CHAPTER IV
AN AVIATOR APPEARS
"Hello, who's that talkin' to father?" exclaimed Jerry next morning ashe and Fred came back from the range where they had been having a targetcontest to try out the service revolvers Captain Crawford had lent them.
Captain Crawford called the boys over and introduced the stranger, atall, trim-built young man, as Mr. Hawke.
"I'm sure you boys will like Mr. Hawke," he said. "He's from themilitary aviation school at Fort Omaha, and knows how to buildaeroplanes."
This was enough to make the boys look upon Hawke as a friend and hero,even if he hadn't smiled encouragingly and held out his hand.
"I'm sure I'm going to like you too, boys, and I'm glad to know you'reinterested in aviation. I always like to see boys up-to-date."
The boys hardly knew what to say to such a warm greeting as this, butFly put in his appearance at that moment and saved them from furtherconfusion.
"Come on over here, Fly," called Jerry.
"He's just crazy about airships," he explained, turning to Mr. Hawke.
"Then I want to meet him," said the aviator, his genial face lightingwith a smile.
"I'd rather meet you then Santa Claus," exclaimed Fly, enthusiastically,feeling at home at once with the newcomer, and experiencing none of theembarrassment of the other boys. "I hope you're goin' to stay."
"Well, I'm planning to spend my vacation here. I didn't expect to arriveso soon, but some friends were coming this way, so I dropped inunannounced."
"We all like this kind of a surprise," assured the captain, just as DunkRivers came up and said he was wanted on the telephone.
"I guess I can leave you with the boys, Hawke," said the captain, afterintroducing Dunk.
"You bet. I like boys--especially aeroplane boys."
"Maybe you can give them some pointers about the mystery at the Phippsranch," Mr. Crawford called back as he hurried away.
"We'll tell you about that," volunteered Jerry, in answer to Mr. Hawke'slook of inquiry, and, assisted by Fly, Dunk and Fred, he told the storyof the runaway and the loss of sheep at the ranch.
"And this trouble has been going on about a month?" asked Mr. Hawke."Looks to me as if your Indian friend is pretty near right. It must besome kind of flesh-eating animal or bird that is doing the damage. Soyou boys are going to trail him down?"
"That's the idea," answered Dunk.
"We've formed a Boy Scout Patrol," continued Jerry; "ordered ouruniforms an' everythin'. Fred's leader."
"Splendid," exclaimed Mr. Hawke heartily. "I used to be scout master ofa bunch of fellows down at Fort Omaha, but my work got so pressing thatI was obliged to give it up. I enjoyed it though."
"Gee, that's fine. Glad you're goin' to stay all summer," exclaimedFred.
"How are you going to carry on this hunt?" asked the aviator.
"We haven't just decided yet," replied Jerry. "Got to figure that out."
"If it's a bird it seems to me you ought to have an aeroplane,"suggested Mr. Hawke, his eyes twinkling as he watched for the effectthis would have on the boys.
"It would be just the thing," cried Fly.
"Of course," chimed in Dunk. "We could fly right after him then."
"That would be the way to do it," said Mr. Hawke, pleased with theirenthusiasm. "Can't you manage to build a machine here at the fort?" headded.
"Mebbe Mr. Phipps would help us out," cried Fly at once, taking thesuggestion seriously.
"That's right," assented Jerry gravely.
"But we don't know nothin' at all about it," said Dunk.
"Well, you boys come up to my room to-night," responded Hawke. "I'llshow you something you'll be interested in. Come along and bring yourfriends. I suppose there are some other boys around here."
"You bet; three more in our crowd. They're all bugs on aviation too,"Dunk assured him. "We want to get the Boy Scout aviation badge."
"Bully for you. That's the kind of talk I like to hear." Hawke gave Dunka friendly slap on the shoulder. "Now, I'm going to spend the afternoonwith your father and Captain Crawford. Good-bye till to-night."
"Ain't he a peach?" exclaimed Fly, when Hawke was out of hearing.
"He's a _looloo_! Gee, this is luck. Aviator--scout master--everythingnearly," agreed Jerry warmly.
"Wonder what he's going to show us to-night," queried Fred.
"Mebbe he's got some more ideas about the Thunder Bird that he didn'ttell us," suggested Dunk.
"He's a prince anyway," Jerry exclaimed. And in this all the boysagreed.
Fly had to go back to his work, and it was decided to call up HerbPhipps and Tender Gray, telling them to come over that evening on theaviator's special invitation. Dunk said he would notify Carlito.
At eight that night all the boys met at Jerry's and went together to Mr.Hawke's quarters on the third floor of the old barracks. Graystock worehis tenderfoot badge, while Fred had pinned on all his medals, includingthe one for aviation.
Carlito, Herb Phipps and his cousin edged into the room somewhattimidly, but the aviator's cordial greeting caused them instantly toforget their embarrassment.
"I'm glad you managed to round up the bunch," Hawke said, after the newtrio had been presented. "This lesson won't have to be repeated. And,"he continued, observing Fred's decorations, "all of you scouts ought tobe wearing aviation badges soon. That is, if you give careful attentionto what I'm going to tell you."
"We'll listen, all right," promised Fred. "That's what we're here for."
Hawke smiled. "That reminds me. You fellows came pretty near missing thesurprise I've got for you. When Ike went down to Silver City they toldhim my trunks hadn't come. He waited, however, and they arrived on thenext train. He delivered them only a few minutes ago."
The boys exchanged glances of inquiry. What had Ike and the trunks to dowith it?
But Hawke soon answered them by pulling a large steamer trunk into thecenter of the room.
"Get down here," he said, throwing back the top. The boys gave a gasp ofsurprise and were down on their knees beside him. Lying in the trunkwere the parts of a miniature aeroplane.
"Now, scouts," said Mr. Hawke, amused at their excited exclamations,"we'll put this together, and I'll show you the model of the 'ThunderBird Aeroplane.'"
"Now, scouts," said Mr. Hawke, amused at their excitedexclamations, "we'll put this together, and I'll show you the model ofthe 'Thunder Bird Aeroplane.'"]
"Gee whiz!" exploded Fly, who was the first to find his tongue. "What doyou know about that, fellows? That's the name of our patrol."
But the other boys were too deeply interested in what Hawke was doing topay attention to Fly.
The aviator took the parts to the table and began putting them together.
"We'll make this a lesson," he said. "So fire in your questions."
"Well, I'd like to know how much that weighs?" complied Fly at once.
"About thirty pounds."
"Is it all there?" continued Fly.
"All but the engine."
"An' how much does a real one weigh--I mean a big one?" asked Dunk.
"Well, a full-sized machine built after this design would reach a weightof about 1,100 pounds or over, with the load."
"How fast would it go?" asked Herb.
"About forty miles an hour," replied Hawke.
"Whoopee!" cried Jerry. "That's sure goin' some."
"It doesn't seem to go that fast when you're up in the air," explainedHawke. "If you are gliding close to the ground the speed seems terrific,but after you reach the high altitudes you hardly notice that themachine is moving."
"They looked as though they was moving when I saw them at NassauBoulevard meet," put in Tender Gray. "There was a half dozen of them upin the air at once most of the time."
"All biplanes like this one?" asked Fly, a little proud of hisknowledge.
"Monoplanes too. Bleriots, Dumonts, Curtiss, Wrights, all kinds."
"What you fellows talking about?" asked Dunk, wh
o knew little about thesubject.
"Well, we mean, did they have two wings or one?" answered Fly, in anoffhand tone.
"What's wings?" persisted Dunk, not to be put down.
"Why this is a biplane," explained Fly, with assumed grandness, puttinghis thumb under his armpit, "'cause it's got two wings, top andbottom--this and this." He pointed to the main planes. "A monoplane hasonly one wing, the top. And--"
"Stand back and give the professor room," interrupted Dunk, with mocksolemnity.
"These wires look awful slim to me," said Jerry, when the general laughsubsided. "You don't go much on 'em, do you?"
"You bet, lots depends on them," answered Mr. Hawke, who was stringinglight wires through miniature pulleys on the upper and lower wings."They may look frail but in the full-sized machine they are thestrongest piano wire."
"What do they do?"
"They really take most of the tension, and these struts take what iscalled the compression stresses. They're made of the lightest tough woodin the world--comes from Canada."
"Wish't I understood all that," said Tender in a rather discouragedtone.
"You can't understand everything in one lesson," put in Fred.
"Yes, that's right. We'll have to start at the beginning and gothrough," responded the aviator, with a good-natured smile. "But, ofcourse, we haven't time for that to-night. I'm just giving you a generalidea."
Carlito had said nothing up to this time, but he had been looking onvery carefully, and listening with rapt attention.
"Looks like it would fly just like a bird," he said, when the model wasfinally completed, and the boys were inspecting it.
"That's just it," cried Jerry, remembering the conversation of themorning, "and we want one to chase the Thunder Bird with."
"The question is, how are we going to get it?" objected Fred,businesslike as usual. "We fellows ain't got enough money."
"Yuh ought to talk to father," said Herb. "He said he'd give anything toget that rascal that's killin' our sheep. Besides," he added, laughing,"I've been digging for an aeroplane for a long time."
"Do you think he'd help us out?" asked Fly eagerly.
"I think a talk with Mr. Hawke would do a powerful lot," responded thesoutherner. "Cain't you-all come over Sunday afternoon? Dad's going toSanta Rita to-morrow morning to be gone till then."
"Yes, please go over and tell him what the aeroplane could do," urgedFly, anxious to realize the dream which seemed almost too good to betrue.
"Sure, won't you, Mr. Hawke," chimed in Jerry.
"All of you fellows come, cain't yuh?" asked Herb.
There was a rapid fire of affirmatives.
"How about yuh, Mr. Hawke?" persisted the rancher.
"Why, of course. I'll be glad to take a ride over with the boys and meetyour father."
"All right, then, that's settled, and now it's time for us guys to go.Tender and I have to ride to the B. P. yet. Good night, Mr. Hawke. If itwasn't so late we'd sure like to give yuh three cheers."
"Instead, I'll shake hands with you all," responded the aviator, as theyfiled past him at the door. "And remember, I'm yours for the medals andthe Thunder Bird hunt. And--if we can get it--the finest aeroplanethat's been made yet."