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The aeroplane came nearer, rising high as it flew, as if it were going to fly right over the summit of the mountain. The Mountain Folk were terrified, and crouched to the ground. The aeroplane, gleaming as white as a gull, circled overhead as if it were looking for something.
“It’s going to land, it’s going to land!” yelled Jack, jumping about even though his hands and legs were bound. “Golly, what a shock for the red-beards!”
The white aeroplane circled lower — and even as it made to land there came another noise echoing around the mountains.
“R-r-r-r-r-r! R-r-r-r-r-r!”
“That’s my aeroplane; I bet it is, I bet it is!” yelled Prince Paul, his face red with excitement as he tried his hardest to get rid of the ropes that bound him, “I’d know the sound of my aeroplane anywhere too!”
Whilst the White Swallow made a perfect landing, ru
“It’s Paul’s blue and silver plane,” cried Peggy. “Oh, my goodness — this is too thrilling for anything! Look who’s in the White Swallow! Ra
A Thrilling Rescue!
The chief and his servants were full of amazement and fear when they heard the noise of the aeroplanes and saw them coming. When the White Swallow zoomed immediately overhead all the Mountain Folk fell down in fear and moaned as if they were in pain.
“Look out! You’ll be hurt by the plane!” yelled Mike, when the White Swallow made to land. The terrified people leapt to their feet and ran helter-skelter to the sides of the courtyard. The plane missed everyone, and it was good to see Ra
The children crowded round him, hugging him and raining questions. “You should have seen me yesterday!” yelled Paul, who was now very proud of his narrow escape. “I wore clothes of gold and sun-rays on my head!”
Captain and Mrs. Arnold were delighted too, though the Captain kept a stern eye on the Mountain Folk, who were crowded together, trembling, watching the aeroplane.
“They look as if they expect it to jump on them, or bark at them or something,” gri
“I think it would be a good thing if we took off at once,” said Ra
“Here comes Pilescu with my plane!” cried Paul in delight, as the big blue and silver aeroplane circled overhead, making a tremendous noise. The mountains around threw the echoes back, and the aeroplane sounded like a rumbling thunderstorm! Round and round it circled, and the Mountain Folk gave groans of terror and threw themselves on their faces again.
The little prince’s plane made just as good a landing as the White Swallow. It let down its wheels and lightly touched the ground, ru
“Really, it is a perfect landing-ground!” said Captain Arnold, watching. “Smooth, big, and with plenty of wind!”
The blue and silver plane came to a stop. The door of the cockpit opened as the engines stopped. Pilescu looked out, his eyes hidden by sun-glasses. Ra
Half of them rushed to the big stairway and disappeared down it, shouting. The other half, with the chief, knelt on the ground, the chief muttering something.
“He say, ‘Big chief want mercy!’” gri
“Well, if he thinks I’m going to throw him down the mountain-side or take him off in the planes, he’s mistaken,” said Captain Arnold. “I shan’t take any notice of him at all. Come along — we really ought to get off at once. It is a miraculous escape from great danger.”
“The two planes will easily take us all,” said Mike joyfully. “Who’s going in which?”
“Ra
They all began to climb up into the two cockpits. It didn’t take long. Pilescu took the controls of his plane and looked round.
“All ready?” he asked. Then he looked again. “Where’s Paul? I thought he was to come in this plane.”
“He’s not here,” said Jack. “I expect he climbed into the White Swallow. I know he always wanted to fly in her.”
“Right,” said Pilescu, and pulled at a handle. But Ra
“We must see if Paul is in the other plane!” he said. “We don’t want to arrive in England and find that Paul isn’t in either plane!”
Ra
“What?” yelled Captain Arnold, who was just about to take off.
“Is PAUL with you?” shouted Ra
“No,” shouted back Captain Arnold, after a quick look round his own plane. “I said he was to go with you. The White Swallow isn’t big enough for more than four.”
Ra
Ra
Ra
Nobody but Paul was in the temple. He was in a corner struggling with something. Ra
“Paul! What is it? We nearly went without you!”
Paul stood up. In his arms was the beautiful shimmering robe of golden cloth that he had worn the day before, and over his shoulder he had slung his sun-ray headdress. Young Paul was determined to take those back to school with him, to show his admiring friends. How else would they believe him when he told them of his great adventure?
He had slipped away from his party when no one was looking, for he had felt certain that Captain Arnold would say no, if he asked if he might go and get the garments. The clothes had been difficult to gather up and carry, and Paul did not realise that the planes were starting off so soon!
“Hallo, Ra
But to Paul’s enormous astonishment Ra
A gleaming spear flew past Ra
“The little idiot had gone into the temple to get his sun-clothes!” said Ra
Paul was angry too. He sat up on the seat. “How dare you hit me?” he shouted to Ra
“Shut up, Paul,” said Jack. “I’ll slap you myself if you say any more! You might have stopped us escaping. The Mountain Folk are looking rather nasty now.”
Sure enough some of them were creeping towards the planes, spears in hand. Both planes started up their engines. The throbbing noise arose on the air again. The Mountain Folk shrank back in alarm.