The Sky Pilot's Great Chase; Or, Jack Ralston's Dead Stick Landing

by Ambrose Newcomb

  IX

  A BROKEN PADDLE

  After attaining some thousands of feet altitude, Jack headed into thenorth-west-by-north, it being his intention for variety to follow theshore line of the water until near its extreme northerly tip. This wasonly done for a change and to please Perk, who had mentioned the factthat he would welcome such a brief run, being a bit tired of lookingdown on endless stretches of rough country, mountainous in most placesand with a most monotonous panorama passing far below.

  So after all it was accident rather than an expectancy of meeting upwith any sort of adventure that brought about the rather odd happeningfalling to their lot that afternoon.

  Perk having little to do just then that could not be deferred untillater on, was amusing himself with the glasses, looking back toward theold Mormon city with its vast temple devoted to the service of thefollowers of Brigham Young and the many other interesting features whichhe and Jack had faithfully surveyed while they were killing time andawaiting orders.

  When these sights began to grow dim in the distance, he swept thesurface of the big sheet of salty water and noted far away toward thewest the shoreline bounding it in that quarter.

  The day that had begun with considerable warmth had also brought upclouds that had, Perk thought, a bit of menace in their dark depths.Perhaps after all they would be treated to a little thunder andlightning for a change but that did not give him any concern, since bothhe and Jack were used to meeting up with boisterous weather when inflight and knew all the practical wrinkles for avoiding discomfort undersuch conditions.

  Through the glass he could easily make out the various towns and smallerplaces that were to be met with along the eastern shore of the windinglake. They interested him from time to time, especially since Jack forsome reason of his own had seen fit to drop down until they were zoomingalong not more than two thousand feet above the lake itself.

  "Some wind down there," remarked Perk suddenly. "Startin' to kick up thewaves like it might mean business."

  "I wouldn't be surprised if we got a fair-sized blow later on," Jacktold him as their ear-phones had been adjusted in order to permit anexchange of opinions and also allow them to work in common.

  Perk shot a look skyward and noticed the clouds were actually growingblacker and more menacing. But that meant nothing in his care-free life.If the wind began to bother them it would be a simple thing to climbabove the storm and keep merrily on their way, leaving the overchargedclouds to deluge the land beneath with their contents.

  Perk was very still for some little time and seemed to be payingparticular attention to something that had attracted his notice.

  "I say, partner," he suddenly said, and Jack could tell he was agitatedfor some reason or other.

  "Yes, what is it, Perk?" demanded the pilot.

  "I don't just like the looks o' it, that's what!" exclaimed the other.

  "Nothing more than a summer squall, with some fireworks thrown in forgood measure, Perk. I'm surprised at you, old man."

  "You're gettin' me wrong, ol' hoss," burst out the other, "I ain'treferrin' to the weather, which don't disturb me a whiff--it's thatsilly little canoe down yonder an' sure as shootin' it's a _gal_ in itwavin' a white flag o' some kind!"

  "What's that, boy?" cried Jack, startled somewhat by Perk's last words.

  "A punkin-seed boat, such as no sensible person'd use on such a bigsheet o' water as this here Salt Lake and she don't seem to have anypaddle at work either, that I c'n see--mebbe now it's got broken an'thar she is three miles out from shore with the wind blowin' her furtherall the while!"

  Jack had banked by this time and was commencing to circle preparatory todropping down in a glide. Somehow what his mate had just said stirredhis blood and without the first thought concerning their present errandhe was listening to the call of humanity.

  After all there was no need of undue haste while on this business of theGovernment. They had made the start, Perk's impatient mood had beensuccessfully muzzled, and if they found occasion for any reason to delaytheir progress while en route to their distant destination, it would beall right.

  "How about it now?" he sang out a little later when they had reached aceiling of less than a thousand feet.

  "Jest like I was sayin' partner," replied Perk promptly.

  "It's a girl then?" asked the pilot.

  "Sure is, an' a slip o' a youngster in the bargain, not over ten ortwelve years old, I'd say on a guess. An' let me tell you, Jack, she'skeepin' up that wavin' her flag like fun--guess now she's skeered we'llgive her the go-by."

  "We've got to drop down on the lake then, that's clear," said Jack, justas though it was imperative to attempt the rescue of the youthfulcastaway, once her serious plight had come to their notice.

  "Some rough sleddin' for us, partner," mentioned Perk to quickly add:"But shucks! what o' that, with you holdin' the stick. Our boat c'nstand the racket okay. On your way, partner!"

  Jack was now able to see for himself without the aid of glasses. Therecould be no question as to Perk having struck the absolute truth when hedeclared it was a question of life and death for the frightened occupantof the dainty little canvas canoe that was bobbing up and down in therising waves like a floating cork. Yes, he could even make out whatlooked like a broken spruce paddle lying in the bottom of the tiny craftas though it had played the paddler a treacherous trick just when sheneeded it the most and been cast aside as useless.

  He dropped still lower, with a practiced eye keeping tabs of the windand waves that were being kicked up. Then came the contact between thepontoons and the roughening surface of the lake--a considerablecommotion followed, but the admirably built aluminum floats did theirexpected duty and in a brief space of time they were safely establishedon the heaving waters, not more than thirty feet away from the young anddistressed mariner.

  Again the rat-tat-tat of the engine was heard as Jack turned on fullpower, knowing he had a combination of wind and waves to beat. The sprayflew quite briskly and Perk let out one of his joyous whoops as, amidstall this clamor, they continued to taxi in the direction of the bobbingpunkin-seed as he had called the drifting canoe.

  The young girl had ceased waving the white object which Jack stronglysuspected might be a piece of her own clothing, torn off in desperationwhen she feared her lone chance of rescue might pass by, leaving her toa cruel fate. She was kneeling in the tossing boat, staring toward theapproaching strange craft--an airship that could navigate the lake asthough by magic, something she undoubtedly had never witnessed before,even though planes must be a familiar sight, seen far up in the heavensas they journeyed back and forth on their individual errands.

  So they soon came alongside the helpless canoe and Jack was telling hispal just how it would be best to get the girl aboard. Her craft ofcourse would have to be abandoned, since it was out of the question forthem to taxi head-on over that water, growing constantly rougher as thewind rose higher with the shore something like three miles distant.

  After all the safety of the girl was the main thing they must keep inview--a canoe only represented a small amount of money but a human lifewas priceless.

  Perk made ready to assist the wretched skipper of the frail craftaboard, although it required considerable maneuvering on the part of thepilot to fetch the ship around so that the contact could be effected. Atthe proper moment Perk reached out his hand and once he clutched that ofthe girl he knew the rescue was as good as accomplished, for he wouldnever let go.

  In this queer fashion then was a third inmate of the ship's cabininstalled and the canoe allowed to drift away. The girl was too muchagitated just then to bemoan the loss of her treacherous little shallop,for sinking down on her knees she burst into violent sobs the result ofher late terror. But their main object had been attained and now to getout of this rough sea.