Hal raised both hands in a gesture of hopelessness.
"There's no use talking to you," he said. "I'll leave you both here while
I overhaul the plane."
He took himself off.
Chester, Colonel Anderson and Ivan sailed swiftly through the air. Darkness fell, but it was a bright night and Chester, at the wheel, could see without difficulty. The passengers were quite comfortable in spite of the cold.
"Aren't you getting a bit too low?" asked Colonel Anderson after a couple of hours flying in the darkness.
"Thousand feet," said Chester after a glance at the indicator.
"Doesn't seem like it to me," said the colonel. "Think I can see the ground below."
"You shouldn't at this altitude," said Chester.
"I know it. Guess I was mistaken."
Half an hour later the colonel spoke again. "Have you come down any, Chester?"