Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1911-08-24

moreover, snail nave dozen sharp
shooters concealed in the treetops. He
will drop down over the bluff in his
aero and keep it lowering near during
his conference with you. Then. when
'you have him engaged in talk my men
at signal will drop him in his tracks
Hold on" said Mr.. Grayman. you
are going too fast now. If you kill
Payton how are we going to find my
daughter?''
by capturing the Chameleon and
compelling his men to reveal his hid
ing places
But perhaps they won't talk"
ave have means of making men
talk" said the commissioner grimly.
Perhaps you have, but don't like
that part of the plan. 1t is too dan
gerous for my daughter. She would
be killed for vengeance. But the aeros
are good. Go on with that part of the
scheme, keeping your sharpshooters
for an emergency. But why not take
more aeros? How many has the po
lice department."
Eight. But it would be impossible
to conceal more than four of them.
can dispose four in such way as to
cut off retreat in every direction. The
aeros. with power up. will be hidden
just in the tops Of the trees"
"You know we must not fail,s Gray
man said.
1--WE shall not fall" was the conf
dent reply.
Still, Mr. Grayman was half disposed
to reject the scheme and try some
thing else. But he could think of moth
ing else, and then his daughters abb
sence and her imminent danger smote
his heart.
"Doney' he said decisively. "I'll try
it,"
"Then," remarked the commissioner,
much gratifed, "I'll send off the aeros
tonight in order that nobody shall wit
ness their arrival. Their commanders,
who are the men that accompanied me
to Tribes Hill. know exactly what to
do. They will prepare the ambush and
be ready for work in the morning"
"How many men win you have in
all?"
'Thirty-six will go in the aeros, of
whom twenty-eight will be armed to
the teeth. The twelve marksmen will
be sent on by train in various DISCUSSES.
We ourselves will take the midnight
express for Albany, and local train
will bring us to Tribes Hill early in
the morning"
The commissioner had learned that
the full complement of the Chameleon.
including her commander, was ten
men. Accordingly he could count upon
having three to one in fight.
Thus the matter was arranged. When
William Grayman said Yes" to any
proposition he wanted to have ii car
ried into effect instantly.
No time was lost in concealing the
fiers among the tops of the trees in
the neighboring woods on both sides
of the Mohawk.
Once in position they were anchored
with guys, which could be severed IN
an instant, and were disguised with
leaves and fresh cut branches to. con
ceal them from prying eyes. They
were so placed as not to be hampered
in getting away at full speed, and their
high power drivers could be turned on
almost instantaneously Of the crew
of nine men which each aero carried.
seven were there for fighting purposes
only, and they carried automatic arms
of the latest pattern. The other two
were engineer and steersman By jul
dicious selection of positions an aero
was stationed at each point of the
compass, their average distance from
the bluff where the meeting was to
take place hardly exceeding a quarter
of mile The commissioners prin-
cipal dependence was on surprise. He
calculated that Payton seeing no aero
near would boldly descend to the bluff
and fall straight into the trap. because
the police, getting into motion stimuli
taneously at signal. would be upon
him from all sides before he was aware
of their presence.
The signal was to be white hand
kerchief waved by the commissioner
himself from point which he had Sc
lected not far from the bluff and which
could be seen from each of the aeros.
One thing which the commissioner had
not thought of arranging-and it was a
capital error, as the sequel will show
was TO SO place the aeros that their
crews would have one another always
in view. AS it turned out, when they
were once in position they could not
see each other at all.
Dawn comes early in June. and the
commanders of the fiiers had hardly
completed their arrangements and set
tied down for a long wait when a
pale streak illumined the heavens in
the east.
Boys. keep quiet now" said the
captain in charge of the aero which
was stationed on the south side OF
II I'll 4. No.