aled when the truth struck
them like a thunderbolt. With calm deliberation, deadly intent, and a
skill born of dropping bombs on targets during the war, some of the
fellows in the machine above were trying to wreck the Sky-Bird with the
rocks they had gathered in the field back in Ceylon!

"Quick, Bob!" cried John to their pilot. "Swerve out from under these
devils as fast as you can! If another stone comes down here, it may--"

The words he intended to say never were uttered. At that very moment
another gray object streaked its way down through the heavens, whirling
uglily. They thought sure it would strike the cabin roof and crash
through, and intuitively they cowered back in the corners for
protection.

But their speed carried the stone farther to the rear. There was a
tearing, rending sound.

Their faces blanched. And then Bob called out: "Hi, fellows,
something's gone wrong! The Sky-Bird's bound to put her nose into the
sea. The tail elevators don't work!"

CHAPTER XXIV

RIDING AN AIRPLANE'S TAIL

Filled with the gravest fears for the safety of the Sky-Bird and
themselves, all except Bob rushed to the rear windows of the cabin and
looked out to see what had caused the ripping noise, and what could be
wrong with the tail.

Paul reached a point of vantage first. One swift look showed him the
trouble. The left elevator had a big hole through it, made by the
stone, fragments of silk showing all round the ragged gap. But this
could not have caused the derangement of the steering controls
entirely, and looking for a reason, Paul saw that the impact had caused
the wire running to the right elevator to become twisted around a
bracket near the end of the fuselage. Under this condition neither
elevator could be controlled. With the good one held downward, it was
no wonder that the airplane had started a stubborn, slow dive toward
the ocean in spite of Bob's frantic efforts to work the lever normally
effecting it.

"Shut off your engine!" called Paul to Bob. "That will hold us back.
Three minutes of time I think will save us!"

With the words, Paul seized the end of a long coil of rope which lay
near, and fastened it about his waist. Both Bob and John saw what he
meant to do. He would crawl out upon the fuselage and attempt to
untangle the inactive control wire, freeing the now useless right
elevating plane!

It was a daring thing to do--a most perilous proceeding. But the older
men kne