CHAPTER VII

Crashed!

The girl flyers watched with thumping hearts as the plane, diving with wide open throttle, headed straight toward the plateau.

Prim gripped her sister's arm. She felt giddy and faint. A cry escaped her.

Terry turned to her with a frown. "Snap out of it, Prim! This is no time to get hysterical. That plane may be piloted by a friend of Joe Arnold. If it is, we'll need to do some quick thinking. Don't lose courage now!"

Prim was gazing toward the plane. "It looks to me as if there were two men. And someone is waving! Do you think it's a rescue plane?" cried Prim.

Terry did not answer. Every nerve was tense as she watched the plane banking and circling for a landing. She dared not tell Prim that she believed it was Allan and Syd. It would be too great a disappointment, if she were mistaken.

Then suddenly Prim screamed with delight. "Look Terry, look! It's Syd and Allan! We're saved! We're saved!"

Rosa stood beside the girls until she realized that they did not need further help, then as the plane circled low for a landing, she scurried into the hut, calling on the women and children to follow. In a moment the place was deserted. Terry smiled at the idea of Rosa finding protection in those flimsy huts of twigs and leaves.

A few minutes later Allan set down his plane before the native huts. Before the boys could step from the plane, the girls were beside them, shaking their hands and almost crying with relief.

"We thought you were lost in the storm, Allan!" cried Terry.

"And we had almost given you up for lost!" answered Allan, his voice husky.

"How did you find us?" Prim asked excitedly. Her cheeks were flushed, all her fear was gone.

"We recognized _Skybird_ and followed her," replied Allan, looking around anxiously. "Joe flew her to Honduras and then back here."

"Don't I know it!" exclaimed Terry. "What a good thing it was that I didn't have a chance to stop him. I was angry enough to smash the plane rather than have him use it for smuggling."

"Let's be going!" said Syd. "We can tell you how we found you when we're out of danger. Are you sure these blacks are friendly?"

"I'll say they are. They're wonderful people!"

Terry burst out. "They've kept us out of Joe's clutches. He and Bud were trying to put us on an uninhabited island. And Pedro, the Big Chief, hid us away and fooled him. The natives saved our lives!"

"Some day," said Prim with a laugh, "I'm going to send a whole barrel of presents down for them, beads and candy and brightly colored calico. They'd love it!"

"But when do we go and how?" asked Syd. "I won't feel safe until we get away from this island. Do you think there is any chance of getting _Skybird_? Joe won't give that plane up without a fight."

"He isn't going to put up a fight for that plane," answered Terry. "When we heard you coming, we were just on our way to get her."

"Joe is down there!" cried Prim triumphantly, pointing at the opening to the cave, near which a huge black was sitting, fingering a knife menacingly. "And as you see, he's under a strong guard! He and Bud are both prisoners down there."

"Prisoners! Where?" asked Syd.

"It's the most wonderful prison in the world! It's a crystal cave! The roof is of sparkling emeralds, rubies and sapphires. It's beautiful!" Terry explained with sparkling eyes.

"Yes, you ought to see it, boys!" interrupted Prim.

"We'll save that for the next trip. Much as I'd like to see a crystal cave, I think my pleasure would be all spoiled if I had to share the view with Joe Arnold," answered Allan.

At that moment Pedro came running up the trail. He had seen another plane arriving and feared that Joe and Bud might be rescued by some friends. His white teeth showed in a broad smile when he saw the girls happy.

"My plane? Is it ready?" asked Terry.

"All ready!" replied the black.

Pedro started to lead them back to the harbor, but Rosa stood in his way, frowning and talking in a high pitched voice. The chief explained to the young people that the tribe wished to give the flyers a farewell feast.

"Guess we'll have to wait long enough to eat something," said Terry under her breath to Allan.

"But we really ought to be going when luck is with us. You can't tell what may happen!"

"It's impossible, boys. It's the only way we have to repay these people for their kindness to us," Terry begged.

"That's a brand new idea, repaying people by eating some more of their food. I don't know as I'd want that kind of pay for a debt."

"You would if you were in the place of these people. It's the greatest honor we can show them."

After assuring Allan and Syd that Joe Arnold and Bud Hyslop were well guarded in the cave, Terry led the way to the fibre mats before the huts where the meal was about to be served.

"How did they guess that we hadn't had a thing to eat today?" asked Syd. "We were too busy watching _Skybird_. We didn't dare leave the field for fear Joe Arnold would take off and we'd lose him."

"I'm glad you're hungry," said Terry in a whisper to the boys. "I wish _I_ were, then I might be able to eat their fish. And unless you eat a lot, Rosa is offended." As the bowl was brought in, strange spicy odors filled the air. They had several courses. The feast began with fish, continued with fish and ended with fish.

Terry bravely faced the ordeal, trying to smile and enthuse over each dish as it was brought. But it was hard work. However, the boys made up for her lack of appetite. They declared that they had never tasted anything so good and when they accepted a second helping, Rosa's face was beaming with happiness.

Allan was thoughtful for a time, then his face brightened. He had been racking his brains to think of some gift to present to Pedro. At last he had it. From his pocket he took a wrist watch. Allan usually carried an extra watch.

Terry saw the idea and smiled. "He'll love it, Allan! But make a lot of fuss when you present it," she whispered. "They like that even better than the gift."

The four friends rose and bowed low before Pedro. Then Allan stepped forward and fastened the watch on the wrist of the black.

Pedro did not know what to say. He tried to speak but his few words of English were forgotten in his excitement. Like a king, he strode among his people with extended hand to show them the honor that had been given him. Rosa beamed her pleasure. It was a great day on the island.

Allan and Syd were restless. "I think we'd better go!" said Allan suddenly. "I won't be happy until I get you girls a thousand miles away from Joe Arnold and Bud Hyslop."

"O.K.," replied Terry. "Come Prim," she said, and her sister followed as Terry went among the natives and bade them goodbye.

Allan and Syd started their plane and flew above the forest toward the beach, while the girls hurried through the jungle by a short cut that Pedro took and Rosa followed as fast as she could.

The boys were putting their plane down on the smooth water beside _Skybird_ when the girls arrived. Pedro leaped into the launch and beckoned the girls to follow.

Suddenly they heard wild, piercing cries coming from the direction of the jungle, savage cries that sounded more like the night call of some jungle beast.

"Hurry!" exclaimed Pedro, looking back. "It's Joe. He escape!"

Joe and Bud were racing madly toward the beach. In a moment the reason for their panic was seen. Behind the two men came a stream of howling blacks.

"Will Joe hurt you, after we are gone?" asked Terry anxiously.

"Me no afraid!" Pedro answered. "My people, they fight him!"

Bud made for a boat, but one of the natives came up and shoved him aside violently. Joe was struggling with a horde of blacks, and all he could do was to shout furiously to Terry. But _Skybird_ was free from her moorings and the girl started the engine ready for the take-off. She could not hear what Joe was saying, but it was abusive and threatening.

Sending a spurt of water before her, _Skybird_ taxied in a wide sweep to head into the wind. Pedro stood up in his boat and waved a big black hand. There were shouts of farewell from the shore, mingled with threats from Bud and Joe.

As the plane soared over the island, Prim said through the earphones, "You may call those people savages if you want to, but I'll count them among my very best friends. What's more, I'm coming back some day to see them."

Allan took the lead, straight westward. The deep blue water spread beneath them to the horizon. There was hardly a ripple on the mirror-like surface of the sea. The sky was clear and like birds the two planes soared alone in the great blue dome.

Only occasionally Terry looked back in the direction of the island to be sure that Joe Arnold was not in pursuit. She had confidence in Pedro.

It was still early in the day. Terry and Allan had consulted their maps and decided to head for Tela on the Gulf of Honduras. If possible they wanted to get over to the Pacific side by night. There they would feel safe.

Flying in a northwesterly course, they left the high rocky coast of Honduras that lay exposed to the Caribbean storms, and made a landing at Tela. But they did not stay long, a heavy mist had come in from the sea. Within an hour they had made a check-up on their aircraft, refueled and were taking off for Salvador on the Pacific where fair weather was reported.

A low-lying cloud made Terry nose her plane up to a height of ten thousand feet. There was a brilliant sky and sunlight overhead. Below it looked as if they were still flying over the ocean. The broad sheet of fog spread beneath them like a blanket. But when they neared the Pacific late that afternoon, the mist began to thin and they could see the ranch houses with their cultivated fields. Leaving the cloud behind, they flew over Salvador. From that height they could see far north to the towering Guatemalan plateau, with here and there a cone-shaped volcanic peak. Plumes of blue smoke shot from the craters.

Prim gave an exclamation of astonishment, then was still. Both girls felt the overpowering majesty of the outlook over that vast panorama. Soon they saw the red and green roofs of Salvador City and a lofty Gothic spire. Terry circled over the town and came down on the flying field.

Here they intended to spend the night and have their planes thoroughly overhauled for the trip down the Pacific. The air was clear and dry, perfect flying weather.

But Terry was restless. While she enjoyed seeing the foreign city, she was fearful that Joe Arnold might still be pursuing them. Now he had a still greater reason for finding them. In the plane Terry had discovered a large legal envelope with several important looking papers marked "Confidential." Looking at them hurriedly, Terry gasped. Among them was the will of Colonel Roger Fairfax, a document that disposed of millions of dollars worth of property.

At the hotel when she showed them to the boys they agreed that they were extremely valuable. Yet they saw that the possession of these papers would add to the peril of the girls. Joe Arnold would not rest easy until he had caught up with _Skybird_ and recovered the documents which he had stolen, no doubt, and expected to sell for a huge sum.

Terry did not sleep well. She wanted morning to come so that she could be on her way, and long before daybreak she was up and ready to go. After a hasty breakfast, the four flyers took off and were under way by the time the sun was rising.

It was a long day. The flight down the Nicaraguan coast was jumpy, for the cool air from the high mountains poured down to meet the warm air from the plains. They passed near to some of the volcanoes and once they could see into the crater with its boiling lava and clouds of steam and smoke.

"We've been lucky!" said Prim through the earphones. "From now on it's clear sailing!"

"Touch wood, Prim! We're not there yet," answered Terry.

But Prim had not touched wood quick enough. A few hours later when they stepped from their plane on the field in Panama, they noticed at once that there was trouble. Men were running about excitedly, looking into the sky and the ambulance was being started ready for an emergency. In the sky a plane was out of control and diving wildly.

"Oh Prim!" cried Terry. "It's Allan! He's falling!"

The plane above had gone into a tailspin and the girls knew that Allan was not the kind to show off his skill or attempt a stunt over a strange flying field.

Prim clung to her sister with cries of fright but Terry's face was grim. Her lips moved with a prayer, but no words came.

Allan's plane was falling! Nothing could save it now. It was too near the ground to be righted and landed safely.

But the next minute the plane straightened out. By some miracle of luck Allan had it under control again, but it was too late. The plane landed on one wheel and with a bound it turned clear over. Even before it touched the ground, the ambulance was speeding across the field.

Prim ran screaming toward the plane but Terry stood as if turned to stone.

Allan and Syd had crashed! Their bodies must be crushed and bleeding under that crumpled wreck. Allan and Syd were dead! Terry saw no hope.

But strong hands had dragged Syd from the rear cockpit. He was dazed from the shock of landing but Terry saw that he was alive.

Frantically she ran toward the plane. Where was Allan?

Allan, strangely white, was taken from the wreck and placed in the ambulance. His limp form was covered with blood. Next minute the clanging ambulance was racing the injured boy to the hospital. Syd was given first aid on the field and was able to ride with the girls to the hospital in the automobile of the field manager. The boy was shaken up, bruised and sick from the shock, but he had no serious injuries. The girls watched him anxiously as he trembled and twitched, but the doctor at the hospital assured them that it was entirely nerves and after a night's rest he would be himself again.

But with Allan it was far more dangerous. Behind the closed doors of the operating room, strange white-clad figures were working over Allan. Terry caught glimpses of hurrying nurses, but dared not speak to any of them. A moment's delay in carrying out an order might be a risk to Allan's life.

Suddenly Syd seemed to come out of his stupor. He tried to get up, looked wildly around and cried: "Where's Allan? Tell me, is Allan dead?"

"No, Syd, lie down and keep quiet. Allan is alive! He has a fighting chance. That's all we know now."

An hour went by and dragged slowly into two hours before they brought Allan from that operating room. His long body was motionless under the sheet. Terry had slipped into the corridor and was watching. She held her breath with dread. Would they bring that still form toward a room, or was it all over? Was Allan dead? Would they take him away?

No one had time to answer her questions if she could have spoken. But her heart leaped with hope as she saw them turning into the room next to Syd. Allan was alive!

Then came the thought, as it had come when her father was injured: "Would this happy, care-free boy be left a cripple?" She thought of her father, spending his best years in a wheel chair and her eyes filled with tears. It was agony to think of that alert and active Allan doomed to the same fate. If only someone could relieve this terrible suspense!