The Boy Aviators' Flight for a Fortune Part 14

"Calkerlate I'll take a look through his pockets," he said; "might rummage out something worth havin'."

Zeb helped his father in this task; but aside from a small sum of money, and a collection of worthless odds and ends, they found nothing that appeared to them to be of importance. In an inner pocket Zeb came across the stolen map. Much mystified, he showed it to his father.

"What do you think this kin be, pop?" he inquired.

The old man took it and knitted his brow over the doc.u.ment in a puzzled fashion.

"By hickory, I kain't make it out," he confessed; "thar's some riting in ther corner, though. Spell it out, Zeb."

Zeb, obediently, but somewhat laboriously, read out:

"'Map of the location of the wreck of the _Belle of New Orleans_.'

That's what it says; but what does it mean?"

"That's plain enough, ain't it?" retorted the old man. "It's a map of some wreck or other, but what does this feller want with it? That's the question."

"Better ask him. He's opening his eyes and coming to."

Sure enough Duval stirred uneasily, and threw up his hand as if to ward off a blow.

"Don't hit me, Frank Chester," he cried out; "I'll give back the plan I stole."

"Oh-ho! That's the way the wind blows, is it?" muttered the elder Daniels, and then, addressing Duval, who was now staring wildly about him, he said:

"So you come from Brig Island, eh, my hearty?"

"Yes; but how did I get here? Oh, I remember now. I was looking for food and somebody struck me."

"That was me, I reckon," grinned Zeb, "who are you, anyhow? Did those kids on Brig Island send you here after us?"

What with the effects of his blow, and his alarm at his position, Duval lost his customary caution.

"I'm no friend of anybody on Brig Island," he exclaimed, "but what do you know about that place, anyhow?"

"A whole lot," grimly rejoined the elder Daniels; "now, see here, my lad, you'd best make a clean breast of it. How did you come by this plan?"

The old fisherman, who was pretty keen-minded, had guessed by Duval's guilty manner that there was some mystery connected with the doc.u.ment which he now flourished.

Duval sat up on the bunk and pleaded for the return of the plan; but to no avail.

"I'm smart enough to see through a wall when there's a hole in it," said old Daniels; "now, see here, I reckon you ain't no friend of them kids on the island?"

Duval shook his head. He had, of course, no reason to dislike the boys; but he was an arrant coward at heart, and saw that the men in whose power he was, hated the young dwellers on Brig Island. He therefore thought it good policy to affect to be of their way of thinking.

"I'm no friend of theirs," he said, rather sullenly, "but what's that to you?"

"May be a whole lot, if this plan is what I think it is. Now I've a pretty good idea that you come by it in no very honest way. Ain't that so?"

"I-I was given it," stammered Duval uneasily, while Zenas' little gimlet-like gray eyes bored him through.

"That's a lie," rejoined Daniels easily; "come on, out with the truth, now. It won't do you no harm, and may keep you from the constables."

This was a shrewd move on Daniels' part. Duval's eyes dilated with fear at the idea of coming within the reach of the law. Without more ado he blurted out part of the story of the lost _Belle of New Orleans_, and offered to let Zenas share in the prize if he should locate it. While Duval was talking the elder Daniels had leaned forward, consumed with interest. Avaricious to a degree, the thought of the sunken treasure made him fairly burn with desire to gain it.

"You're sure that was a true story that feller give you?" he asked, as Duval concluded his story.

"I'm certain of it. I know for a fact that my father had a lot of gold dust and those black pearls with him on his last voyage, for he had written home about the fortune that he was bringing."

"Humph! Waal, your story sounds all right, and I don't know but what you've come to the right shop to get some one to help you get at the wreck. I've got a diving outfit and a little money, and I kin raise some more. Now sit down and Zeb will get you a bite to eat, and we'll talk things over."

And thus was begun an alliance which was to prove a source of much trouble to the Boy Aviators and their friends in the near future.

CHAPTER XVI.-OFF ON THE "AIR ROUTE."

In the meantime indignation was at white heat on Brig Island. Mr.

Sterrett was for advertising the disappearance of Duval, and offering a reward for his apprehension. He confessed that he had not liked the man's looks, but had shipped him as help was hard to get at the time.

Dr. Perkins agreed that it might not be a bad idea to communicate at once with the authorities and try to have the rascal captured.

"But," he added, "I am afraid he is too clever a scamp to fall into the clutches of the law very easily."

"I am of that opinion, too," frankly admitted Mr. Sterrett, "but it will do no harm to do all we can to place him where he belongs."

To get ash.o.r.e Frank had first to swim off to the motor boat, for the skiff, as we know, had vanished. He then ran the engine-driven craft in alongside some rocks that sloped down into deep water, and from that elevation the party embarked. A quick run was made to Motthaven, from whence a description of Duval was wired to the metropolitan police, and the local authorities urged out of their usual lethargy by promises of a reward if Duval was found. Late that afternoon the search yielded results in the finding of the abandoned skiff, and the discovery of the hut in which the Daniels had been living since the boys had inst.i.tuted proceedings against them.

Some evidences of a hasty departure were found, but no clews that would give any idea of whither the fugitives had proceeded. In fact it was only by piecing together some sc.r.a.ps of torn paper that it was discovered that the hut had been used by the Daniels as a refuge.

"Well," said Dr. Perkins that evening, after they had bidden good-by to Mr. Sterrett and his friend, who had returned to New York, "well, in my opinion the less time we lose in getting to Black Bayou the better it will be, for, to my mind, there is little doubt that Duval means to forestall our friend, Ben Stubbs, in ransacking the wreck."

The others agreed that this seemed highly probable, and Dr. Perkins made immediate arrangements for a caretaker to occupy quarters on Brig Island during their absence. This done, a return was made to the little settlement, and the next day final preparations were made for the adventurous trip through the air. The _Sea Eagle_ was provisioned, and a light wireless apparatus installed, the stay wires being used as aerials. Of course the instruments were not so strong as those used at the sh.o.r.e station, but it was calculated that they had a capacity of about twenty miles over land, and forty above the sea, depending, of course, a good deal on the wave adjustment and the weather conditions.

Twenty-four hours after the adventurers had started work on the _Sea Eagle_, the craft was ready for her dash. Ben Stubbs, Pudge Perkins and Billy Barnes were to go to New Orleans, there to await the arrival of the party. Their departure took place amid regretful wails from Pudge, who loudly declaimed:

"Aerials and ant-hills! I don't see why we can't go by the _Sea Eagle_."

But Dr. Perkins' word was law and he had decided that the fewer persons who took part in the test the better the chance of success would be, and as Frank and Harry were both experienced aviators he placed great reliance in their aid. The morning after the departure of the New Orleans-bound pa.s.sengers the caretaker and his family arrived. They were honest folk from the sh.o.r.e, who could be trusted to look after the many valuable devices on the island, and keep curiosity seekers off till the party returned. For Dr. Perkins had decided to use Brig Island as a permanent workshop, and expected, if the _Sea Eagle_ proved a success, to build many craft like her and dispose of them at good prices. The working of the electric fence was explained to the caretaker; but he declared:

"I reckon my old gun will do more to keep undesirables off than any of them electric didoes."

There was now nothing more to do, the caretaker being duly installed, but to take to the air, in what was, at that date, the most unique aerial craft in existence. For the voyage, beside the provisions and extra fuel and oil, life belts had been provided, and not a detail had been overlooked. It was seven o'clock on a fine, breathless morning when Dr. Perkins gave the order, "Start up the engines!"

A thrill shot through both Frank and Harry at the words. Experienced in aerial adventure as were both boys, they could not but feel that they were embarking on the most adventurous undertaking of their lives.

"We're off!" cried Harry, as a quiver ran through the craft, and the motor roared from its exhausts, emitting clouds of mingled flame and blue smoke.