Viewing page 24 of 145

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

6

spelled disaster.

"And now," concluded the president, pounding the wing section with a spark plug wrench, ^[[,]][[circled;arrow to insert in front of "pounding"]]in his agitation,]] "the NAEC has failed. Yes, we have dismally failed. We have at least delayed the precious films; perhaps we have lost them irretrievably."

"Already Captain Mettle is over two hours late--which, I remind you, means that he has landed, for his ship does not carry enough gas to fly two hours after landing time.  I therefore believe I may say without fear of successful contradiction that something is wrong. And, gentlemen, since something is wrong, something must be done! You know your respective duties; do them!"

The sun peeped thru the [[strikethrough and x's over this text]] ^[[morning]] ground-haze [[strikethrough and x's over text]] to see such an array of ships on the line as had never before been gathered at [[strikethrough and x's over text]] Sweet Lake Field. Major Moser, flight commander and general manager of the company, was on his way from Bandy Field, to direct [[^them in]] the search for the missing flyer. [[strikethrough and x's over text]]  He had been peering anxiously at the [[strikethrough and x's over text]][[^ground haze]] below him; and now that the sun was beginning to disperse the mists, he spoke to the radio operator in the forward compartment of the huge transport. The operator clicked his key. At Sweet Lake field [[x's over text]] a man waved his arms, [[strikethrough and x's over text]] ^[[a score of]] waiting pilots opened their throttles, and the long line of ships swept forward into the air.  In a moment they were [[strikethrough and x's over text]] out of sight. [[strikethrough and x's over text]] A stillness [[strikethrough and x's over text]] as of death stole over Sweet Lake Field.