CHAPTER XV.
A RISKY VENTURE.
While Roscoe was removing the ropes from Murgatroyd's hands andreplacing them with a pair of steel manacles, Matt and McGlory steppedout of the shack for a brief talk.
"Young Prebbles is pretty badly cut up," said Cameron.
"He ought to be," said McGlory. "I reckon this is a lesson for him, andfor any other young fellow who feels like taking the bit in his teeth."
"It's pretty tough," murmured Matt, shaking his head. "There's goodstuff in young Prebbles."
"That's Pard Matt for you, Cameron," said the cowboy. "He always looksfor the good stuff in a fellow and never sees much of anything else."
"After all," approved Cameron, "that's the best way. But I'll warrantMatt can't find much to commend in Murgatroyd."
"He's old enough to know right from wrong," said Matt, "and now thathe's made his bed, he's got to lie in it. Where did you find thesheriff, Cameron?"
"Wired him I was coming, and he met me at the train with a couple ofriding horses. They couldn't remember anything definite at the postoffice, although one of the clerks had a hazy recollection that someone had called for a letter addressed to Hobbes. That's all we had togo on. We hit the trail and rode hard."
"Good thing you did. If you hadn't ridden so hard you might have gothere too late."
"What a day this has been! I should think you fellows would be aboutfagged."
Before Matt could make any response, Newt Prebbles came out of theshack.
"I'm going, just the same," said he doggedly.
"There's no way you can get to the post in time, Prebbles," returnedCameron kindly.
"I'll get there, anyhow, whether I'm late or not. Good heavens! Youdon't understand what this means to me! You don't know----"
He bit his lips to keep back the emotion that grew with the words.
"I've just got to go," he finished. "I'll get through somehow."
"How'll you get from here to Bismarck?" inquired Cameron.
"On Murgatroyd's horse."
"Your connections are poor all the way through. You'll not be able toreach Totten before to-morrow afternoon."
"I'm going."
"Wait," said Matt. "Are you willing to take a little risk, Prebbles?"
"Risk? I'd take any risk if it could shorten my trip to Totten by asingle hour."
"Do you know the country between here and Totten?"
"Every foot of it."
"By night as well as by day?"
"Any time."
"Let's get a little something to eat," said Matt, "and then I'll agreeto get you to Totten inside of three hours."
"How?"
"We'll use the a?roplane."
There was a silence, then a protest from McGlory.
"Pard, you're not made of iron. You can't stand that trip, after allyou've done. Sufferin' cats! Why, you're workin' every second you'rerunnin' the _Comet_! And it's the hardest kind of work, at that."
"I can do it," said Matt, looking around at the gathering dusk. "Butwe'll have to start before it gets too dark."
"Look at the risk!"
"We'll face it. Besides, it's not so much."
There was no arguing with Matt. He had his mind made up and was like arock.
"You and Ping, Joe," said Matt, "will come with Cameron and Murgatroyd.Have you a lantern, Newt?"
"Yes."
"Get it."
The lantern was secured and lighted. After Matt had hastily bolted afew mouthfuls of food, he took the lantern and started for the placewhere he had left the _Comet_.
Cameron, Ping, and McGlory accompanied the king of the motor boys andNewt Prebbles. Roscoe remained at the shack with Murgatroyd.
The rope with which the a?roplane had been made fast to the trees wastaken off, and Matt, while he was going over the machine to see thateverything was in proper order, told McGlory to hunt for a favorableplace to make the start.
When Matt had finished his inspection, the cowboy had selected thenearest spot which was at all promising.
"It's at the top of the bank, Matt," said McGlory. "There's a clearstretch, sloping slightly to the east."
"Then let's get the machine up there."
The _Comet_, a ghostly monstrosity in the gloom, was pushed and pulledto the top of the bank and pointed down the slight slope. Matt walkedover the course of the start with the lantern, to make sure there wereno stones in the way.
"We don't want the lantern," said Matt, coming back and handing thelight to McGlory. "Lock up the shack when you leave and bring the keywith you, Joe."
McGlory was nervous and apprehensive. He grabbed Matt's hand before hetook his seat.
"It's a risky venture," he breathed.
"A little risk, of course," answered Matt. "There always is."
"But this is night, pard. You never tried to fly the machine at nightbefore."
"There's always got to be a first time."
"There's some wind, too."
"Not enough to be dangerous."
"You'll win out, Motor Matt," said Cameron; "you always do."
"There's got to be a first time when he won't," croaked McGlorydismally.
"Take your seat, Newt," said Matt.
Newt, without a word, placed himself as directed.
"I guess we're all ready," called Matt, starting the motor. "Help us inthe getaway, you fellows."
Cameron, McGlory, and Ping pushed the car down the slope through thedusk. Finally it drew away from them, and they saw it, like a hugespectre, sailing skyward.
Newt Prebbles undoubtedly remembered more about that daring night tripthan Motor Matt.
The king of the motor boys had eyes and ears for nothing but his work.The propeller whirled the great planes on and on into the gloom, andsense of touch alone told Matt when to meet the varying points of airpressure by a shift of the wing tips.
Newt said little, and what he did say was in the nature of directionsfor keeping the _Comet_ on the right course. With eyes peering aheadand downward, he watched the dusky panorama flitting away below them.
Matt admired his courage. Calm and steady, he kept rigidly to hisplace, interfered in no way with the freedom of Matt's movements, andwatched alertly for the landmarks with which he was familiar.
Whenever they swept over a cluster of lights, young Prebbles named thetown instantly.
The stars came out in the dusky vault overhead, and a big moon crept upover the horizon.
Swinging through space, hung from the zenith as by invisible cords, the_Comet_ glided steadily and surely onward.
"Oberon," announced Newt, as they swept across a gleaming mat of yellow.
"Great spark plugs!" exclaimed the king of the motor boys. "I don'tknow, Newt, but I've a notion we're making a record flight."
"It's wonderful," mused young Prebbles; "but there's something which,to my mind, is even more wonderful than this work of the flyingmachine."
"What's that?"
"Why, that you're doing this for me--for a man who nearly drownedhimself trying to get away from you, and who tried his best to crippleyou, or the _Comet_, with a bullet."
"We all of us make mistakes, now and then," answered Matt. "It's amighty foolish man who won't rectify a mistake when he finds he hasmade one."
From Oberon the course led north and east.
"There's the post trader's store," reported Prebbles.
"That means we're just about where we're going," said Matt.
"Where'll we come down?"
"On the parade ground at the post."
When near the old fort, they could hear the call of the sentries, andwere able to mark the fringe of oil lamps around the barracks andofficers' quarters.
Silently, like a wraith from the Unknown, they dropped downward, struckon the bicycle wheels, and glided to a stop.
"Be hivins," cried a voice, "it's th' _Comet_. Now what would you beafther thinkin' av that? Th' _Comet_, d'ye moind, rammin' around in th'dark th' same as if it was broad day. Is that
yerself, Motor Matt?"
"Yes," said Matt, stepping out of the machine. "How's Prebbles, O'Hara?"
"Th' ould sawbones has given up hope, an' that's all I kin tell ye. Butwho is it ye have along?"
"Prebbles' son. Take him up to Cameron's quarters at once, will you?"
"Sure I will."
"I'll see you in the morning, Newt," Matt added.
Young Prebbles paused to grasp Matt's hand.
"I appreciate what you have done for me, don't forget that," he said.
Matt gave the _Comet_ into the care of a guard, then hunted up a placeto sleep. His head had hardly dropped on the pillow before he was offfor the land of dreams.