The major gazed at the girl with an expression of doubt, accepting the binoculars as she held them out to him and focusing them upward on the plane.
By that time, several other pilots had reached the field and joined the excited group as they watched Lefty pilot the ship with a masterly hand.
Panama looked down at the crowd below, then leaned forward with great exertion and screamed into the pilot’s ear: “They’re all there watching you. Go ahead and show ’em you can do something!”
“But how about you?” the boy yelled back. “You’re badly hurt!”
“Never mind me,” the sergeant laughed hoarsely. “Give ’em a real show!”
With that, Panama took keen delight in unscrewing the joy stick in the rear cockpit, contemptuously raising it above his head and throwing it overboard.
Lefty watched this gallant gesture on the part of the unselfish sergeant and grinned with appreciation, realizing that Williams’ idea in throwing the other stick was to leave no doubt upon the minds of those below as to who deserved the laurels for the successful flight.
The wheel of the landing gear from which the hub had been shot to pieces by the bandit marksman back in the swamps, was slowly revolving upon its loose axle, certain to cause a serious injury to the passengers of the plane if it fell or broke before they landed.
Ignorant of this dangerous problem that faced them, Lefty turned the plane into a stunt, doing a slow loop, followed by an easy roll and then a fast one, creating a beautiful spectacle against the darkening sky.
Major Harding moved nervously from one foot to the other with eyes glued upon the stunting ship above.