Linda Carlton's Island Adventure Page 9

  CHAPTER IX

  _Two Prisoners_

  Linda's telephone call came early the following morning, and after asimple breakfast served by the cook, she left in the car which CaptainMagee sent. Not one of the Carter family appeared at the meal, andthere was no message of any kind. Linda, however, attributed this toMrs. Carter's illness, and wrote a polite note of thanks to her hostess.

  She found three plain-clothes men waiting for her at the policestation, and they joined her in the car which then took them to theairport. A large cabin plane, capable of accommodating six persons, hadbeen wheeled out on the runway, awaiting their arrival and two servicemen were standing beside it.

  "You are sure you can pilot her, Miss?" inquired one of these men,skeptically.

  Linda opened her bag and took out her two licenses--mechanic's andtransport pilot's--and handed them to him.

  "A mechanic!" he exclaimed, in amazement. "Gee whiz! Will wonders nevercease? It's the first time I ever laid eyes on a lady-mechanic!"

  Linda laughed.

  "May I look the plane over before we start?" she asked. "And will youmap out the quickest course to Okefenokee Swamp! I want to get into thesouthern part of it--Black Jack Island, if you know where that is."

  With a grin the man disappeared to consult some one in the hangar, andLinda went ahead with the examination.

  "There ought to be plenty of room in here to bring back any prisonerswe may get," she said, cheerfully. "I think too, that you had bettersend for some food and water, Sergeant--for we can't tell how long wemay be gone."

  When she announced herself satisfied with the inspection, she and herthree companions climbed into the cabin while the mechanic fired theengine. The plane taxied along the runway and rose gracefully into theair, to the admiration of the three officers, none of whom could fly.

  "You're there with the goods, Miss Carlton!" shouted the one named"Worth," who apparently was in charge of the expedition.

  "Don't praise me too soon," returned Linda. "That was child's play. Butwait till it comes to landing on that island in the swamp. There isonly one spot big enough, in a plane like this."

  "Well, we got plenty of gas," remarked Worth, cheerfully. "I'm notafraid. I'm enjoying the flight. It isn't every day that we go up inthe skies on our job."

  Linda was enjoying it, too. She flew carefully, watching her map, herinstruments, and the landscape below. They flew over the island wherethey had left Susie, and Linda made a mental note of the location, incase she should be able to pick the girl up on the return trip.

  It was difficult to keep her direction, for the swamp, covered as itwas with grasses and trees, seemed like an unbroken, monotonous expansefrom the air, but Linda had succeeded in spotting the little streamdown which the boys had paddled the canoe, and she resolved to followthat to the place where they had picked her up. After that it ought tobe easy to locate Black Jack Island and the camp of the thieves.

  But it was not as simple as she had hoped, even after she had locatedthe island. Again and again she circled about, looking for a spacelarge enough to make a landing. Finally she found what must be the edgeof the island, for the water came up unevenly, but this beach appearedvery small. It was one thing to bring the autogiro safely to earth in aplace like this, and another to land a big plane.

  When she had selected her spot, she determined to try "fish-tailing."She glided with considerable speed toward her field; as she approachedit, she swung her airplane from side to side, exposing the flat side ofthe plane's body to the air so as to kill the speed.

  Her companions, who had no idea what she was doing, looked at Linda inalarm. Had she lost control of the plane, and were they about to bedashed to pieces?

  But a glance at their pilot's calm, confident expression allayed theirfears. This girl knew what she was doing! They need not be afraid.

  Often at the ground school she had been compelled to land on a givenspot--such as a square of canvas; it was no wonder that she now feltsure of herself. A moment later she came down on the very mark that shehad selected.

  "Pretty neat!" exclaimed Worth, in admiration.

  Linda turned off the engine and prepared to get out of the plane. Butthe Sergeant stopped her.

  "You stay in here, Miss Carlton!" he ordered. "This is no place for agirl."

  "But I have to show you where the camp is," she protested.

  "Then show us from here! And remember, too, that you are our pilot. Ifanything happened to you, we couldn't get out of this swamp."

  Linda saw the reasoning in this last argument, and agreed to remaininside of the cabin until she should be summoned. She sat theretensely, while the three men advanced cautiously towards the trees atthe center of the island.

  They had not gone more than a dozen yards when a shot rang out frombehind a tree, and a bullet whizzed past over their heads. A cry burstfrom Linda's lips, then an exclamation of relief at the assurance thather companions were unhurt.

  "So they're still here!" she thought, excitedly, clasping her hands sotightly together that they grew numb with the pressure. "Oh, if the menonly get them without being shot!"

  The officers' pistols replied rapidly to the shot from the thieves,in such quick succession that Linda could almost imagine that she wasin an actual war zone. But the volley lasted only a moment, for thethieves were short of bullets since "Slats'" disappearance, and beforeanyone was hurt, "Beefy" and "Jake" surrendered to Sergeant Worth.

  Watching the whole proceeding from the window of the plane, Linda drewa deep sigh of relief. Then suddenly she remembered the third memberof the gang--the man nick-named "Doc." Where was he? Hiding in thebackground, waiting to shoot them all down when they were off guard?

  Cautiously, therefore, Linda leaned out of the side of the plane andcalled to Sergeant Worth to come back to her. Leaving the two thievesin charge of the other men, who instantly handcuffed them, Worthreturned to the airplane, smiling over his easy victory.

  With his assistance Linda jumped out of the cabin and whispered herwarning into his ear. The man scowled in disappointment.

  "This fellow may be waiting for you, Miss Carlton," he said. "You stayright here--behind the plane, while I go find out where he is."

  Linda did as she was told, expecting every moment to hear renewedshooting.

  "Where's your other man?" she heard Worth shout, as he approached theprisoners.

  "Gone!" snarled Jake. "Two of 'em sneaked off. Double-crossed us, andtook the kale!"

  "Money? What money?" demanded Worth, instantly, hoping to surprise theman into a confession.

  "Nothin'. None of your business," muttered Jake, seeing that he hadmade a mistake by saying too much.

  "You needn't try to hide anything," remarked the officer,contemptuously. "We know all about the bank robbery--and other jobs,too--that you fellows can account for. You'll serve plenty of time!"

  Impatient at the delay, Linda felt that she had to be at the scene ofaction, to hear what had happened to the "Doc," who evidently was noton the island. She ran forward, just in time to hear Jake's explanation.

  "One fellow made off with the girl in the plane yesterday morning," hesaid. "The other guy must have beat it later on in the day--while ustwo was still asleep. Took the boat and the cash. We ain't got nothin'here of any value--outside of food.... Huh! Why, if there ain't Lindaherself!"

  Angry as she was at this insolent manner of addressing her, Linda couldnot help smiling at the man's consternation. But she was terriblydisappointed to learn that the money was gone. That meant that they hadfailed to accomplish the main purpose with which she had set out--torestore to the innocent bank depositors the savings which they had lostthrough no fault of their own.

  "Perhaps the money's over on the island in the ocean," she suggestedhopefully. "I had to help bury some boxes of jewels there while Iwas a prisoner--and those may still be there, too. Shall we fly overimmediately, Sergeant Worth?"

  "You know the way?" the latter inquired, in surprise. His admirationfo
r this plucky girl was growing every minute.

  "Oh, yes, I think so. We can make these men direct us if I forget. Theyare sure to know."

  After a hasty search of Black Jack Island was completed--to make surethat the third man was not still in hiding--the party returned to theairplane, and Linda made ready to take off once more. This was anexceedingly difficult feat, with a large plane, but the experiencedaviatrix calculated everything before she made the attempt, and theairplane left the ground at the exact time that she had planned.She directed it eastward now, out over the Georgia coast, on to theAtlantic. She remembered the course perfectly, spotting the identicalisland without any help from the prisoners, and landed on the widebarren beach without any difficulty.

  Once they were out of the plane she recalled even the hiding-place,where "Slats" had placed the jewels, and she led the way through theunderbrush. Unrolling the stone, and pushing the sand aside at herdirection, the detectives brought out the three tin boxes which Lindaherself had been forced to help conceal.

  Opening them up right there by twisting the locks, the officers gazedat their contents in speechless amazement. Two diamond necklaces, astring of real pearls, innumerable rings and pins and watches. And abracelet of priceless emeralds!

  "Whew!" exclaimed Sergeant Worth, the perspiration running down hisface.

  "The Van Tyn diamonds!" declared one of the detectives. "And thesepearls solve the mystery of that robbery at the Kenworthy estate!"

  "Yeah. And that big jewelry store in Atlanta!" added another,breathlessly. "Say, does this uncover a lot of money? I'll tell theworld!"

  "It'll mean a nice little reward for Miss Carlton," remarked SergeantWorth, with a smile.

  Linda shook her head.

  "No, I don't want it," she said. "If there is any reward, it can bedivided among you men. You faced the guns!"

  "But Miss Carlton----"

  Linda held up her hand. "I mean it," she said. "If you can't use ityourselves, perhaps your wives--or your children can."

  "It would mean heaven to me," murmured one of the detectives--a quietman, who had scarcely spoken during the entire flight. "My child needsan operation----"

  "Then it's settled," concluded Linda. Suddenly she glanced timidly atSergeant Worth, almost as if she were about to ask a favor. "Could weeat, Sergeant?" she asked. "I'm so hungry."

  "Why of course!" replied the latter. "I'm sorry, I'd forgotten allabout lunch--but it must be way past noon. Griggs," he added to one ofhis men, "you go and unload that basket."

  It was an oddly assorted group that sat down to that picnic lunch onthe beach--the two thieves, the three police officers, and the slender,fair-haired girl in her linen flying suit. Linda could not help smilingto herself as she thought of what Jackson Carter's horror would be ather association with people like these. Yet how foolish he was! Onelook at Sergeant Worth's face, kindly as it was, assured her that shewas well protected with him at her side.

  She wished that she might stop at Soldiers' Camp Island on the returntrip, but it was out of her way, and already the plane was loaded toits capacity. So she mapped her return trip in a straight line backto the city of Jacksonville. Late that afternoon she landed at theairport, where the group separated, the detectives and the prisonerstaking one taxi to the police station, Linda taking another to a hotel.

  It was only when she was quietly in her own room, with her bagunpacked, that she realized how tired she was. What a strain she hadbeen through! How she longed for relaxation of some kind! If only shehad Louise with her--or somebody else from Spring City!

  She rested for an hour before dinner, but the thought of eatingalone was not pleasant, with only a newspaper for her companion. Shebrightened, however, when the idea came to her to call her Aunt Emilyon the long-distance wire. It would mean a great deal to hear thatdear, familiar voice.

  She did not have time after dinner to put in the call immediately,for just as she was leaving the dining-room, she was herself summonedto the telephone. Who could it be, she wondered. Nothing interesting,probably, for none of her friends knew where to get her. No doubt itwas Captain Magee, congratulating her on the success of the afternoon.

  To her surprise, it was Jackson Carter who said, "Hello!

  "Can I drive in to the hotel to see you, Ann?" he asked.

  "How is your mother, Mr. Carter?" she inquired, instead of answeringhis question.

  "She's all right."

  "Am I to meet her?"

  The young man coughed in embarrassment. He would have liked to havekept the truth from her, but he could not lie to a girl like LindaCarlton, any more than he could lie to his mother.

  "I guess I better tell you, Ann--mother's old-fashioned--and--shedoesn't approve of you. She says I may not invite you out here again.I'm awfully sorry--I've tried to make her understand-----"

  "Please don't bother," interrupted Linda, coolly. "Perhaps it is betterthat an acquaintance like ours end as casually as it started....Good-by, Mr. Carter. And thank you again for rescuing me."

  "Ann! Ann! I can't let you go out of my life----"

  But she had quietly replaced the receiver.

  The tears came to her eyes, but she told herself that she was foolish.She would probably have to get used to things like this, if she meantto do a man's work in the world. It was worth it. Oh, the gloriousfeeling of power which she had experienced that morning when shestepped into that huge plane, and knew that she could control itsflight! The satisfaction of conquering difficulties, solving problems,being of use to others as she had been today! Yes, it was worth all thesnubs of every society woman in the United States!

  For a moment she sat beside the telephone, waiting to get controlof herself, when she suddenly heard a beloved voice behind her. Twovoices--three voices--then two pairs of arms around her neck! DotCrowley's and Louise Mackay's--and Ted was standing behind them!

  "Oh!" she gasped, squeezing both girls at once. "Am I dreaming? It'stoo good to be true!"

  "Are you O.K., darling?" demanded Louise, kissing her chum again andagain. "When we read about your long flight south, and then heardnothing of you for three days, we got worried. So we managed to hopoff."

  "You angels!" cried Linda. "Oh, I might have known you would! Wheneverything looked blackest----"

  "You mean about being lost in the Okefenokee Swamp?"

  "Worse than that.... Let me call Aunt Emily, while you get a room, andI'll tell you the whole story after that.... But first tell me how longyou can stay."

  "Ted and I can only stay till tomorrow morning," replied Louise, "solong as you are all right. But Dot'll keep you company--she thought youmight be lonely----"

  "That isn't half of it!" interrupted Linda. "I was so lonely tonightthat I couldn't eat. I just felt sick. Worse, far worse than my flightto France, because that was over quickly, and this just seemed tostretch out interminably."

  "Now do call your Aunt," urged Dot. "She must be dying to hear fromyou--and we'll have you all evening. By the way, I'm rooming with you?"

  "Nowhere else in the world!" exclaimed Linda, giving the girl an extrahug in her joy. "Room 420--and I'll be there in a minute!"