The Boy Scouts of the Flying Squadron Part 9

All these things were exceedingly interesting to the three scouts.

They were patriotic boys, like all scouts. Though studying the arts of peace rather than those of cruel war, love of country was a cardinal virtue held up constantly before their eyes by Lieutenant Denmead. Should danger of any type menace the defenders of the flag, boys like these would be among the first to want to enlist. The Boy Scout movement was never intended to discourage a love of country.

And if war ever does come to the land we all love, thousands of those who rally to her defense will be found to have once been wearers of the khaki as Boy Scouts.

The camp of the Flying Corps was now seen ahead of them. A challenge from a sentry and the giving of the countersign in a whisper by the lieutenant, told the lads that they were actually in a military camp.

Of course this was not their first experience among genuine soldiers, though those whom they once before a.s.sisted in the yearly maneuvers as signal corps operators had properly belonged to the State militia.

These men were seasoned regulars, serving the Government in the capacity of aviators and members of the Flying Squadron.

Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k loaned them a pair of gla.s.ses through which they could keep track of the distant aeroplane. They saw it perform several queer "stunts," as Bud called it, that caused them considerable astonishment.

"Why, say, it turned completely over that time, just as neat as you please!" Bud exclaimed, so interested that the others could not get the gla.s.ses away from him again. "There she goes a second time, as slick as anything! I've done the like from a springboard when in swimming, but I never would have believed anybody'd have the nerve to loop the loop three thousand feet up in the air. Oh! what if it didn't come right-side up again! What a drop that would be!"

"Taking chances every time, and that is what our lives are made up of mostly in the Flying Corps," the officer said grimly, with a shrug.

"Any day may see our end; but like the men who drop from balloons with a parachute, we get so accustomed to peril that it never bothers us.

Constant rubbing up against it makes a man callous, just as working with the hands hardens the palms."

"They seem to be heading back now," observed Ralph.

"Yes, my colleague has accomplished the object of his little flight, which was partly to practice that turn and partly to look for any signs of spies in the forest below. We're always thinking of interlopers, you see, though up to the time you gave me that information concerning the two men, I hadn't seen a trace of any watchers around. They must have kept pretty well under cover all the time."

"And might have continued to do so, only that our coming bothered them,"

Ralph commented. "They didn't know what to make of us. We seemed to be only boys, and yet we dressed like Uncle Sam's soldiers; and then there was Bud trying out his aeroplane model. That must have stirred them up some. Perhaps they thought, after all, that we might be the ones from whom they could steal an idea well worth while."

"I wouldn't be surprised in the least," said Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k. "And at any rate we're under heavy obligations to you boys for bringing this important information about the spies. I'll try to make your stay here interesting to you, in return."

CHAPTER X

UP IN A WAR MONOPLANE

"We're certainly in great luck!" Hugh said to the other two scouts, as they stood and watched the "bug in the sky" growing larger and larger, the monoplane being now headed for the camp.

"It nearly always happens that way, you remember," said Bud, who had been through frequent campaigns with his leader and could look back to many experiences that come the way of but few Boy Scouts.

Bud was probably much more excited than either of the others. This was natural, since he had the "flying bee" largely developed and was wild over everything that had to do with aviation.

To him, this accidental meeting with the bold members of Uncle Sam's Flying Squadron was the happiest event of his whole life. If he had been granted one wish, it would have covered just this same ground.

Consequently his eyes fairly devoured the approaching war monoplane, as it swept down from dizzy heights, and prepared to land in the open field. He watched how skilfully the air pilot handled the levers, and how gracefully the whole affair glided along on the bicycle wheels attached under its body, when once the ground was touched.

The scouts were soon being introduced to Lieutenant Green by the officer whose acquaintance they had already made. The a.s.sociate of Fosd.i.c.k proved to be an older man, but the boys believed that after all their first friend must be the controlling influence of the team.

They afterwards learned that Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k was really without a peer among army aviators; and that even abroad, where so much attention is given to this subject, in France, Germany and England, he was said to have no superior in his line.

As both officers expressed considerable interest in the clumsy model of a monoplane which Bud had made, he readily consented to fly it and to show just how his stability device worked.

This he set about doing, while the army men stood close together and observed all his movements, now and then exchanging low words.

Of course both of them recognized the fact that poor Bud had really hit upon the exact idea that was already being used by the Wright firm. Bud may never have read any description of this "fool-proof"

device emanating from the brains of the Wright brothers; he had only been unfortunate enough to think along the same lines, with the result that he had finally reached the same conclusion.

"Break it to Bud by slow degrees that he's arrived much too late,"

said Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k to Hugh, after the exhibition had about concluded. The young inventor was flushed with success, for his model had worked splendidly, now that he had had more experience in handling it.

"I feared as much when I heard about it," his colleague admitted.

"But the boy certainly deserves encouragement. He has done wonders in making that model, and it is built on right lines. Tell him to keep at it and not get discouraged. If he does, he will surely arrive some day."

"I'll do all I can to encourage him," the patrol leader of the Wolves said in reply, though at the same time he felt sorry for Bud, who would take his disappointment very much to heart. He might throw up the whole business under the impression that there was no use in a boy trying to pit his wits against those of veterans and expecting to win out.

When Bud heard that he might accompany Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k on a short flight in the upper air, he looked so happy that Hugh concluded to postpone his discouraging disclosure until another time.

Bud was an animated interrogation point, when once seated in the monoplane, which, having been built for hard service, was easily capable of carrying even two pa.s.sengers when necessary.

He wanted to know all about the various parts, which he examined with trembling fingers. It seemed almost too good to be true that he was actually going to be taken up in a Government war plane, and by so skilful an aviator as Lieutenant Fosd.i.c.k.

The army officer made sure to secure his young pa.s.senger with a safety belt. He might scorn such devices himself, but there was always more or less risk to an inexperienced air traveler, and he did not wish to take unnecessary chances. This lad had folks at home to whom his life must be very precious. He was only a boy, to be sure, but ere long he would reach man's estate. And in this country of ours, who can say what the future holds for any lad? Years ago, who among his school companions on Mt. Auburn, in Cincinnati, would have dreamed that in the course of time clumsy, good-natured Billy Taft would for a period of four years occupy the Presidential chair at Was.h.i.+ngton, and be looked upon as the foremost man in all the wide world?

Hugh and Ralph kept tabs of every little thing that was done. They found themselves sharing Bud's enthusiasm for the subject of aviation, and they, too, were promised a ride with the officer after his return.

At a given signal, the start was made. The big monoplane rushed along the ground, wobbling somewhat because of inequalities in the surface of the field. After it had gone a certain distance, it was seen to leave the earth gradually, as the pilot changed the conditions in respect to planes and rudder.

"Oh! see how she rises, for all the world like a graceful bird!"

exclaimed Ralph. "I've never been so close to an aeroplane before, and I tell you, Hugh, I can mighty easily see how it makes a fellow wild to embark in the business."

"Well, there will be some years pa.s.s before anyone of us reaches an age to decide what our future may be," Hugh replied; "and before that time comes, even Bud, crazy as he seems now to belong to the Flying Squadron, may change his mind a lot of times. But one thing I do know, and that is, I'm glad we struck up an acquaintance with the Lieutenant; and ditto, that I'm going to have a spin with him in the air."

They watched the monoplane mount fairly high and make several large curves. Apparently the pilot did not think it best to try any difficult business while he had a novice along with him, because there was no telling how Bud might act. After being up some twenty minutes, the monoplane was once more directed toward the field.

"Oh! see what he is doing now!" exclaimed Ralph, clutching the sleeve of his companion's coat in his excitement. "He's headed the nose of the air craft downward, and seems to be just whooping it up for solid ground! I hope nothing has happened, or that they'll strike hard, for poor Bud will be smashed, that's what!"

Hugh laughed, for he was much better informed on all aviation topics than the other scout.

"Oh! that's what they call volplaning," he hastened to say, while he watched the coming of the air craft with eagerness. "The motor is shut off, and deflecting the rudder to a certain angle, a glide is made toward the earth. When they get to a certain distance, you'll see a sudden change take place. There, what did I tell you, Ralph?"

The monoplane had abruptly ceased to shoot toward the earth as though falling. It made a sudden turn and proceeded almost on the level; after which the pilot brought it so softly to the ground that Bud could barely feel it strike, such an expert was the lieutenant in manipulating the various levers.

Bud was almost speechless with delight. His eyes fairly danced as he drew a long breath and shook the hand of the army officer.

"Ralph, you come next," said the lieutenant; and somehow Hugh got the idea into his head that he had been reserved for the last because the officer wished to take him for a longer spin than either of his mates, for some reason or other.

And so Ralph allowed himself to be fastened in his seat alongside the pilot, and gravely listened to the same instructions that had been given to Bud, since much depended on his actions while navigating the upper air currents.

He waved his hand to his chums as the monoplane started to race along the level field, acc.u.mulating speed as it progressed, until presently at a given point it pointed upwards and started on its air voyage.

Ralph was given about the same experience as Bud. Another little volplane act was carried out for his especial benefit, so that he might be able to boast of having experienced such a "stunt," a favorite one among all aviators and not one-tenth as risky as it may seem to the uninformed.

And now came Hugh's turn.

He fastened himself in, having taken pattern by what he had seen the pilot do on the previous occasions; for a scout is expected to have his eyes about him and to observe all that is going on, so that he knows for himself and does not have to be shown.