, 1912-07-04

l.
Mr.. Grayman rs soon as The new
situation developed. and they
came out on deck. Mr.. Grantham
Immediately fell In with my opinion.
''The rascal has another port there
he said. Il wish the other aeros would
come up"
THE Skyiark." l replied, will soon
be here, but we cannot wait for her.
Payton has either run out of power or
he means to make a stand. We are SO
close upon him that he will have to
make a stand anyhow or else try to
escape under our guns, and If 1 know
Ethan Haight's style of shooting the
fellow won't run far"
But remember. sir. my daughter is
aboard" broke in Grayman. Her life
must not be endangered"
Surely not" | replied. Yet you
see yourself that some risk must be
taken. What | shall try to do is to
disable the Chameleon. A shell into
her motors oil the breaking of one of
her aeroplanes would do it"
But then she might be precipitated
to the ground"
But she is not likely to be. She would
dutter down, If she fell at all, like a
wounded bird. Remember how the
Eagle behaved las night. and she vas
badly ht. Then. Of course, Payton has
parachutes, and he would save his
prisoners in that way"
I'm not so sure of that" said the
secretary. He would probably think
1nfv ~ sarfpa bic nBn nocI put raai.
ly, Grayman. the danger of a tumble
Is slight. In the battle above the Eng
Iish channel between the French and
British aero squadrons during the last
war thirty fiers were completely dis
abled. shot to pieces. as far as any
further utility as fighting machines
was concerned. but not one Of them
fell into the water. All succeeded 1 n
Swimming to land on one side or the
other" a
IF we cam said l. well stop, him
before he can get afy."
"You think be is on this side Of the
hummock?' asked the secretary.
"Ethan thinks so, but Is not sure.
Wen have to Dol closely now"
While we were talking we had drawn
up within a couple of miles of the hum
mock, which was a round bill covered
with timber and rising to a height of
perhaps $50 feet out Of a broad. level
plain, where there were few trees and
vegetation of all kinds except grass
was scanty. l now slowed up, for l
didn't want to run Into an ambush
Seeing nothing suspicious in the vicin-
ity of the hill from u side. l conclud-
ed to circle it. keeping a good ofing
and a sharp outlook.
"Confound the fellowl" exclaimed
the secretary. Where a he have
gone? He must have a hole in the
ground"
Perhaps be is among the timber on
the hill" / said. and upon this thought
1 ordered the steersman to rise. at the
same time turning inward We had
not risen more than fifty feet when
Ethan Haight shouted:
There he goesp'
"WhereT' cried Mr.. Grantbam and
/ In a breath. running to Ethan's side
as he stood by bis gun In the bow
Low down Almost o. t'other side
o. the hummock," replied Ethan. point
ing. Hes as green as a grasshopper.
but I kin sight I'm"
And Ethan began to manipulate his
gun.
1t was several seconds before sue
ceeded in catching sight of the Cha
meleon. which. verify, as Ethan had
said. was as green as a g~rasshopper
and as hard to spy against the verdure
that covered the plain. for she was
running almost In contact with the
ground. II we had not edged round
the hill toward the west so quickly be
would probably have got clean away
under the shelter of the hill.
Payton's ruse vas SO simple and yet
SO perfectly executed that 1t made me
redden with vexation. Why he had
not tried a similar game during the
night | could not imagine, unless be
thought that he could easily distance
us and gave up that idea after be