The firing from the plane ceased abruptly.
“We’ll come out,” cried a weak voice and Pierre Petard stood up in his cockpit.
Tim and Hunter moved forward cautiously, fearing a ruse, but they found that Shanghai Sam had been wounded in the shoulder in the last exchange of shots and Pierre, knowing that the end of his career was near, was white and shaken.
“Where is the reporter you kidnapped?” demanded Tim.
“Back in the clearing where we made our headquarters,” replied Pierre. “We didn’t harm him,” he added as though fearing Tim might manhandle him.
“If he is,” promised the flying reporter, “I’ll give you something to remember me by.”
Shanghai Sam refused to talk and Hunter went to the nearest highway where he stopped a motorist. Within an hour Captain Raymond and a detail of state police were on the scene, ready to take charge of the prisoners.
Tim, relieved of the responsibility of capturing the sky pirates, hastened to a farmhouse where he telephoned the story to the News. Carson, the managing editor, was jubilant.
“But how about Ralph?” he asked.
“State police are on their way to get him now,” said Tim. “The whole case will be cleaned up in another hour or two.”