On Adventure Island, Page 2

  CHAPTER II

  Pursued by a Flying Foe

  Waverly was a popular beach resort and Prim was delighted to see thatthere 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 dressesthis 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 newfrocks. I was certain we'd run into some sort of entertainment wherewe'd want some pretty dresses."

  Terry looked her disgust. "But Prim, I don't even want to dance. What amI going to do with these documents while I'm dancing?"

  "You could leave them at the hotel in the safe," answered the easy-goingPrim.

  "Just forget that, Prim. Wherever I go, these papers go with me. If youinsist on dancing I'll have to go along, but I'll have the papers onme."

  As the girls talked over their plans they arranged for the care of theirplane for the night and for refueling, as they intended to take an earlystart the next morning. Then they went to the hotel where many summerguests were staying.

  Prim made friends easily and by the time Terry had registered for themat the desk and made arrangements for getting away early the nextmorning, Prim had a group of girls around her and was laughing andjoking with them as if she had always known them. Terry envied hersister 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 afluffy gown which made her look like a lovely bit of Dresden china.Terry was very boyish and trim in her sports dress. She had anaristocratic manner, attracting notice by her very aloofness.

  The dancing pavilion was built out over the water and they could hearthe surf breaking about the pier. Prim danced to her heart's content,for partners flocked about her. But Terry was uneasy for pinned to herslip were the valuable papers she must deliver in Peru. She was relievedwhen Prim finally consented to go back to the hotel, exchangingaddresses and promising life-long friendship with her new friends as shewent along.

  At the first flush of dawn, Terry and Prim were at the hangars preparingto take off. Terry made a careful check-up on her plane to see thateverything was in order and as they were about ready to climb into thecockpits, they heard a shout and their new friends came hurrying to thefield to bid them goodbye.

  Prim was glad they had come. She wanted to show off her quiet sister whoalways got her plane into the air so gracefully, and her face glowedwith pride as Terry taxied across the field, swung around and headedinto the wind for a good take-off. _Skybird_ took to the air like agreat bird and under Terry's guidance circled the field several timesfor 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 anhour before. The pilot had recognized _Skybird_ and kept well out ofsight. As he watched the girls from the shelter of the hangar, his faceexpressed 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 Peruand see Peter Langley?" thought Joe to himself. He made up his mind thatthe 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_, hecould easily out-fly them and reach the mine a day before they could doso. But, first, he had some mysterious business to attend to before hewould have the money for the option. Meanwhile he must do something toprevent the Mapes girls from continuing their trip until he was ready.

  Before _Skybird_ had disappeared in the clouds, Joe Arnold had left thefield and was following after that tiny speck in the sky, trailing itrelentlessly.

  The next stop was Miami, and here again the girls made a thoroughinspection of their plane. From now on their way would be over theCaribbean, where storms might spring up without warning. _Skybird_ mustbe in perfect form. And when Terry finished her inspection, the littleplane 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 wasglowing with happiness and excitement. Ahead of them was the Caribbean.She had often dreamed of making this flight over tropical waters and nowshe was really here.

  Below her were the keys and reefs of the Florida coast spread out flaton the blue water. They were like a painting in delicate pastel shades.Crossing the line of the reefs, _Skybird_ headed boldly out to sea. Primwatched the smooth water, fascinated by the patterns made by steamers asthey cut through the water, leaving an ever widening wake behind them.She felt safe, knowing that their amphibian plane could land on thewater and float.

  Terry sighted the coast of Cuba first, a delicate outline seen through ahaze that dimmed the view and gave it a fairy-like appearance. Soon theysighted the grim old Morro Castle, the Spanish fort, and as they camenearer and flew above it, they could see the broad avenues of the lovelycity of Havana. The marble capitol was dazzlingly white in the sunshineand the colored roofs of the houses, as seen from the air, arrangedthemselves in a fantastic design. It was a city of gay pleasure.

  Terry brought her plane down at the Havana airport with a sense ofrelief. The first lap of that journey was over now.

  A few minutes later she was handed a telegram which read: "Allan and Sydwill 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'snerve! 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 probablywant a holiday and are coming just for the fun of it. I'm going to bereal 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 justbecause they think that we have to be looked after," declared Terry. "Iwant to make this flight without help from anybody."

  "Don't get too independent, Terry. It doesn't pay," her sister cautionedher. "But right now let's go and get some breakfast. I'm starved."

  After they had finished with the customs and entry regulations the girlsstarted toward the restaurant. A plane was circling about their headslooking for a landing.

  Suddenly Terry grabbed her sister's arm. "Oh Prim, look there! It's JoeArnold!"

  "Where did he come from? What's he doing down here?" demanded Prim, asif her sister knew all about Joe Arnold's affairs.

  Terry laughed nervously. "Ask me something easy! But of one thing we canbe sure. Whatever it is that has brought Joe Arnold down here, it'sbound to be crooked, whether he is on business of his own or justtrailing us. That man _couldn't_ be decent!" Terry said withindignation.

  "What are we going to do, Terry?" asked Prim.

  "We are going to do nothing at all, except keep our eyes open," answeredTerry as she slipped back to the hangar and spoke to the mechanic whowas looking over her plane. She gave him her sweetest smile as she spoketo him. "Keep your eye on my plane. Don't let any stranger near it." Andshe 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 wantparts 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 werewaving to the girls with whoops of delight. Terry and Prim hastened backacross the field to welcome them.

  "Hurry up!" cried Terry. "Prim is starving!"

  "She's got nothing on us," Sid answered. "We could eat our shoestrings,--almost!"

  When they were all seated at breakfast, Terry suddenly turned to askAllan, "What's the idea of trailing us down here? Are you taking avacation?"

  "A sort of vacation," answered Allan. "About an hour after you left theother day, Syd and I got home. We finished up our business in half thetime we expected. Then we heard some reports. Joe Arnold had been backat the field and was bragging around that he was starting out to makethe final deal with Peter Langley for your father's flying field. Hesent notice to your father to vacate the field."

  "Why the nerve of that man!" cried Terry. "He'll do no such thing! Iwon't stand for it!"

  "Anyway," went on Allan. "We found out that Joe had started south andyour 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 Havanaairport just a little while ago. I'm sure he saw us. Even if he didn'the'd recognize _Skybird_. That man is up to mischief."

  "Do you think he's going to try and make trouble for us?" asked Primanxiously. "I'm afraid of that man, after what he did to you boys inNewfoundland."

  "We are not going to worry about it," Terry announced with decision. "Weare going to keep right on at the job we set out to do, and trust toluck to get us through safely."

  The four friends had an excellent breakfast with tropical fruits anddelicious Cuban dishes. At times they forgot all about Joe Arnold andhis threats to take away their father's flying field. It was good to betogether in this romantic city of Havana, and hard to realize thatdanger threatened them.

  All about them were smartly dressed care-free people, spending moneylavishly on the pleasures of the gay city. People came here from allover the world just to enjoy themselves.

  But Terry would not allow them to forget that a difficult job lay aheadof them. It was necessary to push on. Consulting their maps, they laidout their route. The next hop would be across the open waters of theCaribbean to the landing field at Gracias a Dios in Honduras. That wouldbe their next meeting place in case they became separated. Allan and Sydhad planned to see them safely through the treacherous tropical weatherof the Caribbean, before returning to Elmwood. Now that they were tippedoff to the fact that Joe might make trouble, Terry could be depended onto keep her eyes open and avoid him. But the boys decided they wouldwatch Joe and find out what he was up to.

  The weather reports were favorable. There was always the warning towatch out for sudden storms that were common over the Caribbean.

  Their take-off was delayed by Terry insisting that her engine was notworking properly. Allan came alongside to listen as she warmed up themotor. "Why it sounds all right, Terry. I don't hear anything wrong," hesaid.

  "But listen!" shouted Terry. "Listen to that rough hum."

  "You're right, Terry," said Allan as the girl shut off her engine andgot out. Slipping into her overall suit, she started to work.

  "Has anyone been near my plane?" asked Terry of the young mechanic whomshe had warned.

  "No. That is nobody touched it. There was another flyer who stood aroundadmiring it and asking who you were. He even wanted to know where youwere going. Then he said he'd like to take a look at your engine to seewhat kind you had. But I didn't let him stick around," replied theyouth. "I told him to clear out!"

  Allan and Terry got to work without waiting for further explanation. Afull hour went by before they had the engine humming smoothly enough tosuit 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 backon the stick and sent _Skybird_ nosing into the brilliant blue sky.

  Terry's heart was beating with happy excitement. The take-off neverbecame a commonplace occurrence to her. She thrilled as she felt theship lifting from the ground and in the face of the wind, rising todizzy heights above the earth.

  Allan and Syd followed and for half an hour they flew at about the samealtitude. Then Allan lagged behind and rose above them to a height offive thousand feet. Both flyers were watching the sky behind them tomake sure that their enemy was not in pursuit.

  Joe Arnold had put in a busy morning in Havana. Here was where he hadsome shady business that would give him the ready money for taking upthe option on the Dick Mapes Flying Field. And when he started out halfan 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 wereenjoying the view of the southern sea dotted with islands and failed tosee the pursuing plane, high above them in the distance.

  But Joe Arnold was watching intently every move of the two planes, andthe cold, menacing light in his eyes was a threat against these youngflyers who dared to upset his plans, and keep him from realizing hisambition.

  His mind was working fast. At the next flying field, he would have ashow-down with them. His business deal in Havana had not beensuccessful. It would be necessary to return to that city once morebefore he got the money. Joe Arnold did not know just what kind of ashow-down he would have with these girl flyers. He would leave it tochance and his usual good luck unless he could think of some plan as heflew through the blue sky. Up in the clean air of the heavens this manwas planning to destroy them.

  But Terry and Prim, unconscious of his plans, were watching the changingcolors of the islands, then faced once more the open sea towardHonduras.