Dan Brent saw the danger. He grabbed up a wrench and brought it down with all his force on the knuckles of the man. Joe gave a howl of pain and anger. His hand dropped, and Terry sent her plane taxiing across the bumpy surface of the ground to a quick take-off. As she pulled back the stick to send the plane upward, the engine sputtered and for an anxious second the girl felt that all was over. Then The Comet took the air and followed the Skybird.
As Joe Arnold saw them climbing into the sky, he sprang to his own plane and worked the controls. Something was wrong. The ignition had been tampered with.
“It’s Terry Mapes’ work! I know her,” cried Bud Hyslop. “She’s too smart for us, Joe Arnold.”
“Keep quiet. Who’s asking your opinion?” With an oath he turned to Jim Heron and cried, “Why didn’t you guard those girls? You were paid to watch them! You old fool!”
“Don’t talk to me like that,” retorted Jim in a rage. “Who are you, anyhow?”
For answer Joe Arnold drove his fist into the old scoundrel’s face and Jim Heron fell backward in a heap. This was a dose of his own medicine!
Bud interfered and the three rascals quarreled violently, calling each other names until finally Joe Arnold cried:
“Come on, Bud, we’re wasting time. Get busy and repair that ignition, quick. Maybe we can catch those two Mapes girls before they do any more damage.”
“You’re on,” said Bud. “Let’s go!”
Jim Heron rose from the ground and shouted, “Where’s my pay for guarding them girls?”