Part 11 (1/2)

”This is travelin' in style, all right,” approvingly re about the co odor of larill When necessary, Ned Newton could cook an impromptu meal He really was rather proud of his ability

[Illustration: Ned Cooked Some Lamb Chops]

As the amateur chef placed the meal on a small, collapsible table, Toia ”We should reach Key West about three PM,” he said

The shi+p droned steadily onward At two o'clock in the afternoon they were passing near a large city ”Mia over a chart ”Airplanes go to many parts of South America from there”

[Illustration: ”Miaed Arroer and lower Finally he leveled off at an altitude of about five hundred feet above the blue sea Here the full force of the fierce subtropical sun began to make itself felt

The travelers, fresh from the comparatively cool northern summer, made haste to open all the air vents in the plane Then they changed into white linen suits

[Illustration: They Changed into Linen Suits]

”Whew!” exclailes of Africa but have never felt hotter!”

”Ah, it's the shi+p, my boy You see, the dark metal hull fairly soaks up the sun, an' that's e're a bit uncomfortable,” said Captain Britten ”Once we land, you'll think the clirireeted the boat shot by at the rate of two hundred miles an hour On either side tiny islands, or cays, appeared, then vanished as if by an to looed Arrow” landed in the harbor of Key West

[Illustration: They Flew Over a Battleshi+p]

”Half-past three,” said To at the clock on the instrue”

”Fast as I'd want to make it,” declared Captain Britten ”A steaood many hours where we needed only minutes There's the old 'Betsy B' tied to her pier, so let's get over to her!”

[Illustration: In the Harbor at Key West]

The idling engines were speeded up and the flying boatfroe

[Illustration: A Tug Lay Near the Barge]

Over the stern of the latter several grinning Negroes leaned Their ancestors reat sky craft tying up to their shi+p, but these darkies were fae of planes bound for South America and showed but little astonishlish patois they bade the whites welcome All of them were old retainers of Captain Britten

As the elderly e had served as winter quarters for hi the past years In consequence, he had had her little cabins fitted up more luxuriously than is custoiven one far more comfortable than they had expected

[Illustration: The Cabins Were Comfortable]

The rest of the afternoon was taken up with inspection of the shi+p, the arrangeed Arrow,” and the laying of plans Immediately after the hydroplane had been -boat chugged out into the Gulf of Mexico at the rate of ten knots

[Illustration: The Tug Chugged out into the Gulf]

”I'd say we should reach the spot so the chart ”It's just under two hundred et your e hter 'Perry' took a bearing on the lighthouse at Port Baracoa; otherwise it would be like lookin'

for a boll weevil in a bale o' cotton!”