Part 24 (2/2)

Forward went Bill's stick and he dived for the buildings with a wide open throttle. He caught a fleeting glimpse of figures running on the open quadrangle that seemed rus.h.i.+ng up to meet him. Then back came his stick again. The Loening bucked like a frightened bronco and zoomed upward a bare fifty feet above Mother Earth. As she rose, a weighted letter was dropped overboard.

Again Bill climbed, until his plane reached an alt.i.tude of possibly a hundred feet above the squadron, which had changed its formation and was now flying in a continuous circle, high above the stockade. Bill leveled off and sent his plane into a series of reverse control turns known as figure eights.

Less than five minutes later, the two in the Loening saw a procession of men form in front of the bosses' headquarters. From there they marched two by two out of the stockade and down the corduroy to the dock. One of the leaders carried a white flag.

Bill reached for a pair of fieldgla.s.ses and clapped them to his eyes.

”Martinengo's in front, with the flag!” he cried into the mouthpiece of his phone, nearly deafening Osceola in his excitement. ”And yes-that's Dad-beside him! Gee whiz! If I was a Frenchman, I could kiss the old Admiral! His letter did the trick, Osceola. That old boy is some humdinger!”

”Wonder what he said in it. It certainly brought them out in a hurry.”

Bill laughed. ”Bellinger let me read it. Short and to the point-that's the Navy. It read: 'You are through, Martinengo. Walk down to the dock with your men-unarmed. Bring Mr. Bolton with you. My planes are bombers.

Charles S. Black, Rear Admiral, U. S. N.'”

”Short and sweet, and very _much_ to the point!” laughed Osceola. Two seaplanes glided down out of the circular formation below them.

”There goes the skipper,” exclaimed Bill. ”It's about time we went down and you were introduced to Dad.”

”Okay, boy, but watch your step. We don't want to crack up now when everything's turned out so beautifully.”

”Unh-unh-Not me!” grinned Bill, and nosed her over.

Those who have liked this story will be interested in the next book of this series, _Bill Bolton and the Flying Fish_.

The End.

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