CHAPTER XX
SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS
The chase was kept up, and Tom, when he had a chance to look up atthe speed register, as he labored frantically at the clogged gasmachine, saw that they were rushing along as they never had before.
"Are we catching them, Ned?" he cried to his chum, who was not faraway, playing the powerful light on the smugglers' craft.
"I think we're coming closer, but it's going to be a long chase. Idon't see why we can't close up on 'em."
"Because they've got a very fast ship, Ned, and they are flying muchlighter than we are. But we'll get 'em!"
"How are you making out with that gas machine?"
"Well, I'm doing all I can, but I can't seem to get the pressuredown. I can't understand it. Some of the pipes must be clogged witha carbon deposit. I ought to have cleaned them out some time ago."
Ned gave a hasty glance at the gauge which showed the gas pressure.It registered six hundred pounds now, having risen a hundred in ashort time.
"And she'll go up, sure, at eight hundred," murmured Ned, as he heldthe light steadily on the smugglers' aircraft. "Well, if Tom sticksto the chase, I will too, but I think it would be better to go down,open up everything, and let the gas escape. We could get the rascalslater."
Tom, however, did not seem to think so, for he kept on with histask, working away at the pipes, trying to force the obstructionout, so that the gas from the generator would flow into the bag. Atthe same time he tried to shut off the generating apparatus, butthat had become jammed in consequence of the pipe clogging, and thepowerful vapor continued to manufacture itself automatically inspite of all that Tom could do.
The only safe way out of the danger, unless he could remove theobstruction, was to descend to earth, and, as Ned had said, openevery outlet. But to have done that in mid-air would have beendangerous, as the large volume of gas, suddenly liberated, wouldhave hung about the airship in a cloud, smothering all on board. Ifthey were on the earth they could run away from it, and remain awayuntil the vapor had blown off.
"Is Mr. Damon keeping her on the course, Ned?" asked Tom, pausing amoment to get his breath after a series of frantic efforts.
"Yes, and I think we're closing in on them a little."
"That's good. Are they still headed for the border?"
"Yes, I guess they're going to take no chances to-night. They'regoing right back to Canada where they came from."
"Well, we'll be hot after 'em. Whistle through the tube, and tellKoku to come here and give me a hand. He's with Mr. Damon in thepilot house."
Ned sent the message, and then gave his whole attention to thelight. This was necessary, as the smugglers were resorting tododging tactics, in an endeavor to escape. Now they would shootupward, and again toward the earth, varying the performance bysteering to the right or left. Ned had constantly to shift the lightto keep them in focus, so that Mr. Damon could see where to steer,but, with all this handicap, the eccentric man did very well, and hewas never far out in his judgment.
"By Jove!" suddenly murmured Tom, as he tried once more in vain toopen a clogged valve. "I'm afraid we can't do it. Koku, lend a handhere!" he exclaimed as the giant entered. "See if you can twist thiswrench around, but don't break off the handle, whatever you do."
"Me shove," replied the giant simply, as he grasped the big wrench.
Once more Ned glanced at the pressure gage. It showed seven hundredpounds now, and there was only a margin of safety of one hundredpounds more, ere a terrific explosion would occur. Still Tom had notgiven the order to descend to earth.
"Are you going to make it, Tom?" asked the government agent,anxiously, as he stood over the young inventor.
"I--I think so," panted Tom. "Are we near the Dominion line,"
"Pretty close," was the discouraging answer. "I'm afraid we can'tget 'em before they cross. Can you use any more speed?"
"I don't know. Ned, see if you can get another notch out of her."
With one hand Ned reached for the accelerator lever on the wall nearhim, and pulled it to the last notch. The Falcon shot ahead withincreased speed, but, at the same instant there came a gasp fromKoku, and the sound of something breaking.
"There! He's done it!" cried Tom in despair. "I was afraid you'd betoo strong for that wrench, Koku. You've broken off the handle. Nowwe'll never be able to loosen that valve."
Ned gave one more glance at the pressure gage. It showed sevenhundred and fifty pounds, and the needle was slowly moving onward.
"Hadn't we better descend," asked Mr. Whitford in a low voice.
"I--I guess so," answered Tom, despairingly. "Where are we?"
Ned flashed the light downward for an instant.
"Just crossing over the St. Regis Indian reservation again," hereplied. "We'll be in Canada in a few minutes more."
"Where are the smugglers?"
"Still ahead, and they're bearing off to the right."
"Going toward Montford," commented the government man. "We've lost'em for to-night, anyhow, but they didn't get their goods landed, atany rate."
"Send her down, Ned!" exclaimed Tom, and it was high time, for thepressure was now within twenty-five pounds of the exploding point.
Down shot the Falcon, while her rival passed onward triumphantly inthe darkness. Ned held the light on the smugglers as long as hedared, and then he flashed it to earth to enable Mr. Damon to pickout a good landing place.
In a few moments Tom's silent airship came to rest on a littleclearing in the forest, and Tom, with Ned's help, at once openedevery outlet of the gas machine, a thing they had not dared do whileup in the air.
"Come on, now, run, everybody!" cried Tom. "Otherwise you'll besmothered!"
They leaped from the craft, about which gathered the fumes of thepowerful gas, as it hissed from the pipes. Running a hundred yardsaway they were safe, and could return in a few minutes.
"We're in Canada," remarked Mr. Whitford, as they came to a halt,watching the airship.
"How do you know?" asked Ned.
"As we landed I saw one of the stone boundary posts," was theanswer. "We're on English territory, and we can't touch thesmugglers if we should see them now."
"Well, we'll soon be back in Uncle Sam's land," declared Tom. "Wecan go back on board the Falcon to sleep shortly. Jove! I wish Icould have caught those fellows!"
"Never mind, we'll get 'em yet," counseled Mr. Whitford.
Waiting until he was sure all the vapor had disappeared, Tom led theway back to the Falcon. No great harm had been done, save to loseconsiderable gas, and this could be remedied. Tired and disappointedfrom the chase, they sought their bunks, and were soon asleep. Inthe morning Tom and Ned began work on the clogged pipes.
This work was nearly accomplished by noon, when Mr. Damon, comingback from a stroll, announced that they were but fifteen minuteswalk from the St. Lawrence River, as he had seen the sparklingwaters from a neighboring hill.
"Let's go over and have a look at it," proposed Ned. "We can easilyfinish this when we get back. Besides, Tom, we don't want to get toour regular camp until after dark, anyhow."
The young inventor was willing, and the two lads, with Mr. Whitford,strolled toward the historic stream. As they drew near the bank,they saw, anchored a little distance out, a small steamer.Approaching it, as if she had just left the shore at a point nearwhere our friends stood, was a gasolene launch, containing severalmen, while on shore, in front of a small shanty, stood another man.
This latter individual, at the sight of Tom, Ned and Mr. Whitford,blew a shrill whistle. Those in the launch looked back. The man onshore waved a red flag in a peculiar way, almost as the soldiers inthe army wig-wag signals.
In another moment the launch turned about, and put for shore, whilethe lone man hurried back into the hut.
"Hum!" remarked Tom. "Those are queer actions."
"Suspicious actions, I should say," said Mr. Whitford. "I'm going tosee what this means."