“What happened then?” asked Phil, as Dan stopped to light his pipe.
“Waal, a whole lot happened pretty pronto,” replied the other. “Fust thing you know, some impulsive maverick near the front of the theatre pulls his six-gun, an’ ’lows he’ll try his hand at playin’ a tune on the piano. This seems to be a good idea to lots o’ the others, and they tries long and earnest to get a tune out o’ that unfortunate instrooment, but by the time they gets through they ain’t much left of it but splinters. Howsumever, we all figgered that the show had been wuth the price o’ admission, and we filed out contented an’ happy.”
“It must have been a nice pleasant evening,” said Steve, laughing with the others. “How many people were killed, Dan?”
“Nary one,” replied that individual, knocking the ashes out of his pipe. “When the first gun went off, most of the audience that ain’t carryin’ armament ducks under the seats, and stays there snug an’ quiet until the gun play is over. But it’s gettin’ kind o’ late, an’ I’m goin’ to pound my ear. You mavericks kin stay up all night if you wants to, but not for me.”
“I guess we’d better all turn in,” said Phil, as there was a general move toward retirement. “We’ve got to go on a long flight tomorrow, you know, so it won’t hurt us to get a good night’s sleep.”
The Radio Boys were up at dawn the next morning, giving the Arrow a last inspection before starting. Captain Bradley had directed them to fly some hundred miles into the interior in order to discover, if possible, the hiding place of Espato’s band. It was a mission fraught with peril, and the boys realized the seriousness of their commission.
CHAPTER XIV
Aerial Scouting
“I guess we’re all set,” said Phil, after giving one last twist to a turnbuckle. “The machine is in first class shape, and we ought to make the trip without any trouble. How is the radio outfit, Dick? Seem to be working all right?”
“Fine as silk,” answered his friend. “This set is a pippin, Phil, let me tell you. It may be small, but it certainly can deliver the goods.”
“Well, that’s what we want,” nodded Phil. “I guess we didn’t make any mistake when we bought it. It came rather high, but a set like that is cheap at any price.”