Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School Read online

  CHAPTER IV

  AN UNFORTUNATE AVIATOR

  It was an unusual entertainment that David had provided for his littlecircle of intimate friends in the old orchard surrounding the OmnibusHouse. There was a look of intense excitement in his eyes, as he stoodawaiting his guests, the following afternoon. Mrs. Gray had alreadyarrived, and, leaving her carriage to wait for her near the entrance, nowstood by David and helped him receive.

  "It's good to see all my children together again," she exclaimed, givingAnne a gentle hug; for ever since her Christmas house party she hadacquired a sort of proprietary feeling toward these young people. "I onlywish Tom Gray were to be with us to-day. I should like him to have a sharein the surprise; for you may be sure there is to be a surprise. Davidwould never have asked us to this lonely place for nothing."

  "David is a good old reliable, Mrs. Gray," cried Hippy. "Certainly if Ihad imagined for a moment that he would disappoint us, I never should havedragged my slight frame all this distance."

  "Good, loyal old Hippy," replied David. "The surprise is ready, but evenif it had not been, there is no exercise so beneficial to stout people aswalking."

  "Well, bring it on, bring it on," exclaimed Reddy. "We are waitingpatiently."

  "Curb your impatience, Sorrel Top," said David. "Just follow me, and seewhat I have to show you."

  They helped little Mrs. Gray, who was nimble in spite of her years,through a broken gap in the wall of the Omnibus House. The old ruin wasmore picturesque than, ever in its cloak of five-leafed ivy which theautumn had touched with red and gold. A lean-to had been built against theback wall of the building, fitted with a stout door on the inside and apair of doors on the outside.

  "I rented this plot of land from the farmer who owns the orchard,"explained David, taking a key from his pocket and opening the door in thestone wall. "This was about the best place I could think of forexperiments, partly because it's such a lonesome place, and partly becausethere is a clear open space of several hundred yards back here without atree or bush on it."

  It was dark inside until he had opened the double doors in the oppositewall, when the slanting light showed them an aeroplane; not a littlegymnasium model this time, but a full-fledged flying machine, a trim andgraceful object, even at close view.

  "David," cried Anne joyously, "you don't mean to say you've gone and doneit at last?"

  "I have," answered David gravely; "and I've made two trips with prettygood success each time."

  Then everyone talked at once. David was the hero of the hour.

  "David, my dear boy," cried Mrs. Gray. "To think that I should live to seeyou an aviator!"

  "I'm a long way from being one, yet, Mrs. Gray," answered David. "My birddoesn't always care to fly. There are times when she'd rather stay in hernest with her wings folded. Of course, I haven't nearly perfected her yet,so I don't want it mentioned in town until I get things in shape. But Icouldn't wait until then to show it to you, my dear friends, because youwere all interested in it last year."

  "Well, well, come on and fly," cried Hippy. "My heart is palpitating sowith excitement that I am afraid it will beat once too often if somethingdoesn't happen."

  "I was waiting for my helper," answered David, "but he appears to be late.You boys will do as well."

  "Who is your helper, David?" asked Anne.

  "You could never guess," he replied smiling, "so I'll have to tell you.It's old Jean, the hunter."

  "Why, the dear old thing!" cried Grace. "To think of him leaving hisuncivilized state to do anything so utterly civilized and modern as tohelp with a flying machine."

  "And he does it well, too," went on David. "He is not only thoroughlyinterested but he keeps guard out here in case any one should try to breakin. There are his cot and things in the corner. He sleeps in the openunless it rains. Then he sleeps inside."

  As the old hunter did not put in an appearance David decided to wait nolonger.

  "Why can't we all help?" asked Grace. "What must we do? Please tell us."

  "All right," answered David, "just give it a shove into the open space,and you'll see how she gradually rises for a flight."

  After making a careful examination of all the parts of the aeroplane, andstarting the engine, David took his seat in the machine.

  Then the two boys, assisted by Grace and Nora, pushed it swiftly out intothe broad open space back of the ruin.

  Suddenly the machine began to rise. Slowly, at first, then seeming togather strength and confidence like a young bird that has learned to flyat last, it soared over the apple trees. David, white, but very calm,quietly worked the levers that operated the little engine. When he hadrisen about a hundred feet, he began to dip and soar around the orchard incircles. He appeared to have forgotten his friends, watching anxiouslybelow. He did not notice that little Mrs. Gray's knees had suddenlyrefused to support her, nor that she had sat flat on the ground in a stateof utter bewilderment at the sight of his sudden flight. David looked faracross at the beautiful rolling meadows, and fields dotted with farmhousesand cottages. How he loved the fertile valley, with its little riverwinding in and out between green banks! It was all so beautiful, but itwas time to descend. He must not give his pet too much liberty, or hemight rue his indiscretion. He headed his machine for the open space backof the Omnibus House, and began the descent. Then, something snapped, andhe fell. He remembered as he fell the look of horror on the up-raisedfaces of his friends, and then everything became a blank.

  It all happened in a flash, much too quickly to do anything but stand andwait until the aeroplane had crashed to the ground, but it seemed muchlonger, and Anne remembered later that she had felt a curious impulse torun away and hide. If David were to meet his death through this new toy,she could not endure to stay and see it happen.

  But David was far from dead. He was only stunned and dizzy from the swiftdescent. He had not been high enough from the ground when the accidentoccurred to sustain serious injuries. They lifted him from the machine andlaid him upon the grass, while Reddy ran to the brook and brought back hiscap filled with water.

  Mrs. Gray produced her smelling salts which she always carried with her."Not for my own use, my dears," she always said, "but for the benefit ofother people."

  Reddy loosened David's collar and dashed the water into his face; whileHippy chafed the unconscious boy's wrists.

  Presently David opened his eyes, looking vaguely about. He had a confusedidea that something had happened to him, but just what it was he could notthink. He looked up into the anxious faces of his friends who stood aroundhim. Then he remembered.

  "I'm not hurt," he said in a rather weak voice. Then he sat up and smiledfeebly at the company. "I just had the wind knocked out of me. I am sureno bones are broken. How about my pet bird? Has she smashed her littleribs?"

  "No, old fellow," exclaimed Hippy in a reassuring tone, for Hippy hadnever been able to endure the sight of suffering or disappointment. "Herwings are a good deal battered, that's all. But are you all right, oldman?" he added, feeling David's arms and legs, and even putting an earover his heart.

  "It's still beating, you foolish, old fat-head," said David, patting hisfriend affectionately on the back.

  In the meantime Anne had helped Mrs. Gray to her feet.

  "I declare, I feel as though I had dropped from the clouds myself," saidthe old lady, wiping her eyes. "I am so stunned and bewildered. David, mydear boy, if you had been seriously hurt I should never have forgivenmyself for allowing you to fly off like that. What would your poor mothersay if she knew what had happened?"

  "It won't be necessary to break the news to her, Mrs. Gray," said David."I shall be as good as new inside of a few minutes. It's my poor littlebird here who has received the injuries. Look at her poor battered wings!I think I know just what caused my sudden descent though, and I'll takecare it doesn't happen again."

  David then began a minute examination of his damaged pet, and soon locatedthe trouble. His friends listened, deeply interes
ted, as he explained theprinciples of aviation, and showed them how he had carried out his ownideas in constructing his aeroplane. Grace, who had a taste for mechanics,asked all sorts of questions, until Hippy asked her if she intendedbuilding an aeroplane of her own.

  "I may," replied Grace, laughing. "You know that girls have as much chanceat the big things of the world to-day, as boys."

  "Well, if you do, let me know," responded Hippy, "and I'll write an epicpoem about you that will make the world sit up and take notice."

  "Then I am assured of fame beforehand," laughed Grace.

  "Look!" said Nora suddenly. "Who are those people coming across theorchard? Doesn't that look like Julia Crosby and some of her crowd?"

  "Yes," exclaimed Grace, "it is, and Miriam is with them."

  "Then help me get my aeroplane into the shed quickly," exclaimed David."You know that the Crosby girl is not a favorite with me." Then he addedhalf to himself, "I don't see why Miriam insists on going around with herso much."

  The boys lost no time in getting the aeroplane into the house, Davidslammed the doors, and triumphantly turned the key in the lock just asMiriam and her party came up.

  With a quick glance Miriam's eyes took in the situation. She bowedcourteously to Mrs. Gray, whom she dared not slight; included Grace, Noraand Jessica in a cool little nod, and stared straight past Anne. Thenturning to her brother she said, "David, show Miss Crosby and her friendsyour aeroplane, they wish to see it."

  A look of grim determination settled about David's mouth. Looking hissister squarely in the face, he said, "I am sorry to seem disobliging butI cannot show your friends my aeroplane and I am surprised to find thatthey know I have one."

  Miriam reddened at this, but said insolently, "If you can invite otherpeople to see it, you can show it to us."

  There was an uncomfortable silence. Mrs. Gray looked surprised andannoyed. The peaceful old lady, disliked scenes of any kind. Grace and herchums, knowing that Miriam was only making herself ridiculous, feltembarrassed for her. Then Julia Crosby laughed in her tantalizingirritating way.

  That settled the matter as far as David was concerned.

  "You are right," he said, "I could show my flying machine to you and yourfriends if I cared to do so. However, I don't care to. Knowing that Iwished my experiment to be kept a secret, you came here with the one ideaof being disagreeable, and you have succeeded. I am sorry to be so rude tomy own sister, but occasionally the brutal truth is a good thing for youto hear, Miriam."

  Miriam was speechless with anger, but before she could frame a reply, Mrs.Gray said soothingly "Children, children don't quarrel. David, it isgetting late. We had better go. I suppose it is of no use to ask any ofyou athletic young folks to ride back to town." With a little bow toMiriam and her discomfited party, Mrs. Gray turned toward where hercarriage awaited her, followed by David and his friends.

  After bidding her good-bye, the young people took the road to town. ForDavid's sake all mention of the recent unpleasantness was tacitly avoided,though it was uppermost in each one's mind.

  "I have one thing to be thankful for," said Grace to Anne, as she turnedin at her own gate, "and that is that Miriam Nesbit isn't my sister."

  As for Miriam, her feelings can be better imagined than described. Shesulked and pouted the whole way home, vowing to get even with David fordaring to cross her. Julia Crosby grew rather tired of Miriam's tirade,and left her with the parting advice that she had better forget it.

  When Miriam reached home she immediately asked if David had come in.Receiving an affirmative reply, she went from room to room looking forhim, and finally found him in the library. He was busy with a book onaviation. She snatched the book from him, threw it across the room andexpressed her opinion of himself and his friends in very plain terms.Without a word David picked up his book and walked out of the library,leaving her in full possession of the field.