CHAPTER XVII.
THE EVERGLADES IN AN AEROPLANE.
"Hurray, we are in communication with the _Tarantula_."
It was Frank who spoke. Seated at the field wireless apparatus, with themetallic headpiece about his ears, he rapidly noted down the reply tothe message he had flashed out some time previously. The message wassigned:
"Selby," and read:
"Am standing by, off the coast. Communication perfect. Will keep intouch constantly."
Frank's message had been a brief outline of his plans, which were tosail in the _Golden Eagle II_ that afternoon if feasible, and ascertainthe exact location of the camp of the formula stealers, and leave therest of the plan of procedure to such circumstances as might arise.
Feverishly working, the boys and their aides got the _Golden Eagle II_in shape for flight by noon of that day. Thanks to the speciallyprepared engine-bed that the boys had had constructed, there was littleto do except to bolt the driving machinery in place, after which butlittle adjustment was necessary to true it up with the shafts. WhileHarry and Lathrop took up positions at the propellers and the rest ofthe party hung onto the winged ship with might and main, Frank carefullyadjusted the engine, having timed it down to its lowest number ofrevolutions.
"Now," he cried when all was ready.
The boys gave the propellers a twist. To their delight the engine workedas smoothly as a sewing machine. The power was then cut off and the workof stocking up the lockers beneath the transoms in the pilot-housebegun. It was Frank's intention that if it became necessary to settledown anywhere for any length of time to use the pilot-house as a campingplace. This would save the necessity of a tent and as every ounce ofweight counts in an aeroplane this was an important consideration. Thecanvas screens--of the lightest grade of duck carefullywaterproofed--which have been previously mentioned were provided forthis very purpose as were also mosquito net curtains for fine weather.
Frank's navigating instruments found their place in a pocket handy tothe steersman's hand. The compass of course being adjusted in a balancedsocket that kept it always visible to the helmsman. The operating keysof the _Golden Eagle II's_ wireless apparatus were in the rear of thechassis and in the space beneath its stand was coiled the five hundredfeet of rope through which ran a strand of phosphor bronze wire whichwas to be used for grounding the current. Alongside the reserve gasolenefound its place.
The searchlight, swinging easily on a pivot, was also of course a partof the helmsman's equipment, and handy to him was slung his revolver ina big loose holster. The rifles and ammunition and the stock ofprovisions carried went in the lockers, as well as a waterproofsod-cloth to place beneath the chassis if camping on wet ground, and asmall blue-flame oil-stove made of aluminum. The few cooking utensilscarried were also of aluminum and nested. The last thing to go aboardwas a folding canvas boat of which more later.
All these preparations concluded, the boys partook of the last dinnerthey were to eat in company for perhaps several days. Over the meal,which Pork Chops had made quite an elaborate one in celebration of theoccasion, final plans were discussed. Lathrop was to have charge of thewireless apparatus and at all hours of the day or night either he, BenStubbs or Billy Barnes was to be on duty beside it on the watch forcalls. The boys would also, it was agreed, watch their apparatusconstantly. Frank's ingenuity had provided each machine with anappliance, not unlike the ordinary telephone bell, which commencedringing loudly as soon as any other instrument within range got "intune." This was a patentable improvement, as an ordinary wirelessmachine has no such convenient attachment and only apprises its operatorof a call by a faint click hardly audible to the unpracticed ear.
After lunch the boys went over every rod and wire of the aeroplane andfound her to be in first class shape. While these preparations weregoing on Quatty had been eyeing the craft with the liveliest indicationsof fear.
"Ah'd jes' as soon ride on de back ob a fish eagle," he saidapprehensively.
"Why, Quatty, you're not going to back out now, are you?" asked Frankwith a smile at the negro's trepidation.
"Lord, no, Massa Frank, ah said ah'd go wid yo' an' I will, but ef itwasn' fo' dat rifle I wouldn' go not fo' nuffin'. Say," he addedsuddenly, "could ye jes' wait a while till I paddle home an' saygoo'-bye to my wife?"
"No, we can't," laughed Frank, ruthlessly cutting short the black's hopeof even a moment's reprieve from going aloft in the object of histerror.
"Are we all ready, Harry?" he asked the next minute.
The younger boy nodded.
"Hold on a minute," cried Frank suddenly, "there is one thing we'veforgotten."
He ran back into the hut and reappeared with a small object he hadfished out of his toilet-bag.
It was a silken American flag. The boys attached it to a small pair ofhalyards at the stern of the chassis and ran it up.
"Come on in with you, Quatty," cried Harry, when this was completed.
Speechless with terror the negro hobbled up to the machine andhesitatingly clambered into the chassis. He sat quivering like a jellyon the floor of the pilot-house as the boys followed him.
"What are you squatting on the floor for?" asked Harry, laughing, "don'tyou want to see the scenery?"
"Ah can see all ah wan' right yar," was the terrified darky's reply.
With a final handclasp the boys followed the negro into the chassis andHarry took up his place at the engines and Frank got into the steerman'snarrow seat. Lathrop and Billy Barnes were at the propellers ready togive them the twist that would start the machinery.
"Let her go," cried Frank with a backward glance. Harry bent low overthe carburettor and carefully adjusted it and the lubricating system.
The next minute, with a roar like that of a dozen Gatling guns, theengine started up. Volumes of blue smoke poured from the exhaust whichalso shot out jets of ruddy flame. To anyone not used to the racket of apowerful engine suddenly turned up to its full power it was actuallyterrifying. Quatty writhed in a paroxysm of terror on the quiveringfloor of the pilot-house as the whole fabric of the aeroplane shook asif it had been convulsed by an earthquake.
Like a big ungainly bird it ran rapidly over the ground for a few dozenyards and then as it gathered speed under its rapidly revolvingpropellers, Frank threw in the top speed clutch and jerked back thelever that controlled the rising planes. Like a perfectly trained animalthe big air-craft obeyed and rose as gracefully as a butterfly into theair. For fully ten minutes, till they were clear of the tree-tops, Frankkept her rising--the terrified Quatty rolling about on the inclinedfloor of the pilot-house like a rubber ball. Then as she soared safelyabove all obstructions he threw her onto an even keel and headed her dueeast.
Far below them Harry, leaning over the stern, could see the smallclearing in which stood the dead sailor's habitation and the rapidlydiminishing figures of Lathrop, Billy, Ben, and Pork Chops waving afrantic adieu. The darky had in his hand a frying-pan which heflourished and was evidently shouting, for he had his hand at his lips,but of course anything he might have said was at that height inaudible.
Once on an even keel Frank threw in the mufflers and throttled theengine down a little so that the uproar that had so terrified Quatty wasdiminished. Occasionally as she struck some contrary air-current theaeroplane would give a dip that terrified the negro into freshconvulsions, but otherwise the really alarming sensation thataccompanies the rising into the upper air of an aeroplane had ceased andthey were driving ahead calmly enough, though not fast, for there was astiff northeast wind blowing.
"Well, Quatty, what do you think of it as far as you've gone?" jestinglyasked Harry as, having adjusted his engines to suit him he sat wipinghis hands on a bit of greasy waste.
"Ah's jes' as soon ride on a buckin' broncho as on dis yar contraption,"rejoined Quatty, who had by this time scrambled to his hands and knees,"it's eben worser dan I thought."
A diplomatic idea entered Harry's head. They would have
to get Quattyover his scare before he would be of any use to them and this necessitygave rise to Harry's inspiration.
"Well, I think you are a very brave man, Quatty," he said solemnly;"that Pork Chops is such a coward that he wouldn't dare to do whatyou've done."
The Boy Aviators set out in the _Golden Eagle II_.]
"Is dat so, Massa Harry, fo' a fac'?" asked Quatty eagerly.
"Yes indeed," went on Harry seriously, "he's such a coward that he wouldhave fainted if we had even suggested coming up with us to him."
"Well, I'se a berry brave nigger and dat's a fac'," proudly said Quattyrising to the bait, "them no 'count southern niggers ain't got no realcourage no-how."
So well did Harry's diplomatic admiration work that before they had beenafloat in the upper air for half an hour more Quatty was seated on oneof the transoms holding onto a strap provided for the purpose andpiloting Frank as the ship forged steadily along into the wind, herengine running without a skip or a start.
It was a marvelous panorama that lay spread out far below them. Theirbird's-eye view showed them immediately beneath the floating craft themyriad green-clad islands of the archipelago threaded by bands ofsparkling blue water. Soaring in the air about them, but at a respectfuldistance, and doubtless marveling at the invader of their realm, werekitty-hawks and fish-eagles and sometimes even the rare Everglade kite.If it had not been for the speed they were going nothing would havepleased Harry better than to get out a rifle and try a little targetpractice at the myriad bird-life that soared beneath and around them.
But it was not so much the immediate scene, beautiful as it was, thatgripped the attention of the voyagers. Far in front of them lay a broad,dark band of trees that they knew marked the mainland and was the thickbelt of cypress trees that gives its name to the Big Cypress Swamp.Beyond this again lay a scene that made their hearts beat high. It was avast, an apparently illimitable stretch of brown prairie, looking fromthat distance very much like our western plains viewed from a mountaintop. In the golden glow of the afternoon it shimmered and shone hazilylike a magic land. Here and there patches of dark cloud-like blue dottedit and these the boys knew were the islands that are scattered at moreor less frequent intervals among the watery wastes of the 'glades and onone of which, with a catch of the heart, they realized lay the object oftheir long quest.