CHAPTER IV AN AVIATION MEET
By Saturday, when David Chamberlin called to take Doris to the aviationmeet, her financial troubles were temporarily forgotten. She was notgiven to worrying unnecessarily, and on this day nothing could haveinterfered with her fun.
As Doris stepped into the trim little roadster, Dave cast her an admiringglance, noting that she was dressed in a white sports costume which setoff her red hair to startling advantage. They made an excellent pair.Dave was dark, tall, straight as a cadet, and considered handsome by allof Doris's friends.
"You gave me a dreadful fright when you flew so low over our house,"Doris told him as they drove swiftly toward the aviation field, which waslocated some distance from Chilton.
"Did I? Sorry, but I just had to drop that note." Dave smiled down uponher. "Anyway, you forget that I'm getting to be an expert at handling thejoy-stick. I want to take you up one of these days."
"Oh, I'm crazy to fly with you! Perhaps Uncle Ward won't let me, though."
"We can talk him around to it."
As they approached the aviation field, they were forced to proceed at aslow rate, for the highway was jammed with cars.
Entering the gateway, they parked the roadster and then wandered aboutthe field, inspecting the various planes. Dave explained a great dealabout the distinguishing characteristics of the various models andintroduced her to a number of aviators with whom he was acquainted. Asthe time approached for the meet to begin, they sought their seats in theimprovised grandstand.
Presently the master of ceremonies announced through the loud speakersthat the opening event would be an inside loop contest. A hush ofexpectancy fell over the crowd as two planes zoomed up from the field andimmediately began to cut vertical circles in the sky.
"It looks so easy, doesn't it?" Doris murmured.
"Yes, but believe me, it isn't!" Dave assured her, without taking hiseyes from the two planes. "If I could only do that!"
"I'm just as glad you can't, Dave. I'd be afraid to have you."
Following the inside loop contest, a squadron of army planes took to theair and thrilled the spectators with a spectacular exhibition offormation flying. Then came parachute jumping, dead-stick landings, andexciting races. Doris found it impossible to restrain her excitement asthe planes rounded the pylons, frequently banking to such an angle thatit seemed disaster could not be avoided.
As a climax to the meet the master of ceremonies announced that anintrepid young flier would entertain the crowd with daring stunts. Dorisand Dave saw a brilliant red monoplane take off from the field and climbto an altitude of several thousand feet. Then, in quick succession, thered plane went through barrel-rolls, loops, dives, falling leaves, andwing-overs.
"That boy's good!" Dave exclaimed in admiration.
The words were scarcely spoken when Doris gave a startled little cry. Ithad seemed to her that, as the monoplane came out of a loop, somethingwas wrong. The plane seemed to waver, and then, to Doris's terror, shotdown in a tailspin.
"It's all in the stunt," Dave assured her. "The pilot's just--" he brokeoff and a look of horror came into his own eyes as he saw that the man atthe stick was fighting desperately for control.
The spectators, suddenly made aware of the impending disaster, sprang asone man to their feet and cried out in fright. Women and children coveredtheir faces.
The plucky aviator had not given up. Struggling frantically at thecontrols he refused to take to his parachute and, only a short distanceabove the field, brought the plane out of the spin. However, he had scanttime to alter the course, and to those on the ground it was apparent thatin landing he would overshoot the designated area, which was roped off.
Those who were not in the grandstand scattered in all directions, andtimid women screamed in terror. Doris and Dave had instinctively arisen,but no sound escaped them. It appeared almost certain that the planewould hit a group of parked cars near the fence.
Just at the critical moment, however, the pilot managed to turn themonoplane enough to miss the row of cars. As a wild cheer of admirationand relief arose from the spectators, he brought the craft to restwithout mishap.
Instantly, a crowd of people swarmed about the plane. The pilot tried tokeep them back, but it appeared almost certain that before policemencould reach the scene, someone would be pushed into the whirlingpropeller.
Doris and Dave were seated not far from where the mishap had occurred,and now, with the intention of trying to help, they rushed toward theplane. Before they could reach the spot, the pilot had switched off theengine. The crowd continued to press about the plane, careless of thedamage they might do to wings or struts.
"Get back!" Dave shouted, helping the policemen and some mechanics tocontrol the throng.
Nearly everyone goodnaturedly backed away from the monoplane, but one manrefused to budge.
"That plane nearly struck my car!" he shouted angrily. "Let me get atthat pilot! I'll show him a thing or two!"
Startled, Doris turned to look at the man and was astonished to see thatit was the driver who had been stalled in front of the Mallow residenceonly a few days before.
"Say, who does that fellow think he is, anyway?" Dave murmuredimpatiently. "His old car wasn't touched! If that pilot hadn't done somequick thinking, someone would have been killed sure!"
They watched as a policeman remonstrated with him, and were disgusted athis sullen remarks. After he had vented his spite sufficiently, he spranginto his roadster and backed out of the parking place so rapidly thatwomen and children were forced to scurry to escape the wheels.
"He didn't care much whether he struck anyone or not!" Doris declared."That man is positively vicious."
After the excitement had died down, she and Dave went to their ownroadster. There was a bad traffic jam and it was some time before theyreached the gate.
"It certainly was a thrilling day," Doris told her friend when they wereon the highway. "I wouldn't have missed it for anything."
"Glad you liked it," Dave returned. "Next year I hope to take partmyself."
"The best part of it was that no one was injured," Doris continued. "Itwould have ruined the entire meet if there had been a serious accidentthere at the last."
They drove along in silence for some time, but as they approached theMallow residence, she broached the subject which had been troubling her.
"Dave, you've frequently been to Rumson, haven't you?" she beganindirectly.
"Sure, why?"
"I've been invited to visit there this summer. Do you think I'd like it?"
"Well, it's a pretty decent town for its size. Whom are you visiting?"
"Two sisters by the name of Gates. Azalea and Iris Gates. Did you everhear of them?"
"Gates? Let me think. Oh, sure, I remember their place. It's right at theedge of town."
"What kind of a house have they?"
"Oh, it's as big as a barn. Old and rambling. It seems to be a sort ofmysterious place."
"Mysterious?"
"I don't know anything about it myself, except that I've heard folks saythere is something queer about it. The neighbors call it 'Locked Gates.'"
"Why that name?"
"I suppose it's because the double front gates are always kept locked. Afence surrounds the garden, and vines grow so thick on it you can't get aglimpse inside. Take my advice, Doris, and don't go there for a visit. Itwould give you the creeps!"