There was only one thing to do, and Dr. Perkins did it. There was a quick twist of his steering wheel, and the Sea Eagle, instantly obeying her helm, darted off in an opposite direction to the one in which she had been advancing. Like a flash Dr. Perkins pulled the rising lever, at the same time shouting to Frank to stop the engines momentarily. He thought that the Sea Eagle would rise of her own volition, and knew that if the engines kept driving at top speed that his craft would be plunged prow first into the earth.
So he chose the lesser of the two evils, and the maneuver might have been successful but for one thing. There was not room in which to execute it.
The Sea Eagle hesitated, half rose, and then crashed down to the ground, landing heavily on one wing tip and smashing it to bits. Frank and Harry were pitched clean out of the hydroplane substructure when the impact came, and a cry of alarm went up from the crowd. But Dr. Perkins clung to his seat and brought the big craft to a stop.
Fortunately neither Frank nor Harry had been much injured, beyond being badly shaken up and bruised, and they were both on their feet again in a jiffy after the accident. The crowd, as if realizing that its actions had had a good deal to do with the accident, forebore to press in, and they made their way to Dr. Perkins’ side without difficulty.
“Is she much injured?” was Frank’s first question.
“By good luck I think we have escaped serious damage,” rejoined Dr. Perkins, “but only an examination can tell.”
At this moment a well-dressed, prosperous-looking man came elbowing through the crowd. He came straight up to Dr. Perkins with hand extended.
“Well, Perkins!” he exclaimed. “I always told you you’d have a tumble some time, and now you’ve had it; right in my back yard, too. But I’m sincerely glad to see that neither you nor your machine appears to be much injured.”
The newcomer was Mr. James Studley, an old acquaintance of the inventor’s, who was summering at Cape May. The doctor was very glad to see him and accepted his cordial invitation to spend the night at his house, the boys, of course, being included in the invitation.
In the meantime, a squadron of police had arrived, who drove back the crowds, and arrangements were made to keep a guard on duty all night till an examination of the wrecked machine could be made.