CHAPTER XXVIII.
ON NEUTRAL SOIL.
"Surely you are not afraid, Alexis?" exclaimed Chester.
"Afraid!" shouted Alexis. "Of course I am not afraid. But"--he eyed thelarge aeroplane dubiously--"but a man was not made to fly about in theair like a bird, particularly a man of my weight. Besides, I do not likegreat height. If I stand upon a precipice, I am immediately struck withthe notion that I must jump off. If I jumped from an aeroplane I mightupset it."
Both Hal and Chester laughed.
"I was that way myself once," said Chester, "so I know just how youfeel. Many a man, otherwise very brave, has that same horror of height.However, you will soon get used to it."
"Maybe so," said Alexis dubiously. "However, if one man can fly, why, socan I. I am willing to take a chance."
"Good!" exclaimed Hal. "Now to get started."
Leaving Lodz, the three had made their way north, keeping as close tothe German border as was safe, until they had reached Riga, on the Gulfof Riga, which extends in from the Baltic Sea. Here they had at firstthought of going part of the distance by boat, but, because of thelikelihood of the approach of German warships in the Baltic, had givenup this plan and decided upon an aeroplane.
"We came to Russia in an airship," Hal had said. "We might as well goback in one. Besides, it is quicker."
And so it was agreed.
Ten miles south of Riga, surrounded by Russian airmen, they climbed intothe craft which the Russian commander in the little city had providedfor them. The plane was large and roomy, having a seating capacity offive.
Hal took his place at the steering wheel and Chester climbed aboard.
Still eyeing the flying craft suspiciously, Alexis followed Chester,and, sitting down suddenly, took hold of the seat with both hands andhung on for dear life, although the craft was still upon the ground.Then he lowered his head and shut his eyes.
Hal gave the word, and willing hands started the machine along theground. Gradually it gained momentum until it was skimming over theground at a rapid gait. Then Hal threw over the elevating lever, and themachine shot into the air amid the cheers of the Russians below.
Alexis was conscious of a sinking sensation in the region of hisstomach, and he ducked his head even lower as the car rose higher in theair.
"Look up, Alexis!" shouted Chester, reaching over and laying a hand onthe Cossack's arm.
Now that the machine had reached a good height, Hal held it steady, andit darted ahead on a straightaway course. The plane shook with thevibrations of the engine, but otherwise there was scarcely a noticeablemotion.
Now that the machine was more steady, Alexis, in response to Chester'scommand, slowly opened his eyes and looked about. Seeing nothing, heclosed them again immediately, and again ducked his head. Once moreChester yelled at him to look about, and at last Alexis raised his headand glanced into the distance.
"This is a terrible place for a man to be," he muttered with a shudder."If man were meant to fly he would have been given wings. It is temptingthe wrath of the elements to be here."
As he looked about him, however, and became conscious of the steadinessof the craft, his composure returned, and soon he was making inquiriesregarding the construction of the craft, its speed and the height towhich it could ascend. He glanced over the side of the machine, and thenlooked quickly upward again. The one glance below had made him ill.
He smiled faintly. "I can't look down yet," he said ruefully. "I supposeI'll get used to it in time; but now I had better keep my eyes inside."
"How fast are we going, Hal?" asked Chester.
"Sixty-five miles an hour," was Hal's reply.
Alexis was astonished.
"Sixty-five miles!" he ejaculated. "Why, it seems as if we were standingstill."
"If we were close enough to the earth you would soon notice thedifference," said Chester.
For another hour they continued on their way without incident, and thenChester discovered the dim outline of a second aircraft trailing them ata distance. It was not gaining, but even when Hal put on more speed, ata word from Chester, he was unable to shake it off.
"Evidently a German," said Chester. "I suppose he wants to see where weare going."
For another hour the plane pursued them. Then Chester perceived thatthere were two instead of one, and that both were creeping up on them.
With a cry to Hal, Chester picked two rifles from the bottom of the car.
"We'll have to fight them off!" he cried.
Alexis stirred uneasily in his seat.
"I was afraid of it," he muttered. "Now, what will happen to me when Igo hurtling through space to the ground below?"
He shuddered.
Hal, in response to a command from Chester, slowed down suddenly. Takingcareful aim at one of the pursuers, Chester emptied the magazine of hisfirst rifle. There came from behind the sounds of screams, followed byan explosion.
"What was that?" cried Alexis in alarm.
"I got one of them!" replied Chester calmly. "The plane has gone toearth."
The second pursuing plane reduced its speed, but still clung on thetrail of its would-be prey.
"We'll have to dispose of it some way, Hal," shouted Chester. "Turnquickly and run toward it, and I'll see if I can't send it to theground."
He held his rifle ready as he spoke. Reducing the speed of the craft atrifle, Hal brought its head about in a wide circle; then dartedsuddenly toward the enemy.
But the latter was not caught unprepared, and a rifle bullet whistledclose to Alexis' ear.
The giant Cossack clapped a hand to his head and for the first timelooked toward the enemy. Then, reaching to the bottom of the machine, heraised up with a weapon, and, aiming at the hull of the enemy in thedistance, poured the entire contents of the magazine into it. At thesame moment a well-directed shot from Chester's rifle struck the pilot.He sprang to his feet, spun around crazily, and plunged from the car. Amoment later and the aeroplane blew up with a loud bang.
Alexis, who had seen the pilot go overboard, let out a cry of dismay. Hecould not help but think of the terrible fall to the ground.
"Good work, Alexis!" cried Chester. "I told you you would get used to itbefore long."
"I am not used to it," replied the giant, "but when a bullet whistlespast my ear I get mad. I just naturally have to fight back."
Nevertheless he made a brave effort to appear unconcerned, and he took alook over the side. At that moment Hal allowed the car to glide slowlynearer the earth. For a moment Alexis was unaware of this sinkingsensation; but suddenly treetops came into view, and the Cossack let outa cry of alarm:
"We're sinking!" he exclaimed.
Hal laughed.
"Just coming down to get a look about," he replied. "Now, if you willlook over at the earth a few moments, you will soon overcome youruneasiness."
Alexis, taking a long breath, did so; and he continued to peer over theside, even after Hal, touching the elevating lever, sent the plane highin the air again.
Darkness fell and still the 'plane sped on. Then, so suddenly that theyseemed to spring up from nowhere, the swiftly moving aeroplane wassurrounded on all sides--as it seemed to the voyagers--by a score ofhostile aircraft, while shots rang out from several sides.
Hal acted promptly, as had always been his wont. He allowed the 'planeto drop a good quarter of a mile with a sudden lurch, and then rightingit, darted forward again. For a moment they had shaken off the foe, butthe latter was not long in finding them. Searchlights flashed in thesky, seeking out the prey.
By a series of clever maneuvers, Hal succeeded in evading the hostilecraft during the long hours of the night, turning first this way andthen that, rising and falling. But with the first gray of dawn, itbecame plain to both boys that escape was practically impossible.Looking down Hal saw water below him, and at the same moment the hostileair fleet ten 'planes strong, swooped down on them.
Chester's rifle cracked, as did that of Alexis. Bullets flew about al
lthree occupants of the machine, and then the craft, struck in a vitalspot, staggered. The 'plane began to sink slowly. In vain did Hal try tocheck the descent. The machine, still heading slightly toward the north,glided toward the water below.
Suddenly Hal made out something below besides water. It was land. Thelad breathed easier, for it was plain, that at the rate at which thecraft was sinking, it could clear the water by a good quarter of a mile,beyond which the lad could see a sandy coast.
"It must be the coast of Sweden or Denmark," he said to himself, "inwhich event we are safe, for it is neutral ground."
The Germans, realizing that their foe was sinking, did not waste anothershot on it, but swarmed after. Now the craft was close to the water.Gently it skimmed over it, across a short stretch of sand, and thensettled slowly to the ground.
Hal and Chester glanced about. There was no one in sight on the sandybeach and the Germans were coming right after them.
"Even though this be Sweden," said Hal, "unless Swedish troops come toour aid, the Germans are likely to violate the neutrality of the countryand take us anyhow."
"Not without a fight," declared Alexis. "Let me get my feet on theground again, and I will show you such a fight as you never saw. On theground I can fight."
Now the 'plane was but a few scant yards from the earth. It groundedwith a shock.
Boy Allies with the Cossacks; Or, A Wild Dash over the Carpathians Page 28