Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday BOY'S CINEMA 3 Secret drinking loses a young pilot his job and he becomes an outcast. A gang of crooks try to make use of him for daring robberies, but he fights them to regain his manhood and the girl he loves. Starring Lloyd Hughes and Marceline Day. The Crash. OXE evening in early autumn an jieioplaiie was flying higli over tlie mountains of Soutiiern California on its way to Mexico. Starting from a great airport near Lc. Angeles some liours before in bright sunshine, it had now run into mists hanging over the nioimtains, and every moment the fog seemed to grow thicker. In the "plane were two men. Bob Rogers, a tall, dark young fellow, re- puted to be the best pilot employed at the airport, was at the controls. His friend, Jimmy Devine, sat beside him, listening to wireless messages whicli came through from headqivarters from time to time. Jimmy was somewhat the younger of the two, of slighter build, and not so experienced as Bob, yet quite capable of taking charge cf the aero- plane in any ordinary circumstances. "i'og increasing over the Ridge Route," said Jimmy presently. "That's the last message." "I've flown in worse fogs than this," growled Bob. '"Tell 'cm we're okay." Something in Bob's tone made Jimmy glance at him thoughtfully, but he sent the message as liis friend gave it. "Devinc speaking. We're going okay !"' Jimmy looked again at Bob. For some time he had been suspicious that something was wrong with his friend, end now, seeing the settled look of gloom on Bob's face, he made up his mind to speak. " Wliat's wrong. Bob?" he asked. Bob Rogers did not reply. His whole attention seemed to be concentrated on • the controls, but a frown spread over his face at .Jimmy's question. "Didn't I see you talking to Grace before we started?" a-ked Jimmy. '-'Have you two had a quarrel?" Cwace was Jimmy's sister, and Bob Rogers was in love with her, as Jimmy well knew. From the expression of the pilot's face as his friend asked the ques- tion, it was quite obvious that .Jinmiy had guessed the reason for Bob's ill- humour. "We have, if you must know!" snarled Bob fiercely. "And now suppose you mind your own business." "I reckon this is my business," re- torted .Jimmy angrily. "You quarrelled over the same thing, as usual, of course. Why don't you leave the stuff alone. Bob? You'll ruin your career if you keep on drinking at the rate you Ivavc been doing." "Shut your trap I" howled Bob, all the more angry because he knew that Jimmy had spoken the exact truth. "I've had enough of it from your sister, and I'm not taking any soinions from you." Jimmy did not reply, for at that moment came another wireless message from the airport. "Thicker fog ahead," he announced ruefully, after listening to the report. "Here, take over." growled Bob, as though he had not heard a word of the message. "I'm going to have a drink." ''Not now. Bob!" exclaimed Jimmy in astonished tones. "You can't mean it. You know I ain't had any experience of flying in a fog." "Take the controls, I tell you !" snarled Bob. "I'm in command on this trip, and you'll do as I tell you !'' Seeing no help for it. Jimmy gave way and slipped into the pilot's seat, while Bob went into the small cabin just behind, foimd a bottle and glass, and began to drink. Headquarters callc<l again, and Jimmy answered : "We're still on our course. Fog? Yes. getting worse, but we're going right on." Jimmy Devine had replied confidently enough, but as time went on lie found more and more difficulty in keeping on the course. The fog bothered him n great deal, and as it became thicker and thicker he became confused, and began to fumble uneasily with the controls. Suddenlv ihe aeroplane tilted into a steep dive. Jimmy wrenched desperately at the levers, but his nerve had gone, and he failed to force the machine oui of the dive. Down they went, ever more and more steeply, and Jimm.v screamed in frenzied accents for his friend. " Bob. we're out of control ! Bob ! Bob! " Bob Rogers crawled out of the cabin, roused at last by the sensation of tho falling 'plane. He was far too late. Be fore he could grasp the controls tho inevitable crash had come. With a tre mendous impact the unfortunate craft came down at the edge of a wood on thi' mountain side, and from the criunpled wreckage there rose almost at once ii flicker of flame. It seemed impossible that tlie occupants of the machine could have survived such a crash, and yet a moment after the 'plane came to the ground a figure crawled from beneath it. Bob Rogers staggered to his feet, moved away a few paces uncertainly, and gazed stupidly at the wreckage. The shock had sobered him, but he was dazed, and a miinile or two passed before he realised that there was no sign of Jimmy Devine. The flames rose higher, and Bob sud- denly rushed back to the wrecked 'pUuie to search for his friend. A still form lay in the midst of the heap of splintered metal, and Bob, with a great cfTort, succeeded in pulling Jimmy out. Meanwhile, repeated calls from head- quarters had obtained no reply from the aeroplane, and at last tho operator November 7tli, 1931 I