CHAPTER XX
GRACE'S REVELATION
One clear afternoon the three Rover boys decided to take a run up toHope Seminary in the _Dartaway_. There was very little wind and,although it was growing colder, they knew they could easily bundle up intheir aviation coats and boots. Sam and Tom had been trying out thebiplane, and they pronounced everything in perfect order for a flight.
"Dick, let me run the machine over," said Sam, and the big brotheragreed, for Tom had been at the wheel on a previous occasion.
The boys had no classes to attend after lunch and so got away by twoo'clock.
"I trust we can see the girls," said Dick, as they started up the engineof the flying machine.
"Oh, they'll be at liberty after hours," answered Tom. "They alwaysare."
Previous to leaving, the boys had filled the oil feed and the gasolinetank, so they were prepared for quite a trip.
"Maybe we can get the girls to go up, for just a little sail, you know,"said Sam. "I am sure the _Dartaway_ could carry them, on a pinch."
"Where would they sit, in our laps?" asked Tom, with a grin.
"No, they could sit in the seats and we could sit back of them, like ona bob-sled," answered the youngest Rover.
"I don't think they'll care to go up," answered Dick. "They'd be tooscared. As yet, flying machines are hardly built for ladies. But I thinkthe time will come when they will use them."
As they were in no hurry, the boys took their time in sailing over thefarms and country roads. They did not go up very high, and often sawfarmers and others staring at them, shouting things they could notcatch.
"By and by flying machines will be as common as autos," remarked Dick."But now the sight of one is a great curiosity to these folks."
Sam handled the machine like a veteran and even showed what he could doby making a small figure eight and a spiral dip.
"I wish we had a little monoplane, just for one," he said. "My! couldn'ta fellow scoot around then!"
"Sam's got the flying bee all right!" cried Tom.
"Well, wouldn't you like it yourself?" demanded the youngest Rover.
"I'd rather have a big airship. Then I could give all my friends aride--have a regular airship party."
"Well, I'd like that too," was Sam's reply.
Presently they came in sight of the seminary buildings. They circledaround for some time and then landed at the far end of the campus. A fewgirls were in sight, but not those they had come to visit.
"Good afternoon," said Dick, to a girl he had met, named Ida Strong."Can you tell me where I can find Miss Stanhope, or the Misses Laning?"
"The three of them went for a walk, about half an hour ago," replied IdaStrong.
"Do you know where they went?"
"I do not, excepting that they took the road to Beechwood," and the girlstudent pointed out the highway mentioned, one that ran through the bigwoods back of the seminary. It led to the village of Beechwood, whichwas several miles beyond.
"Thank you," returned Dick. "If we shouldn't meet them, will you tellthem we called, in our biplane?"
"I will," said the girl.
Dick was about to rejoin his brothers, and suggest that they go up andfly along over the woods road, when another girl, named Bess Haven, camerunning up.
"Oh, Mr. Rover, isn't this queer!" she cried. "I thought you were hurt!"
"Hurt?" repeated Dick, puzzled. "How so?"
"Why Dora Stanhope said you were--that you had had a fall out of theflying machine."
"That I fell out of the machine?" cried Dick. "There is some mistakehere. I have had no fall. When did she tell you that?"
"About half an hour ago. She got some sort of a message, and she wasterribly upset. She went off to visit you."
"Where to?"
"I don't know. But wait--yes, she did say you had had a fall in thewoods."
"Did she go alone?" And now Dick's heart began to thump strangely. Hewas thinking of their many enemies. Was this some new trick?
"No, Nellie and Grace Laning, her cousins, went with her."
Dick turned to Ida Strong.
"You saw them go?"
"Yes, just as I told you. Oh, Mr. Rover, is anything wrong?"
"I don't know--I hope not. But I think we had better go after them atonce. Good day." And Dick fairly ran back to where Tom and Sam restednear the biplane.
"Start her up, quick!" he said to his brothers, in a low voice."Something is wrong! We've got to get after the girls right away!"
"What is it?" demanded Tom, leaping to his feet, while Sam did the same.
"I'll tell you when we are on the way. Quick, start the propellers! I'lltake the wheel," and Dick sprang into the seat.
In another moment the engine had been started, and with a rush and awhizz the _Dartaway_ left the campus. Dick made a turn, then headed inthe direction of the road through the woods. He flew low and ratherslowly.
"Keep your eyes open," he cautioned, "for any sight of the girls--or anysight of our enemies." And then he related as much as he knew of whathad occurred.
"Do you think somebody sent that message to decoy Dora away from theseminary, Dick?" asked Sam.
"Doesn't it look that way? Why should anybody send word that I was hurt,when I wasn't?"
"I think you are right!" declared Tom. "I think I can see through it,"he went on quickly. "They found out they couldn't dynamite dad or UncleRandolph into giving up that money, and they couldn't get at Mrs.Stanhope or Mrs. Laning to get it, so now they are going to see whatthey can do through Dora--and maybe Nellie and Grace."
"That's exactly the way I figure it!" exclaimed Dick. "And the sooner wereach the girls the better! For all we know, it may even now be toolate!"
"Oh, let us hope not!" cried Sam.
"Did they go on foot?" asked Tom.
"Yes."
"Were they to meet anybody?"
"I don't know. Miss Haven said they went off in a great hurry--which wasnatural, if they thought I had tumbled out of the biplane and been hurt.I suppose poor Dora was scared half to death," and Dick heaved a longsigh.
As the flying machine swept along over the woods and the roadway thethree youths kept their eyes on the alert for a sight of the girls. Fora long time they saw nothing out of the ordinary. Then Sam uttered acry:
"See! see! There is Grace! She is waving her handkerchief at us!"
All looked in the direction indicated, and at a spot along the roadwhere there was quite a cleared space they saw Grace Laning standing ona flat rock, waving frantically at them. They had to make a circle, andthen, with care, Dick brought the biplane down into the roadway.
"What is it, Grace?" yelled Sam, as he leaped from his seat. "Where arethe others?"
"Oh, Sam!" moaned the girl, and then they saw that her hair was awry andher shoes were covered with dust. "Oh, save them! Go after them atonce!" And then she staggered forward and fainted in Sam's arms.
The three Rovers were greatly alarmed and for the moment did not knowwhat to do. Then Dick rushed to the side of the roadway, where somewater trickled along in a hollow, and brought some, using a collapsiblecup they carried when on a trip. With this they bathed Grace's face andthey forced a little water into her mouth, and soon she opened her eyesand stared around her.
"Go away! Go away! Don't touch me!" she gasped.
"Hush, Grace, you are safe," answered Sam, gently.
"Oh, Sam! I forgot!" She struggled to her feet, he still supporting her."Did--did you find them? Did you bring them back?" she asked wildly.
"You mean Dora and Nellie?" asked Dick and Tom, in a breath.
"Yes! yes!"
"We don't know where they are. Tell us about it," went on Dick.
"Oh, it's terrible!" cried Grace, and now the tears began to course downher cheeks. "We got a note--at least Dora did--stating you had had afall from the biplane and were hurt. The note was signed 'Tom,' and weof course thought Tom had sent it. It said to keep the matter quiet butto come without delay--down this
road to the old white cottage. So thethree of us started off as soon as we could. Dora was so afraid it wasserious she ran nearly all the way, and Nellie and I ran, too. We hadthought you were at the cottage, but when we got there we didn't seeanybody. While we hunted around a big touring car, one of the kind witha closed coach top, dashed up. There was a man running the car andanother man inside, a fellow who looked like a doctor. The driver askedif we were the girls who had come to see Dick Rover, the aviator, and wesaid yes. Then he said the car had been sent for us and for the doctor,and for us to get in and he would take us to Dick Rover at once. We gotin, and then, before we knew it, the touring car was rushing along theroad at a great rate of speed. We asked the doctor about you, Dick, buthe said he hadn't seen you yet. Then we asked the driver, but he actedso queer we began to get suspicious. Then, oh, wasn't it strange? Nelliesaw a card on the floor of the car, and picked it up, and it was JosiahCrabtree's visiting card! She showed it to Dora and I, and Dorascreamed, and wanted to leap out of the car. But the doctor--if he was adoctor--held her, and held Nellie, too. But I was too much for him. Idon't know how I did it, but, just as we were rounding a curve ratherslowly, I flung myself out of the door, and I landed in some bushes. Igot scratched a little, as you can see, but I wasn't hurt, and I startedto run back to the seminary and was doing that when I saw your flyingmachine. You know the rest." And now Grace stopped, too exhausted to sayanother word.
"And the touring car went on?" queried Dick.
"Yes! yes! I saw the man shut the door, too. Oh, Dick, they have carriedpoor Nellie and Dora off, just as they carried Dora's mother off!"
"They kept to this road?"
"I believe so. I don't know of any cross road this side of Beechwood."
"Then we'll get after them at once!" declared Dick. "Sam, do you want totake Grace back, or come with us?"
"Well--I--er----"
"Go with them, Sam--they may need you!" broke in the girl quickly. "Ican go back alone, and I'll send word to the authorities, over thetelephone. Hurry! hurry, or it will be too late!"
The boys needed no further urging. Dick and Tom ran for the flyingmachine, and soon the explosions of the motor filled the crisp autumnair. Then all the boys leaped on board. Dick was at the wheel, and hesent the _Dartaway_ along at a good rate of speed. Sam looked back, tosee Grace hurrying in the direction of Hope Seminary.
"I hope she gets back safely," he said anxiously.
"I think she will," answered Tom. "Those rascals are all further alongthe road--waiting for Nellie and Dora."
"Keep your eyes open," put in Dick. "Don't let anything escape you. Wemust spot that auto without fail!"
The Rover Boys in the Air; Or, From College Campus to the Clouds Page 21