Part 20 (1/2)

”Did you see any sign of soldiers from London?”

”No,” said Jack.

He was disappointed when he found out what they meant to do, but he took his disappointment pluckily when he saw that there was no help for it.

Harry explained very quietly to both Jack and d.i.c.k what he meant to do and they listened, open mouthed, with wonder.

”You'll have your part to play, Jack,” said Harry. ”Somehow I can't believe that the letter I wrote to Colonel Throckmorton last night won't have some effect. You have got to scout around in case anyone comes and tell them all I've told you. You understand thoroughly, do you?”

”Yes,” said Jack, quietly. ”When are you going to start?”

”There's no use going up much before eleven o'clock,” said Harry.

”Before that we'd be seen, and, besides, if a Zepplin is coming, it wouldn't be until after that. My plan is to scout to the east and try to pick her up and watch her descend. I think I know just about where she'll land--the only place where there's room enough for her. And then-”

He stopped, and the others nodded, grimly.

”I imagine she'll have about a hundred and twenty miles to travel in a straight line--perhaps a little less,” said Harry. ”She can make that in about two hours, or less. Big as they are, those airs.h.i.+ps are painted so that they're almost invisible from below. So if she comes by night, getting here won't be as hard a job as it seems at first thought.”

Then the three of them went over in every detail the plan Harry had formed. d.i.c.k and Jack took their places in the monoplane and rehea.r.s.ed every movement they would have to make.

”I can't think of anything else that we can provide for now,” said Harry, at last. ”Of course, we can't tell what will come up, and it would be wonderful if everything came out just as we have planned. But we've provided for everything we can think of. You know where you are to be, Jack?”

”Yes.”

”Then you'd better start pretty soon. Good-bye, Jack!” He held out his hand. ”We could never have worked this out without you. If we succeed you'll have a big part in what we've done.”

A little later Jack said good-bye in earnest, and then there was nothing to do but wait. About them the voices of the insects and frogs changed, with the darkening night. The stars came out, but the night was a dark one. Harry looked at his watch from time to time and at last he got up.

”Time to start!” he said.

He felt a thrill of nervousness as the monoplane rose into the air.

After all, there was a difference between being the pilot and sitting still in the car. But he managed very well, after a few anxious moments in the ascent. And once they were clear of the trees and climbing swiftly, in great spirals, there was a glorious sensation of freedom.

d.i.c.k caught his breath at first, then he got used to the queer motion, and cried aloud in his delight.

Harry headed straight into the east when he felt that he was high enough. And suddenly he gave a cry.

”Look!” he shouted in d.i.c.k's ear. ”We didn't start a moment too soon.

See her--that great big cigar-shaped thing, dropping over there?”

It was the Zepplin--the battles.h.i.+p of the air. She was dipping down, descending gracefully, over Bray Park.