CHAPTER XIV.
FLYING FOR A RECORD.
On the day set for the flight to the _Manhattan_, which had anchoredtwo days before in the "Roads," Ned found that he was to be the onlycompetitor. Herc had been anxious to take part, and so had several ofthe other naval aviators, but Lieutenant De Frees decided that theaeroplane which Ned was to fly was the only one really suited for thework.
This aeroplane, which had been equipped with pontoons, in order totest Ned's invention, presented a peculiar appearance. Under itssubstructure, long, galvanized metal tanks had been fitted, in much thesame way as runners are attached to a sled. The tanks were cylindricalin shape, and provided with valves, by means of which they could be"ballasted." They had been already tested and found to be suited forthe work for which they were designed. They were as light as wascompatible with safety, and hung far enough above the ground so as notto interfere with the landing-wheels.
A holiday from routine practice had been declared about the aviationtesting grounds on the day of the daring flight. The men hung about inlittle groups, discussing Ned's chances of winning out in the riskyfeat he meant to perform. It would be the first time such a thing hadever been attempted, and they were not slow to give him full measure ofpraise for his daring.
The flight was to be more or less of a secret. Few on board thebattleship but the naval board invited to witness the attempt, knewof the test. As a consequence, there was nobody about the grounds butthe regular quota of pupils and officers when, at 10:30 a. m. the_Manhattan_ wirelessed to the "Field outfit" maintained on the grounds,that all was in readiness for the trial.
A steel landing platform, made collapsible, so that it could beinstantly stowed away, had been erected on the after deck of thebattleship. Ned knew its approximate position, but the time hadbeen too brief to allow him to visit the vessel and make personalobservations. But if Ned realized the risk he ran in thus undertakinga flight into the practically unknown, he did not show it. In fact, hewas the coolest person on the field.
At length all was in readiness, and, drawing on a pair of gauntlets,and adjusting a life-preserver, Ned stepped up to the aeroplane andclambered into his seat.
A minute later the roar of the motor, as he set it going, drownedall other sounds. But the lad caught above the uproar of the engineLieutenant De Frees' shouted farewell:
"Good luck, my boy!"
Ned responded with a wave and a shouted cry:
"Thank you, sir."
The next instant he waved his hand in token that he was ready to start.The men holding the struggling aeroplane released it, and it shotforward, taking the air within a few feet of the starting point. Itrocketed skyward in a trail of blue smoke, leaving behind a reek ofgasolene and burning lubricating oil.
Ned directed his course as high as possible, for he wished thoroughlyto inspect the surroundings before he commenced his attempt. Itwas a bright, clear day, almost windless. As he rose higher, theglorious panorama of the open roadstead spread before his eyes. On itsglistening surface lay a dark object, like a slumbering leviathan. Nedknew it in a flash for the anchored _Manhattan_--his goal.
Already a wireless had gone vibrating through the air announcing hisdeparture, and a dozen glasses were aimed at the sky from the bigfighting machine. Ned was watched for as eagerly as if he had been areal aerial enemy.
The lad circled about for a few minutes, making sure that his motorwas working perfectly, and then he turned his prow toward the distantwarship.
Straight toward her he flew, holding his course as true as a homingpigeon. The wind sang by his ears, and vibrated in the steel wirerigging of his sky-clipper as he raced along. The motor's drone behindhim was as steady as a heart beat.
Ned's eyes shone with the desire of achievement. He was making a flightwhich might have a material effect upon the future armament of UnitedStates war vessels. He realized to the full the importance of hisflight, and how much depended on it.
All at once his practiced eye detected, on the mirror-like surface ofthe stretch of water beneath him, a slight ruffle. It was some distanceoff. But Ned knew it spelled only one thing:
Wind!
"Bother it all," he thought, "just like the luck. However, it will onlybe a squall, I imagine."
He braced himself for a battle with the airman's greatest enemy. Ina few seconds the squall was upon him. For an instant the aeroplanehesitated and thrilled like a live thing. Ned applied more power.Like a horse under the whip, his aeroplane shot forward. Every boltand rivet in it strained and creaked under the tension. Ned was doinga daring thing in bucking the wind and fighting with it, instead ofjockeying for some advantage.
But then Ned had a fighting nature in the best sense. An obstacleonly aroused him to fresh effort. "Obstacles are things made to beconquered," he said, with another famous battler, whose name lives inhistory.
Zee-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!
The wind screamed and tore about him, while below, the water was lashedinto white-caps.
"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Ned to himself. "If anything parts, I'm due totest out the floating abilities of the pontoons sooner than I expected."
But, although sadly racked and strained, the aeroplane, under heroperator's skilful handling, weathered the squall. Ned turned hishead and watched it go whistling and howling shoreward, with deepsatisfaction.
"A fine end to the test it would have been," he muttered, "if I'd beendumped in the sea by a squall at the outset."
A few minutes later he was maneuvering above the big Dreadnought. Thevessel looked queer and dwarfed from the height at which he hovered.But Ned could not help thinking what a fine object she would offerfor an aerial marksman. As the lad knew, there is a limit to theperpendicular aiming of a gun, and skimming directly above the vessel,as he was, it was doubtful if the most skilful gunner on board couldhave hit his aeroplane.
At the stern of the big ship, the young aviator now noticed aplatform--evidently the one on which he was expected to land. His heartgave a thump, as he gazed down on it.
"It doesn't look much bigger than a checkerboard," he thought, "and ifI don't hit it--wow! as Herc would say."
As carefully and coolly as if he were on a practice flight, Nedregulated his levers. Then, with a quick intake of his breath, hedarted downward.
Down--down, he shot, the blood singing in his ears with the rapidity ofhis descent. It was thrilling, desperate--dangerous!
Suddenly, as Ned placed his foot on a pedal and applied a warpingappliance, there was a sharp "crack!"
The aeroplane hesitated for an instant.
Then, without the slightest warning, it lurched in sickening fashion,almost unseating him.
The next instant Ned was hurtling downward through space like aplummet. Disaster, swift and certain, rushed up to meet him from thesteel fighting machine beneath.