CHAPTER XXI.
THE LAST LITTLE HOT AIR BALLOON.
"Did you ever see a wilder region?" asked Frank, about the middle of themorning, when they had alighted on a broad, level plateau, so as toallow him to look over some little matters connected with the engine,that he believed needed attention.
Andy had been using the binoculars pretty much all the time they werealoft, but without any success. Many times be began to think he hadsighted something that looked like cliffs rising up, and a wild hope hadseized upon his devoted heart; but upon Frank bringing the airship inthat quarter, in answer to his frantic appeals, it had proven to be afalse clue.
Cliffs they saw in plenty, but as yet none enclosing a valley so as toimprison an unfortunate aeronaut, whose runaway balloon had dropped withhim into its depths.
Still, the day was not nearly half over. And the monoplane behavedsplendidly; so that they could hope to continue the search as long astheir supply of gasolene held out.
"I'll never give up hunting," Andy declared, as he stood there, watchinghis chum potter with the engine and examine things in general. "No, notas long as this fine little machine stands by us. We can get moregasoline if necessary, for we brought a good supply aboard theboat. When we've gone as far as we dare down this way we'll make anotherstart further on."
"I'm with you, Chum Andy, and you don't need to be told that," observedFrank, quietly, while he worked on.
"As if I didn't know that and counted on you through thick and thin,"declared the other, with a look of sincere affection.
"Well, now we're ready to go up again," remarked Frank; "and there's nouse asking if you feel like it. So pile in and we'll make a flying startfrom the top of this rocky plateau."
"What a difference from our last start," observed Andy, withsatisfaction, for they were on an elevation with a valley far below, andthe air was decidedly bracing for the tropics.
"I should say it was," laughed Frank. "Do you know what it puts me inmind of?"
"I bet you're just thinking of when we won that race to the summit ofOld Thunder Top, where nobody had ever been able to climb before, andhow we had to make our start for home from that little plateau, plungingoff into space."
"Just what I was," declared Frank. "But here we have a longer swing andit's going to be a snap of a launch compared with some we remember."
"Ugh!" grunted Andy, "will I ever forget the one this morning. But letloose, my boy. I had just sighted a likely looking place away overyonder, at the time you said we ought to take advantage of this finelanding stage, to look things over. Just head her that way when we getgoing, will you?"
"Sure; anything to oblige," assented the other.
The launch was just as easy as they had anticipated. Indeed, Frankseemed to have gotten this part of the programme down to a fine pointand could accomplish it apparently as well as a Wright or a Curtiss.
Ten minutes later and the monoplane was soaring toward the region whichAndy had denominated as a "likely spot."
"Look at that big bird watching us from that pinnacle yonder!" exclaimedAndy, as he lowered the glasses for a moment.
"I see him," replied his comrade. "And there's no doubt now but whatthat is a condor of the Andes. He thinks we must be some sort of bird,which we are, of course, and is wondering whether he ought to flap hiswings and go up higher or hide behind that church steeple of rock."
"I only hope he don't take a measly notion to fight us, that's all,"remarked the other, as he glanced anxiously toward where the Marlin wassecured to the framework of the airship.
"No danger of that," Frank continued. "A condor is like our vulture orbuzzard, a scavenger; and he lacks the bravery of the bald-headed eaglethat attacked us when we came near his nest on the tip of Old ThunderTop. Look there, he's off, Andy, and at a good lively clip,too. Good-bye, old chap, and good luck!"
Andy had lost all interest in the great bird of the western Andes. Hewas focusing his attention upon the place that he had marked as a likelyspot.
"Frank," he said, presently, in a husky voice, "could you drop a littlelower and slow down some?"
"That's easy," replied his chum, readily enough. "What has struck younow, Andy?"
"It looks more and more promising to me," came the slow reply, as Andykept the glasses up to his eyes.
"Then you can glimpse something like cliffs?" asked Frank.
"Yes, and there's no doubt about that part. I'm waiting now to see ifthe wide valley is wholly enclosed!"
"And if it is, you think--"
"It must be the place! Oh, Frank! What if we are near the spot? Would hestill be alive, or has he given up the fight? That condor perched up onthe pinnacle--was he only waiting for the time to come when he could flydown? Perhaps--oh! what is that moving yonder? Look, Frank, Frank,something is coming up above the top of the mountain! Can you see it? Ifyou could only take the glasses and tell me, for my hands are shaking soI can't hold them!"
"Brace up, Andy. I can see what you mean without the glasses. There, nowit has risen above the line of rocks--something that bobs to and frolike no bird ever flew--something that floats, now this way and nowthat, just as the wind blows. Andy, upon my word I believe it is, itmust be--"
"Oh, say it for me, please, because I just can't find words!" cried theother.
It was a wonder that in their tremendous excitement something disastrousdid not happen to the aeroplane, but Frank had wisely cut off some ofthe power, so that they were just making fair headway at the time.
"It is a little parachute balloon, just like the one that carried thatmessage into the cocoa grove of Carlos Mendoza!" ejaculated Frank.
"Then it means that we have found the valley prison!" gasped Andy.
"Sure, that's a fact. The cliffs yonder are on one side of it!" Frankcried.
"And Frank, don't you see, the fact that another of those littlemessengers of hope has just come up out of the valley _shows that he isalive_!"
"You just bet he is, Andy; and we're going to be with him in threeshakes of a lamb's tail!" declared the other.
Andy could not utter another word; he was too full of emotion. So hejust sat there and stared and waited, his heart doubtless thumpingagainst his ribs as it had never done before.
Of course, when Frank gave utterance to that boast he did not reallymean it, and only had the encouragement of his chum in view. He knewthat it was apt to prove a difficult task, landing in that enclosedvalley, where the vegetation must be of a tropical order.
First of all they must circle around over the wide expanse to take inits features and discover the prisoner. Then Frank could lay his plansaccordingly.
Gradually they began to see more and more of those marvelouscliffs. They seemed to stretch in an unbroken cordon completely aroundthe valley. If they were as near like adamant as they looked it wouldtake a man years to cut steps to the lofty top, even though he weregiven proper tools for the work.
And presently they cleared the near side, so that the monoplane floateddirectly above the valley itself.
"Careful now, Andy!" warned the cautious Frank. "Hold yourself tightwhile we circle around, dropping lower all the time. Suppose you shout,though I should think he'd have heard the noise of our exhaust beforenow!"
He had hardly uttered these last words when there came a cry from below.
"Look, look, Frank, there he is! Oh, what a blessed sight that is! Myfather, and alive after all! See how he runs and waves his hands! Whatwill he say when he knows that it's his boy in this airship come to savehim?"
"Call out and tell him!" said Frank, hardly able to control his ownfeelings, though he knew he must or they might meet with an accident inthis supreme moment of victory.
So Andy did shout, calling upon his father wildly and waving his cap tohim. The prisoner of the enclosed valley seemed dazed at first. Perhapshe had been deceived so many times by his dreams of being saved that hefeared this might prove only another delusion. They could see him standthere and put his hand to his head as he
stared. It was so verywonderful, this coming of a modern aeroplane to snatch him from hisliving grave. And then that voice, how like the one he had neverexpected to hear again!
But by degrees, as the little Bleriot monoplane sank lower, and theforms could be more plainly seen, he began to grasp the truth. Again heshowed the most intense excitement, waving his arms and running to keepup with them.
"Wait," said Frank, presently, as he saw that Andy was so excited hecould not carry on an intelligent conversation. "I'm going to speak withhim and find out if there's any clear spot where we can land."
"Uncle Philip!" he shouted presently, when Andy had subsided. "This isFrank, your nephew, and Andy, your own son. Is there any clear placewhere we can land?"
The aeronaut understood, because all this was right in line with theprofession which he had been following at the time of his vanishing frommortal sight.
He indicated the quarter where a landing might be risked and uponinvestigating by hovering over the same, Frank decided that it promisedsuccess.
So the aeroplane dropped down and touched ground. It bumped along for alittle distance and then Andy, leaping out, managed to bring itsprogress to a halt. They were in the enchanted valley, from whence thosewonderful messages had floated, one of which, by a strange freak offate, had eventually reached the boy thousands of miles away, for whoseeyes it had been intended!
And immediately Andy was clasped in the arms of his father. He knew himdespite the long gray beard, which had grown during his many months ofconfinement, with hope daily choked by despair. His clothing was almostin tatters, and he seemed thin and peaked; but the look upon his drawnface now was of supreme happiness.
Then, after they had in some measure recovered from all this intenseexcitement, the boys sat down to tell what a miracle had been wrought,bringing the message to the home in far away Bloomsbury. With an armstill encircling the form of his boy Professor Bird listened and askedmany eager questions.
"And to think," he said, finally, "that little messenger you saw goingup just now was constructed of the very last fragment of the old balloonsilk. I made a fire with flint and steel, filled it with hot air andsent it up with prayers, believing that it was my forlorn chance. Andthen I heard the exhaust of your motor. I feared my mind was giving wayunder the terrible strain. When I looked up and saw an aeroplane sailinto view I fell down on my face, believing I had gone mad. But it was ablessed reality, thank God!"
Plans were soon under discussion looking to leaving the valley as soonas possible. About this time Andy happened to think of something andbegan to fumble at his pocket.
"Oh, how I hoped and prayed when I bought that, father, that I mighthave the happiness of seeing you smoke some of it," he said, as he drewout a little packet of tobacco, on which the late prisoner pounced withall the delight of an inveterate user of the weed, who had long beendeprived of a pleasure.
"I have been using dried leaves of a wild grape and some other things,"he admitted; "but after all they were only vile substitutes. It wasthoughtful of you, my boy, to remember my weakness."
And Andy snuggled up close to him as he commenced to puff at his pipe,using a match for the first time in many moons and smiling whimsicallywhen he struck the same, as memory played queer pranks within.
Meanwhile Frank wandered around to survey the scene of the professor'simprisonment and figure how they were ever going to get out with theaeroplane.
Aeroplane Boys on the Wing Page 21