TOMB HUNTER

The Adventures of Larra Court

Episode 6

Larra’s Arctic Adventure

Chapter 11 Crossing the Great Bear

Fort Franklin hardly deserved the name of town. The tiny outpost on the shore of Great Bear Lake consisted of a Hudson’s Bay Trading post, a few ramshackle buildings and little more. It mattered very little to Melissa how big the town was. She was kept under guard in the plane. This time the doors were kept closed while the plane was refueled. Her captors stayed only long enough to stretch their legs while the aircraft was topped up and then they were off again.

They took off and flew straight north across the enormous lake. Featherstone had hired two airplanes. He and Melissa were in one, along with Stoddard, Engles, one other man, and the pilot. The other aircraft contained the rest of his expedition, for a total of twelve men.

Melissa tried not to think of what had happened to Larra, but the thoughts of the English adventuress’s death dominated her mind. Featherstone had made a point of describing in great detail what he had done before he left the cabin. Melissa wondered what it had been like for Larra. Perhaps she had not been conscious when the cabin had burst into flame and had died painlessly. But Featherstone had insisted that she was very much aware of her dilemma when he left the cabin. She could picture her lying tied to the bed, struggling to escape while the candle slowly burned down. And then the terrible explosion of fuel and the horrible pain of being burned alive. She vowed that no matter what happened, one day she would take vengeance on Featherstone, even if it meant that she would die in the attempt.

The flight over the lake was uneventful. Featherstone tried to draw Melissa into conversation, but she remained unresponsive. Then he tried taunting her about what he was going to do to her every evening, but she refused to take his bait. Finally the English spy fell silent. Melissa could tell that he was very angry, but he could hardly do much more to her than what he had threatened to do. If he killed her, he would lose his new sex toy.

The plane began to descend. Featherstone began talking to the pilot when they were a few hundred feet above the surface of the lake. “If Miss Court was telling the truth, and I think she was, there should be a small inlet on that shore marked by a rocky hill. Since most of the shore is almost featureless, it should not be difficult to find.”

The plane banked and flew parallel to the frozen shore. “There!” exclaimed Featherstone. “There!”

“I see it,” replied the pilot. He banked the plane again. Slowly, the plane began to drop toward the ice.

It took Larra several days to recover, from her harsh treatment at Featherstone’s hands. Fortunately, she had been able to write to Montreal and get Sarah to forward her some more of the healing ointment that she had carried with her before she fell through the ice. It greatly speeded up her convalescence. Nevertheless, she chaffed at the delay. There was no telling what that brute Featherstone was doing to Melissa. Thus it was, that she set out in pursuit before she was fully ready. She would have to finish her recuperation en route.

She had no difficulty in following Featherstone. After all, she had given him the directions to his destination. Their first stop was Fort Franklin. There they got an unexpected shock. As she suspected, Featherstone and his two aircraft had landed in the tiny outposts several days before them. But what she had not counted on was that he had bought up all the aviation fuel, offering the Hudson’s Bay Company outpost an outrageous profit for the fuel as well as bestowing a generous “gift” on the factor in charge of the trading post.

“Without fuel,” said Larra’s pilot, “we have no way of returning from the northern shore of the lake. We cannot continue.”

Larra’s decision was instantaneous. She knew that the remote outpost could not expect another supply of fuel until next summer. “How much do you want for your plane?” she asked.

“You want to buy it? I’d sell it to you Miss Court, but who will fly it?”

“I will,” Larra replied. “Don’t worry about me getting back. I will find a way.” She turned to Sawatis and Lemaire. “You two stay here. If I am able to save Melissa I will come back for you. If not, then I want you to convey a message to the British embassy. I will write it now.”

“No way,” protested Lemaire. “You’re not going into the north by yourself. You know nothing of how to survive in that environment. You won’t last a week on your own. Sawatis nodded in agreement.

“You don’t quite understand,” said Larra. “I’m not a qualified pilot. I know how to fly, but I can’t guarantee that I can land safely or handle the aircraft if I run into any difficulty. I’ve never flown solo.”

“I want you two alive in case I need you. There is no point in all of us being killed.”

Faced with this argument, Sawatis and Lemaire gave in. Larra had them transfer much of the gear from the aircraft, taking only what she needed. “Within a day or so I should be back. If not,” she handed Sawatis a manila envelop, “you know what to do.”

Larra boarded the plane. The pilot spun the prop. The engine sputtered to life. Larra turned into the wind. “Well, here goes,” she thought. “I hope they are wishing me luck. I’ll probably need it.” Slowly she pushed forward on the throttle. The plane picked up speed. She pulled back on the stick, and the plane lifted. Gaining altitude, she headed north, over the Great Bear.

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