“We will report to you before we go away,” promised the young aviator. “Come on, Hiram.”
The farmer had not misstated the ascent of Pike Hill. Country bred as he was, Hiram grumbled heartily at the brambles, and Dave got tangled several times in a network of hampering vines.
“Whew! the last climb,” announced Hiram, finally, as they gained a topmost ridge of rocks.
“No one here,” cried the young airman. “See, Hiram, they have let the _Comet_ sink down into this natural basin here, thinking it was a safe hiding place.”
“It would have been a famous one if that old farmer hadn’t caught sight of the machine,” said Hiram. “No one would ever think of looking for an airship in this out of the way place.”
The _Comet_ lay slightly tipped to one side, unharmed. Dave examined the machine casually.
“Everything is all right,” he reported to his companion. “I was correct about the gasoline. There isn’t enough juice left to run the machine a mile.”
“But where are the people who stole it?” asked Hiram.
“Went down the other side of the hill, I suppose. They had accomplished what they were hired to do. Now then, Hiram, this is a great piece of good luck.”
“You go back down the hill—it will be easier than climbing up.”
“I should hope so,” grimaced Hiram, rubbing his bruised knees.
“Tell the man down there about the situation, and that I am going to fly the machine over onto his farm and fix things up with him.”
Dave waited till his handy assistant had reached the bottom of the hill. In a few moments, on the watch for some signal from below, he noticed Hiram conversing with the farmer. There were apparent explanations and discussions. Then Hiram waved his hand as had been agreed on with the young aviator, and Dave knew that the coast was clear for a run with the biplane.
Our hero found the gasoline tanks pretty well emptied of oil. He realized that the “juice” on hand would not admit of a long flight. Satisfied, however, that there was sufficient fuel to fly the _Comet_ out of its resting place and down to level ground, Dave got to the pilot post and operated the self-starter.
The biplane arose promptly to the occasion. A little deft guiding cleared the hill. The machine and its occupant came safely and gently to a new landing place in a field nearby. Hiram and the farmer hastened to the spot as Dave alighted.