Part 27 (1/2)
”Yes, I should say there was. The plans of the mine and its location as prepared for filing have been taken from my tent!”
”Stolen--oh!”
Peggy's voice quivered.
”Stolen,” repeated Mr. Bell, ”and undoubtedly by the same band of scoundrels that cut the ponies loose, knowing that we could not pursue them.”
”But we can overtake them in an aeroplane.”
It was Peggy who spoke. Her bosom heaved and her cheeks burned red with excitement.
”True, my brave girl,” rejoined Mr. Bell, ”but of what use would that be? They have the papers and will file them. Without the papers you could do nothing, and I have no memoranda to draw up fresh ones.”
”But in my pocket--I'm cutting no capers--I have a set of duplicate papers!”
Old Peter Bell, triumphant and poetical, stepped forward, at the same time drawing from his inner-coat pocket a bundle. It was the duplicate set which Mr. Bell had given Peggy to deliver to the former hermit, and which, up to that moment, had been forgotten in the excitement.
”Thank heaven!” exclaimed Mr. Bell, s.n.a.t.c.hing at them; ”Peter, you're a brick. Hooray, now we have a chance to beat the scoundrels at their own game.”
”You mean if we can file those papers first they stand good in law?”
asked Roy.
”That's just what I do mean, and I think that with the aeroplane we can do it.”
”You can depend on it, Mr. Bell, that if there is a chance those papers get into Blue Creek first,” cried Peggy ablaze with excitement.
”But we can't start to-night.”
Roy's voice held a note of despair.
”That's all right, my boy. You need a good rest anyway. Red Bill--if it is his gang that has taken them--cannot get to Blue Creek for two days anyway. If you start at dawn to-morrow you can outwit them.”
And so it was arranged. Roy and Peggy turned in early, while Jimsy worked all night getting the big monoplane in readiness. By earliest dawn all was ready and a hasty breakfast eaten. Then the monoplane was stocked with food and water and everything was ready for the dash across the desert.
Peggy and Roy had slipped into their linen coats and donned their hideous masks with the blue sun goggles, when a figure slipped up on the other side of the cha.s.sis and clambered un.o.bserved into the box-like structure. It was not till half an hour later, when they were das.h.i.+ng through midair, that the figure revealed itself. Then the form of Wandering William crawled from under a bit of canvas used as an engine cover, and in answer to the amazed exclamations of the young aviators said:
”You'll have to forgive me. It'll be a good ad for my business to be able to say that Professor Wandering William has wandered along the aerial Pike.”
CHAPTER XXII
MAROONED ON THE DESERT
There was nothing to be done but to accept the situation, little as either Roy or Peggy relished the eccentric ”professor” for an aerial traveling companion. Only Peggy remarked with withering scorn:
”I think you might have waited till you were asked, don't you?”
The professor's reply was characteristic.