Bill Bolton-Flying Midshipman

nd Bill. "Reckon the Old Man got his w

We'll soon know more about it. At the rate the plane is drift

ng the engine and

ayed off. Our only chance is that she drifts past that point over there to starboard

to talk! You're a great comfort to your old Dad. How a

'll take off these cockpit covers, I'

gh to eat a horse. Or fat pork swimmin

ns stowed away. Bill produced sandwiche

hing contentedly. "What do you think of our chances

nt, but this wind is causing us to drift backward onto the

of life on the island

gn of smoke, but haven't sighted anything so far. Queer formation, those cliffs, for this part

n a leisurely manner, and stowe

rter of a mile off the breakers. "I've got another idea, though. Stupid of me not to have thought o

than this inaction.

e fore cockpit and

e sea anchor and taxi out o

ugh headway to offset the wind drift that is driving her ashore. I want to keep her the same distance off the surf that she is now. T

it gives us a chance.

line. If you try to get the sea anchor aboard from a cockpit the bus will

ngine until he was convinced everything was running smoothly. Then he p

wave was bent on destroying her. Bill knew that his father's task was no easy one. The decking forward of the

flat on the deck and wormed his way toward the nose with a wriggling m

straddled the deck as though he were riding a very broad horse. Th

back of neutral to prevent the nose dipping under the waves an

enger cockpit again, and then slightly accelerated the engine. Even this small burst of speed caused the amphibian to bury its nose in the combers; and all but foundered her under a torrent of sea water. Bill instantly idled down until the staunch little

aying off and becoming the forerunner of sure disaster. His back and shoulders began to ache under the strain; and soon his leg muscles were an added source of torture because of the excessive pressure he w

er, that his son wanted something, he donned a headphone and picked up Bill's set on the other end of the line. He climbe

he asked from the re

und the point. If I turn

breast of the head now. There seems to be quite a large cove an

nd, let me know what

urther conversation. Then Bill heard

and behind it is an almost landlocked cove. You'll have to ma

ave to, I guess,"

d until the mouth of the little harbor lay off his port quarter. Exerting pressure on left rudder, he allowed the plane's nose to play

ew closer into the lee of the headland, the wind was less vi

s craft, floating backward and sideways, to leeward of the narrow opening between the cliffs. Then with

gun and ripped off his headphone. "We certainly are in luck. T

t water, he saw that the harbor was almost landlocked. Broad white beaches ended abruptly in steep cliffs, forty or fifty feet hi

cliffs probably leads to the houses. Funny that nobody has sighted us. I

p to the dock and go ashore? We've had a strenuous time of it, and I frankly admit I'm dog ti

couple of ringbolts in the concrete and after securing the plane, picked up their suitcases and

ide his father. "That should mean a comfortable house and a good feed. Sandwi

Bolton. "It seems to me that this key is the winter home

h was about five miles long by two miles wide. The road, gleaming white in the morning sun, ran straight down the valley, to a group of low white buildings, a mile or so away. A heavy growth of trees and shrubs covered t

ement," commen

grumbled Bill, shifting his loaded

outhern hospitality is famous, you know. We're sure to get

e, right now," retorted

voice. "Stand where

ar the roadside. Both of the newcomers held repeating rifles a