CHAPTER XIV
READY FOR THE START
"Just our beastly luck!" gasped Jack, turning white with apprehension.
"Wait, we haven't any proof as yet," advised Tom. "The Major himselfadmits that he's only afraid it may have been Beverly's hangar. Hasn'tanything been done to learn the truth, sir?"
"Oh, yes," came the quick reply. "A number of cars have gone down thatway, but the road's in a shocking condition, and up to now none of themhas returned to advise us. I'd be very sorry if it turned out as I fear,doubly so if Beverly himself were injured or killed, because I'm fond ofthe chap, don't you know."
"Let's hope everything is all right," said Tom, as composedly aspossible. "And first of all I'd like to get through the business part ofour errand here. I have the packet to deliver for our general. Then themachine must be turned over to a representative of our Government here.After all that's attended to we'll strike out for the Beverly hangar."
"I'll be pleased to take you there personally, if you like," remarkedMajor Denning.
"And we'll accept your offer with thanks, sir. It is very kind of you,"said Tom, at the same time wondering what the other would say when hemade the astounding discovery that the object of the expedition was evenmore ambitious than a mere flight to Berlin and back; that indeed thedaring adventurers meant to attempt a record voyage across the Atlanticby air such as would vie with that of Columbus.
Jack fell into a fever of suspense again, and counted the minutes thatmust be consumed in carrying out the business in hand. Tom wasexceedingly scrupulous concerning this.
"The general was kind enough to give us a good push on our way here," hetold Jack, when the latter continued to fret and hint about "cutting offcorners" in order to hasten their getting away. "We're bound to do ourpart of the job right up to the handle. Besides, what do ten or twentyminutes amount to?"
When Tom announced himself satisfied night had settled on the land.Dunkirk had for long been annoyed by the fire of a long-rangemonster gun, shells dropping into the city at stated intervals forweeks at a time.
So, too, hostile airplanes had hovered over the Channel port, trying tomake it unpleasant for the British Tommies in camp near by. But sinceMarshal Foch opened operations on a large scale, together with thefurious drive of General Pershing's army, this had altogether ceased.
Major Denning had a car at their disposal.
"It will take us to a place where we can leave the road and follow apath to the beach," he told them. "Beverly has quite a force of menthere looking after things, which fact makes me hope nothing could havehappened to injure or destroy that wonderful bomber. But we've beenpestered to death with Hun bounders playing spy, and I'd put nothingpast them."
They set out, and were soon on the way. Major Denning had a man at thewheel, evidently his chauffeur, for he was a British private. He knew theroad, and managed to steer clear of the obstructions that continuallycropped up.
"Seems to me those Hun pilots must have dropped most of their bombs outthis way, instead of hitting the town or the camps," Tom suggested, asthey dodged to and fro, and often suffered severe bouncings.
"No man-power to make any road repairs, in the bargain," explained theofficer. "Since the drive has been on we are sending every Britishbattalion we can muster forward. These things can wait until the Germanis licked, which we all believe is coming shortly, with Marshall Haig andGeneral Pershing and General Petain on the job."
"Wow! what's that mean?" cried Jack, half jumping up as the sound ofseveral shots not far away came distinctly to their ears.
"Did those shots seem to be over yonder to the right?" asked the major.
"So far as I was able to judge that's where they came from," Tom replied."Does the hangar lie in that quarter, sir?"
"Just what it does! There's certainly something strange going on aroundthere to-night. But we'll quickly learn for ourselves, because the spotwhere we leave the road is just ahead of us."
Jack was the first out; indeed the car had not wholly come to a standbefore he made a flying jump. Leaving the chauffeur to watch the car, themajor soon found the trail. He carried a small hand electric torch withhim, a vest-pocket size, but at least with a ray sufficiently strong todissipate the gloom under the brush and to show them what seemed to be awell defined trail.
"We may find ourselves made a target by some of his wideawake guards.That they are on the alert those shots we heard a bit ago seem totestify," suggested Major Denning.
"Oh, we'll use the signal whistle; and I feel sure Lieutenant Beverlyhimself will be listening to catch it, for he expects us any minute now."
"We're getting close enough just now to exercise due caution, at anyrate," the guide answered in a whisper.
Taking the hint, Tom commenced giving the signal. It was a short sharpwhistle, four times repeated. Hardly had Tom sounded this than they heardan answer.
"Fine!" exclaimed Jack. "He's here on deck, and perhaps everything may beall right yet."
They continued along the path, and Tom repeated his whistling. Finallythe figure of a man loomed up beyond.
"That you, Tom, Jack?" came a voice.
"Hello, Beverly!" Jack burst out impulsively. "We've come all the way byair. What's going on around here; nothing serious happened, I hope?"
"Rest easy on that score, boys," the other replied, still advancing.
"Then the machine is still ready for business, is it?" cried Jack.
"In apple-pie order, down to the last drop of juice, and ready to do thebuilders proud. But I'm mighty glad to see you, boys, I surely am. Afraidthere'd be some hitch at the last minute from your end."
"And," said Tom, wringing the other's hand, "Jack has been picturing allsorts of terrible things happening to you and the plane here, nearDunkirk. He's as happy as a clam at high tide right now, I assure you."
"You bet I am!" Jack cried explosively, gripping the fingers of thelieutenant with great enthusiasm.
"Why, hello! who's this but my English cousin, Major Denning?" criedBeverly, discovering that his two chums were not alone.
"Thought it best to steer them to you, and take no chances of a miss,"explained the officer. "Besides, to tell you the truth, I fancied seeingyou start off on your long contemplated trip to wake up Berlin. Once Iwas in hopes I might even have the opportunity of accompanying you. I'vea score to settle with the beast for knocking a hole in my London houseand frightening my aunt almost into fits. At least you'll let me wish you_bon voyage_, Beverly."
Tom said nothing. He realized that the major had no inkling of the realpurpose of the flight about to be undertaken; and if he was to be toldthe facts the information must come from Lieutenant Beverly himself.
"Oh! By the way, that Berlin trip will have to wait," chuckled thelieutenant, making up his mind that a clean breast of the whole mattermust follow. "Fact is, Major, we're after larger game than that wouldprove to be; something calculated to stagger you a bit, I think."
"You're certainly puzzling me by what you say, Colin," declared themajor, betraying a growing curiosity in voice and manner. "I'd like toknow for a fact what you could call larger game than a non-stop flight toBerlin and back, starting from the Channel here. Are you planning a tripto the moon, after Jules Verne's yarn?"
"No. But something that has as yet never been attempted," came the steadyreply. "It is a flight across the Atlantic to America in the big bomberplane, and starting this very night!"