CHAPTER VII
THE AIR SCOUTS
Frank laughed a little, himself, when he heard his cousin say this.
"I give you credit for getting one on me there, Andy," he declared.
"Then you believe I hit the right nail on the head, do you, Frank?"
"Well," remarked the other, "come to think of it, Percy did have alittle limp; and I guess he tried to hide it the best he could, for Iremember seeing him wince several times. But how about Sandy, who nevertried to get out of the car once, and didn't even open his lips to say asingle word?"
"I bet you he got a double dose, and is pretty sore this morning." Andywent on. "You seemed to think it was kind of hard lines for Felix togive 'em a load when they were pretty far off, and just climbing overthat fence; but it tickles me every time I think of it. Seemed like thewhole bunch just fell over after he shot; and like as not each fellowgot his share of the Number Eights somewhere in his legs. But how aboutthis job the Chief asked us to engineer, Frank? Are we going to startoff on that little spin up the lake; and d'ye guess we could get apointer about where the two thieves have gone?"
"We might try, anyhow; no harm in that," was his cousin's reply, as heturned once more toward the hydroplane that lay near by.
"I remember we had great luck that other time, when we discovered thatthe men who broke into Leffingwell's place were hiding in that old cabinup in the woods. Perhaps the same story might be repeated, who knows?They call it the Bird boys' luck, Frank; but then, we work for all weget, and ought to have a little credit when we win out. If we made a badjob of things, the same people would be quick to say we didn't know ourbusiness. Shall we go back to the shop first?"
"That would be the only way," replied Frank. "If we're going to take onthis dangerous job of looking up yeggmen who have broken into a bank,and looted it, why, it seems to me we ought to make a littlepreparation. Of course, about all we expect to do is to scout around,and see if we can pick up any information with the aid of our marineglasses. It's hardly to be expected that two boys would take the chanceof trying to nab a couple of reckless thieves, who must be armed anddesperate."
"But if the opening came, Frank, we wouldn't let it slip by, would we?"asked Andy, always willing to go to the limit, when temptation beckoned.
"Perhaps not," answered the other, smilingly; "but there's no usecrossing a bridge till we come to it, so we won't bother any more aboutthat. Get aboard, Andy, and we'll head for home again."
"Just think of all that's happened since we had that little accidentyesterday afternoon, up near the Quackenboss place?" Andy went on tosay, as he complied with his cousin's request, and settled himself inhis seat, leaving the piloting of the machine to Frank.
"There has been quite a little run of excitement, that's a fact," musedthe other; "first the accident, and our great good luck in making alanding without breaking a thing, including our precious necks."
"Then the discovery of Percy and Sandy looking at the hydroplane lyingthere, and hurrying away as if they had already laid a plan to come backand pay a night visit, if they failed to see us get home by daylight,"Andy went on to add.
"Events followed thick and fast after that, Andy--the coming of thefour fellows, with their faces hidden; their repulse at the hands ofyourself and the friendly Felix; then the robbery of the bank; thebreaking into our shop by men who left their cards behind in the shapeof these burglar tools; the meeting of the Chief on the road, and thenews he gave us; and last of all the coming of Percy with the startlingnews that his biplane had been stolen!"
"Yes, but don't forget my seeing it sailing over just at early dawn,"remarked the other, as Frank stooped forward for a last look around,before starting up the powerful little Kinkaid engine. "Because thatpromises to play quite a figure in the pursuit of the smart thieves;though they may be fifty miles away from here by now, if they know howto handle that fine biplane right."
"Hold tight; we're off!" warned Frank, as he applied the power; for thenew engine was of course a self-starter, and could be operated from hisseat with almost as much ease as might be shown in using electricity,and pressing the button.
The hydroplane ran easily along the ground, for the bicycle wheels werealways kept in first class condition; and as the speed kept onincreasing Frank soon uptilted the plane, and like a great bird risingfrom the ground, with a graceful sweep the flying machine took to theair.
Long practice had made the Bird boys familiar with every movementconnected with the actions of an aeroplane, but at the same time theytried to be always on their guard against being incautious. That is thetrouble with most aviators; they grow so familiar with danger that theyforget the terrible risk that always hangs over the head of every onewho soars aloft in his frail airship; and then, when finally somethinghappens after they have become too reckless, they never get anotherchance.
Sweeping along not more than three hundred feet above the ground, theboys were home in almost no time. They could see the car containingPercy Carberry, and his crony, Sandy, just vanishing among the houses ofBloomsbury; and the Chief, about half-way there, waved his hat at themas they sped past him.
Then the aeroplane dropped lightly down close to the hangar back of theBird home, where Andy and his father, the professor, lived, togetherwith old Colonel Whympers, the veteran who used crutches or a cane onaccount of his rheumatism, brought on, he always declared, not by age,oh! no, but the wounds he received many years ago, when he was fightingfor his country in the great civil war.
He was sitting there on a pile of lumber waiting for them, a quaint oldfellow, who was greatly beloved by both cousins; and who believed firmlythat some fine day Andy Bird was bound to even eclipse the fame whichhis father had gained in the field of science and aviation.
It happened that the professor was away at the time delivering a seriesof lectures before some body of scientists in a distant city. Andwhenever the boys were in their shop the old veteran was in the habit ofcoming around, to see what new and wonderful things engaged theirattention, as well as chatting with them. And he was as welcome as thesun in May.
Of course, just then he was bristling with questions as a hedgehog wouldbe with sharp-pointed quills. And knowing the Colonel of old, Frank andAndy lost no time in telling him all that had happened to them, from thetime of their little accident, down to when they heard the latest newsfrom Percy Carberry.
"And I warrant now," remarked Colonel Whimpers, as soon as the tale wasfinished, "that you two boys get the first clew to where the robbersare hiding. Didn't you beat the wonderful Chief out before, and doesn'thistory have a habit of repeating itself? Oh; if only I was ten yearsyounger, how I'd love to be along, when all these glorious things arehappening. I hate to think I'm put by on the shelf and never can be anygood again."
That was the old man's only fault; he was forever complaining becausehis day for indulging in exciting scenes had passed; but any one whoknew the half that he had passed through, would think the colonel had noreason to say anything; and that it was only right that someone else hada show.
They soon soothed him, however, and long practice had made Andyparticularly apt at this sort of thing.
"Here come Elephant and Larry, on the run," remarked Frank, a littlewhile later; "I wonder if they saw us come home, and whether they canhave picked up any additional news connected with the bank robbery, thatwe ought know."
"Well, it might pay us to hold up a little, and see," added Andy.
"Yes, since we're in no great hurry, and the day is long," Frankremarked.
The two boys came up panting for breath. Larry had evidently set thepace, and it was a matter of the smaller lad keeping with him, or elsebeing left behind, something Elephant never liked to have happen; sothat he was unable to say even a single word for a full minute afterarriving alongside the hangar.
"Tell us, have they learned anything new since the Chief started off?"asked Frank, as usual right to the point; and in this way cutting offthe myriad of questions which he knew bo
th the newcomers were primed toask.
"Why, yes," gasped Larry, while Elephant nodded his head as if to say heagreed to all that was said, "after Percy came bustling around, askingfor the Chief, and telling how somebody had busted into his place, andrun off with his biplane in the night, they got to talking it over, andwondering if it could have been the robbers, and if one of 'em knew howto handle such things. So they called up the city, and asked questions.In that way they learned that there was a yegg who had been suspected ofhaving been connected with several other jobs, though they never couldjust put the kibosh on him, and his name is Casper Blue, and one time heused to be an actor, and then became a pretty well-known flier, but inan accident he broke his arm, and had to give up his business. He wasalways a crooked sort of feller, and after that just boozed around,joined in with hobo gangs, and they believe touched up a few jobshimself. There, that's all we know; and now, what you been doing?"
"Too long a story to tell just now," declared Frank. "The colonel knows,and perhaps he'll amuse you after we've gone."
"Oh! say, are you meanin' to take after them fellers that busted thebank safe, and then got away with Percy's biplane?" asked Elephanteagerly; "don't I wish though I could just hang on behind, and be in theswim for once. You two seem to have about all the fun there is going,hang the luck, say I?"
"Well, you'd better not try it, that's what!" said Andy, shaking hishead threateningly at the bare suggestion of having Elephant aboard whenthey made a start.
"I think we've got everything now, Andy," remarked Frank, anxious to beoff.
"Hope you're taking guns along, because if you do run across them hobofellers you'll be apt to need them right bad," Larry went on to say,also looking downcast at having to miss all the sport simply becauseNature had never intended him for an aviator, as he was inclined to getdizzy when looking down from any height.
"Oh! Frank's provided for that, and besides, we don't really expect toround the thieves up, just find out if they've dropped down anywhereinside of thirty miles to the north of Bloomsbury. Shall I get aboard,Frank?"
"Yes; and after we're off, Larry, will you and Elephant do me the favorto step around to my house, and tell my folks that the Bird boys havehired out as scouts to Chief Waller? Tell dad that we'll be mightycareful, and for mother not to worry about us. You know I always callAunt Laura mother, because she's been that ever since my own died yearsago. Will you do that, boys?" and Frank sitting there ready to start,turned a smiling face upon his two friends. Even as they promised, theaeroplane started off, and a minute later soared up in the air, like abird rejoicing at its freedom for leaving the earth behind.