As they taxied out from behind the dock, Norma noted that the water was a bit rough but she clenched her hands and said never a word.
The motor began to roar in earnest. Behind them raced the white foam. The plane appeared to skip from wave to wave. Then Tom said:
“Up!”
And up they rose.
Climbing steadily, they rose a thousand feet, two, three, four, five, six thousand. There above the bumpy clouds the plane leveled off and they headed straight for Black Knob.
Tom looked first at Rosa, then at Norma. Then he grinned as he formed the words with his lips, “Great stuff!”
Before they knew it they were over Black Knob and soaring down for a landing.
Near the tiny dock and harbor the water was calm. With real skill Rosa taxied the ship right to the dock where they were greeted with joyous shouts by Betty, Millie, Mary, Grandfather, Patsy, and all the rest.
“Norma,” Betty exclaimed when the two were alone, “Rosa wasn’t really flying the plane, was she?”
“She certainly was!” Norma’s tone was impressive. “She took off, climbed high, spiraled down, and all the rest!”