CHAPTER IV.
THE ESCAPE.
Ahead of them lay that track of dazzling light. Every fragment of timberused in the construction of the inclined trestle upon which the seaplanewas expected to reach the water was as plainly visible as at midday,with the sun shining above.
Billy fairly held his breath in fear lest the swift rush of thehydro-aeroplane should catch the two men on the slope unprepared, andhurl them into space. Just in the nick of time they threw themselves toone side, and the plunging monster glided by, so close that had he sowilled, Billy could have thrust out a hand and touched one of theshrinking figures.
Then came a tremendous splash as they struck the water. Frank had madehis calculations so carefully that there was not the slightest danger ofa mishap. The boat was descending at such an angle that it instantlyshot off the wheels that were underneath, and skimmed along the surfaceof the water like a great duck.
Billy drew his breath again, for it seemed as though they had actuallyrun the gauntlet in safety. He heard the familiar throb of the reliablemotors beginning to take up their sweet song, which told that Frank hadstarted the machinery at the proper second, so that they did not loseany of the impetus gained in that rush down the slope.
From up in the quarter where they knew the hangar must be, came loudcries of anger. Those who had planned to capture the seaplane when itwas in prime condition for a flight to the German lines had evidentlymet with a most aggravating disappointment.
Suddenly the brilliant light vanished, shutting them in a pall ofdarkness that was all the more dense because of their having beenstaring into that illuminated avenue ahead, along which the seaplane wasrushing at fair speed.
"It's all clear in front, Billy," Frank hastened to say, knowing thathis companion must naturally think of the danger of a collision thefirst thing.
"Listen to 'em growl!" chuckled Billy, who had evidently been greatlyamused as well as interested in the remarkable dash of the _Sea Eagle_."But, after all, that was what I'd call a close shave, Frank. Didn't youhear the door being smashed in as we started?"
"I thought I did," replied the other, "but I knew that nothing up therecould give us any trouble. The only chance of our being wrecked was forthose on the inclined plane to place some obstruction on the track thatwould throw the wheels of our carriage off, and dump us in a heapbelow."
"They didn't want to wreck the seaplane, which was what saved us fromthat smashup," ventured Billy, and then quickly adding: "Hello! shut heroff, did you, Frank?"
The musical hum of the twin motors and the whir of the revolvingpropellers had suddenly ceased, though the boat still continued to movealong the top of the little waves coming in from the Channel.
"Yes, we have gone far enough for the present," replied the pilot.
They sat there for a little while, listening to the various sounds thatreached their ears from the shore. Not far away the lights of Dunkirkcould be seen, though these were by no means as brilliant as they mighthave been before the war broke out. This was on account of the fact thatat any hour a raid from German aeroplanes might be expected in andaround the encampment of the British troops.
"This is about the queerest situation we've ever found ourselves in,Frank," ventured Billy presently, as he felt the boat moving up and downgently on the bosom of the sea. "It's an experience we'll never forget.I'm wondering what the next move on the program is going to be? How canwe get ashore tonight in this terrible darkness?"
"We may make up our minds not to try it," Frank told him quietly, asthough he had some sort of plan in his mind, hatched on the spur of themoment.
"What's the idea, Frank?" asked Billy eagerly. "No matter how you figureit I'm game to stand by you."
"I'd never question that, Billy," declared the other warmly. "You'veproved your grit many a time in the past. But here's the way the casestands. We could make an ascent from the water if we wanted, but on sucha pitch-dark night that would mean trouble about coming down again. Sowhat's to hinder our staying here until morning--lying on the water likea duck?"
"If the wind doesn't come up with the change in the tide, we could do itas easy as anything," assented Billy. "She rides like a duck, and couldstand a lot more rough water than we're getting now. Frank, let's callit a go."
"We will find it pretty cold, of course, you understand, Billy?"
"Shucks! haven't we got on our leather jackets that are lined withfleece that have given us solid comfort many a time when we were sixthousand feet and more up in the cold air? Why, Frank, we can strapourselves to our seats, you know, and one of us can get a few winks ofsleep while the other watches, ready to switch on the searchlight ifanything threatens."
"It's plain to be seen that you're set on trying a night of it," saidFrank, no doubt well pleased to have it so. "I'm worrying more aboutPudge than of myself. Wish we knew he was all right."
"The same here," said Billy. "Frank, we must keep listening all throughthe night to catch his signal, if ever he makes it. You know we've gotthat code for communicating by means of fish horns. If Pudge gets to thehangar and finds that we're not around, the first thing he'll think willbe that the seaplane has been stolen."
"Unless," Frank hastily interrupted, "he happened to be near enough tohear something of the row, when he ought to be able to guess what reallyhappened. In that case I expect that later on, when he thinks the coastmay be clear, Pudge will try to communicate with us. As you say, we mustkeep on the alert. If you hear a sound that comes stealing from far awayon the shore and resembles the bawl of a bull, answer it. Pudge will bein a stew about us, of course."
They sat there for some time listening, and exchanging occasionalremarks. Then, at Billy's suggestion, they made use of the stout strapsthat were attached to each seat, intended to enable the navigators ofthe air to reduce to a minimum the risk of falling from a dizzy height.
"Take your choice, Frank, first watch or second," was the nextproposition advanced by the one-time reporter. "I'm used to be up at allhours of the night--_that_ was my busy time on the paper. So turn in,and I'll take charge of the deck."
"It'll only be a cat nap then, Billy," said the other, settling himselfas comfortably as the conditions allowed, which was not saying much."See that bright star over there in the west; it will drop behind thehorizon in about an hour or so. Shake me then if I happen to be asleep."
"All right, Frank. And if anything crops up in the meantime that bothersme, I'm going to disturb you in a hurry."
"I hope you will, Billy; we can't afford to take any chances,understand, for the sake of a little sleep. Listen for signs of Pudge.It would relieve me a whole lot if I knew that he was safe."
After that Billy sat there and kept watch. The buoyant craft that hadbeen so cleverly constructed so as to be equally at home on the water orin the air, rode the lazy billows that came rolling in from the Channel.The only sounds Billy could hear close by were the constant lapping ofthe waves against the side of the craft; though further off, toward thecity, there was a half subdued murmur, such as might accompany thegathering of thousands of men in camp.
The lights had almost wholly vanished by this time, showing the strictdiscipline that was in vogue in these stirring times. Frequently haddaring German aviators appeared above Dunkirk to drop their bombs in theendeavor to damage the congested stores of the British troops, or strikea note of terror among the inhabitants of the Channel city.
Billy every little while twisted his head around and looked in differentdirections. But thick darkness lay about the floating seaplane, utterlyconcealing the shore as well as all vessels that lay further along inthe harbor.
Possibly half an hour had passed in this way when Billy felt a suddenthrill. He started up, straining his hearing, as though to catch therepetition of some sound he believed he had heard.
Then, leaning over, he shook Frank.
"It's Pudge signaling, Frank, or else I'm away off my base. Listen!" waswhat he t
old the other, in excited tones.
A minute later and they both caught the far-away sound of what seemed tobe the winding blast of an Alpine hunter's horn.
"Yes, it's Pudge, all right, and he wants to hear from us if we'rewithin reach of the sound of his signal. Answer him, Billy!"
Already Billy had taken the horn from its fastenings, and no sooner hadFrank given the order than he applied it to his lips. The sound thatwent forth, coming as it did from the blackness of the sea beyond, musthave astonished any sailor on board the various steamers in the harbor.
Once, twice, three times did Billy give the peculiar note that Pudgeknew so well. It must tell the absent chum that they were safe, and inthe language of their secret code ask how things were going with him.
"There, he's given us back the message word for word!" cried Billy, asthey caught the faint but positive reply from the unseen shore, perhapsat the deserted hangar. "Frank, he's all right! That takes a big loadoff our minds."
"Yes, now I can rest easy!" declared the other. "As that star isn'tclose to the sea as yet, Billy, if you don't mind, I think I'll try fora few more winks of sleep. Pudge will go back to town and stay at ourlodgings until we turn up, or send him a message. Everything is workingfinely."
"For us," added Billy, chuckling. "But think how mad those spies must beover losing the prize they thought was sure to fall into their hands.Why, I wouldn't be surprised if they discounted the capture of ourseaplane, and over in Belgium were ready to start to work making copiesof the same as soon as the sample could be delivered."
Billy appeared to be highly amused, for he chuckled to himself forseveral minutes while picturing the disappointment of the baffledplotters. Then once more he settled down to his task of serving as"officer of the watch."
As the minutes crept on, Billy began to observe the gradual approach ofthe star to the vague region where sea and heavens merged in one. Infact, Billy was yawning quite frequently now. He found himself fairlycomfortable, thanks to the warmth of that leather fleece-lined jacket,and the hood which he had drawn partly over his head. Still, it was notvery delightful, sitting there on the water; and perhaps the boy'sthoughts frequently turned toward the bed he was missing.
"I wonder which way we're drifting now?" he suddenly asked himself; heimmediately set to work trying to answer his question by observing thedirection of the tide, as well as by the light current of air.
When next he thought to turn his head so as to glance backward, Billyreceived a bit of a shock. A sort of thin haze had settled down on thewater by now, but through this he had discovered two moving lights. Theylooked very queer as seen in that foggy atmosphere; but Billy was smartenough to know what they stood for.
He immediately awoke Frank, whispering the astonishing news in his ear.
Boy Aviators with the Air Raiders: A Story of the Great World War Page 4
