Part 4

"After all, I didn't get even half as much genuine information from the bunch as I hoped I would," the other told him, though there was no hint of bitter disappointment in his manner of speaking, only disgust that so much could be written, founded on such minute real facts. "These newspaper boys can spin the most gorgeous yarns on a speck of truth--it's their business to stretch things to the breaking point you know, partner, and they sure do that. All that I discarded and threw over the side was just chaff, without a single sound kernel of wheat in it. When later on, after I've had time to digest things a bit when I go over what's left, chances are there'll be another sheaf of clippings go bad and be tossed out. Some of those stories were the bunk, made up in the reporter's skillful brain out of nothing at all, even if interesting to the general reader. In these days the story's the main thing editors demand."

"Yeah! I kinder guessed that way myself," remarked Perk, trying hard to seem disgusted, "though I own up they did make what you might call interestin' readin' that might pull the wool over the eyes o' most folks. An' what did you think was the worst story in the bunch, Jack old hoss?"

"I don't know if you read it, Perk, for it was in a paper I bought myself and which you hadn't seen," Jack told him.

"Seems to me I do 'member you fetched one home and I lost track o' it in all the rush an bustle, Jack. Tear in an' tell a feller what it all was about, won't you?"

"This was a letter received from a pilot who had formerly worked on the same shift as Buddy Warner--it went on to broadly hint the boy had some kind of secret enemy and was deeply concerned--the writer of the letter couldn't say positively what sort of trouble the missing pilot was up against, but declared it his belief that Buddy had met with some kind of foul play--that this other person might be interested in Buddy's disappearance!"

"Rats! I don't like the way he put that stuff over!" scoffed Perk with considerable indignation and concern. "Clean as a hound's tooth that was Buddy Warner and every one who knew him would say the same. I don't believe the cub had an enemy in the world--I'd call that a nasty makeup o' a crooked yarn."

"I'm with you there brother," said Jack firmly. "But you can understand how eager some people are to get into print--they see an opening to break into some matter that's gripped the public attention and just yearn to share in the spotlight. We'll have a chance to dig out the truth for ourselves before a great while, if any sort of luck helps us to grab the right cards."

Jack thereupon put away the few clippings he had kept and was soon in charge of the stick while his partner occupied himself with some of the ordinary duties pertaining to the observer and navigator of a double-seat air craft when on the wing.

The motor continued to function to a point close to perfection, showing how marvelous the skill of those mechanics to whom the task of building an engine fitted for the work of driving a heavier than air ship at an amazing pace through space must be.

The more Jack and Perk saw of their new boat, the higher their sincere admiration soared. If ever perfection was reached in such things it surely must have been when they put this engine together with an accuracy that compared favorably with the works of the finest and most expensive watch that ever came out of Switzerland.

"No necessity for both of us to stick it out when the going is as smooth as it is right now," suggested Jack, "later on we may strike rough sledding when both of us will have to keep on deck for many hours. Suppose Perk, you curl up and take a snooze. I'll promise to wake you up inside of three hours when you can take charge while I hit the hay--how about that arrangement, boy?"

"Oh! it's okay any old way with me, partner," replied the other readily enough for truth to tell Perk was commencing to yawn and show other signs of being sleepy, though he would willingly have stayed on the job until morning had there been any necessity for doing so.

"Just ten p. m. right now brother--about half-past twelve, then, I'll give you a nudge which will mean your watch has arrived while I get a couple of hours off duty to freshen up. Everything looks up to snuff so far buddy, and let's hope it will keep on that way right along."

So Perk settled down as comfortably as the limited accommodations allowed while Jack continued to watch his indicators on the black dashboard and by the exercise of continual care avoid such traps as tricky air pockets, such as might fall in their way.

IX

THE THREATENING CRASH

As time passed Jack continued to sit there in charge, frequently glancing over the side to see if there were any signs of the swirling beacons especially designed to assist air mail pilots on their way to some distant goal.

He had figured out that they must, sooner or later, come upon the line of such beacons and once found it would not be very difficult to continue following them during the balance of the night.

In the end he was greatly pleased to discover a faint light ahead--in about ten seconds he glimpsed it again and when this happened for the third time his last doubt was removed.

As he passed far above the revolving light he changed his course a little knowing the points of the compass the line of beacons followed, he must set out to follow them for unless he managed to do the right thing he could not possibly come across the next whirling glow.

Three, four of the friendly lights designated as "guide-posts of the air" he passed and all seemed going just as he would wish, when there came a sudden and unwelcome change.

Perk, sleeping just behind the pilot, felt something come in contact with his arm and he instinctively understood it was Jack giving him the prearranged nudge to let him know his rest period had expired and that it was up to him to take his turn at the controls.

"Huh! I get you, partner," he mumbled, not yet thoroughly aroused, "watchman, how goes the night, eh Jack, old hoss?"

"Not so good," the other told him.

"I swan now, if this ain't a punk deal!" ventured Perk, in a tone of injured innocence, "when did this beat in on us, buddy?"

"It's just plain unadulterated fog," Jack told him in a matter-of-fact tone as though such a thing was to be expected in a night's run where every possible type of country, from prairie to mountains, could be met up with and the contrary streams of air were favorable to heavy fogs.

Perk first of all took a single look over the side.

"Ginger pop! a reg'lar pea-soup that's been dished up for us, it sure is, partner!" he exclaimed, the head phones still being in use so that talking was no trouble at all even though the racket all around was deafening.

"Some fog, that's right Perk," admitted the unmoved pilot "the one you're mixed up with always does seem to be the worst ever."

"How long we been kickin' through this mess?" demanded Perk.

"Oh, something like half an hour more or less I figure," said Jack.

"An' it's now jest three in the mornin'--meanin' some two and a half more hours before the first peep o' day."

He leaned forward, the better to survey the altitude dial in order to learn how high Jack had been flying.

"Four thousand feet an' more, eh?" Perk remarked, "I guess that might be fairly safe, unless there happened to be a stiff mountain range standin' across our course. Want me to keep that right along, Boss?"

"For another half hour and then we've got to climb as far again--can't take any chance in a mess like this--I've always got that Transcontinental Air Transport liner, the _San Francisco_ in my mind when I strike into a heavy fog."[3]

Perk made a queer sound with his lips as if to indicate that his feelings ran along the same groove. Indeed, many an air pilot has had that same terrible tragedy flash before him when plunging onward through an opaque wall of fog, unable to even see his own wingtips.

"I'm on partner," said Perk as he took over the stick. "Meanin' to get seven winks o' sleep, ain't you?"

"Not just now," responded Jack, "truth is I'm not a bit sleepy so I'll just take things easy and do some thinking while you run the ship."

"Expected to meet up with some muck like this I guess, eh, partner?"

"Sure did Perk, only not quite so soon," came the undisturbed reply. "It seems there's been an unusual amount of dirty weather out this way lately and we've just slammed into this fog as a feeler. About four, start to head toward that higher ceiling--no particular hurry I'd say, according to the chart."

"Okay Boss, I got you," with which Perk relapsed in silence while the plane continued to speed along with its monotonous roar and hum.

If anything the fog was growing thicker, Perk made up his mind, although he really had nothing to afford any comparison since they were completely shut in as by a circular wall, not even a solitary star being in evidence and certainly not the faintest glimmer of a moving beacon down below where the unseen earth lay.

At such a time as this the air pilot finds himself depending wholly on the accuracy of his instruments, backed by his ability to read them without the slightest error. Perk was well up in all this and had no doubt of his judgment in carrying on. Flying blind is what these gallant sailors of the airways call such a condition, though the only recognition of the encompassing danger is a cutting down of their swift pace.

The consequent thrill that accompanies such a voyage through a sea of fog comes to every pilot; although in time they become so accustomed to the conditions that it fails to affect them as in the beginning. Should the bravest of men, though a beginner in aviation, ever experience such a wild night ride through space and heavy fog it would give him a sense of anticipation that could come through no other source, whether on sea or land.

Once, when there chanced to be a little change in the scant night breeze, Perk lifted his head as if to listen but before he could decide whether he had actually heard something or had been deceived by a strut snapping back, the feeble air again fell away and left him groping in ignorance, not wholly satisfied, yet unable to find anything on which to hang a conjecture.

"Rats! you must be away off your base Perk," he told himself chidingly, "huh! not a ghost o' a chance in ten thousand--yet it sure did sound like a ship in action. Must be hearin' things again in the night."

He had slackened the pace somewhat, thinking of that dreadful crash down amidst the lava beds of the wildest country in the whole Southwest, mind pictures that made him willing to consider safety first before speed. Perhaps it was fate that made Perk for once conquer that reckless spirit of his for there could be no telling what the consequences might have been otherwise.

Again he lifted his head and assumed the strained attitude that went with listening intently--the roar of their engine's exhaust seemed to eclipse any other sound and as if seized with a sudden inspiration, Perk reached out and brought the silencer into play. This had an immediate effect--and then too it caused Jack to take notice, for he called out:

"What's the big idea partner--trying things out are you?"

"Listen, Jack--don't you hear it ahead there?" almost shrieked the one at the stick.

A few seconds passed during which Jack must have been straining his ears to the utmost. Then he gave a cry that bubbled forth in a mixture of incredulity and alarm--the only time on record that Perk could remember Jack showing such an unusual emotion.

"It's a ship, Perk!" he shrilled.

"You bet it is!" echoed the other, dismay in his thick voice.

"Dead ahead of us too and bearing this way," continued Jack as the portentous sounds grew louder with each passing second. Their own motor had been throttled down to a mere whisper and thus any other sound was due to be heard.

A few more dreadful seconds passed with that throbbing sound growing more and more threatening.

"Must be the east bound air mail!" Jack hastily exclaimed, "make a nose dive partner, and in a hurry too, for she's right on us!"

Footnote 3:

September, 1929, this wonderful up-to-date giant air liner with eight persons aboard, became lost in a storm and fog and crashed headlong into a rocky cliff in the Black Rock Valley, some twenty-six miles from Gallup, New Mexico, exploded and burned with a total loss of ship, crew and five passengers. The tragedy of this once volcanic district sent a wave of horror throughout the entire country and proved a setback to the cause of aviation. Jack only voiced the feelings of nearly every pilot in saying what he did.

X

FLYING BLIND

Instantly the head of the ship was pointed downward and they started to coast--even as this maneuver was in progress and the roar became deafening, both of them caught a fragmentary glimpse of bright lights passing just overhead.

It had indeed been a close shave, for only that Perk proved so clever at the stick they must have met the mail ship head on with the inevitable result that yet another tragedy of the air would be chronicled in the morning newspapers with scare headlines fully an inch high.

Perk had lost his voice due to the sudden nerve strain and even ordinarily cool Jack Ralston waited a brief spell, in order to insure proper breathing before trying to speak.

"Reckon you got all the thrill you could stand that time, Perk!" he finally remarked with a little quiver in his voice.

"Beat anything I ever stacked up against--that's right partner," Perk frankly admitted, doubtless taking in a deep breath of relief.

"Never might happen again in twenty years," said Jack, as if that feature of the near tragedy affected him most of all. "With all this wide space all around us, just to think of two airships heading straight at each other in a fog--who says now we're not watched over by a special Providence?"

"You said it buddy," Perk agreed. "That sure was a time when that muffler paid a big interest on its cost an' I kinder guess saved our lives in the bargain. It pays to advertise an' also to pick up the newest fixin's along the line o' aviation discoveries an' inventions."

"Just so Perk. If our engine had kept thundering away right along we might not have been warned in time to get out of the road and let that stunt-flying air mail pilot squeeze past. He ought to be reported for hustling along like that in such a thick soup; but since we're still alive and kicking, I reckon we'll just have to let it drop at that."

"Mebbe you're right there, Jack old bean--strikes me we were hittin' it up like hot cakes in the bargain an' not so innocent after all. I'm a'wonderin' if he got wind o' the close call he had--must have lamped our lights as we ducked and went down like a bullet or the stick o' a rocket that'd exploded up near the stars. Shucks! I'd jest like to meet up with that guy sometime an' ask him what his feelin' was--bet you he was as scart as we felt when he whizzed right over our heads."

"It might be the part of wisdom to climb to a higher level now, partner," hinted Jack. "Unless I miss my guess that chap was dropping, as if he'd come down from the upper regions, which gives me an idea he knew where he was and had been keeping a big ceiling so as to avoid butting into some mountain peak."

"Here goes then," and with the words Perk commenced to climb, the new ship being so constructed as to be a great improvement over the old type of plane, able to ascend at a steep angle without any of those formerly necessary laborious spirals.

At the height of four thousand feet he again leveled off and kept to the course Jack had marked out. Perhaps they were over some air mail line with its friendly flashing beacons winking far below; but that deadly wall of fog lying under their keel effectually prevented them from taking advantage of any such guide posts along the way; nor would it have availed them greatly could they have dropped down to within a few hundred feet of the earth, for even at such a distance it must have been utterly out of the question for the keenest vision to have picked up a beacon or even detect its flash because of the curtain that fairly smothered them on all sides, above and below.

They no longer conversed, even Perk understanding how serious their condition must be and holding his usually ready tongue in check, while Jack took it out in tense thinking, watching the various dials and figuring just which way they would be going in case of drift.

So half an hour crept by, with no change whatever in the conditions by which they were surrounded. It was now growing most unbearable, so monotonous, so very tiresome. A heavy fog is hard enough to bear at any time but when it stretches along hour after hour, without the slightest sign of any diminuation, it is bound to get on the stoutest nerves and produce symptoms bordering on a panic.

"Perhaps we might find some relief if we kept going up," suggested Jack after some time had passed. "It sort of stifles me to keep in such a thick mess as this, growing worse all the while."

"Huh, if I wasn't jest thinkin' that way myself partner," Perk declared, thus showing that it was a case of "me too."

They kept on climbing, although neither could discover much difference in that miserable opaque blanket. It began to grow much colder too, although they managed to don some heavier coats which would keep them from feeling the change in weather conditions to any extent.

"Don't seem to be much use I guess Perk, in all my experience I can't say I ever ran across a fog that expended such a distance above the earth. Most times you can get out of the ditch by climbing, but here we are at a thirteen thousand foot ceiling and it's as black as ever. No use trying to get above the line--it just can't be done."

"Right you are partner," admitted Perk, leveling off, "though I must say the breathin' seems a shade easier than down below."

"We'll stick it out here for a while," Jack went on to say, "and it may be that the coming dawn may bring some sort of a breeze along to scatter this beastly stuff and let us see what's what."

"Anyway," Perk was saying, as if in relief, "at such a height we ain't likely to rub noses with any rock pinnacle and to our everlastin' grief in the bargain. The air's like enough free of mountain peaks around this section o' country, which is some comfort to a fog-bound pair o' ginks, I admit."

It was by this time about five o'clock and Perk was banking heavily on the fact that inside of another half hour, at that extreme height, they were likely to discover the advance couriers of approaching dawn commencing to paint the eastern heavens with fingers of delicate shaded colors.

"Got any sort o' idee where we might be right now, Jack?"

"Why, sitting tight in a nice fog blanket I'd say, brother," replied the one who was now at the controls, having some time back made the exchange, easily enough accomplished without the necessity of changing seats.

"Jokin' aside, Jack, I mean what section o' country might be away down below-stairs where there's land and green things--how I'd like to rest my tired peepers on somethin' _green_ for a change."

"I'm not as sure of my figures as I'd like to be Perk, for it's been hours since we saw anything at all except this fog; but we've covered a lot of space and must be well on our way to the hunting ground we started for. Wait until we get out of this mess and then it can be settled as soon as we strike any town, village or even hamlet, that'll give us a hint concerning our bearings."

"I'm bothered a little bit just the same," complained Perk.

"What about, old pal?" demanded Jack quickly.

"What if somethin' should happen to our ship--we're a long way from any place an' well, 'fore you took over the stick Jack, seemed to me there was a bit o' a holdup to the slick way the boat had been whooping things up--I might a'been mistaken, but she seemed to be wallowin' some, like she didn't just feel pleased over the cargo she had to carry."

"Perk, now that you mention it I do believe you're right--I'm not pushing her much, but she does act sort of sulky, as if tired of this thing--not that we could blame her for feeling that way. Tell you what, partner--suppose you climb out and take a look around to see if everything seems okay."

Accordingly Perk, as if sensing some hidden motive in what the other had just remarked, left his seat and made his way out to the port wing--the ship was swaying more or less, dipping and nosing upward as Jack held her to it, but Perk being quite accustomed to such things had no trouble whatever. A minute later and he came hurrying back to attach his earphones again and cry out in a tone filled with more or less excitement:

"Jack, there is something the matter for sure--fact is there's ice formin' on both wings, and right heavy at that!"

XI

AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY

"Take over the stick again Perk," said Jack, apparently not very much astounded by the serious information his mate had just given him, "I think I'd like to have a look myself; I've never had any great trouble with ice since I've not been much of a hand to soar up twenty or thirty thousand feet for an altitude record. Nothing much to worry about partner. At the worst we will have to drop lower down so the warmer air will melt the stuff. A ship like this can stand considerable in the way of a cargo, though it isn't just the proper caper to stow the load on the wings--far better to have it somewhere inside the fuselage. Here goes!"

Whereupon Jack crawled out of the cabin and started to make a close investigation while Perk did the honors along the steering line, more or less eager to hear his mate's report when he came back from his little tour.

"It's all right brother," he heard Jack saying, even before the other regained his customary front seat--"nothing to bother about and we'll soon knock spots out of what ice has already gathered. Pretty snappy out here, I notice. We'll drop down to a more comfy level and take chances with being suffocated by that gruelly stuff. Go to it sonny, I'm inside the safety line."

Down they went in long slides one after another until the thirteen thousand became ten, then seven and there Jack told his comrade to "hold everything" and cut down the speed a bit.

"Daylight's about due I figure," he observed, "and once we cut loose from this blank curtain and pick up some visibility, we'll not have to feel nervous about some of those rocky snags that lie in ambush to impale venturesome aviators when off their course and lost in a maze."

Perk soon afterward realized that what his mate had remarked must be true, for sure enough over in the east he could manage to detect some faint signs of a break in the hitherto impenetrable gloom surrounding them, positive evidence of the fact that morning was "just around the corner."

"What's more," Perk told himself, in jubilation, "I guess now I c'n feel a little waft o' a breeze startin' up. Soon as that gets goin' it's goodbye to Mister Fog. Whew! mebbe I won't be tickled pink when that's come to pass cause I'm crazy to set eyes on dear old Mother Earth again. Yes sir, the pesky old fog is commencin' to move out--jest keep it up, for you never will be missed."

"All over but the shouting Perk," remarked Jack just then as if he could have understood the tenor of the other's thoughts. "Inside of another half hour we'll be free from the stuff--wow! I never want to run through such a siege as this again, particularly in this wild Western country where peaks are in the majority and every one looking to stab some poor wandering airship."

"I kinder guess you're itchin' to get our bearings again Jack?" asked the walking question mark who was never really happy except when in a position to toss queries at some one.