Part 40 (1/2)

And so it was agreed.

Ten miles south of Riga, surrounded by Russian airmen, they climbed into the craft which the Russian commander in the little city had provided for them. The plane was large and roomy, having a seating capacity of five.

Hal took his place at the steering wheel and Chester climbed aboard.

Still eyeing the flying craft suspiciously, Alexis followed Chester, and, sitting down suddenly, took hold of the seat with both hands and hung on for dear life, although the craft was still upon the ground.

Then he lowered his head and shut his eyes.

Hal gave the word, and willing hands started the machine along the ground. Gradually it gained momentum until it was skimming over the ground at a rapid gait. Then Hal threw over the elevating lever, and the machine shot into the air amid the cheers of the Russians below.

Alexis was conscious of a sinking sensation in the region of his stomach, and he ducked his head even lower as the car rose higher in the air.

”Look up, Alexis!” shouted Chester, reaching over and laying a hand on the Cossack's arm.

Now that the machine had reached a good height, Hal held it steady, and it darted ahead on a straightaway course. The plane shook with the vibrations of the engine, but otherwise there was scarcely a noticeable motion.

Now that the machine was more steady, Alexis, in response to Chester's command, slowly opened his eyes and looked about. Seeing nothing, he closed them again immediately, and again ducked his head. Once more Chester yelled at him to look about, and at last Alexis raised his head and glanced into the distance.

”This is a terrible place for a man to be,” he muttered with a shudder.

”If man were meant to fly he would have been given wings. It is tempting the wrath of the elements to be here.”

As he looked about him, however, and became conscious of the steadiness of the craft, his composure returned, and soon he was making inquiries regarding the construction of the craft, its speed and the height to which it could ascend. He glanced over the side of the machine, and then looked quickly upward again. The one glance below had made him ill.

He smiled faintly. ”I can't look down yet,” he said ruefully. ”I suppose I'll get used to it in time; but now I had better keep my eyes inside.”

”How fast are we going, Hal?” asked Chester.

”Sixty-five miles an hour,” was Hal's reply.

Alexis was astonished.

”Sixty-five miles!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. ”Why, it seems as if we were standing still.”

”If we were close enough to the earth you would soon notice the difference,” said Chester.

For another hour they continued on their way without incident, and then Chester discovered the dim outline of a second aircraft trailing them at a distance. It was not gaining, but even when Hal put on more speed, at a word from Chester, he was unable to shake it off.

”Evidently a German,” said Chester. ”I suppose he wants to see where we are going.”

For another hour the plane pursued them. Then Chester perceived that there were two instead of one, and that both were creeping up on them.

With a cry to Hal, Chester picked two rifles from the bottom of the car.

”We'll have to fight them off!” he cried.

Alexis stirred uneasily in his seat.

”I was afraid of it,” he muttered. ”Now, what will happen to me when I go hurtling through s.p.a.ce to the ground below?”

He shuddered.