CHAPTER XXIV
THE ESCAPE BY AIRCRAFT
"That's good," instantly cried Hiram Dobbs. "They'll have troublesof their own now, maybe."
He and Dave listening closely, could now detect bustle andexcitement in the rooms beyond their own prison place.
They could hear Jerry Dawson fussing and bawling about, while hisfather's gruff voice seemed to give orders to the men in the place.
"I wonder what they will do with us now?" inquired Hiram.
"We shall probably soon know," returned Dave.
"Get those fellows out of there, you two," they finally heard JerryDawson order.
The door of the prison room was unlocked and thrown open.
"March out," ordered Jerry.
Dave and Hiram took their time about obeying the mandate. Then at aword from Jerry two of his men hastened them across the threshold,seizing them by the arms.
"Ouch!" roared Hiram. "Do you want to smash my arm all over again?"
The man who held him was less rough at this. In the room the boyssaw Jerry, his father, the two men who held them and three others.Before Dawson lay a large, round bundle. A smaller one lay at thefeet of one of the other men.
"Now, then," spoke Dawson, "ready and quick is the word. I'vedivided it up fair, and you'll find your share in that bundle. Youthree had better get it and yourselves to some safe place."
"Yes," spoke one of the men, "the revenuers will surely be heresoon."
"You two," continued Dawson to the men had Dave and Hiram in charge,"bring the boys along."
"Where to?" was asked.
"Just follow us," was the surly response.
"Give a hand, Jerry."
The two Dawsons lifted the bundle at their feet and started from theroom. There were sounds as if some one was pounding on the door atthe front of the building. The Dawsons, however, did not go thatway. They quickened their steps, the captives were led throughseveral rooms, and finally a door at the rear of the place wasopened.
"Hold them tight now," ordered Jerry.
"Yes, and if they make any outcry quiet them the way you know how,"added his father.
Dave and Hiram were surprised to find themselves now in completedarkness.
"We're going through some kind of a tunnel," whispered the youngaviator to his companion a moment later.
Their captors forced them along in the steps of the Dawsons. Theymust have proceeded several hundred feet thus, when the tunnel grewlighter. Then they arrived at an exit letting out into a deep,narrow ravine.
"They must have taken this route to escape from the revenueofficers," Dave told his companion, in a guarded tone.
"Shall we set up a fight and yell?" proposed the audacious Hiram.
"Not with that broken arm of yours and four to one," dissented Dave.
"Broken arm, nothing! Say-hello! Why, they're taking us to theirairship!" exclaimed Hiram.
They had come upon the Drifter at a point where the ravine spreadout and a long level space showed.
"Now then, brisk is the word," spoke the elder Dawson.
He and his son carried the bundle up to the Drifter and managed tostow it aboard. Jerry climbed into the pilot's seat. His fatherdrew some stout double cord from his pocket.
"Tie up those boys hand and foot," he ordered grimly.
"See here, Mr. Dawson," spoke up Dave, "what are you going to dowith us?"
"You'll find that out very soon," was the gruff reply.
The two men proceeded to secure the arms and feet of the captives.Dave knew it was useless to resist the rough treatment he received.Hiram was not so patient.
"Say, this is an outrage!" he cried out.
"What's the matter with you?" demanded Jerry Dawson, leaning fromhis seat with a scowl on his face.
"What do you want to tie a one-armed fellow up for?" grumbled Hiram.
"That's so," said the elder Dawson. "Just attend to his feet andone arm. No use making him safer. He won't be very dangerous withonly a broken arm free."
First Dave and then Hiram were lifted into the seats behind thepilot's post. As has been said, the Drifter could carry fivepassengers, and they were not crowded or uncomfortable.
"They are going to carry us away with them," whispered Hiram to hiscompanion.
"Let them," replied the young aviator. "It may give us a chance tooutwit them someplace along the line."
Hiram chuckled. Dave stared at him strangely, but his doughtycompanion did not explain what he had in his mind.
"All ready," announced Jerry, his hand on his lever.
His father got into the seat behind him.
"Wait a minute," he spoke to his son. "You two," he added to themen who had accompanied them, "better get to your friends, divide upyour plunder and make yourselves scarce as soon as you can."
"That's what we intend to do," replied one of the men.
"Hold on!" exclaimed his companion, suddenly turning around at theecho of a loud shout.
"What's the trouble now, I wonder?"
"Hey, stop the airship! Stop them! Stop them!" yelled the stridentvoice of a man coming pell mell down the ravine path. He was in afrantic state of excitement and waving his arms wildly.
"Don't lose a second," spoke Dawson quickly.
Jerry gave the starter a whirl. Dave noticed that his father wasquite excited and kept watching the advancing runner.
"Stop them, I tell you!" yelled this individual whom Dave recognizedas one of the three individuals left behind at the hut with theother bundle.
"What for?" shouted one of the two men near the airship.
"Robbers-thieves! That bundle they gave us!"
"What about it?"
"No silks--nothing but a lot of worthless truck. They've cheated usand are making away with the real plunder."
Whiz! up went the airship. The three men ran after it. Thenewcomer shook his fist vengefully after the machine. The other twopicked up rocks and hurled them in its wake.
"O. K.," chuckled Jerry, as the Drifter shot far out of reach oftheir deluded confederates.
"Do your level best, Jerry," spoke his father.
"The revenue men may have another airship in commission."
"Oh, I guess not," retorted Jerry airily. "Say, what about the onethese fellows had?"
"They know and won't tell. Some of crowd will find it, though Itold them if they did to dismantle it. They can get something forthe old junk."
"About all they will get, eh?" leered Jerry.
"I'm thinking so."
"You didn't give them any of the silk?"
"Not I."
"That was slick," chuckled Jerry.
"Hear him! He's a fine one, isn't he?" observed Hiram to Dave.
"Yes, Jerry can't be true, even to his friends," replied the youngaviator.
Dave watched Jerry at the lever. He had to admit that his enemyknew considerable about running an aircraft. The only criticism hecould make was that several times Jerry took some big risks indaringly banking, when the least variation of the wind would havemade the Drifter turn turtle.
It was six hours later when the airship descended. At times themachine had made fully sixty miles an hour. Long since they hadpassed the apparent limits of civilization. The course was duenorthwest. Vast forests spread out under them. It was only for thefirst time in one hundred miles, as they neared a small settlementon a river, that Jerry let down on the speed, and they descended ata spot about a mile from a settlement in the center of a big field.
Dave and Hiram were left in the chassis, while Jerry and his fatherleft the machine. They conversed for some time, then it wasarranged that Jerry should proceed to the settlement and purchasesome provisions. His father came up to the machine as Jerrydeparted.
"See here, you two," he spoke in his usual gruff way, "we'll giveyou something to eat and, drink when Jerry comes back."
"Where are you taking us to, Mr. Dawson?" asked the young aviator.
"We ar
e taking you so far from home, that you can't tramp back intime to pat any more of your friends on our track," was the bluntreply. "Another couple of hundred miles, and, if you behaveyourself, we'll set you loose."
The man spoke as if the proposition was perfectly simple and honestone.
"Another couple of hundred miles?" repeated Dave.
"That is what I said, Dashaway."
"You are carrying things with a high hand, Mr. Dawson."
"Yes? Well, I know what I am doing."
"You may overreach yourself."
"Humph! I'll take my chances on that. You are smart, Dashaway, butyou can't scare me and you can't get the best of me."
"But the law will get you, some day or another."
"Bah! I'm tired and don't want to listen to your talk. I tell youI know what I am doing."
"You won't release us now?"
"No."
"That is final?"
"It certainly is, and you may as well save your breath and notmention it again. I am tired out and don't want any more of suchtalk."
"Well, see here--" broke in Hiram.
"I won't listen to any more. Shut up."
With the words Dawson went over to a hammock at a little distance,spread his coat over it, and lay down to rest. It was not fiveminutes before his captives could hear him snoring loudly.
Hiram had been watching his every movement in an intense way. Nowhe leaned over towards Dave. His eyes were snapping with excitementand there was a broad smile on his face, as he whispered into theear of the young aviator one word. It was:
"Hurrah!"
CHAPTER XXV
CAUGHT CONCLUSION
"Hurrah!" was the word that Hiram Dobbs spoke exultantly, and Davelooked at him in profound surprise.
Hiram had lifted himself up from the seat. Now he went through somemovements that almost startled the puzzled young aviator.
Suddenly his arm shot out of the sling, and as suddenly Hiram,though with a wince, swung it around once or twice, and the threesplints holding it cracked and split audibly.
"Hey, Hiram!" gasped Dave.
"S-sh!" uttered his assistant warningly.
Hiram ran his free hand down into his pocket. He drew out the bigpocket knife he carried. It was more of a tool than a whittlingtoy, for he used it in tinkering about the airship.
With his teeth, Hiram opened its largest blade. He gave a slash atthe cords surrounding his other arm and his feet. Then he leanedover towards Dave. A few deft strokes of the keen blade, and Dave,like himself, was free.
"Easy," he whispered, as Dave started up. "I'll watch Dawson. Youget into the pilot's seat."
"Good for you, Hiram!" whispered back the young aviator, fairlythrilling with the excitement of the moment.
Dave took in every detail of the mechanism before his eyes. He madesure of no faulty start.
"All ready," he announced after a minute or two.
"Good-bye!" spoke Hiram, with a gay bold wave of his hand in thedirection of the sleeping, Dawson.
"Put on the muffler," ordered Dave, as the exhaust began to sizzle.
Hiram did so. It was too late, however, to avoid sounding a warningto Dawson. The big man started up with a yell. He came to his feetroaring out:
"Come back!"
"I hope you'll find the walking good!" shouted Hiram, waving hishand in adieu to the amazed Dawson.
"Hiram, you're a genius!" cried Dave.
The Drifter struck a course as true as a die. The splendid machineand the young aviator were both at their best. There was a lastfading picture of a forlorn man convulsed with rage and despair.Then the two boy aeronauts turned their back on the enemies who hadbeen hoisted by their own petard.
"It's great, its grand," cheered Hiram, bubbling over with joy, asthe exhilarating air and their magical progress made him realizewhat freedom meant to its fullest extent.
"I don't understand. Your arm, Hiram?" said Dave.
His jolly assistant waved the arm in question gaily.
"Wasn't it hurt?"
"Yes, and badly, I thought," reflected Hiram. "It was numb anduseless when the half breed attended to it, but he was mistaken andso was I in thinking that any bones were broken."
"They were not?"
"Not a bit of it. Don't you see? It pains, and I'm bragging when Iswing it around as if it was as good as ever, but I can use it."
"You have used it to a grand purpose, Hiram."
"I didn't notice that I could use it until they locked me up withyou."
"Why didn't you tell me then?"
"Oh, I wanted to surprise you."
"You have, Hiram."
"I thought I'd play 'possum on those smart fellows. I played thecripple strong. You see what has come of it."
When they had gone nearly one hundred miles, Dave saw that thegasoline supply was running low. Luckily they were near a littletown. They made a descent on a river, much to the delight andwonder of the whole place, bought a new supply, and resumed theirflight.
It was after ten o'clock in the evening when the welcome lights ofAnseton came into view. Dave did not look around for some hidingplace on the outskirts on this occasion. He startled a drowsypoliceman by landing in the middle of some vacant lots on his beat.
A brief explanation was made to the officer, and a man hired towatch the Drifter until they returned. Then Dave and Hiram hurriedto the hotel in Anseton where Mr. Price made his headquarters.
The revenue officer was found. He listened to the story of the twoyoung aviators in amazement and admiration. Then he reportedresults of his own efforts.
Ridgely was under arrest, two of his accomplices were being thenpursued by his assistants, and the smuggling combination was allbroken up.
"The clews you have given us were fine ones, Dashaway," said theofficial gratefully. "You have done the government a vast service,I can tell you."
Mr. Price insisted on the boys taking a needed rest. He sent one ofhis men to guard the Drifter, and, after a famous meal, made hisguests agree to sleep in a comfortable bed for the first time innearly a week.
It was just after they had entered their room that Dave made theremark.
"You know we had better see if those friends of the Dawsons havefound the Monarch II and made away with it, Hiram."
"Well, I can tell you that they haven't," replied Hiram, with aconfident chuckle.
"How can you know that?"
"Why, Dave, when I was shut in with the machine in that basin, Itook it apart. You know it was made to do that, so it could beshipped readily. Well, I'll bet you I hid those parts in places inthat basin where nobody can locate them but myself."
"Good for you!" commended Dave heartily.
"I think the Interstate people will have something pleasant to sayto you when they know all the wonders you've done in chasing theirstolen airship."
It was the brightest day in the year, it seemed to the two youngaviators, as they reached Columbus by train, and started at once forMr. King's hangar.
Old Grimshaw had met them at the depot. He was full of friendlychatter, seemed to be chuckling over some secret surprise he had instore for them, and rushed them towards the headquarters of theAegis.
"Yes, Mr. King is back," he advised the boys.
"Did he find Mr. Dale?" inquired Dave anxiously.
"He'll tell you."
Dave and Hiram had much to relate. Two boys probably never receiveda more pleasant welcome than they, when with the Drifter theyreported to the manager of the Interstate Aeroplane Company.
Mr. Randolph had the president and two directors of the concern onhand to meet them. Their stirring story was taken in by the augustbusiness men with an attention and appreciation that of itself paidthe lads well for all the duty done.
The boys had remained long enough at Anseton to have some men gowith them and locate the hidden sections of the Monarch II, andarrange to have them shipped by rail back to the factory.
Dave fel
t pretty rich when he left the Interstate works with a checkfor five hundred dollars in his pocket, and an offer of advancedemployment for himself and his loyal and useful assistant for twoseasons ahead.
"I want to see Mr. King before I decide what I will do," Dave toldMr. Randolph, his mind full of the much discussed flight across theAtlantic in the giant airship. "You can have your two hundred andfifty dollars any time you like, Hiram." he added to his chum ontheir way to the depot.
As they now reached the Aegis hangar, Grimshaw stepped aside with apleased laugh.
"Safe and sound and famous. Here they are, Mr. King!" he shouted.
"There's no doubt of that," chorused the friendly voice of theexpert aviator. "Dave! Hiram! A thousand times welcome."
If he had been own father to the lads, Mr. King could not havegreeted them more affectionately.
"You've done us all proud, Dashaway," he declared. "Got a telegramfrom the Interstate folks, and the noon paper. The paper has givenyou two columns. This way. A friend waiting to see you."
Mr. King pushed Dave across the little room in the hangar he used asan office.
A middle aged, noble looking gentleman arose from a chair as Daveentered. His face was beaming, and there was an eager light in hiseyes.
"Dave Dashaway?" he said, half inquiringly.
"Yes, sir," assented Dave, grasping the extended hand of thegentleman.
"My best and oldest friend's boy," continued the gentleman.
"It is Mr. Dale, Dashaway," spoke Mr. King, following Dave into theroom.
Somehow the young aviator felt his heart warm to the man of whom hehad heard so much, but had never before seen. The old gentleman'seyes rested on him in a kindly earnest way that made Dave feel lesslonely in the world.
Briefly Mr. King told of the chase he had made to locate Mr. Dale.
"I've got a long story to tell," said the aviator, when he could geta chance to talk. He turned to Mr. Dale. "That is, if you wish meto tell it," he added.
"Certainly," was the ready reply. "You can probably tell it betterthan I can."
"Well, to begin with, it was no easy task to get on the track ofthis fellow Gregg," commenced the well-known aviator. "I had to dosome tall hunting before I could locate him and his two cronies."
"His cronies?" repeated Dave.
"Yes, he had two fellows in the game with him. I guess he found outthat he could not manage it alone. The three of them called on Mr.Dale and at first got him to take an automobile ride. Then theytook him to a lonely house down near Slaytown, and there they kepthim a prisoner."
"A prisoner!"
"Yes."
"Just as we were kept prisoners," muttered our hero.
"Mr. Dale says he was treated very nicely, for Gregg no doubt, hadan idea he could get more money that way."
"Well, after a good deal of hard work I located the spot and saw Mr.Dale from a distance. I knew I could not rescue him single handed,so I went back to town and notified the police. I had hard workgetting three officers to accompany me, because the police just thenwere having their annual inspection and parade and all wanted to bepresent. When we got to the lonely house we got a big surprise."
"How was that?"
"Gregg and the two men and Mr. Dale were gone."
"Where to?"
"At first I couldn't find out. But we saw wagon tracks in the softroadbed and followed these along the road and through a big field.Presently we came to a patch of woods, and there found what in yearsgone by had been a lumber camp. At the old house we saw a horse andwagon, and we knew the crowd must be somewhere around. Weseparated, and came up to the place from all sides. In a shed nearthe house we found Gregg and the two men. They were discussing thesituation, when we pounced on them and surprised them."
"Did they resist?"
"Gregg did, and as a consequence he got a blow in the mouth from apoliceman's club that broke off two of his teeth. Then all of thecrowd gave up, and we handcuffed the lot and made them prisoners."
"And Mr. Dale?" asked Dave, with interest.
"We found him in the old house, tied up."
"And very grateful for the rescue," put in the old gentleman,warmly.
"All of us came to town in the wagon the rascals had hired. ThenGregg and his accomplices were put in jail, and Mr. Dale and I cameon here," concluded Mr. King.
"I am mighty happy to see things have turned out this way," said ourhero, heartily.
"I am so glad to find the son of my old balloonist friend," said Mr.Dale, "that I shall have to adopt you legally, Dave, before you slipaway from me again. Let me be your second father, my boy, and takean interest in your progress. I stayed over here with our mutualfriend, Mr. King, purposely to go over this wonderful plan to crossthe Atlantic in an airship."
"Then you think well of it?" asked Dave.
"You do not have to ask that of an old aeronaut enthusiast, my boy,"replied Mr. Dale.
"Yes, Dashaway," said the aviator, "Mr. Dale has promised gladly tofurnish the capital to put through our newest giant airship scheme."
So, for the present, we leave Dave Dashaway, the young aviator, andhis friends. What happened to them in their new and daring project,will be told in the next volume of this series, to be called, "DaveDashaway and His Giant Airship; Or, A Marvelous Trip Across theAtlantic."
The young aviator had won his way through pluck and perseverance.Dave had already done some great things in his apprenticeship as ajunior aeronaut.
Now, the friend, and assistant of a noted expert in aeronautics, hewas eager and buoyant at the prospect of winning fame and fortune inan attempt that was the dream of the expert airman of the world.
THE END
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