vidence of an
inflated rubber tube about his waist. Even Bob and Paul slumbered on
the airy contrivances.

Fortunately the weather was ideal. It is true that headwinds blew
mildly and insistently, causing some bumpiness, but the night was calm
and starry, and with the engine running close to full-out, they saw
that they were making up lost time very fast.

When morning broke, and Paul took the throttle, fair skies looked down
upon their skimming bird, and the sea was bathed in brilliant sunshine.
Bob wirelessed Sydney their position about noon. He made no attempt to
get Apia, because he knew there was no telegraph or radio station there.

Flying low, early in the afternoon they passed close enough to the
Vanikord islands to see hordes of natives watching them from the coral
shores. Numerous smaller islets, gems set in the ultramarine blue of
the sea, were also passed within the next hour. Gulls, ospreys, and
other swift-winged seabirds sailed about these pretty outcroppings of
the mighty deep, and sometimes the creatures came after the Sky-Bird
with shrill cries of challenge, only to be quickly left behind.

Once more the shades of night fell, and once more John took the
destinies of the airplane in hand. For a time Bob and Paul worked on
reports, then played with Grandpa, who in such tedious spells of flying
as this was a never-ending source of entertainment to all. Nine
o'clock found them in their hammocks, hoping that when they opened
their eyes again it would be to see the welcome shores of their
destination.

Nor in this hope were they to be disappointed. It seemed they had no
sooner fallen asleep than they were aroused by a hand shaking them and
the voice of John saying: "Come on, you sleepy-heads! Rout out here
and have a look at what's ahead!"

Having their clothes still on--so that they might be ready for an
emergency at any time of the night--the two chums were up to the
windows about as soon as John himself. The latter had raised two of
these a short time before, and the boys shoved their heads through to
take a look.

It was broad day. Light, fleecy clouds covered the heavens to the
southeast, but in the blue between a huge rift the sun shone down
benignly. And in its bright rays they could count nine islands and
islets, sprinkled here and there like emeralds in a sparkling sheet of
mother-of-pearl. It needed only a glance at the chart to tell them
that these were the Samoan group, and