I found
this money in the wreck. I will give you half of it if you will take me to
Hampton with you. The other half I must keep till--till I learn from
Mortlake's lips the secret he holds."
"Put your money back," said Jimsy quietly after a telegraphic exchange of
looks with Peggy, "we'll take you to Hampton; but hurry!"
Fifteen minutes later a golden-hued aeroplane flashed past the Cape
Charles light. The announcer posted there, instantly sent in a wireless
flash to Hampton.
"Number Six has just passed. Two minutes behind Number Five (The _Silver
Cobweb_), four persons on board."
Mortlake was among the crowd that read the bulletin which was instantly
posted upon the field outside Hampton.
"I wonder who the fourth can be?" he thought, little guessing that through
the air fate was winging its way toward him.
"Anyway," he added to himself the next instant, "the _Mortlake_ is
leading. Now if only----"
But what was that roar, at first a sullen boom, gradually deepening into
the excited skirling cheers of a vast throng.
Mortlake looked round, startled. Out of the distance two tiny dots,
momentarily growing larger, like homing birds, had come into view. Hark!
What was that the crowd were shouting? Those with field glasses threw the
cry out first, and then came a mighty roar, as it was caught up by
hundreds of throats.
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