CHAPTER XVII.
NEWS BY WIRELESS.
Frank immediately opened wide the door and bade the other welcome. Heeven held out his hand, and made the French aviator feel that they weredelighted to know he was to be with them.
"First of all be pleased to read what Major Nixon has written here,"said M. Le Grande, after being introduced to the other boys, who weresurveying him with natural curiosity, because they, too, recognized hiswell-known name.
Frank quickly read the contents of the note. It was to the point, forthe British officer was a man of comparatively few words.
"My Dear Frank:
With this I introduce my friend Monsieur Armand Le Grande. You know what he has done in your line. He will be your passenger on the trial trip. Remember, you are the sole commander, as M. Le Grande is there simply to take notes, and advise, if you care to ask his valued opinion at any time. The best of luck to you all, and may this day be one never to be forgotten, both here and in the tight little island across the Channel. When we receive word by wireless, I shall let you know over the phone.
Yours sincerely, JOHN NIXON, Major."
Since Frank knew the handwriting well he could not have any doubtconcerning the authenticity of the letter. It happened that he had alsoseen pictures of the noted French birdman, and they corresponded withthe features of the man who had come to them.
If Frank, therefore, had in the beginning entertained the slightestsuspicion, it was by now wholly allayed. Sitting there while thenewcomer enjoyed a cup of black coffee, they talked in low tones of thecontemplated voyage.
It was wonderful to see how calmly they discussed the tremendouspossibilities of the great raid by aeroplanes on the enemy's works. Tenyears back, had anyone ventured to affirm that in so short a time scoutswould be sailing through the upper currents at the rate of two miles aminute, and even "looping the loop" in a desire to prove their masteryover air, he would have been set down as visionary and a dreamer.
Frank went to the double doors opening on the trestle that ran down tothe water and took an observation.
"There is some haze on the sea," he announced, "but it is rising, and Ithink we are going to have a fair day for the trip."
They had made all preparations, so that when the summons came thereshould be no occasion for unnecessary delay. Knowing that they wouldfind it bitterly cold far up among the clouds while moving at highspeed, all of them were careful to don the warmest clothing possible. Asthey wandered about the interior of the hangar they resembled mummies tosome degree; but appearances count for little with the venturesome menwho risk their lives while emulating the birds.
All at once there was a quick angry buzz.
"The 'phone, Frank!" cried Billy.
Frank darted over and clapped the French receiver to his ear.
"Hello!" he called.
"Who is it?" asked a voice he recognized as belonging to the Major.
"Frank Chester; is that you, Major Nixon?"
"Yes, has he arrived, Frank?"
"If you mean M'sieu Le Grande, yes. He's here with us, waiting for thetime to come when we make the start."
"Well, it is here. I have called you up to tell you, Frank."
"Have you received a message by wireless from across the Channel, sir?"
"We have," replied the Major. "It told us that the fleet had startedfrom Dover cliffs, and would be across in less than half an hour, if allwent well."
"Good news! You make us happy when you say that. Shall we get out atonce and be ready to join them when they show up?"
"Lose no time, for they may be here sooner than expected; and again thebest of luck go with you, Frank, my boy. May you and your chums returnin safety, and your passenger bring back a glowing report. That's all;now get busy!"
Frank swung around. His young face fairly glowed with animation andexpectation.
"How about it, Frank?" asked Billy, as nervous as ever.
"They're on the wing and heading this way. Everybody get aboard while Ifling open the doors and fix it to start!"
There was no confusion because they all knew exactly what was expectedof them, and everyone had his place arranged.
Frank swung aboard as the big seaplane began to move. In another secondthey had passed beyond the doors and commenced to descend the trestleleading to the surface of the bay.
The seaplane took the water with the grace of a swan. There wassomething of a splash when the connection was made, but that odd bow solike a spoon had been built especially to spurn the water, and so thecraft skimmed along just as a flat stone hurled by a boy's hand willskip over the surface until its momentum has been exhausted.
"There's something of a crowd over there watching us, Frank!" announcedBilly, as he pointed to the shore, at some little distance away.
"Could they have known about what we expected to do," remarked Pudge,"or is it just the idle crowd that was chased away yesterday by theguard, come to see what's on the program for to-day?"
"The chances are some of those spies are among the lot," Billy said at ahazard.
"If they are they'll be kicking themselves soon because they can't getword to their friends up the coast," Pudge continued, looking as thoughhe considered that he might be going to have the time of his life, as nodoubt he was.
Frank did not start up. There was no necessity for doing it, since hehad no desire to show off before the Dunkirk people, and it was the partof wisdom to conserve all his resources for the strain that awaitedthem.
He had his field glasses in his hand, and with these he now began toscan the heavens toward the west, veering a little to the northwest. Theothers waited anxiously to hear what he might discover.
"Nothing in sight from here," announced Frank; "but then that was to beexpected. We are low down on the water, and there are more or lessstreaks of haze in the air to interfere with a good view."
"It's too soon to look for them, anyway," added Pudge.
"How long do they expect to be on the journey across the Channel,Frank?" Billy inquired.
"From what Major Nixon said, I should guess from twenty minutes to halfan hour," Frank explained. "It all depends on what air currents theystrike, and whether they meet with any accidents on the way."
"There's our friend the sergeant waving to us from the shore," announcedBilly. "He doesn't know what's going on, but he wants you to understandhe wishes you all kinds of good luck."
"Oh!" suddenly cried Pudge, "what's that over there, Frank! Focus yourglass on it and tell me! I hope it isn't one of those sassy little Taubemachines come to bother us just when we want to be let alone."
"No fear," he was told by Frank as soon as he caught the far distantobject that had caused this outbreak on the part of the fat boy. "That'sonly a gull circling around in the sunlight."
"Hadn't we better be up so we can join the fleet without wasting anytime?" asked Billy
"No need," Frank assured him. "I understand that they mean to swing inhere, and then make a fresh start straight away up the shore."
"But why should they come in here at all, when they could just as wellhave headed straight from Dover to Antwerp and Zeebrugge?" demandedBilly, who with that reporter instinct of his always wanted to know thewhy and wherefore of everything.
"There are several reasons, I believe," Frank went on to say. "Forthirty seaplanes to cross the Channel with its variable winds is a bigfeat, and it was to make sure all was well with each member of the fleetthat they laid out to start fresh from here. Then, I fancy, severalother machines are waiting here to join them, so as to make the raid asbig as possible, and strike a note of alarm along the naval bases of thecoast."
"Now I understand better," admitted the other, always willing to listento any explanation given by Frank, for whose opinion he entertainedconsiderable respect.
The minutes dr
agged. Even Pudge manifested unusual impatience, and keptcraning his fat neck in the endeavor to scan the sky toward the west, asthough in hopes of making a pleasing discovery ahead of Frank with hisglasses.
"There goes one man up in his biplane!" remarked Billy, who had happenedto turn his head and glance back toward the city, attracted possibly bya distant humming sound that was strangely familiar.
"And a second following him in a monoplane," added Pudge. "I suppose nowthose fellows will join the squad that's meaning to do some damage tointerior points like Bruges."
Both the boys looked toward Frank appealingly, as though they hoped hewould think best to follow suit, but he did not make the slightest move.Instead, he held the field glasses again to his eyes as he swept theheavens far to the west for signs of the coming squadron of navyaeroplanes and seaplanes that had left the cliffs of England, sailinghigh to avoid the fog that lay upon the Channel there.
"It must surely be twenty minutes from the time they started by now,"urged Billy presently.
"Just that to a fraction," announced Pudge, looking to see.
"They may have met with contrary winds up there and be delayed," urgedFrank. "Because it seems so quiet down here is no sign that theconditions are the same a mile high. Be patient! I expect to soon havesome good news for you."
"I surely hope nothing has happened to break up the tea party, once it'sgot off on the trip," grumbled Billy.
Pudge said nothing more, but sat there watching Frank. He knew theywould learn of the coming in sight of the fleet first of all from theone who carried the magnifiers; and hence he kept his eyes on the faceof his chum.
When Frank lowered the glasses Pudge gave a soft wheeze, as though hehad been fairly holding his breath meanwhile; then as soon as the otherstarted to look again Pudge resumed his former occupation of watchingfor signs.
Even the longest night must have its end, and this absorbed vigil on thepart of the fat boy was not without receiving its reward.
When Frank, on the next occasion, not only hastily lowered the glassesbut passed them along to Billy, Pudge knew the crisis had arrived atlast.
"There they come!" cried Billy, as soon as he had clapped the smallerend of the field glasses to his eyes. "Oh! what a raft of them I cansee! Must be a hundred in that bunch, Frank, anyway, all of fifty ifthere's one!"
But Frank knew how Billy was prone to exaggerate, without meaning todeceive.
"Let M. Le Grande take a look, Billy," he suggested, which aroused theother to a remembrance of the fact that they had as their guest a mostfamous aviator who should be treated with every consideration.
Pudge did not ask to look. He was too busy watching Frank, who had madeas if to turn on the power and start things going. For, after skimmingover the surface of the water, the big seaplane would mount up like abird on the wing.