Part 12 (1/2)

CHAPTER VII-A Close Shave

The next two weeks were hectic ones for Pat, the Captain and their two friends, with Pat teaching the boys to fly, the boys learning to fly, the Captain generally directing all activities, and three of them planning and preparing for their flight to the Adirondacks. Hal couldn't go. It was with real sorrow that he told them that his mother would not permit him to go with them. Hal was beginning to enjoy better his flights into the air, and his companions.h.i.+p with his new friends. Pat did not frighten him at all now, and his happiest hours were those that he spent with him, Bob and Captain Bill. He knew that he would be very lonesome if they went off without him, but no amount of persuasion on his part would move his mother in her determination that he should not go. She had so many arguments on her side that Hal was completely floored when he tried to point out to her the reasons why it would be perfectly safe for him to go with his friends.

Bob was downcast. He knew that he would have a good time with Pat and Bill, but he knew too that he'd have a better time if someone his own age were along. After all, he couldn't do anything as well as Pat and Bill. He couldn't fly a plane, although he was learning rapidly, and would soon be able to take a solo flight; he couldn't shoot as accurately as they; nor land a mountain trout so well. Hal, who was also a novice, would have been just as inexpert as he was at all these things, and would have made him feel not quite so stupid. And then there were always things to talk about to Hal that the others wouldn't be able to understand-in fact, Hal and he spoke a language of their own. It would have been fun if Hal could have come along-but if he couldn't go, he couldn't go. Bob decided that he'd better take the matter philosophically. So he joined in the plans of the Captain and Pat with all his usual energy. Hal helped, too, Even if he was not going with them, he wanted to get the thrill at least of being in on the start.

They were all down at the airport every day, rain or s.h.i.+ne. Pat gave them a good background of ground work, and then let them fly with him.

Bob, with his natural quickness, could have flown solo almost after his first flight, but Pat would not take the responsibility of letting the boy go up alone.

Hal, on the other hand, had more obstacles to overcome. The first was the terror that he had felt on his first flight. However, after repeated flights, and the feeling of power that he gained from actually having the controls in his hands, he overcame his fear enough to fly with Pat, and fly well.

Two days before their departure for the mountains, Pat and Bill decided that the boys ought to make their solo flights, so that Hal would have made a solo flight before they left him.

Pat had taken the Marianne up into the air, had ”taken a look about,”

and landed her again. He turned to the two boys and asked, ”who's first?”

”Me,” said Bob.

”All right,” said Pat, and Bob climbed into the c.o.c.kpit smiling confidently.

”See you soon,” called Bob, and waved a hand in farewell. He taxied the plane out over the runway, turned her nose into the wind, and felt her rise from the ground. He felt a thrill of power as the machine responded to the slightest movement of the stick. He had control of all the boundless energy stored in that motor, and could direct this huge craft in any direction he chose. He felt the blast of wind against his face.

He was off the ground now, flying low, just clearing a small tool house.

He pointed the nose of the Marianne up and climbed slowly, then leveled off again. His instruments showed that he was flying at about a thousand feet up. The motor sounded good. The air was smooth. Bob felt a keen exhilaration. He wanted to shout in triumph. At last he was flying a plane, alone.

Again he pointed the nose up into the air, and climbed to about 5,000 feet. The sky was clear and cloudless. He lost all track of time and s.p.a.ce. He seemed to be by himself in the universe. But he knew that he wasn't. The others would be expecting him back. Reluctantly he banked and turned around, and headed once more for the airport. He throttled down the motor and glided swiftly to earth. He saw the gra.s.s below turn green as he approached it; he leveled off. In his excitement, he kept the tail of the plane a little too high, his front wheels landed too soon, and he felt for a breath-taking moment that he was going over on his nose. But the Marianne righted herself, and taxied docilely along the ground.

Bob jumped out, pus.h.i.+ng back his goggles. ”How was that?” he shouted to Pat and Bill, who came running up to him.

Pat glowered. ”What a landing!” he said, in disgust. ”Young man, is that the sort of landing I taught you?”

Bob's smile faded, and he looked crestfallen. ”I didn't level off,” he said.

”Of course you didn't. A blind man could tell you that.” Then Pat's voice suddenly changed. ”But you handled her like a veteran,” he said.

”You've got the makings of an ace in you, lad.”

Bob's ready grin spread quickly over his face again. ”Did I really?” he cried. ”Bill, what did you think?” He was perfectly willing to hear himself praised, now that he was sure that his performance has been good.

”Oh, you're all right,” said Bill grudgingly. ”How about Hal? It's his turn now.” He turned to Hal. ”You show this young fellow how to make a three point landing,” he said, and gave Hal a little clap on the shoulder.

Hal came forward. He was unusually silent, and his face was pale. He had struggled with his fear and he felt that he had conquered it. He had come to have confidence in his handling of the Marianne with Pat or Bill in the other c.o.c.kpit, ready to take the controls if anything went wrong.

Now he would have confidence taking her up alone. He set his jaw grimly and got into the c.o.c.kpit. The motor was warm, and sounded good. Hal took the Marianne into the air with a grace that made Pat and Bill look at each other with surprise and congratulation.

”The kid's got the stuff, all right,” said Bill. ”I knew he had. Who said he didn't have nerve?”

”He's better for it, too,” said Pat. ”It's done him good, all right.”

They watched the plane climbing into the cloudless skies. Then suddenly the sound of the motor ceased. ”Good grief,” cried Pat. The others were too horrified even to cry out. They saw the plane stall, then fall nose down, spiraling as it went.

When he heard the motor conk, Hal's heart stood still. He tried the stick frantically. The rudder, the ailerons, would not respond. The throttle brought no answering roar of power. The Marianne had become suddenly a mad thing, an enemy, bent on his destruction. She side-slipped, her nose dipped down, an she went into a tailspin.

Hal was frantic. His first impulse was to pull up on the stick, in order to bring up the tail. Then some glint of reason came through his terror, and he remembered Pat's warning that this was the last thing he should do to pull himself up. But what had Pat said? He couldn't remember. Then suddenly it came to him. Push forward on your stick! With an effort he made himself push forward. The Marianne gave a convulsive shudder. But the action had taken her out of her spin. With a feeling of unutterable relief Hal felt her come out of her spin and go into a glide. He looked over the side of the plane. He was rus.h.i.+ng toward a brick building, at the furthest end of the airport! There was nothing to do now but crash.