Gale’s heart beat alarmingly. She was in the black plane! The men’s footsteps sounded on the cement floor. They were coming toward her plane. She gripped the sides of the cockpit and wondered if she should sit quietly or announce her presence with a scream. But there was no need for either. A sudden sound and clank of metal. One of the men groaned and fell to the floor. Brent with uncanny precision had thrown a monkey wrench at a point slightly above the circle of light from a flashlight. It had gone home to its mark. In an instant another spot of light had fastened on him and the intruder’s deadly revolver was aimed directly at Brent. But the pilot did not wait for the shot to come. He launched himself forward and both Brent and the man rolled on the floor.
Gale exposed herself now. How in the world could she keep hidden? She climbed over the side of the plane and dropped to the floor. She moved slowly, carefully toward the wall. If only she could find the light switch! The sounds of the two men on the floor sent nervous chills through her. They were thrashing about dangerously near to her when her fingers found the switch. Light disclosed the intruder astride Brent and pounding away viciously with his fists but Brent managed to throw him off. At the same time the other man showed signs of life. Gale silently stepped behind him and picked up the revolver he had dropped. As the man gripped the monkey wrench which had hit him and advanced on Brent, Gale cried:
“No you don’t. Stand still!”
The man halted in surprise.
“Brent——” Gale called. “I have this one’s gun. I——”
The sound of a motor outside! Voices! Help at last! There was a heavy tattoo on the door and Bruce’s voice.
“Gale—Mr. Stockton!”
Cautiously Gale backed to the door to unlock it as Brent hauled his victim to a standing position by a heavy hand on the man’s collar.
“Open the door, Gale, then we will see what this is all about.”
But the second that Gale relaxed her attention from the man before her to unlock the door was their undoing. The door opened and at the same time the two intruders made a simultaneous dash for the open. The ones outside were too taken aback with surprise to stop them, and by the time Brent and Gale had called a warning the men were dashing toward the road, Bruce and David in hot pursuit. But it was no use. The moment’s start was all the men needed.