“Two—Lt. Hulbert and a Mr. Lawlor, I believe. About fifteen minutes ago—the lieutenant was the first. And I heard that one fellow couldn’t get his plane into the air at all, and that he had to drop out before he even started.”
“That must have been Joe Elliston!” exclaimed Linda, immediately. “He was scared, anyway.”
“Yes, I believe that was the name, though the message wasn’t very clear. His plane is a Fleet?”
“Yes. Poor kid!” remarked Linda, sympathetically. “I wish we could help him.”
“Come on, Linda, we must go!” urged Amy, impatiently.
“Now you’re going to taste some speed, Amy,” Linda said, as they climbed into the cockpits. “I’m going to let her out to the limit. I want to reach Columbus in half an hour—I’m very hungry!”
Scarcely had they made their ascent when they spotted another plane approaching the airport. Though they could not see the pilot, Linda identified it as an Avian, the plane which Dot Crowley had selected for the hunt.
“Step on it! Step on it!” cried Amy, clapping her hands. “Go on, Linda!”
Thrilled with the excitement of the race, Linda urged her “Ladybug” to her greatest speed. What fun it was to know that you were safe, and yet to fly along at more than a hundred miles an hour! And how glad she was that she had brought Amy! The child was having the time of her life.
Clouds, deep piles of heavy white clouds were gathering above them when Linda brought her autogiro down at the Columbus airport. Again a mechanic came out with a typewritten message, but this time a warning was also issued.