“That got my think tank clanking, too, but I reckon the old bean’s crusted, for I can’t make it out. I reached a lot of conclusions, you can take your choice. Perhaps he was just shooting off his mouth; he may think the wallet Carlos picked up is something different from what it is, and then again, it’s possible that there is something about the leather case which contains the secret. We couldn’t find anything more when we looked at it last night before it was locked in the safe after they tried to steal it,” Austin answered.
“You haven’t anything on me as a deductor. Now, all we have to do is eliminate all but one, and there we are with the answer,” Bob grinned.
“Right-O. Any ideas on which to eliminate?”
“My dear step-brother, companion of my youth, I can argue with fervor for each and every one of them, or, with equal conviction against them.”
“We’re equally dumb. Let’s form a trust. Sure you didn’t forget to tell Senor de Castro that we were going up for a bracer this morning? We don’t want him to think that some doo-doo kidnaped us.”
“I told him. Said that we’d be here in time for breakfast, so let’s get a move on. Ah, ‘Lark,’ I hear you calling me!”
A bit later the Flying Buddies were again in the hangar beside the graceful little plane. This time they took the precaution of having a good look about the place to make sure that no one was hanging around ready to throw a monkey wrench at their heads, or concealed in the “Lark” itself. On the trip from the United States they had found a stowaway while flying above the Caribbean Sea and the vicious brute had fought savagely to bring them down. A few days after their arrival, enemies of Mr. Austin had secreted a huge poisonous snake in the communication tube between the two cock-pits. It had crawled leisurely out over the nearly paralyzed Bob who was taking pictures of the coast from the back. With the settlement of the power-plant difficulties and the apprehension of the ring-leaders, the boys had felt safe from further attempts, but it was now evident that their association with Carlos de Castro had started a new string of enemies on their trail. Although the men had been captured the night before, there were probably others on the outside who would seek revenge because of the failure of the attack, or make further efforts to get possession of the mysterious wallet.
“All’s well that ends well,” Bob called when his share of the inspection was finished.
“Here too. Hop in,” Jim urged. Presently they were both ready and Austin took the controls, the engine started a cheering roar, the propeller whirled, and the plane rolled lightly along the runway, curved a bit, her nose lifted and she began to climb eagerly into the air. The Flying Buddies grinned at each other and their eyes glistened happily.
“This is the life,” Bob bellowed, and Jim nodded. It was a clear, beautiful morning. The sky in the east was tinted with long pinkish grey streaks which announced the coming of the sun from beneath the horizon. They had made no plan as to where they would go, but just started with the unconquerable desire to fly, and as the plane scrambled into the heavens they filled their lungs with deep breaths of pure joy. Up and up they raced until the altitude meter read three thousand feet, then the pilot leveled off, made a wide circle, and flipped her into a double loop just to relieve their feelings. He pulled her out with nicety, then leveled off and shot forward.