CHAPTER V
JIMMIE TAKES A RUN IN THE AIR
The white aeroplane flashed by, going farther to the east, and Nedlaid a hand on Leroy's arm as he was about to increase speed.
"Don't hurry," he said, almost screaming the words into the boy'sear.
"I don't want him to beat me!" the driver called back.
"Let him go," Ned commanded. "Play about the scenery a littlewhile, and then we'll go back to Lima."
"Let me catch him!" pleaded Leroy. "Just let me chase around him acouple of times. I want to see him make a sneak when he sees theNelson in action!"
"Can you do it?" asked Ned.
"Sure I can do it. Just give me a chance. There isn't a machine inthe world that can win a race against the Nelson!"
"I'm sure of that," Ned answered, "and I hope that fellow over therewon't find it out right away. Let him think he can go by us like wewere tied to a cloud, if he wants to. There will come a time whenhis confidence in his machine will cost him his job!"
Leroy saw that Ned was really in earnest in the expressed wish todeceive the aviator of the rival aeroplane, and also saw that therewas good reason for doing so, so he shut off the motors and startedto volplane downward.
"No," Ned said, "that's not right. Make him think we're trying tocatch him. Give him the impression that we want to overhaul him,but haven't the speed."
"The Nelson will blush red with shame to be bested by a water wagonlike that!" Leroy grumbled, but he did as requested.
The white aeroplane's driver appeared to take the bait. Heloitered, as if waiting for the Nelson to come up, then circled awayfrom her in great wide swaths. Once he swept around the Nelson, andLeroy almost shed tears of chagrin.
"Just see him!" the boy wailed. "He thinks I've got a dirt carthere! He is putting it all over me! I can go two miles to his one,and yet I'm taking all his guff! Let me get at him! I'll run himdown!"
In a short time the stranger, apparently satisfied that he couldoutfly the Nelson, should he desire to do so, moved off to the southand soon disappeared in the distance.
"Now what?" asked Leroy, half angrily.
"He'll watch for us," Ned replied, "but he won't find us chasinghim. Go through some of your flip-flaps and then go back towardLima. I want to say a few words to that Mr. Thomas Q. Collins."
Half mollified at the thought of getting a little speed out of theNelson, Leroy drove straight for the zenith. Up, up, up he went,onward toward the stars, shining no brighter for his approach, yetluring him on. All the world below was flooded with moonlight andstarlight. The mountains were dim in spots, where higher peaksdominated the light, the Pacific shone in the radiance of the night.The blue dome of heaven rounded away like a precious bowl set withdiamonds.
The roofs of Lima drew closer together, apparently, and the wholetown looked like a little cluttered point of land. And themountains and the sea stretched away endlessly, and earth took onthe look of a great rug woven with invisible stripes. Up, up, up,until the air became thin and the lungs staggered for breath.
Then the motors were shut off and the ocean and the mountain chainsseemed to rise up to meet the aeroplane, sailing at the speed ofthe fastest express. Over the water and down until even Jimmieclutched Ned's arm and gave forth an exclamation of alarm. Then aturn of a lever sent the Nelson skimming over Calleo and back towardLima. Avoiding the vacant space where the Nelson had rested before,Leroy, under Ned's directions, landed on the dry sand some distanceaway.
"Of course that other chap will find us when he comes back," Nedsaid, when the boys stood on solid ground again, "but we'll try tomake him think we're hanging around Peru just for the fun of it."
"Perhaps he won't come back," suggested Leroy. "Then I'll lose mychance of showing him what the Nelson can do."
"I have an idea that he'll be back by morning," Ned replied.
In this the boy was right, for the white aeroplane showed in acouple of hours, just about dawn, circled around the city, hoveredfor a moment over the Nelson, and then went off to the north again.
"It is a certainty that she is here to butt into our game!" Jimmiesaid, as the white planes disappeared. "She'll start when we start,an' stop when we stop, an' there won't be any getting away from her.How does she get into the air so quick after we cut loose? That'swhat I'd like to know."
"Some system of signals, undoubtedly," Ned answered. "Now," hecontinued, "we'll cuddle up in our blankets here and sleep as longas the natives will let us. Who'll keep awake?"
Each one wanted to be the one to stand guard, but the point wasdecided by the appearance of Mike and Pedro, who had watched themaneuvers of the Nelson, had noted her landing place, and hastenedforward. Thus relieved of the care of the machine, the three boyshastened to the hotel and were soon sound asleep.
It was noon when Ned awoke, brought out of a deep slumber by animpatient knocking at his door. He was out of bed in an instantand, clad only in his pajamas, opened the door and looked out. Mr.Thomas Q. Collins stood in the corridor with a look of alarm on hisface.
"Thought I'd never get you out," he said, stepping, uninvited, intothe room and taking a chair. "Thought that you ought to know what'sbeen going on."
Ned had little confidence in Collins. The fellow's strange conductof the night before naturally made the boy suspicious. Afterrequesting a ride in the Nelson, or, at least, the company of theBoy Scouts to the place where the machine had been left, he haddisappeared without a word of explanation.
It seemed to Ned that he had good grounds for the belief thatCollins had spied around until he had learned that the aeroplane wasgoing up, and had then communicated the information to the man onthe white machine. At least, the strange aviator had shown in theair directly after the disappearance of Collins.
But it was no part of Ned's purpose to permit Collins to see that hewas suspected. It was rather his idea to keep on good terms withthe fellow and watch him for any evidences of treachery. Hetherefore greeted him cordially and asked:
"Something interesting going on in the city? We did not returnuntil nearly dawn, and I've been asleep ever since."
"You haven't heard about the attack on our aeroplane, then?" askedCollins, looking Ned over keenly.
The boy tried not to exhibit the least emotion or excitement at thedisturbing question. Leaning back in the chair he had taken, heasked:
"The curiosity of the people got the better of their courtesy, eh?I have been afraid of that. Well, I hope the Nelson was notseriously injured."
Thomas Q. Collins had the appearance of one who had expected tounwrap a great sensation and had failed. His face was a study.
"Well, no," he replied. "The fact is, when the rush was made theaeroplane shot up into the air."
"Then one of the boys must have been there," Ned said, calmly,although his heart was beating like a drum.
"The little fellow was there, the one you call Jimmie," was thereply.
"And he went into the air alone?"
"No; at the last minute a Peruvian Indian who has been hanging aboutthe machine ever since you came here went with him."
"Then there is no danger," Ned replied, really feeling relieved atthe thought that Jimmie was not alone in the aeroplane. "The ladwill bring the Nelson back in good time. Anyway, he is entitled toa little excursion, 'all by his lonely,' as he puts it."
"He can operate the machine?"
"Certainly. He can handle the Nelson easily."
Thomas Q. Collins regarded Ned steadily for a moment, his brusque,salesmanship manner all gone, and then asked:
"'Where are you going from here?"
The fellow was showing his hand at last! Or was this just naturalcuriosity? At that moment Ned was more interested in discoveringsomething about the attack on the Nelson than in fighting offpersonal and impertinent questions, so he said:
"We haven't made up our minds as to our future course. By the way,what was the cause of the attack on the aeroplane?"
"Oh," replied Collins, frowning slightly, "there were a lot ofpeople gathered about the ropes, and one of your guards was a littlecoarse in protecting your property, and there was a blow struck,then the mob rushed the roped-in enclosure. I think there was noone seriously injured."
"I wonder if the other aviator is also having trouble with hismachine?" asked Ned, anxious to know what Collins would say aboutthe white aeroplane.
"I don't know about that," Collins replied. "In fact, the otherfellow went off to the south soon after the departure of theNelson."
"Chased Jimmie up, eh?"
"Well, anxious for a race, it seemed to me."
"Has the Nelson returned?" asked Ned, then.
Collins shook his head.
"If you'll excuse me, then," Ned said, presently. "I'll dress andtake breakfast and go down to see what's doing."
"Your breakfast will be luncheon, I guess," laughed Collins. "I wason my way to the dining room when I thought of you. If you don'tmind I'll wait for you in the lobby. These natives are not verygood table companions. I'm sick for the sight of my own countrymen,anyway, and I can't tell you how glad I am to see you here."
Collins went out and closed the door and Ned set about his toilet.He did not know what to make of the alleged steam pump salesman. Attimes he appeared to be perfectly frank and honest, then there wouldcome to his eyes a look of half-concealed cunning and greed whichput the boy on his guard.
However, Ned thought, the correct way to fathom the fellow'sintentions would be to remain in his company as much as possible.So the boy bathed and dressed and went down to Collins in the lobbywith a cheerful face.
During the meal Collins talked incessantly of the country and hisprospects in South America. Ned listened, saying little, even inthe short spaces of silence. He was waiting for the fellow tostrike some chord which tuned with his actions of the night before.At last it came.
"I'm thinking of going over to Asuncion," he said, when the meal wasnearly over. "There are mines over that way, and I may stand achance of selling a pump. Rotten luck in Peru, and I can't affordto spend all this expense money and not sell a thing. I hear thatthere are a few Americans over in Paraguay," he added, tentatively,smiling over at Ned.
"I know very little about the country," Ned said, coolly, fearfulthat Collins would drop that line of conversation, "and I neverheard that foreigners of any sort were made welcome in Paraguay. Idon't think we'll go out of our way any to visit that hot littlerepublic."
Collins looked disappointed. Ned could see that. In a moment hetried again to bring the subject out, but Ned seemed entirelyindifferent.
When the two left the hotel and walked in the direction of the sandlot where the Nelson had been left, the boy was fully satisfied thatCollins was in league with his enemies. For all he knew, the fellowmight be the very man who was trying to get Lyman's concession awayfrom him. This might be the man who was bribing the crookedmilitary chief to make it impossible for the cattle man to carry outhis contract.
"What time did the Nelson leave?" Ned asked, as they drew near alittle group of natives standing on the sand lot.
"Not far from nine," was the reply.
"I didn't think Jimmie would be out that early," laughed Ned. "Heis a little sleepy head, ordinarily."
Pushing their way into the center of the little crowd, Ned andCollins found Leroy and Mike Dougherty engaged in a heated debatewith a police officer who was threatening arrest. Ned stepped backso as not to attract the attention of the boys, and kept his eyesfixed on Collins. In a moment he saw that gentleman give animpatient gesture which seemed to urge the officer on.
Ned thought fast for a moment. He was considering whether or not hehad been brought there for the purpose of getting into a row in defenseof his chums and being arrested with them. He was heartily glad thatthe Nelson was out of the way, although he would have been betterpleased had he been safe aboard of her.
"These Peruvian officers are too fresh!" Collins said, in a moment."What do you mean by molesting these boys?" he added, in Spanish,turning to the officer.
"They are charged with assault," the latter replied.
"By whom?" asked Ned, also speaking in Spanish.
"They struck half a dozen citizens," was the indefinite reply. "Wemust take them to jail."
"I'll give you a bump in the eye if you come near me!" Leroy put in,as he searched the sky eagerly for some sign of the Nelson.
"That wouldn't help matters any," Ned said, speaking in English."Go along with the officer, and I'll pay your fine."
Collins looked annoyed at this cautious advice. He came nearer toNed and whispered:
"The courts are slow and uncertain here. It may be weeks before theboys will be restored to liberty if they are locked up. If we couldget them away into the mountains until the Nelson returns that wouldend the whole affair."
"And so you want to get me mixed up in it, too!" thought Ned, as theofficer glared at him. "You want to get me on a charge of resistingarrest! When we get out of here, Mr. Thomas Q. Collins, I'll seethat you get what's coming to you!"
If Collins could have known what was passing in Ned's mind, couldhave understood how suspicious the boy was of him, he would not haveurged the lads, in English, to cut and run. By doing so he merelyconfirmed Ned's unfavorable opinion of him. From that moment Nedknew him for what he was, and resolved to get him out of the way insome manner.
Leroy and Mike paid little attention to what Collins said, as ashake of the head from Ned gave them to understand what was passingin his mind. In a moment Ned stepped to the side of the policeman.
"You are all right, officer," he said. "You are only doing yourduty. The boys will go with you, and I'll pay their fines."
But, as Ned discovered, it is easier to get into jail in Peru thanit is to get out.