Graham M. Dean

“ The wind had been rising steadily and was whipping through the underbrush, whining a symphony all its own. Then the young reporters caught a sudden alarming smell of smoke and heard the crackling of flames.
“Someone must be near us,” said Ralph. “I smell smoke and can hear a fire.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth when a sheet of flame, whipped by the angry wind, leaped into the air.
“The fire from the car has spread to the underbrush,” cried Tim. “Quick, Ralph, or we’ll be cut off from our plane.” ”

“ Back and forth Tim cruised the mail plane, dodging in and out of canyons, circling over sheer precipices that fell away for a thousand feet, scanning the snow and the rocks for some sign.
The powerful motor was using great quantities of fuel and Tim watched the gasoline gauge with an anxious eye. At nine o’clock he had fuel for a little more than another hour of flying. To have gone back to Atkinson was out of the question. He would land at some village or ranch in the foothills, replenish his gasoline tanks, and resume the search. ”

“ Harry Benson started the bell ringer, Henshaw released the air and opened the throttle a notch. The 1064 came to life, steam hissed from its cylinders, the drivers quivered and moved slowly in the reverse motion. The 1064 slid out of the roundhouse, rocked a little as it went over the turn-table and then eased down the darkened yards until it came to a stop near the end of the long train shed.
At eleven-fifty a penetrating whistle came through the night to be followed several minutes later by the blazing headlight of the westbound mail. ”

“ Up, up, up pitched the Good News, tossing wildly on the edge of the inferno of flame and smoke. The noise of the explosion had deadened their ears and neither Ralph nor Tim could hear the laboring of the motor as Tim gave it full throttle. ”

“ With a startled cry Tim realized what had happened. The bandits’ car had been wrecked and had then caught on fire. Even though Shanghai Sam and Pierre Petard were villains of the deepest dye, he had no desire to wish any man death under a flaming car.
The Good News circled slowly over the twisted, red-hot wreckage of the machine. There was no sign of life and Tim decided to attempt a landing in a small, level space nearby. ”

“ The wings of the crimson plane had folded back along the fuselage, the propeller was splintered into a thousand bits and it was generally ready for the scrap heap.
Tim went wild with rage and wept in his futile anger. When he finally calmed down it was with a quietness that foreboded no good for Shanghai Sam and Pierre Petard.
“We can’t learn anything more by inspecting what’s left of the Good News,” he said. “Let’s circle around and see if we can find trace of a car they might have had waiting for them to make their getaway.” ”

“ The shock of the sudden tragedy left Tim speechless and the engineer climbed slowly back to his throttle. There was no joy in the cab of the 1064 over their victory with the flames for Henshaw had lost the best fireman he had ever had.
Tim was used to sudden shocks but the one of turning to look for the fireman and finding him gone was one that would remain with him through life.
The needle on the steam gauge wavered and started down as the 1064 made its heavy demands for power. Someone must keep the fire hot. ”

“ After making sure that the plane was safe, they started the long climb up the mountain. At times they moved rapidly, especially where the wind had swept the snow off the rocks. But again their progress was heart-breaking, deep drifts forcing them to fight for every foot of headway.
Up and up they climbed, stopping only occasionally to rest. The cowboys were in good physical condition and Tim was glad that he kept himself in shape. The strenuous climb might have killed a man who was not sound in heart and lungs. ”

“ Tim and Ralph ran to the nearby garage where the cars used by News Reporters were stored. They took the first machine available, a light, speedy roadster. Tim climbed behind the wheel and they shot out of the garage. Traffic down town was in a tangled jam that would take an hour to clear for the rumbling explosions from the oil tanks had alarmed the entire city. Many people, believing that the city was about to fall on their heads, had hurried to their cars in an attempt to flee to the open country. ”

“ When they left the hangar and started back for their car, a raw, wet wind cut through their clothes.
“Feels like another blizzard is getting ready to descend on us,” remarked Ralph as he scanned the sky.
“Weather report says 'continued cloudy’,” replied the field manager, “and I’m hoping it’s right. Another blizzard would raise havoc with us. Everyone of our planes is carrying its capacity of mail and we’re making every possible effort to keep on schedule.”
“Ralph is inclined to be pessimistic today,” laughed Tim. “He’s always predicting a blizzard or cloudburst.” ”

“ Tim knew that Ralph was capable and resourceful but he had also had a vivid demonstration of the dangers of flying in the Great Smokies.
“I’ve got to start out and hunt for him,” he cried. “Have the boys get the plane ready to go.”
“You’ll do nothing of the kind,” snorted Hunter. “You’re in no shape to fly. Look at your eyes. You’d be sound asleep in ten minutes and then we’d have to start looking for you. No sir! You stay right here, put some warm food inside and then roll in. ”

“ The Good News looked to be ready to take first prize at a fire sale. The entire ship was grimy from the heavy oil smoke and the dope on the wings and fuselage was curled and cracked from the terrific heat.
Tim nosed down over the airport and idled his motor as they skimmed to a perfect three point landing and rolled to a stop in front of their hangar.
Carl Hunter ran to their plane.
“You crazy news hounds,” he cried. “I thought you were goners when those explosions caught you. How did you ever get out alive?”
“We’ll thank the new motor for saving our necks,” replied Tim. ”

“ The new motor settled to its work in a manner that warmed Tim’s heart. He felt that he had reserve power for any emergency as he swung the biplane around and headed for the burning oil tanks.
Tim put the Good News in a steady climb and they gained altitude rapidly. At 1,200 feet he levelled off and Ralph got busy with the camera.
The oil storage lot, a large tract of level land, was dotted with a dozen large tanks. Five of the tanks had caught fire and exploded, the force of the explosion knocking off the steel tops. These tops, like great black pancakes, had been blown clear of the tract. ”

“ Ralph gunned his motor hard and watched for some sign of the pilot near the wrecked plane. For ten minutes he circled the spot before looking for a landing place for his own ship. In one of the valleys between the foothills he found a small meadow that looked as though it would serve as an emergency landing field. He took careful note of the position of the wrecked plane and then drifted down to attempt the landing.
The meadow was bordered by pines that stuck their spires into the sky and Ralph thought for a time that it would be impossible to avoid their scraggly tops and get into the meadow. ”

“ He jammed the throttle open and the motor coughed as the raw fuel leaped into the white-hot cylinders. There was only one chance; that he could get up enough speed to throw the Good News into a nose dive. He could avoid the tri-motor that way but his own chances of coming out of the dive would be slim.
In that split second Tim made his decision. He would attempt the dive. There were probably women and children on the tri-motor for the night plane usually carried a heavy passenger list. If the two planes met they would all be blown to eternity. ”

“ Tim was so tired and chilled that he had to be helped from the cockpit. His legs, aching from the cold and the arduous exertion of the day, simply folded up under him.
Hank Cummins grinned at him.
“I don’t feel much better myself,” he admitted. “And gosh, what an appetite climbing a mountain gives a fellow. Let’s eat.”
Supported by the ranchman on one side and the field manager on the other, Tim made his way to the administration building.
“Ralph must have come in early since he didn’t wait for me,” said Tim as they entered the manager’s office. ”

“ They greeted Tim with cheery cries.
“You’re off the trail, Big Boy,” said the first cowboy to reach the plane.
“I’m all right,” replied Tim, “But I’ve been out all morning looking for one of the air mail ships that was lost in the blizzard last night.”
“Someone get caught in the mountains?” another cowboy asked.
“Two planes,” replied Tim. “One of them was the westbound ship and the other was eastbound. They were last heard from just before the blizzard closed down.”
“Gosh,” said the first cowboy, “The Great Smokies are a tough bunch of hills for anyone to be caught in a storm.” ”

“ Mitchell rested in the snow while Ralph unlashed the plane and turned it around. Then the reporter boosted the flyer into the mail cockpit and prepared for the take-off. He primed the motor and felt that luck was with him when it started easily.
Mitchell leaned out of the mail cockpit and shouted back at Ralph.
“I know this ship,” he cried. “Let her get a good run. Then pull back hard and she’ll climb almost straight up. Don’t hold her in a climb for more than two hundred feet or she may slip back on back and go into a tail spin.” ”

“ Tim had little sympathy to offer and Ralph went over to his typewriter and banged savagely at the keys.
At nine o’clock the boys decided to call it a day. Tim had written the last line of copy for his aviation department and Ralph had managed to finish his story on the dinner.
The air was raw and bitter when they reached the street and heavy clouds obscured the stars.
“Nasty night for the air mail,” commented Tim as he turned up the collar of his coat.
“Going to snow before morning,” predicted Ralph.
“Hope you’re wrong,” replied Tim. “We’ve had enough winter. I’m ready for spring.” ”

“ Ice started to form on the wings of the Good News and Tim realized the danger. The plane was harder to handle, slower to answer the controls.
Ralph sensed the danger of the higher altitude and motioned for Tim to dive, but the flying reporter shook his head. He was too experienced an airman for a power dive when ice was gathering on his ship.
To have nosed the ship down at 180 miles an hour might be fatal for both of them. With the ceiling probably down to nothing they would flash out of the clouds at high speed with only a few hundred feet of clearance. ”

“ He said that hundreds of people took the News just to read about the adventures you and Ralph go through.”
“What did Carson say?” asked Tim.
“Oh he explained what the state troopers were up against and they had it hot and heavy for a while. All of which gets back to what I wanted to say to you. Be careful, Tim, on this state police job. The troopers are paid to take chances with criminals; you’re not. Help them where you can but don’t risk your own life unnecessarily.” ”

“ Tim warned his companion. “There may be some footprints we’ll want to follow. I’ve a hunch this burning car was nothing more than a clever ruse to throw pursuers off the trail. We’ve wasted plenty of time landing and getting over here. In the meantime, the bandits are well on their way in some other kind of a machine.”
“They didn’t get away in a car,” said Ralph. “Look at the road. There hasn’t been a wagon or auto along since the light rain last night. They’ve taken to the brush.”
“We’ll never find them in the brush,” promised Tim. “They’re too clever for that. A posse would smoke them out. ”

“ The reporter stopped in a small clearing and called lustily through cupped hands. Again and again he shouted and at last he thought he heard a faint reply. Perhaps it was only an echo. He called again and a voice, far away, answered.
Confident that he was near the missing pilot, Ralph hurried forward, bending almost double in order to follow the dim trail. He stopped every few hundred feet and shouted. Each time the reply came clearer and stronger.
Ralph came out on the bank of a small stream. Below, on the rocks beside the creek bed, he saw the crouched form of the air mail flyer. ”

“ Tim and Ralph loaded thermos bottles of hot chocolate into the cockpits of their planes, put in first aid kits, ropes and hand axes and generally prepared for any emergency that might confront them.
Abundant supplies of extra blankets were tossed into the mail compartment ahead of the pilot’s cockpit and the hood was strapped down.
The motors of the great green and silver biplanes droned steadily as Tim and Ralph seated themselves at the controls.
“Locate them first,” Hunter shouted to the reporters. “If you can’t land and bring them out yourselves, come back and get help. ”

“ Beneath them powerful touring cars, loaded with state troopers, were dashing madly along the highways but there was no sign of the machine they sought.
Tim and Ralph swept the countryside with eyes trained for the slightest unusual sign. They roared well ahead of the troopers and then swung in ever widening circles in their effort to find their quarry. ”

“ Electric lights high up under the roof tried vainly to pierce the shadows which shrouded the hulking monsters of the rails as they rested in their stalls. There must have been fourteen or fifteen locomotives in the roundhouse, some of them dead; others breathing slowly and rhythmically, awaiting their turn to be called for service on the road. ”