CHAPTER XII.
BRADY CHANGES HIS PLANS.
"You've played the devil with me, and no mistake!" scowled Brady,whirling on Matt the moment the girl was gone.
"I don't see how you make that out," said Matt. "You're the one that'smade all the trouble, Brady."
Brady's little eyes glittered as they rested on Matt. For a few momentshe paced angrily back and forth across the hut.
"How in thunder," he cried suddenly, "did Jerrold ever manage to get aline on me? He was over the swamp, a short time ago, with his air-ship,and he'd have landed here if we hadn't driven him off. Jerrold knowswhere I am, and he has the means of getting to the island. We'vecrippled his craft, though, and he's had to haul off for repairs. Whilehe's gone, I've got to change my plans, somehow, and be ready for himwhen he comes back. That Dutch kid who was with you at the balloonhouse yesterday was in the car of the air-ship, and there was also apoliceman along. How did that come?"
"You know as much about it as I do, Brady," replied Matt. "Idisappeared from that Hoyne Street house, last night, and I suppose mychum has been getting clues about me and following them up. That's thekind of a lad he is."
"Where did he get any clues that would bring him out here?"
"Give it up."
Brady took a few more turns across the room, presently halting in frontof Matt.
"You didn't bring that roll of blue prints to Hoyne Street, lastnight," said he. "Where did you leave it?"
"Left it out in front of the house," grinned Matt.
Brady started.
"In front of the house?" he echoed.
"Yes."
"Cached?"
"Certainly."
"Under the sidewalk?"
"No; in the pocket of my Dutch pard."
Brady stared incredulously. Then he swore.
"That Dutchman was out in front all the while you were in the house?"
Matt nodded.
"He came with me from Chicago. I got to thinking there might be a trapin the house, and that some one was there who wanted the blue prints,so I made up my mind that it would be a wise move to leave Carl out infront, and to let him keep the roll."
"That chum of yours must have seen the Hawk when she climbed out of theback yard," growled Brady, "but how in the fiend's name was he able toget Jerrold and the Eagle and follow us? It was dark, and we had a longstart of them."
"One guess is as good as another," said Matt, calmly. "I told you you'dget yourself into trouble if you tried to make a prisoner of me. Thebest thing you can do now is to send me back to South Chicago in theair-ship."
"Think I'm a fool?" snarled Brady. "It may be that you're all thatstands between me and my men and capture. I'll hang onto you, King,and I'll let that Dutch pard of yours know that if Jerrold don't keepaway from this swamp with his air-ship you're going to connect withyour finish. It's neck or nothing with me, now, and I'll go any lengthto keep myself out of the 'pen.' I've laid out a fine campaign for theHawk, and I don't intend to have all my plans nipped in the bud, rightat the start-off."
"I suppose," said Matt, scathingly, "that your campaign is one ofrobbery, and that you're going to make a pirate ship out of the Hawk?"
"That's where you put your finger on the right button!" declared Brady."I'm going to be a freebooter, and take my toll wherever I can findit. It's easy to swoop down on a lot of spoil, pick it up and make offwith it. And what can the law do?" He laughed mockingly. "Policemenwill have to have wings to get anywhere near me."
"And that's what you wanted me for, is it?" cried Matt, indignantly;"to drive the Hawk around through the air and help out your villainousplans! I would let you kill me first."
"Rot! I'm going to stick to my original intentions, but there's got tobe something of a change in my immediate plans. We've all got to pullout of here and to take what plunder we've got cached in the swamp.The Hawk will have to make three or four trips, and they must be madebefore Jerrold and his air-ship can interfere with us. If Jerrold fixesup his air-ship and comes back, we'll just tell him what will happen toyou if he lingers in the vicinity of the swamp. I'm banking on that tosend him packing again, and to keep him out of sight until I can makea change of base. You'll go away on the Hawk's first trip, and it willprobably be only half an hour before you can start."
Brady started for the door, but halted before he reached it and facedaround.
"Either one of two things happened to put that Dutchman and Jerrold onmy track," said he. "Either Harper has been caught, and has told whathe knows, or else a letter I gave Needham to deliver to Whipple, herein the swamp, has fallen into the hands of the police. It don't makemuch difference, though, how Jerrold got next to our hang-out. Themain thing is that he knows where we are, and that you will be put ina mighty tight corner if he keeps on trying to make trouble for me.That's about all, King. I want you to understand what you're up againstand be ready for whatever happens. I'm not going to have my plansknocked galley-west just as I'm on the point of launching them."
With another black scowl, expressive of his savage determination,Hector Brady strode out of the hut.
Matt was beginning to understand why Helen preferred to see her fatherin prison rather than free to carry out his campaign of lawlessness.Possessing a practical air-ship like the Hawk, Brady could commituntold depredations and snap his fingers in open defiance of the law.
The young motorist shuddered to think of the scoundrel's comprehensiveplans, and of the part he had intended to make his prisoner play inthem.
Helen's reasoning was logical, and the expedient she had suggested wasas simple as it was effective. By taking the Hawk away from Brady shewould make it impossible for him to follow out his nefarious schemes.The beautiful simplicity of the countercheck aroused Matt's admiration.
But how was the countercheck to be brought about? The appearance ofJerrold's air-ship over the swamp had made doubly difficult the workthe girl was counting upon having done. Not only that, but the comingof the Eagle had increased Matt's peril. There was no doubt in theyoung motorist's mind but that Brady would go to any extreme in orderto keep himself and his companions from being captured.
All these different aspects of the situation floated through MotorMatt's mind swiftly. Two or three minutes after Brady had left the hut,and while Matt was still considering the problem that confronted thegirl, Helen herself stole in through the door.
Her face was haggard, but her eyes were bright and full of resolution.
"You shouldn't be here," protested Matt. "Your father suspectedsomething when he found you with me a little while ago and ordered youaway. What if he should come back and see you here again?"
"I don't think he'll come back, but I've got to take the risk, even ifhe does." The girl spoke quickly and steadily and made her way swiftlyto Matt's side. "Dad has changed his plans--I was listening to all hesaid, out there at the back of the hut. He's going to use the Hawk totake us all away from the swamp, and _you're going to go on the Hawk'sfirst trip_! That means that we must do what we can, at once. If wefail now, everything is lost."
She was breathlessly eager, but her calmness at such a moment surprisedMatt. Lifting her hands she took a small poniard from the bosom of herdress, bent down and severed the cords that secured Matt's hands. Then,with one downward stroke of the keen blade, she freed his feet.
"Where are your father and the rest of the men?" asked Matt.
Before she answered, Helen glided to the door and took a cautious lookoutside.
"Some of the stolen goods have been hidden among the bushes of theswamp," said she, returning to Matt. "You are to be sent away with theloot, on the first trip, and dad himself will have to take you. He,and everybody except Whipple, have gone to the swamp. Whipple has arifle and is guarding the Hawk. Whatever we do, Matt, we've got to doin a hurry. The bag of goods taken from Hartz & Greer is behind thishut," she pointed to an unglazed opening in the rear wall as she spoke."While the rest are in the swamp, I will go to the Hawk and talk withWhipple, g
etting around on the other side of him so that his back willbe in this direction. While I am holding his attention, you will creepup on him from behind and, between us, we will try and get the rifle.It's a desperate chance, but we will do the best we can."
"You're a brave girl, Helen!" declared Matt.
"I'm doing what I think is right, and that always helps a person'scourage. I'm more worried about you than I am about myself. If anythingshould go wrong--if anything should happen to you because of the helpyou are giving me----"
For the first time her voice faltered. Matt reached out and caught herhand reassuringly.
"Don't fret about me," said he. "There won't be any trouble about mygetting the best of Whipple, with you to help. Is the Hawk all readyfor a flight? I mean is there plenty of gasoline in the tank, andplenty of oil?"
"Yes, dad has seen to that. So far as the air-ship is concerned, itis ready to carry you quickly and safely out of the swamp. Now I willsteal out of the hut and talk with Whipple."
Once more she started for the door. Hardly had she reached it, however,when she drew back with a gasp of consternation. Turning, she beckonedto Matt.
"Too late!" she whispered, her voice sharp with anguish anddisappointment. "Oh, why have they come just at this time!"
Matt glided quickly to her side and peered out through the half-openeddoor.
What he saw was well calculated to discourage him and the girl.
Motor Matt's Air Ship; or, The Rival Inventors Page 12