CHAPTER IV
Plots and Counter-Plots
After a wakeful night in Harbor Grace the girls arose for an earlystart. It was scarcely dawn when Terry and Prim took off from theairport and headed toward the big rock from which point they could see_The Crate_. They had no doubt in their minds that Bud Hyslop wasresponsible for the disappearance of Allan and Syd. They must find Budand make him talk.
No one had seen or heard of him at Harbor Grace. Where was he hiding?The girls decided to keep watch.
“He’s apt to come back to _The Crate_,” said Prim.
“I’m not so sure of that,” answered Terry. “If he has _The Comet_,he’s not particular what happens to the old plane. What I’d like toknow is, what did he do with the boys?”
Terry kept the plane at high speed. Suddenly she looked around. “Thefog, Prim. Look at that great mountain of fog behind us.”
“What will we do, Terry?” asked Prim.
“Nothing to do but run,” said Terry with a shrug. “We’ll put _Skybird_down on the plateau by the big rock.”
“Can’t we get back to Harbor Grace?” asked Prim anxiously.
But Terry was already circling for a landing and did not answer hersister. The little plane bumped over the rocky surface and then stoodstill. With the motor stopped, Terry turned to her sister.
“I had to come down, it’s not safe to fly in this fog! And as you see,there wasn’t a chance of getting back to the airport. It’s like athick blanket in that direction.”
“And it’s closing in on us. There’s nothing to do but make the best ofit here,” answered the easy-going Prim. “But we may freeze to death.This fog is like an icy wind, it goes clear through you.”
Terry walked up and down to get warm, as the fog pierced her thickcoat.
“How long will it last, Terry?” asked Prim. “This is terrible!”
“There’s no telling. This Newfoundland fog often hangs around fordays,” replied her sister.
“That’s a cheerful prospect,” said Prim dolefully. “In that case we’dbetter make our way to that little fishing village. It’s near thisrock. At least it looked that way from the plane.”
But Terry interrupted. “No, let’s stick it out as long as we can byourselves. I don’t like to mix with people.”
“You’d better get over that idea, Terry Mapes. What’s the matter withyou anyway, why don’t you like everybody the way I do? And let me tellyou one thing right now. We may have to go down there to find outabout Allan and Syd—or we may find Bud Hyslop there. There’s notelling. So don’t you put on that superior air.”
“I won’t Prim, truly, I won’t. I guess it’s more bashfulness thananything else. I really like people but I never know what to say tothem,” responded Terry.
“Then think up a good line of talk right now, and make it nice andfriendly. We don’t want any more enemies. Bud’s plenty!”
The practical Prim was already looking about the plateau for asuitable place to build a fire.
“Go get some dry twigs, Terry!” she said.
“Where will I find anything dry in this fog? Why not use the alcoholstove?” asked Terry.
“We’d better save that. You don’t know how long we’ll have to stay outhere and in another hour things will be still wetter. You can hardlysee _Skybird_ now, the fog is so thick.”
Terry scrambled around the rocks, digging into crevices for dry rootsand twigs. Prim broke them into tiny bits and made a neat little pile.
“Some fire!” teased Terry. “Just big enough to heat something in aspoon.”
“You needn’t laugh, Terry Mapes! You know well enough I’m a championfire builder and I say that the smaller your fire is, the better. Youonly want blaze enough to cover the bottom of your kettle. If it comesout beyond that it’s apt to make your food smoky.”
“All right, have it your own way,” said Terry with a laugh. “I leaveit all to you. Just as long as you don’t ask me to cook, I’ll let youdo anything you want to do. Here’s the tin egg box.”
Soon the smell of bacon and eggs made them ravenous. They found ashelter under a wind-stunted tree and spread out their meal.
“Isn’t it delicious!” exclaimed Prim. “I don’t believe food is as goodwhen cooked over a gas fire. I’m sure I never tasted anything likethese fried eggs.”
“No need to ask me if I enjoy them. Just watch my speed,” returnedTerry, buttering a slice of bread. “That’s one nice thing aboutaviators, they never pick over their food. They’re always hungry!”
At that moment the crackling of brush was heard below the cliff. Primgrabbed Terry’s arm.
“Oh what is it, Terry? I’m frightened. Maybe it’s a wild animal!”
“Hush, Prim. Keep still. It’s a man.”
“Then hide and he won’t see us,” whispered Prim.
“We can’t hide _Skybird_. I’m not afraid,” replied Terry as she roseto her feet just as the dim figure of a man came up the trail to thesummit. The girl took a few steps toward the intruder.
“Who’s there?” she demanded sternly.
The next moment she stood face to face with Bud Hyslop.
Bud stared as if he were seeing ghosts, then he demanded with an angryglare, “What are you doing here, Terry Mapes? What brought you toNewfoundland?”
“I might ask _you_ the same question, Bud Hyslop,” replied Terry,flaring with anger.
But the sensible Prim came to the rescue. “Why, we came up to findAllan and Syd. They’re missing. They must have been forced down on theisland.”
“Then we’re on the same errand,” replied Bud. “I started to go toFlorida but was delayed, so when the word came that the boys weremissing, I just turned around and came on up here to help find them.I’ve scoured the country everywhere for them. But they’re gone!Disappeared without any clue.”
Terry watched Bud. She was almost certain that the boy was not tellingthe truth. She felt sure that he knew the whereabouts of Allan andSyd.
But the story he told half convinced Prim. “Maybe he _is_ telling thetruth, Terry,” she whispered at the first opportunity. “Maybe hisintentions are good.”
“Good intentions!” stormed Terry in a low voice. “I wouldn’t trustthat fellow as far as I could see him.”
Bud was talking once more. “You haven’t a chance of getting back toHarbor Grace today in this fog. You’d better come down to Jim Heron’splace where you can keep warm and get something to eat.”
“We’ve had our breakfast,” answered Terry, her head high, her nose inthe air.
Prim gave her a dig with her elbow. Terry understood and when hersister agreed to the plan, Terry followed without a word. “Prim isalways so sensible,” thought Terry. “Whatever would I do without her?She’s my balance wheel.”
“It’s warm there and it’s only a few hundred feet down the cliffsideby the shore,” said Bud as he led the way.
Terry and Prim scrambled down the trail to the narrow inlet calledFish Cove, where rude shelters had been put up to house the fishermenand their families. A sickening odor of salted fish came to them longbefore they could see the houses in the sheltered canyon.
Bud took the girls by a round-about trail leading to Jim Heron’shouse. It was the largest building in Fish Cove and stood there like afortress, a two storied stone building, grim and forbidding in thefog.
Terry grabbed her sister by the arm. “What a house! It looks like aprison.”
Prim was trembling. “I don’t want to go in there. It’s spookey! I’drather be cold outside in the fog.”
But at that moment a girl opened the door. From her face and figureone could not have told whether she was a boy or girl. Her straighthair was cut short and plastered down close to her head. Her face wasangular with large features. Only her torn gingham dress proclaimedher a girl. Over her thin shoulders she wore a man’s coat, which addedto the boyish appearance.
The girl’s face was pitifully sad. And when she saw Bud Hyslop, a lookof distrust made her frow
n but this changed to a smile when she caughta glimpse of the two girls. She started forward as if to greet them,then hesitated as she looked once more at Bud.
But through the wide open door Terry and Prim caught sight of aglowing, old-fashioned fireplace.
“I’ve brought some friends of mine,” explained Bud. “They came on thesame errand I did. Got caught in the fog and were forced down. This isSally Wyn, girls. Now I’ll leave you to get acquainted and go and seeJim Heron.”
“I’m Terry Mapes, and this is my twin sister, Prim,” announced Terry.“I’m so glad to find a girl of our own age around here.”
Sally led the girls inside and offered them a chair, while she hurriedto steep some tea over the glowing coals. In the gloomy interior thefire lit up Sally’s face. Her features were good. She looked kind andsweet. But the lines about her mouth were sad and bitter. The girlspitied her.
When Terry explained that they had just had their breakfast on theplateau, Sally looked so disappointed that they were forced to eatmore. The tea and doughnuts tasted good.
While they were eating, a complaining voice called from the next room,“Get to work, Sally. What you doing now? Bring me a cup of tea.”
Sally jumped up. “She’s awfully cranky since she’s been laid up with abroken leg. Keeps at me all the time,” said the girl in a weary voice.“I don’t know what to do to please her.”
“Who is she, anyway?” asked Terry.
“She’s Nancy Heron, that’s Jim Heron’s wife. They live here,” answeredthe girl as she went about her work.
Terry and Prim wanted to question her further, but Sally’s lips haddrawn together in a bitter line. They feared that they had offendedher.
Who was this girl? And what was that old woman to her? Terry longed toknow, but now was not the time to ask.
As Sally leaned over the fire, the girls watched her intently. She didnot seem to belong to this sinister looking house. Even with theblazing wood fire the room felt damp and uncomfortable. They shudderedat the thought of any girl living here and calling it home.
While the tea was preparing for Nancy, Sally flew about the kitchen,tidying up and whenever her footsteps paused, the voice always calledher to account.
“Such a life!” thought Terry. “I’m glad I’m not Sally Wyn.”
Yet this was the only home that Sally knew. A few minutes later shesaid, “I just happened to be home this week. Mrs. Heron broke her legand Mrs. Armes, the lady I work for, let me come to help.”
“That’s nice!” said Terry. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Sally looked up quickly. Most people didn’t care where Sally was. Shewas not used to appreciation and now she wondered if Terry reallymeant it. Sally smiled. Her whole face changed with that smile. Shewas almost pretty, thought Terry.
Suddenly Terry jumped up. “Wonder why Bud doesn’t come back,” she saidin a whisper to Prim. “I don’t trust that fellow. I think we’d bettersee if our plane is all right,” Terry said aloud.
“Let me go up with you and see your plane,” pleaded Sally. “I can beready just in a minute, as soon as I take this tea to old Nancy.”
“Take your time, Sally, we’ll wait,” said both girls together.
A few minutes later the three girls left the cabin. Outside they metJim Heron, a tall, ungainly man who glared at them with piercing eyes.He carried a shotgun across his shoulder, which added to his fierceappearance.
“Git back there!” he shouted. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I wonder what Jim’s doing with that shotgun,” said Sally “This isn’tshooting weather.”
Jim beckoned them to come back then suddenly he turned aside. “Allright, go! The harm’s done!”
“What does he mean by that, Sally? What harm?” asked Terry.
The girls ran swiftly up the trail. At the summit they understood JimHeron’s remark. As they stepped on the plateau _Skybird_ was justleaving the ground. Bud Hyslop at the controls guided the little craftstraight out into a bank of fog.
Terry screamed.
“Oh, Prim! Bud’s stolen our plane! He’s taken _Skybird_!” she cried.
“Keep quiet, Terry. Nothing can be done by getting angry and shouting.Maybe he’ll bring it back,” said Prim.
“No he won’t! He’s stolen _Skybird_! He’ll crash in this fog! Oh,Prim, what can we do?”
Prim was just as worried as Terry over the danger to their littleplane, but she controlled herself. Terry was trembling with anger.Prim took her arm.
“Don’t worry so, Terry. Maybe things will come out all right.”
At that moment the tall form of Jim Heron appeared. He had suddenlydecided that he had better keep his eyes on the girls. Terry ran tohim.
“Bud Hyslop has stolen our plane,” she cried indignantly, looking tothe old man for sympathy.
“Don’t you worry none, Miss,” replied Jim Heron. “Bud’s all right.He’ll bring your plane back. He just went over to Harbor Grace on anerrand. He’s just borrowed that plane.”
Terry wanted to ease her mind by expressing her honest opinion aboutBud Hyslop but a look from Prim quieted her. She frowned, then heldher lips tight-pressed. With her head high she started down the trailafter Jim Heron. Her manner was very angry, superior and haughty.
Prim grabbed her by the arm: “Terry Mapes behave yourself. If we areever going to find Allan and Syd, we’ve got to keep in with thesepeople. Maybe the old man knows something about the boys.”
Terry asked Jim Heron, but the old man shook his head. “I never sawthe boys at all. Bud says his two friends crashed up here somewhereand he’s hunting them. And you’re doing the same thing, he told me.You’re working together like partners.”
Terry laughed outright, then walked on without a word. As they werecoming down the cliff, they heard Nancy Heron calling in her crackedand peevish voice:
“Sally Wyn! Where are you? Get to work! I’ll have no idling in myhouse!”
“Now Prim, there is one thing sure,” Terry whispered to her sister.“Bud Hyslop has proven that he is our enemy. We know now where hestands. I wish I knew whether Jim Heron is in on Bud’s scheme.”
As they neared the house Terry thought of a plan. She approached JimHeron and asked him to take them to Harbor Grace. “Surely there’s alaunch in Fish Cove,” she said.
“What do you want to go to Harbor Grace for?” demanded Jimsuspiciously. “What are you going to do there?”
“I want to telegraph my father so he’ll know we’re all right.”
Jim Heron refused flatly and firmly. Terry insisted and Jim was notused to arguments with women. He lost his patience and stormed atthem.
“Into the house you go!” he said, as he thrust them ahead of himthrough the door. “Now don’t you step your foot across the sill untilI give you leave. And that won’t be until Bud returns. That’s hisorder!”
“Oh, now I see. Bud Hyslop told you to watch us and not let us getaway. Is that it?” demanded Terry.
“Right you are, Miss! You caught my meaning. You’re my prisoners! Anddo you hear that, Sally Wyn? We’re not to let the girls out of oursight!”
Sally looked at the girls, her face was flushed, fear was in her darkeyes. She did not answer the man.
“Do you hear me?” Jim Heron shouted at her.
“Yes sir!” replied Sally, not daring to meet the glances of her newfriends.
Jim Heron went outside and sat down on a rude bench before the door.He held his shotgun in his hand.
“Prisoners!” said Terry under her breath. “What do you know aboutthat!” She looked around the room and what she saw was not reassuringfor the old stone house looked very much like a prison.
But Terry was game. Her lip curled disdainfully.
“Prisoners, indeed!” she said with a shrug. “Just wait and see, BudHyslop!”