John Luther Langworthy

“ Indeed, Frank often had to curb the impatience and daring of his chum.
"Oh! that's what sticks in your craw, does it, Andy Bird?" demanded Puss. "Just because Sandy happened to drop that ballast, thinking we might make better time if we lightened ship, you choose to make all sorts of nasty insinuations about us wanting to knock you out! Shows where your mind is. Another fellow wouldn't ever let such a fool notion get a grip on him. And you'd better put a reef in that tongue of yours, my boy, unless you want to have it get you into trouble." ”

“ That night they were uneasy about the precious airship, and at their request the planter had their beds made up in the shed where the "Bug" lay. But there was no attempt made to injure it in the least.
Then came the morning. Andy could hardly eat a bite of breakfast, for the eagerness that possessed his soul. Every servant on the plantation had gathered to look with awe upon the wonderful bird-like machine, on which, it was whispered, these two venturesome young Americanos meant to soar among the clouds. ”

“ Finally the last word was spoken, the planter shook hands with each of his visitors, Frank turned on the power, the aeroplane with the motor exhaust sounding like a volley of musketry started to run along the level ground, and presently, to the consternation of the entire gathering, began to climb upward, just like a creature of magic!
Cries of awe arose from scores of throats and to a man the peons threw themselves flat on their faces, hardly daring to look at the terrifying spectacle. ”

“ The American consul will back us up. It is your business to simply steer this boat up the river until we arrive at Magangue."
"Si, señor. But when I return they will surely make the trouble for me," replied the pilot, shrugging his narrow shoulders.
"Not at all, Felipe," declared Frank. "You can swear that we made you do as we wished; that you dared not turn back, since your life was in danger. We stand ready to shoulder all the blame there is."
The dusky face of the old river pilot, whom they had fortunately run across in Maracaibo, became wreathed in a smile. ”

“ Frank was wise enough to understand that it is always desirable to approach a drowning person from the rear, so that a grip may be taken before the would-be rescuer's presence is discovered. Once let those frenzied fingers clutch hold of him, and the chances of a double tragedy would be good.
So Frank was keenly on the watch as he swam toward the splashing and gurgling that announced Puss Carberry's fight for his life. ”

“ Are we going to put up with that funny business right along? I say no. Let's warn 'em that we're armed and can bore a hole right through their jolly old biplane, upsetting them any time they get close enough. I'm drawing the line on tomorrow, because somehow I feel it in here that it's going to be the greatest day of my life," and Andy laid his hand on his heart as he spoke.
"Yes, that would be our best plan," admitted Frank. "We've already stood quite enough of that funny business, as you call it. They even fired at us. Depend on it, Andy, they won't follow us very far next time." ”

“ Then, on the way home, had come that little diversion aboard the launch, when his old enemy, Puss Carberry, in attempting to strike him, had miscalculated and gone plunging into the lake, himself being unable to swim.
Frank had nothing to regret in connection with his leap after the struggling lad and his subsequent saving of Puss. True, the latter chose to crush down the natural spirit of gratitude that should have made him accept the hand Frank offered later. But Frank felt that he could afford to smile at such an exhibition of a small nature. ”

“ But he heard not a word from even old Quito, and while the absence of a man must be noticed in the morning, there would probably be no complaint.
When Andy heard about the attempt to injure the monoplane he was in a tremble.
"Did you ever?" he exclaimed. "Why, it seems as though everything just wants to knock us. When we give the government officials the merry ha! ha! and even slip past the revolutionary army, after being bombarded by their old cannon, here even our own men want to smash our precious aeroplane, under the belief that it's an evil bird, come to bring bad luck to the people." ”

“ He seems to be holding out."
"I've been thinking about that," replied his chum. "And Andy, it looks to me as if that fellow must know something about aviation. If I could only glimpse him through the glasses I'd soon tell, for he'd show it by the way he sits there alongside Puss. A new beginner would be hugging the upright for dear life, and showing all the signs of fear."
"Yes, I know, because I did that same," answered Andy, once again raising the binoculars as he twisted his head around.
"How is it?" asked Frank. ”

“ Never before had Andy found himself compelled to do such a queer "stunt," as he afterwards termed it; but he was braced to exert himself now to the best of his ability.
"Jump!" shouted Frank, as they came roughly in contact with the ground.
And Andy went. He never knew whether he jumped purposely or lost his grip of that upright after the shock of the collision; but the next thing he realized he was straining himself with might and main to hold back the monoplane, already gliding along with sundry violent bumps, on the three bicycle wheels. ”

“ I wish the time was here right now."
"Felipe, by the way, is taking his rest now," said Frank, after a little time; "for he expects another night on duty. We still meet many tree trunks sweeping down on the current. The man at the wheel has to keep on guard constantly. Look at that tremendous one, will you, Andy? And just notice how dense the forest is ashore around here. How any one can get around at all beats me. I should think they'd have to keep their machetes busy all the time cutting the matted vines away." ”

“ But you know, Andy, just as Colonel Josiah warned us, these Colombians don't have any too much love for Yankees, ever since that Panama rebellion, when, as they believe, our government openly assisted the people of the Isthmus throw off the Colombian yoke, because we just had to control that strip of territory for the canal."
"But why should the revolutionists want to stop us?" insisted his cousin. "We are here only on a private quest. We seek no gold mines or cocoa plantations. Our only object is a mission of mercy. ”

“ Colombia is ripe to take a forward step, and have an aviation corps."
"Well," said Frank, "under the circumstances we would seriously object to having our monoplane confiscated now, because upon it we depend wholly in our search. But I thought you were perhaps about to warn us to look out for these revolutionists while passing up the river."
"It would be wise, Señor," observed the amiable Colombian ex-diplomat. "They have agents here; and I happen to know that one is even now on the wharf, observing. Possibly he seeks to communicate with some spy who chances to be a member of your crew. ”

“ Once Frank had seen a wild animal crouched on one of these great logs. The boat passed so very close to the floating refuge of the beast that ere darkness claimed the strange craft with its stranger cargo, Frank had been able to see the tawny hide of the crouching beast, and note the quick, jerky motion of its long tail.
Upon hurrying to the pilot house and making inquiries of Felipe he learned that, just as he suspected, the animal was a jaguar, the most feared inhabitant of the tropical forests away off at the headwaters of the Magdalena and Orinoco rivers. ”

“ I bet you, Frank, there's a heap of 'em around us right now. How do we know but what every tree hides one of the critters, watching everything we do? I can tell you right now that I don't wander far from this jolly little blaze tonight. And besides, one of us has just got to keep a grip on this gun all the time. I don't hanker after being carried away and made a meal of by a big hungry cat."
"Oh, the fire will scare them away all right, I believe. There isn't an animal that doesn't dread fire. Always keep that in mind, Andy, when trouble comes," said Frank, earnestly. ”

“ Frank gave evidence of being what is known as a "natural born doctor," keenly alive to everything pertaining to surgery. More than once he had set broken limbs for dogs and cats and done it in a manner that aroused the warmest praise from his father, who, deep down in his heart, knew the boy had it in him to become a famous surgeon, if he kept along in this path when he came to take up his life pursuit. ”

“ We'll get through this coming night without accident, because we're ready for anything. Then, when another day dawns, we'll haul in at Magangua, to hunt José Mendoza up and hear what he can tell us about the parachute that fell among his cocoa trees."
"Hark! what ails the men forward?" exclaimed Andy just then.
They sprang to their feet and rushed to where they could see what was going on.
"Perhaps a mutiny!" exclaimed Frank, who could not tell what queer thing was ever going to happen down in this land, the people of which were so different from all whom he had ever known before. ”

“ Yes, both you and that loud-mouthed cousin of yours. Just because luck favored you, and you won that blooming race by a head, you think I can't manage an aeroplane as well as you. Huh! perhaps you don't know that I'm going to take my machine with me when I go down to the cocoa plantation we own along the Amazon, and use it exploring where a white man has seldom been seen. You can just stay here and grow up with the country, while I'm doing great stunts. But as long as I stay here I'm going to stop this talk about trickery and low-down dodges. You're responsible for most of it, Frank Bird. ”

“ Why don't they leave a fellow alone? Goodness knows we've just got trouble enough on our hands without this."
"I don't know," said Frank, reflectively, "but I reckon they either want our monoplane or else believe we're in the employ of the government, and have been sent up here to spy on their movements. Anyhow, it seems plain that they mean to make a big effort to get us."
"Which they won't, if we know it!" cried Andy. "But see here, Frank, that chap is nervy, all right, going up with Puss and standing all this racket. A tenderfoot is generally rattled even with a slow flight. ”

“ But in case they drop out of the race we must try and know something of the chances for a landing ourselves."
"Gee! it looks pretty punk down there!" admitted Andy, after he had carefully turned the glasses forward and down.
"That's what is bothering me," Frank said. "We've sure got to drop, sooner or later, because it would be utterly impossible for us to keep afloat all night. And if there happens to be no opening in that dense forest, how can we land?"
"Listen! as sure as you live they're trying to wing us with a shot!" cried Andy. ”

“ Frank was looking the crowd over closely.
"I think I see him, Andy," he remarked, presently.
"You mean Señor José?" asked his cousin, eagerly. "I've been watching that middle-aged gentleman who seems to be pressing close in on the flank of the crowd. There, see, he is speaking to Manuel, our purser, now, asking him some question. He looks up here at us; yes, and waves his hand, with a smile! That must be Señor José, all right, Frank." ”

“ The scoundrel, no matter who it was, must be allowed to escape in order that he turn his attention to the burning shed and try to save the airship from destruction. Once the fire got inside, there was enough of the dangerous gasoline about to insure the speedy burning of the whole flimsy fabric, all but the motor itself.
So Frank kept headed straight for the hangar, trying to shut out the sight of that crouching, fleeing figure. He continued to lift his sturdy young voice in repeated shouts:
"Fire! Fire!"
Those in the house must hear; yes, and the neighbors, too. ”

“ From time to time Andy would call the attention of his aeroplane chum to some striking feature of the landscape far below. The little Kinkaid motor was humming merrily, without ever missing a stroke, and Frank, having the utmost confidence in its steadiness now, after so many trial spins, could take a few seconds at a time to observe these things.
"When we've gone something close on an hundred miles direct," remarked the pilot of the craft, presently, "I think we'd better make a descent, if given the chance." ”

“ He was growing more and more fond of these venturesome young Americanos, who were so generous, so brave, and who had come all this great distance, actuated by such a noble purpose. So many a man may easily feel when his salary has been unexpectedly doubled.
During the balance of that afternoon the two young aviators continued to alternately sit upon the deck, and wander about the boat, watching things. Frank had the precious aeroplane locked up in the spacious lazerette, which being also used as a storeroom for extra supplies, that the circumstance need not be looked upon as singular. ”