CHAPTER VIII
TRIAL FLIGHTS
It was a full hour before Tom and Peter Marley came back and even thenthey did not bring the runaway horses in the field where the biplane waslocated.
"Won't take no more chances," said the farmer. "I kin tie 'em down hereon the edge o' the woods jest as well." And this was done.
"Well, we may as well store the machine here for the present," saidDick. "We'll have to get some piano wire for those broken poles."
"Aren't you going to try to take it home?" asked Tom, in surprise.
"What's the use? This is a good field to fly from. We can mend the_Dartaway_ here and then, if Captain Colby is willing, he can sail herfrom here to our farm."
A big wagon shed was cleaned out, and John Snubble and his sons aidedthe others in rolling the biplane under the roof. Some old blankets werethrown over the engine.
"Do you think she'd be safe here?" whispered Dick, to Peter Marley.
"She will be so far as Snubble is concerned," said the farmer. "He'llleave her alone, an' so will his sons. But some outsider may come an'fool with her."
"Well, we've got to take that chance," returned the eldest Rover boy."We won't leave the biplane here any longer than necessary."
It was not until nearly supper time that the boys got back to Rayville.Here Peter Marley was paid for what he had done, and then the youthslost no time in running out their automobile and going home.
The next day they telegraphed to the aviator who was to give themlessons in sailing the _Dartaway_, and he came as soon as he could. Helistened with much interest to what the lads had to tell him.
"Well, it was certainly a great try-out!" he declared. "It proves thatthe _Dartaway_ is a well-balanced machine, and that means much."
He had brought with him the necessary wire for repairs, and soon allwere on the way to the Snubble farm, taking a road that would land themdirectly at the door.
"Glad you come!" cried John Snubble on seeing the boys. "Going to takethe machine right away, ain't you?"
"We hope to," answered Dick. "Why?" For he saw that the farmer hadsomething on his mind.
"Might have been burnt up last night, that's why."
"Burnt up!" cried Tom. "How?"
"Heard a noise outside about eleven o'clock--my wife did, she ain't wellan' don't sleep good. I came down with my shotgun, thinkin' chickenthieves might be around. I heard somebuddy at the flyin' machine andsneaked up to see who it was. Hang my skin if a young feller wasn'tthere with a lighted candle an' some loose hay, and wantin' to start afire close to the gasoline tank! I gave a yell, an' he dropped thecandle and legged it for dear life."
"Why didn't you stop him, or shoot him?" queried Sam.
"I was too excited, fer the candle dropped into the hay an' it begun toblaze up. I stamped the fire out, an' by that time the feller was out o'sight."
"He must have wanted to blow the biplane up!" exclaimed Captain Colby.
"He sure did, an' he might have burnt up the shed an' the barn, an' thehouse, too!" added John Snubble.
The three Rover boys looked at each other. The same thought was in themind of each.
"Tad Sobber!" murmured Sam.
"Sure as you're a foot high," added Tom. "Oh, what a mean thing to do!"
"He must have watched what we did, and then planned to wreck the_Dartaway_," said Dick. "It's just like his meanness."
"Let's go down to the old mill after him," burst out Tom. "I'd likenothing better than to wipe up the ground with him." And he clenched hisfists tightly.
"Humph! Do you think he'd show himself?" asked Sam. "Not much! He'd hidewhere you couldn't find him. Now he and old Crabtree know we are aroundthey'll take good care not to get caught."
"We might burn down the old mill!" murmured Tom. "It would serve 'emright, for all their meanness."
"Let it go," was Dick's advice. "Some day we'll catch both of themred-handed at something, and then we can give 'em what's coming to 'em."
The matter was talked over with John Snubble and the aviator, and thefarmer said he would keep on guard against Sobber and Crabtree andreport to Dick if he found out anything unusual. Then the biplane wasbrought forth, and Captain Colby made an examination.
"All these breaks can easily be mended," said the aviator. "We'll go towork at once. Then I'll give the _Dartaway_ a little try-out, and if sheruns as she should I'll take her back to your home."
"Don't you want a passenger?" asked Sam and Tom in a breath.
"Why, do you want to go?"
"Sure!"
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I want to try the machineseveral times before I risk taking anybody up."
The Snubble boys were delighted to think they could see the _Dartaway_fly and they assisted the others in making the necessary repairs. Fortwo hours all were very busy and then Captain Colby announced thebiplane in as good a condition as before the wild flight.
"Now I'll give her a short try-out," he said, and this was done. Up intothe air mounted the _Dartaway_ as gracefully as a bird, and all of theboys clapped their hands in delight.
"By gum! beats the nation!" said one of the Snubble lads.
"It's grand! I'm going to save up for one!" added the other.
Around the field sailed Captain Colby and then made the figure eightthree times. Then he came down near the spot from which he had started.
"Couldn't be better," he declared. "I could take her a hundred miles ifI wished."
"Wish I could go up," said Sam wistfully.
"Your time will come pretty soon," added the aviator. "The flight toyour home will be a good test."
A little later the aviator arose again in the air, this time headed forValley Brook farm. The boys were also ready and started off immediatelyin the automobile.
"Come again!" shouted the Snubble boys.
"We will," answered Dick. "Your field makes a dandy landing place."
Dick ran the automobile and put on good speed all the way home. As theywent along they watched the flight of the biplane, but soon the machinepassed from view.
"She certainly can sail!" cried Tom. "Oh, Dick, we'll have to take herto Brill with us!"
"That's it!" cried Sam. "What's the use of leaving her behind? We cansail after college hours."
"Yes, and think how quickly we could get over to Hope Seminary," wenton Tom. The place he mentioned was a young ladies' boarding schoollocated not many miles from Brill. Dora Stanhope went to Hope, and sodid the two Laning girls.
"We'll see about it," replied Dick, briefly. But the idea of taking theflying machine to Brill pleased him as much as it did his brothers.
When they got home they found that Captain Colby had already arrived. Heand the _Dartaway_ were in the field back of the barn, and surroundingthe aviator were all the members of the Rover household.
"Well, boys, got back, eh?" cried Anderson Rover, as they rolled up inthe automobile.
"Hello, dad!" came from all three. And then they leaped to the ground togreet their parent. All could not help but notice that he looked atrifle pale and careworn.
"Was your trip a success?" asked Dick, in a low voice.
"I don't know yet--I hope so," answered the father. "Some businessmatters have gotten pretty well twisted up. But never mind now. I seeyour new machine can fly." And Anderson Rover smiled.
"Oh, she's a peach!" cried Tom slangily. "We expect to have thegreatest times ever in her!"
"Yes, but you must learn all about the biplane first," added the fondfather anxiously. "You mustn't think of going up until you are sure ofwhat you are doing."
"Dat am suttenly de greatest bird wot I most eber see!" declared AleckPop solemnly. "If I hadn't dun see it wid my own eyes I wouldn't nebberbelieve it nohow!"
"That's a fact," added Jack Ness. "When the boys go up in it there won'tbe no holdin' 'em in."
"We're going to take you up, first thing, Jack," said Tom, with a winkat his brothers.
"Me? Not much!" cried the hired man. "I wasn
't built to fly, not me!"And he began to back away in alarm.
After dinner Captain Colby made another trial flight, and then gave thethree boys a lesson in the manipulation of the biplane, showing themjust how to regulate the engine while running, how to balance themachine, how to steer, and how to make various turns.
"Do you ride bicycles?" he asked.
"We do, and have for years," answered Dick.
"And do you swim?"
"Of course," came from all of the lads.
"Then just remember how you felt when you first tried to ride a wheeland when you first tried to swim. You got excited, didn't you? And whenyou thought the wheel was going over you gave it a wild twist that didsend you over, and when you thought you were going to drown you thrashedaround in a way that only made matters worse. Well, that's a lesson toremember in running a flying machine. Don't get excited and lose yourpresence of mind, or it may cost you your life. Keep cool, act quickly,but don't overdo a thing. If the machine is tipping a little to oneside, don't get excited and throw it clean over the other way. And don'ttry to make any sharp turns until you know your machine thoroughly."
Then he had them watch him while making several flights close to theground, and told them exactly what he was going to do. This lasted fortwo days.
"Running an auto and a bicycle will help you," he said. "But sailing abiplane is, after all, a science in itself. But you'll learn--I see thatby the way you take hold."
There had been a slight breeze blowing during the third afternoon, buttowards sunset this went down, and then the aviator said that Dick mighttry a short flight, over a cornfield that was close by.
"Don't go too high," he cautioned. "And if you feel the biplane turningover try to jump clear of the engine, so it can't crush you."
It must be confessed that Dick's heart beat loudly as he took his seatin the flying machine. It was one thing to talk about going up and quiteanother to really fly. He realized the danger far more than didmerry-hearted Tom, or even Sam. But he was not going to show the whitefeather.
The engine was started, the others holding the machine back. Dickgrasped the steering wheel and put his feet on the pedals.
"All ready?" asked Captain Colby.
"Yes. Let go."
"Now be careful. Take it easy,--and keep over the cornfield," said thecaptain. "And if you turn, make a wide circle." He thought a tumbleamong the corn might not be as bad as one in an open field where theground was hard.
Those on the ground let go, and with a rush and a whirr the _Dartaway_sped forward over the ground. Then Dick shifted the elevation rudder,and up into the air rushed the biplane, gathering speed at everyrevolution of the propellers.
The eldest Rover boy was in the air at last!