CHAPTER XV
A PERILOUS FLIGHT
Without waiting to get a hat or an extra coat, Dick dashed through thelong corridor and down the broad stairs of the dormitory and Tom came athis heels.
"What's the matter?" cried Spud, grabbing Sam, just as the youngestRover boy was about to follow his brothers.
"I'll tell you when we get back," answered Sam. "Don't stop me now,please, I may be wanted."
"Want any help?" put in Songbird, who for the moment had forgotten whathe was about to recite.
"I don't know--but I guess not."
"We'll go along anyhow," came from Max, and took after Sam, whileseveral others did the same.
In the meantime Dick and Tom had gained the lower hallway of thedormitory. The door was fastened, but the key was in the lock and theysoon had the portal open and they leaped outside. Then both started inthe direction of the gymnasium shed.
"See anybody?" cried Tom.
"No, it's too dark," answered Dick. "But that must have been AbnerFilbury's gun."
The two reports from the shotgun had aroused many in various buildingsaround the campus, and windows were being raised and heads thrust out.
"What's the trouble?"
"Who fired those shots?"
"Is it a joke?"
"There go two of the Rovers!"
"Are they up to some trick?"
"More than likely. You can't keep Tom Rover quiet."
So the comments ran on, while Dick and Tom sped in the direction of theshed. As they came closer they received a sudden challenge from the bigdoorway.
"Hi! don't you dare to come back here, or I'll shoot you!" The wordswere uttered by Abner Filbury, who stood there, shotgun in hand andlantern by his side.
"Don't shoot!" ordered Dick. "It is I, Dick Rover! What's the trouble?"
"Oh, so it's you, Mr. Rover!" returned the janitor's son, with a sighof relief. "I was afraid them pesky rascals was a-coming back."
"What rascals?"
"The fellers as got at the airship while I was asleep. But I guess theydidn't get no chance to hurt anything," went on Abner, hastily.
"Who were they?" asked Tom.
"I don't know. They had rags tied over their faces, so I couldn't see'em."
"How many of them were there?" questioned Dick.
"Two."
"Are you sure they didn't harm anything?" went on the eldest Rover boy,as he entered the shed.
"No, I ain't sure, for when I woke up they was in the shed, right undermy hammock. I got scared and I blazed away at the roof, and then theygot scared, I can tell you! They jumped and let out a yell, and ran forthe door, and I got down and went to the door and fired the other barrelinto the air, as a warning. Then they disappeared in the darkness."
"I guess it was----" began Tom, when Dick caught hold of his arm andsilenced him.
"We'll take a look at the machine," said the big brother, and they wentinto the shed. Here they were soon joined by Sam and the others; andsoon a close inspection of the biplane was in progress.
"I don't see any damage," said Dick, presently.
"Most likely they didn't have time to do any," replied Tom.
"I'm glad of it," added Sam, with a sigh of relief.
"Who would be so mean?" questioned Stanley.
"I've got my suspicions, but I won't say anything yet," answered Dick.
A proctor and several instructors had come down to the shed, and thesituation had to be explained to them. All thought it mean that anybodyshould try to damage the flying machine.
"Perhaps it was merely a boyish trick," said Professor Blackie. "Let ushope so."
"Maybe," answered Dick. "Just the same, I am glad that I placed Filburyon guard." And then he told the young man to keep a closer watch thanbefore, and this Abner promised to do. Then the boys went back to thedormitory, finished the feast, and went to bed.
A few days later came word that Dora and the Laning girls had arrived atHope Seminary, and the Rovers, of course, made immediate preparations tovisit them.
"We'll give 'em a surprise," said Tom, with a grin. "We'll visit 'em inthe _Dartaway_." And this the other brothers readily agreed to do.
A message was sent to the three girls, requesting them to meet the boysat a certain hour on the campus of the seminary. Then the Rovers got the_Dartaway_ in readiness for the trip, polishing up the engine andworking parts until they shone like silver.
"If only it doesn't rain, or blow too hard," said Sam, when all was inreadiness.
"Oh, we'll go anyway," cried Tom.
The boys had purchased regular aviation suits, which looked very neatand professional-like. The new engine was in place, and they had givenit a good try-out and had found that it worked as well as the other andgave much more power.
"I think we could carry half a dozen folks now," said Sam, after a trialwith some bags of sand. "She takes up the extra weight without aneffort."
"Perhaps, but there is no use of straining the biplane, or the engineeither," returned Dick.
The morning of the all-important day came and the boys found the windblowing steadily from the west.
"Rather breezy for a flight," was Dick's comment.
"Do you think it will rain?" queried Sam, anxiously.
"Not with the wind from that quarter, Sam. But we may get more breezethan we want."
"Oh, we won't mind the wind a bit," declared Tom, who never wantedanything to interfere with his pleasure.
The boys had their regular classes to attend during the morning, andalso one recitation after lunch. But by half-past two all were free, andafter donning their aviation suits, they hurried to the shed and rolledout the _Dartaway_.
"Pretty breezy and no mistake," remarked Dick, as he gazed anxiously atthe sky. "I don't know about this."
"Oh, don't say we can't go, Dick!" pleaded Sam.
"Maybe the breeze isn't so strong high up," came from Tom, hopefully.
"It may be stronger, Tom. We don't want to go up and get wrecked."
"Oh, the _Dartaway_ won't get wrecked--not with that powerful engine."
Dick hesitated. He did not like that strong breeze in the least. Yet hewas just as anxious as his brothers to visit the seminary and meet thegirls, and let them see the biplane. And there was something even moreimportant on his mind.
"Oh, come ahead, and take a chance!" cried Tom. "We'll get throughsomehow!"
"Just what I say," declared Sam.
"Who is to run the machine?" asked the big brother.
"I'll run her, if you want me to," answered Tom, promptly.
"Oh, I was only thinking of the honor, Tom. I'm not afraid to try it."
"Oh, you go ahead and do it," put in Sam, who knew that his bigbrother's heart was set on showing Dora what he could do with the flyingmachine.
"We'll go up and try it," answered Dick, at last. "If she works allright, I'll head her for the seminary; otherwise I'll bring her downagain;" and so it was arranged.
A number of the students had come out to see the flight and they gave acheer as the big biplane rushed over the campus and then arose like abird in the air. As the machine went up, Tom looked to one side and sawDudd Flockley standing on the campus, in company with a student namedAndy Yates. Both were sneering at the Rovers and their friends.
"The pair that tried to damage the machine," muttered Tom to himself. Heknew that since Larkspur and Koswell had left Brill, Flockley and Yateshad become quite friendly, and he also knew that Yates was a spendthriftand had a reputation far from good.
Up and up went the biplane, guided by the steady hand and keen eye ofDick. The wind rushed over the canvas planes and sang merrily throughthe wire stays. The engine banged away steadily, and the propellers leftonly a blur in the air as they kept whizzing around and around.
"How is it, Dick?" asked Sam, after a full minute had passed, and theywere turning in a big circle.
"Can't tell yet--pretty gusty and full of holes," was the answer, andDick gritted his teeth tigh
tly and took a firmer hold of the steeringwheel. Then the _Dartaway_ came around with a rush.
"Wow!" cried Tom, clutching at his seat. "Say, this is some slant!"
"Hold tight!" yelled Dick.
The warning came none too soon, for a gust of wind hit the biplane andall but made it "turn turtle," as the saying goes. But Dick was on thewatch, and he sent the tips down, and soon the machine righted itself.Then they rushed away, over the woods beyond the college buildings.
"Going?" queried Sam.
"Are you game?" asked Dick, grimly.
"Sure!"
"What about it, Tom? Don't go if you don't think it is best."
"We'll try it. Dick. But if you spill us out--well, please choose a softspot, that's all!" went on Tom, who had to have his joke, even in such atime of peril.
To take that trip, with such a wind blowing, was not a wise move, andall three of the Rovers knew it. But they wanted so much to see thegirls, and show them the biplane, that they were willing to take therisk.
On and on sailed the _Dartaway_, now in the teeth of the breeze and thenwith the wind on the quarter. All of the youths clung fast constantly,for their was great danger of being pitched into space. They had strapsfor fastening themselves, but hated to use these, fearing that theymight get in some position where a quick jump might mean safety. If theywere strapped in, and the biplane fell, they might be crushed to deathunder the heavy engine.
Most of the trip was made in the face of the wind, which, every instant,seemed to grow stronger. The _Dartaway_ acted like a thing of life,swooping and careening from one side to the other. Dick had tomanipulate the wheel and the levers constantly, to keep anything likean even "keel."
"Can you keep to the course?" questioned Tom, after about half thedistance to the seminary had been covered.
"I don't know--it depends on the wind," Dick replied. "I may go aroundto the westward--it seems to be better sailing that way."
In the end they had to make a wide detour, and Dick was wondering how hewas going to turn in the direction of Hope Seminary, when the windsuddenly died down. This was his chance, and on the instant he headeddirectly for the seminary.
"There it is!" cried Sam, presently. "I see the buildings!"
"There is the campus!" added Tom, a minute later. "And there are thegirls, waving banners at us!"
"I see them!" answered Dick, and then he shut off the engine, andsilently and with the grace of a big, white swan, the _Dartaway_volplaned to the earth.
The Rover Boys in the Air; Or, From College Campus to the Clouds Page 16