CHAPTER VIII--THE HERO
The boy had heard about the "vrille," and he knew that it is one of themost difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sentmany to their death.
For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kepttheir gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like awounded bird, was tumbling through space.
A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators. Theairplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation.
Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Halecould not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall.He stood as motionless as though fastened to the turf by means ofinvisible chains.
Nearer and nearer came the still-revolving plane. Now the machine was soclearly silhouetted against the sky that even the supports could befaintly distinguished.
Don had seen many a terrible sight during his stay in the war zone, butperhaps none had ever affected him so acutely as this. He could not helppicturing in his mind the awful fate of poor Drugstore.
Not a voice--not an exclamation was heard. That most awesome silencewhich sometimes holds sway over spectators when they are witnesses to acatastrophe which they are powerless to avert had settled upon thecrowd.
Faces were beginning to be turned aside, and though Don Hale felt analmost irresistible impulse to do the same, an impulse still strongerkept his wide, staring eyes fixed upon the airplane.
But a few moments more, and the tragedy would be over. His nerves werequivering violently. The strain of those few terrible seconds was almosttoo hard to bear.
And then, just as he was preparing to steel himself for the sound of asickening crash--for the sight of a machine, smashed and battered topieces, bursting into flames--a wild, half-stifled cry escaped his lips.
What was the reason?
Because of an almost unbelievable, impossible happening.
The airplane had suddenly stopped its whirling evolutions, and wassoaring majestically through the air not a hundred feet above theirheads. Its engine had started and was sending a deep droning hum throughthe air.
It took a few seconds for the strange and oppressive silence to bebroken. It was as though the enthralled witnesses of the scene could notat first comprehend the evidences of their vision. Then frantic shoutsand wild cheers rang forth over and over again.
Actually!--Drugstore was safe. What did it mean? Had he become such amaster aviator that he had been simply giving an exhibition of hisskill? It looked that way.
In their joy, the students slapped each other on the shoulder and yelledthemselves hoarse.
Around and around the _-piste_ flew the airplane, and it was not until acertain calmness had been restored among the students that it volplanedswiftly toward the earth, and, as easily as a bird alighting, struck theground and presently came to a halt.
And the moment it had done so an excited crowd began rushing toward itfrom different parts of the field.
No conquering hero was ever acclaimed with greater fervor--with greaterenthusiasm than T. Singleton Albert. Hands were thrust forward to shakethat of the returned aviator.
The moniteurs praised and chided him at the same time. It was almostunbelievable, one of them declared, that a student with so littleexperience should have possessed sufficient courage to execute such adangerous and daring maneuver.
And throughout it all Albert remained quite silent. The demonstration,indeed, seemed to embarrass him--to bring his natural modesty andreserve all the more to the front.
"Simply splendid, T. Singleton!" cried Don, enthusiastically. "Only, Iwish to goodness you had notified us beforehand what was coming off.Honestly, my nerves are jumping like a jack-in-the-box. But didn't thevrille make you dizzy?"
"Yes," admitted Drugstore--"so much so that just now I wouldn't be ableto look in a mirror and see myself twice in the same place."
"I don't think you'll have any occasion to fear Captain Baron VonRichtofen and his Red Squadron of Death," chuckled Marlow. "If they everget after you, son, just pull off the same trick, and it'll mean a safegetaway."
Albert clambered out of the machine, and, as though wishing to escapefurther attention, hurried rather unsteadily toward a camion standing bythe side of the field. But such a sensational and unexpected event wasnot to be dismissed in so unceremonious a fashion. All the way to thewaiting vehicle the former soda-water dispenser was obliged to listen toenthusiastic comments and reply to numerous queries.
And so it continued all the way to the Hotel d'Amerique, and even at thesupper table later on.
Then it was that Sid Marlow started other demonstration, by exclaiming,in his big, booming voice:
"Sometimes a chap has no right to be modest. I've traveled over somepretty rough trails, fellows, and early discovered that modesty is oneof the biggest stumbling blocks in the path of success. That's thereason I haven't any."
"We've noticed it," chirped Roy Mittengale.
"You'll notice it some more, too, when I equal Albert's record. Now,boys, I call upon our young friend for a speech. Who seconds themotion?"
Everybody did, and with an enthusiasm which brought warm flushes to theface of the embarrassed Albert.
He tried to resist, too, when those nearest at hand forced him to hisfeet. This time, however, the crowd was determined. They brushed asidethe boy's protestations, and presently Drugstore, finding that there wasabsolutely no chance to escape the trying ordeal, began to make a fewstammering remarks.
For a moment the eyes of all in the room fixed intently upon himthreatened to stop altogether his halting words. And then, suddenly, tothe surprise of all, he collected his scattered wits and pulled himselftogether. It was as if a new spirit had entered into him. The flush lefthis cheeks and the tremolo in his voice was replaced by a firm and eventone.
But the first words he uttered when this changed condition had takenpossession of him fairly astounded his hearers.
"Boys, I'm through with flying forever."
"Through with flying forever!" cried Don.
Then came an almost riotous demand for explanations. The boys weren'tgoing to stand for any "joshing." But, as cool and collected as beforehe had been the reverse, Albert voiced his declaration a second time.
"True as I'm standing here, boys, I mean it," he declared. "I'm no hero.That wasn't a joy ride to show what I could do in the way of handlingthe plane--oh, no! It was nearer to being a real tragedy. And I'mthrough with the game for all time."
Drugstore's assertions created another sensation. A babel of tonguesprevented his next words from being heard.
Big Sid Marlow quickly restored silence.
"Now tell us all about it, Albert," he commanded.
"It's a mighty short story," replied Drugstore. "I made up my mind to dothe vrille, but somehow or other, at the very last moment, the idea ofactually starting it had such an effect upon my nerves that I decided toleave it for another time. Even the thought, high up there in the air,was enough to send cold chills creeping through me and make me performsome bungling movements with the controls. Before I could regain themastery over myself, almost before I could realize it, my plane wasthrown into the vrille and I was shooting through space, with themachine absolutely out of control." Albert's voice faltered. An intenseagitation seemed to grip him. "It was terrible--frightful!" He almostgasped. "Never had I the least expectation of coming through it alive.Never shall I forget those terrifying moments--the agony I suffered.That one experience, fellows, has taken away all the fascination of thegame. Call it a yellow streak if you want; call it a case of downrightcowardice--I can't help that. I'm going to quit the flying school forgood."
And having uttered these words with a conviction which permitted no oneto doubt his absolute sincerity, T. Singleton Albert abruptly turnedaway and made for the door.
"Well," exclaimed Don Hale, "that chap may not think he's a hero, but,all the same, I believe he is."
> And to this sentiment every one heartily agreed.