Then he entered the house, wrote a note, which he addressed to his mother, locked the place and put the key in the envelope with his note. This time he buttoned up his coat and reversed his cap as Roy Osborne had done, for, from the time he made this ascension, he would have neither time nor opportunity to do anything but direct his car at untried heights, over unknown land and sea to fame and glory. He did not stop to think of anything else.
From the time his engine started and the big propellers began to revolve, he was sorry that he had not brought Ba along to hold the car until it had begun to feel the pressure of the air. With nearly the first motion of the propellers, the aeroplane began to move forward and slowly descend the hill. The new angle seemed to prevent the planes from catching the air, and, as the frame gathered momentum and continued to rumble along over the dry grass, Andy pushed his engine in vain.
The wheels seemed as if running on a track. Like a flash, an idea came to the alarmed operator, and as he shut off the engine, Andy put on the wheel brake. Just at the base of the hill and in front of the hummock swamp, the Pelican was brought to a stop.
“Escape number one,” said Andy, “and my own experience number one.”
Then, laboriously and slowly, he managed to get the wide, balanced frame up the slope again and to the top of the hill.
“I’m in fine shape now,” thought Andy, the perspiration oozing from him and his muscles all a tremble, “but there ain’t any choice.”
He delayed only long enough to get a drink, to wipe his face, and readjust his coat, then once again he mounted his seat. This time his first act was to put on the wheel brake. Then he opened his engine and, to his relief, found the car holding while the propellers got into action.
When at last the powerful propelling screws began to tilt the car forward and the rear bird-tail guide began to lift itself from the ground, the alert aviator released the brake, and once again the fragile frame started down the hill. But this time he could feel it jumping at once, and when he gave it the upward rudder, the hurtling craft immediately responded. Like a soaring bird, it took the air and was off.
It was but a few moments until the Anderson bungalow was in sight, and Andy headed directly for it. Dropping a little, he got out his envelope containing the message to his mother and placed it between his knees. He did not attempt to call to the colored man, but when he was nearly over the still waiting and apparently transfixed Ba, the boy opened his knees and the envelope fluttered down.