CHAPTER XII
AT THE HOSKINS FARM
"Well," Andy went on to remark, presently, "I see you are turning backagain in the direction of the head of the lake. I hope, Frank, you don'tmean to go all the way to Bloomsbury, and put the police in possessionof the few facts we've succeeded in picking up."
"That was not my calculation at all," replied the other, "in the firstplace, we suspect a good deal, but up to now we haven't got very muchpositive evidence on which to found a case. I'd like to know a littlemore before I get the Chief on the wire, and put him wise."
"Then when we get near the northern end of the lake perhaps you'll thinkit best to make a landing somewhere, and prowl around on foot, findingout what we can," Andy, continued eagerly; for he had become much workedup by this time, and was hoping that fortune would be as kind to them ason a previous occasion, which all Bloomsbury remembered very well.
"If we can only find a decent opening where we could make a get-awayagain, that is the only thing that bothers me," Frank replied.
"Now, I remember noticing a field near what seemed to be a lonelyfarmhouse; in fact there were a number of open places there, and theyseemed to have Canada thistles growing in clumps, all a-bloom, as if thefarmer had given up cultivating, and let things just go to rack andruin. I was never up there myself, but from what I've heard my fathersay, I rather think that must be the Hoskins place. They say heconsulted some fortune teller a couple of years ago, who told him hewould some day discover a gold mine on his property that would make hima millionaire; and ever since the farmer has spent about all his timedigging here and there, but up to now without any success at all."
"Why, yes, I remember hearing a lot about the queer old farmer myself,"Frank went on to say. "He's got a wife, and a half-grown daughter namedSallie. I met her at a country dance last winter, and she's a prettynice sort of a girl. Now, we've been on the move a good while, Andy, andperhaps we might manage to make the Hoskins farm around the dinnerhour."
"A bully good idea, too, Frank, and don't you forget it!" cried theother, with considerable show of enthusiasm. "Now, I just bolted whatlittle breakfast I got this morning, and already I feel hungry enough toeat nearly anything. And speaking generally, these country people do seta great table; though I don't know how it will be with the Hoskins,because, if they've been neglecting their farm to chase around afterrainbows, they probably won't be any too flush with supplies. But anyport in a storm, and I guess we'll be able to get filled up; if only wecan make a landing, and find the farm."
"As I figure it out, Hoskins' place wouldn't be over a mile or sodirectly above Norton's Point, Andy," the pilot of the expeditioncontinued, thoughtfully.
"Yes," Andy said, encouragingly.
"And perhaps, now, we might happen to run on some sort of a little cluethere. For instance, one of those yeggmen may have wandered around, andbought some eggs or milk from the farmer's folks; because, if they'vebeen camping out in the woods, they've had to eat all the while, youknow."
"A good idea, Frank; and we'll ask, if we're lucky enough to happenaround the lonely farm about meal time."
"I'm going to make it a point to be there, and as we've got some timeto kill meanwhile, let's hop over to that nice landingplace at the footof old Thunder top, and overhaul the machine again. There are a fewthings I'd like to tinker with, because I'm not quite pleased with theway they work; and you know, Andy, I'm a regular crank about having amotor run like a watch."
"Well, I'm getting that way mighty fast, thanks to your hints, and theknowledge of how it pays, when you're taking your life in your handsevery time you go up in one of these heavier-than-air outfits," was whatthe other Bird boy observed, with what was a thoughtful look, for him;because, as a rule, Andy appeared to be a merry chap, and laughing muchof the time.
Within half an hour they had successfully landed at the place indicated,and which had witnessed the coming and going of the young aeronauts onnumerous occasions.
Here at least they could remain and take things easy while waiting forthe morning to slip along, so that eleven would roll around. Littledanger of their being bothered by curious persons here; indeed, the boyshad never yet known a solitary man or boy to come around the place.
They could look up while lying there on their backs, and watch thefleecy clouds sailing swiftly past the lofty crown of the rockymountain. And how vividly there came into their minds memories of livelytimes which they themselves had experienced up there on the summit ofold Thunder top.
They spoke of them now, as they lay stretched out on the soft turf, andwatched the two white headed eagles soaring far up in the blue heavens,around and around in circles, without ever seeming to flap their greatwings.
Once the young aviators had engaged in a terrible conflict with thosetwo mighty birds, on the crown of the mountain, where they had landedwith their aeroplane, and been looked upon as intruders by the eagles,possibly under the belief that they entertained hostile intentionstoward the fledglings in their nest that was built amidst the crags,close to the tip of the lofty peak.
Frank and Andy often spoke of that thrilling episode, but never withoutsome sort of little shiver, because it had been a serious time with themsince one blow from those powerful wings might have toppled them overthe edge of the dizzy height, and sent them to their deaths.
But they had succeeded in beating their feather antagonists off by theaid of clubs which they wielded with vigor; and after the eagles learnedthat no harm was intended to their young by these bold navigators of theupper air currents, they came to have more respect for the strangewinged thing that came humming up from the earth on more than oneoccasion.
When eleven o'clock came around, the boys were off again, and headedtoward the northern end of the lake.
Of course they kept close down to the treetops, because, once theydiscovered the opening, they would wish to drop into it as easily aspossible.
Suddenly Andy, who was on the lookout, while Frank paid more attentionto the easy working of the motor, and the steering of the hydroplane,uttered an exclamation of satisfaction.
"I see it, dead ahead!" he remarked, in a satisfied tone. "We made a beeline to the place from the foot of the mountain, Frank. And unless I'maway off in my guess, the farmhouse lies over yonder beyond the trees;so nobody's apt to see us come down; and we can make any sort of yarn wewant, to explain just why we're here right now."
"We can do that all right, without telling anything that isn't so,"replied the other aviator. "The farmer doesn't know us, though Salliewill, and on that account we must be careful what we say. But thedinner's the main thing just now. And at the same time we'll try andpick up a little information, if Farmer Hoskins happens to know anythingthat would interest two fellows of our stamp."
He passed over the opening once, to make sure that it contained all thenecessary requisites for a successful landing, and also a launching ofthe airship. Then, making a graceful sweep back again, Frank allowed theaeroplane to drop lightly to the ground. It landed in almost the centerof the field, and both boys saw that they might get away again without agreat amount of trouble.
"Fine!" was the comment of the pilot, as he jumped to the ground, andbent over to detach some part of the machinery without which the motor,as Andy always said, "would not move worth a cent." This he often tookwith him, just as a chauffeur might the spark plug of an automobile,rendering it helpless unless the would-be thief were prepared to supplythe deficiency off-hand, which was a remote possibility that neverworried Frank.
"Now for grub!" announced the hungry Andy, leading off in the directionwhere he had reason to believe the farmhouse lay; Frank always declaredthat Andy had a most wonderful nose for a meal that was preparing, andcould spot a camp a mile away just by the smell of frying onions, orcoffee cooking.
At any rate he proved to be a successful pilot on the present occasion,for in a short time they were passing through an abandoned grain fieldwhere the bees and butterflies were swarming about the many lavenderco
lored flowers of the great clumps of thistles; and the smoke from thefarmhouse kitchen arose just over a little knoll.
"Told you so," said Andy, as they drew near the house, and caughtfragrant odors of cooking in the air.
Upon their knocking a girl came to the open door, and recognized Frankimmediately as a boy she had met at the country dance the precedingwinter. But nothing she said would indicate that the Hoskins, livinghere away from the world as they did, with the head of the housespending all his time hunting for that treasure-trove he still believedin, had heard anything to speak of about the wonderful things the Birdboys had been doing lately.
Frank was glad of this, and he just casually mentioned that theychanced to find themselves near the farm, and wondered if they could getdinner there.
So the good housewife was brought out, and with true country hospitalityshe immediately invited both boys to sit down with them, although sayingthat they were not as well supplied with the good things that used to beseen on their table before father took to boring those horrid holes allover the place, thinking to strike a coal vein, or perhaps a silvermine.
He was off now, and would not show up until night, for the farm was oneof vast dimensions, and covered miles of territory.
"But we have a boarder," said Sallie, as they sat down at the table."Sometimes he's here to meals, and again he gets so far away chasing hisbutterflies that he just carries what he calls a snack in his pocket.Such a queer little man he is too, with his brown glasses on, and alwaysrunning this way and that with his little net in which he captures thebutterflies that come to the thistles on our old barren fields. Perhapshe'll turn up while you're here. I'd like you to meet ProfessorWhitesides, who is from a big college, he tells us, and spending hisvacation in the way he likes. Sometimes I think he's a little off uphere," and she touched her head as she said this, "and that perhaps hegot hurt worse than he thinks, the time he met with the accident thatcrippled his arm."
Somehow Andy looked up when he heard about that broken arm to find hiscousin giving him the wink, while his eyebrows were elevated in asuggestive way, just as much as to say:
"Now, here's something mighty interesting already that would pay us tolook into; because we know of another fellow who is troubled with acrippled arm and his name happens to be Casper Blue!"