“I’ll take him to my house and look after him a few days, if you have no objection. I do not believe that he is in danger, but it will be just as well if he has good care for the present.”
“Suits me,” answered Captain Seaman crisply, then he turned to his wife, “Care to hop home with me, dear?”
“I should like to,” she smiled at him. “Before we start I wish that you would assure the natives that you will not punish any of them.”
“Of course,” he agreed. He called some of the leaders together, and when they were assembled, he shook hands with everyone. Speechmaking was out of the question because of the noise, and the tribesmen held up their hands as a sign that they were eternal friends. After that it was arranged that the doctor, his wife, Donald and the invalid pilot should be taken back to town in the community’s huge plane with the Flying Buddies, or one of them, at the stick. Mrs. Seaman was to have a place in her husband’s machine, Mrs. Harding and her daughters would fly with Bradshaw.
Presently all were ready except the captain, who paid a brief visit to the native’s quarters, reassured them of his friendship and ate salt fish with them. When that ceremony was completed, they came with him to join his party. A bit later the planes were ready, the big one led off with its passengers and the sick man, Bradshaw followed, and last came the officer’s ship. They rose swiftly, the British planes circled about them, received their orders by signal lights flashed in colors, and fell in behind the others, while the officer again took the lead; heading in a bee line for home.
Jim was as excited as if he were a part of some grand maneuver and tried hard to keep properly in the formation with his huge plane, which must have looked a bit odd racing among the other slim, efficient planes of the British Government. The boy glanced at his passengers, who seemed to have completely forgotten the dangers through which they had passed, and were thoroughly enjoying themselves and the trip.
Bob was, of course, beside his Buddy, and the two exchanged delighted glances. Austin wondered what his brother would say if it were not so noisy, but later, when they came down in the field’s runway, the younger boy grinned widely.
“I’ve had as grand a time as a bob-tailed cat with a kettle of fish,” he announced. “Wouldn’t have missed it for a million.”
“What I want to know is where you boys got those bombs,” the captain said as he hurried up to the machine.
“If you find out, we’ll pin a horseshoe on you,” Bob promised with a laugh.