rships came to grief in Italy in
making a stop for fuel, but the driver had obtained an Italian Caproni
plane and was making his way eastward with all haste. The other
dirigible, commanded by Americans, had reached Teheran, Persia, where
gas-bag troubles had compelled her crew to continue by train. About
the same time the flying-boat, piloted by a Boston man, and the
biplane, in control of two Englishmen, had reached Yokohama, Japan,
within a few hours of each other. It was said that these contestants
would wait there for the first steamship going to San Francisco, as
they feared it would be impossible to fly across the great Pacific
stretch of almost five thousand miles. Upon reaching San Francisco
they planned to continue the journey to New York in airplanes furnished
by California aeronautical friends.

The newspapers shortly after this announced the sailing of the rival
parties at Yokohama. Storms and fog delayed the vessel. Finally she
arrived at the Golden Gate, and then came the mad race across the North
American continent in fresh airplanes. Near Cheyenne, Wyoming, the
American plane was forced to the ground by engine trouble, allowing her
competitor to get ahead several hours. This lead the American could
not overcome, and the race ended at 5:15 o'clock on the afternoon of
July 27th, with the English crew first and the American crew second.
Three days later the belated French crew, who had met with mishap in
Italy, came in, winning third prize.

The Ross brothers were at work in the hangar when Bob Giddings, who had
gone into town on his motorcycle after some more screws, came back
waving the copy of the _Daily Independent_ containing this last account.

"Cartier and his bunch have arrived," he cried, springing from his
machine. "Here it is on the first page. That accounts for all the
prize-winners, and the excitement is practically over. The others will
just lob in now--and they might as well." He tossed the paper to John.
"Here, read it, you fellows," he said. "You can quit on the Sky-Bird
long enough for that, I guess. I'll work while you lay off a few
minutes."

Bob rolled up his sleeves, and John and Paul spread out the newspaper
on the bench and interestedly read the article in question. As they
finished, and were turning around to resume work, Bob observed:

"Dad's got a rattling good editorial on this Air Derby, if I do say it.
Take a look at page 5 and see how he rips 'em up the bac