AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE.
"At last, Frank, we're on the move!"
"Yes," replied the one at the wheel, as the cries and cheers from below were drowned by the volleying motor explosions; "and did you see the señor kissing his hand after us, while his men were flat on their faces?"
"It was a queer sight," Andy remarked. "And no wonder these ignorant peons call our little monoplane a 'devil-bird.'"
"Look down now. Just to think of two Yankee boys being allowed to swing over a tropical scene like that," said Frank.
Both of them were deeply interested. In the valley they could see the little town, with the river stretching off toward the south. Then there were the patches of tropical vegetation, the fruit trees and the cocoa plantations—all those interesting things which neither of them had ever set eyes on before.
Señor Mendoza had told them how the coffee was grown upon a certain part of the mountain slopes, since it did not do well in the valleys, preferring a higher altitude.
They followed the course of the river generally, intending to cover possibly something like eighty or ninety miles before trying to comb the land from side to side, in the endeavor to find the strange cliff enclosed valley.
From time to time Andy would call the attention of his aeroplane chum to some striking feature of the landscape far below. The little Kinkaid motor was humming merrily, without ever missing a stroke, and Frank, having the utmost confidence in its steadiness now, after so many trial spins, could take a few seconds at a time to observe these things.
"When we've gone something close on an hundred miles direct," remarked the pilot of the craft, presently, "I think we'd better make a descent, if given the chance."
"You spoke of that before," remarked his companion, anxiously. "What is the reason for doing it, Frank?"
"Oh, nothing serious," replied the other. "We will then be at the parting of the ways, you know."
"You mean we'll be about to leave the river that will have been our guide up to then?" asked Andy.
"Yes," Frank admitted. "And from that time forward we must simply depend on our judgment for everything. In that event it might be well if we looked over the entire plant, to make sure everything was in apple-pie shape."
Andy breathed freer.
"Oh, I agree with you there," he hastened to say; "and I'm glad you hadn't any more serious reason. But did you ever see such a picture in all your born days? Just look at the forest bordering the river. Think of trying to push through such a dense mass of over-grown jungle. And I bet it's just full of snakes, poisonous spiders, lizards and all such things."
"Not to mention such trifling citizens as jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, alligators, crocodiles and their kind," laughed Frank.
"Ugh! what lucky fellows we are to be away up here, where we can skim along at the rate of thirty miles an hour easily, without half trying, and snap our fingers at all those things. I tell you, Frank, this aviation business is the greatest thing that ever came down the pike."
So they continued from time to time to converse as they kept pushing along, following the winding course of the swollen river that could be plainly seen below, between its banks of forest.
Frank did not soar high at this time. There seemed no need, and besides, both of the boys were deeply interested in watching the various changes that kept taking place in the checkerboard landscape below.
Several times during the first hour they passed over hamlets or villages. On such occasions it was ludicrous to observe the excitement that occurred. The Bird boys would not have been true to their nature had they not enjoyed the tremendous sensation which the sudden and unheralded appearance of the aeroplane caused in these river settlements.
Loud shouts floated up to them that constantly grew in volume. Men yelled, women and children screamed. Many fell flat on their faces; others tried to conceal themselves, as though they belonged to a covey of wild ducks over which a hungry eagle hovered, picking out his contemplated dinner.
And the last thing Andy would see, as he looked back, would be wildly running figures gesticulating furiously and evidently next door to crazy with excitement. Apparently these natives believed that the aeroplane must be a visitor from another world, or else some monster bird of a family long understood to be extinct.
The second hour had nearly ended and everything seemed to be moving along smoothly. Frank saw not a cloud on the horizon thus far. Surely this augured well for the ultimate success of their strange expedition.
Suddenly he heard Andy give vent to a cry of alarm.
"What is it?" he demanded, quickly.
"Turn her upward, quick! They are going to shoot at us!" shouted the other.
Frank instantly started to obey, and while their forward progress still continued unabated, the aeroplane commenced to head toward a higher altitude.
Immediately he heard the dull report of a gun from below. He dared not bend his head to look, since all his attention was needed to take care of his machine at such a critical moment. But the whine of the bullet as it passed close by was very plainly heard.
Then came other shots, many of them, and the air seemed full of strange hissing sounds. Twice Frank felt a slight shock that told him some part of the aeroplane had been struck by one of the flying missiles. His heart seemed to jump almost into his mouth, as he trembled for the result. But nothing happened. The motor kept up its insistent humming, and there was not a quiver to indicate that a vital part of the monoplane had been injured.
"Andy, are you hurt?" he called, after the volley had ceased, the marksmen below having evidently exhausted their ammunition.
"Only a scratch," came the reply. "Hardly drew blood. Think a splinter from the wood where a spent bullet zipped past must have hit me. It's all right, Frank! We ran the gantlet just fine. But all the same I guess it would be better for us to keep a little higher after this."
"Did you make them out and were they government troops, do you think?" Frank asked, for though he managed to turn his head, already had they made such speed that only the interminable forest could be seen in their rear.
"No," returned his comrade. "I just reckon it was another camp of these insurrectos. You remember the señor said there were apt to be more than one crowd of them up the river. It's the only way to get in and out of this country, and everything that happens has to count on a water route. I guess the Magdalena is about the same to this part of Colombia that the old Nile is to all Egypt."
"Well, it was a narrow escape, all right," Frank declared. "I don't just like the sound of those bullets all around when you're six or eight hundred feet up in the air."
Andy had recovered from his recent fright by now and could even laugh.
"I should say nix," he observed; "especially when you know that one little clip on either wing would upset us like a stone. Excuse me, if you please. I'll never be fully happy when flying until we invent some sort of little parachute that in case of a drop will give a fellow a chance for his money."
Another hour passed, when Frank declared they had now reached the point where a descent would be advisable in case they found an opening that looked suitable.
"There are the mountains over yonder on the right," he said, "and from now on we had better begin to scour the country, covering every mile just as though we had a comb and meant to explore it all."
The chance to drop came presently, and as the opening proved everything they could desire, a landing was made without the least trouble. Here they rested and partook of a light lunch, having brought plenty of provisions along, together with a gun of the latest repeating type, with which Colonel Josiah had presented them.
Frank, upon looking the aeroplane over a little later, discovered that he had been wise in deciding to make a halt. There was need of some attention. Certain parts had become weakened by the strain, either in the long voyage and handling on board the steamer, or else in this new flight.
He was determined to be thorough in all he did, and this consumed more or less time, so that when he finally pronounced the monoplane in perfect condition the afternoon was half gone.
Still, they must go up and put in an hour or two searching. Andy was too wild with impatience to hear of anything else, and Frank saw no reason for not complying.
"But we must be sure to get down again before night comes," he remarked, after they had made a successful rise and were speeding above the top of the thick forest. "If we should be caught out at night I rather guess it would be a serious piece of business." And Andy agreed with him.
For quite a time they soared aloft, Andy using the binoculars almost constantly, watching the country below and occasionally sweeping the distance.
Frank was thrilled to hear his chum suddenly give utterance to a cry, but it was more of amazement than delight that gave birth to this ejaculation.
"What is it now, Andy; more insurrectos?" he demanded, ready to manipulate the planes and strike for higher regions.
"No, no, not this time," came the quick reply; "but Frank, as sure as you live, there's that plagued old biplane just rising up yonder a mile away. And somehow I seem to feel that it spells trouble for us."