On Adventure Island

by Bess Moyer

  CHAPTER VII

  Crashed!

  The girl flyers watched with thumping hearts as the plane, diving withwide open throttle, headed straight toward the plateau.

  Prim gripped her sister's arm. She felt giddy and faint. A cry escapedher.

  Terry turned to her with a frown. "Snap out of it, Prim! This is no timeto get hysterical. That plane may be piloted by a friend of Joe Arnold.If it is, we'll need to do some quick thinking. Don't lose courage now!"

  Prim was gazing toward the plane. "It looks to me as if there were twomen. And someone is waving! Do you think it's a rescue plane?" criedPrim.

  Terry did not answer. Every nerve was tense as she watched the planebanking and circling for a landing. She dared not tell Prim that shebelieved it was Allan and Syd. It would be too great a disappointment,if she were mistaken.

  Then suddenly Prim screamed with delight. "Look Terry, look! It's Sydand Allan! We're saved! We're saved!"

  Rosa stood beside the girls until she realized that they did not needfurther help, then as the plane circled low for a landing, she scurriedinto the hut, calling on the women and children to follow. In a momentthe place was deserted. Terry smiled at the idea of Rosa findingprotection in those flimsy huts of twigs and leaves.

  A few minutes later Allan set down his plane before the native huts.Before the boys could step from the plane, the girls were beside them,shaking their hands and almost crying with relief.

  "We thought you were lost in the storm, Allan!" cried Terry.

  "And we had almost given you up for lost!" answered Allan, his voicehusky.

  "How did you find us?" Prim asked excitedly. Her cheeks were flushed,all her fear was gone.

  "We recognized _Skybird_ and followed her," replied Allan, lookingaround anxiously. "Joe flew her to Honduras and then back here."

  "Don't I know it!" exclaimed Terry. "What a good thing it was that Ididn't have a chance to stop him. I was angry enough to smash the planerather than have him use it for smuggling."

  "Let's be going!" said Syd. "We can tell you how we found you when we'reout of danger. Are you sure these blacks are friendly?"

  "I'll say they are. They're wonderful people!"

  Terry burst out. "They've kept us out of Joe's clutches. He and Bud weretrying to put us on an uninhabited island. And Pedro, the Big Chief, hidus away and fooled him. The natives saved our lives!"

  "Some day," said Prim with a laugh, "I'm going to send a whole barrel ofpresents down for them, beads and candy and brightly colored calico.They'd love it!"

  "But when do we go and how?" asked Syd. "I won't feel safe until we getaway from this island. Do you think there is any chance of getting_Skybird_? Joe won't give that plane up without a fight."

  "He isn't going to put up a fight for that plane," answered Terry. "Whenwe heard you coming, we were just on our way to get her."

  "Joe is down there!" cried Prim triumphantly, pointing at the opening tothe cave, near which a huge black was sitting, fingering a knifemenacingly. "And as you see, he's under a strong guard! He and Bud areboth prisoners down there."

  "Prisoners! Where?" asked Syd.

  "It's the most wonderful prison in the world! It's a crystal cave! Theroof is of sparkling emeralds, rubies and sapphires. It's beautiful!"Terry explained with sparkling eyes.

  "Yes, you ought to see it, boys!" interrupted Prim.

  "We'll save that for the next trip. Much as I'd like to see a crystalcave, I think my pleasure would be all spoiled if I had to share theview with Joe Arnold," answered Allan.

  At that moment Pedro came running up the trail. He had seen anotherplane arriving and feared that Joe and Bud might be rescued by somefriends. His white teeth showed in a broad smile when he saw the girlshappy.

  "My plane? Is it ready?" asked Terry.

  "All ready!" replied the black.

  Pedro started to lead them back to the harbor, but Rosa stood in hisway, frowning and talking in a high pitched voice. The chief explainedto the young people that the tribe wished to give the flyers a farewellfeast.

  "Guess we'll have to wait long enough to eat something," said Terryunder her breath to Allan.

  "But we really ought to be going when luck is with us. You can't tellwhat may happen!"

  "It's impossible, boys. It's the only way we have to repay these peoplefor their kindness to us," Terry begged.

  "That's a brand new idea, repaying people by eating some more of theirfood. I don't know as I'd want that kind of pay for a debt."

  "You would if you were in the place of these people. It's the greatesthonor we can show them."

  After assuring Allan and Syd that Joe Arnold and Bud Hyslop were wellguarded in the cave, Terry led the way to the fibre mats before the hutswhere the meal was about to be served.

  "How did they guess that we hadn't had a thing to eat today?" asked Syd."We were too busy watching _Skybird_. We didn't dare leave the field forfear Joe Arnold would take off and we'd lose him."

  "I'm glad you're hungry," said Terry in a whisper to the boys. "I wish_I_ were, then I might be able to eat their fish. And unless you eat alot, Rosa is offended." As the bowl was brought in, strange spicy odorsfilled the air. They had several courses. The feast began with fish,continued with fish and ended with fish.

  Terry bravely faced the ordeal, trying to smile and enthuse over eachdish as it was brought. But it was hard work. However, the boys made upfor her lack of appetite. They declared that they had never tastedanything so good and when they accepted a second helping, Rosa's facewas beaming with happiness.

  Allan was thoughtful for a time, then his face brightened. He had beenracking his brains to think of some gift to present to Pedro. At last hehad it. From his pocket he took a wrist watch. Allan usually carried anextra watch.

  Terry saw the idea and smiled. "He'll love it, Allan! But make a lot offuss when you present it," she whispered. "They like that even betterthan the gift."

  The four friends rose and bowed low before Pedro. Then Allan steppedforward and fastened the watch on the wrist of the black.

  Pedro did not know what to say. He tried to speak but his few words ofEnglish were forgotten in his excitement. Like a king, he strode amonghis people with extended hand to show them the honor that had been givenhim. Rosa beamed her pleasure. It was a great day on the island.

  Allan and Syd were restless. "I think we'd better go!" said Allansuddenly. "I won't be happy until I get you girls a thousand miles awayfrom Joe Arnold and Bud Hyslop."

  "O.K.," replied Terry. "Come Prim," she said, and her sister followed asTerry went among the natives and bade them goodbye.

  Allan and Syd started their plane and flew above the forest toward thebeach, while the girls hurried through the jungle by a short cut thatPedro took and Rosa followed as fast as she could.

  The boys were putting their plane down on the smooth water beside_Skybird_ when the girls arrived. Pedro leaped into the launch andbeckoned the girls to follow.

  Suddenly they heard wild, piercing cries coming from the direction ofthe jungle, savage cries that sounded more like the night call of somejungle beast.

  "Hurry!" exclaimed Pedro, looking back. "It's Joe. He escape!"

  Joe and Bud were racing madly toward the beach. In a moment the reasonfor their panic was seen. Behind the two men came a stream of howlingblacks.

  "Will Joe hurt you, after we are gone?" asked Terry anxiously.

  "Me no afraid!" Pedro answered. "My people, they fight him!"

  Bud made for a boat, but one of the natives came up and shoved him asideviolently. Joe was struggling with a horde of blacks, and all he coulddo was to shout furiously to Terry. But _Skybird_ was free from hermoorings and the girl started the engine ready for the take-off. Shecould not hear what Joe was saying, but it was abusive and threatening.

  Sending a spurt of water before her, _Skybird_ taxied in a wide sweep tohead into the wind. Pedro stood up in his boat and waved a bi
g blackhand. There were shouts of farewell from the shore, mingled with threatsfrom Bud and Joe.

  As the plane soared over the island, Prim said through the earphones,"You may call those people savages if you want to, but I'll count themamong my very best friends. What's more, I'm coming back some day to seethem."

  Allan took the lead, straight westward. The deep blue water spreadbeneath them to the horizon. There was hardly a ripple on themirror-like surface of the sea. The sky was clear and like birds the twoplanes soared alone in the great blue dome.

  Only occasionally Terry looked back in the direction of the island to besure that Joe Arnold was not in pursuit. She had confidence in Pedro.

  It was still early in the day. Terry and Allan had consulted their mapsand decided to head for Tela on the Gulf of Honduras. If possible theywanted to get over to the Pacific side by night. There they would feelsafe.

  Flying in a northwesterly course, they left the high rocky coast ofHonduras that lay exposed to the Caribbean storms, and made a landing atTela. But they did not stay long, a heavy mist had come in from the sea.Within an hour they had made a check-up on their aircraft, refueled andwere taking off for Salvador on the Pacific where fair weather wasreported.

  A low-lying cloud made Terry nose her plane up to a height of tenthousand feet. There was a brilliant sky and sunlight overhead. Below itlooked as if they were still flying over the ocean. The broad sheet offog spread beneath them like a blanket. But when they neared the Pacificlate that afternoon, the mist began to thin and they could see the ranchhouses with their cultivated fields. Leaving the cloud behind, they flewover Salvador. From that height they could see far north to the toweringGuatemalan plateau, with here and there a cone-shaped volcanic peak.Plumes of blue smoke shot from the craters.

  Prim gave an exclamation of astonishment, then was still. Both girlsfelt the overpowering majesty of the outlook over that vast panorama.Soon they saw the red and green roofs of Salvador City and a loftyGothic spire. Terry circled over the town and came down on the flyingfield.

  Here they intended to spend the night and have their planes thoroughlyoverhauled for the trip down the Pacific. The air was clear and dry,perfect flying weather.

  But Terry was restless. While she enjoyed seeing the foreign city, shewas fearful that Joe Arnold might still be pursuing them. Now he had astill greater reason for finding them. In the plane Terry had discovereda large legal envelope with several important looking papers marked"Confidential." Looking at them hurriedly, Terry gasped. Among them wasthe will of Colonel Roger Fairfax, a document that disposed of millionsof dollars worth of property.

  At the hotel when she showed them to the boys they agreed that they wereextremely valuable. Yet they saw that the possession of these paperswould add to the peril of the girls. Joe Arnold would not rest easyuntil he had caught up with _Skybird_ and recovered the documents whichhe had stolen, no doubt, and expected to sell for a huge sum.

  Terry did not sleep well. She wanted morning to come so that she couldbe on her way, and long before daybreak she was up and ready to go.After a hasty breakfast, the four flyers took off and were under way bythe time the sun was rising.

  It was a long day. The flight down the Nicaraguan coast was jumpy, forthe cool air from the high mountains poured down to meet the warm airfrom the plains. They passed near to some of the volcanoes and once theycould see into the crater with its boiling lava and clouds of steam andsmoke.

  "We've been lucky!" said Prim through the earphones. "From now on it'sclear sailing!"

  "Touch wood, Prim! We're not there yet," answered Terry.

  But Prim had not touched wood quick enough. A few hours later when theystepped from their plane on the field in Panama, they noticed at oncethat there was trouble. Men were running about excitedly, looking intothe sky and the ambulance was being started ready for an emergency. Inthe sky a plane was out of control and diving wildly.

  "Oh Prim!" cried Terry. "It's Allan! He's falling!"

  The plane above had gone into a tailspin and the girls knew that Allanwas not the kind to show off his skill or attempt a stunt over a strangeflying field.

  Prim clung to her sister with cries of fright but Terry's face was grim.Her lips moved with a prayer, but no words came.

  Allan's plane was falling! Nothing could save it now. It was too nearthe ground to be righted and landed safely.

  But the next minute the plane straightened out. By some miracle of luckAllan had it under control again, but it was too late. The plane landedon one wheel and with a bound it turned clear over. Even before ittouched the ground, the ambulance was speeding across the field.

  Prim ran screaming toward the plane but Terry stood as if turned tostone.

  Allan and Syd had crashed! Their bodies must be crushed and bleedingunder that crumpled wreck. Allan and Syd were dead! Terry saw no hope.

  But strong hands had dragged Syd from the rear cockpit. He was dazedfrom the shock of landing but Terry saw that he was alive.

  Frantically she ran toward the plane. Where was Allan?

  Allan, strangely white, was taken from the wreck and placed in theambulance. His limp form was covered with blood. Next minute theclanging ambulance was racing the injured boy to the hospital. Syd wasgiven first aid on the field and was able to ride with the girls to thehospital in the automobile of the field manager. The boy was shaken up,bruised and sick from the shock, but he had no serious injuries. Thegirls watched him anxiously as he trembled and twitched, but the doctorat the hospital assured them that it was entirely nerves and after anight's rest he would be himself again.

  But with Allan it was far more dangerous. Behind the closed doors of theoperating room, strange white-clad figures were working over Allan.Terry caught glimpses of hurrying nurses, but dared not speak to any ofthem. A moment's delay in carrying out an order might be a risk toAllan's life.

  Suddenly Syd seemed to come out of his stupor. He tried to get up,looked wildly around and cried: "Where's Allan? Tell me, is Allan dead?"

  "No, Syd, lie down and keep quiet. Allan is alive! He has a fightingchance. That's all we know now."

  An hour went by and dragged slowly into two hours before they broughtAllan from that operating room. His long body was motionless under thesheet. Terry had slipped into the corridor and was watching. She heldher breath with dread. Would they bring that still form toward a room,or was it all over? Was Allan dead? Would they take him away?

  No one had time to answer her questions if she could have spoken. Buther heart leaped with hope as she saw them turning into the room next toSyd. Allan was alive!

  Then came the thought, as it had come when her father was injured:"Would this happy, care-free boy be left a cripple?" She thought of herfather, spending his best years in a wheel chair and her eyes filledwith tears. It was agony to think of that alert and active Allan doomedto the same fate. If only someone could relieve this terrible suspense!

  CHAPTER VIII

  Jump

  Terry turned to the doctor who had just come in. She tried to speak, butwords would not come.

  The doctor approached with a smile of sympathy. "I guess this fellow wasborn under a lucky star," he said. "He's pretty well shaken up, butthere is nothing serious that we can find. A few broken bones! The shockof a fall like that is always bad. He'll be flying again in a fewmonths!"

  Terry did not wait to ask questions. She flew to Syd and Prim to tellthem the good news.

  Allan was alive! He would fly again!

  Terry set out for South America two days later with a heart full ofgratitude that Allan was not seriously hurt. The morning after theaccident he was able to talk to her and while he looked worried to thinkof the girls flying alone into the dangers of a strange country, he didnot try to keep them from going on.

  Terry was getting nervous. The day set for taking up the option wasalmost there. The work she set out to do must be done quickly.

  From his bed i
n the hospital Allan watched the plane soaring away fromthe field. It remained a tiny speck in the sky for a long time in thatclear air.

  "I feel as if we should have stayed to look after Allan," said Primthrough the earphones. "Do you think Syd can do everything that'sneeded?"

  "Allan is in a good hospital," replied Terry. "He's well cared for andthere's nothing we can do right now. We'll get this job through asquickly as we can and get back."

  Following the airway down the coast, Terry had no difficulty in reachingthe town of Trujillo in the northern part of Peru, at which point shewas to turn inland to Majora, a settlement of adobe houses and stores,the center of supply for a number of mines in the mountains.

  Over an early breakfast at Trujillo, their spirits rose once more. Thetrip inland was not far and they should reach the foothills in an hour.

  "South America is different from what I expected," remarked Terry, asshe drank her breakfast coffee. "I thought that most of this country wasjungles and tropical vegetation. Did you see that strip of brown sand,along the coast? It's like a desert."

  "Which shows you didn't study your geography very well or you'd haveremembered that all along the coast, especially from here down, there'sa strip of desert, and in places it never has been known to rain,"replied Prim. "I always remember that, for it was one place I never hadany desire to go. But here I am!"

  "We'll just give it a good look and fly high! I don't like desertcountry either. But we'll soon get to the foothills."

  "Let's hurry, Terry! I'm anxious to get to the mine. I wonder what PeterLangley and his wife will be like? I hope they won't turn out to befriends of Joe Arnold." Prim picked up her belongings and hastenedtoward the door of the restaurant.

  A few moments brought them to the flying field, where their plane hadbeen refueled and stood ready for the take-off. There was no wind andTerry taxied across the field to get plenty of speed for the rise. Asusual Prim had insisted on the parachutes. The harness always annoyedTerry, but she did not make any objection. Anything that would make Primfeel satisfied was worth doing.

  The rising ground beneath them told that they were getting into thefoothills. They saw the jagged peaks far ahead. Terry was glad that shewould not have to cross the Andes on this trip. She had had enoughexcitement for a while; that could wait for another flight.

  Seeing a small settlement ahead, Terry recognized it by the descriptiongiven her of Majora. She flew straight toward the town, circled and camedown on a wide, smooth field. Although it was not intended as a flyingfield, Terry had seen worse places to alight, and brought _Skybird_ to aneat three-point landing.

  But here the girls met disappointment. Ed Jenkins, an Americanstorekeeper in the settlement, told them that it would be impossible toland a plane in the mountains near Peter Langley's mine.

  "There isn't a square foot of level space anywhere in these hills. Thatpair of fools who went up there in a plane this morning will meet suddendeath. They're bound to!" exclaimed Jenkins.

  "Two men went up there in a plane this morning!" cried Terry excitedly."Who were they?"

  "I can't say, Miss," replied Jenkins. "One had red hair and the other'seyes were funny! A queer looking pair of crooks!" Ed Jenkins wasfumbling in his pocket. "Here's a message. I guess it must be for you.The man with the squint said to give it to two girls in a plane. Ireckon that's you!"

  Terry ripped open the envelope and read these words scrawled on a scrapof paper: "He laughs best who laughs last!"

  "Come on. Prim, let's go!" Terry's face flushed, then set indetermination. "That's a challenge! If Joe Arnold thinks I'm through,he's mistaken!"

  But Ed Jenkins was pointing to the mountain, where a few stone huts werevisible. "That's Peter Langley's mine up there! You can see for yourselfthere's no place to land among those peaks!"

  But Terry had already started the engine. The propeller was spinning.And with a wave of her hand to the storekeeper, she sent her planeacross the field and into the air. Circling for altitude, she pointedstraight toward Peter Langley's mine.

  "I believe that man is right," said Prim a few minutes later, as thehills became more rugged and menacing with their sharp peaks.

  Terry flew slowly over the hills, watching for a spot to put her planedown. If Joe Arnold and Bud Hyslop could find a place, surely she could.She brought her plane as low as she dared above the mountains but therewas no sign of level ground, and soon she saw little figures runningabout and waving at her excitedly.

  "They're warning us not to try a landing," Prim called to her sister."i'm afraid it's no use."

  "Then I'll have to use the parachute! Come over here and take thecontrols. I'll have to jump," cried Terry.

  "Don't, Terry. It's a terrible chance to take!" pleaded Prim.

  "Nonsense! I've made lots of parachute jumps!" Terry snappedimpatiently. "Don't waste time! We have less than ten minutes to getthere. Peter Langley can't close a deal with Joe Arnold until twelveo'clock. Our contract holds until then."

  Prim's face was white as she climbed into the pilot's seat, protestingnervously. "Don't jump, Terry! Don't take such a big chance!"

  But Terry was studying the ground below her and she answered, "I'll jumpwhen we are directly over the mine. You take the plane down to Jenkins'store and wait for me there. I'll be down after a while. Bye!"

  Then at sight of Prim's tragic face, she laughed and began crawling outon the wing. Terry watched the ground beneath her, then with a catch inher breath, stepped out into space.

  No matter how many times Terry jumped, she never could get used to thatlong drop. Her mind was clear, every sense alert to what she had to do.

  In a few seconds she pulled the rip cord but there was no response fromthe parachute.

  Had something gone wrong? Terry was falling with terrific speed towardthose jagged rocks. "This is the end," she thought. But suddenly shecame up with a tremendous jerk as the parachute opened above her headand she began sailing gently downward. Working with the shrouds, thegirl steered the parachute toward a safe landing.

  At the sight of a figure hurtling through the air, Mary Langley hadscreamed, "Oh Peter, Peter! A man has fallen from the plane! Help!Help!"

  Horror-struck, Peter Langley watched the falling figure, then gave alusty cheer as the white parachute opened, the little figure in the skywas righted and came sailing down gracefully.

  "I was hoping she'd break her neck!" muttered Joe to Bud Hyslop. "Justas I was getting the did man interested, she had to spoil everything!But I'm not through! He's got to take my word against hers!"

  "Sure!" answered Bud. "Terry Mapes is no good at a business deal. She'llnot convince Peter Langley!"

  While Bud and Joe looked on sullenly, Terry landed on the mountain atsome distance from the astonished old couple, who hurried along thetrail to reach her.

  "He's a brave man whoever he is," said Mary Langley. "Jumping from thesky like that! It scares me to think of it!"

  "I wonder why he's coming here?" asked Peter Langley.

  Terry was just picking herself up and rubbing a bruise on her arm, asthe old couple scrambled up the rocky ledge.

  "Bless me, if it isn't a girl, and a pretty one! Did you _have_ to jumpout of that plane?"

  "Yes," replied Terry with a laugh. "I _had_ to jump! I had to get herebefore twelve o'clock and that was the only way I could do it. I'm TerryMapes and I've come to take up the option on the flying field."

  Peter Langley stared at the girl in astonishment. "You did that? Youbrave, brave girl!"

  Mary Langley was brushing Terry off and helping her to get out of herparachute harness. "Come along to the house," she said. "I'll make you acup of good strong coffee to brace you up, though goodness knows itwould take more than that to bring me to, if I'd jumped from a plane!What are girls coming to! When I was young I'd never have dreamed thatgirls could do a thing like that!"

  "Times are different!" agreed Peter with a shake of his tousled whitehead. "And you made it without an accident, which is more than
my othertwo visitors did."

  "Were they hurt?" asked Terry.

  "Not much! They landed their plane somewhere down the slope and brokethe propeller. Joe Arnold has a sprained ankle and a bruised shoulder,"replied Peter. "He isn't feeling very good."

  Terry looked at the old man anxiously. "You haven't signed any papers,have you, Mr. Langley?" She looked at her watch. "It's just one minutebefore twelve. I still have time to take up that option. Here's yourcheck!"

  Peter shouted with laughter. "What a girl!" he exclaimed. "No, I haven'tsigned any of his papers!"

  "And what's more you _won't_ sign any of them!" Mary Langley cried. "Idon't like the looks of those two men!"

  "No more do I!" agreed Peter.

  As they reached the ledge of rock where their cabin stood, Peter wasconfronted by Bud Hyslop. "Don't have anything to do with that girl!" hestormed. "She's been in more crooked deals than you can count. You'll bemaking a great mistake."

  Peter gave a quiet laugh that was more provoking than if he had stormedat the men and accused them of fraud. He turned to Terry. "Come rightin, Miss Terry," he said with a deep old-fashioned bow, "I'll just signthat paper and close the deal!"

  Joe Arnold bit his lips in rage. His face was deathly white. Terry hadnever seen the man so angry before. Joe had staked everything on thistrip to get the flying field, and he had lost. Even his plane was awreck and he was miles from a railroad.

  Joe Arnold's brain was working hard on a new plot. How could he get_Skybird_? And how could he get those stolen papers back? Perhaps theywere still in the plane, maybe the girls had overlooked them! But thatwas not likely. Terry and Prim were too clever to miss a chance likethat!

  Joe studied the sky. Far down in the valley he could see the plane, withPrim at the controls, just making the landing by the store. Terry notedthe look of hatred and villainous hope and her eyes followed his.

  Suddenly she understood. Already Joe was talking to Bud. They werepreparing to leave.

  "Stop them, somehow!" said Terry to Peter Langley. "He's going to try toreach Majora and get our plane. My sister Prim is down there! Don't letthem go!"

  Peter stood in the path in front of Joe Arnold. "You have a few thingsto clear up before you leave, Mr. Arnold," said the old man. "I'll notlet you go until you explain some of the stories you've told me aboutDick Mapes and his family."

  "Get back!" shouted Joe Arnold furiously. "Out of my way!" His voicecracked in rage. Suddenly his fist shot out. Bud landed a second blowand Peter Langley reeled and staggered back, shouting for help.

  There was a sound of running feet and the next moment a gang of minersrushed at the two men and tied their hands. After their struggles hadquieted the pair were thrown into a corner and ordered to behave or takethe consequences.

  Terry looked anxiously toward the valley where she could see a smallfigure on horseback. It looked like Prim coming to her rescue.

  "What shall we do with these crooks?" asked Peter Langley.

  "Lock them up until Prim and I have time to get away," Terry begged.

  At Langley's command, the miners dragged the two rascals to a stoneshed. The heavy door had a strong lock.

  "There they'll stay until I'm sure you girls are safely home," saidLangley. "I've a notion to have them jailed!"

  When Prim arrived in camp she was greeted as if she belonged to thefamily. She and Mary Langley were soon like old friends. They had manyinterests in common. And while Prim was being shown over the house,Terry and Peter Langley were exchanging stories of their adventures.

  "Wait till I show you this!" said Peter going to a shelf in the corner."Here's a map I made on one of my trips. I went through the Land of theIncas with a native guide. We were looking for a lost temple. It is saidthat there's a sacred emerald in the altar. Now the temple is lost, noone knows where it is. If I were young and had an airplane, I'd go andfind that temple. Besides there's treasure there."

  "I'd like to find it myself," said Terry eagerly.

  "Why don't you? It's a wonderful country down there. You'd see newsights and have new adventures and maybe you'd find the treasure."

  Terry's eyes were dreamy as she studied the map. "Would you be game togo with me?" asked the girl. "This map is like a challenge. I'm going todo it!"

  "Going to do what?" asked Prim.

  "First I'm going to Panama and after that we'll go on a treasure hunt inthe Land of the Incas."

  Mrs. Langley laughed. "Peter has been showing her his map! I do believehe'd start out himself to find that treasure, if I'd let him."

  "Maybe I will," replied Peter. "Terry says she'll take me along. AndI'll trust myself to her any time. After seeing her jump from a plane Iknow she'll get what she goes for, so I've given her my map."

  Terry rose to go. "We've got to get started! I wish I had more time tolook around, but some day I'm coming back."

  Mrs. Langley threw both arms around the girl. "Promise me that you will.And next time don't be in such a hurry to arrive. Come up the mountainon horseback. I was scared to death, almost, when I saw you falling."

  Peter saddled his own horse for Terry with instructions to leave it withEd Jenkins, who would see that it got back. The girls waved at the oldcouple as long as they could see them and when they reached the store inMajora, Prim ran to the plane and got the binoculars. Looking back tothe mine she saw the two old figures still standing on the rocky ledgeand waving their hands.

  As they took off. Prim suggested that Terry fly once more over themountain, but Terry shook her head.

  "Not this time, Prim. We must get back to Panama. But if Allan is allright and doesn't need us, I would like to take that trip to Peru on atreasure hunt," replied Terry.

  From Trujillo, where they stopped for fuel, she sent a cable to herfather and also one to Allan and Syd, who would be anxiously awaitingword.

  Then as they headed up the Pacific it seemed to Terry that _Skybird_knew that she was facing homeward, the engine hummed and the countryunrolled beneath them, like a great moving picture.

  They found Allan recovering rapidly, although it would be many weeksbefore he could be moved. Terry and Prim were making their plans for thetrip to Peru.

  But Allan seemed troubled, and after much questioning Terry learned thecause of his worry. Some one was needed to follow up on that businessdeal. Dick could not attend to it all from his wheelchair and the othermen about the field were not dependable.

  "So you want me to go back?" asked Terry. "Is that it?"

  "No, I don't _want_ you to go back! I _want_ you here!" replied the boy.

  Terry was quiet for a long time, she was thinking hard. Again she stoodwhere duty called. She had to choose between her own pleasure and herduty to those she loved. There was a fierce struggle in the girl's soul.Why did she always have to give up her own desires?

  Suddenly she rose and held out her hand to Allan. "I'm starting home inthe morning," she said simply.

  Allan looked troubled. "But Terry, your trip to the Land of the Incas!Your hunt for treasure!"

  "Oh, that's nothing. That can wait!" she said with a laugh.

  Even Allan did not realize how great had been that inward fight. Terrywanted to get away from all the problems of the flying field, theconflict and jealousy of Joe Arnold and Bud Hyslop. She wanted a monthof freedom, just flying around and enjoying herself without any thoughtof duty or business details. She wanted to fly for her own pleasure.

  The next morning she was on her way north. She circled her plane high upinto the clear air. Ten thousand feet above the earth she could forgetthe problems of life. She could dream undisturbed for Prim always knewwhen to keep quiet.

  But little did Terry dream that in the Land of the Incas, the GirlFlyers would endure many hardships, face grave dangers and many timeswould escape with their lives only by a hair's breadth.

  THE END

 
h friends