The fact that the new flying boat was about to start upon a flight into the Arctic could not be kept out of the newspapers, for the crew had to be told where they were going if they stuck to their jobs. And not one of the mechanicians refused to take part in the expedition.
Besides, Koku was to go. Rad Sampson scoffed openly at this. He knew well enough that he could not go himself. He must stay and take care of Mr. Swift. But the old colored man refused to acknowledge that Koku could be of any possible use up near the Arctic Circle.
“Mus’ be, Mars’ Tom, you is wantin’ to weight down dat flying boat so she can’t eben rise out o’ de sea. Dat big chunk of meat won’t be no good to yo’ lessen yo’-all uses him fo’ an anchor.”
“Whuf!” snorted Koku. “Koku great man. Koku fight!”
“See here, big boy,” returned Rad, “yo’ll have a hot time fightin’ icebergs an’ polar bears. Won’t be much else fo’ yo’ to fight—no, sir.”
However, the giant was proud indeed to be one of the party booked for a transatlantic passage heretofore never tried. The newspapers made much of it. In the sheets issued the day following the announcement of Tom’s determination there were photographs of the crew of the Winged Arrow, and prominent in the group was Koku, dressed in the violently checked suit that had been given him by the president of the Hendrickton & Pas Alos Railroad.
Beside Koku, who could actually be called a member of the working crew of the Winged Arrow, Ned Newton had announced his intention of being of the party.
“If the inventor and head of the Swift Construction Company risks his life in such a venture, the treasurer of the concern might as well go along,” Ned declared. “If you are lost, Tom Swift, there will be no company, so my job as treasurer won’t be worth much. Count me in.”
In like manner Kingston, the wireless operator, asked for a berth in the cabin of the seaplane. Tom really was touched by these expressions of loyalty and good will.
“Mary is crazy to go, as well!” he said, with a laugh. “But Mrs. Nestor vetoed the proposition and saved me from doing so. Mary has pluck enough to go.”