  The three young fliers stood on the beach, waiting for the approaching boat in excited suspense. She was nearer now; there was no doubt that she was answering their signal. It was a large, flat steamboat with wide decks, which were packed with passengers who were peering at the lonely little island, and waving cheerily at the three survivors. It approached rapidly; when it was within calling distance of the island it stopped and let down a life-boat, which two men rowed to the shore. “Shall we all get aboard?” inquired Dot, turning to Linda. “I think I’d rather not,” replied Linda. “If they can supply us with some food, I think I’d better stay here. You see, I don’t like to leave the Ladybug alone.” “What do you suggest, Linda?” asked Chase, as if he, too, considered her the guide in this situation. “That you go to the mainland, Bert—or to the peninsula, whichever the boat happens to be headed for—and bring me back some gas.” “You mean leave you two girls here alone?” he asked. “It’ll mean all night—before I can get back.” “Yes. Why not? We’ll be safe, unless a shark comes to shore and bites us. But for goodness’ sake, don’t forget us!” “I’ll never forget you,” replied the young man solemnly. The life-boat had reached the island by this time, and two men jumped out and leaped to shore. “This is wonderful of you!” cried Dot. “We certainly are grateful.” “Glad to do it,” replied one of the men, a big, brawny sailor. “But do tell me what that thing is.” He pointed to the autogiro. “It looks like a plane, but I never seen a plane like that before.” “It’s an autogiro,” explained Chase. “And we ran out of gas—almost dropped down in the Gulf.... So, if you can take me to shore, I’d like to get some and bring it back here.” “Sure,” replied the man. “But what about the ladies?” “We’ve decided to stay here,” replied Dot. “At least, if you can supply us with some food to keep us till tomorrow morning. We’re nearly starved.” “Sure,” repeated the man, “anything you say!” Chase and the two sailors climbed into the rowboat and pushed off immediately. Inside of ten minutes they returned, bringing a box of food with them, and a tank of ice-water. “How much do we owe you?” inquired Linda, taking a bill from her pocket. “Nothin’!” answered the man. “The Captain says it’s a present, with his compliments.” “I think that’s awfully good of him,” said Dot, lifting the lid of the box and peering hungrily inside. “And it looks like real American food, too. Biscuits—and ham—and eggs!” “Mexican chickens lay the same kind of eggs that American chickens do,” observed Chase, dryly. “That’ll be enough out of you!” retorted Dot, trying to look scornful, but laughing in spite of herself. “Be sure to get something to eat for yourself, right away, Bert,” put in Linda. “We’ll take care of that,” the sailor assured her, as the men returned to the boat. “And come back soon!” added Dot. The rowboat went back to the steamer, and the girls remained on the beach watching it, all the while waving and smiling to their rescuers. At last the steamboat pulled off, and disappeared from view; then they returned to their fire and built it up again. “This is going to be a meal worth eating!” exclaimed Dot, as she unpacked biscuits and butter, ham, eggs, and coffee. “Even oranges and bananas!” she added, hardly able to wait until they should begin to eat. They sat about their fire talking until long after darkness came on, and the stars appeared in the sky. Both girls felt happy now—only anxious to be after their enemy again. “I’m so sorry for the delay,” remarked Linda. “More on Mr. Eckert’s account than my own. If I could only get his plane back, I shouldn’t worry so much about that forged check for five thousand dollars.” “It’s the idea of what that girl got away with that exasperates me,” said Dot. “Making all that money on your name. It’s maddening.” “But she’s sure to be caught sometime, by the police. And then she’ll have to pay up.” “Yes, but I want her caught soon—and by us, if possible.” “Well, tomorrow’s a new day,” said Linda hopefully. “And you never can tell what will happen. Now—let’s get some sleep.” So, wrapping up in their blankets, they lay down in the sand, far inland, lest the tide should rise, and slept until the sun awakened them. A delightfully cool breeze was blowing from the ocean, reminding the girls of pleasant days at the seashore. “Only it reminds me more of that island off the coast of Georgia,” returned Dot, when Linda made this observation. “It does look something like it. But oh, such different circumstances now. We’re not Robinson Crusoes here. We’ve got everything we want—food, and the Ladybug, and Bert Chase to rescue us.” “Speaking of Bert,” put in Dot, “let’s get a good swim before he gets back.” They acted upon the suggestion immediately, and enjoyed their dip immensely. What a thrill it gave them to bathe for the first time in the Gulf of California! Almost like going into the Pacific Ocean. But they did not venture out far, or stay long in the water. They wanted to be all ready for Chase when he returned, so that they could be on their pursuit again as quickly as possible. “I like your boy-friend, Linda,” said Dot, taking up the conversation where they had left it when they went in to bathe. “But it’s nice to have him out of the way for a while.” “I don’t see why you call him my boy-friend,” returned the other girl. “He’s just as much yours.” “He is not! Haven’t you noticed how he’s always watching you? As if he couldn’t take his eyes from you. Pure devotion, I’d call it.” Linda laughed and began to run a comb through her wet hair, arranging the ringlets in place. She had a lovely natural wave—a gift which saved her a great deal of time at hairdressers’. No matter where she was, or how she was dressed, she always looked pretty. “I think you’re exaggerating, Dot. He’s never said anything to make me think he especially likes me.” “All the more credit to him! But just the same, I’ll bet Ralph Clavering wouldn’t feel any too easy about him.” Suddenly Linda sighed. “What’s the matter?” demanded Dot. “That wasn’t a sigh of hunger!” “No, it wasn’t. The mention of Ralph made me feel just a little bit homesick. Not for him especially—but for the whole crowd, and for Aunt Emily and Daddy. We’ve only been gone about ten days, but it seems ages and ages!” “Because so much has happened.” “Yes, and because we have been in such strange places. And the days have been long too.” “What do you suppose everybody is doing by now?” inquired Dot. “Most of them are at college, I suppose. Sue Emery and Sara Wheeler are rooming together. And Jim and Ralph both must have gone back. I don’t know about Harriman Smith. The last letter I had from him, he said he wasn’t sure whether he’d have enough money.” “He’s a nice boy,” was Dot’s comment. “One of the best,” replied Linda, with unusual enthusiasm for her. “But Dot,” she continued, as they began to make their fire for breakfast, “don’t you regret not going to college?” “No, not a bit. I get lots more thrills batting about the country on adventures with you. If I were at college, and learned that you were suddenly off to California—or to the North Pole, I’d be absolutely sick with jealousy. I’d probably drop everything and go. And then, of course, college would drop me.” “You’re an old peach, Dot!” exclaimed Linda, giving her chum a hug. “But some day I ’spose I’ll have to lose you, as I did Lou. Jim’ll decide that he just won’t wait any longer, and you’ll be going up the aisle to the tune of Lohengrin!” Dot dimpled, but shook her head. “You needn’t worry about that, Linda,” she said. “But if the time ever comes, I’ll tell you what you can do: Get married yourself! And then you’ll have a chum who won’t ever desert you!” “I’m not so sure about that—these days.... Now, shall we have our breakfast?” “I’m all for it,” agreed Dot, sitting down to the pleasant meal they had just cooked. The boat bringing Chase with the gasoline did not arrive until eleven o’clock. It took some little time to get the tanks of gasoline into shore, for the men dared load only one at a time on the rowboat. And Chase had brought three. “Greetings!” he called to the girls, as the small boat approached. “You’re still alive? Nothing happened during the night?” Dot laughed merrily. “You sound like Linda’s aunt, Bert. She always expects the worst.” “Well, I didn’t really think there was anything much you girls couldn’t conquer. Only something like a big tide, that would sweep the whole island away.” He filled the empty tanks of the autogiro, and put the other two cans into the passenger’s cockpit. As soon as the rowboat pulled off, the young man turned excitedly to the girls. “I’ve got hot news!” he announced. “A yellow biplane was sighted yesterday, flying with all possible speed towards the Pacific Ocean. I got that from Los Angeles headquarters last night.” Linda’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “We’ll be right after them,” she said. “Oh, if we’re only not too late!” “It’s a peach of a day,” commented Dot. “If it is hot.” “Heat doesn’t bother me,” returned Linda, climbing into the cockpit, and setting the rotors in motion. “Get in—if you’re coming with me!” Linda gave her the gun, and the Ladybug left the beach a minute or so later, soaring triumphantly into the skies. “We’re going to fly high, now!” shouted Linda. “And we’re going to make speed!” The outlines of the island faded and disappeared from their sight; even the water was lost to their view. The Ladybug flew as if she were on a test flight, to prove her ability to take part in any kind of service. Mile after mile disappeared as Linda watched her instruments and her map closely, for now she could figure just about how far she had to go to reach the coast of the peninsula. All the while Dot scanned the air with the glasses, looking for a flash of yellow in the sky. “We are over an airport town now,” Linda announced about one o’clock. “Shall we come down for lunch?” “No! No!” returned her companions. “We’ll dig out something from the box, and eat as we go. On to the coast!” They continued onward for an hour or so, landing once to refuel from an extra tank of gas. Now Linda dipped lower, anxious to watch the landscape, for she knew that she must be very near to the Pacific Ocean. She identified the roofs of a village—a little seaport town, probably—and yes—there was the ocean beyond! “I’d go south for a while, Linda!” Chase advised. “The report was that the Sky Rocket was headed southwest.” So Linda banked and directed her course along the coast to the southward. Flying low, and watching the ground for an airport. From the air they were able to identify scattered seaside huts, and even fishing boats out on the ocean. But no town of any size, and no sign of an airport. “We ought to land and make inquiries,” Linda was thinking to herself, when Dot suddenly let out a piercing scream. Terrified, Linda looked all about her, thinking they must be rushing headlong into some awful peril. “I see the plane!” Dot cried, frantically. “Over there on the beach—to the left!” Linda peered out to the side her chum indicated, but she could distinguish nothing but a blurred outline of green. “The Sky Rocket!” screamed Dot. “Bank to the left!” Though she still failed to see it with her naked eye, Linda’s heart beat rapidly with the thrill of success, and she took the direction Dot indicated. She dipped lower, and banked to the left, approaching the spot slowly. And then, sure enough, she saw it for herself. The Sky Rocket! The beach was wide and the plane stood erect, as if all ready for a take-off. Suppose it sailed off this moment! Before Linda could get to it! The Sky Rocket was bigger, faster, newer than the Ladybug—wouldn’t it be sure to get away in a race? While these thoughts were running through her head, she kept her eyes glued upon the plane, approaching it cautiously. Nearer and nearer she came—but still the Sky Rocket did not move. What was Sprague’s game now? Would he wait for her to land, and shoot from under cover? Down—down the Ladybug came. To death? Or at least a struggle? Reaching instinctively for her revolver, Linda landed the autogiro on the beach, about a hundred yards from the enemy plane.... And—waited! |
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