There were generally cheers for the Scout, even when Hiram missed on three deliveries. These, however, never dropped more than five feet away from the base of the pole, while some of the other contestants saw their mail bags go half a hundred feet from the goal.
“Seventy mail bags delivered, only thirteen not gone foul, and the Scout scores seven of them,” cried Bruce, half an hour later. “There’s a dive for you—oh, grand!”
Three of the contestants with a decidedly poor showing retired from the field, among them the Syndicate entrant. Nine kept aloft, with three deliveries to its score.
It seemed as though Dave and Hiram were husbanding their strength for a final brilliant exploit. The Scout took a backward swing of nearly a mile. Then at full speed its pilot headed it down the last side of the long track.
“Eight, nine and ten—oh, they’ve made it!” shouted the delighted Bruce Beresford. “Thirty and twenty are fifty. Mr. Brackett, we’re even now with the Whirlwind people!”
CHAPTER XXII
QUEER PROCEEDINGS
Hiram and Bruce talked of many matters the rest of that day. The former was proud and elated over his success, and Bruce would not discount the greatness of his friend’s feat.
“You beat them all put together,” he told Hiram. “I heard two men talking with one of the committee near the grand stand. I think they had something to do with the government postal service.”