Round the World in Seven Days

away, shrieking, "Aman! Aman! oh dear! oh dear!" Swarms of children, clustering, like ants, about

for all races and classes use this common playground), realizing with quick wit what it meant, flocked up with shrill cries: "C'est un aviateur: allons voir!" A grave old Turk mutters: "Another mad Engli

. They elbow their way through, and Smith, who has not yet dared to leave the machine lest the

he new-comer; "Charley Smit

a messmate of his middy days, now a naval officer in th

aughing, "but where do you spring from?

ive minutes ago

on st

that m

short of petrol. There's some ordered by wire from a man name

e to look after your aeroplane, and you'll come back with me to the club: this sort of thing doesn't ha

from the two grimy travellers

m-saw me off. But I'm sorry I can't come with you, Dick. I've o

n at once, after eight hours in the air. Y

ter of life

get off in two hours. Things go slow in th

enians, who had all this time been volubly discussing the wonderful devil machine, broke apart with shouts of "Yol ver! Yol ve

vellers to the spick-and-span Englishmen in golfing co

ay?" asked Smit

n; he talks of putting you under arrest as a Bulgarian spy. You'll have to be patient. I'll do

nd said something to his lieutenant, who trotted off across the field. In a few minutes Johnson returne

e. The lieutenant has gone off to the Ministry of War for instructions. Meanwhile, you are under arrest,

our may ruin everything. My pl

ellow, it's tha

8.50. "London time," he said. "You're t

on la

be delayed. I will go off to the Embassy and hustle a bit. If the wheels can be hurried, they shall be, I assure you. Then I'll go on to Benzonana, get your petrol

your advice; sleep is better than food just now. When you see Benzonana, ask if he has a

vely as Smith flung himself down beside the aeroplane, an

he steep hill through the cemetery, past the Pera Palace Hotel. At that point he jumped into a carriage, and commanded the driver to make all speed to

ces, "is to get an order from the Minister of War; but we shall have to hurry, as he may be

says it's a matter

n mono-rail is nothing to it. At any rate, it's rather a feather in our cap-this record, I mean, after so many have been ma

e they reached their destination. A crowd of servants was grouped about the Grand Entrance, and as Johnson and his friend Callard came up, the Turks flocked around them officiously, assuring them with one voice that the Minister was attending a commission. Callard took no notice of them, but passed

ith that of the city; he spoke of the approaching Bairam festivities. Then, apparently apropos of nothing, the man said, "I have been at the sheep-market to-day," a remark which Callard took as a broad hint for bakshish: the Turk wanted money to buy a fat sheep for the impending sacrifice. He produced two medjidiés. The effect was magical. The two Englishmen wer

ed for the respectability and good faith of his old comrade; and the Minister, apologizing for his subordinate's excess of ze

power to give him exemption

him profusely, and wi

ly half way, confound it! We shall have to hurry up if Smith is to get off in time. Arabadji,"

shed down the Sublime Porte Hill, and dr

ral here?" Callard as

ell, but the Englis

We are in luck's way; the English adviser does his best t

where an Englishman, wearing a fez, was seated at a table covered with papers and surrounded b

o dozen left-hand gloves? This merchant bro

of weary patience, turned to the newcomers and asked their business. A few words sufficed; the Councillor rang a bell on the table, and when his secretary appeared, ordered him to m

wo left the Custom House. "There's still ne

son asked him if he had received any addresses from London, and the man handed him a folded paper. Then, asking him to send the petrol and some machine oil at once to the Ok Meidan, the two Englishmen reentered their c

d eating a kind of shortbread they had purchased of one of the simitdjis or itinerant vendors of that a

il," said Smith, as Johnson and Ca

they had been clamouring ever since Johnson had been

er of the Faithful won't order you to be

and showed him the Minister of War's order. Almost at the same moment an aide-de-camp

riend will require a clear space for starting his aeroplan

d to Smith to give him the paper he had received from Benzonana. Callard had

petrol?" asked Smith

ready to send. Ah! I gu

nd creaking a heavy motor omnibus of the type that first appeared on the st

hat old rattler?" as

oner of Police couldn't stand 'em any longer. They're always breaking down. No

t the cans of petrol and oil, and placed them in the aeroplane at Rodier's direction. Smith

re to Barracombe for me, Johnson? You know his address. And one to my sister at home. I promised I

back so far as to allow a sufficient running-off space. Smith shook hands warmly with the Englishmen; with Rodier he took his place in the car; then at a jerk of the lever t

te, mister," said Rod