“You mean to say you are aviators?” the colonel asked, rising from his chair. “When and where did you learn to fly and what has been your experience? Sit down and tell me all about it.”
Ted and Stanley did as they were asked, and for an hour they related to the officer their various experiences so far as aeronautics were concerned. He listened intently to all they had to say and asked many questions.
“It is indeed fortunate for me that you came,” he said when they had finished, “for I need your help and can offer you good positions. The manœuvres take place in two months and we must have ships in the air by that time. Now, when can you begin work? Remember, there is need of great haste.”
“Will you tell us exactly what is expected of us?” Ted asked. “And then we shall want to talk the matter over between ourselves. And what is the remuneration?”
“Your work will be to assemble the machines and to test them thoroughly before turning them over to the instructors. That will not be an easy undertaking and, as you know, it is not without danger, for I shall insist that the test flights be very conclusive; they will include trips across country of several hours’ duration. I want the planes to be as safe as possible before we begin taking up students. You will be subject to my orders only as civilian employees. And the pay is five hundred soles a month, which is about two hundred and fifty dollars in the money of your country.”
They thanked the colonel for his offer and returned to the inn.
“What do you think of that for luck?” Ted fairly shouted. “Things are coming our way so fast it is hard to keep track of them.”
“We could not wish for a better arrangement,” Stanley agreed. “It is almost too good to be true. Every time we make one of those long test flights the colonel insists upon, we can drop into Uti and bring out a load of gold, as much as the ship will carry, and that is considerable. When we have enough we can resign and go home. We have not been asked to enlist for any given period of time, so we can quit when we want to, provided, of course, we give them reasonable notice, so they can get some one else to take our places.”
That afternoon they sent word to the colonel that they should be ready to start work on the following morning, and shortly after daybreak a cart arrived to take their effects to camp, as they were henceforth to occupy quarters on the military reservation.
The two reported to the officer soon after, and were at once sent to the hangars, where a number of crates and boxes were stored. These containers held wings, bodies, and motors, just as they had been packed for shipment by the manufacturers in the United States. A detachment of some twenty odd mechanics were placed at their disposal. These men had been well trained in the theory of aeronautics, and while they lacked practical experience, showed unbounded enthusiasm for the work, combined with intelligence and adaptability. Before long the tasks in hand began in earnest.