Skyrider

by B. M. Bower

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  LUCK TURNS TRAITOR

  Johnny Jewel, carrying the propeller balanced on his shoulder and hisrifle in the other hand--and perspiring freely with the task--camehurrying through the sage brush, following the faint trail his own eagerfeet had worn in the sand. His eyes were turned frowning upon the ground,his lips were set together in the line of stubbornness.

  He tilted the propeller against the adobe wall of the cabin, and went inwithout noticing that the door was open instead of closed as he had leftit. He was at the telephone when Sudden stepped in after him. Johnnylooked over his shoulder with wide, startled eyes.

  "Oh. I was just going to call up the ranch," he said with the brusquenessof a man whose mind is concentrated on one thing.

  "What you want of the ranch?" Sudden's tone was noncommittal. Here wasthe fellow that had caused all this trouble and worry and loss. Suddenmeant to deal with him as he deserved, but that did not mean he would flyinto a passion and handicap his judgment.

  "I want the boys, if you can get hold of them. I've located the ranchwhere they've been taking those horses to that they stole. There's somethere now--or there was. I went down and let down the fence of the littlefield they had 'em in, and headed 'em for the gap. There wasn't anybodyaround but two women--an old one and a young one--and some kids. Theyspluttered a lot, but I went ahead anyway. There's about a dozen RollingR horses I turned loose. The brands were blotched, but I knew 'em anyway.

  "So I got 'em outa the field, and then we went back to the plane andcircled around and come up on 'em from the south, and flew low enough toscare 'em good, but not enough to scatter 'em like that bunch up at theranch scattered. They high-tailed it this way, and I guess they'll keepcoming, all right, if they aren't turned back again. The boys can pick'em up.

  "If the boys could come down I think they could get a whack at therustlers themselves. I got a sight of 'em, with a little bunch of horses,as I was coming back. Far as I could see, they didn't notice theplane--we were high, and soon as I saw 'em I had Bland shut off the motorand glide. They must have camped just across the line till they got abunch together, or something. They were taking their time, and if theboys could get down here right away, I believe we could get 'em. If not,I'll go back and stampede the horses this way, and see if I can't get mea greaser or two. We had to come back and fill up the tank again, anyway.I didn't want to get caught the way those other fellows did. Is Bill atthe ranch, Mr. Selmer?"

  It speaks well for Sudden Selmer that he could listen to this amazingstatement without looking dazed. As it was, his first bewildered staresubsided into mere astonishment. Later other emotions crept in. By thetime Johnny had finished his headlong report, Sudden had recovered hismental poise and was able to speak coherently.

  "Been hunting horses with a flying machine, eh? I must say you're rightup to date, young man. No, Bill isn't at the ranch. If you'd keep youreyes open here at home, same as you do when you're flying around next theclouds, you'd see the chuck wagon down there by the creek. I moved 'emdown here to save what horses are left. The boys are out now hunting upMary V. She had to go larruping off by herself on Bill's horse Jake, andshe hasn't come back yet. I guess she's all right; but the boys wentafter her so as not to take any chances. I'm kinda hoping the kid wenthome. I don't like to scare her mother, though, by calling up to see."

  Johnny's eyes had widened and grown round, just as they always did whensomething stirred him unexpectedly. "I could call up, Mr. Selmer, and askif I can speak to Mary V. That wouldn't scare her mother."

  "Sure, you can find out; only don't you say anything about the wagonsbeing camped here. If she asks, say you haven't seen us yet. She'll thinkwe made camp somewhere else. Go ahead."

  It did not take long, and when Johnny turned to Selmer he had the whiteline around his mouth. "She says Mary V went out with you and the boys,to a round-up somewhere down this way."

  "Well, maybe she just rode farther than she intended. But she was onJake; she deviled us into letting her take him. Bill thinks Jake isn'tvery safe. I don't think he is, either. You say the rustlers were awaydown across the line, driving a bunch of horses, so there's no danger--"

  "I didn't say all of them were down that way. I don't know how many thereare. They were just little dots crawling along--but I guessed there wereabout four riders." Johnny started for the door, picking up his riflefrom the table where he had placed it. "I wish I'd got after 'em as Iwanted to, but Bland kept hollering about gas--" He balanced thepropeller on his shoulder again, and turned to Sudden.

  "Don't you worry, Mr. Selmer, we'll get right out after her. Which waydid she go? There's times when an airplane comes in kinda handy, afterall!"

  "You young hound, there wouldn't be all this hell a-poppin' if it wasn'tfor you and your bederned airplane! Don't overlook that fact. You'vemanaged to hold up all my plans, and lose me Lord-knows-how-many horsesthat are probably the pick of the herds; and you've got the gall to crowbecause your flying machine will fly! And if that girl of mine's in anytrouble, it'll be your fault more than anybody's. If you'd stuck to yourjob and done what I've been paying you wages to do--"

  "You don't have to rub all that in, Mr. Selmer. I guess I know it betterthan you do. Just because I don't come crying around you with a lot ofplease-forgive-me stuff, you think I don't give a cuss! Which way didMary V go? That's more important right now than naming over all the kindsof damn fools I've been. I can sing that song backwards. Which way--"

  "She went east. Damn yuh, don't yuh stand there talking back to me, orI'll--"

  "Oh, go to--war," said Johnny sullenly, and hitched the propeller to abetter balance on his shoulder, and went striding back whence he hadcome.

  He had not meant to crow. He knew perfectly well what harm he hadwrought. He was doing what he could to undo that harm, and he was at thathigh pitch of self-torment when the lash of another was unbearable. Hedid not want to quarrel with the boss, but no human being could havereproached Johnny then without receiving some of the bitterness whichfilled Johnny's soul.

  He routed Bland out of nap and commanded him to make ready for anotherflight. Bland protested, with his usual whine against extra work, and gota look from Johnny that sent him hurrying around the plane to make hisregular before-flying inspection.

  Fifteen minutes after Johnny's arrival the plane was quivering outside onthe flying field, and Bland was pulling down his goggles while Johnnykicked a small rock away from a wheel and climbed up to straddle into therear seat, carrying his rifle with him--to the manifest discomfort ofBland, who was "gun-shy."

  "Fly a kinda zigzag course east till I tell yuh to swing south," Johnnycalled, close to Bland's ear. "Miss Selmer's off that way somewhere. Ifyou see her, don't fly low enough to scare her horse--keep away a littleand hunt a landing. I'll tell yuh when to land, same as before."

  He settled back, and Bland nodded, glanced right and left, eased themotor on and started. They took the air and climbed steadily, circlinguntil they had the altitude Johnny wanted. Then, swinging away towardSnake Ridge, they worked eastward. Johnny did not use the controls atall. He wanted all his mind for scanning the country spread out belowthem.

  Ridges, arroyos, brushy flats--Johnny's eyes went over them all. Almostbefore they had completed the first circle he spied a rider, thentwo--and over to the right a couple more, scattered out and ridingeastward. Johnny wished that he could have speech with the boys, couldtell them what he meant to do. But he knew too well how the horses wouldfeel about the plane, so he kept on, skimming high over their heads likea great, humming dragon fly. He saw them crane necks to watch him, sawthe horses plunge and try to bolt. Then they were far behind, and hiseyes were searching anxiously the landscape below.

  Mary V, it occurred to him suddenly, might be lying hurt. Jake might havethrown her--though on second thought that was not likely, for Mary Vwas too good a rider to be thrown unless a horse pitched ratherviciously. Jake would run away, would rear and plunge and sidle when feargripped him or h
is temper was up, but Johnny had never heard of hispitching. Jake was not a range-bred horse, and if there was a buck-jumpin his system, it had never betrayed itself. After all, Mary V's chanceof lying hurt was minimized by the very fact that she rode Jake.

  Red hill came sliding rapidly toward them. Now it was beneath, and theplane had risen sharply to the air current that flowed steadily over thehill. It swooped down again--they were over the flat where he had seenthe riders. The line of fence showed like knotted thread drawn across theland. And within it was no Mary V.

  Johnny tapped Bland's shoulder for a circle to the north, hoping thatshe might be riding back that way. He strained his eyes, and saw tinydots of horses feeding quietly, but no rider moving anywhere. He sentBland swinging southward, while he leaned a little and watched theswift-sliding panorama of arid land beneath. It was a rough country, asTex had said. To look for one little moving speck in all that veinednetwork of little ridges and draws was enough to tax quicker, keener eyesthan Johnny Jewel's.

  But Johnny would not think of failure. Somewhere he would see her; hewould circle and seek until he did find her--if she were there.

  Twice they sailed round, keeping within the boundaries of the east andsouth fences. Then, flying as low as was safe, Johnny turned south, alongthe course which he believed the horse thieves to have followed. It didnot seem possible--rather, he did not want to think it possible--thatthey should have met Mary V. But Mexico is always Mexico, and sinisterthings do happen along its border. The boys were coming on horseback, andthey would scatter and comb the draws which Johnny had looked down intoas he passed over. He would leave that closer search to the boys, whilehe himself went farther--as far as Jake could travel in half a day.

  They reached the south fence, left it dwindling behind them. Minutesbrought them over the invisible line which divides lawful country fromlawless. They went on, until Johnny spied again the group of stolenhorses being herded loosely in a shallow arroyo where there was a littlesparse grass. The men he did not at first see, save the one on herd.Then he thought he could detect them sprawled in the shade of a fewstunted trees.

  Apparently they felt safe, close though they were to the line. Indeed,they were safe enough--from horsemen riding down from the Rolling R. Sofar they had thieved at their leisure and with impunity. The element ofrisk had been discounted until they no longer considered it at all,except when they were actually within the Rolling R Boundaries. Now, inthe heat of the day, they slept as was their habit. Even the herder wasprobably dozing in the saddle and leaving watchfulness to his cow-pony.Certainly he did not give any sign that he saw the airplane as it glidedsilently over so that they could come back from the south.

  "What I want, Bland, is to scare these horses back toward home," Johnnysaid. "We'll come at 'em first from the south, and if they don't runstraight, we'll have to circle round till they do. But I want to comewithin shooting distance of them hombres under the trees. See? So fly aslow as yuh dare, when we come back."

  Bland threw on the motor, circled and came volplaning back. He did notcomplain; he left that for times when he was not flying. Johnny bracedhimself, rifle ready. He was sorry then that he was not an expert shot;but he hoped that luck would be with him and make up for what he lackedin skill.

  The horses stampeded, carrying the herder with them. They ran north, in apanic that would keep them going for some time. As they raced clatteringpast the camp, Johnny saw four men rise up hastily, their faces turned upto the sky. He leaned, took what aim was possible, and fired four shotsas the plane swept over.

  He did not hit any one, so far as he could see, but he saw them duck andrun close to the tree trunks, which gave him some satisfaction. Moreover,they were afoot. Not a single horse remained within sight or hearing ofthat camp.

  Johnny did not go back for another try at them, though he was tempted toland and fight it out with them. There was Mary V to think of, and therewere the horses. They went on, shying off from the fleeing animals lestthey drive them back instead of forward. Bland spiraled upward, waitingto see what Johnny wanted next. Whatever it might be, Bland would doit--with two guns and a headstrong young man just behind him.

  The thrum of the motor stuttered a little on the last upward turn. Blandstraightened out the plane, fussed with the spark and the gas, bankedcautiously around and headed for home. Like a heart that skips a beat nowand then, an odd little pause, scarcely to be distinguished except whenthe ear has become accustomed to the rhythm of perfect firing, manifesteditself. Bland turned his head sidewise, listening. The pause became moremarked. The steady, forward thrust slackened a little. Johnny was awarethat the monotonous waste below did not slip behind them quite so fast;not quite.

  Bland was nursing the motor along, Johnny could tell by his slightmovements. It seemed to him that a tenseness had crept into the set ofBland's head. Johnny braced himself for something--just what, he did notknow. His knowledge of motors was superficial. Something was wrong withthe ignition, he guessed, but he had no idea what it could be.

  A sick feeling of thwarted purpose came over him. He knew it was notfear. He felt as though he could not possibly be afraid in an airplane,however much reason he might have for fear. He felt betrayed, as thoughthis wonderful piece of mechanism, for which he had paid so dear a priceand which he worshiped in proportion, had suddenly turned traitor. It wasfailing him, just when his need of it was so vital. Just when he had somuch to retrieve, just when he had counted on its help in re-establishinghis self-respect.

  Bland turned his head, and gave Johnny a fleeting glance from the cornerof one eye. Bland's face was a sallow white.

  Johnny laid down his rifle and carefully placed feet and hands on thecontrols. Bland might get scared and lose his head, and if he did, Johnnydid not want to be altogether at his mercy. Anyway, Bland did not knowthe country.

  "How far will she glide?" Johnny shouted above the sputtering cough ofthe motor. But Bland only shook his head slowly from right to left andback again. Bland's ears were a waxy white now, and the line of his jawhad sharpened. Johnny believed that Bland would fail him too.

  They were gliding down an invisible incline, and it was a long way toSinkhole. Johnny began to think feverishly of certain sandy patches, bareof brush and rocks, and to estimate distances. Now they crossed the linefence and were over the rough country below Red Hill and the plane waslifting and falling to the uneven currents like a boat riding the waves.Gliding parallel with a dry tributary of Sinkhole Creek, the planeside-slipped and came perilously close to disaster. Bland righted it,but Johnny held his breath at the way the ground had jumped up at them.

  Ahead, and a little to one side, three riders went creeping up a slope.They seemed to be heading toward Sinkhole Camp, and Johnny signaled Blandto keep off, and so avoid scaring the horses. But the slight detour costthem precious feet of altitude while the nearest sandy stretch was yetfar off.

  The earth was rising with incredible swiftness to meet them. The nearestlanding Johnny could think of was farther over, across Sinkhole Creek. Hedid not believe they could make it, but he headed for it desperately, andfelt Bland yielding to his control.

  Rocks, brush, furrowed ditches; rocks, brush. Ahead, they could see theirregular patch of yellow that was sand. But the brush seemed fairly toleap at them, the rocks grew malignantly larger while they looked, theditches deepened ominously. Over these the frail thing of cloth andlittle strips of wood and wire and the delicate, dumb motor, skimmedlike a weary-winged bird. Bland flattened it out, coaxed it to keep theair. Lower, lower--a high bush was flicked by a wheel in passing. On alittle farther, and yet a little.

  She landed just at the edge of the goal. The loose sand dragged at thewheels, flipped the plane on its nose so suddenly that Johnny never didknow just how it happened. Bland had feared that sand, and bracedhimself. But Johnny did not know. His head had snapped forward againstthe rim of the cowl--a terrible blow that sent him sagging inertlyagainst the strap that held him. Bland got out, took one look at Johnny,and sank
down weakly upon the sand.