CHAPTER XVII
ACCUSED
A smile came to Jimmie's lips as he heard the crashing sound that indicated wrecking of the plane. He turned to observe the condition in which he would find the machinery, hoping that it had been damaged beyond repair, or at least so badly damaged that its repair would be a matter of considerable time and effort.
As he wheeled he observed that Dave already had turned to look in that direction, and that his face bore a look of astonishment and surprise. Jimmie's own smile died away as the thought of possible injury to the plucky pilot of the craft came to his mind.
"Oh, Dave!" he cried anxiously, laying his hand upon his comrade's arm. "Can you see the pilot? Has he been hurt badly?"
"I can't see from here, but there's a big crowd gathering about the wreckage, and they seem to be picking something up."
"Gee!" was Jimmie's regretful rejoinder. "I surely hope he got out of the mess without getting hurt. That's all. We haven't got any particular grudge against him, and I didn't wish to harm him."
"What on earth did you do, anyway, Jimmie?" inquired Dave.
"That was easy enough," replied the other. "I had observed some bolts through the hub of the propeller. I also had several bullets in my pocket, and a good-sized chunk of lead that had been used for filling some holes in a piece of iron back there in the camp at Peremysl. What could be easier than to take out the loose bolt I noticed and fill the hole plumb full of lead? That was all."