Two minutes! The hum of the other motor grew louder. The radio was not on that plane, but on some building not so far away.
Two minutes! He worked feverishly. The cord stuck. He cut it, then tied it again. He dragged out the bag. He lifted the parachute free.
“The violin!” His heart sank. Yet the parachute would lower the sack gently to the ground.
“It’s the only chance.” With one wide, clear swing, he tossed the sack over.
The next instant his plane tilted downward. Not a moment too soon, for a motor thundering by passed again into the darkness.
“Meant to shoot me down,” he muttered breathlessly.
He reached for a switch, pulled it, and at once saw a finger of light from his powerful landing lamp pointing earthward.
For a space of ten seconds he studied the surface of the ground.
“Level pasture. Take a chance. Land in the dark. Might escape.”
Again there was darkness. And now, too, came silence. He had shut off his motor.