CHAPTER XII
ADRIFT IN THE STORM
The two young aviators, alive to every motion of the _Albatross_ and themovements of its operators, sat together on one of the observationbenches.
“I don’t see any change in our course,” remarked Hiram, glancing fromthe window.
“Neither do I,” said Dave. “There’s a flash, though.”
“Yes, I saw it,” spoke Hiram, quickly. “Lightning, wasn’t it?”
“I think so. In fact, I am sure of it. Yes, it has all clouded up.”
“And a wind coming,” added Hiram. “What is it, Mr. Grimshaw?” hequestioned, as there was a ring at the tube hook.
“Orders to close everything up fast and tight,” reported the veteranaeronaut.
“Then there’s a storm coming, sure enough,” said Hiram.
Even before they had all the windows closed a change of atmosphere wasnoticeable. A blast of wind roared around the giant airship.
“Of course, this isn’t serious,” observed Hiram.
“Oh, I think not,” rejoined the young aviator.
“If the _Albatross_ can’t weather a little land zephyr, she’s no goodover the ocean.”
“Mr. King is simply taking all precautions,” said Dave.
“Whew! did you feel that!”
There was a whirl that made the young airmen think of their pastexperience in striking an air pocket when aboard their monoplane.
Bang! went a pitcher of water from the table in the center of the cabin.
“We’re tipping,” exclaimed Hiram.
“Yes, upwards,” said Grimshaw.
“Trying to strike a calmer upper current, I fancy,” suggested Mr. Dale.
Hiram made his way to a window and tried to peer out. The rain wasbeating in rattling dashes against the thick panes.
“Say,” he reported, “if you want to see a sea of black ink, come here.”
“I call it a blaze of dazzling light,” submitted Grimshaw, as there wasa vivid flash of lightning, followed by a tremendous crack of thunder.
“It’s all below us now,” reported Hiram, a few minutes later.
“We must be above the storm cloud, then,” said Grimshaw.
“There’s some wind yet, I’m thinking,” observed Mr. Dale.
There came a signal from the tube bell just then. Grimshaw beingnearest, took up the tube and received the message.
“You, Dashaway,” he spoke in his quick, laconic way.
“From Mr. King?”
“Yes.”
“All right.”
The young aviator left the cabin at once. All over the hull of the greatairship was an electric light system. The lamps were placed at intervalsalong the passages, and Dave found no difficulty in threading them. Hearrived at the pilot room to find Mr. King at the glass table andProfessor Leblance holding his hand out through a small porthole, theinside glass shield of which was thrown back.
The airman looked serious and occupied with the various buttons on thetable. The Frenchman’s face wore a somewhat anxious look.
He drew in his arm. As he did so Dave observed that his hand held alittle meteorological instrument he had noticed before. It was abarometric contrivance. The professor held it up to the light andscanned its surface closely.
“It won’t do at all,” he announced. “The index is not broad enough togive exact conditions.”
“There is the aerometer, Professor,” suggested Mr. King.
“Did I not tell you I found one of its tubes shattered? Suchcarelessness! I would no more start across the ocean without a perfectinstrument than without food.”
“Then it’s a stop?”
“Somewhere.”
“And a descent?”
“Of course.”
“When, and where?”
Professor Leblance indulged in his accustomed shrug of the shoulders.
“I dare not descend, not knowing the exact conditions below, as Istated. We are on a fair level.”
“Then why not continue till the situation clears?”
“We can only run one way.”
“Yes, with the storm, but we are not leaving the coast line to anyappreciable degree.”
“That is true, but we may get too far south.”
“Oh, we can soon make that up. We will have to land near some largecity, I suppose, to get what you want.”
“Not necessarily,” replied the Frenchman. “All I need is somequicksilver. I have plenty of surplus tubes.”
“Well, what is the programme?”
“Straight ahead, watching the wind gauge and the grade guide.”
“Very good.”
“I will go to the engine room.”
“Come here, Dashaway,” ordered the expert airman.
His junior assistant was prompt to gain the side of his superior.
“You understand the guide?” inquired Mr. King.
“It is on the same principle as the aeroplane apparatus?”
“Yes.”
“Then—perfectly,” assented Dave.
“Watch it closely for variations, and the wind record. If the mirrorshows a deviation past the fifteen mark, notify me.”
“And the wind?”
“Over fifty miles an hour is dangerous.”
“And we will have to descend?”
“Or ascend, that’s it.”
Dave seated himself in a chair at one end of the table. The guide, adelicately adjusted instrument, recorded every variation in the progressof the airship. The wind gauge was connected by wires with a vane on topof the gas bag.
Dave turned to his duty with interest and carefulness. His monoplaneexperience stood him in good stead. He felt a great deal of satisfactionin realizing that he was actually sharing in operating the _Albatross_,and in addition to that learning something practical and of value.
Inside of five minutes he had mastered the requirements of the occasionand was working in entire harmony with the airman.
For over three hours the _Albatross_ was kept on as perfectly straight acourse as could be mapped out.
“We seem to have encountered a heavy southwest storm of great extent,”Mr. King told him.
“Have we got to pass over its entire length before we land?” asked theyoung aviator.
“Professor Leblance thinks that plan best,” replied Mr. King.
It must have been nearly midnight when the Frenchman came back from theengine room.
“Superb!” was his first commendatory word. “The _Albatross_ does notseem to have strained a seam. I must congratulate you both.”
The airman smiled pleasantly at this praise and Dave bowed modestly. Theprofessor again took the barometric readings.
“I think we have hit the tail of the wind,” he announced a few minuteslater. “As soon as we are sure of it, we will make a descent.”
“What’s that?” suddenly called out the young aviator.
Boom! A great shock traversed the airship!
Boom—boom—twice in succession there followed a muffled bang, and it wasapparent that the sounds were caused by some trouble in the airship.
Professor Leblance rushed from the room.