<h2 id='chap24'>CHAPTER XXIV</h2>
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<div>THE HIDDEN DIAMONDS</div>
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<p class='c011'>“Look out, Dave!” shouted his young assistant
and, as a snap sounded he shot a quick hand towards
the lever operating the rear control mechanism.</p>
<p>“Blade cracked, nothing serious,” instantly announced
the pilot of the <i>Ariel</i>.</p>
<p>The machine had been hit in turning shorewards
with a big wind blast that boomed like a cannon,
and bore down upon it heavily. They felt the machine
shiver and swerve, and there was some lateral
flapping. Dave, however, kept steadily on back
over the course he had so recently won.</p>
<p>It took twenty minutes to overlap the shore line.
They made out a harbor and upon the pier at its
end the flag of the life-saving service.</p>
<p>“You won’t lose time landing, Dave?” spoke Hiram
anxiously. “We might catch up yet.”</p>
<p>“Got to land,” reported Dave. “We can’t risk
the blade snapping.”</p>
<p>The <i>Ariel</i> was directed across a flat sandy reach
near the end of the pier. Dave sprang out instantly
and ran towards two men who had watched the
descent.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='181' id='Page_181'></span>“Schooner in distress,” he announced briskly to
the men. “I think she is sinking.”</p>
<p>“Where away?” was inquired.</p>
<p>Dave described the position of the imperiled vessel
as best he could. The men ran down the pier. Almost
immediately a signal bell tolled, and a steam
yacht, and two lifeboats, set out on their mission
of rescue.</p>
<p>Dave had hurried back to the <i>Ariel</i>. He had the
machine overhauled in a trice. One blade was
seriously damaged. Those on the <i>Ariel</i> were of
hard spruce wood, with a filling of mahogany. The
lower veneer had stripped off and was dangling.</p>
<p>“It’s a wonder it didn’t strike the tail and cripple
us,” observed Dave, as he got out some tools and
catgut, and had the defect remedied quickly. “I
think that will last.”</p>
<p>A report officer of the service had strolled to the
spot, and asked some questions which Dave answered.</p>
<p>“He’s writing down our names,” whispered Hiram
to his comrade.</p>
<p>“All ready,” ordered Dave.</p>
<p>“Good luck!” shouted the officer after the ascending
machine.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='182' id='Page_182'></span>“I suppose it’s hopeless to think that we’re going
to even make a showing in this race,” spoke Hiram
disconsolately.</p>
<p>“I fancy you are right,” replied Dave as steadily
as he could.</p>
<p>Hiram was in suspense and misery. About
twenty miles further along they made out one of the
laggard airships fighting its way against the wind.
From its maneuvers it was easy to surmise that
all its pilot was aiming at was to keep out of trouble.</p>
<p>“Out of the race and knows it,” commented Hiram.
“I suppose it’s forty points more for the
<i>Whirlwind</i>.”</p>
<p>Dave said nothing. He was thinking of the possible
disappointment of Mr. Brackett. He speeded
the <i>Ariel</i> to its best pace, but had no hope now of
reaching the International grounds first.</p>
<p>Hiram was in great suspense as they came up to
the grounds from the south. His eager eyes
scanned the center field. Then he fell back in his
seat with a groan.</p>
<p>“One in—we’re beaten, Dave,” he almost sobbed.
“It’s the <i>Whirlwind</i>.”</p>
<p>They could see the Valdec machine plainly as they
descended. There was a crowd around it. Dave
landed near the judges’ stand, turned the <i>Ariel</i> over
to two attendants in the employ of their hangar, and
went to headquarters to report. Bruce came running
up to Hiram with a decidedly long face.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='183' id='Page_183'></span>“The blackboard gives the race to Valdec,” he
spoke in a subdued tone.</p>
<p>“I guess they’ve won it,” snapped Hiram.
“Lording it over all creation, I suppose?”</p>
<p>“They feel pretty flighty,” pronounced Bruce.
“I’m dreadfully sorry.”</p>
<p>“Where is Mr. Brackett?” asked Hiram, looking
about for their friend and backer.</p>
<p>“Why, he was called to Chicago on business, and
had to go. Said he’d be back by evening, though.”</p>
<p>It was with a laggard, disheartened way that Hiram
proceeded to the hangar. Dave joined the
boys soon after. He tried to act cheerily, but secretly
he was quite depressed.</p>
<p>He had done his best. Better than that, he had
done just right. Business was business, however.
Dave realized how greatly Mr. Brackett counted on
the <i>Ariel</i> coming out victor and winner of the big
prize. It was not so much the amount involved that
the manufacturer cared for as a final recognition of
the superior qualities of his machine.</p>
<p>“There’s the fancy stunt event left yet,” intimated
Hiram after a somewhat gloomy spell of
silence.</p>
<p>“Of course we will make a try at that,” declared
Dave, briskly. “I can’t think of letting our practicing
go for nothing.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='184' id='Page_184'></span>“But fifty and forty make ninety,” grumbled the
disconsolate Hiram. “There are only thirty points
in the stunt event.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps we can pick up a few points in the last
day minor events,” suggested Dave, hopefully.</p>
<p>Hiram would not be comforted. He spent a miserable
afternoon. It added to his wretchedness as
he wondered what Mr. Brackett would say. Hiram
did not regret their action in the instance of the
sinking vessel. All the same, their backer had a
right to suppose they would have thought of his business
interests first.</p>
<p>They came across the manufacturer just as they
were going to supper. Hiram looked pretty serious
as Mr. Brackett advanced towards them. He was
all smiles and animation. He grasped first the hand
of Dave, and then that of Hiram.</p>
<p>“Boys,” he said, with a thrill of heartiness in his
voice, “I’m proud of you!”</p>
<p>“Why—you see—don’t you know that we lost
out on the long distance race?” stammered Hiram.</p>
<p>“The long distance race is entirely secondary to
what you two have done,” declared the manufacturer.
“I fancy you haven’t seen the city evening
paper? Well, there it is.”</p>
<p>Mr. Brackett drew a late edition from his pocket.
He shook it open and held it in front of his young
friends.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='185' id='Page_185'></span>“I’d rather be Dashaway and Dobbs, the way
that article tells about them,” said Mr. Brackett,
“than win twenty races, and all the prizes going.”</p>
<p>There, sure enough, was glory and honor for the
young aviators. A telegram with full details told
of “the sure winner of the long distance race”
putting back to give warning to save a vessel fast
sinking in mid-lake with all on board.</p>
<p>“That’s the kind of advertising that counts!”
cried Mr. Brackett, with vim and satisfaction.</p>
<p>“But we’ve lost first place!” mourned Hiram.</p>
<p>“Not in the estimation of the world at large.
That will not soon forget the <i>Ariel</i> and its crew.”</p>
<p>Dave was relieved at the way his backer took the
incident. It enhanced his regard and respect for a
true friend and a true man a thousand fold.</p>
<p>The following day was to be given over to amateurs,
and the exhibition of machines and their
utilities. There was no thought in the mind of
Dave of giving up the fancy stunt event, even if
the grand prize had escaped him.</p>
<p>“I say, Hiram,” suggested Bruce the next morning,
“can’t you take me on a little trip this morning?
We’ve got nothing much to do to-day except wait
for to-morrow.”</p>
<p>“Where do you want to go?” inquired the pilot
of the <i>Scout</i>.</p>
<p>“Oh, west—in fact, well, Hiram, I’d like to go
to Wayville.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='186' id='Page_186'></span>“Hum! same old idea about those diamonds still
in your mind; eh?” asked Hiram.</p>
<p>“See here,” replied Bruce eagerly, “I’ve got good
reason to believe that the trip is worth making.
You’ll see when we get to Wayville. I’d like to have
you land right where that diamond robber left the
<i>Scout</i> and show me as near as you can the route he
took.”</p>
<p>“All right,” assented Hiram. “You won’t rest
until you get there, I suppose.”</p>
<p>The <i>Scout</i> made a fast trip to Wayville. It was
at the same hilly spot where Hiram had parted with
his uncomfortable passenger that eventful night that
he brought the machine to anchor.</p>
<p>“Here we are,” he announced and he proceeded
to describe as best he could the movements of
the fugitive after he had left the <i>Scout</i>. “That
nearest thicket over yonder is the one he dove into
first.”</p>
<p>“Come with me, Hiram,” invited his comrade
eagerly. “You are sure he went through that
thicket? We’ll go, too. Do you see that?” he inquired,
as half-way through the densely wooded
space they came to an old hut.</p>
<p>“What about it?” asked Hiram.</p>
<p>“Well, that was a favorite hiding place for that
man Wertz I’ve told you about, when he wanted
to keep out of the way of people hunting for him
<span class="pagenum" title='187' id='Page_187'></span>to call him to account for some of his misdeeds,”
explained Bruce. “How well I remember it! Ever
since you described the spot, I have wondered if the
diamond thief, who was just such a character as
Wertz was, didn’t know about it, maybe visited it
in trying to escape.”</p>
<p>“Why,” observed Hiram as they came to the
front of the rude structure, “that padlock on the
door looks rusty enough to have been untouched for
ages.”</p>
<p>Bruce tried the door, but nothing less than a crowbar
would budge it.</p>
<p>“Aha!” he ejaculated suddenly, “look—the cellar
window.”</p>
<p>“Smashed in—I see,” spoke Hiram.</p>
<p>“One pane of glass, yes,” proceeded Bruce excitedly.
“And look, too, stains of blood on the
fragments of glass and the window frame. Oh,
say, I know! There’s a cistern right under that
window. I remember it perfectly and—Hiram,
help knock out the rest of the window. I’m going
to get into the house that way.”</p>
<p>“And drop into a cistern!” railed Hiram.</p>
<p>“It’s an old leaky one and was dry as a bone, I
remember, when I was here with Wertz.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='188' id='Page_188'></span>They smashed out the window frame with a piece
of plank they found near by. Bruce let himself
cautiously backwards through the aperture. Hanging
by both hands, he let go.</p>
<p>“It’s all right,” his voice sounded, hollowly.
“Throw me down some matches.”</p>
<p>Hiram awaited the next developments with some
impatience, and considerable curiosity. Then he
saw a hand grasp the inside window frame, then another,
and he tugged at the shoulders of his struggling
comrade and pulled him up into daylight.</p>
<p>“For gracious sake, where have you been? In
some dirty hole, I do declare!” cried Hiram.</p>
<p>“It was dirty, but I don’t care about that,”
panted the other youth. “Ouch!” and he proceeded
to rub some dirt out of his left eye.</p>
<p>“Shall I help you?” questioned Hiram, anxiously.</p>
<p>“No, it’s out now,” was the answer.</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p>Bruce was covered with dust and cobwebs. He
scrambled to his feet breathless, but his eyes were
fairly snapping from some intense excitement.</p>
<p>“Where’s your cap?” asked Hiram, noticing that
his friend was bareheaded.</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s all safe,—and everything else!” cried
Bruce, and he unbuttoned his coat and revealed his
cap all wadded up. “Just look at that!” he shouted
and he opened the cap. Within it rested a great
heap of jewelry, blazing with crystal sparks of radiance.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum" title='189' id='Page_189'></span>“The diamonds!” gasped the astounded Hiram.</p>
<p>“I guess so!” answered Bruce. “The bargain
with the jeweler was five thousand dollars’ reward.
As my partner, Hiram Dobbs, I shall have the pleasure
of handing you over just half of it,—two thousand
five hundred dollars!”</p>
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