trader; and Mr. Shoreman, the
American trader who had been engaged to look after their fuel at this
airport. These gentlemen expressed the liveliest cordiality in their
welcome, and Mr. Plusson plead so hard for them to accompany him to his
home and join him and his wife at breakfast that they consented.

They learned that their rivals had arrived about twenty minutes before.
Ever since the dastardly attempt of Pete Deveaux and his crowd to wreck
the Sky-Bird in the Indian Ocean, our flyers had been greatly incensed
at them, or rather at Pete Deveaux himself, for they had no doubt but
that it was he who had instigated the attack. Paul Ross was
particularly inflamed at the French aviator's act, and had more than
once declared since, that the first time they met Deveaux again he was
going to thrash him until he begged for mercy. This was rather a bold
statement for Paul to make, since he was but a youth of eighteen while
Pete Deveaux must have been close to thirty; but the lad was strong and
skillful with his fists, in addition to which his resentment was just.
When justice is on one's side it goes a long way toward giving that
person staying powers in any contest against wrong.

For these reasons, when Paul now declared that he could not bear to
wait another minute before taking Pete Deveaux to account, his chums
made no attempt to dissuade him, except in the matter of time. John
pulled him aside, so that explanations would not have to be made to
their new acquaintances, and asked him to defer the matter until after
they should have had breakfast, to which Paul reluctantly agreed.

When they once more reached the field, it was to see their rivals also
just arriving. Without further ado, Paul walked straight up to Pete
Deveaux and said; "Deveaux, why did you drop those rocks down on us
back there when we were overhauling you between Colombo and Singapore?"

The Frenchman's face paled visibly. He did not like the look in Paul's
eye, nor the stern countenances of his friends. But he hoped to bluff
his way through.

"Why accuse me of anything like this?" said he, trying to look
surprised and hurt. "We had nothing to do with those stones falling.
Their weight broke the catch off of the glass trap, and they went
through before we could stop them; didn't they, guys?" He turned to
his three flyers for support.

Crossman, Torrey, and Lane nodded their heads.

"Sure," averred Crossman.

"What did you have those