Gypsies of the Air

by Bess Moyer

  Produced by Roger Frank and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

  Gypsies of the Air

  By

  Bess Moyer

  The Girl Flyer Series

  THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY

  CHICAGO

  Copyright, 1932

  The Goldsmith Publishing Company

  Made in U. S. A.

  CONTENTS

  I. The _Skybird_ Hops Off II. Thwarted Plans III. _Skybird_ to the Rescue IV. Plots and Counter-Plots V. Captives in the Old Fort VI. The Menacing Stranger VII. A Perilous Take-Off VIII. Happy Landing

  CHAPTER I

  The _Skybird_ Hops Off

  With a loud sputtering roar, something like Terry Mapes’ own feelingsat that moment, _Skybird_, her little blue-and-gold airplane sprangforward and taxied over the flying field, taking the air gracefully asa leaping horse, under the guidance of its youthful pilot.

  Terry Mapes was working off steam. Half angry, half frightened, thegirl knew that a flight in her plane was the quickest way to get holdof her nerves and make her head clear for thinking what was to bedone.

  “Those boys!” she muttered between close-pressed lips. “What’shappened to them _now_? Starting out for a flight to Paris and noteven getting to Newfoundland!”

  Over and over again that terrifying report, “Missing,” kept ringing inher ears. Allan and Syd missing! She could picture a crack-up easilyfor the two boys. While they knew how to handle their planesskilfully, they were inclined to be reckless and were always takingchances.

  Pulling back on the stick, Terry sent the plane zooming, one thousandfeet, two thousand! Far beneath her she could see her father’s flyingfield at Elmwood, and from that distance it looked as if the hangarshad been flattened against the ground. Beyond was the Sound, a broadstrip of water with what appeared to be toy boats on its glassy smoothsurface.

  Far to the right were estates, wooded tracts of land, small towns andvillages connected by tiny thread-like highways to the large city inthe distance.

  Terry loved to fly. She was never so happy as when she was zooming toa lofty height. Her brown eyes were glowing, her ivory skin wasflushed to rose as she handled the controls of her little plane. Terryclaimed that the higher she flew above the earth, the better she couldthink and plan. But today Terry’s brain was in a whirl. She couldthink of a dozen different kinds of accidents, any one of which mighthave happened to the boys.

  Allan Graham and Syd Ames had started out on the first lap of theirtransatlantic flight. They had been reported all along the route untilwell over the Canadian border. Then they had disappeared, beenswallowed up.

  And at Dick Mapes Flying Field, their friends anxiously awaited word.

  Twelve hours overdue at Harbor Grace!

  Then it was that Terry took her plane into the clouds to think out away to help. What could she do?

  Her white face told how much she cared for those two young friends,her father’s first student flyers. At the thought that there might betwo more names added to the long list of missing aviators, Terry’sheart sank with fear. She could see Allan’s tall figure, his clearblue eyes and his thatch of unruly blond hair. Terry never knew howdear Allan was to her until that report had come, “Missing!” And SydAmes had been like a brother to her. She liked this boy with thelaughing brown eyes. His fun-loving disposition had saved them fromutter despair at times, when everything was going wrong. A groanescaped Terry’s lips as she thought of these boys who might at thatvery moment be lying crushed and needing help.

  But Terry had not come aloft to moan over the imaginary fate of herfriends. She knew they must have had an accident or they would havereached the airport long before this. They might be injured.

  What could she do?

  What would her father, Dick Mapes, have done if he had not beencrippled and left helpless by a fall in his plane, two years ago?

  “Why Dad would go out and find them!” she exclaimed to herself. “Andthat’s what I’ll do. I’ll go to Newfoundland and look for them.”

  This decision was natural for the daughter of a flyer. And the ideaonce fixed in her mind Terry did not waste time in further plans. Sheput her plane into a fast dive. The girl found it hard to come down inher usual way. She wanted to do reckless things. Take chances! ButTerry was well trained by her father. She took the long dive with openthrottle. She straightened out, banked and spiralled but not for asecond did she take a chance with her plane. She would need _Skybird_to help her in her search.

  As she headed toward the flying field she remembered with satisfactionthat she had just overhauled her plane the previous day. It seemedthat, even then, she must have known that it would be needed. As soonas she put in a supply of gas and oil, it would be ready for the longtrip north.

  Terry set her plane down neatly on the field in front of the hangar._Skybird_ settled down like a great seagull with outspread wings.Stepping lightly over the cowling, Terry ran to the veranda of thecottage adjoining the flying field where Dick Mapes sat in a wheelchair. His face was deathly pale, stern and drawn with suffering. Hishands opened and then clutched at the arms of his chair, nervously.

  “Dad, dear,” said Terry, quietly yet with determination in her voice.“I’m starting out to find the boys.”

  Dick Mapes looked into his daughter’s face. He seemed to be measuringthe girl, deciding whether she was equal to the task ahead of her.What he saw assured him that Terry would not fail. He could trust hernot to take big chances. He held out his hand.

  “When do you start?” he asked.

  “Within an hour!” said Terry simply. “_Skybird_ is in shape, I’ve beenall over her!”

  The father nodded his head. Between him and Terry there was no needfor many words. They understood each other.

  “I wish to goodness Bud Hyslop hadn’t chosen this time to go off on avacation,” exploded Terry, her big brown eyes snapping. “When we wantthat fellow around, he’s never here, and when we don’t want him hesticks like a burr. He isn’t much good at any time but now he couldtake care of the field while I’m away. I hate to leave you alone,Dad.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Terry.” Dick put out his hand and let it restfor a moment on his daughter’s curly brown locks. “The boys’ safety ismore important than business. If they are in trouble, they’ll need us.Why, oh why do I have to be tied to this chair when...!”

  “Now Dad, just you thank your stars that you are getting well! Sixmonths ago it looked pretty hopeless. Now the doctor says that insideof a year you can walk and be back in the flying game again. Think ofthat, Dad! Won’t that be fine?”

  “Yes, I know, Terry, but it’s hard to sit here, just a useless lump,when Allan and Syd are out somewhere....”

  “I’m on my way, Dad. I’ll find them somehow. Probably they have beenforced down with engine trouble. You know those boys are frightfullyreckless.”

  “Yes, that’s what makes me so worried about them. I never could teachthem to be cautious. If it were you, Terry, I would feel almostcertain that you’d find a way out of your trouble.”

  “Thanks, Dad!” The girl stooped and kissed her father tenderly. Thenwith a smile she ran into the house.

  While Dick assented to Terry’s plan with very few words, her motherwanted long explanations. Where and how was Terry to carry out herplans? What would she do if she found the boys injured? How would sheget them home?

  “I don’t know yet,” replied Terry. “Ask Dad, he’ll explaineverything!” Terry hurried to the stairway and called, “Prim, comehere. Get into your flying togs. Pack food and water and the first-aidoutfit. We are going to find Allan and Syd and they may be in badshape.”

  Terry delivered orders like a general a
nd Prim, her twin sister obeyedlike a private in the ranks. She did not stop to ask questions.Terry’s commands were always important—or interesting.

  The two girls were opposites. Terry was tall for her age, slightlybuilt, high-strung and nervous, while Prim was inclined to be plumpand rosy. Her blond hair was cut short to her head. She had none ofthe fire of Terry’s disposition. She sort of balanced her sister’stemper, for Prim was easy-going, practical and diplomatic. She couldget along with any one, while Terry with her quick tongue was alwaysgetting into trouble and making enemies. The two sisters were chums.They loved to be together. They liked to do the same things, and whilePrim would never make the expert flier her sister was, she enjoyed thesport and was always ready to follow Terry’s lead.

  Terry’s decision to go north and hunt for the boys did not come as asurprise to Prim. She had been half expecting it. Her whole heart wascrying out with the need to do something for these boys whom theyloved, and now she wondered why Terry had not thought of it at once.

  Prim needed no instructions regarding her part of the work to be done.A thermos bottle of hot coffee, bandages and food were packed into theplane, then Prim ran to get into her flying outfit. It was a jauntyflying suit, a white fleece-lined jacket, and baggy breeches, highwhite boots and helmet to match. Prim was fond of dress and her whitetogs were always in order. Terry had chosen a more practical outfit ofbrown leather. It was trim and smart and Terry carried it well. Shehad style.

  Terry had left the details of supplies to Prim, knowing that hersister’s part would be done well. She hurriedly examined her plane,looked over the instrument board to see that everything was in order,tested the engine, took on a supply of gas and oil and in less than anhour was all set and ready to go.

  Alice Mapes could never see her two daughters take-off without afeeling of dread. She had none of the confidence of the flyer.Although she had flown with her husband ever since her marriage shecould never be persuaded to take the controls herself and learn tofly.

  “I’m just an old-fashioned housewife and why try to make me intoanything else?” she pleaded with Dick when he tried to urge her. Thefearlessness of her modern daughters frightened her. She was alwaysafraid when she was in the air, much preferring to stay on the ground.

  Terry saw her look of anxiety now.

  “Come on, Mother. Send us away with a smile. I know you’re going towish us luck, but we need your confidence as well. We’re perfectlysafe. And remember, if there is any message for us, telegraph toHarbor Grace.”

  With a smile and a wave of her hand, Terry stepped into the plane.Prim spun the propellor and the motor roared. With a bound Prim jumpedinto the rear cockpit.

  _Skybird_ headed into the wind as she taxied along the field andTerry, pulling back gently on the stick, sent the little plane intothe air. She circled the field twice for goodbye, then she began toclimb and took her course northward.

  Alice Mapes slipped into the chair beside her husband. Her face waswhite. Her hands were trembling.

  “Do you suppose it’s all right for them to go?” the mother asked, hervoice husky with anxiety.

  “I’d trust Terry anywhere in a plane,” Dick Mapes answeredconfidently. “And if anyone can find the boys, she can.”

  Long after _Skybird_ had disappeared, Alice and Dick Mapes sat gazinginto the clouds, as if they could follow their daughters all the wayto their journey’s end.

  Dick was calm and hopeful and patted his wife’s hand reassuringly asshe voiced her fears.

  If the father could have foreseen the danger and treachery that wasawaiting the girls, he might not have been so serenely confident oftheir success.