CHAPTER VI. A Murderous Act.
"Guess you're right," admitted Jimmie, picking up one of the objects. "But they're about the size of candles, though. I see now this is wrapped in heavy oiled paper. Besides, there isn't any wick. Why, it bends like a gum drop!" he exclaimed, manipulating the object.
"For pity's sake, Jimmie, let that thing down easy! Do you want us all to be blown to bits? That stuff is dynamite!"
"Huh! Dynamite!" scorned Jimmie. "Why, you're talking like a fish! How'd dynamite get in there? That just came from the factory!"
"Sure thing," acquiesced Jack. "But remember who drove the truck to this place with the engine on it! The hungry spy was on the job!"
"Well, Great Frozen Hot Boxes!" ejaculated Jimmie gingerly, holding the object at arm's length. "If I ever catch him!"
"Lay it down gently. Don't let it drop!" advised Harry.
"It looks innocent enough—just like a big bunch of vaseline wrapped in paper," commented Jimmie, depositing his burden on the ground.
"But for all that, the engine, and perhaps we boys, would have been blown to bits if we had started the machine with those things in the crank case!" advised Ned, approaching the spot.
"We're lucky!" Harry breathed. "How shall we get rid of it?"
"Let's drown it!" suggested Jack. "That's the best way!"
"It won't drown! They use it to blast under water!"
"Then we'd better explode it. Let's take it down to the beach, put it on that old piece of wreckage and shoot at it."
With the prospect of a little target practice this suggestion was accepted by all. No time was lost in securing automatics and ammunition. The boys were shortly at the spot indicated.
"Now, boys, I'll tell you what we'll do," spoke up Jimmie. "We'll pretend that we have caught the traitor and he's been sentenced to be shot at sunrise. These two sticks of dynamite will be the spy and we the firing squad. This is the wall. Are you ready?"
"Bloodthirsty as ever, I see!" laughed Ned as Jimmie became enthusiastic over the game. "Always looking for trouble!"
"We ought to put a black mask on the Wolf," added Jack, "and give him first shot. Executioners in the olden days wore black masks!"
"I'm no train robber!" protested Jimmie indignantly. "Keep the masks for the other fellows. I'll stand up and play fair!"
"But you'll oblige us by taking the first shot, won't you?"
"Thanks!" dryly responded the lad, wrinkling his freckled nose.
"Firing squad, attention!" sung out Jack in an authoritative tone. "'Tenshun! Ready! Aim! Fire!"
At the command Jimmie raised his automatic directed toward the target. With the word "Fire" he rapidly touched the trigger, sending all eight shots hurtling toward the dynamite.
Mingled with the reverberations of his shots a loud, sharp detonation from the wreckage told the boys that Jimmie's aim had been true. Pieces of timber thrown high in the air by the explosion came tumbling to the beach in confusion. Astonished, the boys viewed the result.
"Just imagine where we would have been with that stuff in the crank case!" whispered Jimmie in an awestruck tone.
"Let's get back to work and get out of this place!" suggested Jack. "This makes me nervous! I want to get busy!"
Accordingly the boys hastened back to the hangar to still the alarm of the watchman and proceed with the work in hand.
Long before dinner time the engine had been properly located, tried out and pronounced fit. The boys were jubilant at the result.
"Now we're ready to start just as soon as we pack our kit!" announced Ned. "Boys, let's make things hum around here!"
"Let's telephone Mr. Bosworth that the engine's running great and ask him to arrange for our passage," suggested Harry.
"Good idea, Harry; get him on the wire for me, will you?"
Mr. Bosworth was pleased at the announcement. Arrangements had been made, he said, to secure passage for them on a swift vessel leaving New York two days later. They would thus have ample time for trials and adjustments of the engine before dismantling the "Grey Eagle."
Accordingly the boys worked with a vim that afternoon.
"I tell you what," Ned spoke up as the boys were eating supper at the close of a busy day, "we have been very fortunate so far in avoiding serious trouble. I hope we get away all right!"
"Oh, we're the regular little side-steppers!" gleefully assented Jimmie. "I wish we knew who the guys are who seem to be trying to put us out of business. What is that saying, 'Know about it ahead of time and you've got four arms'?"
"'Forewarned is forearmed,' Jimmie," corrected Jack. "You seem to think only of boxing gloves and other things like that!"
"If I could get the chap that put that dynamite in the engine, tried to burn the little old 'Grey Eagle' and has been spying on us, he'd think I had brass knuckles on!" stoutly maintained the lad.
"He deserves it, all right!" agreed Jack. "But how will you manage when you get across the water?" he continued. "Those fellows over there don't understand English and you can't understand French!"
"Why, I'll point to my mouth and rub my belt buckle! Then they'll know I'm hungry!" was Jimmie's reply. "That goes anywhere!"
A general laugh went around the group at this solution of linguistic difficulties. Jimmie's appetite was a subject of general knowledge and many a joke did the boys have at his expense.
"What will our first move be, Ned?" inquired Harry.
"Pass the potatoes!" put in Jimmie.
"After we land," replied Ned, ignoring the interruption, "we'll have to discover whether this cotton steamer has arrived. If she has not, we'll wait until we learn what port she makes. Mr. Bosworth stated that she was the "Nymph" and cleared from Galveston for Le Havre. I figure that we ought to beat her across by at least two days."
"But cotton is contraband, isn't it?" asked Jack.
"I believe it is," admitted Ned. "If discovered, she may be seized and the chase lead us to another place. We must take a chance."
"Why should cotton be contraband?" demanded Jimmie. "They can't use cotton to fight with! Who'd shoot a cotton bullet?"
"You forget, Jimmie, they shoot the bullets with the cotton!"
"Go on, now, you're trying to complete my education!"
"Fact," asserted Ned. "You see, cotton is used largely in manufacturing high explosives. If all the cotton supply were exhausted there could be no powder or other such explosive made, I understand!"
"What else do they use for making powder?"
"Well, they use a lot of nitrogen and so on. I don't know all the ingredients. Each country has a formula of its own."
"Believe me," announced Jimmie forcefully, "when I get back I'm going to read up on that subject in the encyclopedia!"
"When we get back with this traitor," announced Harry, "we'll all have money enough from the reward so we can go through college!"
"Hurray! When we get back! Shall we decide which college we'll honor, or shall we leave that for later consideration?"
"Better wait," advised Ned. "No knowing what might happen!"
How true his words were to prove! Could the boys have anticipated the many incidents that were to occur and the dangers which confronted them, perhaps their hearts would not have been so light. However, care and gloomy forebodings had no place in their healthy young minds and they discussed the future only with thoughts of success.
Three days later our four friends were standing in the bows of the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique's steamer "Havre" watching with interest the flying fish dart from the curling waves at the vessel's prow. Already they had become familiar with the vessel, had visited every place from stem to stern and had been favored by all the crew.
Although the rules of navigation forbid passengers occupying the bridge while a vessel is under way, the captain had laughingly promised to give the lads lessons in navigation. To avoid any complications he had asked them to sign articles which would make them members of the crew and thus permit them on the bridge under his directions.
Accordingly the lads had signed the papers, considering the matter a huge joke, and had speculated on various ways of spending the sum of one dollar each, which had been stipulated as the wage they were to receive for their services as assistant stewards.
"We'll be rich by the time we get back!" Jimmie had declared.
Below decks were stowed the boxes containing their precious "Grey Eagle" and other belongings. At the dock in New York the lads had checked each box as it went on board, noting the number carefully and comparing it with the list they had previously prepared.
Eagerly now they rehearsed every step of unpacking and assembling the airship. A special duty was assigned to each lad so that no time need be lost when they were once ashore in France. Between their excitement over the proposed task, the wonders of the sea and the prospects of the trip before them the lads were busy during all their hours.
As the Lizard Light was passed on their port and the vessel headed to pass Cherbourg Light to starboard the boys felt that their journey was nearing its end. Imagine their surprise to receive a summons to the captain's cabin which the steward delivered.
Wonderingly the boys obeyed the call, speculating on the cause.
In answer to their ring an under steward received them and admitted them to the captain's reception room. They had not long to wait before the captain appeared, holding in his hand a paper which the boys at once recognized as a wireless telegraph blank.
The serious look on the captain's face filled the lads with apprehension. Wonderingly they conjectured what might be in store.
"Gentlemen," began the captain, "you probably know that I am a subject of the country of France and that war has been declared between that country and Germany?" He glanced from one to another.
"Yes, Captain," admitted Ned, acting as spokesman, "we understand that such is the case and we are very sorry, indeed!"
"It pains me," continued the captain after a pause, "to state that I have information here," indicating the wireless message, "which, if true, makes the situation a very delicate one for you!"
Puzzled, the boys waited anxiously for the captain to continue.
"This message" the captain at length proceeded, "comes from some private individual and, of course, cannot be regarded by me as official. It states, however, that you four young men are German spies. While I should dislike very much to do anything of the sort, it will be my duty to detain you until you can assure me that this message is the result of a mistake. I hope you will be able to do so!"
"That's our friend 'Hungry' again!" declared Jimmie. "Oh, the brass knuckles for 'Hungry' when I lay my eyes on him!"
Wonderingly the captain listened to Jimmie's outburst and then turned to Ned for explanation. It was forthcoming without delay, the boys considering it better to be absolutely frank with their friend. All the important features of their connection with the case were laid before the captain, together with their passports and other means of identification. As a final proof of their innocence of the charge, Ned suggested that the captain send an inquiry by wireless to Mr. Bosworth.
This the captain was not willing to do, declaring that he was satisfied the warning he had received was untrue.
"It seems," he said, "that this party is determined to cause you trouble and in my estimation there is but one thing you can do to protect yourselves against him while you are here."
"What is that?" asked Ned eagerly.
"Enlist in the aviation corps of the French army!"