CHAPTER XXVII
A HOWLING GALE
There was no doubt about it. The little craft was going down. Later itwas learned that a leaky valve had allowed the air to escape, and abreak in the boat's rubber sides had let in the water.
"Come on!" cried Dick. "Overboard, Mr. Vardon!"
There was really little danger, as both of them could swim, though ifthey did not jump out they might be carried down with the boat.
So, overboard went Dick and his aviator. The collapsible boat sankwith the downward impulse given it when they leaped out, but as it wasmoored to the airship by a cable it could be recovered.
"Say, what is this--a swimming race?" asked Paul, as he tossed Dick arope, a like service being performed for Mr. Vardon by Innis.
"Looks like it--doesn't it?" agreed the young millionaire. "I shouldhave tested that boat before we went out in it," he added, as heclambered up, Grit frisking and barking about him in delight.
"Yes, that's where we made the mistake," agreed Mr. Vardon. "Thatrubber must have been cut as it was packed away. Well, we can easilymend it, so no great harm is done."
By means of the cable, the sunken boat was pulled to the airship, andwhen the water was allowed to run out it was hauled aboard. Then it wasexamined, the leak found, and the craft was placed out in the sun todry, after which it could be mended.
"Well, we can't do anything but wait," said Dick, after he had changedinto dry garments. "The break is out on that part of the rudder that'sover the water. We can't reach it without the boat."
"Then, while we're waiting let's have a swim," proposed Paul. "It willdo us all good."
"And then we can do some fishing," added Innis. "I'd like some nicebroiled fish. Did you bring any tackle along, Dick?"
"No, I'm sorry to say I didn't."
"Then I'll have to rig up some. I'll use some cold canned chicken forbait."
"What about a hook?" asked Lieutenant McBride, with a smile.
"Well, anybody who can build an airship ought to be able to make a fishhook. I'm going to call on Dick for that," went on Innis.
"I guess I can file you out one from a bit of steel wire," answered theyoung millionaire.
This was done, after some little labor, and with several of theimprovised barbs, and bait from some of the canned goods, a fishingparty was organized. There was plenty of string, and for leaders, sothat the fish would not bite off the hooks, Innis used some spare banjostrings. He had brought his instrument along with him.
The swim was much enjoyed, for the day was warm. The young aviatorssported around in the cool waters of the lake, and several littlespurting races were "pulled off," to use a sporting term.
I cannot say that the fishing was very successful. A few were caught,but I imagine the bait used was not just proper. It is difficult toget canned chicken to stick on a hook, unless you use a piece ofgristle. But some good specimens were caught, and were served fordinner, being fried on the electric stove.
All this while the airship floated tranquilly on the surface of thelake. Several vessels came near, attracted by the strange sight ofDick's craft, but, by means of a megaphone they were kindly asked notto approach too near, as the least contact with one of the heaviercraft would damage the Abaris. Through the captain of one craft Dicksent a message to his father, and Larry a story to his paper.
"Well, I think that boat must be dry enough to mend now," said Dick,some time after dinner. "We don't want to spend another night here ifwe can help it."
"No, for the weather might not always be as calm as it is now. Thebarometer is falling, and that means a storm, sooner or later," spokeMr. Vardon. "And these lake storms can be pretty had when they try."
It was found that the collapsible boat was dry enough to patch up, andby means of a rubber cement the hole in the side was closed.
The leaky intake valve was also repaired, and then, when the peculiarcraft was blown up and tested, it was found to be all right.
"Now we'll have another try at fixing that rudder," said Dick, as heand the aviator started once more to paddle to the stern of theaircraft.
This time all went well. No water came in the rubber boat, and bystanding up in it the two were able to learn the cause of the troublewith the rudder.
It was simple enough--a broken bolt making it impossible to turn it ina certain direction. As Dick had plenty of spare parts aboard, a newbolt was soon substituted for the fractured one, and then they wereready to proceed again.
"I've a suggestion to make," said Lieutenant McBride, when Dick wasabout to give the word to mount into the air again.
"What is it?" asked the young millionaire.
"Why not try your boat over the water? While it is not exactly ahydroplane, yet it has those attachments, and you can probably skimover the surface of the water as well as float on it. And that mightcome in useful in winning the prize.
"Of course the conditions call for an air flight from New York to SanFrancisco, but I believe, in case of emergency, a short water tripwould not count against you? And you might have to make it some time."
"I'll see what we can do, at any rate," decided Dick. "We willprobably never get a better chance than this. Come on, boys! We'llsee how our hydroplanes act!" he called.
The only thing that was necessary to do was to start the motor thatoperated the propellers. The aircraft was at this time resting easilyon the surface of Lake Michigan.
She would be driven forward by the propellers beating on the air,exactly as a sailboat it aided by the wind. Only, in her case, theAbaris would furnish her own motive power.
In anticipation of some time having to navigate on the water, a smallauxiliary rudder had been attached to Dick's craft. This rudder wentdown into the water, and would be used in steering in conjunction withthose used when she was in the air.
This wooden rudder was now dropped into the water, tested, and found toanswer properly to the lever which, in the pilot-house, controlled itby means of wire ropes.
"Well, let her go!" cried Dick, "and we'll see what sort of luck we'llhave."
"Which way?" asked Mr. Vardon, who was at the wheel.
"Why not head for Chicago?" suggested Lieutenant McBride. "We can't bea great way from there, according to the map, and that would be a goodplace to make the new start from."
"I think it would be," agreed Dick, "if that would be covering theconditions of the contest."
"Well, you can easily travel back enough to make up any shortage inmiles," the army man went on. "You still have plenty of time."
So this was agreed to, and, after a look over the craft to make surethere were no defects, Mr. Vardon pulled over the lever of the startingmotor.
With a hum and a buzz, the propellers started, and this time the Abarisshot forward on the surface of the water, instead of up into the air.
"She's going!" cried Paul.
"She sure is doing it!" yelled Innis.
"Yes, I think she's as successful on the waves as he was in theclouds," agreed Dick, as he looked at a speed-measuring gage. "We'rehitting up forty miles an hour right now."
"And that's good speed for a craft of this size in the water, or,rather, on top of the water," declared Lieutenant McBride.
For a hydroplane craft, as you probably know, does not go through thewater as a motor-boat does. A regular hydroplane is fitted with aseries of graduated steps, and the front of the boat rises as it skimsover the water. But all hydroplane craft are designed to slip over thesurface of the water, and not to cleave through it. And it was theformer that Dick's craft was doing.
Faster and faster speed was attained, until there could be no questionabout the second success of the young millionaire's airship. If everoccasion should require that he take to the water, in an emergency, itcould be done.
"And now for Chicago!" Dick cried, when several hours had been spent inmaneuvering about, each member of the party taking turns at steering."And I think we'll go up in the air for that tr
ip," he added.
"There's an aero club in the outskirts of Chicago," explainedLieutenant McBride. "I am a member of it, and I think we could make acall there. It would not be necessary to cross the city, and of coursewe will not land."
It was agreed that this would be a good plan, and Dick, taking thewheel, sent his craft ahead on the lake at fast speed.
"Here we go up!" he suddenly cried. Then, yanking over the lever ofthe elevating rudder, he sent the Abaris aloft. The rudder for sidewaysteering worked perfectly, now that repairs had been made.
Up, up into the air soared the big biplane, and from the lake she hadleft came a blast of saluting whistles from the water-craft that thuspaid tribute to a sister vessel.
During the wait on the water Dick had purchased from a passing steamera supply of gasolene and oil.
"Now we'll have enough so we won't have to land to take on any more,"he said. "Our provisions are holding out well, and if nothing happenswe can make the trip from here to San Francisco without stop."
"But we still have one landing to our credit if we need it," said Paul.
"Oh, yes, but I hope we don't have to use it," went on Dick. "It willbe so much more to our credit if we don't."
The supposition that they were not far from Chicago proved correct, forwhen they had arisen above the mist that suddenly spread over LakeMichigan, they saw, in the distance, the Windy City.
A course was laid to circle about it, and not cross it, as that mightcomplicate matters, and a little later they were within view of theaviation grounds, of which club Lieutenant McBride was a member.
He had said there might be a meet in progress, and this proved to beso. A number of biplanes and monoplanes were circling about, and thebig crowd in attendance leaped to its feet in astonishment at the sightof the young millionaire's new and powerful craft.
It was not the intention of Dick and his chums to stop and make alanding, but they wanted to get some news of other competing craftwhich might be trying for the big prize. Accordingly a plan wasevolved by which this could be done.
The lieutenant wrote out a brief account of their trip, telling of thestop, and to this Larry added a request that, after it had been read,it might be telegraphed to his paper. Then information was asked forin regard to aerial matters.
"But how are we going to get information from them?" asked Paul. "Wecan't get our wireless to working, we can't hear them, even withmegaphones, wig-wagging won't do, and we're not going to land."
"I've asked them to send up a bunch of toy balloons, carrying anymessage they can send us," the lieutenant said. "I think we canmanipulate our craft so as to grab some of the balloons as they floatupward. I've seen it done."
Little time was lost over this. The message was dropped down in one ofLarry's leather cylinders. It was seen to be picked up and while Dickand his friends circled about above the aviation grounds their note wasread. An answer was hastily prepared to be sent up as LieutenantMcBride had suggested.
Meanwhile a number of the other aeroplanes whizzed past, close toDick's.
"I hope they don't come so close that they'll collide with us,"murmured the young millionaire. But the pilots were skillful. Theytried to shout what were probably congratulations, or questions, at thetrans-continental party, but the motors of the small biplanes made sucha racket it was impossible to hear.
"Here come the balloons!" cried Dick, as he saw a group tied togetherfloating upward. "Now to get them! You'd better handle her, Mr.Vardon."
"No, you do it, Dick. I'll stand out on deck and try to grab them."
"We can all reach from windows," suggested Paul, for there were windowsin the cabin.
Dick was so successful in maneuvering his craft that Mr. Vardon had notrouble at all in catching the message-carrying toy balloons. The notewas brief. It conveyed the greeting of the aero-club, and stated thata number of competing craft were on their way west.
"The Larabee leads, according to last reports," read Innis.
"That must be Uncle Ezra's machine," murmured Dick. "He's right afterus. Well, we'd better get on our course again."
"I think so," agreed Mr. Vardon. The Abaris was sent in a Westerlydirection once more, and those aboard settled down to what they hopedwould be the last "lap" of the big race.
But matters were not destined to be as easy and comfortable as theyhoped for. Soon after supper that night the wind sprang up. Itincreased in violence until, at ten o'clock, there was a howling gale,through which the airship had to fight her way with almost all heravailable power.
"Some wind!" cried Dick, when he went on duty, and, glancing at thegage noted it to be blowing at seventy miles an hour.
"Luckily it isn't altogether dead against us," said Mr. Vardon. "As itis, though, it's cutting down our speed to about twenty miles an hour,and I don't want to force the engine too much."
"No," agreed Dick. "It isn't worth while, especially as the gale isserving the other craft just as it is us."
Dick Hamilton's Airship; Or, A Young Millionaire in the Clouds Page 27
