On Adventure Island

by Bess Moyer

  Produced by Roger Frank.

  On Adventure Island

  By

  Bess Moyer

  The Girl Flyer Series

  THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO

  Copyright, 1932 The Goldsmith Publishing Company

  Made in U. S. A.

  *TABLE OF CONTENTS*

  I. Hazardous Flight II. Pursued by a Flying Foe III. Tropic Storm IV. Island Prisoners V. The Cave of Wonder VI. Trapped! VII. Crashed! VIII. Jump

  *ON ADVENTURE ISLAND*

  CHAPTER I

  Hazardous Flight

  Flying a mile high above the rolling hills of the countryside, TerryMapes suddenly put _Skybird_, her little blue-and-gold monoplane, into aseries of loops. She was feeling good, her brown eyes were keenly aliveand her slight boyish figure sat erect as she handled the controls ofher plane. And being a young and lively girl, she wanted to turnsomersaults in the sky to express her joy.

  Her twin sister, strapped in the rear cockpit, spoke to her through theearphones, "Quit your circus stunts, Terry, and keep going! We've got along trip ahead of us."

  "You guessed it, Prim. That's why I'm feeling so full of pep!" answeredTerry and her voice died away as she put _Skybird_ into another loopamong the clouds.

  The next minute her plane was on an even keel and Prim repeated: "Terry,_will_ you stop clowning? Save that pep! You'll need it before we get toSouth America."

  "Don't I know it! I'll be good and tired before I reach Peru, but rightnow I feel like a million dollars. I wouldn't change places with thePresident of the United States or the Prince of Wales," said Terry witha laugh. "I'm perfectly satisfied to be Terry Mapes, airplane pilot on asecret errand to the wilds of South America."

  "And I," interrupted Prim, settling back for a comfortable trip, "wouldrather be just Prim, the twin sister of the cleverest girl flyer whoever did a barrel roll.--But I wish she'd cut out the stunts for thepresent!"

  Dick Mapes, the father of the girls was an old airmail pilot. He hadtaught both girls to fly. The home-loving Prim had become a good pilotbut she was not as fond of the sport as her sister. Prim was a prettyblonde type, inclined to plumpness, easy-going and gay, while Terry wasserious, high strung and nervous, Terry loved to fly and now that herfather was crippled from an accident and still unable to leave his wheelchair, she was trusted with many important air jobs.

  To Terry it was not half so venturesome to cut up antics in the air asit would have been to race in a motor boat or automobile. She alwaysfelt perfectly safe and perfectly happy when she could put a thousandfeet of air between her plane and the earth.

  Prim, in spite of her protests, had perfect confidence in her twinsister's ability to handle her plane and whether she was stunting orflying straight. Prim could feel sure of a happy landing and enjoyherself.

  At last Terry had worked off her excitement. She leveled out her planeand throttled the engine down to a steady cruising speed. Terry'ssuccess as a flyer was due to the fact that the girl understood herplane thoroughly and treated it with respect. Apart from an occasionalburst of speed to work off her excess energy and a few stunts to keepher in practice, Terry kept her plane on a level keel and neverovertaxed it.

  Mile after mile sped by below them and Terry's mind was racing ahead tothe work she had to do, a mission which might be full of perils andthrilling hazards.

  Since the day when her father had started out with such high hopes ofsuccess in the venture of The Dick Mapes Flying Field, things had goneall wrong with him. He had obtained an option on a large tract of landat Elmwood from the owner, Peter Langley who lived at a small gold minein the wilds of Peru, and it was this field that had aroused the envy ofhis business rival, Joe Arnold.

  Most of Dick's misfortunes had come through the jealousy of thisunscrupulous flyer. Joe Arnold was anxious to get control of Dick Mapes'field, as it was situated near his own and was at a safe point forcarrying on his illegal business. If he could once get this field hewould be isolated and not run the risk of being seen when loading andunloading his planes.

  Joe Arnold was a dangerous rival. He would stop at nothing to carry outhis schemes. And for the last two years he had kept Dick Mapes and hishelpers in a state of anxiety. At first there had only been slightinconveniences, mishaps that were annoying, but through his agent, BudHyslop, who worked as mechanic for Mapes, Joe was able to learn all theplans of the field. He grew bolder and with Bud to carry out his orders,the field was the scene of frequent accidents.

  Suspicion pointed to Bud after the crash in which Dick Mapes wasinjured. Dick was a careful pilot and always checked up on his planebefore starting out on a trip. Yet as soon as he was in the air thatday, he found that someone had been tampering with his plane. It was toolate to save himself. The plane crashed from a height of five hundredfeet. It was a miracle that saved Dick from death.

  Allan Graham, his young partner, declared that he had seen Bud near theplane just before Dick took off. But no one could say for sure that BudHyslop was guilty, although most of the people on the field believed hewas. Dick was too tender-hearted to discharge the boy without a reasonand it was only after Bud had proven beyond doubt that he was workingagainst the field that Dick let him go.

  One thing after another had happened to discredit Dick and for a time itlooked as if he might have to give up the field entirely.

  And as a final blow word had come from Peter Langley saying that he didnot care to extend the option, after he had let it be understood that hewould do so. Dick felt as if the struggle was too much for him. OldPeter Langley had gone on to say that he had received reports that Dickwas using the field for smuggling purposes, and he did not care to bemixed up with business of that sort.

  Dick knew, without being told, who had been the slanderer. His enemy,Joe Arnold was still trying to injure him.

  Bennett Graham, his backer, came to the rescue once more and gave Dickthe money, but the time limit was almost up. There were only about tendays left. And with Peter Langley believing him to be a crook, there waslittle hope of taking up the option without a personal interview.

  Dick Mapes in his wheel chair, fretted and fumed at the problem facinghim. Allan Graham, the son of his backer, and Syd Ames had been hisfirst student-flyers and were now working at the field. They had beengone a week on a trip to Chicago. No one was left to take the long tripto Peru.

  Of course he had Terry and Prim! Dick could trust Terry anywhere with aplane, but it was a long flight to Peru and there might be storms anddangers. Dick grew restless and impatient under the misfortune that kepthim tied to his wheel chair.

  "If I were only well enough to fly!" he fumed.

  "But what's the idea, Dad! Don't you think I can _fly_ well enough?"Terry faced her father with flaming cheeks, her large brown eyes wereflashing. "Why not send me?"

  "Send you? To South America? Alone?"

  "Not alone! Prim can go."

  "But Terry, don't you realize that Peru is a long way off? You may haveto face grave dangers, storms, fevers, savages! And while Peter Langleyand his wife may be all right, you never can tell ahead of time whatrough characters you may meet there!"

  "What of it? I'm not afraid. You wouldn't think twice about sendingAllan and Syd," said the girl with a frown.

  Dick Mapes shook his head. "That's different," he said. "They are boys!"

  "Which means that you don't trust me. You think I'm not a
good flyer!"

  Dick laughed. "Terry, don't be silly! I'd trust you to fly anything youcould get off the ground. That isn't it. But I don't feel as if it wouldbe right for me to let you risk your life."

  Terry sat down beside her father's wheel chair and took his hand."Listen Dad, while I talk. Haven't I proven over and over again that I'ma capable flyer. I'm pretty good at getting out of a jam in the air."

  "I've said it often, Terry. I've never seen a better stunt flyer. You'reclever and you _think_ when you're in the air! And that's what half theflyers don't do. That's why they crash."

  "All right, so far, so good! We've been in lots of jams and got out ofthem by using our brains. Weren't Prim and I _The Gypsies Of The Air_,and didn't we go after the boys in Newfoundland and get them away fromthe kidnappers? Nothing terrible happened to us. Of course old Jim Heronkept us locked up and we had to think hard to find a way out of that oldfortress, but we escaped without any harm." Terry's eyes were snappingas she recalled their imprisonment in the old fort.

  "Oh, I know, Terry. You and Prim can look out for yourselves. But Idon't like to send you into a jam deliberately."

  "But Dad, you don't know that there _will_ be a jam, this time, and ifthere is, we can get out of it."

  Dick did not answer as Terry hesitated and gave him a chance. The girlwent on:

  "Now we're in one of the biggest jams we've ever had yet. We're almostsure to lose our flying field, though we have the money to take up theoption, because our enemy Joe Arnold has written mean letters to oldPeter Langley and set him against us. Now you can see for yourself, if Icould get down there before the option expires he would thinkdifferently."

  "I know he would, Terry. But it's too dangerous. No."

  "But it's the only way out. Allan and Syd are not here and may not befor a week. And we are apt to lose our flying field because you stillhave this one old-fashioned idea. You're up to date in every other way,Dad. What makes you think that girls can't look out for themselves?"

  "Terry, you should have been a lawyer. You're wasted in aviation," herfather said with a laugh. "You can make a fellow believe that black iswhite.--All right, if your mother consents, I will."

  "That's passing the buck! You've got to answer 'yes' or 'no.' You knowit will be a deadlock for mother always says, 'If you can get yourfather's consent, I suppose I'll have to agree!' and if that argumentkeeps up, the day for taking up the option will be long past and we'llhave to give up the field."

  Terry loved a struggle, her eyes were shining as she noted that she hadalmost reached success.

  Dick Mapes slapped her hand playfully. "All right. When do you start?"

  "At daybreak tomorrow," answered Terry in a business-like manner. "Theplane needs a few repairs, small ones, then we're all set to go!" Thegirl wasted no time. The next minute she was running to the hangar, anddrawing on an overall suit was getting ready to look over her plane.

  Her mother, Alice Mapes agreed without a struggle. "In fact I don't feelhalf as frightened as I did when you went north to find the boys. You'llhave a wonderful trip to the south. Your father and I trust youperfectly, we know you'll look over your plane at every stop and nevertake a chance with it."

  "There you see, Dad!" said Terry with a happy laugh. "When motheragrees, it's bound to be all right."

  Prim was already busy at their flying togs. There were a few repairs tomake and this was left to Prim, who liked to sew and cook and do otherdomestic jobs while Terry was a good mechanic and kept the plane runningwithout a hitch.

  "A born flyer!" said Dick Mapes and he followed his daughter's figure asshe tested her plane, listening intently to the hum of the motor, goingover every part, making adjustments here and there to bring her plane tothe highest pitch of efficiency. And when Terry was satisfied that_Skybird_ was in perfect running order, Dick Mapes could never find aflaw. Terry knew her job.

  Bennett Graham had all the necessary legal papers ready and a certifiedcheck to close the deal, so there would be no hitch at the last minute.These papers were carried in a small brown leather case and sewn intothe lining of Terry's flying coat.

  Prim loved stylish clothes and her white flying suit was smartly cut.Terry turned to admire her pretty blonde sister just before they wereready to hop off.

  "What's the idea of that necklace?" said Terry with a laugh. "Girlflyers don't wear necklaces with bright red jewels."

  "Don't they? Well, this one does! It just suits my fancy, Terry Mapes. Ithink it looks smart, it adds a bit of color to my white costume."

  "All right, Prim, just as you say. Now, is everything set? How aboutyour sweet tooth. Got plenty of cake chocolate?" teased Terry, for Primwas always nibbling at something sweet.

  "Sure, my pockets are full. Here put this little package of crackers inyour coat. We may get hungry as we fly along. And I've put up a biglunch in case we need it."

  At the last minute Prim adjusted the harness of the parachutes aboutTerry and herself not minding her sister's impatient shrugs of disdain.

  For some reason Terry was always impatient of parachutes. She felt likean amateur even though she knew that many of the big flyers never wentup without putting one on, as a safeguard in case of accident.

  Terry looked with satisfaction at Sally Wyn, the little waif they hadbrought with them from the far north. The girl was fluttering about thefield like a butterfly. She seemed to be in half a dozen differentplaces at the same time, running errands and making herself useful. WithSally there, her father and mother would not be so lonely. The littleorphan had found a place in the hearts of Dick and Alice, and they wouldnot hear of her leaving them to go to work. With her happy dispositionshe kept the household filled with laughter. Alice often wondered howshe had ever been happy without this fun-loving girl. And she had a wayof making Dick forget that he was a cripple. She amused him.

  As the girls said goodbye to her, Sally called out: "Next year TerryMapes, I'll race you to Peru!"

  It was a glorious morning, the sun was just rising as Terry sent herplane into the air and headed south. There were no last minute delays.

  Now it remained for Terry and Prim to reach Peru, find old Peter Langleyand convince him that he was mistaken and make him want to sell Dick theproperty. And in Terry's mind there was no doubt that she couldaccomplish it.

  Below them was a vast stretch of fertile country with streams, lakes andbroad green valleys. And high in the air, Terry's hand at the controlsfelt the spring of her little plane and was certain that _Skybird_ wasthrilling at the adventure.

  Terry held the plane down to a steady speed, hour after hour, onlychanging the monotony by diving to a lower level or rising to greaterheights. They were following along the general line of the airway. Theycould pick out the landing fields and see the position of the greatbeacons that would flash at night to guide the flyer to the hangars onthe ground.

  Terry and Prim had decided to stay all night at the Waverly Field, farto the south. That meant steady flying all day, only coming down torefuel at long jumps.

  They saw the lights of the Waverly Field a full half hour before theyexpected to be there. "Shall we go on?" asked Terry through theearphones. "We can easily reach the next landing field before dark."

  "No, let's stay here. You look tired and besides I like the looks ofthis pleasure beach," replied Prim.

  Terry put _Skybird_ into a steep spiral, leveled and circled the fieldand then put the plane neatly down on the ground.

  Little did the girls think as they were greeted by the manager of theflying field that this was where their troubles would begin. That beforethey reached Peter Langley's mine they were to face an enemy who wasdesperate with greed and hate. And that at times the girls would despairof escaping with their lives!