Boy Scouts in an Airship; Or, The Warning from the Sky

by G. Harvey Ralphson

  CHAPTER XIII

  THE NELSON IN THE SKY

  "Well," Ned called back, as the new arrivals shouted down from theledge, "what do you want?"

  "We want to talk with you."

  "Cripes," Jimmie grinned, "we're in good demand today. The stock ofBoy Scouts must be gettin' shy!"

  "Go on and talk, then," Ned answered, well satisfied as to what thefellows wanted.

  "Shall we come down there?"

  "You stay away!" Jimmie replied. "We're a little particular aboutour company!"

  "Is that little runt speaking for you?" demanded the man on theledge. "If he is, we'll do something besides talk."

  "For the present he is," Ned replied. "What can I do for you?"

  "You can surrender yourself. We have warrants for your arrest."

  "Couldn't think of it!" was the cool reply. "We prefer to remain atliberty."

  "I told you!" Collins grunted, rising from his reclining positionand moving toward the ledge. "I told you that you'd get intotrouble. You'll sweat for this!"

  Jackson caught him by the shoulder and whirled him back.

  "You stay here!" the ex-cowboy gritted. "The less trouble you makethe better treatment you will receive."

  "What are you doing to Collins?" asked the newcomer. "Tell him tocome up here."

  "I'm being held a prisoner!" Collins shouted. "Train your guns onthese kids and drive them off. And find Lyman. He left the cavern,but he's somewhere about, for he answered a cowboy call not longago."

  "We already have Lyman!" was the answer. "He thought we were thefriends who had called him and joined us. We'll take care of him,all right."

  "That's fine business--not!" grunted Jimmie.

  Ned was not a little disappointed by the announcement. With Lymanin the hands of his enemies, it might be impossible to get him backto Asuncion in time to save his concession.

  And here was another difficulty, one which might bring on a warbetween the United States and Paraguay. Ned, as an official of theUnited States Secret Service, now knew that those high in authorityin the government of Paraguay were involved in the attempt todefraud Lyman of his rights. This had been only suspected before.

  So long as only private interests were interfering with the treatyrights, so long as the government of the unruly republic was notmixed up in the attempt to cheat an American citizen out of hisproperty, the government at Washington might well restrain its hand.But when the government of Paraguay itself, as Ned now believed, wasinvolved in the crooked game, that was an entirely different matter.

  Ned believed that a full disclosure of the facts in the case wouldsend warships to Asuncion. He believed that an internationalcomplication might breed open war unless he succeeded in gettingLyman away without open conflict with the authorities of the littlerepublic. But how?

  Well, the State Department at Washington had trusted him, and hewould do his best. The thing to do at that time, it appeared tohim, was to await the action of the newcomers. They might beofficers of Paraguay, with authority to make arrests in Peru, andthey might be only four-flushers. He must temporize until he foundout what they proposed to do in the matter.

  And, then, he reasoned, if they had Lyman, he had Collins! That wasnot so bad! Perhaps an exchange of prisoners might be made! Thisdid not seem very likely, but still there was hope. Collins, forall he knew, might be the man who expected to profit by the robberyof the American cattleman.

  "So Mr. Lyman is there with you?" Ned called back. "Send him overhere. I want to talk with him."

  A harsh laugh was the only answer to this.

  "You may as well come to terms with me," Collins exclaimed. "Youhave no chance of winning now. I like your nerve, but you'rebutting into too strong a game for a lad of your years."

  "I shall have to take chances," Ned replied. "What will those mendo with Lyman?"

  "I don't know!"

  "I know!" Jimmie cried. "They'll kill him!"

  "I don't think they'll do that," Collins remarked, with a wickedsneer, "but it would clear the atmosphere if he should fall down amountain!"

  "If he does," Ned declared, flushing with anger at the brutality ofthe remark, "you will also take a tumble. If he is injured in anyway, you'll answer to me for it."

  "You wait!" warned Collins. "I've handled cases like this before.I can give you cards and spades and beat you out. You'll be gettinghungry before long."

  "And the Nelson will be ready for flight before long," Ned replied.

  During all this conversation Jackson and Jimmie had kept steadily atwork sewing the new, strong canvas taken from the tent on the frameof the planes. They could not make a very neat job of it, but theydid their work well. Ned had hope of getting out of the valley thatvery night. Presently the men on the ledge withdrew for a time, andNed began a closer examination of the Nelson. To his disgust hediscovered that the gasoline was very low in the great tanks. Builtfor long flights, the Nelson's tanks were very large, fitted tocarry a supply which would last a couple of days. Ned did not quiteunderstand why the supply should be short after a run of only threeor four hundred miles.

  "I've got an idea!" Jimmie said, catching the worried look on Ned'sface.

  "I'm afraid it will take something more than an idea to get theNelson back to Lima," Ned replied in a low tone, for he did not careto have Collins informed of this new difficulty.

  Collins, however, had been watching the movements of the boysclosely, and at once surmised what the trouble was. He laughedinsultingly as he pointed to the great tanks.

  "Empty?" he snarled. "I knew it. Now will you be good!"

  "Shut up!" raged Jackson, who was only too anxious to get a pretextfor attacking Collins. "We've heard enough from you!"

  "'Tie him up!" ordered Ned. "He's likely to make a run for it, andthen we should have to shoot him. Tie him up good and tight."

  "You'll be sorry if you do!" threatened the captive.

  Notwithstanding this threat, the fellow was bound hand and foot.During the process of the work, which was performed none too gentlyby Jackson, Collins called out to his friends in the other valley,but there was no response. They were probably too busy with theirplotting against the boys to hear the shouts.

  This business completed, Jimmie beckoned Ned aside.

  "Here's my idea," he said. "The Vixen's tanks didn't blow up whenshe burned and dropped. When it comes night I can go and get thegasoline. The tanks were full, were they not?"

  "Yes, chock full. The driver seemed to have fitted her out for along run. But we may be able to get the stuff before dark. TheVixen did not land in the valley where they are, but in a canyonover to the west. Suppose you go over there and see what thechances are?"

  "All right!" replied the boy. "And if the tanks of the Vixen arenot full, we'll steal the fuel out of that automobile when it getsdark!"

  "That's a good idea, too!" laughed Ned.

  Jimmie hastened away, keeping in the gully as long as possible anddodging around friendly cliffs when it came to climbing over theridge which shut in the valley on the west. The gully cut acrossthe valley, east and west, and was very deep at the east end.

  After the disappearance of the boy, Ned removed Collins to the deepend of the cut and placed Jackson there as a guard. He did not wantthe captive to know what was going on, as a shout to his friends, ifthey again visited the ledge, might put them in possession of thefacts regarding the empty tanks of the Nelson. Then it would be aneasy matter for them to prevent the getting of the gasoline from thewrecked Vixen.

  Then Ned, hearing no more from the alleged officers, went to work onthe planes, and succeeded in getting a long strip sewed in beforeJimmie returned with his report.

  "The tanks are almost full," the lad said, "and all we've got to dois to unscrew a couple of burrs and lug them right over here. Wecan't do that until, after dark, for they would shoot at us.Where's Collins?"

  Ned pointed to the gully.

  "Well," the
boy continued, "when I got up on that ridge, I could seethe men over in the other valley. They are getting reinforcementsfrom somewhere. Anyway, I saw half a dozen Indians standing around.They've got a fire and are cooking dinner. Then I saw one of thewhite men pointing, and I'll tell you right now what they're goingto do! They're going to station men around this little old craterand keep us in here until we starve, unless we give in."

  "They forget that there's an air route," laughed Ned.

  "Suppose we get up there on the Nelson!" exclaimed the boy. "Andsuppose they shoot us off! That wouldn't be funny, would it?"

  "We've got to go in the night, then," Ned said. "But before we go Iwant to have a talk with those fellows."

  "Then you'll get a word with Lyman, if you can?"

  "That wasn't a bluff, then? They have captured him again?"

  "Oh, yes, they've got him with them, all right. Anyway, there'sfour white men, and only three came in the car. Guess it's Lyman,sure enough!"

  "What is he doing?"

  "Just walking about. They haven't got him tied up, at least the manI took for Lyman isn't. He looks mad enough to bite nails, though!"

  "That is a wonder," Ned said. "It may be that they are trying tomake terms with him."

  "Of course!" replied the boy.

  Along in the afternoon one of the alleged officers appeared on theledge again. He appeared to be somewhat excited, and Ned suspectedthat something had gone wrong with the other party. However, heremained quiet, waiting for the other to make his errand known.After a short silence the fellow asked:

  "What has become of Collins?"

  "He is still here," Ned answered.

  "Held against his will?"

  "Well, he is still doing some kicking."

  "You'll be sorry if you don't let him go."

  "How will you trade prisoners?" asked Ned. "Send Lyman down hereand we'll send Collins up to you."

  "Oh, Lyman doesn't want to leave us," was the reply. "We'vearranged a settlement with him."

  Ned did not believe this. He knew that the Lyman concession was avaluable one, and that the cattleman would put up a long fightbefore sacrificing it.

  "Send him down here then," Ned answered. "If he is voluntarilystaying with you, he can return if he wants to. Send him down!"

  "He is afraid you'll try some trick on him," was the reply.

  The whole afternoon passed in just such conversation as this--talkwhich brought no results worth mentioning. Ned did not believe thatLyman was remaining with the newcomers voluntarily. He did notbelieve that Lyman was suspicious of him.

  The men in the other valley frequently visited the ledge and talkedwith Ned, but the boy saw that they were quietly making arrangementsto surround him. Now and then the figure of an Indian appeared onthe elevations about the valley, which was the crater of an extinctvolcano.

  A little study showed Ned that in some long forgotten time the twovalleys had formed a great crater, and that this had been cut in twoby the elevation of a mass in the center. High up above this deadcrater, on the north, stretched the bulk of the mountain, theeruption having taken place on its south slope.

  But while Ned talked with the visitors, argued with them,threatened, he kept at work on the planes, and at nightfall had themcompleted. The canvas had been put on double and sewed on verystrongly, so the boy believed that it was as good a machine as everthat he contemplated getting out that night.

  "But," argued Jimmie, when the plans were laid, "we can't all go inthe Nelson. How are you going to carry Lyman, Jackson and me?"

  Jimmie thought for a moment and then added: "But we haven't gotLyman yet. We'll have to come back after him, I take it, after weland Jackson outside."

  "But I'm going to get him," Ned replied, "if this machine works allright. I'm going to leave you and Jackson here. What about that?"

  "If you can grab Lyman," Jimmie grinned in disbelief, "I'll bewilling to stay here as long as the grub lasts!"

  "I'm going to get him," Ned replied. "I don't know how, but I'vejust got to get him back to Asuncion before the 31st."

  "And what about Collins?"

  "We'll have to let him go. When I get out, let him go, and then youtwo will have to hide away until I can come back after you."

  "All right," replied Jimmie, with a sigh. "Only hurry back! Idon't want to starve to death here."

  After dark Ned, Jackson and Jimmie lugged the tanks of the wreckedVixen over to the valley and dumped the gasoline into the Nelson'stanks. Even this accession did not quite fill the latter.

  "Wish we could get to the motor car," Jimmie suggested.

  "Now," Ned said, "I want you two to kick up an awful rumpus here,directly. Shoot and do all the yelling possible. Let Collins looseand chase him! He deserves it! Then, when the fellows over thererun up on the ledge to see what is doing, I'll swoop down in theaeroplane and pick up Lyman--that is, if he is willing to come withme. If he isn't, I can't get him, that's all."

  "Then, when we get up in the air, we take to our heels?"

  "Exactly. If you don't these fellows will make trouble for you.Hide, but keep making to the east. When I come back after you I'llcome in from that way."

  "How long will it be?" asked the lad, who did not quite like thenotion of being left there with Jackson.

  "I can't say," was the reply. "I may leave Lyman in the nearesttown, or he may want to go to Asuncion. I may be back by daylight,and I may be gone two days. I hope to be back by daylight."

  "All right," Jimmie grunted. "We'll keep off to the east, and whenyou return you can pick us up before they know what's going on.Here's hoping you get Lyman!"

  "I'll get him!" Ned replied, shutting his teeth hard together.

  So, all arrangements made, Jimmie crept up on the ledge, about nineo'clock, and looked over into the twin valley.

  There was a campfire burning, and Lyman, or the man the boy took forthe cattleman, sat close beside it. The others were walking about.Now and then an Indian stepped inside the circle of light cast bythe fire, consulted with the others for a moment, and disappearedagain.

  It was certain that the alleged officers were preparing to advanceon the boys, bent on putting the Nelson out of commission for good.The planes had not been repaired any too quickly. When Jimmiereported Ned stepped into the machine.

  "When I get within sight of those in that valley," he said, "makeall the noise you can. If you can cause them to think you'rekilling Collins, all the better. Make him yell! I'll go straightup and drop down by that fire before they get over theirexcitement."

  A few strong shoves, a dozen revolutions of the rubber-tired wheels,and the Nelson left the ground, as strong and capable as ever. Themotors made little noise, and no signs of discovery came from theother side until the machine was high up. Then a few ineffectualshots were fired at her.

  Jimmie and Jackson began their part of the performance promptly byshooting and yelling. They loosened Collins, much to thatgentleman's delight, and started him off in the dim light on a run.As Jackson took great delight in landing his bullets close toCollins' feet, the alleged salesman ran for dear life toward theledge, screaming and calling for help at every jump.

  This was exactly what the others wanted, and in a short time theysaw a huddle of dark figures on the ledge. In the excitement thefiring on the Nelson had ceased.

  Jackson and Jimmie were not long in getting out of the valley afterthat. They whirled around the elevation between the two valleys,sometimes feeling their way in the darkness, climbed over a ledge,and made for the black entrance to the tunnel through which Jacksonhad entered.

  When they were at the mouth of the tunnel they turned and lookedback. The Nelson was lifting from the valley where the fire hadbeen seen, whirling up, up into the night sky. They could notdetermine from where they stood whether there were two or one on thebig aeroplane. They had no means of knowing whether Ned hadsucceeded or failed.

  The two watched the dim bulk of the aer
oplane as it winged overtheir heads. Now and then, after it was too late to do her anyharm, a few vengeful shots were fired at her. The fact that Nedkept going convinced them that he had picked up Lyman and was on theway out with him.

  After the aeroplane had disappeared from sight Jackson and Jimmiehurried on through the dark tunnel, which, as has been said, wasmerely the dry channel of a stream which had cut its way out of thevalley years before. Jimmie proposed that they remain there allnight, but Jackson objected to this.

  Their pursuers knew that he knew of the tunnel, he explained, insupport of his objection, as they were aware that he had entered thevalley by that route, so they would naturally look there for them.

  This was convincing, of course, and the two hastened on their way,lighted by the little searchlight. For a long time there were noindications of pursuit, then a popping roar came beating down thepassage.

  "That's the automobile!" Jimmie cried. "Sounds like an expresstrain, eh?"

  "It certainly does," Jackson replied, "and it is up to us to get outof the way, somewhere. They won't take extra pains to catch usalive."