“Great horns. I’d like to go sailing over some of those places some time. Lindbergh must have seen some mighty interesting places when he went cutting air-paths over Mexico.”
“He sure did. And isn’t he the grand lad for keeping his eyes open and his wits about him?” Keen admiration for the Lone Eagle silenced them for a while, then Bob reached out and took a triangle of chocolate cake.
“I’ll divvy up.”
“You needn’t.” Jim made himself another sandwich. “Don’t know where my lunch is disappearing, but I find I have a little vacant space which needs fueling.” At that they both sat up, made a second attack on the food, but finally were compelled to stop.
“We may as well be soaring along,” Jim proposed.
“Let’s go over Canada and see if we can see any of the smoke from the ravine,” Bob suggested eagerly.
“All right. You want to drive?”
“You bet, and you watch for the scrap.” They packed the remains of the food in the basket, stored it into the cock-pit, poured water over the embers of their fire and cleaned the spot with a piece of dry pine brush, then gave Her Highness an inspection.
“Great old bird,” Bob chuckled when they were sure that all was well. “She did a good job this morning.” He took his place and Jim occupied the passenger seat prepared to be the observer.
A moment later Her Highness ran along the plateau, lifted her nose into the air, then climbed for all she was worth while Jim examined the earth beneath them. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the roar of the engine was a startling contrast to the calm forest they had just left. Caldwell watched his controls as they raced at three thousand foot height. Jim thoroughly enjoyed the inspection and occasionally made a note of something especially interesting, and often called his buddy’s attention to the rolling globe. In less than an hour they were over the post where they had dropped the message, but if anyone was inside the shack, they did not come out to examine them. Then Bob turned sharply north, and soon they were about ten miles beyond the edge of the ravine and the place where they had stopped the Mounty.