Part 8 (1/2)
”Would these foreign spies dare attempt to ruin your war aeroplane, or try to blow you all up with some of your own explosive?” asked Ralph.
”I wouldn't put it past them,” replied the other. ”They are playing a desperate game, you understand, and have their orders from the home Governments to keep us from forging ahead too fast. But I haven't introduced myself as yet. I am Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k, and I have had some little experience in army aviation.”
”I wonder if you can be the same Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k I've heard so much about from our Scout Master, a retired army officer named Lieutenant Denmead?” Hugh ventured to say eagerly.
”Well, this _is_ a pleasure to be sure!” remarked the other smilingly.
”To be sure I know Denmead. I saw a great deal of him several years ago. And so he is spending his spare time in teaching the young idea how to shoot, but with the arms of peace rather than those of b.l.o.o.d.y war? He was always crazy over boys, and must be a cracking good Scout Master, because he knows so much of Western life among the Indians. He was with Miles in the Sioux War long ago, as you may know. But what was this you said about one of your mates inventing something in connection with the management of aeroplanes?
That would seem to be right in my line, and if he has no serious objections, I'd like to hear about it.”
At that, Bud turned fiery red, but with pleasure more than embarra.s.sment. It was a crowning triumph in his career to find himself an object of interest in the eyes of so famous an aviator as Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k, of whom he remembered reading quite frequently as the most fearless air pilot in the Flying Squadron of Uncle Sam.
Encouraged by the winning smile on the bronzed face of the army officer, Bud only too gladly started to explain what his hopes were.
”I'd like to see this wonderful little model of yours in action, son,” the experienced air pilot remarked afterwards. ”Suppose all of you come over to our headquarters, which happen to be not more than half a mile away from here. We have a fine open spot where we can ascend and alight with ease, day or night. You will be welcome, I a.s.sure you. We have a dozen men there besides those connected with the war aviation corps, simply to guard against any spies giving us trouble. If you can go now, I'd be pleased to wait for you, so as to pa.s.s you through the lines.”
”How long will it take you to get your little machine dismantled, so we can handle it, Bud?” asked Hugh.
”Oh! I can do it in a jiffy, because, you see, it's fixed for taking apart,” the inventor of the party hastened to declare.
So Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k accompanied them to the shack. While Bud busied himself with his model, Ralph and Hugh chatted with the army officer. He asked more questions concerning Bud and the idea he had been trying out.
”It would seem as though your friend might have a touch of genius about him somewhere,” the aviator said with a smile, ”though I'm afraid that he's too late with that wonderful stability device, because it is very similar to one the Wright Brothers got out some time ago. That's the way it often happens, and many a man has studied some clever thing out only to find that he has been antic.i.p.ated by some earlier inventor. But say nothing about this for the present. Your friend surely deserves to have a little glory out of the game before the blow falls. And I shall be curious to see how he manages with this model of his, for it looks good to me.”
Evidently Bud had found favor with the army man. Even though doomed to disappointment with regard to his wonderful invention, the boy might derive satisfaction in knowing that his work had not been entirely in vain.
When half an hour had pa.s.sed, Bud declared everything in readiness for the change of base; and soon the boys were accompanying the skilled aviator through the woods headed for the camp of the Flying Squadron.
CHAPTER IX
FRIENDS IN KHAKI
While they were pus.h.i.+ng laboriously onward through the woods, overcoming all manner of obstacles, Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k gave the scouts a pleasant surprise.
”One reason why I asked you to visit our camp,” he remarked, ”was because I fancied all of you might be glad of a chance to take a spin aloft in an aeroplane. You may like that, if it happens that you've never enjoyed the experience up to now.”
Hugh immediately turned to the army man and expressed his pleasure.
”I've often hoped to have a chance to go up,” he said, ”but hardly thought it would happen so soon. And we'll all be only too glad to accept your invitation.”
”I should say so,” added Ralph.
Bud did not say a single word, and turning to ascertain why, the officer found a smile of the ”kind that won't come off” spreading all the way across his face. It was evident that Bud was too happy for words. He had long dreamed of spinning through the upper currents in one of those bustling airs.h.i.+ps that are becoming more common every day; but, like Hugh, he had not expected the golden opportunity to be sprung upon him so soon.
As they walked along, the officer once more started to question them regarding the two strange men who seemed to be hanging about without any known business to keep them up in this unsettled region.
”I think you said that one of them looked in through the window of your shack night before last, and then fled when you let him see that he had been discovered?” he remarked to Hugh.
”Yes, and we made sure that he had been there by examining the soil under the window. It is a part of a scout's education, you know, sir, looking for signs. We found them, too, marks of a long narrow shoe, that told us the man could never be a hobo but must be a gentleman. After they had rummaged through our cabin while we were away, we found the same marks before the door, and indenting tracks of our own, so that proved just when the fellows must have been around.”