"Guess we'd better not try any more for to-day," said Hawke to the boys.

"Just before I landed, one of the guy wires snapped."

"Put her in the hangar then," suggested Herb, willing to sacrifice his desire to the comfort of the aviator.

"Sure, you've done enough to-day," put in Fly, not wishing to be selfish, although he would have given a good deal to take a turn in the machine beside Hawke.

With the aid of the bystanders the plane was put back into the shed. Ike was left to watch it until the crowd should disperse.

"We'll have another demonstration soon," said Hawke, noticing the disappointment depicted on the faces of the onlookers as they divined the intention to discontinue flying for that day.

"The plane has succeeded almost beyond my hopes," Hawke said, as after luncheon he sat with the men and boys at the Crawford residence. "My equalizing device has to be tested, but I'm sure it's going to be entirely adequate to carry at least six pa.s.sengers at a time."

"Well, you see you have a band of crack workmen," laughed Mr. Crawford, taking the boys in with a gesture.

"That can be said with all seriousness," replied Hawke earnestly.

The week was spent in trying out the machine, Hawke and the boys making several test flights each day. At the end of that time, they knew beyond a doubt that they could trust the _Thunder Bird_ to do anything they wished. Hawke and five of the boys had ridden in it with safety for four hours, putting it to the most severe test.

With unfailing patience and ready good will, Hawke took them, by ones, and twos, and often filling the machine to its capacity, explaining to them the principles of successful flight. It was impossible, however, in this short time, for all of the boys to become masters of the machine.

Fly, however, showed unusual proficiency, and by Sat.u.r.day night was enthusiastically begging to be allowed to take the machine up alone, a request which was of course persistently refused by his anxious father and mother.

"I'm astonished, though, at the ability the boy shows," Hawke told Mr.

Giles confidentially. "They're all first cla.s.s, but Fly has the inborn instincts of a successful bird-man. He takes hold instantaneously, thinking, as it were, with his muscles, and handling his levers automatically, with the precision of an expert. All the boys have steady nerves and are going to acquire the poise and control of good fliers, but your son has unusual intuition."

"But you wouldn't let him go up alone yet?" said Mr. Giles, skeptically, though he might have altered his refusal at this a.s.surance from Hawke if Mrs. Giles had not protested anxiously.

"Well, no. Better wait until after the hunt. That'll give them a good working basis," advised Hawke.

"Oh, please, please, please," pleaded Fly, whose anxiety to sail once, only just once, alone and unaided, up into the inviting blue clouds, and feel that he had at last achieved his great ambition, prompted him to repeated entreaty that the privilege might be granted him.

"Time enough, my son," said Mr. Giles indulgently.

But the time came sooner than any of them dreamed.

CHAPTER XVII

IN SIGHT OF THE ENEMY

The following Monday morning, Herb telephoned that the marauder had again appeared at the Phipps ranch, and had killed off three of the fold, carrying one away.

It was decided, therefore, to proceed at once with the hunt, and, when the capture of the thief had been accomplished, to continue the instruction of the boys.

"Dad thinks the best way to begin is to watch around the fold at night till the thing appears," said Herb.

His suggestion was adopted, and that night the Fort Bayard boys and Hawke flew at dusk to the Bread Pudding ranch. It was not their first trip to the B. P. in the new plane; in fact, it had become quite a matter of course to drop in on Mr. Phipps, and, as the latter expressed it, "tie the bird outside."

The full moon had waned and should a chase be necessary they would be obliged to rely entirely on the acetylene lamps which, however, had been well tried out. They were not to be lit, however, until needed, lest the light should frighten away the enemy.

Hawke, Herb, Gray, Fred, Fly and Jerry remained near the plane, which was stationed just inside the wire fence enclosing the sheepfold. Carl and Dunk went to the other side of the pasture, while Mr. Phipps and one of his herders took up their position near the entrance gate. Between them all, they hoped to get a glimpse of the unwelcome visitor. If Hawke or his companions sighted him first they were to give instant chase in the plane, if they could not shoot him, which would be practically impossible in the dark. The others agreed to wave their lanterns if they were the first to come in contact with the mysterious sheep stealer. The plane would then be put into use.

Quietly but anxiously the pursuers watched, until, about nine o'clock, Jerry began to despair.

"Bet now we're ready for him the old guy won't turn up," he said, disappointedly.

"Don't worry," a.s.sured Herb. "Like as not he won't come 'round till midnight. That's his usual calling time."

"Regular New York swell," commented Gray.

"Wonder what kind of a thing it is," said Fred.

"I'm beginnin' to think it's a witch--never comes around in daylight, and n.o.body ever can get a peep at him," responded Jerry.

"We'll soon find out," returned Herb. "Least, I hope so."

"How near's Chance now?" suddenly interrogated Fred.

"He's within a couple day's run of us," responded Hawke. "Ought to pa.s.s over here Tuesday or Wednesday."

"Gee, bet it'll take a fall out of him to see another plane bobbin 'round here, won't it?" said Herb.

"We'll surprise him, all right," laughed Hawke. "He'll lose his bearings when he sees us put in our appearance. I'll find out the time he's comin' and run him a race."

"He's clippin' off a good record," commented Fred, who had been reading the papers. "Goin' to make it, I guess."

Talking thus the hours sped by until it was after eleven o'clock. The night descended thicker and blacker as time pa.s.sed, and in the tense silence, broken now and then by a tuneful bleat, the boys huddled closer together and talked in hushed voices.

"We sure could hear the flutter of a wing," reflected Herb.

The next moment they were on their feet, scarcely suppressing a yell.

Something had rushed directly over them, fanning the air like a propeller, but with less noise. Quick as thought they were in the plane, the lamps were flashed on and they had mounted into the air.

A huge flying bulk was just in front of them, and, as it swooped downward toward the sheep, a shout from Fred apparently startled it, for it rose again, and, whirling, circled rapidly above the fold.

"It's some kind of a flying monster all right," whispered Herb excitedly.

Hawke had made a rapid semicircle and was flying swiftly in pursuit, but, as he had lost time in turning, the object had become a part of the darkness and he could only steer in the direction in which it had seemed to be flying.

"Carl's waving his lantern," exclaimed Herb. "Must be over there."

Hawke veered quickly. The lamps, while shedding a bright glow for some distance around the machine, did not throw their light very far ahead.

"There is it, under us," cried Fly. They could see a huge, black, floating ma.s.s, just beneath them.

Circling again and again it was with the utmost difficulty that they kept it in sight. At last, however, it struck a straight line for the cliffs.