Boy Aviators with the Air Raiders: A Story of the Great World War
Page 25
CHAPTER XXV.
THE DESPERATE GAME OF TAG.
Riding on that motor truck over some of the very roads in that sectionof France where hot battles had only recently been fought, that wasanother new experience for the Boy Aviators. In many places the driverof the van pointed out to them interesting features of the landscape,relating to M. Le Grande the fierce struggle that had perhaps takenplace where that barbed wire entanglement was seen, and then showingwhere innumerable little mounds of earth marked the last resting placeof those brave men who had laid down their lives for their country.
They overtook several vans containing wounded soldiers, who seemed verycheerful, and were actually singing in chorus, as British Tommies have ahabit of doing. An ambulance squad was also encountered going to thefront for a fresh load, taking nurses and doctors wearing the Red Crosson their sleeves to where they would find plenty of work.
Pudge took a great interest in the hospital corps.
"They're the real heroes and heroines of this war, as sure as anything,"he remarked, sagely, as he waved his hand toward the party, and receivedan answering signal from one of the buxom looking English lassies.
There were times when for a short distance they had the road apparentlyto themselves. Then again it would be crowded with all manner ofvehicles, and marching troops heading toward the front, returningwounded, and artillery being dragged laboriously along, either withsturdy horses or powerful traction engines.
The boys were feeling fairly decent, for the sun had a little warmth init, and there was even a hint of coming Spring in the breath of thelowlands.
Without the slightest warning there came a terrible crash that seemed tomake the earth tremble. Pudge came within an ace of tumbling off thecrowded van, and was only saved by Billy clutching hold of him.
"Oh! a German shell must have burst!" shrilled the excited Billy.
"But we are too far away from the fighting line for that," said Frank.
A passing shadow made him look hastily upward. As he did so a cry ofwonder and dismay burst from his lips, which of course caused everyoneto follow his example, even to the chauffeur of the war van.
"An aeroplane!" shouted Pudge.
"Yes, and a German Taube at that, don't you see?" cried Billy.
"That must have been a bomb thrown at us, and there over on the right iswhere it made a gap in the field," said Frank.
The chauffeur looked somewhat alarmed. He even increased the speed ofthe big van, though it was too cumbersome a vehicle to move at allswiftly, its main hold being vast power and carrying ability.
The aeroplane was at some distance above them, and moving in a circlelike a great hawk which it so much resembled.
"Frank, he's turning to come up behind us again, don't you see?"exclaimed Pudge, gripping the arm of the one to whom this remark wasaddressed.
"Sure thing," added Billy, trying to look calm, though he was tremblingall over with the nervous strain and the excitement of the thing; "he'smeaning to try again and see if this time he can't make a better crackat us, I suspect."
"But why pick out this van when there are lots of the same type movingalong the road, going and coming, that's what I'd like to know?" beggedthe bewildered Pudge.
"Huh! guess you forget what we're carrying with us, don't you, Pudge?"demanded Billy, with a sense of importance in his voice and manner.
"The _Sea Eagle_ plane!" burst out the fat chum.
"Haven't the Germans been trying right along to either get possession ofour sample machine, or failing that smash it into splinters, so theAllies can't profit by the same?" asked Billy.
"Yes, yes, it must be as you say, Billy," admitted Pudge; "but seethere, he's swept around now, and seems to be lowering with that bigcircle. Frank, will he get us yet, do you think?"
"Not if we are smarter than he is," replied the other, as with wrinkledbrow he watched the evolutions of the daring flier.
"They learned that we'd met with that accident," Billy went on to sayhurriedly, "and as soon as they could get one of their fliers busy itwas started out to look for the van carrying our seaplane. That chap upthere alongside the pilot has glasses, and spied us out easy enough."
"There, he's heading after us again, Frank!" shrilled Pudge, shiveringas he stared, although it must have been only with a great effort thatthe fat boy was able to twist around as he did; "what can we do to upsethis calculations?"
"If one of those terrible bombs ever hits us, good-night!" mutteredBilly, as he too kept tabs of the now approaching Taube.
Frank was saying something to the chauffeur, evidently making certainarrangements with him so that when he touched the man's arm he wouldsuddenly shut off power, and bring the van to a full stop.
They could easily see the two who were in the Taube, the pilot payingattention to his part of the business, while his companion leanedeagerly forward, intently watching so as to hurl the bomb at the rightsecond.
Frank judged rightly that the man would make allowances for the speed ofthe motor van along the road, when he sent the explosive. That was wheretheir real chance to outwit the enemy lay.
Keenly he watched this second man, forgetting about the pilot, whoreally had little to do with the hurling of the bomb.
"There, he's raising his hand, Frank!" cried Pudge.
"And I can see what he's gripping, too!" added Billy vociferously.
"Keep still!" ordered Frank, who did not wish them to be making any sortof racket while the crisis was so close at hand, since it mightinterfere with what he meant to do, and that was of vital importance tothem all.
Frank could judge for himself about when the man was apt to throw hisdeadly missile. Their own speed was only a certain per cent slower thanthat of the hostile aeroplane above.
Just when he discerned a movement of the man's whole body and knew hewas in the act of speeding the explosive, Frank gripped the arm of thewaiting chauffeur.
Instantly the expectant driver shut off all power and applied the brake.It was just as though he had suddenly found himself about to plungethrough the open draw of a bridge into a deep river.
Even as the big clumsy van came to a halt in the road there was afearful crash not thirty feet ahead of them, accompanied by a puff ofsmoke.
The boys had dropped back as flat as they could at Frank's suggestion,and fortunately no one seemed to have been injured by the flyingmissiles and stones.
Immediately the chauffeur once more started forward, though of course hehad to drive carefully.
"Oh! see the fierce hole it dug in the road-bed!" burst forth Billy, andthey all stared hard at this positive evidence of the dreadful result ofthe explosion.
By judicious care the chauffeur managed to get around the obstructionwithout having one of his wheels sink into the gap. Of course the firstsquad of men passing along that way would fill in the hole; but the boyswere certainly not bothering their heads over that at present.
They could see that the two daring aviators who seemed so bent onaccomplishing the utter annihilation of the wonderful Americaninvention, were not disheartened so far by their several failures.
"They don't mean to give it up at that, Frank, believe me!" said Billy.
"Oh! they're a stubborn lot, those Germans," admitted Pudge, "and neverknow when to stop, once they've set their minds on a thing."
"Third time may be the charm, you know," croaked Billy, hoarse from theexcitement under which he was undoubtedly laboring for all he appearedso cool. "Don't I wish I had my trusty gun along right now. Mebbe Iwouldn't make those chaps sit up and take notice, and quit theirfooling."
"They're dropping still lower, Frank!" said Pudge.
"I see they are," answered the other, soberly.
"Here's a stick that might look like a gun from up above," said theartful Billy; "I'm going to lie down and keep waving it like I wastaking aim. It can't do any harm that I see, and may make them keep offsome, hey, Frank?"
"Do as
you please, Billy," he was told.
Truth to tell Frank was hard put to it just then to know what their planof campaign ought to be. The next time the Germans hurled one of theirbombs the man in the speeding Taube would be apt to discount that suddenstoppage of the van, and try to drop his explosive so that it mightstrike them as their momentum ceased.
"Slow up somewhat," he told the chauffeur. "And this time when I gripyour arm put on every ounce of speed you can give. We'll change ourtactics."
"Bully for you, Frank; a change of base is always a good thing!" saidBilly, already lying down and starting to move his pretended gun around.
Once again the aeroplane was directly behind them. It was evidently apart of the scheme of their foes to follow after them, trying to keep inthe same general course, so that the man who hurled the bomb would onlyhave to consider the proper second to let it go.
They had also come down still lower, so that every movement could beseen distinctly.
Undoubtedly none of those boys would ever forget the grim appearance ofthose airmen bending forward to peer down at the fleeting motor truck onthat road in Northern France. There was a peculiar grimness connectedwith their looks, togged out as they were in their customary aircruising clothes, and with goggles shielding their eyes that gave them astrange look.
Once again did Frank decide properly when the man was in the act ofhurling the bomb. His fingers closed upon the arm of the van driver, whoimmediately started the cumbersome vehicle to moving forward as fast asthe engine was capable of sending it.
A third crash made the air quiver, and brought out a shout from theirrepressible Billy.
"Too slow that time, Hans!" he whooped, as he continued to wave hismake-believe gun; "knocked another hole in the poor old road, that'swhat. At that rate they'll have it all torn up between here andDunkirk."
"Will they give it up now, do you think, Frank?" wheezed Pudge, who hadmade it a point to actually hold his breath on each occasion just asthough that was going to be of any benefit to him.
"Don't flatter yourself that way, Pudge," Billy hastened to say, takingit upon himself to answer; "they'll never quit as long as there's asingle shot in the locker, believe me. We've just got to keep on dodgingthe same the best we know how."
"Next time they may come so low down that they just can't miss,"complained the fat chum, disconsolately.
"Huh! don't you believe that, because they might have seen me taking aimwith my gun here, and airmen don't like to be peppered at close range.Chances are they'll swoop down and let fly, but no hovering over us forthem."
Frank was busy trying to figure out what would be the next move on thepart of those grim pursuers, who seemed so determined to accomplish theutter destruction of the wonderful seaplane that placed in the hands ofthe French was bound to be of material advantage to the cause they hadat heart.
In doing this Frank tried to put himself in the place of the other. Hefigured out just what sort of a feint he would make in order to draw thefire of the van driver. Whether the vehicle stopped, or shot forward, hecould then change his pace, and hurl the bomb.
So Frank again gave his instructions to the chauffeur.
"This time I think he'll just pretend to throw, so as to make us showour hand," was what he said. "Then when he believes he sees ourintentions he'll let it go. So first make out to stop; but when you feelme grip your arm a _second_ time, speed up for all you're worth.Understand all that, do you?"
The man said he did. Monsieur Le Grande too, openly declared he believedFrank had solved the intentions of the man above, basing his opinion onwhat he himself would have done under similar conditions.
"There they come!" announced the watchful Billy.
Pudge grunted, and tried to squeeze himself into as small a compass aspossible. He evidently feared that he filled entirely too much spacewhen deadly missiles were flying around in every direction, and that ifanyone were injured it was bound to fall to him.
Billy and M'sieu watched the approach of the hostile aeroplane. Itchased steadily after them keeping along the road which unfortunately atthis point happened to be very straight, whereas more curves and bendswould have been to the advantage of those who were being bombarded fromthe skies.
All this was very thrilling, but none of the three Aeroplane Boysfancied the strange experience. They realized that should they care toabandon the van they would not receive any injury; for the Germans wereundoubtedly only trying to destroy the seaplane.
Nevertheless even Pudge would hardly have voted to forsake the _SeaEagle_ at this stage of the game. They had a certain affection for thebig air traveler; and besides, their duty to the Company demanded thatthey stick to their task, which was to get the plane back into itshangar safe and sound, if such a thing were at all possible.
As the Taube came rapidly upon them they watched eagerly to see whatwould happen. Again the man who did the throwing of the bombs was seento partly raise his arm, showing that he had another of those explosivesready for hurling.
Just at the critical second, as it seemed, Frank gave the chauffeur thesignal to stop short. He already saw that the man above had made a swiftmotion with his upraised arm. It was very familiar as a trick to theAmerican boys; how often had they seen the first baseman of the opposingteam make the same feint when all the while he was holding the ballconcealed, hoping to catch the runner off his base.
When however he saw the bomb-thrower make a duplicate movement he knewthat this time it was coming.
So the second grip on the chauffeur's arm told him to instantly startforward again at full speed. So sudden was the change made that the vangave a furious spurt such as would have possibly thrown the boys outonly that they had prepared themselves against it.
For the third time Frank had hoodwinked the Germans in the Taube. Thisbomb also fell back of them quite as much as fifty feet. It struck onone side of the roadbed, but might have done more or less injury to themachinery of the big van, and compelled a stop that must have spellednew trouble for the boys, caused to abandon their charge because of therecklessness of staying further.
"Oh! I hope that exhausts all their ammunition," was the prayer poorPudge was heard to utter, when this last stunning report announced thatonce more they had escaped by a close shave from a terrible fate.
"Don't hug that fond delusion to your heart, Pudge," Billy told him,jeeringly; "they'd be more apt to start out with fifty such bombs alongthan just three or four. I'm hoping we'll come up on some marchingregiment of British going to the front, or even a field battery thatcould make the old Taube climb up half a mile or so in the air. Wewouldn't need to worry then, because they never could hit such a tinymark away down here."
Frank was thinking somewhat on similar lines. So long as there wasnothing to prevent the Germans from making those swift swoops downtoward them the peril must continue to hang heavy over their devotedheads.
He realized that it was always possible for the aviators to come soclose to them that there would not be one chance in ten of a miss beingmade. Perhaps after all it might be fear of the gun which Billy wasmaking out to wave that would save them in the end. Frank had on morethan one occasion in the past known even smaller things than that toaccomplish important feats.
If the danger continued he was inclined to exercise his authority andcompel his chums to dismount so as to fall behind. In that way theywould be out of the danger zone, while he stayed aboard with thechauffeur to try and baffle the plans of the enemy above.
And now once more the peril hovered over them. How Billy yearned to havea gun in his hands, and with what joy would he have started using it, inthe hope of at least causing the Germans to climb to safer heights?
Frank had altered his plan of campaign again. He intended to keep themguessing as long as possible. This time he arranged with the chauffeurto start the car speeding, and then at the second signal to suddenlyapply the brake and bring it to a standstill.
When the man above saw them starting off wildly he evidently judg
ed thatwas meant to be their game, and so he sent the small but terrible bombthrough space.
Frank knew when it left his hand, and at that same second he gripped thechauffeur, so that the car was instantly brought under control. The bombstruck ahead of them, alongside the road, and tore another hole in theground.
Billy gave a shout as though in that way he might get rid of some of thepent-up emotion that was well nigh choking him.
"Never touched us!" he called out exultantly. "Better go back home andtake a few more lessons. American boys are too swift for you fellows!"
"Don't crow too soon, Billy," advised Frank, who although naturallyrelieved for the moment, knew only too well that this new check would beapt to urge the determined Taube men to further exertions.
He himself was casting an anxious look along the road ahead, for Frankknew full well that their best chance for escaping the net that wasbeing laid for their feet lay in the coming of friends who carried armsthat must make the aviators give the hunt over as wasted time.
As before the birdmen made a circuit. They undoubtedly intended comingback again to try once more to drop a missile on the elusive van, andaccomplish the mission on which they had been sent out.
Frank hardly knew what system of tactics to employ this time. He hadtried them all, and would have to repeat. The best part of it was thatthe man above could not read his mind, and therefore would not be ableto gauge his scheme in time to reap any benefit from it.
Then again it was likely that occasionally one of the bombs might bebadly aimed, and fall over in the adjoining field. Frank was far fromready to give up. He would keep everlastingly at it, as long as the vandriver could get his machine to obey his will, and there was a solitarychance for them to escape the destructive effects of those numerousexplosions.
"This time I'll call in your ear what I want you to do," was what Franktold the pilot at the wheel. "But no matter whether it's stop short, orrush ahead, do it as quick as a flash. Be ready now, for they're almostup to the throwing point."
As the birdmen were going the same way as the van it was necessary thatthey get almost overhead before undertaking to make a throw. The missilewould then be given a forward movement calculated to cause it to reach acertain point aimed at.
Frank had practiced this same thing himself many a time, first from amoving railway train, and latterly from a swiftly driven aeroplane. Thushe was in a position to know something about it.
Billy continued to make the best use he could of his mock gun. Helabored under the fond delusion that he was thus doing his part inkeeping the fliers at a respectable distance, which amounted tosomething after all.
As for Pudge, he could only lie there on his face unable to look up--itwas so terrible to see that man-made bird in the air above them, justfor all the world like a hawk he had watched hovering over the water eremaking a swift descent and plucking a fish out of the lake with itstalons.
While he lay there on his stomach waiting in dread Pudge felt the cargive several erratic movements. He could not at first decide whether itwas stopping or making a sudden dash, but he did hear the crashannouncing the next explosion.
Realizing that he was still in the land of the living, and as far as hecould tell unharmed, Pudge raised his head and twisted his fat neckaround.
He saw the Taube machine speeding on ahead; the van was apparentlyunharmed by the last shot, for it too continued along its way with amerry chug-chug-chug that sounded as sweet as any music he had everheard in the ear of Pudge Perkins.
"What happened, Frank?" he asked eagerly.
"A number of things," he was told; "first we dodged him, and coaxed athrow. Then in his haste he made a bad shot and wasted another of hisprecious bombs, for it only tore a wound in the pasture land back therea bit."
"That makes four times he's whacked away at us, don't you know, Frank!"exclaimed Pudge, as though he considered each separate escape littleshort of a miracle.
"It's the last time in the bargain," announced Billy, "because therecomes a troop of mounted soldiers around the bend over yonder, andyou'll hear the crack of guns if you listen a bit. There! what did Itell you? See how they start right away to try and get the Germans inthe Taube. The Britishers know that make of aeroplane as far as they cansee it. A Taube and a German are one and the same thing with them."
"Whee! I warrant you the lead is singing around their ears like a swarmof angry wasps right now," ventured Pudge, now condescending to actuallysit up again, for it began to appear that their peril was a thing of thepast.
"Well, I don't really know that I want to see those daring fellows comedown in a rush," admitted Frank, whose sportsmanlike spirit could findmuch to admire in a foeman, as well as in a friend.
"They're ascending in spirals now," remarked Billy, "and edging away atthe same time. Guess they've had all they wanted of the game, and forthe time we're safe from interference. Go it you terriers, or Englishbulldogs, rather; keep them up so high that they'll see the folly oftrying to hit so small an object as our van here."
Acting on Frank's suggestion the chauffeur had come to a dead halt withhis machine. If they kept on and lost the support of the soldiers on theroad the crafty birdmen might again chase after them, to renew theunequal contest by hovering above and bombarding them with thosedangerous missiles until one finally struck.
Presently, having mounted to a height where they need not fear thebullets from the guns of the British soldiers the airmen once morecircled around and a bomb was dropped.
It exploded not fifty feet away from where the loaded van stood. Therewas somewhat of a scattering on the part of the soldiers. No one lookedanything but annoyed because of this happening; but this sprang whollyfrom the fact that they could do so little against the aerial enemy.
Just then, however, Billy cried out that "as sure as two and two makefour" he had discovered help in the offing. Some floating objects in theair increased rapidly in size, and quickly took on the attributes ofother aeroplanes.
"Oh! more Taubes coming!" shrieked Pudge as he glimpsed the several dotsthat were heading their way.
M'sieu therefore proceeded to enlighten them as to the last differencebetween the machines used almost universally by the Allies and thosewhich the Germans believed answered their demands best of all.
"They are the Allies!" he told Frank, with ill concealed satisfaction;and after that even Pudge could sit contentedly and watch how quicklythe Germans started full tilt toward their own lines.
The two fresh arrivals pursued the other craft in hot haste, and therecould be heard faint reports from up aloft as though they were trying towing the fugitive Taube. When last seen pursuers and pursued were stillmaking fast time toward the north.
Of course Frank begged the chauffeur to put on all possible speed so asto get as near Dunkirk as he could before any further trouble mightarise to endanger the safety of the precious seaplane.
Whether the audacious air-pilots in the Taube really escaped or werebrought down by their swift pursuers the aeroplane boys never knew. Theyfelt it quite satisfactory to know that apparently their route to theFrench town on the water was again free from waylaying trouble. Besides,Frank was of the opinion that they had left the bad part of theirjourney behind them. He was assured of this fact by M'sieu, the Frenchpilot who had been in their company through the whole of thisadventurous day.
CHAPTER XXVI.
HEADED TOWARD HOME.
Once they struck better roads their progress was much faster. Indeed, itwas not long after the close of that short February day when theymanaged to arrive at Dunkirk. The boys did not rest until every part ofthe seaplane had once more been stored in the hangar, which they foundjust as they had left it, a cordon of soldiers still guarding it.
Tired after that most exciting day, the boys prepared supper. Frankasked M'sieu to join them, but the French aviator explained that he hadhis report to make out, so that the Government might complete thebargain on the
next day.
"I shall never forget you, my brave boys," he assured them in parting."I have seen many experienced pilots handle their craft, but on my honorI assure you never before have I found one so young display such rareability. After once seeing that you were the master of your airshipnever once did I fear for my life, or feel that it would better thingsif I took the wheel. I wish you every luck in the world; and it is withdeep regret that I say _au revoir_."
"Just to think," remarked Pudge, as later on they sat around and partookof the supper that had been prepared, "all that's happened since we lefthere this A. M."
"It's been a red-letter day in our experience, for a fact," admittedFrank.
"A glorious try-out," said Billy, "and the _Sea Eagle_ sure behavedherself in a way to make us proud of our Company. Only for thatunfortunate puncture in the gas tank, we'd have come through without asingle hitch."
"And even that turned out to be not so serious a thing, after all," saidFrank, "though I admit it gave us a little concern at the time. But ithad its compensations, after all, one of which was our meeting with thatfine chap, Captain Marsden."
"Yes," said Pudge proudly, "and I'm glad to announce that my knees arenot so badly scraped as I thought they were. I think I deserve a wholelot of praise for making that long creep so well. It wasn't much to youfellows, but a different proposition to one of my shape."
"We'll give you all the credit going, Pudge," said Billy magnanimously."But, Frank, we ought to get the plane rigged up again the first thingin the morning, oughtn't we?"
"Not thinking of another flight over the battlefields, are you?" askedthe fat chum, looking concerned again.
"No, we're through taking all those risks," Frank told him. "But you'reright about that, Billy. They may want us to deliver the plane over tothem tomorrow, and it ought to be in apple-pie condition. I hope toclose the contract, and then we can go back home."
"Leaving the one sample machine," demanded Billy, "and allowing theFrench Government to manufacture a certain number of others, paying ourcompany a royalty on every seaplane built along the lines of ourpatents?"
"That about covers the case," Frank agreed. "Of course, once we receiveour pay, and hand the seaplane over, we have no further interest in whathappens to it, although I'd hate to learn it had met with an accident."
"You think, then, do you, Frank, that the German spies will keep ontrying to steal or destroy the _Sea Eagle_?" asked Billy.
"If they get the chance they certainly will," the other replied. "Theyknow now that all the wonderful things they heard about it are true, andthat a fleet of aircraft built on those same lines would makeback-numbers of their Zeppelins and Taubes. But, as I said before, letthe French Government do the worrying after the deal is closed."
"But if this machine were blown to smithereens, Frank, our Company wouldstand to lose those royalties?" Pudge suggested.
"All of which is true enough, Pudge," Frank told him, "but that'ssomething we can't remedy, so we'll have to trust to sheer luck."
They passed a quiet night, and morning found them busily engaged ingetting the dismantled seaplane together again. The injuries which ithad suffered in making that descent, thanks to Frank's skillfulpiloting, had not proven serious, and so by the time noon came they wereready to have it looked over by the aviators who might be sent to thehangar by the officials of the Government.
The glowing report handed in by M. Le Grande must have hurried mattersup considerably, for a little later on several gentlemen made theirappearance. They looked over the big seaplane carefully, and then hadFrank and his chums sign several papers, one of which was a contract onroyalty covering fifty machines which the Government might wish toconstruct within a year's time.
Then Frank was given a certified check from the Government, and thetransaction was considered closed.
The boys took away the small bundles they had already packed, and bothhangar and seaplane became from that hour the property of the FrenchGovernment.
Going to a hotel, Frank and his chums made all arrangements looking tocrossing over to London on the next day. From there they expected to goto Liverpool, and take passage on the first steamer sailing for NewYork, regardless of the danger from German submarines lurking in theIrish Sea.
At the time they left the hangar the British soldiers were marchingaway, their place being taken by French officers, who were perhapssecret service men, or detectives. It looked as though every possibleprecaution were being taken to safeguard the wonderful seaplane of whichso much was expected.
As they had planned, the three boys got away on the following day, andreached London in safety. No sign was seen of any hostile underseavessel during the short trip across to English shores.
In London they found that they would have several days on their handsbefore they could sail from Liverpool, so they concluded to spend theinterval watching the sights in the great British metropolis in wartimes, so different from the old life known to all travelers.
It was on the second morning after arriving there that Billy, who hadgone down to get a paper, while his chums were finishing dressing, camebursting into their room again with his face white, and a printed sheetheld in his trembling hand.
"What ails you?" demanded Pudge, in a shivery way. "I hope now Germanyhasn't declared war on the poor old United States over night?"
"Frank, they got her after all!" gasped Billy.
"Do you mean the _Sea Eagle_?" cried the other in dismay.
"Yes," continued the excited Billy, "here's an account of how in themiddle of the night a sudden shock was felt in Dunkirk. People thoughtit must be those Taubes back again bombarding the town, and lots of themhurried down into their cyclone cellars. But it was found that anaeroplane hangar just outside the place had been blown to pieces with abomb that had either been placed underneath or dropped from someairship."
"All gone?" asked Frank.
"Blown to pieces, and they tell that it is feared several French guardslost their lives in the bargain. They don't say much about it, exceptthat the hangar contained a new seaplane the Government had justpurchased from an American firm owning the patents, and that as it wasutterly destroyed, the loss would be complete."
"Whew!" cried Pudge. "Say, I'm glad it was out of our hands when thishappened."
"For a good many reasons, too," added Frank. "We might have gone up withthe hangar and the _Sea Eagle_ if we'd been there."
"No, sir, I don't believe it would have happened as long as FrankChester was on deck," said Billy stoutly. "But, Frank, they'll have tofight this war through now without the help of fifty _Sea Eagles_, won'tthey?"
"Just what must happen," replied Frank, "because Dr. Perkins will neverconsent to pursuing the matter any further. He would not dream ofsupplying patterns to the Allies after this. I'm sorry, and yet at thesame time I must say I feel a bit glad."
"Well, let me tell you," said Pudge, "it's a good thing for theGermans."
"Yes," Frank went on to say reflectively, "and it will make us feel thatafter all we hadn't any business to help one side more than the other.But it would have been mighty interesting reading for us later on tolearn what great stunts M'sieu Le Grande and forty-nine of his valiantFrench comrades were accomplishing with the wonderful seaplanes thatout-classed anything the Germans could match against them."
"Well, anyhow," said Pudge, "after this war is over I can see a rushingbusiness for the _Sea Eagle Company, Limited_, in France, Germany andthe United Kingdom."
"Unless before that happens we've disposed of our patents to the UnitedStates Government," remarked Frank. "This would be the most patrioticthing to do. But even if some of our plans failed to come to a fruitfulend, we've certainly had the time of our lives over on this side of thesea, and the sights we've seen will never be forgotten."
While Frank and his two chums linger in London, waiting for theannouncement of the sailing day of the steamer that is to take themhome, we will have to say good-by, and leave them there. Suchventuresome lads
are certain to undertake still further enterprises astime passes, and we can only hope that it may be our pleasant duty tochronicle these happenings for the benefit of the boy readers who havefaithfully followed them through scenes of danger and stress in thepast, as recorded in previous volumes in this Series.
THE END.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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The Boy Aviators in Nicaragua Or, Leagued With Insurgents
The launching of this Twentieth Century series marks the inauguration ofa new era in boys' books--the "wonders of modern science" epoch. Frankand Harry Chester, the BOY AVIATORS, are the heroes of this exciting,red-blooded tale of adventure by air and land in the turbulent CentralAmerican republic. The two brothers with their $10,000 prize aeroplane,the GOLDEN EAGLE, rescue a chum from death in the clutches of theNicaraguans, discover a lost treasure valley of the ancient Toltec race,and in so doing almost lose their own lives in the Abyss of the WhiteSerpents, and have many other exciting experiences, including beingblown far out to sea in their air-skimmer in a tropical storm. It wouldbe unfair to divulge the part that wireless plays in rescuing them fromtheir predicament. In a brand new field of fiction for boys the Chesterbrothers and their aeroplane seem destined to fill a top-notch place.These books are technically correct, wholesomely thrilling and geared upto third speed.
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BOY AVIATORS' SERIES BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON
Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys Cloth Bound Price 50c, per volume
The Boy Aviators on Secret Service Or, Working With Wireless
In this live-wire narrative of peril and adventure, laid in theEverglades of Florida, the spunky Chester Boys and their interestingchums, including Ben Stubbs, the maroon, encounter exciting experienceson Uncle Sam's service in a novel field. One must read this vivid,enthralling story of incident, hardship and pluck to get an idea of thealmost limitless possibilities of the two greatest inventions of moderntimes--the aeroplane and wireless telegraphy. While gripping and holdingthe reader's breathless attention from the opening words to the finish,this swift-moving story is at the same time instructive and uplifting.As those readers who have already made friends with Frank and HarryChester and their "bunch" know, there are few difficulties, no matterhow insurmountable they may seem at first blush, that these up-to-dategritty youths cannot overcome with flying colors. A clean-cut, realboys' book of high voltage.
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BOY AVIATORS' SERIES BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON
Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys Cloth Bound Price 50c, per volume
The Boy Aviators in Africa Or, An Aerial Ivory Trail
In this absorbing book we meet, on a Continent made famous by theAmerican explorer Stanley, and ex-President Roosevelt, our old friends,the Chester Boys and their stalwart chums. In Africa--the DarkContinent--the author follows in exciting detail his young heroes, theirvoyage in the first aeroplane to fly above the mysterious forests andunexplored ranges of the mystic land. In this book, too, for the firsttime, we entertain Luther Barr, the old New York millionaire, who provedlater such an implacable enemy of the boys. The story of his defeatedschemes, of the astonishing things the boys discovered in the Mountainsof the Moon, of the pathetic fate of George Desmond, the emulator ofStanley, the adventure of the Flying Men and the discovery of theArabian Ivory cache,--this is not the place to speak. It would bespoiling the zest of an exciting tale to reveal the outcome of all theseepisodes here. It may be said, however, without "giving away" any of thethrilling chapters of this narrative, that Captain Wilbur Lawton, theauthor, is in it in his best vein, and from his personal experiences inAfrica has been able to supply a striking background for the adventuresof his young heroes. As one newspaper says of this book: "Here isadventure in good measure, pressed down and running over."
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BOY AVIATORS' SERIES BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON
Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys Cloth Bound Price 50c, per volume
The Boy Aviators' Treasure Quest Or, The Golden Galleon
Everybody is a boy once more when it comes to the question of hiddentreasure. In this book, Captain Lawton has set forth a hunt for goldthat is concealed neither under the sea nor beneath the earth, but iswell hidden for all that. A garrulous old sailor, who holds the key tothe mystery of the Golden Galleon, plays a large part in the developmentof the plot of this fascinating narrative of treasure hunting in theregion of the Gulf Stream and the Sagasso Sea. An aeroplane fitted withefficient pontoons--enabling her to skim the water successfully--haslong been a dream of aviators. The Chester Boys seem to have solved theproblem. The Sagasso, that strange drifting ocean within an ocean,holding ships of a dozen nations and a score of ages, in its relentlessgrip, has been the subject of many books of adventure and mystery, butin none has the secret of the ever shifting mass of treacherous currentsbeen penetrated as it has in the BOY AVIATORS' TREASURE QUEST. LutherBarr, whom it seemed the boys had shaken off, is still on their trail,in this absorbing book and with a dirigible balloon, essays to beat themout in their search for the Golden Galleon. Every boy, every man--andwoman and girl--who has ever felt the stirring summons of adventure intheir souls, had better get hold of this book. Once obtained, it will beread and re-read till it falls to rags.
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BOY AVIATORS' SERIES BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON
Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys Cloth Bound Price 50c, per volume
The Boy Aviators in Record Flight Or, The Rival Aeroplane
The Chester Boys in new field of endeavor--an attempt to capture anewspaper prize for a trans-continental flight. By the time these linesare read, exactly such an offer will have been spread broadcast by oneof the foremost newspapers of the country. In the Golden Eagle, theboys, accompanied by a trail-blazing party in an automobile, make thedash. But they are not alone in their aspirations. Their rivals for therich prize at stake try in every way that they can to circumvent thelads and gain the valuable trophy and monetary award. In this they stopshort at nothing, and it takes all the wits and resources of the BoyAviators to defeat their devices. Among the adventures encountered intheir cross-country flight, the boys fall in with a band of rollickingcow-boys--who momentarily threaten serious trouble--are attacked byIndians, strike the most remarkable town of the desert--the "dry" townof "Gow Wells," encounter a sandstorm which blows them into strangelands far to the south of their course, and meet with several amusingmishaps beside. A thoroughly readable book. The sort to take out behindthe barn on the sunny side of the haystack, and, with a pocketful ofjuicy apples and
your heels kicking the air, pass happy hours withCaptain Lawton's young heroes.
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BOY AVIATORS' SERIES BY CAPTAIN WILBUR LAWTON
Absolutely Modern Stories for Boys Cloth Bound Price 50c, per volume
The Boy Aviators Polar Dash Or, Facing Death in the Antarctic
If you were to hear that two boys, accompanying a South Polar expeditionin charge of the aeronautic department, were to penetrate the Antarcticregions--hitherto only attained by a few daring explorers--you wouldfeel interested, wouldn't you? Well, in Captain Lawton's latest book,concerning his Boy Aviators, you can not only read absorbing adventurein the regions south of the eightieth parallel, but absorb much usefulinformation as well. Captain Lawton introduces--besides the originalcharacters of the heroes--a new creation in the person of ProfessorSimeon Sandburr, a patient seeker for polar insects. The professor'sadventures in his quest are the cause of much merriment, and lead onceor twice to serious predicaments. In a volume so packed with incidentand peril from cover to cover--relieved with laughable mishaps to theprofessor--it is difficult to single out any one feature; still, arecent reader of it wrote the publishers an enthusiastic letter theother day, saying: "The episodes above the Great Barrier are thrilling,the attack of the condors in Patagonia made me hold my breath, the--butwhat's the use? The Polar Dash, to my mind, is an even more entrancingbook than Captain Lawton's previous efforts, and that's saying a gooddeal. The aviation features and their technical correctness are by nomeans the least attractive features of this up-to-date creditablevolume."
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Transcriber's Notes:
1. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. 2. Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation in the original document have been preserved. 3. Underscores indicate text originally in printed in italics.