CHAPTER XXII.
SOME ADVENTURES BY THE WAY.
By noon his hunger was positively ravenous. Yet he did not like torisk another rebuff by asking for something to eat at any of thethrifty-looking farmhouses he passed.
Of course, Ned could have represented himself as one of Uncle Sam'ssailors, but it was, somehow, repugnant to him--the idea of asking forfood and urging, as an excuse for the petition, the uniform he wasentitled to wear and the flag he served under.
All at once as he rounded a turn in the road he came upon a scene thatquickened his hunger tenfold. A group of men, women and children werebivouacked under a tree enjoying the shade, and were evidently aboutto enjoy a picnic lunch. Two or three buggies, and an aged carry-allstood near at hand. Ned, with averted gaze, was hurrying by, when avoice hailed him.
"Hullo, there, shipmate!"
Ned turned quickly. It was a middle-aged man, with a sunburned face,dressed in a prosperous farmer's best, who had hailed him.
"Sam Topping!" exclaimed Ned, genuinely pleased, "what are you doinghere?"
"Why, picnicking, as you see. But what on earth does all this mean?"his eyes roamed over Ned's disreputable figure. "What has happened?What are you tramping about in that rig for?"
Sam Topping had served on the _Manhattan_ during Ned's days as a rawapprentice. He had retired, a short time before, on a well-earnedpension, and his savings had served to buy him a farm. Ned recalled nowhaving heard that Sam had settled down in that part of the country.
The lad colored as Sam put his question. He could feel the women andchildren of the group looking curiously at him, while the men regardedhim with more frank curiosity. It was plain that they looked upon himas a tramp or something of the kind. A traveling peddler, possibly.
As Sam seemed to be waiting for an answer to his question, Ned drewhim aside. He told him as much of his story as he thought advisable.Sam was sympathetic. He invited Ned to lunch with them, and after thelad had washed and made himself more presentable at a small stream, hejoined the party. They made him welcome, and no embarrassing questionswere asked. Sam had concocted a story to fit the case while Ned was athis wayside ablutions. How good that food tasted to the half-famishedboy! He could not help thinking, in the midst of his enjoyment, of poorHerc. He wondered sadly how his shipmate was faring.
With this came another thought. The safety of the fleet was imperilled.Its salvation lay in his hands. He alone could give warning of thedanger that threatened from the anarchists. When he got an opportunity,he questioned the friendly Sam.
"How far is it to Blackhaven?"
"Well, let's see," rejoined Sam thoughtfully, "it's about one hundredmiles to the closest point. But Blackhaven Bay, where the warships go,is twenty miles from a railroad, and only a few fishing villages are onits shores. It's a wild and desolate spot."
"I've got to get there," said Ned.
Sam looked at him as if doubtful that he was in his right mind.
"Get to Blackhaven!" he exclaimed. "What for?"
"To join my ship," explained Ned, not wishing to go into detailsconcerning the anarchists. Sam was a talkative person, and if all heknew was noised abroad it might defeat the justice Ned was grimlydetermined to visit on them.
Sam had already explained the occasion of the roadside picnic. Theparty was composed of himself and several of his neighbors on theirway into Dundertown, about five miles off, to witness a performanceof the circus. Ned had already noted upon barns and outhouses as hecame along the gaudy colored posters announcing its arrival. They hadinterested him particularly, as one flaming bill had set forth thewonderful aerial feats of one Professor Luminetti, who was modestlybilled as "The King of the Air." The professor, it appeared, performedhis feats in an aeroplane of similar construction to the one which Nedhad been using.
"I'd like to see that chap," Ned had thought, as he regarded thepictures.
"Tell you what you do, Ned, old shipmate," quoth Sam suddenly. "Youcome into town with us and see the circus. There's a recruiting officein Dundertown. You can go there afterward and tell them your story.They'll probably advance you the money to get back to your ship."
Ned agreed that this would be a good idea. But he declined the circusinvitation. He was too anxious, for reasons of which we know, to rejointhe fleet. The gravest danger threatened the flower of the Americannavy, and, for all Ned knew, its fate depended on the speed with whichhe could reach Blackhaven.
Soon afterward the farmers and their wives clambered into their rigsand started driving toward town. Sam, who was unmarried, drove alone,and Ned shared a seat in his buggy. It seemed to his tired frame andblistered, worn feet, the most luxurious conveyance he had ever known.Sam drove straight on to the circus lot. It presented a lively scene ofshifting color and action.
Bright flags, huge erections of lumping canvas, blaring brass bandswere everywhere. In front of the main tent a big crowd had gathered.Sam and Ned were caught in a swirl of humanity and rushed toward it. Bya shifting of the crowd they soon found themselves in its midst. Thethrong was grouped about an aeroplane, the motor of which was alreadywhirring and buzzing. By it stood a man in red tights, bright withspangles. He was lecturing on the points of the machine, which formeda "free attraction" to draw the crowds.
Ned smiled as he listened. The fellow evidently didn't know much abouthis subject. But even at that, he knew more than his listeners, whogazed on him, gaping and awestruck. It was the first time that mostof them had seen an aeroplane at close range. The sight seemed tofascinate them.
"I will now make a short flight," announced the man as he finished, andas he clambered into the seat, a regular "barker" began shouting at thetop of his voice:
"Lum-in-e-t-t-i! The King of the Ae-ar! See him in his unprecedentedfrantic, furious, thrilling flight into space! Watch him soar towardthe haunt of the eagle bird and cloud-land! The sight of a century! Thewonder of the nations! Lumin-e-t-t-i! Luminett-i-i-i-i-i! The Ke-eng ofthe Ae-ar!"
The crowd came running from all directions at the cry. It was soonpacked so densely about "The King of the Air" that Ned and Sam foundthemselves almost within touching distance of the wing tips. All atonce Ned's trained eye noted something. A link in one of the drivechains of the propellers was badly twisted.
Under a sudden strain it would be likely to snap.
He stepped forward and touched "The King of the Air" on the shoulder.
"Well," growled the King gruffly, "what's up?"
His gruffness was not unnatural. He saw in Ned only a rathertattered-looking member of the crowd, and _not_ one of the mostcompetent airmen of the United States Navy.
"One of the links on your drive chain is twisted," said Ned; "I thoughtI'd tell you."
"Oh, it is, is it?" brusquely rejoined the other; "since when have youqualified as an expert?"
"It's dangerous," Ned warned him again in an earnest voice.
"Oh, mind your own business," was the impatient reply; "it's all right,I guess. Anyhow, I'm not taking lessons from a Rube."
The crowd began to laugh and jeer. A big man in a loud check suit, andwith an aggressive black moustache, came bustling up.
"Now, then! Now, then!" he exclaimed truculently. "What's up here? Whatdo you want, young man?"
"This man's machine is not in a condition for a flight," exclaimed Nedhotly.
"Oh, it isn't, eh?" he said sarcastically. "Well, I tell you what,young man, you be off, or you'll be in no condition for a flight,either, 'cause I'll have you locked up!"
"Ho! ho! ho!" roared the crowd.
"All right. If he's injured, it will be his own and your fault," saidNed sharply.
Burning with mortification, he elbowed his way through the crowd to itsoutskirts. As he reached them he heard a deep-throated murmur.
"He's off!"
"Hooray!" shouted the crowd, but in a jiffy their cheering changed toa groan of dismay. There was a sharp crack like a pistol shot. Thetwisted link had parted under the strain of the engine, as Ned knew itw
ould.
Luckily, the accident had happened just as the aeroplane began to move,and no damage was done to machine or aviator. Waiting only to ascertainthis, Ned took his leave of Sam, and set out for the recruiting officeto tell his story.