“You are the pilot, I take it?” commented the editor.
“One of ’em,” smiled Ned. “Mr. Hope is the other. We find it good policy to take three-hour tricks. The strain of a longer watch unnerves one. The pilot also controls the engines. But that does not relieve us of the need of a man in the engine room. This engine man, who on this trip will be Mr. Russell, who really knows more about an aeroplane than his conversation suggests, has enough to do. He watches the automatic fuel and lubricator supply feed pipes; the compressed air gauges and pipe valves; the signal and illuminating light motor, the oxygen tanks, the plane valves, and if the rudders go wrong, he is the man who goes out and fixes them. In this instance he is also the wireless operator.”
“When does he sleep?” asked Major Honeywell chuckling.
“When everything is going all right,” answered Ned, “or when one of the pilots spells him off for an hour.”
“And the fourth man?” asked the editor. “Everything seems provided for.”
“The rear of the pilot room,” went on Ned, “resembles a laboratory. It is the observation and record office of the ship. The observer in charge keeps the log of the flight, records the data that gives the pilot his bearings and enables him to find his way through unmarked space, prepared at any minute to sound warnings of perils ahead or behind that the eye can not detect. His record of the pressure of the aerometer gives the speed of the machine as nearly as instruments can show it. These figures, with our own tables of wind and flight pressures under all revolution speeds, give us approximately the exact rate of advance. He must watch and keep in operation the barograph or self-recording altitude gauge which takes the place of the usual barometer; as a check he also notes and records periodical readings of the regular barometer; he keeps constant watch on the car equilibrium by means of the statoscope; he records the compass course, sets down the latitude and longitude by following the compass bearing and the advance in miles; is the pilot’s clerk and keeps a record of the pilot’s changes of course—”
“Is that the job my reporter is booked for?” interrupted the astonished editor.
“That’s the plan. It’s really Mr. Hope’s work; he has the experience and he is personally acquainted with figures,” answered Ned with a smile. “But I’d like to have him to work with me. Of course we give a lot of attention to this work ourselves, as we’re right alongside.”
“Then don’t take him because I asked it,” said the journalist hastily. “If you want him, take him of your own accord. I wouldn’t recommend any one for that job.”
Bob, passing a window on his way to the door, sprang forward suddenly, grasped the open window ledges and then turned as hastily toward those behind him. His face was a study.