For the next two days the papers were full of the plane’s magnificent flight — and then a horrid thing happened. Mike ran to get the evening paper, and the first thing that met his eye was a great headline that said:
“NO NEWS OF THE ARNOLDS. STRANGE SILENCE. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE WHITE SWALLOW?”
The White Swallow was the name given to the beautiful aeroplane flown by Captain and Mrs. Arnold. Mike went pale as he read his headlines. He handed the paper to Jack without a word.
Jack glanced at it in dismay. “What can have happened?” he said. “I say — the girls will be jolly upset.”
“Didn’t I tell you I felt gloomy when I saw Dad and Mummy off?” said Mike. “I knew something was going to happen!”
The girls were just as upset as the boys. Nora cried and Peggy tried to comfort her.
“It’s no good telling me they will be all right,” wept Nora. “They must have come down in the middle of Africa somewhere, and goodness knows what might happen. They might be eaten by wild animals, or get lost in the forest or — ”
“Nora, they’ve got food and guns,” said Peggy. “And if the plane has had an accident, well, heaps of people will be looking and searching day and night. Let’s not look on the dark side of things till we know a bit more.”
“I wish we could see the boys,” said Nora, drying her eyes. “I’d like to know what they say.”
“Well, it’s half-term holiday the week-end after next,” said Peggy. “We shall see them then.”