Frank Reade Jr.'s Air Wonder, The "Kite"; Or, A Six Weeks' Flight Over the Andes. Luis Senarens
He stood upon the deck with one hand upon the rail and an eye upon the revolving rotascopes which served to hold the ship suspended in the air.
He was a fine, handsome specimen of youth, with clear-cut features, a steady eye and an air of one born to command.
The Kite was settling down slowly into the defile.
Pomp now rushed to the pilot-house near and pressed one of the electric keys.
This so regulated the speed of the rotascopes that the air-ship was held immovable at its present attitude.
Then Pomp sprang back to the rail.
Barney had taken the rope and had now swung it over until it came within reach of Harding.
“Steady dar, boss!” cried Pomp. “Now jes’ yo’ hang right on!”
“All right, my good friends,” replied Harding.
There was a noose in the end of the rope, and the gold seeker slipped this under his shoulders.
Then he cried:
“All right! Haul away!”
This was done. Pomp and Barney hauled away with a will, and very quickly Harding was lifted over the rail on board the Kite.
He stood upon his feet and gazed about him.
“Heaven be praised!” he gasped. “This is all like a strange dream. It does not seem at all a reality.”
“I can understand that, sir,” cried Frank Reade, Jr., with a pleasant laugh. “You are welcome on board the Kite.”
He shook hands with Harding most warmly. But the gold seeker continued to gaze about the air-ship wonderingly.
“I have heard much of you and your inventions, Mr. Reade,” he said, “but I never dreamed that your air-ship was such a beautiful and wonderful machine.”
“Indeed,” said Frank, pleasantly; “if you desire I will shortly show you about the ship and explain to you its details and manner of construction.”
“Indeed, I shall be delighted.”
“But you are fatigued. Come into the cabin and have a glass of wine, and tell us how you came in that dangerous position.”
“I will do that with all pleasure,” replied Harding.
He followed Frank Reade, Jr., into the cabin of the Kite.
This was situated amidships, and was a most beautifully furnished saloon.
Frank offered a chair to his visitor, and said:
“Now, Mr. Harding, we shall be very glad to have your story.”
Harding had already given his name and business in these parts to Frank Reade, Jr.
He now began at the beginning and detailed the entire story of his life.
He told frankly of his love for Mabel Dane and of his expedition to Peru to search for the Incas treasure.
“I had hoped to find the fortune,” he said, “and then return and claim the girl I love.”
He then detailed his meeting with Vane and the after incidents.
How they had found the Incas treasure and had planned to remove it. Then the perfidy of Vane.
Frank Reade, Jr., and Barney and Pomp listened with the deepest of interest.
To them it was a most interesting and thrilling recital.
Particularly was the young inventor interested. When Harding had finished he cried, vehemently:
“My friend, you shall have your rights. That treasure every bit belongs to you, and yours it shall be.”
“Thank you a thousand times!” cried Harding, eagerly. “Oh, do you really mean to say that you will help me to recover the Incas treasure?”
“I do,” replied Frank.
“Half, yes, two-thirds of it shall be yours. I only ask enough——”
“Not one cent!” replied Frank, quickly. “I do not want money. I am rich enough.”
Harding was almost delirious in his great joy.
He alternately thanked and blessed his young benefactor.
“If I can return to America with a fortune, and claim Mabel Dane as my wife,” he declared, “I shall be the happiest man in the world.”
“If it is in my power to assist you to do that, I will do it.”
Frank now proceeded to show Harding the wonderful mechanism and construction of his air-ship.
“All the electrical devices aboard this ship,” he declared, “are patents of my own.”
The Kite was built after the shape of a modern cruiser, with a narrow hull, and long, pointed bow.
The hull was made of the lightest rolled platinum, lined on the bottom with tough steel meshes to resist a blow or the impact of a bullet.
Lightness and strength are the two prime things to be considered in building an air-ship.
Frank Reade, Jr., considered these well and carefully. He was certain that he had hit upon the right plan.
The hull of the Kite was roomy enough to admit of the storage of the electrical machinery, batteries and dynamos. Also there was a cabin for Barney and Pomp and a good-sized galley for cooking purposes.
A deck over all was made of light wood highly polished.
Amidships was the cabin with furnishings and decorations of the richest description.
Forward was the pilot-house or tower, and aft was a similar tower for the regulating of the propeller or the rotascope shafts.
One huge mast rose from the deck and supported a monster rotascope, which was in itself sufficient to elevate the ship.
But to make sure, two smaller rotascopes were provided upon shafts which rose from the two towers.
In the stern was a large propeller like the huge screw of an ocean steamer.
From the mast and the bowsprit two flying jib sails were swung, for the purpose of steadying the Kite.
Altogether, the Kite was a most wonderful invention.
Harding was captivated by the plan as revealed by Frank Reade, Jr.
“It is wonderful,” he declared. “You are certainly the most wonderful inventor on earth, Mr. Reade!”
“That may be a large statement,” said the young inventor, with, a smile. “However, I am glad that you appreciate my air-ship.”
“I can only say that I am delighted beyond expression with the prospect of taking a voyage with you aboard the Kite,” declared Harding, ardently. “It is a treat which any man would be glad to accept.”
“The question now is,” said Frank, brusquely, “what shall we do about the treasure you speak of? Would it not be best to secure that at once?”
“It will take Vane a long while to secure a transportation from Quito.”
“True; but he may have decided to remove the treasure to some other hiding place!”
“Right!” cried Harding, nervously. “I appreciate the danger of procrastination, Mr. Reade. I am ready when you are.”
“But you must first direct us where to find the treasure cave.”
“That I will do, but——”
“What?”
“You cannot go thither with this air-ship.”
“Why?”
“It is buried deep in a dark and unwholesome