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Updated: July 7, 2025
It was an hour later, and not far from midnight, when two dark figures crossed the deserted aviation field and threaded their way among the various aerodromes. They paused in front of the one in which the boys were asleep. Had the lads been onlookers they would have seen that one of the men was Sanborn, the new machinist, and the other was Malvoise, the driver of the sable Buzzard.
There was an even heavier scowl than his habitual frown on the face of Malvoise as, having completed his repairs on the engine that had caused him to make such an abrupt descent, he prepared to go up once more. "Sacre!" he muttered, "those pigs of American boys would certainly get the cup if it wasn't for my foresight in providing against such an emergency."
"Well, you'd better go and get some sleep now," said Malvoise abruptly, "one of these boys here will take care of the ship while you nap." "Very well," said the Spaniard, "do not drive her too hard against the wind, senor, but rather let the wind drive her. Good-night." He staggered out on to the swaying, plunging deck and vanished.
"Suppose I won't tell you," retorted Billy, bravely sparring for time. "Then we shall find a means to make you." "Well, I will not tell you one single thing about our plans, and you might as well make up your minds to that right now." "What, you won't?" "No, I won't." Malvoise crouched as if he was about to spring on the boy, but old Barr interfered.
"I wish you a good night's rest," said Malvoise as he switched on a tiny electric light with the warning that the dynamo would be cut off in ten minutes' time. As he closed the cabin door behind him there was a sharp click. The cabin door was fitted with a stout spring lock. The adventurers were prisoners a thousand feet in the air. "Locked in, by gosh!" exclaimed Ben Stubbs, as the lock clicked.
With the exception of the binnacle light above the compass and a small shaded incandescent that shed a glow on the height indicator, the place was as black as a well. "How is she doing now?" the boys heard Malvoise ask the inventor. "Ah, senor, poor thing, she is torn and strained in every direction. My heart bleeds for her!" exclaimed the Spaniard.
We must get the treasure on board before it starts to blow at all." Sanborn came hastily scrambling down the ladder, and a few seconds later a block and tackle were lowered. Malvoise and Sanborn, who greeted the boys with a scowling sneer, first deprived the boys of their weapons and forced Ben to give up his revolver and then made fast the block and tackle to the first of the treasure sacks.
"Lock him in the inner room," ordered old Barr, "it's a nice warm place for a young man to sit and meditate on his stubbornness, and perhaps to-morrow he will have come to his senses." Without more ado Malvoise and Sanborn picked Billy up in their arms and carried him through the door from which Barr and the Frenchman had emerged and thrust him forward into a small room without windows.
The dirigible, however, was clearly beyond all control and Frank, after a glance into the engine-room, where the engineer lay insensible beside his machines, started for the pilot-house. At its threshold he stopped with a cry of surprise. The railing, against which he had left Malvoise lying, gaped open raggedly for a space of several feet, as if a heavy body had plunged through it.
"It's a devil-fish," shouted the boys. "Fire on the thing," shouted Malvoise, pouring the contents of his revolver down into the fleshy mass of the octopus. Instantly a great cloud of inky fluid spread over the waters and into the opaque waves the waving arms sank, dragging with them to the depths of the sea the treacherous mechanic.
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