The Girl Aviators' Sky Cruise

sy down at the Mortlake plant. But the officer was naturally noncommittal concerning his opinion of the comparative merit

ll, breathless morning, the air had been filled, soon after dawn, with a vibrant buzzi

hat she had heard. Roy's window faced on the road, and a glance satisfied him that the Mortlake machine was to have its f

tlake's heavy-shouldered figure, and the slender, upright form of Lieut. Bradbury. All at once the group opened up a bit and they saw a silvery, glittering aeroplane, agleam with new aluminum paint,

rtlake clamber heavily into the machine, followed by Lieut. Bradbury. A me

ed our self-starting device,

orning sun caught its silvered planes and turned them to gold. It was a beautiful and inspiring sight. Even with all that lay at stak

scott home, leaving in its wake the pungent odor of burni

traight down at the boy and girl standing by the garden gate. So close to their heads did he skim in his desire to show off, that he almost came too low. For one instant it

e Golden Butterfl

m in a flash of inspiration as he watched the filmy

what a pre

terfly best. Our machine may be a bit hea

ve the rival crowd. They did not take it with a good grace. Remarks, of which they could not catch the wording, but only the menacing intonation, were hurled upward at them. They received them with a laugh and a wave of the hand, which did not put the Mo

Peggy, as they raced through the air, the fresh br

they'll turn after a while, I guess, and the

diminution of speed on the part of the Silver Cobweb. Nor did the ot

an ever-changing panorama. The earth beneath them looked like a big saucer divided up

Dead ahead, and not more than a few mile

e s

me simultaneously

antic lay stretched beyond the land, shimmering in the sunlight. Far off,

king for New Yor

ainly make out the ocean, which, from a silvery streak, was

d appreciably. The rival aeroplane was now skimming above the water at a height of about a thousand feet. The G

eut. Bradbury what the Cobweb can do," exclaimed

eans to beat us out at all

rizon, had seen the other aeroplane, and guessing at once what its appearance meant, had

to sweep obstacles aside, he would rather have terminated his career than permit any one t

oing to ke

ng over the edge of the chassis, saw the big Atlantic swells rolling below them. T

working without a hitch. I'd hate to turn back now, particularly

Roy. If we turn back now, it would look as if we were afraid to trust the Butterfly a

ind, the inspiration of the ocean, had come to him. He felt like a

decks, rising tier on tier, four huge red funnels with black tops, and slender masts, between which hung the spider-web aer

e decks lined with white faces peering upward. Here and there the sun glinted on the bright meta

her decks!" breathed Peggy eagerly. "I d

ket. I bought some in the village yesterday to mail to the chaps back at sc

ter a few seconds' thought, she began to write busily. Card after card was covered with her neat penmanship. All this time Roy had k

s whistle, a great cascad

-h-h-h-h

nstant a deep-throated roar, a cheer from cabin and steerage passengers alike, winged its way u

ng a spectacle that would remain in their memories all their lives. Having conquered