Linda Carlton's Hollywood Flight

asp for breath, she pushed the cloth from her face and sat up. For a

d been stranded early in the summer. But no; the ground was hard and dry—not a bit sandy—and there was n

the barren ground, her blanket thrown aside. With a cloth over her face!

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reply, no movement from the inert figure. With a tremendo

dead, Linda!” she

er companion’s eyeli

le and held water to Linda’s lips. At last the color came

she managed to whispe

n’t k

the water herself, a

e we?” as

were flying after that girl, in Mr. Eckert’

sight of the Ladybug, whose appearance had so amazed Do

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really an autogiro over th

d Dot. “I’m positive. We c

get here? Is t

” Dot lowered her voice to a whisper. “

went to sleep, and sure enough, it was there. And, with the touch of th

ed it as a plane. At first I thought it was bandits, and I recall reaching for my revolver.... Yes.... Then I saw it was

mber a thing myself. I must have been sound asl

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f understanding. “They must have made off in Mr.

ed Dot. “But how do you sup

he air—when we didn’t see them—and followed us about till they saw where we made our landing. Then they waited for us to get

o swap planes?” asked Dot. “Bec

autogiro. Besides, by doing this, they know they will be

ir of schemers I’ve ever heard of. T

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in. Mr. Eckert’s plane is faster, newer

to have the dear old Lady

w that man at the airport said that she had a damaged wing. So na

rouble taking off,” observed

here all summer.... Come on, Dot, if you’re able to walk, let’s g

agreed he

ly to the spot where the autogiro was resting. Like her owner, she, too, looked in bad condition, as if she had bee

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“I guess that girl was pretty desperate. Well, t

added Dot, with admiration. “Any other girl

mething? I don’t feel a bit sick at my stomach—only terribly weak.

akfast,” replied the chum. “But unfortunat

k fast, I ought to be able to get off by noon, a

e we

Enough to go a coup

e coffee in one of the thermos bottles. The remainder of the water they decided to keep for their flight, and they stil

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d wing. It was not hard for her, for she knew every tiniest detail of the construction. How

ense cards on the seat of the cockpit. Evi

tested the engine. It was not running so smoothly as she liked to h

tter and hotter, the sun poured down mercilessly on Linda, bending patiently over her work while th

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ing her face with her handkerchief. “Oh, m

ater enough to wash ou

gallon jug we put i

d a town, now that it is li

asted good, although they had becom

e taking off?” she inquired,

—and she evidently did—I’m sure the Ladybug c

outh until she saw the Ladybug actually rise from the

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at swift plane of Mr. Eckert’s, but after all, there was nothing like her belo

bility to fly low. Now they could watch the landscape for towns and airports and landing-fields. Oh,

and Linda nosed her plane upward, over the steep slopes covered with pine forests, until she was rewarded by seeing little villages on the other side. Straw-roofed h

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good landing. She noticed the tracks of a railroad in the distance, and this she decided to follow, until it should lead to a station, and be identified

small Mexican town that provided an ai

sly a Mexican came f

k English?”

nodded,

heir story, asking how she could notify the police in Los Angeles in the qui

re,” the man replied. “At least—you can when th

Linda, calmly. “If you are willing t

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beginning to decide that girls co

have her filled with gas and oil,” she continued. “And g

he replied, proudly. “But

was unlike American food, but it tasted good to the hungry girls who had had nothing but a couple of oranges since their breakfast. And the prospect of a roof over their heads, after

wondering whether Linda had had enough by n

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she has Mr. Eckert’s plane. I’m responsible for it. We’ll fly around to all the airports for news. Their gas sup

United States,” remarked Dot. “I

at, till we catch them. They’re g

let’s go get some sleep. We can’t tell what

bly tell,” agreed L