Evening star., 1934-01-03
CHAPTER XLVIII.
LOOKING UP

TWO HUNDRED yards from the
cove Curt shouted ahead at
Smash: Start the engine! Rev
i it up for mel"
For once Smash came through.
! While Curt was reaching the cove,
| Smash cut the mooring ropes, clam
! bered into the cabin, cranked the en-
| gine and pushed up the throttle, and
| had the motor settled into steady
Jump out!" Curt ordered him,
I splashing to pontoon and Chamber
| ing up. I've got to 60 after him
| alone"
Smash jumped into the hip-deep
water, but turned, looked up.
Curt! Whatre you going to do,
man? What the DEVIL"
He was suddenly bowled over, de-
luged and half drowned in binding
| smother of spume and chopped-up
water, as Curt opened the motor to its
laundering roar and plowed out of the
cove to the open lake.
For several minutes after Curt had
left the cave mouth, Paul stayed there
to watch, But he saw nothing, and
decided that he was needed elsewhere.
Before leaving. he called in Sikanni
to the men inside the cave: Things
of infamy, you will come out when We
say come out! If you are peaceful, you
will see the sunshine again. If not,
you can stay there till this mountain
wears aWay!"
He started down the slope to the
cabin. On his way past the gully, he
stopped at a pool of water and washed
the blood from his face.
From the door of the cabin he saw
Sonya lying bound and gagged on the
! bunk She turned her head. saw him
and tried to rise, but Karakhan had
bound her too securely. Paul ran
across to her. As he bent over her and
she looked up at him, the expression
in her eyes was a thing he could never
afterward forget.
When he cut her loose she sprang
Paul! Oh. 1 knew heard the Shoot
ing-I knew you had come! Where's
Curt? Is he's he safe?"
In few words Paul explained Tenn
Og brought Us north we few in last
night, we've just whipped the Kloso-
hees. Those planes. hear them"
the two ships out on the lake were
jarring the cabin with their full-gunned
r0ar-"that's Curt going after Kara
khan. Let's go"
They ran out Of the cabin to the open
landWaSh.
Heavy with gas. Karakhan's plane
had got off the water and climbed to
1000 feet, and was circl.ng for altitude
to clear the ranges. Curt was just
jumping his ship into the air as they
came out
Lighter and swifter than the other
plane. it climbed in a steep thunder
ing spiral. cutting down Karakhan's
laad SO rapidly that in four minutes
1t was up level with the Speedair.
In beWildered awe Paul and Sonya
stood on the shore, faces upturned.
What's Curt going to do, Paul?"
Sonya cried.
Paul shook his head. utterly non
plused His partner had gas for only
a few miles and could not follow; he
had no gun except an automatic, and
could not fight His maneuvers we're
utterly mystifying. He was not even
trying to close up. while he might have
got in a lucky shot with the pocket
gun: instead he was deliberately keep
ing at a distance from Karakhan.
At 1000 feet Karakhan leveled off
and swung due south. Curt was behind
him at that moment, and about 500 feet
above. As the Spaedair swung, Curtis
ship noSed down and headed for the
other plane. straight as a fiuted arrow.
He hurtled on and on, aiming his
craft like a huge projectile at Kara
khan's plane. The interval shrank-
200 feet, 100. so. Still he did not turn
or swerve an inch. Sonya screamed.
He was going TO crash! He was
craShingl
With an explosive smash that came
to them distinctly. Curtis plane plowed
into the other ship. breaking the Speed
airs fuselage in two and tearing off
both wings. Careening on beyond the
Speedair, Curtis plane tOurned over
twice. with its own pontoonS and one
of its wings gone: and started a crazy
lurching spin to the lake below.
Karakhan's ship. tangle of fabric
and metal, came plummeting straight
down. A few seconds after the crash
a puff of smoke streaned cut behind it
and within 1000 feet the whole mass
was wrapped in fierce flames.
But Paul and Sonya scarcely saw