Mystery Wings

  CHAPTER XV THE WHITE FLARE

  To the members of the Hillcrest ball team the days that followed werethose of tremendous thrills and heart breaking disappointment. Whenevertwo members of the team met, wildly enthusiastic words regarding thecoming airplane tour were exchanged.

  "It's a bi-motored plane!" one would exclaim, "a great silver ship of theair. Hundred and sixty miles an hour. And with a stiff wind behind you,boy, oh boy! What a ride!"

  "And all the way to the Pacific coast!" the other would fairly shout.

  On the other hand two games were played. Sad, tragic games they wereindeed. Games that counted in the pennant race, they were lost. The"Prince" failed them. He did not show up. Everyone asked "Why? Why?" Noone knew where he was; at least, if Colonel Chamberlain knew he did nottell.

  Fred Frame's arm gave out in the first of the two games. Leander Larson,who took his place, did his best. That best was not good enough.

  "We are a whole game behind Centralia!" Doug Danby groaned. "Got one gamewith her next week. If the 'Prince' don't show up we'll lose, and thatends it all. What's the good of a cruise with a steel-fingered pitcher,after we've lost the year's contest at home?"

  "You have to think of the money you'll make," Johnny reminded him."Taking that cruise is the only thing that will save the ball field tothe boys of Hillcrest. And that's important. That will last for years andyears and years. Why," he cried, "that's like setting up a monument tothe team that's playing just now! Better than a monument, I'd say! A lotbetter. You can only look at a monument. A ball field you can enjoyusing. Thousands will have a good time there every year. It's your grandand glorious opportunity."

  "Why do you say 'you'?" Doug demanded. "You're going along, aren't you?"

  "I can't," Johnny said soberly. "Grandfather has some government work todo, looking after the loaning of money. I've got to drive for him.Anyway, I'm not needed. Besides--"

  He did not finish. He was about to say, "Besides, there's that missingChinaman, Tao Sing, the Federal agents, and the thought-camera. I've gotto see that thing through." He did not say it.

  "Besides what?" Doug asked.

  "Oh nothing," Johnny countered. "I'll not be with you, that's all.Goggles and his mechanical pal will have to go along. Those, with theteam, will give the airplane a pretty good load."

  "Meggy," Johnny said that same afternoon, "why didn't the 'Prince' cometoday?"

  "That," Meggy whispered, "is just what I asked Uncle Rob. And do you knowwhat he said?"

  "No. What?"

  "He said," Meggy whispered, "the 'Prince' is afraid! Afraid of what,Johnny?"

  "I--I think I know," Johnny said slowly. "But I'm not quite sure.Sup--supposing I don't answer until I know?"

  "That--that's all right, Johnny."

  "Say, Meggy!" Johnny exclaimed, "Do you suppose you could get your uncleto let us go down to see--see the 'Prince' and take Goggles along?"

  "I'm sure I could, Johnny."

  "Tonight?"

  "Maybe."

  "All right. You try, then phone me."

  At eight o'clock that evening three dark figures approached a door in thelaboratories. Through the clouded glass of that door a pale light shone.

  The smaller of the three, a boy, rapped three times. The door opened acrack. Shining eyes peered into the darkness. The door opened wider. Thetrio entered. Meggy, Johnny and Goggles found themselves being usheredinto a dimly lighted room. The room was lined on all sides by test-tubes,beakers, retorts and all manner of instruments that belong to thefascinating and mysterious science of chemistry.

  "You wanted to see me?" Something very like a smile played about the lipsof the "Prince."

  "Yes,--er--it's this." Goggles drew two very small bottles from hispocket, then held them up to the light. Each vial contained a smallquantity of some chemical substance.

  Taking these, the "Prince" poured a little from each upon a bit of tissuepaper. He pinched each, examined it under a pocket microscope, poked itabout with a needle. Then straightening up, he said rather sharply,"Where'd you get it?"

  "Jus--just now I'd rather not tell," Goggles stammered.

  "All right." The chemist's tone was brusque. "Want me to show yousomething?"

  Without waiting for a reply, he left the room, returning in a moment witha rather curious triangle of metal set on a wooden handle. He scatteredgrains of two mysterious powders along the bottom of this triangulartrough. Next he ran insulated wires with bared ends, one each from twodirections along this trough. The ends almost, but did not quite, touch.He connected the other ends of these wires to a dry battery.

  "Now," he breathed. Methodically he fastened a pair of very dark glassesbefore his eyes.

  "Now," he repeated, "watch for a surprise! No harm. Just a bit of ashock."

  Too much thrilled to watch his next move, the children jumped almost tothe ceiling when there came a dazzling white flash.

  "All that from those few powders!" Johnny exclaimed. "And no smoke atall."

  "Yes," the "Prince" said quietly. "A truly marvelous discovery. By addingmore powder one may light up a square mile in the darkest night--a greatboon to aviators. With such a powder at hand, no secret army movement atnight in war time could be sure to succeed. A truly marvelous discovery!"he repeated. He did not say, "Where did you get it?"

  "Perhaps he knows," Johnny told himself.

  "'Prince,' you--you'll pitch for us next Saturday?" There was pleading inMeggy's tone. "We need you badly. You--you just _can't_ fail."

  A shadow passed over the strange dark face. "I--I'll try to be there,"the "Prince" replied. "And now," he said abruptly, "I must bid yougoodnight. I am working on something for the Colonel, some--somethingrather large for so unimportant a person as myself."

  "Thank you, 'Prince.'" Meggy made for the door. "Thank, oh thank you,"came from the others.

  Johnny was the last one out. Just why he should have looked back at theinstant the door was swinging shut behind him, he could never tell.Enough that he did look back and that, from this looking through a cracknot more than two inches wide, he received the shock of his young life.

  He saw a leg, the leg of the "Prince." His sock had slipped down. He waspulling it up. In doing so, he lifted his trouser leg so high that itshowed his bared leg. _And that leg was not brown, but white as Johnny'sown._

  "He's not naturally brown!" The thought shot through the boy's mind likea flash. "His hands, arms and face are dyed; probably his hair is too. Iwonder why?" He was to continue wondering for some time to come.