice,” remarked Perk later on when they had taken the edge off their appetites.

“Weather fooled me that time for certain,” added Jack frankly, “but then I never did claim to be a good hand at guessing what was coming along in this line. Government reports have always served me decently and even they can’t always be depended on. This upset may last most of the night for all we can tell.”

“Who cares?” sang out Perk, gaily enough. “I worked in a boiler factory in my salad days an’ got used to all kinds o’ rackets. Nary a drop o’ rain gets in here, you notice comrade, thanks to the swell cabin we’ve got over our heads. Huh! how many times have I gone through big storms in the open cockpit o’ an old-fashioned crate. Been bombarded too aplenty by half a hundred big guns, with shells bursting every-which-way around. Seems like a feller c’n git used to near anything if on’y he runs up against it often enough.”

“Snug as two bugs in a rug,” agreed Jack lightly. “Here we’ll stick it out tonight and go on after morning breaks – no hurry, remember, brother – just take things as they come along and keep in trim for the big push later on.”

“That’s the ticket, Jack, boy – it sure wins out in the end – no blunders, jest every move carried out like machine work an’ we’re sure to come in smilin’ at the windup.”

Later on there was a little letup in the violence of the storm and Perk even felt encouraged enough to predict that the worst was over with possibly a nice, peaceful night’s rest ahead.

This, however, proved to be a false deduction on his part for once again the thunder rose to a deafening pitch, with a wind of such velocity that Jack himself felt a little uneasiness, not on account of his own security, but because of the great damage he fancied the surrounding country would suffer in consequence of wind and flood.

“Danged if the ol’ thing ain’t turned turtle on us an’ got started on the back track agin!” complained the humbled Perk. “What I know ’bout weather you could stick in a thimble!”

“But you’re wrong when you say it’s backed upon us,” Jack told him pointedly, “for the wind is still coming from the same old quarter, this is only another section of the same old storm.”

“Huh! running this train in sections are they?” continued the disgusted Perk, “wall, I on’y hope they ain’t too many more parts to the contraption – I’ve seen quite enough a’ready.”

Having finished their supper they made themselves as comfortable as the conditions allowed. Jack got to figuring, as usual, for he was a great hand at laying out his plans in black and white for reference when the time for action arrived. Perk was poring over some clippings he had picked up at some time or other and which appeared to be of special interest to him.

It was indeed a most eccentric storm, now waning and giving promise of expiring, anon picking up again and squeezing out considerable more water to help finish the flooding of the earth.

Tiring of his reading with a poor light, Perk had for some little time been lying there so quietly that Jack half suspected he might have passed into dreamland. Suddenly he gave a loud grunt and exclaimed:

“Reckon now it might be jest plain Barrowman – an’ yet somehow that don’t seem to sound quite right – how ’bout Baxter – Banister – Brockman – shucks! what ails me anyhow – my bean ain’t worth a red cent when it comes to ’memberin’ names – guess I must be goin’ a bit loco an’ next thing I know I’ll have to sew my own name on my coat in case I forget it.”

Jack only chuckled, knowing that his chum was going through the same old game of cudgeling his treacherous memory with the usual poor results as of yore.

Later still, and both of them seemed to get more or less sleep though the storm kept up a growling and threatening for hours, as if not content with such damage as it must have already done.

Finally Perk, aroused by signs of daylight, looked out and was highly pleased to discover that not only had dawn really arrived, but that there was not a single cloud to be seen in the entire heavens.

“Hi! partner, wake up!” he called out, “mornin’s got here an’ that pesky row-maker’s cleared out for keeps – goin’ to have a clear day for our flight to Spokane. After such a devil o’ a blow I kinder guess we might look for fair stuff a hull week o’ Sundays. But hold on, I forgot I was sech a poor weather sharp, so don’t count on anything I might say – I jest don’t know what they got laid up for us flyers, an’ that’s a fact.”

They had a very decent breakfast, for Perk hunted up some dry wood, he calling himself a Maine woods guide these days it appeared, and consequently able to skirmish suitable fuel, even after such a drenching downpour. Then, after starting a cooking fire he produced a lightweight skillet, also a pound of sliced breakfast bacon, some strips of which he proceeded to fry as though quite accustomed to playing the role of camp cook. Then too, he had a new aluminum coffeepot which he meant to christen on that occasion so the appetizing odors of these two breakfast mainstays soon spread around the entire community, doubtless much to the wonder of various chipmunks and red squirrels that frisked here and there among the trees.

Jack said nothing, only nodded his head at witnessing these wonderful revelations as if things suited him all right. Trust sagacious Perk to make ample preparations for the numerous meals they would have to count on while engaged in the future tasks certain to be given into their charge from time to time.

XII
THE LAY-OVER AT SPOKANE

There was no trouble whatever about getting off after Jack had checked his motor and the rest of their ship so as to make certain nothing had suffered during the sway of that extraordinary storm.

As they went along, still keeping above the lake shore much of the way, Perk frequently called out as he discovered by use of the binoculars some particular damage done by the unwelcome visitor of the preceding afternoon and night. Trees were down and obstructing the highway between the various towns – several houses he noticed appeared to have chimneys toppled over or, as was the case in one sad instance, have a tree fall directly on the roof and occasion considerable damage.

Presently they had left the lake in their wake and were also changing the line of their flight more or less. Jack had laid out his plan and felt positive of being able to strike their distant goal in due time, even if he did not have the beacons of the air-mail flyers to guide him.

Somewhere about noon they glimpsed a city ahead which of course must be none other than Spokane. Shortly afterwards they were circling above the aviation field and gradually lowering so as to strike the proper spot. In these air-minded times the coming of a strange plane no longer excited an undue amount of curiosity, since a multitude of private aircraft were daily scouring all sections of the country from Florida to the Canadian border and between both oceans – as Perk was fond of saying they’d soon become as common as dirt.

No sooner had they made contact with the ground than Jack, followed by his companion, jumped out to be greeted by several parties in the same class as themselves – pilots, mechanics and field workers. It was no trouble to get the use of a hangar, since there chanced to be several vacant ones for hire. So too did Jack see fit to engage a promising looking man to stand by their ship and make certain no one tampered with it. A good judge of faces, Jack felt certain he had picked out a dependable man for this duty so that his mind might be free from any worry while in the city attending to his particular business.

Perk, for some reason or other did not seem to care about accompanying him – doubtless in the belief that he would in due time hear everything from his partner. Perhaps too Perk did not happen to have just as much confidence in the hired guard as Jack seemed to feel. The remembrance of that burned garage and badly injured Pitcairn Mailwing crate may have still remained too fresh in his memory to let him recklessly abandon their ship in the midst of a strange airport.

Jack was just as well pleased, for he could carry out his business with better results if the talkative Perk were absent although of course Jack would never be guilty of letting his chum know this little fact.

Perk, having eaten a dry snack before they landed, was not very hungry and he had told Jack to be sure and get his dinner at some restaurant while in the city, so that part of the day’s doings was taken care of nicely.

It was several hours afterwards when Jack showed up again. Perk could not notice anything about his appearance to suggest that a monkey wrench had been dropped in the machinery of their projected flight, hence he took it for granted Jack must have had a gratifying confab with Mr. Robert Mills Maxwell, to whom he had been directed to apply, a Government official who would be able to give him the latest news concerning the notorious Hawk and his lawless doings up there in the Northwest Territory where the Canadian Mounted Police held sway.

Perk beckoned to his pal to join him, for at the time he happened to be sitting on a bench not far distant from their hangar and had made up his mind the spot would be an admirable one for them to have their little council of war, after Jack had detailed his adventures in the city.

“How’s things?” Perk started in by asking in a general way.

“All serene,” came the ready answer accompanied by a nod. “I spent nearly an hour and a half with Mr. Maxwell and found him a most agreeable sort of a gentleman. It was certainly a pleasure to sit and chat with him. He gave me the latest information and just now I’ll only say there is to be no change in our program – the whole thing goes through as we figured it.” Perk showed signs of sheer pleasure.

“Hot ziggety dog! but I’m right glad to hear that, partner,” he remarked eagerly. “I sure do hate to swap hosses when crossin’ a stream an’ we got things pretty well set up as ’tis. How long will we be stickin’ round this Spokane airport, I wonder?”

“Perhaps we may take off in the morning, but a good deal depends on certain things. I may have to see Mr. Maxwell again if he sends out a message by telephone this afternoon. I’m still using my new name, you understand – he thinks it a bright idea, both now and later on when we’ll be running across the trail of the man we want most to strike.”

“Huh! Mister John Jacob Astorbilt, o’ course an’ by the same token I’m Gabe Smith, Esq., from the glorious State of Maine an’ known as one o’ the slickest woods guides goin’. Whoopee! nothin’ like layin’ it on thick when you’re about it. But I want to say that I’ll breathe easier after we cut loose from all these strange airports an’ strike the open away up in the Canadian bush country.”

“Nothing to worry about that I can see, brother,” Jack said soothingly, “I can guess what’s on your mind and that was a sad sight I admit, seeing such a dandy craft nearly ruined by the fire but I’ve got a dependable man to watch things here tonight and even if we have a single enemy in Spokane, which I doubt, he’ll never get a show down to injure our fine ship.”

“Mebbe so Jack, an’ already I feel a bit more confidence in the chap you picked up. I’ve been chattin’ with him – he’s a married man with a wife an’ two kids. More than that I’ve learned he was raised in that great old State o’ Maine an’ not fifty miles, as the crow flies, away from the place where I fust saw daylight. Guess now he’s okay. We both seem to have knowed a number o’ boys an’ that kinder makes it feel like we’d been neighbors. Yep, I guess Ike Hobbs is on the square. Mebbe now I might take a notion to run in with you this afternoon, so’s to get some eats an’ see a picture – been an age since I had a chance to enjoy myself laughin’ at one o’ them comics on the screen. How ’bout the place you took dinner at – good enough to stand an encore, buddy?”

That was the real Perk all over again – food appealed to him as regularly as the hour rolled around three times a day, and seven days in the week. Jack laughed to hear his comment, and went on to reassure him.

“Plenty good I reckon, Perk old boy and I’ll take pleasure in steering you around to the place this evening. Be sure to have your appetite along for they’ve got a menu almost a yard long so you can have a wide choice.”

“Oh! you c’n depend on me carryin’ my appetite wherever I wander – jest can’t nohow get away from it – haunts me like my shadow an’ has ever since I c’n remember. They tells me I never could get filled up like most kids, no matter how they chucked it into me. Any real particular news come your way down thar in town, Jack?”

“A little that was interesting, I’d call it,” came the reply, “although it may be we’ll never be called upon to handle the proposition but Mr. Maxwell did seem to be a heap interested in the game and I sure enough promised to help him out, if we chanced to run smack into one of those mule trains.”

“What’s that, buddy? Je-ru-sa-lem crickets! an’ do we expect to try an’ rustle stolen mules this time? Wall, I never ’spected the time’d come when I’d be a mule wrangler o’ all things!”

“Hold everything and go slow about making up your mind,” warned Jack, visibly amused by Perk’s evident floundering, “this doesn’t happen to have anything to do with mule punchers or even rustlers. It’s only a little possible sideline that might happen to develop and of which Mr. Maxwell would have to be advised should we strike pay dirt – that’s all, Perk.”

“In that case,” admitted the now reconciled Perk, “mebbe I might stand for even mules in my itemary or whatever it is I’m aimin’ to say. I seen the stubborn critters do some mighty fine work over there in France – mules that came all the way from Missouri in the bargain. But whatever can it be mules has got to do with coaxin’ us to turn aside from our main trail, I’d like to know?”

“Just what I’m going to tell you, if you give me half a chance, brother,” explained Jack. “Here’s a little clipping that will explain the whole thing that’s got Mr. Maxwell keyed up to a high pitch,” and he passed a strip taken from a newspaper to the now deeply interested Perk.