Part 31 (1/2)

”Yes, mum--miss, I mean. He allowed he was going ter git them papers filed or bust.”

The blow had fallen. Peggy sat numb and limp in the cha.s.sis. But presently the necessity of attending to Roy aroused her from her lethargy. Under her directions the boy was removed to a bed in the hotel and a doctor sent for. The physician lived in the hotel, so no time was lost before he was at Roy's bedside. He had finished his examination and had p.r.o.nounced the injury painful, but not dangerous, when, without ceremony, Wandering William burst into the room.

”We can make it yet! We can make it yet!” he was shouting.

The doctor looked up as if he thought he had another patient and a maniac to deal with.

”I--I beg your pardon,” stammered Wandering William, ”but this is a vital matter to this young lady and gentleman.”

”Yes--yes, what is it?” asked Peggy eagerly. Her eyes burned with eagerness and suppressed excitement. Something in Wandering William's manner seemed to say that he had found a way out of their difficulties.

”I've made inquiries,” he repeated, ”and I've found out that the train to Monument Rocks makes several stops. There's just a chance that we can beat it in the aeroplane.”

”You can!”

Roy raised himself up in bed despite the pain.

”I think so. But we must hurry.”

”Sis, do you mean you are going to try it?”

”Of course. We must.”

”Then go in and win,” cried the boy; ”you can follow the tracks by the lights and once you overtake the train the rest will be easy.”

The amazed doctor fairly dropped his case of instruments at this whirlwind dialogue.

”But--what--why--bless my soul,” he gasped, but only the first part of his remarks was heard by Peggy. Followed by Wandering William she dashed from the room and into the street. In front of the hotel Cash was having a hard time keeping souvenir hunters from the aeroplane. But a pair of blue revolvers, like miniature Gatling guns, acted as powerful dissuaders of curiosity.

CHAPTER XXV

A RACE THROUGH THE NIGHT

”All right. Stand clear, please!”

The aeroplane had been tuned up, and now, panting like an impatient horse, it was ready to be off on its dash for Monument Rocks. But the crowd stupidly cl.u.s.tered about it like bees round a rose bush.

The delay was maddening, but Peggy dared not start for fear of injuring someone.

”Won't you please stand aside?” she begged for the twentieth time, but the crowd just as obstinately lingered.

Suddenly an idea came to her. She cut out the m.u.f.flers and instantly a deafening series of reports, like a battery of Gatling guns going into action, filled the air. Tense as the situation was, neither Peggy nor Wandering William on the rear seat could keep from laughing as they saw the effect the bombardment of noise had.

The inhabitants of Blue Creek literally tumbled all over each other in their haste to get out of the way. Five seconds after the deafening uproar commenced a clear path was presented, and, before the crowd could get used to the sound and come surging around again, Peggy started the aeroplane up. Amid a mighty shout it took the air and vanished like a flash in the gathering dusk. The race against time was on.

Fortunately the telegraph poles along the right of way acted as guides, for, in the gathering darkness, the tracks were hardly visible. Peggy did not dare to fly too low, however, for it was only in the upper air currents that the monoplane could develop its best speed.

But even with all her care she pressed the machine too hard, for half an hour after their departure from Blue Creek they had to alight to allow the cylinders to cool. Bud's makes.h.i.+ft stop for the leak, however, was acting splendidly, and Peggy mentally stored it away as a good idea for future use.