CHAPTER V
A STOWAWAY
Day whirled after day, filled with pleasant labor. Each morning theMoonbeam was sent up for a flight which sometimes occupied but a fewhours, and sometimes stretched into the night. At first there were manylittle things to do for her; adjustments, changes, the tightening of ascrew here, the tuning up of a brace there. Men watched the propellershafts, and listened to the smooth roar of the engines in theirthrobbing "eggs."
Captain Fraine, with his navigators at his side, tried for altitude anddepth; nosed up, swept down, turned the ship in majestic circles. Sheresponded perfectly. Her bulk, so much greater than that of any previousdirigible, seemed to have no effect in the action of her great engines,and she answered the wheel with absolute ease.
At mess one night Red strolled over to David's table with a letter."From Padre Ryan," he said.
David took the sheet. It was brief.
Dear Swan:
Your night letter enchants me. I rejoice that you've such a big chance before you. And if you don't uphold the honor of the family I'll lay the curse of Saint Morvin on you. He's little known, but most efficacious.
I'll pray for you. As a child you had a bad way of leaning out of upstairs windows. Have the ship screened.
Your devoted and loving brother, John.
David laughed. "He must be a card, all right."
"Well, he's not so bad," said Red. "A kindly priest, and a good son tohis mother. David, I'm all set for the take-off."
So was David. On the morning of the fifteenth, he was the first man atthe hangar, and it was his hand that pressed the lever, putting inmotion the mechanism that slid back the great doors.
It was not yet dawn, but a vast mob packed the field. For months thebuilding of the great dirigible had been followed, detail by detail, byan interested public. Her plans, charts and dimensions had appeared inall the leading newspapers and magazines, accompanied by long articles.
Finally came the news of her completion. The announcement of theround-the-world flight as her maiden effort was the spark which causedthe enthusiasm of the public to burst into flame. A year ago they hadwatched the detailed accounts of the Graf Zeppelin, as radiograms markedher flight.
Now a ship of their own; an American ship financed with American moneyand manned, from the commander down, with Americans, was to essay thesame journey, hoping to better the time of the Graf Zeppelin. The papersdevoted pages to the anticipated adventure. Radiograms, cables, lettersof congratulation and good wishes, invitations from half the countriesof Europe asking Mr. Hammond to detour in their several directions andstop off, were printed for the pleasure of a public which felt aproprietary interest in the Moonbeam.
All night the field had been black with people. With fine democracy theyslept in their trucks, their flivvers, or their Packards, and atintervals ate hot dogs and sandwiches. Hundreds of soldiers labored tokeep the field about the hangar clear for the departure of the outgoingship. And still they came. The first trolleys were packed with frantichordes that pushed and jostled to get near the ropes that had beenstretched along for hundreds of yards, and through which peoplecontinually broke.
At last, as the crews walked the great gleaming shape out onto thefield, a deafening cheer broke like a portentous wave. Hoarse voicescried, "Good luck, Moonbeam! Good luck!--'ray! 'ray! 'ray!--Go in andwin, Moonbeam! Beat the Zep! Beat the Zep!"
When Mr. Hammond's car drove up, Dulcie hopped gaily out, her littlePekinese hugged under her arm.
"Isn't this jam perfectly terrific?" she said to Captain Fraine. "Wecould scarcely get through."
"Most of them have been here all night," said Captain Fraine. "They'recertainly enthusiastic. These troops the Governor sent down have had alively time keeping them off the field."
"Any of the passengers here yet?" asked Dulcie.
"Most of them, although it's early yet. They seem afraid the boat willstart without them!"
"I'm going on board," said Dulcie. "I want to put dad's bicarbonatewhere he will see it. He always loses it, poor dear, whenever he getsindigestion."
"Plenty of time, Miss Hammond," said Fraine, as he escorted her to thesteps leading up to the passenger gondola. "I wish you were going withus."
"So do I!" sighed Dulcie.
She went into her father's cabin, and arranged several small bottles andboxes on a shelf. Her father came in.
"Wish I dared take you with me, honey," he said wistfully. "But I can'trisk you, can I? If anything should happen--"
"It's just as you say, daddy. I've teased all I have the face to. Butplease don't wave at me when you start. I might bust right out and cry.So I'll run right off and get lost in the crowd."
"You behave yourself while I'm gone, Dulcie, and no running around withthat young bounder of a Greene chap back home."
"I won't speak to him while you are away," Dulcie promised. "And I willbehave all the time exactly as though you had your eye on me."
She kissed him lightly, and was gone, leaving him with a feeling ofloneliness and loss that overshadowed the pleasure of the take-off.
The engines were adding a deep roar to the human sounds. People strainedagainst those in front, and pushed them into the ropes. Small dogsdodged into the open space and barked. The crew swarmed up and tooktheir places in the ship, with excitement written large all over them.Two of the reporters paused for last-minute shots. Movie cameramen,thanking their stars for the bright sun that had appeared, groundfrantically. Automobiles began to toot their horns as at length, thelast man on board, the ground crew of five hundred men walked toward theship from the spread-fan positions they had been holding. The twentythousand spectators let out a mighty roar; a sea of upturned faceswatched as the Moonbeam rose slowly, her motors drowning the noise ofthe crowd.
From a window Mr. Hammond searched through his glasses for a familiarlittle figure. "I thought the kid would wave me off, after all," he saidto himself. "Wish now I had brought her along. At least I would knowwhere she was."
"Couldn't have had a better take-off, commander," said Captain Fraine,at his side. "Her engines simply sing."
"Glad you are pleased, captain," answered Mr. Hammond. "We'll soon seehow she performs. We are out to make a record, as you know, and thatmeans a steady, day-after-day excellence. From Lakehurst toFriedrichshafen is approximately forty-two hundred miles. We have got tomake up some of our time on that leg of the trip. I don't know Russia atall; in fact, I am a little dubious about it, although Dr. Eckenerexperienced no trouble whatever."
"Why didn't you bring your daughter along, commander?" asked CaptainFraine. "The Graf Zeppelin had a woman passenger."
"I know, I know! I suppose I am just fussy over the kid. I wanted herwhere I knew she would be safe. She's going to the seashore. Hope shewon't swim out too far."
"Does she drive her own car?" asked Fraine, hiding a grin.
"Lord, yes, drives like the very devil." He turned his back, and lookeddown. The crowds were far away. "Buck up, buck up, you old fool!" hetold himself savagely. "She's all right--but I'll bring her along nexttime."
The sunlight was glorious; glittering and flashing, the ship circledabove Ayre, returned to her own field, and dipped low in a gracefulgesture of farewell, while the waiting crowds went mad. Rising, she spedeastward toward Lakehurst, her first stop. Under her flowed the lovelypanorama of Ohio; gently rolling woodland, wide and opulent farms withdark patches of plowed lands and the lush green of springing crops.Towns appeared here and there, little huddles of houses at crossroads,and large cities, where the smoke of manufactories spiraled lazilyupwards, as though pointing indolently at the passing ship.
David went into the chart room, and found Red poring over the passengerlist.
"I see we've got a medico with us," he said.
"Yes, Dr. Forsythe; of course the Compan
y would send their own doctor."
"Here's a big guy in his line," said David. "Sanford Hamilton, of NewYork, and a dozen other places. Has so much money he can't count it, butjust can't stop making more. Has the habit."
"Wish I could get a habit like that. Well, the Ryans own the two mostworthless farms on God's green earth, and I never can get over expectin'to see a fine squirt of oil come leapin' out of them, although theexperts say they are as dry as dust. Who's next on the list?"
"Dr. Martin Trigg, and Dr. Nicholas Sims. They are the two oldprofessors from Princeton. Scientists of some sort--big bugs."
"I helped 'em aboard," said Red, chuckling. "One of 'em said 'Thank you,my boy, thank you,' just as pretty, but the other looked at me till Ifelt like a bug on a pin."
"The next four I haven't seen," said David.
"Skip 'em," counseled Red. "Reporters. Wild-eyed, sort of. You canalways tell 'em. Always huntin' a scoop for the next edition, regardlessof time or place."
"These two are men Commander Hammond is trying to interest indirigibles."
"Uh huh," said Red. "Be polite."
"Emil Hausen--he's a German. We leave him at Friedrichshafen."
"I must practice my German on him," said Red. "I know four fineupstandin' words: _Ach du lieber Augustin_. Would you think they'd soundhomelike to the poor wanderer, Davie?"
"Try 'em!" laughed Davie; "I'll pick up the pieces." He wandered off,stopping to admire the salon. In one corner, at a small but perfectlyappointed desk, Mr. Hamilton already sat dictating rapidly to hissecretary. The great king of Wall Street was preparing to radio hisorders, keeping a tight rein on his active money.
At a window the two old scientists, Doctors Trigg and Sims, quarreled inlow, tense tones over something referred to in such lengthily technicalterms that David did not know whether they had disagreed aboutdinosaurs, angleworms, or air currents. As David passed, the smaller ofthe two men looked up and nodded.
"Well, son," he chirruped in a pleasant crisp voice, "making fairprogress, I should say. This your first trip? Great experience;illuminating, developing. Make the most of it--you are young. Perhapsyou will like it so well that before we have entirely circumnavigatedthe globe, you will have sprouted mental wings and will accept the etherfor your habitat. I hope so--I hope so! Aerial navigation needs youngblood, young enthusiasms."
"Bosh!" retorted the second sage, Doctor Sims himself. "Bosh! There isno young enthusiasm; it's grown old, money loving, comfort seeking; itsbones creak. Don't I know? Don't I teach about a hundred and fiftyyoungsters every day of the week? Bah!"
"Sims, you are as dry as a dinosaur egg," Doctor Trigg exploded. "As aninstructor in grades equaling yours, I am also in a position to collectdata and observe reactions. The world is moved by youthful enthusiasms.It is, thank God, an inexhaustible force, propelling the world; a force,Sims, which our instruments cannot gauge, which all your retorts andchemical tests cannot resolve into its component parts. And let me tellyou, Sims, in the modern aviator there lives the spirit of theadventurers of all time; a gallant, intrepid and invincible army thatcomes marching down the gray ages to be reincarnated as the greatest ofall the cavaliers of chance.
"For centuries they have been crusaders; they have sailed unchartedseas; they have braved killing heat and searing cold. They have foughtthe dragons of every age and clime, wrestling with the earth for jewelsand gold, building glittering cities in desert places, throwing fairybridges from crag to crag. Now, spurning the reclaimed earth, they havetaken their indomitable courage and their boundless enthusiasm, Sims,into the limitless sea of the air, whose currents and eddies andtempests are more treacherous and terrible than ever beset any ocean."
He had been tapping his words out on Doctor Sims' bony knee. Suddenlyrealizing an acute discomfort there, Doctor Sims removed the kneeabruptly, and looked up at David.
"Now you," he remarked, ignoring his brother educator's dissertation."You're planning to be a big newspaper man, aren't you? Eh?"
"Why, no, sir," said David.
"Automobile tires, then--automobile tires," Doctor Sims cut in.
He seemed about to launch on a tirade against tires, and David spokequickly. "I am an aviator," he said, "and I want to thank Doctor Triggfor what he just said. It is all true;" and looking at the doctor with alight bow, he added, "and it is pretty fine for us youngsters to feelthat men like you understand us, and are with us." He smiled the smilethat always won friends for him, and passed on into the little hallway.
Behind him he could hear Doctor Trigg burst into a loud cackle. He knew,without looking, that Professor Sims was dodging a skinny finger.
"What a peachy old card!" thought David. "And can't he just pour out thelanguage? He's just right, too."
In the hall outside the washroom he found Red. He seemed preoccupied.
"Hello," he said. "Say, Dave, listen; do you hear a funny noise?"
David listened. "Why, yes. Sounds sort of squeakish. We are not near anegg, and there's nothing over us but the crew's quarters, is there?"
"Nothing over or under; but it's a darned queer noise. You can't hear itfive feet away." To prove it, he slid along with his ear pressed againstthe partition. "It's here, somewhere, right here by Mr. Hammond'scabin." He went down on his knees. "Comes from low down. Now I can'thear it at all. Damn queer!"
David also knelt, and they listened in silence, staring at each other.The sound was intermittent; a whiffling, wheezing squeak, andoccasionally a faint tearing sound.
"Fabric going," said David anxiously. "It's not a bag, because thedisturbance is low down by the floor."
"Well, we got to find out about that," declared Red. "It may be just apiece of cloth rattling at a window, or something, but there mustn't beany unusual noises on a boat like this, where everything meanssomething. I'd hate to have to turn back now."
They stood up as Mr. Hammond entered the passageway. David explainedtheir trouble.
"Under or over my room, eh?" he said, unlatching his door.
A small brown streak shot into the hall, recognized the paternaltrousers, whirled and fell at Mr. Hammond's feet in an ecstasy ofdelight.
"What the devil--why, you damned little runt, how do you happen to behere? It's Dulcie's pup, Koko." He picked up the little fellow andpetted him. "Dulcie must have shut him in my room while she was onboard, and then the poor kid was so upset when she left that she musthave forgotten the little beggar. Well, Koko, we can't drop you offside,can we? We will just send a 'gram to your missie, and take you with us."
"There's our funny noise, Red," laughed David.
"Gee, you had me scared, you little scoundrel!" remarked Red, with asigh of relief.
"He hates to be shut up; I'll bet he was chewing something up," Mr.Hammond chuckled. "Well, I'm glad he's here. I wish I'd brought Dulcie,too. She'd be just about as safe up here as she will be swimming andcanoeing and dancing, and racing all over creation in that damned car ofhers." He looked at the boys, and saw that their eyes, staring over hisshoulder into the little cabin beyond, were filled with amazement,amusement, and concern.
Red broke unexpectedly into a hearty laugh. "Well, Mr. Hammond--excuseus, sir! Beat it, Dave!"
They bolted into the salon, and Mr. Hammond turned to his room. What hesaw there made his old heart leap. He dropped the dog.
"Dulcie!" he cried, and Dulcie ran into his open arms.
"You are a bad, bad girl!" he whispered presently. "You are a stowaway;and you have made a fool of your poor old father. Who put you up tothis?"
"No one, daddy," said Dulcie, rubbing her eyes which were full of tearsand her nose which bore a nice imprint of rough tweed. "I knew youreally wanted me, and you know my judgment is much better than yours insuch things, so I just stayed quietly in here. I knew you would come inlater, but Koko nearly spoiled it all. And you really do want me? Iheard what you said. It's a lesson to you, too; your child is goingalong wherever you go, and it only makes unnecessary scenes when you tryto stop her."
&nbs
p; Mr. Hammond blew his nose loudly.
"Well, darling, I am glad you are here. Yes, I'm delighted; but don'tget it into your head that you have established a precedent. No, ma'am!"
"All right, precious. Now comb your hair; it looks all rat-taily. Andtake your bicarb; it is long past time for breakfast. I'm starved. Thatsmall suitcase is mine. I took your things out of it and put them all inyour other one. You are a rotten packer, daddy. Please move the man inthe next stateroom out when you get round to it. I'll take it."
"Do you mean," said Mr. Hammond, grimly wagging a finger at thesuitcase, "that you had this all cooked up yesterday?"
"Oh, for weeks, daddy darling. Did you honestly think I would considerletting you come alone? I'm surprised. I'm starved, too. What anappetite this nice high air gives one!"
"Come on to breakfast then," Mr. Hammond groaned. "Let's get it overwith!"
"I don't see any reason for you to be embarrassed, if I am not," saidDulcie, doing a little careful work with a lipstick. "It was frightfullyembarrassing for me to be left at home like a little girl."
"Too bad!" growled Mr. Hammond, a twinkle in his eye that belied thetone. "Too bad! Well, gimme that infernal soda, and let's go."
"What's in there?" said Dulcie, pointing to a large box on a chair."Koko seems to think it's something to eat. He nearly tore the paper."
"He's a smart little beggar," said Mr. Hammond, in an offhand manner."Oh, yes, that's yours, that box. Candy--thought you might like to haveit."
"Daddy!" cried Dulcie, casting herself at him. "Daddy, you preciousadorable old lamb-pie! You knew I would come!"
"Well, I confess I did have hopes you would pull it off," said theadorable lamb-pie sheepishly.