CHAPTER III
A BOLD PROJECT
"Pitch in, please!" urged the impatient Jack Parmly.
"Listen, then, boys," commenced the other earnestly. "You doubtless knowthat I've got more money than is good for any single man to handle? Well,I've squandered a small bunch of it in having a wonderful plane made andsent abroad. Of course it's intended to be handed over to the Governmentin due course of time, but with the proviso that they allow me toengineer the first long flight in it."
"That sounds interesting, Lieutenant," admitted Jack, apparentlyconsiderably impressed.
"Tell us some more about it, please," urged the practical Tom.
"It's possibly by long odds the largest bombing plane that so far hasever been built, even beating those big Caproni machines of Italy thatcan carry a dozen in the crew. This Martin bomber can be run by threehands, although several more might be used if the right kind were found.Its possibilities in the way of distance and continued flight canhardly be estimated, since all depends on the cargo carried. The lesscrew, the more petrol and bombs to make up the load."
"Yes, we get that, Lieutenant," said Jack, as the other paused briefly,possibly to get his breath, and then again because he wished theinformation to sink slowly into their minds.
"With this monster biplane I assure you it will be an easy matter to flyall the way to Berlin, bomb the city so as to terrify the inhabitantseven as they tried to do to Londoners, turn around, and return herewithout touching ground once; yes, and if necessary, repeating the trip."
Jack showed intense excitement, while Tom too was deeply interested.
"We knew that thing would soon arrive," the latter said; "and they saythe Germans are getting cold feet already with the prospect before them.But it's come a little sooner than I, for one, expected. What's your bigscheme, Lieutenant?"
"Berlin or bust?" chanced Jack explosively.
"You've hit the right nail on the head, Parmly," admitted the other,with a nod of appreciation. "I mean to show that it can be done. Just assoon as I can get that big bomber here, and the permission to take onthe job, well start some fine night for Berlin and give Heine the joltof his life."
Jack thrust out his hand impulsively.
"You can count for one on my going, Lieutenant; that is, provided I getpermission from the boss!" he announced promptly.
"I'm inclined to say the same," Tom added quietly, though his facedisplayed an eagerness he did not otherwise betray.
With that Lieutenant Beverly squeezed a hand of each.
"I mean to start things going shortly," he told them. "And you'll surelyhear from me, for I must keep track of you boys."
"Where is the big Martin bomber now, did you say?" asked Jack.
"I didn't mention the fact, but it lies hidden in a special hangar on theFrench coast, not a great distance from Dunkirk," came the answer. "Ihave a special guard watching it, and my mechanics keep everythingready for any sudden call. Right now she's tuned up to top-notch pitch,and a full supply of gas is kept on hand all the time, as well aseverything needed in the way of supplies. That's where money talks."
Jack looked his admiration, and then burst out with:
"You're sure a dandy, Lieutenant Beverly, and if ever you undertake thatwonderful trip to Berlin and back I only hope I have the great good luckto be aboard."
"Consider it settled then," he was told. "And now that I've found mycomrades for the venture I can go about further details, and startgetting the consent of Headquarters to the enterprise. One of thesenights Berlin is going to get a shock that may help bring the war to aspeedy close."
"Here's our dugout," said Tom. "We're going back to work again after I'vebandaged Jack's finger, for he gave it an ugly scratch when handling thegun, he doesn't himself know just how. Can we do anything further for youright now, Lieutenant?"
"Thank you, nothing, Raymond. I shall get on nicely. I'll rest up a dayor so while things are simmering connected with that big affair. Ofcourse it's to be a great secret among the three of us; not another soulknows anything about my project or the giant bombing plane I had shippedover to France."
"That's understood, and we're as mum as a couple of clams," Jack toldhim; and so they separated, little dreaming at the moment what aremarkable series of circumstances were fated to arise that would bringthem together for the carrying out of an enterprise greater thananything as yet recorded in the annals of aerial exploits.
Tom and Jack were back on the field before half an hour had elapsed,making a fresh start for the clouds, just as eager as ever to have someadventurous Hun airman accept their challenge and give them battle.
For a whole hour did they fly back and forth in the disputed territorybetween the two armies. Far beneath they could see by the aid of thepowerful binoculars marching columns of soldiers, all heading toward thenorthwest. These they knew to be the German forces, making one of theirregular daily retreats in fairly good order.
Behind them the Hun armies left innumerable nests of machine-gunners todispute the advance of the Yankee battalions, and hold them in check,even at the price of utter annihilation. Many times the men selected forthis sacrifice to the Fatherland held grimly on until they werecompletely wiped out by the sweep of the Americans.
Occasionally one of the Yankee pilots, provoked because none of the enemydared to accept the gauge of battle he flung before them, would swoopdown and try to make a target of these marching columns. Then for a briefperiod there would be exciting work, with the machine gun of thescurrying plane splashing its spray of bullets amidst the scurryingsoldiers, and the daring pilot in return taking their volleys.
Perhaps, if the boldness of the Americans caused them to take too greatchances, there might be one less plane return to its starting point thatday; and the report would be brought in that the pilot had "met his fatein the discharge of his duty."
Wearied at length of the useless task, the Air Service Boys finally gaveit up for that afternoon. Jack in particular showed signs of keendisappointment, for he always chafed under inaction.
"There was some talk of another raid for tonight, you remember, Tom," hesaid, when they once more alighted and gave the plane over into thecharge of the hostlers; "and if it turns out that way I only hope we'redetailed to go along to guard the bombers. It's growing worse and worseright along these days, when Fritz seems to have gotten cold feet andrefuses to accept a dare."
"I see fellows reading letters," remarked Tom suddenly. "Let's hope thereis something for us."
"It's been a long time since I heard from home," sighed Jack. "Icertainly hope everything is going on well in old Virginia these days.There's Captain Peters waving something at us right now, Tom!"
"Letters, Jack, and a sheaf of them at that!"
"Come on, let's run!" urged the impatient one, suiting his actions to thewords by starting off on a gallop.
Tom took it a little more slowly so that when he arrived and received hisletters from the aviation instructor, who happened to be in the camp atthe time, Jack was already deeply immersed in one which he had received.
It was late in the afternoon. The sun hung low in the west, looking fieryred, which promised a fair day on the morrow. Once he had his letters,however, Tom paid but scant attention to anything else.
His news from Virginia must have been pleasant, if one could judge fromthe smile that rested upon his wind and sun-tanned face as he read on.Again in memory he could see those loved ones in the old familiar haunts,going about their daily tasks, or enjoying themselves as usual. Andwhenever they sat under the well-remembered tree in the cool of the earlyfall evening, with the soft Virginia air fanning their cheeks, the redand golden hues of frost-touched leaves above them, he knew their talkwas mostly of him, the absent one, most fondly loved.
Tom looked up. He thought he had heard a groan, or something verysimilar, break from the lips of his chum. It startled Tom so that when hesaw how troubled Jack looked a spasm of alarm gripped his heart.
"Why, what is th
e matter with you?" he cried, leaning forward and layinga hand on the other's arm. "Have you had bad news from home?"
Jack nodded his head, and as he turned his eyes his chum saw there was alook of acute anxiety in them.
"No one dead, or sick, I hope, Jack?" continued the other apprehensively.
"No, at least that is spared me, Tom; they are all well. But just thesame, it's a bad muddle. And the worst of it is I'm thousands of milesoff, held up by army regulations, when I ought to get home for a shortvisit right away."
"See here, is it anything connected with that Burson property--has thatmatter come to a head at last?" demanded Tom, as a light dawned upon him.
"Nothing less," assented the other gloomily. "The issue has been suddenlyforced, and may be settled any day. If I'm not there, according to theeccentric will of my uncle, Joshua Adams Kinkaid, that property will fallinto the hands of my cousin, Randolph Carringford, who, as we both know,is just at present over here acting in a confidential capacity to someGovernment official."
"Yes, I've seen him," said Tom, frowning. "And to tell the honest truthhis face didn't impress me strongly. In fact, I didn't like your cousin.What's the use? All Virginia knows that Randolph Carringford is a blacksheep--that no decent man or woman will acknowledge him for a friend.Wonder what Joshua Kinkaid meant, anyhow, by ringing him in. But are thelands worth as much as it was believed, Jack?"
"I learn in this letter from our lawyer that the richest kind of coalveins have been located on the Burson property in West Virginia; and thatthey promise to be valued at possibly a million dollars. Think of whatthat would mean to the Parmly family! For we are far from being rich.Father lost his grip on business you know, Tom, when he volunteered, andwent into the Spanish war, and when he died did not leave very much."
"Do you suppose your cousin knows anything about this new development?"continued Tom sympathetically.
"He is too greedy not to have looked after every possible chance," cameJack's despondent reply. "And now that this thing's come up I can beginto understand why he kept smiling in that way all the time he chattedwith me a week ago when we chanced to meet. I think he had had a tipeven then that this thing was coming off, and was laying his plans.Though how he could known, I can't imagine."
"Then you suspect he may already be on his way across, and will arrivebefore you can get there to put in your claim?" asked Tom.
"Even allowing that he had no news until this mail got in, Tom, he'd getoff a whole lot easier that I'll ever be able to, and so could catch aboat, while I kept untwisting the army red tape. It's a bad job allaround, I'm afraid, and bound to make me feel blue."
"There's only one thing for you to do, Jack." remarked the energetic chumpromptly, and his confidence gave the other considerable satisfaction.
"What is that?"
"Apply for leave at once. And include me at the same time, because I'llgo with you, of course, Jack. We'll try to get back in time to join inthe grand march to the Rhine. Promise me to do this before we sleepto-night!"
"I will, Tom, and here's my hand on it!"