“No question about it,” replied the managing editor. “You have done far more than either the business manager or I expected and your aviation column is one of our best news features. The only thing I worry about is that you boys will crash one of these days.”
“Don’t worry about that,” put in Ralph. “There is little danger for we have a good ship and we try not to take unnecessary chances.”
Tim and Ralph went to the administration building when they reached the airport. They found Carl Hunter in his office.
“Hello, heroes,” he called, whereupon Tim and Ralph gave him a good-natured pummeling that left them all breathless.
“Now that the cyclone is over,” smiled the field manager, “I suppose you want something.”
“You’re right for once,” said Tim. “We want you to put a crew on repainting the Good News and checking up on the rigging. Carson said to get it done in a hurry for we may need the ship at any time.”
“I had a hunch you’d breeze in sometime today with a request like that,” replied the field manager, “and I’m one up on you. A couple of painters are waiting in the hangar now. Same color job as before?”
“The same,” said Tim, “and I hope this one will last longer than the one we scorched off.”
“You may not be so lucky the next time you start flirting with burning tanks of oil,” warned Hunter.
“There won’t be any next time,” promised Ralph. “We’ve had our fill of those thrills. No more dodging a chunk of steel that’s intent on destroying us. Honestly, I lived a whole lifetime in that split second.”