  Produced by Roger Frank. On Adventure Island By Bess Moyer The Girl Flyer Series THE GOLDSMITH PUBLISHING COMPANY Copyright, 1932 Made in U. S. A. TABLE OF CONTENTS
ON ADVENTURE ISLAND CHAPTER I Hazardous Flight Flying a mile high above the rolling hills of the countryside, Terry Mapes suddenly put Skybird, her little blue-and-gold monoplane, into a series of loops. She was feeling good, her brown eyes were keenly alive and her slight boyish figure sat erect as she handled the controls of her plane. And being a young and lively girl, she wanted to turn somersaults in the sky to express her joy. Her twin sister, strapped in the rear cockpit, spoke to her through the earphones, “Quit your circus stunts, Terry, and keep going! We’ve got a long trip ahead of us.” “You guessed it, Prim. That’s why I’m feeling so full of pep!” answered Terry and her voice died away as she put Skybird into another loop among the clouds. The next minute her plane was on an even keel and Prim repeated: “Terry, will you stop clowning? Save that pep! You’ll need it before we get to South America.” “Don’t I know it! I’ll be good and tired before I reach Peru, but right now I feel like a million dollars. I wouldn’t change places with the President of the United States or the Prince of Wales,” said Terry with a laugh. “I’m perfectly satisfied to be Terry Mapes, airplane pilot on a secret errand to the wilds of South America.” “And I,” interrupted Prim, settling back for a comfortable trip, “would rather be just Prim, the twin sister of the cleverest girl flyer who ever did a barrel roll.—But I wish she’d cut out the stunts for the present!” Dick Mapes, the father of the girls was an old airmail pilot. He had taught both girls to fly. The home-loving Prim had become a good pilot but she was not as fond of the sport as her sister. Prim was a pretty blonde type, inclined to plumpness, easy-going and gay, while Terry was serious, high strung and nervous, Terry loved to fly and now that her father was crippled from an accident and still unable to leave his wheel chair, she was trusted with many important air jobs. To Terry it was not half so venturesome to cut up antics in the air as it would have been to race in a motor boat or automobile. She always felt perfectly safe and perfectly happy when she could put a thousand feet of air between her plane and the earth. Prim, in spite of her protests, had perfect confidence in her twin sister’s ability to handle her plane and whether she was stunting or flying straight. Prim could feel sure of a happy landing and enjoy herself. At last Terry had worked off her excitement. She leveled out her plane and throttled the engine down to a steady cruising speed. Terry’s success as a flyer was due to the fact that the girl understood her plane thoroughly and treated it with respect. Apart from an occasional burst of speed to work off her excess energy and a few stunts to keep her in practice, Terry kept her plane on a level keel and never overtaxed it. Mile after mile sped by below them and Terry’s mind was racing ahead to the work she had to do, a mission which might be full of perils and thrilling hazards. Since the day when her father had started out with such high hopes of success in the venture of The Dick Mapes Flying Field, things had gone all wrong with him. He had obtained an option on a large tract of land at Elmwood from the owner, Peter Langley who lived at a small gold mine in the wilds of Peru, and it was this field that had aroused the envy of his business rival, Joe Arnold. Most of Dick’s misfortunes had come through the jealousy of this unscrupulous flyer. Joe Arnold was anxious to get control of Dick Mapes’ field, as it was situated near his own and was at a safe point for carrying on his illegal business. If he could once get this field he would be isolated and not run the risk of being seen when loading and unloading his planes. Joe Arnold was a dangerous rival. He would stop at nothing to carry out his schemes. And for the last two years he had kept Dick Mapes and his helpers in a state of anxiety. At first there had only been slight inconveniences, mishaps that were annoying, but through his agent, Bud Hyslop, who worked as mechanic for Mapes, Joe was able to learn all the plans of the field. He grew bolder and with Bud to carry out his orders, the field was the scene of frequent accidents. Suspicion pointed to Bud after the crash in which Dick Mapes was injured. Dick was a careful pilot and always checked up on his plane before starting out on a trip. Yet as soon as he was in the air that day, he found that someone had been tampering with his plane. It was too late to save himself. The plane crashed from a height of five hundred feet. It was a miracle that saved Dick from death. Allan Graham, his young partner, declared that he had seen Bud near the plane just before Dick took off. But no one could say for sure that Bud Hyslop was guilty, although most of the people on the field believed he was. Dick was too tender-hearted to discharge the boy without a reason and it was only after Bud had proven beyond doubt that he was working against the field that Dick let him go. One thing after another had happened to discredit Dick and for a time it looked as if he might have to give up the field entirely. And as a final blow word had come from Peter Langley saying that he did not care to extend the option, after he had let it be understood that he would do so. Dick felt as if the struggle was too much for him. Old Peter Langley had gone on to say that he had received reports that Dick was using the field for smuggling purposes, and he did not care to be mixed up with business of that sort. Dick knew, without being told, who had been the slanderer. His enemy, Joe Arnold was still trying to injure him. Bennett Graham, his backer, came to the rescue once more and gave Dick the money, but the time limit was almost up. There were only about ten days left. And with Peter Langley believing him to be a crook, there was little hope of taking up the option without a personal interview. Dick Mapes in his wheel chair, fretted and fumed at the problem facing him. Allan Graham, the son of his backer, and Syd Ames had been his first student-flyers and were now working at the field. They had been gone a week on a trip to Chicago. No one was left to take the long trip to Peru. Of course he had Terry and Prim! Dick could trust Terry anywhere with a plane, but it was a long flight to Peru and there might be storms and dangers. Dick grew restless and impatient under the misfortune that kept him tied to his wheel chair. “If I were only well enough to fly!” he fumed. “But what’s the idea, Dad! Don’t you think I can fly well enough?” Terry faced her father with flaming cheeks, her large brown eyes were flashing. “Why not send me?” “Send you? To South America? Alone?” “Not alone! Prim can go.” “But Terry, don’t you realize that Peru is a long way off? You may have to face grave dangers, storms, fevers, savages! And while Peter Langley and his wife may be all right, you never can tell ahead of time what rough characters you may meet there!” “What of it? I’m not afraid. You wouldn’t think twice about sending Allan and Syd,” said the girl with a frown. Dick Mapes shook his head. “That’s different,” he said. “They are boys!” “Which means that you don’t trust me. You think I’m not a good flyer!” Dick laughed. “Terry, don’t be silly! I’d trust you to fly anything you could get off the ground. That isn’t it. But I don't feel as if it would be right for me to let you risk your life.” Terry sat down beside her father’s wheel chair and took his hand. “Listen Dad, while I talk. Haven’t I proven over and over again that I'm a capable flyer. I’m pretty good at getting out of a jam in the air.” “I’ve said it often, Terry. I’ve never seen a better stunt flyer. You’re clever and you think when you’re in the air! And that’s what half the flyers don’t do. That’s why they crash.” “All right, so far, so good! We've been in lots of jams and got out of them by using our brains. Weren’t Prim and I The Gypsies Of The Air, and didn’t we go after the boys in Newfoundland and get them away from the kidnappers? Nothing terrible happened to us. Of course old Jim Heron kept us locked up and we had to think hard to find a way out of that old fortress, but we escaped without any harm.” Terry’s eyes were snapping as she recalled their imprisonment in the old fort. “Oh, I know, Terry. You and Prim can look out for yourselves. But I don’t like to send you into a jam deliberately.” “But Dad, you don’t know that there will be a jam, this time, and if there is, we can get out of it.” Dick did not answer as Terry hesitated and gave him a chance. The girl went on: “Now we’re in one of the biggest jams we’ve ever had yet. We’re almost sure to lose our flying field, though we have the money to take up the option, because our enemy Joe Arnold has written mean letters to old Peter Langley and set him against us. Now you can see for yourself, if I could get down there before the option expires he would think differently.” “I know he would, Terry. But it’s too dangerous. No.” “But it’s the only way out. Allan and Syd are not here and may not be for a week. And we are apt to lose our flying field because you still have this one old-fashioned idea. You’re up to date in every other way, Dad. What makes you think that girls can’t look out for themselves?” “Terry, you should have been a lawyer. You’re wasted in aviation,” her father said with a laugh. “You can make a fellow believe that black is white.—All right, if your mother consents, I will.” “That’s passing the buck! You’ve got to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You know it will be a deadlock for mother always says, ‘If you can get your father’s consent, I suppose I’ll have to agree!’ and if that argument keeps up, the day for taking up the option will be long past and we’ll have to give up the field.” Terry loved a struggle, her eyes were shining as she noted that she had almost reached success. Dick Mapes slapped her hand playfully. “All right. When do you start?” “At daybreak tomorrow,” answered Terry in a business-like manner. “The plane needs a few repairs, small ones, then we’re all set to go!” The girl wasted no time. The next minute she was running to the hangar, and drawing on an overall suit was getting ready to look over her plane. Her mother, Alice Mapes agreed without a struggle. “In fact I don’t feel half as frightened as I did when you went north to find the boys. You’ll have a wonderful trip to the south. Your father and I trust you perfectly, we know you’ll look over your plane at every stop and never take a chance with it.” “There you see, Dad!” said Terry with a happy laugh. “When mother agrees, it’s bound to be all right.” Prim was already busy at their flying togs. There were a few repairs to make and this was left to Prim, who liked to sew and cook and do other domestic jobs while Terry was a good mechanic and kept the plane running without a hitch. “A born flyer!” said Dick Mapes and he followed his daughter’s figure as she tested her plane, listening intently to the hum of the motor, going over every part, making adjustments here and there to bring her plane to the highest pitch of efficiency. And when Terry was satisfied that Skybird was in perfect running order, Dick Mapes could never find a flaw. Terry knew her job. Bennett Graham had all the necessary legal papers ready and a certified check to close the deal, so there would be no hitch at the last minute. These papers were carried in a small brown leather case and sewn into the lining of Terry’s flying coat. Prim loved stylish clothes and her white flying suit was smartly cut. Terry turned to admire her pretty blonde sister just before they were ready to hop off. “What’s the idea of that necklace?” said Terry with a laugh. “Girl flyers don’t wear necklaces with bright red jewels.” “Don’t they? Well, this one does! It just suits my fancy, Terry Mapes. I think it looks smart, it adds a bit of color to my white costume.” “All right, Prim, just as you say. Now, is everything set? How about your sweet tooth. Got plenty of cake chocolate?” teased Terry, for Prim was always nibbling at something sweet. “Sure, my pockets are full. Here put this little package of crackers in your coat. We may get hungry as we fly along. And I’ve put up a big lunch in case we need it.” At the last minute Prim adjusted the harness of the parachutes about Terry and herself not minding her sister’s impatient shrugs of disdain. For some reason Terry was always impatient of parachutes. She felt like an amateur even though she knew that many of the big flyers never went up without putting one on, as a safeguard in case of accident. Terry looked with satisfaction at Sally Wyn, the little waif they had brought with them from the far north. The girl was fluttering about the field like a butterfly. She seemed to be in half a dozen different places at the same time, running errands and making herself useful. With Sally there, her father and mother would not be so lonely. The little orphan had found a place in the hearts of Dick and Alice, and they would not hear of her leaving them to go to work. With her happy disposition she kept the household filled with laughter. Alice often wondered how she had ever been happy without this fun-loving girl. And she had a way of making Dick forget that he was a cripple. She amused him. As the girls said goodbye to her, Sally called out: “Next year Terry Mapes, I’ll race you to Peru!” It was a glorious morning, the sun was just rising as Terry sent her plane into the air and headed south. There were no last minute delays. Now it remained for Terry and Prim to reach Peru, find old Peter Langley and convince him that he was mistaken and make him want to sell Dick the property. And in Terry’s mind there was no doubt that she could accomplish it. Below them was a vast stretch of fertile country with streams, lakes and broad green valleys. And high in the air, Terry's hand at the controls felt the spring of her little plane and was certain that Skybird was thrilling at the adventure. Terry held the plane down to a steady speed, hour after hour, only changing the monotony by diving to a lower level or rising to greater heights. They were following along the general line of the airway. They could pick out the landing fields and see the position of the great beacons that would flash at night to guide the flyer to the hangars on the ground. Terry and Prim had decided to stay all night at the Waverly Field, far to the south. That meant steady flying all day, only coming down to refuel at long jumps. They saw the lights of the Waverly Field a full half hour before they expected to be there. “Shall we go on?” asked Terry through the earphones. “We can easily reach the next landing field before dark.” “No, let’s stay here. You look tired and besides I like the looks of this pleasure beach,” replied Prim. Terry put Skybird into a steep spiral, leveled and circled the field and then put the plane neatly down on the ground. Little did the girls think as they were greeted by the manager of the flying field that this was where their troubles would begin. That before they reached Peter Langley’s mine they were to face an enemy who was desperate with greed and hate. And that at times the girls would despair of escaping with their lives! CHAPTER II Pursued by a Flying Foe Waverly was a popular beach resort and Prim was delighted to see that there was a pleasure pier which was gaily lighted up. She cried, “Oh, Terry, it looks as if there might be dancing down there. Let’s hurry to the hotel and change to our party clothes.” “Prim Mapes, you promised me that you wouldn’t take any party dresses this time. You said we’d be just girl flyers with no excess baggage,” retorted her sister. Prim laughed. “I tried to Terry, but I couldn’t leave out our new frocks. I was certain we’d run into some sort of entertainment where we’d want some pretty dresses.” Terry looked her disgust. “But Prim, I don’t even want to dance. What am I going to do with these documents while I’m dancing?” “You could leave them at the hotel in the safe,” answered the easy-going Prim. “Just forget that, Prim. Wherever I go, these papers go with me. If you insist on dancing I’ll have to go along, but I'll have the papers on me.” As the girls talked over their plans they arranged for the care of their plane for the night and for refueling, as they intended to take an early start the next morning. Then they went to the hotel where many summer guests were staying. Prim made friends easily and by the time Terry had registered for them at the desk and made arrangements for getting away early the next morning, Prim had a group of girls around her and was laughing and joking with them as if she had always known them. Terry envied her sister this ability to get acquainted with people at a moment’s notice. It would have taken her a week, at least, without Prim to break the ice, to become friends with these strangers. When the two girls came down to the dining room half an hour later, their new acquaintances hardly recognized them. Prim was dressed in a fluffy gown which made her look like a lovely bit of Dresden china. Terry was very boyish and trim in her sports dress. She had an aristocratic manner, attracting notice by her very aloofness. The dancing pavilion was built out over the water and they could hear the surf breaking about the pier. Prim danced to her heart’s content, for partners flocked about her. But Terry was uneasy for pinned to her slip were the valuable papers she must deliver in Peru. She was relieved when Prim finally consented to go back to the hotel, exchanging addresses and promising life-long friendship with her new friends as she went along. At the first flush of dawn, Terry and Prim were at the hangars preparing to take off. Terry made a careful check-up on her plane to see that everything was in order and as they were about ready to climb into the cockpits, they heard a shout and their new friends came hurrying to the field to bid them goodbye. Prim was glad they had come. She wanted to show off her quiet sister who always got her plane into the air so gracefully, and her face glowed with pride as Terry taxied across the field, swung around and headed into the wind for a good take-off. Skybird took to the air like a great bird and under Terry’s guidance circled the field several times for the benefit of their friends, then headed out over the Atlantic, flying south. They did not know that a plane had been set down on the field half an hour before. The pilot had recognized Skybird and kept well out of sight. As he watched the girls from the shelter of the hangar, his face expressed the hatred and treachery that he felt. It was Joe Arnold, their father's business rival and dangerous enemy! “What are those girls doing here? Do they imagine they can fly to Peru and see Peter Langley?” thought Joe to himself. He made up his mind that the girls would never reach Peru. He would stop them, somehow. He must do it. Joe Arnold frowned. As his plane was more powerful than Skybird, he could easily out-fly them and reach the mine a day before they could do so. But, first, he had some mysterious business to attend to before he would have the money for the option. Meanwhile he must do something to prevent the Mapes girls from continuing their trip until he was ready. Before Skybird had disappeared in the clouds, Joe Arnold had left the field and was following after that tiny speck in the sky, trailing it relentlessly. The next stop was Miami, and here again the girls made a thorough inspection of their plane. From now on their way would be over the Caribbean, where storms might spring up without warning. Skybird must be in perfect form. And when Terry finished her inspection, the little plane was ready for the hop to Havana. The girls congratulated themselves that everything was going along well. They were even a few hours ahead of their schedule and Terry’s face was glowing with happiness and excitement. Ahead of them was the Caribbean. She had often dreamed of making this flight over tropical waters and now she was really here. Below her were the keys and reefs of the Florida coast spread out flat on the blue water. They were like a painting in delicate pastel shades. Crossing the line of the reefs, Skybird headed boldly out to sea. Prim watched the smooth water, fascinated by the patterns made by steamers as they cut through the water, leaving an ever widening wake behind them. She felt safe, knowing that their amphibian plane could land on the water and float. Terry sighted the coast of Cuba first, a delicate outline seen through a haze that dimmed the view and gave it a fairy-like appearance. Soon they sighted the grim old Morro Castle, the Spanish fort, and as they came nearer and flew above it, they could see the broad avenues of the lovely city of Havana. The marble capitol was dazzlingly white in the sunshine and the colored roofs of the houses, as seen from the air, arranged themselves in a fantastic design. It was a city of gay pleasure. Terry brought her plane down at the Havana airport with a sense of relief. The first lap of that journey was over now. A few minutes later she was handed a telegram which read: “Allan and Syd will join you at Havana. Wait. Dad.” Terry’s eyes blazed for a moment. “What do you think of that, Prim? Allan and Syd are coming here. We’re to wait for them! I’ll say that’s nerve! Dad thinks we can’t make the trip without the help of the boys.” “That’s nonsense, Terry! Dad knows we’re equal to it. The boys probably want a holiday and are coming just for the fun of it. I’m going to be real glad to see them. The more the merrier, I say,” replied Prim. “I’d be glad to see them if I thought that their trip was not just because they think that we have to be looked after,” declared Terry. “I want to make this flight without help from anybody.” “Don’t get too independent, Terry. It doesn’t pay,” her sister cautioned her. “But right now let’s go and get some breakfast. I’m starved.” After they had finished with the customs and entry regulations the girls started toward the restaurant. A plane was circling about their heads looking for a landing. Suddenly Terry grabbed her sister’s arm. “Oh Prim, look there! It’s Joe Arnold!” “Where did he come from? What’s he doing down here?” demanded Prim, as if her sister knew all about Joe Arnold’s affairs. Terry laughed nervously. “Ask me something easy! But of one thing we can be sure. Whatever it is that has brought Joe Arnold down here, it’s bound to be crooked, whether he is on business of his own or just trailing us. That man couldn't be decent!” Terry said with indignation. “What are we going to do, Terry?” asked Prim. “We are going to do nothing at all, except keep our eyes open,” answered Terry as she slipped back to the hangar and spoke to the mechanic who was looking over her plane. She gave him her sweetest smile as she spoke to him. “Keep your eye on my plane. Don’t let any stranger near it.” And she gave him a five dollar bill. The young man promised and as Terry turned away he smiled to himself. “Guess she’s new to the game,” he thought. “Afraid someone will want parts of her plane for souvenirs.” “Come on Terry, hurry. If you only knew how hungry I am!” cried Prim. But now another plane had approached and made a neat landing. Prim stopped short and grabbed her sister’s arm. “Oh Terry,” she cried, “I’m almost sure that’s Allan in his new plane.” “You’re right. That’s Allan! And Syd is with him!” A few minutes later Allan and Syd leaped from the cockpits and were waving to the girls with whoops of delight. Terry and Prim hastened back across the field to welcome them. “Hurry up!” cried Terry. “Prim is starving!” “She’s got nothing on us,” Sid answered. “We could eat our shoe strings,—almost!” When they were all seated at breakfast, Terry suddenly turned to ask Allan, “What’s the idea of trailing us down here? Are you taking a vacation?” “A sort of vacation,” answered Allan. “About an hour after you left the other day, Syd and I got home. We finished up our business in half the time we expected. Then we heard some reports. Joe Arnold had been back at the field and was bragging around that he was starting out to make the final deal with Peter Langley for your father’s flying field. He sent notice to your father to vacate the field.” “Why the nerve of that man!” cried Terry. “He’ll do no such thing! I won’t stand for it!” “Anyway,” went on Allan. “We found out that Joe had started south and your father wanted to warn you, so he sent us. And here we are.” “Yes,” Terry broke in. “And Joe Arnold set down his plane at the Havana airport just a little while ago. I’m sure he saw us. Even if he didn’t he’d recognize Skybird. That man is up to mischief.” “Do you think he’s going to try and make trouble for us?” asked Prim anxiously. “I’m afraid of that man, after what he did to you boys in Newfoundland.” “We are not going to worry about it,” Terry announced with decision. “We are going to keep right on at the job we set out to do, and trust to luck to get us through safely.” The four friends had an excellent breakfast with tropical fruits and delicious Cuban dishes. At times they forgot all about Joe Arnold and his threats to take away their father’s flying field. It was good to be together in this romantic city of Havana, and hard to realize that danger threatened them. All about them were smartly dressed care-free people, spending money lavishly on the pleasures of the gay city. People came here from all over the world just to enjoy themselves. But Terry would not allow them to forget that a difficult job lay ahead of them. It was necessary to push on. Consulting their maps, they laid out their route. The next hop would be across the open waters of the Caribbean to the landing field at Gracias a Dios in Honduras. That would be their next meeting place in case they became separated. Allan and Syd had planned to see them safely through the treacherous tropical weather of the Caribbean, before returning to Elmwood. Now that they were tipped off to the fact that Joe might make trouble, Terry could be depended on to keep her eyes open and avoid him. But the boys decided they would watch Joe and find out what he was up to. The weather reports were favorable. There was always the warning to watch out for sudden storms that were common over the Caribbean. Their take-off was delayed by Terry insisting that her engine was not working properly. Allan came alongside to listen as she warmed up the motor. “Why it sounds all right, Terry. I don’t hear anything wrong,” he said. “But listen!” shouted Terry. “Listen to that rough hum.” “You’re right, Terry,” said Allan as the girl shut off her engine and got out. Slipping into her overall suit, she started to work. “Has anyone been near my plane?” asked Terry of the young mechanic whom she had warned. “No. That is nobody touched it. There was another flyer who stood around admiring it and asking who you were. He even wanted to know where you were going. Then he said he’d like to take a look at your engine to see what kind you had. But I didn’t let him stick around,” replied the youth. “I told him to clear out!” Allan and Terry got to work without waiting for further explanation. A full hour went by before they had the engine humming smoothly enough to suit the trained and sensitive ear of Terry Mapes. Once more they were ready to take off. Terry taxied over the long field, making sure that the engine was working properly before she pulled back on the stick and sent Skybird nosing into the brilliant blue sky. Terry’s heart was beating with happy excitement. The take-off never became a commonplace occurrence to her. She thrilled as she felt the ship lifting from the ground and in the face of the wind, rising to dizzy heights above the earth. Allan and Syd followed and for half an hour they flew at about the same altitude. Then Allan lagged behind and rose above them to a height of five thousand feet. Both flyers were watching the sky behind them to make sure that their enemy was not in pursuit. Joe Arnold had put in a busy morning in Havana. Here was where he had some shady business that would give him the ready money for taking up the option on the Dick Mapes Flying Field. And when he started out half an hour after the other planes, he flew high and well out of sight. Terry and Prim were content to fly at about two thousand feet. They were enjoying the view of the southern sea dotted with islands and failed to see the pursuing plane, high above them in the distance. But Joe Arnold was watching intently every move of the two planes, and the cold, menacing light in his eyes was a threat against these young flyers who dared to upset his plans, and keep him from realizing his ambition. His mind was working fast. At the next flying field, he would have a show-down with them. His business deal in Havana had not been successful. It would be necessary to return to that city once more before he got the money. Joe Arnold did not know just what kind of a show-down he would have with these girl flyers. He would leave it to chance and his usual good luck unless he could think of some plan as he flew through the blue sky. Up in the clean air of the heavens this man was planning to destroy them. But Terry and Prim, unconscious of his plans, were watching the changing colors of the islands, then faced once more the open sea toward Honduras. CHAPTER III Tropic Storm High above the sapphire mirror of the Caribbean, Terry kept her plane in a southwesterly course. The sun was a pitiless ball of flame that sent out long fingers of fire. It was tropic weather. Above them Allan’s plane was soaring ahead now. The sight of Joe Arnold at Havana had made them fear an attack, and the four flyers were watching to see whether a third plane was following them. Leaving the islands behind they flew out over the sea, a great expanse of deep blue and purple water. Suddenly Prim called to her sister. “Look Terry, there’s land over there, away to the left.” “Yes, I see,” answered Terry. But she was watching the horizon with anxious eyes. That dark purplish mass looked to her like a low-lying cloud. There was something unnatural about it. Its color was changing rapidly to a reddish hue. “I don’t like the looks of it, Prim,” called Terry. “See how the light is changing.” A reddish haze had spread over the whole sky, the sun appeared like a great disc of hot metal. The sight was weird and menacing. “What’s the matter, Terry? Is it a storm?” Prim asked. “Yes, a tropic storm. We’ve got to race it. Where are the boys?” Prim leaned over the cowling and strained her eyes to the sky, but that strange and terrifying haze had blotted out the other plane. Terry circled and banked in an effort to find their friends. Then, opening the throttle wide, the girl sent her plane straight before the storm. It was her only chance. If she could out-race that storm, she would be saved. Sending her plane ahead and in a gradual rise, the girl tried to get above the haze. These tropical storms often covered only a small area, but very soon she realized that the cloud was coming on and rising faster than her plane. Below them the sea was still visible, a dull lead color now with greenish tipped white-caps. The wind had not reached the plane yet and the girls hoped that they might be able to keep ahead of the tempest. Then it came, first with a gust that made the little ship bob and dance about. Terry knew this was only the beginning. The storm was upon them! The next deep breath of the hurricane would threaten their lives with its fury. Terry held her plane to the only course she dared to take. She was racing for dear life! The throb of the motor told that the engine was being strained to the limit of its power. There was no time to lose. If the girls were to escape destruction, they must take that chance. When the full force of the tempest struck the plane, it was tossed about like a straw in the wind. Under less experienced hands than Terry’s the plane would have crashed. Terry could feel the craft being shaken as if a mighty hand had taken it in its grip, as the gusts of wind struck vicious blows at the wings. Terry’s grim face was set with determination. But her hand on the stick showed no sign of her fear, it did not tremble or lose its power to control. She was glad now that her father had insisted on training her in all the stunts of the air, for there was no possible position that her plane would take that Terry had not put it into deliberately above her own flying field, and brought it out safely. But this was altogether different. There she had put the plane into those dangerous positions, now she was being forced into them and she never knew what was coming next. Terry knew the danger she was in but she felt no panic. Every nerve was tingling, every sense alert. She knew she was doing her best. Her head was clear, her hand was steady and she kept the little plane, climbing, ever climbing. The girl felt that Skybird was fighting for life, with what seemed like human intelligence. It shuddered and shook and it seemed to try to right itself after a gust of angry wind. Prim clung to the cowling, terrified yet fascinated as she watched her sister. At times it seemed as if the plane had turned clear over, as if it were going down in a tail spin, but the next moment Terry would bring it up for a second. It was a big fight. “She’ll win,” thought Prim. “She’s wonderful!” Only for a second did Terry lose hope of victory. There was a sputtering of the engine that her trained ear heard. It sent a chill to her heart. Her hand shook. She gave a frantic glance back to see if Prim had heard that menacing sound. And that one look showed her a clear space in the dark masses. The storm was passing. Terry held to the controls, praying that the engine would hold out until the wind ceased. Suddenly Terry was able to put her plane into a steep climb that brought her above the storm. Coming out of that black cloud Terry saw Allan’s plane ahead of her. She followed it, her heart singing for joy. A mist came to her eyes as she realized that it was only by a miracle that both planes had gone through the storm and survived. Terry signalled with the wings of her plane and was answered in the same manner. She followed Allan's lead, hoping that her engine would not go back on her. At intervals she heard a sputter that terrified her, but now the sky was clearing. She felt hopeful. Allan finally headed east. This was strange. Terry looked at her compass and a frown came to her face. What was Allan doing? He was going far out of his way. At last she understood. Away in the distance was an island. He was going to land. She wondered if he were having engine trouble. Terry did not dare to open her throttle wide. Any extra strain might be her undoing. But, as she neared the small island the plane ahead banked, circled and signalled, then went into a dive for landing on the far side of the island. Terry tried to follow but the engine was sputtering once more. She made a long dive which brought her amphibian into the water at the near side of the island. There was a broad strip of sand and Terry sent her plane cutting through the spray on to the beach. “We’re safe!” cried Prim as she nimbly stepped from the cockpit, followed by her sister. “Wasn’t that an awful storm?” “It’s just luck that we’re alive. Now let’s go over and see the boys. It looks as if they might be having engine trouble, too,” replied Terry. After making fast their plane by a rope to a palm tree at the water’s edge, the two girls scrambled up over the rocky ridge to the low summit. The island was narrow at this end and soon they were looking straight down upon a sheltered cove where the boys had landed and saw the amphibian floating on the water. A launch shot out from the shore and when it reached the plane, several bundles were dropped into the boat by the aviator, who then got out of the plane and was taken ashore. The girls looked at each other, distress on their faces. “We’ve followed a plane, but it’s the wrong one!” cried Terry. “What a stupid thing to do! Prim, how can you ever trust me again?” “But I thought it was Allan and Syd, too,” replied Prim. “Never mind, these men will help us fix our plane and we’ll be off in an hour or two.” With a wave of his hand the aviator started upward toward the summit where the girls stood. “He seems to be friendly,” commented Terry. “But let’s wait here to greet him. How he’ll laugh when I tell him that I thought I was following another plane.” The girls waited at the summit until the stranger came up the winding trail. As they heard his footsteps Terry moved forward to speak, then grabbed Prim’s arm with a nervous grip. The man had come out on the summit and was staring at them with a triumphant grin. His eyes were glittering with a fierce and cruel light that made the cast in his eye more pronounced. It added to the sinister look in his face. The man facing them was Joe Arnold! A moment later the girls gasped with dismay for their old enemy, Bud Hyslop, came shambling up the trail. “Well, look who’s here!” said Bud and added sarcastically, “this is a pleasant surprise!” But Joe silenced his rough-neck follower with a scowl and a low snarl. “Don’t get funny. Shut up!” Joe Arnold, with menace in his voice, addressed the girls, “Why did you come here?” he demanded. “What do you want?” Terry stammered for a second then answered: “I was having trouble with my engine after that storm and I knew I’d have to come down, so I followed you here.” Joe stared at the girl and shrugged his shoulders. “That sounds fishy to me. I think you’re trying to spy on me. What brought you away down here?” “We’re on a vacation,” answered Terry. “We are on our way to the Canal Zone.” Joe Arnold watched the girls contemptuously. “I don’t believe you!” he said. “I think you came here to watch me.” Suddenly he turned to Bud. “Go on down there and see what’s the matter with Terry’s plane.” “But I’d rather fix my own plane. I’m used to it and can fix it in a minute. I know exactly what’s the matter.” “No! Let Bud go as I told him! You stay here!” There was a note of command that frightened the girls. Prim touched Terry’s arm and said softly. “Careful Terry, don’t make him angry.” Terry gave her sister a grateful smile. She turned to Arnold and asked pleasantly. “Did you get into that storm?” “No, I knew too much to let that happen. I saw your plane go into it and thought you were done for,” he answered. “How did you avoid it?” asked Terry. “I was flying high, fifteen thousand feet. It never touched me. The storm was all below me. I’m used to these hurricanes and I can usually guess about how far the storm extends.” “I tried to get above it, but I didn’t go far enough.” Terry was watching Joe’s face while she was talking. Would he guess that she was carrying an important paper for Peter Langley? Would she be able to keep it hidden where he could not find it? Now it was safely sewn once more in the lining of her flying coat but that was not a good hiding place if he thought to search her. A sudden shout from the harbor sent Joe Arnold hurrying down the trail. Then he turned back. “Stay right where you are,” he ordered the girls. On second thought he said. “No, go on down the trail ahead of me.” “But I don’t want to go!” flared Terry. “If you’re wise you’ll do as I say!” Without another word he thrust the girls ahead of him toward the beach. Terry went without any further argument. For suddenly it had occurred to her that she might learn something of Joe Arnold’s schemes if she pretended, to be friendly with him and didn’t make him angry. At the harbor a gang of blacks were loading a boat, preparing to take it to the plane. Pedro, the chief was over six feet tall, wore only a loin cloth and looked half savage. This giant was watching his men, who were working for Joe Arnold. Pedro seemed to have a few words of English but he spoke to his men in a mixture of Spanish and his own language. “What terrible looking savages!” whispered Prim. “They look as if they might be cannibals.” Terry laughed to conceal her fear. “I could even stand having a cannibal around if I were sure that Allan and Syd had come through the storm. They were flying higher than we were but I’m afraid they weren’t high enough, even then.” Terry was looking about her taking stock of the camp, which was composed of mud huts, and several shacks that had evidently been built recently. On the trail loomed a tall, weathered rock. Terry was pointing out to her sister a great crevice in this stone and explaining the formation of that wide fissure when Joe Arnold turned and saw her. His face flushed angrily. He gave a final order to the black leader and then signalled the girls to precede him up the trail. “This is no place for you, after all. I shouldn’t have brought you down here where those savages could see you. They belong to a fierce tribe of natives living in the clearings in the jungle. Pedro, the chief, that big fellow, lives in one of my mud huts down there, so you’d better keep away.” Joe Arnold was nervous and stammered as he talked. As they reached the summit once more Terry took a good look at him, and saw that he was agitated. “Evidently there is something down there that he doesn’t want us to see,” whispered Terry to Prim as soon as she could do so without Joe hearing her. “When I was interested in that big fissure in the rock, he was scared stiff. I’d like to find out what he’s got down there that he doesn’t want me to see. I'm going to find out! Just watch me!” “Please don’t, Terry! What do you care about his affairs? We’ve got troubles enough as it is. How are we ever going to get away from here? How will we fly to Peru with Dad’s papers? My head is whirling with problems and all I want to do is to get out of this jam as quickly as possible.” Prim ceased whispering as Joe came closer. Terry was looking toward her plane. Bud Hyslop was busily testing the motor. The girl could not bear the idea that Bud should touch Skybird. “If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to do my own repair work, Mr. Arnold,” said Terry with as polite a smile as she could muster. “I’ve always done my own overhauling and somehow, I’d rather attend to it myself. It’s very kind of you to want to be so helpful, but please tell Bud to leave my plane alone.” As she started toward the beach where Skybird was standing, Joe Arnold stepped ahead of her. “Now don’t bother yelling and carrying on for there is no one around to hear you except some savages and they are my men. I’m boss here, and I tell you to keep quiet. I’m giving that plane to Bud Hyslop. It’s his from now on.” “You’re giving him my plane!” stormed Terry. “You have no right to do that!” “Is that so? Well, I’m taking the right!” “But what about us? How can we get away?” cried Prim, almost in tears. “If you take our plane, we’ve got to stay here.” “That’s it exactly!” Joe sneered. “Here you stay until I get ready to let you go.” He stared at them coldly then turned and walked away. |
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