It was late in the afternoon when the Monarch II was rolled out into the broad roomy yard of the factory. Everything was in order for the finest start in the world. Dave had thought out and mapped out every detail of the proposed air voyage. Mr. Randolph personally superintended all the initial arrangements. The starter worked liked a charm. There was no wavering. A turn of the handle, and the magnificent machine spread its wings like some great bird poised for a steady flight.
Hiram gave a great shout of delight. Dave smiled down at the manager proudly.
"Good luck!" cried Mr. Randolph.
Just then the factory whistle sounded out shrilly for quitting time.
Workmen appeared at the open windows of the factor. Some came running out into the yard.
The word had gone around that the young aviators were bound on an extraordinary cruise--a search for the stolen airship. A great chorus of ringing hurrahs went up from the crowd.
"It"s great, isn"t it, Dave?" chuckled the delighted Hiram.
"The Monarch II acts prettily, that"s sure," replied the young aviator.
Dave delighted his companion by giving him charge of the barograph readings and attention to some of the minor duties of aviation. The rapid progress of the machine in mid air was exhilarating. The weather conditions were ideal, and Dave had a definite goal in view.
There was not a break in the pleasant twilight journey. The Monarch II fulfilled all expectations and promises. About nine o"clock in the evening the record showed over two hundred miles accomplished, when they descended on a level stretch of prairie near a small bustling city. Here the gasoline supply in the tanks was replenished. The basket had been stored with over a hundred gallons of this in separate packages, without embarra.s.sing the buoyancy of the machine, as the young aviators were far below average operating weight.
"This high living of ours makes and hungry," intimated Hiram, as they finished getting the machine in shape to renew the flight.
"Time for lunch, you think?" proposed Dave with a jolly laugh.
"Here we are."
They selected from the packages in the accommodation basket enough things for a feed. Mr. Randolph had certainly provided for them in a liberal way. The packages produced two kinds of sandwiches, some doughnuts, a cream cakes, cheese, celery and a prime apple pie.
Dave was pleased and proud with their progress thus far on their strange journey. There was a steady but mild head wind, and if he held till daylight the young aviator counted on reaching the first important destination on the route he had mapped out.
His idea was to reach a certain point in the dark. They would then seek a hiding place, or at least seclusion, until evening again, resting through the day. Dave"s plan was to travel so that their progress might not be noted and get to the Dawson group through the public prints or by some other avenue, and thus warn them that they were being traced.
There was not a landmark on the route, such as a city, lake or river, that Dave had not memorized, from standard "fly" directories during the past two days. The Drifter, being in the hands of the Dawsons, who knew considerable about aviation, would probably follow the same course. At night it was more difficult to tally off progress than in daylight, but so far Dave felt that he had not deviated from the due northwest course that was to bring him to a certain destination.
For over five hours after lunch and rest the Monarch II kept steadily on its way. Dawn was just breaking when Dave pa.s.sed a few miles to the west of a town he knew to be Millville. He glanced at Hiram, about to address him. Hiram was fast asleep.
"We will have to get down somewhere near here," decided Dave.
As he changed the course of the aircraft there was a slight jar, and Hiram woke up.
"h.e.l.lo!" he cried, "have I been--"
"Asleep at the switch?" smiled Dave. "Yes, but it hasn"t needed any attention. We are going to land, Hiram."
Dave knew his bearings, as has been said. His anxiety, however, was to get to cover, so to speak, before the airship was seen by anyone in the vicinity. He soon knew that he had failed in this. Circling about and drifting in trying to select a suitable landing spot, Dave made out rising farmer staring up at the machine from his chicken yard.
A little farther on the driver of a truck wagon, bound town-wards evidently, espied the Monarch II, even in the dim morning light, for he stopped his horses, his face turned in the direction of the machine.
Finally Dave located a spot that suited him. It was where there had been mining going on some period in the past. Some hills shut in the deserted diggings. Several great heaps of ore surrounded a sort of pit, broad and roomy.
"I don"t think we can find a better resting place," said Dave, as they reached the ground and he shut off the power.
"Going to stay here all day?" inquired Hiram.
"That is the programme, yes."
"Well, I suppose breakfast is the first move?" asked the young aviator"s a.s.sistant.
"I"m hungry as a bear," announced Dave.
"So am I," agreed Hiram, and he set at work to explore the accommodation, basket.
Hiram soon had a tempting spread. There was cold ham, a roasted chicken, an abundance of bread and b.u.t.ter, and a two gallon jug of cold coffee.
The boys did full justice to the layout. Then Dave went over the machine, seeing to it that every part was in order.
"I"ll have to take a little nap, Hiram," he advised his companion.
"No, a good long one," corrected Hiram.
"If we"re going to lay off until night, there isn"t much to do.
I"ll stay awake and keep a look out for anything happening. You see, I had quite a snooze up there in the air."
Dave made a comfortable couch by spreading out some of the wraps found in the accommodation basket. It was after ten o"clock when he woke up. He insisted on Hiram taking a turn on the couch.
"Can"t do it. Not a bit sleepy," declared Hiram.
"Well, you can try it while I"m gone," suggested Dave.
"Oh, going somewhere?"
"Yes, to the town. I want to make a few inquiries as to the country around here and ahead of us, and I may wire Mr. Randolph."
"All right, go ahead," replied Hiram. "I"ll see that everything is kept trim and safe about the machine."
Dave visited Millville, and posted himself as to certain geographical points in which he was interested. He also sent a brief dispatch to the Interstate people. Provided with some railroad maps, and some fresh rolls from a bakery, he started out to rejoin his chum.
He found Hiram busy burnishing up every bit of metal about the Monarch II. They had their noon lunch. On his way back from town Dave" had noticed a little brook. He was telling Hiram about it, and they were discussing a plan of a plunge and a swim, when Hiram, facing the point where the pit began, sprang suddenly to his feet.
"h.e.l.lo!" he cried excitedly. "Someone is coming."
"Sure enough," echoed Dave, also arising. "Why, I noticed that man in Millville. Can it be possible that he has followed me? I didn"t know it, if he has."
The boys stood motionless, awaiting the coming up of the intruder.
He was a brisk, smart looking man. There was something in his sharp way of glancing at things that made Dave think of a lawyer. The stranger came up within a dozen feet of them. Then he halted, took in the flying machine with a grim smile, and then looked the young aviators over from head to foot.
"Reckon I"ve landed on both feet," he observed, a confident, satisfied drawl in his voice.
"What do you mean by that?" inquired Dave.
"Why, I"ve been looking out for an airship said to be cruising around this neighborhood. Truck farmer said he saw one early this morning. Then I noticed you in town. I think you"ll understand me, young man," continued the stranger, "when I say that I"m on the hunt for a chap about your size running a stolen airship, and whose name is Jerry Dawson."