CHAPTER II.
THE WORK OF GERMAN SPIES.
When that astonishing declaration made by Pudge told the other two boysthe nature of his discovery, they also glanced at the suspicious atom ofwax sticking to the brass padlock.
"Sure enough, Frank; that it is," gurgled Billy Barnes.
"There's no question about it," admitted Frank, as he took the fragmentbetween his thumb and forefinger, and examined it.
"It wasn't here when we came around this morning, I'd take my affidavyto that," declared Billy.
"Dories and dingbats, not a bit of it!" exclaimed Pudge. "That padlockwas as clean as a whistle, for I rubbed it with my sleeve to brightenit. There's been some one snooping around here since then; and I guessthey must mean to come back again to-night to steal the seaplane!"
"Open up, and let's make sure things are all right still," demandedFrank. "We can settle on some sort of plan to upset their scheme byputting on a new lock, or something like that."
Pudge, with a trembling hand, managed to insert his key, and upon thedoor being opened the three boys hurried inside the curious elevatedhangar. It had been built with a metal roof, though whether this wouldreally prove bombproof in case of a German air raid, such as hadoccurred several times, was a question.
"Thank goodness! everything seems to be O. K., boys!" cried Billy, afterhe had taken a swift survey of the interior, including the monsterseaplane built on so advanced a model that there was certainly nothinglike it known to aviators.
Frank, too, breathed more freely, for he had not known what to expect.
"Yes," he went on to say earnestly, "and we ought to be mighty thankfulthat we've managed to get along up to now without having our wholeoutfit wrecked by a bomb, set on fire by a German spy, or raided somenight by a party of unknown persons who would have an interest inkeeping the French Government from getting this sample seaplane."
"My idea is this," remarked Billy soberly. "They could have done themischief at almost any time, but some one in authority thought it wouldbe a brighter idea for them to wait until we had finished working on theplane, and then steal it, so that the Germans could copy our model fortheir army."
"Gatling guns and grasshoppers, but I think you must be right, Billy,"exploded Pudge. "Haven't we known that they kept a steady watch on uswhile we worked away here, even if they couldn't see much? And many atime we disputed whether those chaps were German spies, or Frenchmen seton guard so as to make sure we didn't take a notion to fly away some dayto the enemy."
Frank was looking unusually serious, and it could be plainly seen thathe had a weight on his mind. The afternoon was near its close; andbefore long the shadows of a dark February night would be closing inaround them.
"One thing sure, boys," he finally said, "we must not leave our seaplaneunguarded another night."
"Do you think they mean to make away with it tonight, Frank?" demandedBilly.
"In some way they seem to know we've finished our work," came the reply."It puzzles me to guess how they learned it, when we only this noonnotified the French authorities in secret that we were ready for anysort of long-distance test they might wish to order."
"Must be a leak at Headquarters!" suggested Billy quickly.
"Tamales and terrapins, that would be a nice proposition, I shouldthink!" ejaculated Pudge.
"Let's step out and look around a little," suggested Frank. "Perhaps wemay find some trace of these unwelcome visitors who have managed to getup here to our door in spite of the soldier standing guard by the gateof our stockade."
"They must have come from the water side, Frank," Pudge was heard to sayas he followed the others down the stairway that led to the ground.
"Be careful how you step around," cautioned Frank. "Here, both of youplant a foot alongside mine, and in that way we'll have a set of printsto go by. Now notice just what they look like, and see if you can findany fresh marks that are different in some way from ours."
It was an easy task he had set them, for almost immediately Billy sangout to the effect that he had made a discovery, and hardly had he ceasedspeaking when Pudge announced that he, too, wanted Frank's opinion on afootprint that was much too large to have been made by any of them.
A further hunt revealed the fact that apparently three parties must havebeen at the foot of the steps leading up to their locked hangar. Thisimportant discovery was anything but pleasant to Frank Chester; it toldhim that a crisis was undoubtedly approaching their enterprise, whichwould seriously affect its success or failure.
What if, after all their earnest work, just when the wonderful seaplanehad been made ready for a flight, those secret emissaries of the Germansmanaged to steal it away! Doubtless they had prepared for just such astroke, and had an experienced air pilot hovering around so as to takecharge of the hydro-aeroplane after it was successfully launched.
That would be the last the aeroplane boys would ever see of theirvaluable property. In time of war all devices are recognized as proper,and this theft of the American seaplane would be hailed as one of themost glorious feats of the German arms, as well as a serious blow at theair power of the Allies.
"There's only one thing to be done," said Frank, turning to the stoutchum, "if you are game to tackle it, Pudge."
The fat boy winced but set his teeth hard together.
"Rifles and rattlesnakes, just try me, Frank, that's all!" he chortled,squaring his shoulders aggressively in a manner the others both knewmeant that his fighting blood had been aroused.
"While Billy and I stay here to guard the machine, you must go back totown and get another kind of padlock, Pudge!" exclaimed Frank. "Pick outone that will hold as securely as this does. If we have to change itevery day, we've got to make a sure thing of it."
"Was it that you said you meant to speak about after we got inside thehangar, Frank?" inquired Billy as Pudge prepared to start bravely awaythrough the gathering shadows of evening.
"Well, it was something along the same lines," explained Frank; "infact, I meant to suggest that one of us stay here nights until we hadword from Headquarters that the hour had come to make our test, andprove that the _Sea Eagle_ could stand up against a gale when commonseaplanes would go to smash, or have to stay at their moorings."
"Mumps and mathematics, but I agree with you there, Frank!" cried Pudge."And for one I'm in favor of camping out here right along. We could rigup a little stove, and cook our meals. It would be good fun at that,because then we'd have the real old-fashioned Yankee grub instead ofthis French fool stuff that never satisfies a healthy appetite."
The others looked at Pudge and exchanged nods. They knew his failing,and could sympathize with the poor fellow. Pudge was patriotic enough toprefer the American style of cooking, which always spelled abundanceaccording to his way of thinking.
"I'm off, fellows," he now announced. "Look for me inside of an hour orso. Of course, it'll be about dark by then, but I know every stone onthe road between here and town, I've traveled along the way so often. Solong!"
With a genial wave of his hand, Pudge left them. The other pair lookedafter him with considerable solicitude; there was only one Pudge afterall, according to their opinion, and he had a happy faculty for wrappinghimself in the affections of his mates.
"You don't think anything could happen to him going or coming, do you,Frank?" asked Billy Barnes, as they saw Pudge vanish through the partlyopen gate of the high stockade.
"Why, no; I hardly think so," replied the other slowly. "Perhaps Ishould have gone for the padlock myself. If I had thought twice, I wouldhave done that."
"Too late--Pudge is on the way," remarked Billy. "Let's go up and take apeep around once more to see that everything is in apple-pie shape--eachwire-stay keyed up to the right tune for efficiency, the motors ready todo business, the gas pump lubricated, and, in fact, our machine fit totoe the scratch as if there were a race on."
Once they were inside the hangar, Frank fastened the d
oor with a barthat had been arranged for just such a purpose. Then, turning on a floodof light from an acetylene gas battery, they examined every part of thebig seaplane. It had something of the appearance of a gigantic sleepingbat as it lay there motionless, but with all the attributes oftremendous power for skimming along on the surface of the water orsoaring among the clouds.
"In perfect condition, as far as I can make out!" remarked Frank, afterthey had completed this careful survey.
"Yes," added the other, with a glow of excusable enthusiasm on his face,"and if there was any necessity for doing it we could be off with aminute's notice."
"I took pains to make sure that there was a clear and uninterruptedstretch of water in front of our hangar," said Frank. "No vessels areallowed to anchor on this side of the harbor, though there are manytransports from Great Britain across the way that have brought men andwar material and stores over."
"Oughtn't Pudge be about due by now, Frank? It's pitch dark outside, andI should think a full hour must have crept by since he left us?"
"I was thinking of that myself, Billy. Still, we must remember that ourchum is a bit slow on his legs, compared with the way you and I get overthe ground. Besides, he may have been delayed at the store where heexpects to get the new padlock."
"Yes, I hadn't thought of that," admitted Billy. "But we might use the'phone we have installed, and find out if he's started back. It wouldmake our minds a little more easy, you know."
"Just as you say, Billy. And suppose you call them up while I dosomething I want to alter here--nothing of consequence, of course, butthe change would strike my eye better."
"All right, Frank." With which remark Billy turned to one end of thehangar close by, where a telephone apparatus could be seen attached tothe wooden wall.
Frank went at his little task with his customary vim. It matterednothing to him that the flight of the great seaplane would be neitherhindered nor assisted by its consummation. He simply liked to see thingsshipshape at all times.
"What's the matter, Billy?" he called out presently, on hearing theother ring for the third time, and also muttering to himself as thoughannoyed.
"Why, Frank, I don't seem able to get Central," replied Billy, once moreenergetically working the handle of the apparatus.
Apparently Frank was enough interested to cross over so as to see forhimself what was wrong. He sat down on the box Billy vacated and triedto get in touch with the operator at the central switchboard. Aftertesting it in several ways, Frank replaced the receiver and looked up athis chum.
"Have they disconnected our wire at Central, do you think, Frank; or isthe hello girl flirting with her beau, and not paying attention tobusiness?" asked Billy.
"Neither," answered the other soberly; "but I'm afraid somebody has cutour wire so as to keep us from calling for help if anything happens hereto-night!"
Boy Aviators with the Air Raiders: A Story of the Great World War Page 2
