CHAPTER XVI
THE FIRST FLIGHT
A group of curious spectators stood around the _Thunder Bird_open-mouthed and wide of eye.
"You tell me that thing go up--up high? No!" expostulated one of theMexicans with a gesture of skepticism.
"Da boys make him fly," said another, grinning, and showing an even rowof milk-white teeth.
"Na, not da leetle boys?" protested a third, mopping his perspiringswarthy skin with a red bandanna handkerchief, for the day was a warmone and the sun had almost reached the middle of its daily course.
"Funniest lookin' thing I ever seed," put in a lame soldier, hobblingaround the machine and scrutinizing it doubtfully. He had, like a numberof his comrades, spent the last decade or so in and around the fort,hearing little of the outside world.
"Who's goin' to shoot it up?" asked a sheep herder, with some notion ofa sky rocket. He had begged the day off in order to be present at thefirst flight.
"Da leetle kids," replied a fat, indolent-looking Greaser, spitting agenerous supply of tobacco juice. "I na believe it," he added, with afoolish grin which was intended to betoken shrewd disbelief.
"That so," laughed the soldier. "What you think, John?" he askedanother.
"No sabe," responded the Mexican, spreading out his palms. "Spak noAngloise." He turned his attention to the machine which he had beeninspecting with childlike interest.
"I'd give a dollar for a cool breeze," sighed a soldier, skimming offthe moisture that had gathered on his face and neck.
Grouped about Hawke were the aspiring young aviators--the Fort Bayardbunch and the two from the Bread Pudding ranch. Their bright faces wererosy with excitement, and Hawke's was flushed with eagerness.
"Suppose it shouldn't work," whispered Fly, breathlessly, afraid tosound aloud the unconfessed fear which he did not share alone.
"Forget that noise," reproved Jerry. "Just leave it to Hawke. He saysshe's going to."
"Dry up, old man," chided Dunk. "Didn't we make it--then it's allright."
"You bet it's goin' to work," confidently assured Herb, unwilling toallow himself a moment's doubt.
Perhaps Hawke himself was a little anxious, for his habitual cooldemeanor had given place to a rather apparent agitation. He continuallyplowed his hands through his damp hair as he went about giving themachine a final examination.
"Is she all right?" inquired Dunk, when the aviator, seeminglysatisfied, straightened up and discontinued his examination.
"As slick as a whistle," returned Hawke cheerily, springing lightly intothe plane.
A touch of his hand and the motor was buzzing impatiently.
"Fine day for a try-out," he observed. "Not a breath of wind stirring."
Fred and Dunk were instructed to hold the tail at the start, and Jerrywas to turn the screw that set the machine in motion.
"I'm ready now, any time," said Hawke, with perfect composure.
"Clear away, everybody," commanded Captain Crawford, but it took bothhim and Mr. Phipps to force the crowd back against the buildingssurrounding the parade grounds.
"When I fire, up she goes," laughed Herb, rather nervously, gripping therevolver which he held in his hand. He almost hesitated to fire the shotthat should decide the fate of their earnest labors.
Hawke, however, had regained his natural calm, and sat waiting, composedand confident.
"Let 'er go," he commanded, taking hold of the lever with a sure andsteady hand.
"One, two, three--bang!"
A puff of smoke--then the whirr of the propellers, creating a suddenwind which blew hats off and left the bystanders breathless--and theman-made bird was running swiftly over the smooth parade grounds like alow-flying bird.
There was a murmur among the crowd, a straining of necks and eyes, andan unconscious leaning forward. Then, as the aeroplane, with an almostimperceptible slant, challenged the air and gradually ascended, a shoutof spontaneous admiration arose, gaining in volume and reaching such athunderous climax that it seemed to call forth an echo from the distantmountains.
Again and again the skillfully guided plane swept gracefully over thegroup of buildings, its circle constantly widening as it rose, and,finally, shot above the tall flag pole. On and up it went, swift as ahawk, gracefully taking higher and higher altitudes, until the crowd,realizing the height attained, began to gasp almost with fear, theirheads strained back painfully, their hands shading their eyes.
At last the plane, with rhythmic undulations, began to descend, itspurring music growing louder as, accomplishing slow circles, it camenearer and nearer, until, amidst a hush that was almost deathlike, itskimmed the ground and lit, a few feet from the starting point.
Again there was a mighty yell, and hats went up as Hawke leaped joyouslyupon the firm ground.
Faces alight, the boys pressed around him, almost speechless withdelight. The first joy of real success was upon them all. They hadattempted a splendid task, and they had won!
The crowd, refusing to be held back longer, streamed to the center ofthe grounds, like water surging over a suddenly opened dam.
"Marvelous," exclaimed Mr. Phipps, the first to find his voice.
This single word opened the flood gates, and a babble of voices ensued.The boys shouted excitedly, pranced like long-imprisoned colts enjoyingtheir first freedom, hugged one another, and threw up their hats andhandkerchiefs. Soldiers talked excitedly and endeavored to edge nearerto the structure which fascinated and compelled their admiration. Inspite of its performance, they still looked upon it in skeptical wonder.The Greasers, with unfeigned admiration, rubbed their dark palmscaressingly over the cloth-covered wings. Several Indians, their blankfaces for once expressive, stood fearfully on the outskirts of thecrowd, and finally slunk away, breaking into a dogtrot as they took thetrail to the cliffs.
But it mattered not to the boys what the crowd might think or say--theywere elated beyond the influence of the opinions of others. Theysuddenly felt themselves grown to manhood--for they had done what menwere doing--and, without exception, they felt inspired with a dauntlessdetermination to master the thing which they had made, and learn tocontrol it as Hawke had done.
"Take us up! Take us up!" they cried at once, pressing around theaviator, who, though nearly exhausted from the strain under which he hadbeen laboring, and choking for air, in this tight circle of humanity,was smiling happily. He too felt the intoxicating joy of triumph surgethrough his whole being, and forgot all external conditions.
"You must rest," protested Mr. Phipps.
"Yes, come right over to the house. We'll have something cool to drink,and a light lunch," seconded the captain.
"Guess we'd better not try any more for to-day," said Hawke to the boys."Just before I landed, one of the guy wires snapped."
"Put her in the hangar then," suggested Herb, willing to sacrifice hisdesire to the comfort of the aviator.
"Sure, you've done enough to-day," put in Fly, not wishing to beselfish, although he would have given a good deal to take a turn in themachine beside Hawke.
With the aid of the bystanders the plane was put back into the shed. Ikewas left to watch it until the crowd should disperse.
"We'll have another demonstration soon," said Hawke, noticing thedisappointment depicted on the faces of the onlookers as they divinedthe intention to discontinue flying for that day.
"The plane has succeeded almost beyond my hopes," Hawke said, as afterluncheon he sat with the men and boys at the Crawford residence. "Myequalizing device has to be tested, but I'm sure it's going to beentirely adequate to carry at least six passengers at a time."
"Well, you see you have a band of crack workmen," laughed Mr. Crawford,taking the boys in with a gesture.
"That can be said with all seriousness," replied Hawke earnestly.
The week was spent in trying out the machine, Hawke and the boys makingseveral test flights each day. At the end of that time, they knew beyonda doubt that they could trust the _Thunder Bird_ to do anything t
heywished. Hawke and five of the boys had ridden in it with safety for fourhours, putting it to the most severe test.
With unfailing patience and ready good will, Hawke took them, by ones,and twos, and often filling the machine to its capacity, explaining tothem the principles of successful flight. It was impossible, however, inthis short time, for all of the boys to become masters of the machine.Fly, however, showed unusual proficiency, and by Saturday night wasenthusiastically begging to be allowed to take the machine up alone, arequest which was of course persistently refused by his anxious fatherand mother.
"I'm astonished, though, at the ability the boy shows," Hawke told Mr.Giles confidentially. "They're all first class, but Fly has the inborninstincts of a successful bird-man. He takes hold instantaneously,thinking, as it were, with his muscles, and handling his leversautomatically, with the precision of an expert. All the boys have steadynerves and are going to acquire the poise and control of good fliers,but your son has unusual intuition."
"But you wouldn't let him go up alone yet?" said Mr. Giles, skeptically,though he might have altered his refusal at this assurance from Hawke ifMrs. Giles had not protested anxiously.
"Well, no. Better wait until after the hunt. That'll give them a goodworking basis," advised Hawke.
"Oh, please, please, please," pleaded Fly, whose anxiety to sail once,only just once, alone and unaided, up into the inviting blue clouds, andfeel that he had at last achieved his great ambition, prompted him torepeated entreaty that the privilege might be granted him.
"Time enough, my son," said Mr. Giles indulgently.
But the time came sooner than any of them dreamed.