“Talking in your sleep?” Bob demanded. He had happened to look up and saw Jim’s lips moving.
“I just had a great idea.”
“Cherish it, Old Timer, you may never get another,” Bob taunted.
“I shall,” Jim chuckled. Caldwell returned to his notes while Jim’s mind was filled with the wildest fancies. He was mighty glad that Her Highness had come down on the Box-Z that day when they were out of gas. It seemed as if it must have occurred years instead of months ago. So much had happened; so much that was thrilling; and so much that was perfectly fascinating. The possibilities for the future had opened out swiftly, there seemed to be no limit to what could be accomplished. Toward the middle of the morning Bob looked up again.
“Remember when we ate?”
“Haven’t the faintest recollection,” Jim admitted. The younger boy put away his work and attacked the hamper. He called to Mr. Austin, who declared that all was well with him.
“I have a book, a sandwich, a piece of cake and a bottle of coffee right this minute,” he announced.
“You’re getting ahead of us,” Bob laughed. Presently he had eaten all he wanted, then he turned to Jim. “Now, bring that idea of yours over here and don’t eat so much, you’ll crowd it out.”
“Don’t you worry, I hog-tied it,” Jim retorted. They changed seats and Austin looked into the basket. “You ate it all,” he bellowed.
“Did not, there’s half a chicken and all the trimmings,” Bob grinned. “Maybe so much brain work has affected your eyesight.” Austin produced the chicken and trimmings and set to work on them, then, after a chat with his father, he got at his books. The “Lark” soared along steadily, smooth as silk. They were over the Andes now and as Caldwell glanced at them his mouth opened in awe and wonder. He hoped hard that the business which was bringing them would not be concluded too quickly for he longed to fly over those long jagged ridges, to explore their dark forests and follow some of those rushing streams that glistened in the valleys. Far away the boy could see the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Occasionally he caught a glimpse of a great ship, then he saw numberless small boats bobbing on the waves. Although he scanned the air for a plane no one seemed to be flying, and he wondered at that, for he was sure that pilots would be crazy about the land. Along the coast were numerous towns, inland they were more scattered, and they seemed to be perched on the mountain sides. Further south began the deserts, arid and barren, their hot shifting sands looking exactly like set waves.