CHAPTER IX.--THE FLIGHT OF THE "SEA EAGLE."
Having already given a brief description of Dr. Perkins' _Sea Eagle_, itwould be wearisome to dwell in detail on all that was done during thenext week to put that craft in shape for the final tests, upon which somuch depended. It may be said here, though, that besides a visit paid toMotthaven in an effort to secure the apprehension of the two Daniels, asearch was prosecuted for the missing dinghy. Neither mission provedsuccessful.
The Daniels, having discovered that Harry was on board the _Betsy Jane_after they cut that craft loose, had vanished from the little community.As for the dinghy, it was supposed that they had taken that small craftwith them. At any rate, it was impossible to get any news of theirwhereabouts on shore. This may be attributed to a distinct prejudicefelt by the fishing community against the dwellers on Brig Island. Yourdown-easter is inquisitive to a degree, and the secrecy under whichoperations on the island were carried on was felt as a distinct affrontto the little town. So therefore, although the local authoritiespromised every co-operation in seeking out the Daniels and punishingthem for their outrageous conduct, it may be doubted if the efforts wentmuch further than the mere assurance.
But after all, in the rush of interesting work that was now on hand, theDaniels were almost forgotten. The _Betsy Jane_ had been towed roundinto the nearer cove, where she could be constantly watched, and themotor boat was used in the operation, the officer of the derelictdestroyer having fulfilled his promise to furnish the boys with a newspark plug for the engine in place of the one taken by the marauders.
The morning after Harry's return to the island Dr. Perkins had laid downa systematic plan of action. Frank and Harry were assigned to aid him ingiving the finishing touches to the _Sea Eagle_, while his son and BillyBarnes were set to work with axes to clear a sort of runway down to thebeach. Both Billy and Pudge would much rather have had a hand in themechanical part of the work, but they pluckily went ahead on theirdesignated duty and stuck to it till a broad path had been cleared fromthe summit of the island to the margin of the beach.
When this "roadway" through the brush had been cleared, two lines ofplanking, firmly nailed to stout supports, were run down on each side ofit, forming a sort of railway, similar to those from which vessels arelaunched.
It was down this runway that it was designed to introduce the _SeaEagle_ to her initial plunge. At last the day arrived when all wascomplete, and the _Sea Eagle_ was pronounced fit for the test. Duringthe night before this event not one of the boys got more than half hisusual allowance of sleep. In fact, it is doubtful if Dr. Perkins enjoyedmuch more repose.
By earliest dawn they were out, to find every promise of a glorious day.Breakfast that morning was a hasty apology for a meal, and hardly had itbeen gulped down before all hands were in the _Sea Eagle's_ shed. As hasbeen said, the boat-like underbody of the craft had been mounted on awheeled frame before it was assembled. All that had to be done then toget everything in readiness for the final test was to make fast a blockand tackle to a stoutly rooted tree, and then wheel the _Sea Eagle_ tothe top of the inclined runway.
When the odd-looking craft was safely poised on the top of the rails theloose end of the tackle was made fast to the stern of the substructure,and Billy, Pudge and Harry were delegated to "belay" the rope asrequired. Frank and Dr. Perkins seated themselves in the "boat," and atthe words "Let her go!" the _Sea Eagle_ in her wheeled frame began herdescent down the runway. By means of the tackle the three boys at thesummit of the incline easily controlled the novel craft's descent,stopping from time to time while Dr. Perkins and Frank made a survey tosee that all was going well.
"Bunting and buttercakes!" grumbled Pudge, as the boys alternately "letgo" and "hauled in" on the tackle, "I thought a launching was more of agala event than this."
"I guess the doctor is too anxious to test out the _Sea Eagle_ to botherwith the trimmings," laughed Harry; "it's _results_ that he's after."
As a matter of fact, the launching of the _Sea Eagle_ was a very mildaffair compared with what might have been expected. Had the villagersashore known of it, doubtless a small fleet of boats would have beenlying off the cove to witness it, but it was for that very reason thatthe deepest secrecy had been observed, and that the early hour had beenchosen. As Dr. Perkins said, he "didn't want any fuss and feathers" madeover what was merely, after all, an experiment.
The rolling glide down the runway was made without incident, and at lastthe bow of the _Sea Eagle's_ "hull" struck the water. A cheer went upthen that, rang shrill and clear out over the calm sea. Even Dr. Perkinsjoined in the enthusiasm, as well he might, for the goal of his ambitionwas in sight at last.
The _Sea Eagle_ had been sent on her initial voyage without theaeroplane wings or the auxiliary lifting bags being attached. It wasdesired, first of all, to try out her qualities as a water skimmer. Assoon as she was fairly afloat, the wheeled carriage on which the descenthad been made was drawn ashore. Having been weighted before the startwas made, it of course sank under the _Sea Eagle_ when the sea and aircraft floated, thus allowing it to be reclaimed with ease.
"Looks like a butterfly with its wings clipped off," commented BillyBarnes as, with the others, he hastened to the beach as soon as theirtask was over.
Indeed, the odd-shaped hull, with its naked frame and two gaunt aerialpropellers, did look strangely incomplete. But the boys knew that thewings were all ready for instant attachment. In fact, it was one of thefeatures of the _Sea Eagle_ that the craft was capable of being taken topieces and put together again with very little loss of time or labor.
As the hydroplane portion of the _Sea Eagle_ floated clear of theweighted frame in which it had made its journey to the beach, Franklooked inquiringly at the inventor. His hand was on the self-startingdevice which put the powerful motor in operation. Dr. Perkins wasactually pale, and Frank could see that his strong hand shookperceptibly as he nodded his head.
But he mastered his nervousness quickly, and, grasping thesteering-wheel in a firm grip, he spoke:
"You can start up now," he said.
Frank turned the starting handle, admitting a charge of gas to thecylinders. Then he pressed a button and instantly the motor respondedwith a roar and a series of explosions, like those of a battery ofgatling guns going into action. Having started it he admitted gasolene,and adjusted the carburetor till the cylinders were all workingsteadily.
Close to Dr. Perkins' hand was a lever. This, when moved, "threw in" theclutch connecting the motor with the driving mechanism. Directly Frankhad finished tuning up the motor Dr. Perkins' hand reached for thelever. He jerked it nervously back. There was a whirr and a buzz, as thechains whirled the twin propellers round, and at the same instant the_Sea Eagle_ darted forward like an arrow from a bow.
Faster and faster she went, getting up speed with seemingly marvelousrapidity. But instead of driving deeper into the water, under thepressure of the aerial propellers which rushed her forward through theatmosphere, the faster the _Sea Eagle_ was driven the more lightly didthe craft skim the surface of the water, till at top speed--2,000revolutions a minute--her bottom barely touched the water. This was owingto the peculiar construction of the hull, which was designed so as to"plane" the water in exactly the manner it did.
Cheer after cheer broke from the lads on shore as they saw the swiftcraft dart off, slicing the tops of the small waves like a creamskimmer. Dr. Perkins circumnavigated the island three times before hegave the signal to Frank to slow down. Then, releasing the clutch, theinventor allowed the _Sea Eagle_ to come to rest, with its bow almosttouching the beach.
"Now we will have a weight test," he announced; "come on, boys."
The lads ashore surely needed no second invitation. Without bothering toremove shoes or stockings they waded into the water and out to the _SeaEagle's_ side. In less time than it takes to tell it they were swarmingover the side of the cockpit and struggling for positions near theengine. But Dr. Perkins made them arrange themselves so that their
weight would be evenly distributed. Ben Stubbs and Harry sat in theextreme stern, while Pudge and Billy occupied opposite seats amidships.
This done, off darted the _Sea Eagle_ once more, and speedily set atrest all doubts as to her capability to "plane," or skim the water,under an added load.
"It's like riding on a floating island over a sea of raspberry ice creamsoda," declared Billy, when he was asked later to describe hissensations.
But a severer test awaited the _Sea Eagle_, namely, the trying out ofher capacity actually to rise into the air. The craft was run partiallyashore, and the great wings bolted in place and the stay wires adjusted.The stay wires were tightened by turn buckles till they were taut asfiddle strings, assuring stability of the wings. But in addition thewings were, of course, partially supported on the light but strongskeleton framework before noticed.
Much to the disappointment of the others, only Frank and Harry Chesterand Dr. Perkins were to participate in the flying trials. But they tookit all in good part, being promised rides later if the tests weresuccessful. As before, the _Sea Eagle_, after she had been backed offand the propellers started, skimmed along the top of the water like aflying fish. But all at once the watchers on shore saw her rise bodilyfrom the water and soar upward into the air. Higher and higher went thecraft, gliding like a gull through the ether. It was an inspiring sight,and a perfect tornado of yells broke from Ben Stubbs, Billy and Pudge.But those on board the _Sea Eagle_ could not hear the sounds ofenthusiasm above the roaring of the motor.
Under Dr. Perkins' skillful guidance the _Sea Eagle_ climbed the aerialstaircase till a height shown by the barograph to be almost 4,000 feethad been attained.
"Now to test the buoyancy apparatus," cried the doctor suddenly. "Shutoff power, Frank."
Frank, who knew what was coming, obeyed the order and turned a valveadmitting the pure hydrogen gas from one of the cylinders into thebuoyancy devices. Instantly the upper wings swelled, till they resembledpuffed-out mattresses more than anything else, and the "volplaning"downward movement was perceptibly checked. But, setting the descendingdevice, Dr. Perkins headed the _Sea Eagle_ for the water, and,skillfully manipulating the craft, landed it as lightly as a driftingfeather on the water by the hull of the _Betsy Jane_.
Now came a further trial of the capabilities of the wonderful new craftwhich, so far, had proven such a success. Dr. Perkins set the planes ina rising position and allowed the _Sea Eagle_ to hover above the _BetsyJane_, like the bird for which the aerial craft had been named. Thensuddenly he began a rapid descent, landing finally on the very summit ofthe inclined runway before mentioned. The sides of the _Sea Eagle_ wereequipped with large metal hooks, which were hastily thrown out by theboys and attached to four "eyes" arranged to receive them.
When this had been done the suction pump was set to work, and theinflated wings emptied of the gas, which was forced back into itsreceiver, and the valve closed. It was calculated that less than two percent of the gas was lost during the process. The _Sea Eagle_ was nowonce more a simple hydroplane, without any buoyancy device.
At a word from Dr. Perkins the hooks which had held the machine in placewere disengaged, and instantly the craft began to glide down the runway.Half way down the engine was started, and when the graceful craftreached the abrupt end of the incline, the _Sea Eagle_ went soaring offinto space like a huge white-winged bird. This test was regarded by Dr.Perkins as the most important, for it proved the entire practicabilityof launching the _Sea Eagle_ from a ship far out on the ocean.
After circling in the air a few times the tests were concluded by arapid drop toward the earth right above the summit of the island. Justas it seemed as if the new craft must end her career by being dashed tobits against the construction shed, a skillful twist of the steeringdevice sent her soaring upward once more. Two more swinging aerial loopswere described, and then, with hardly a jar or vibration, the _SeaEagle_ was brought to rest by her inventor, almost in front of the shedwhere she had been assembled.
As the thrilling and wonderful trip was concluded, the boys camepressing about Dr. Perkins, showering congratulations and good wishes.
"Why, one could fly across the ocean in such a craft," declared Frankenthusiastically.
The others laughed, but, to their astonishment, Dr. Perkins lookedperfectly serious.
"I have a long trip in view," he said, "a flight that will test everywire and bolt in the _Sea_ _Eagle's_ construction. I did not announcethis before for I wished first to see if everything workedsatisfactorily."
"No doubt about that," said Billy Barnes with enthusiasm. He had beendodging about the great flying machine, taking photos from everypossible angle.
"No," admitted Dr. Perkins; "I must say that so far the _Sea Eagle_ isall that I could desire. But the final test will put that beyond theshadow of a doubt. Do you boys wish to undertake a long trip?"
"Cookies and cucumbers! Do we!" roared Pudge, as the others pressedeagerly about to hear the unveiling of the doctor's plan.
Boy Aviators' Flight for a Fortune Page 9