rn of a couple of boys,"
Frank remarked, as he took a last look, to see that both his passengers
were snugly settled, ere starting the motor.

"We're on the home stretch now!" declared Andy, after they had again
mounted up into the realm of space and found their course northward.

"Yes," observed Frank, "we're homing pigeons now, if any kind of bird."

"At any rate," laughed the professor, "we're birds of passage, and one
of them is mighty glad of the opportunity to get back into the old world
again."

In due time they sighted the town, and as before, the greatest
excitement followed as they headed across the place, looking to land
where the journey had begun--in the yard of the cocoa planter's place.

Of course Senor Carlos was delighted with the success of the
mission. For two days the Bird boys were the center of an enthusiastic
demonstration. Frank was a little nervous lest they be visited by some
of the revolutionists, but such did not turn out to be the case. And on
the third morning the little steam yacht once more headed down the
turbulent Magdalena, with a heavy rain promising more water to add to
the flood, as wet weather had seemingly set in again.

They met with no difficulties on the way down. Apparently the camp of
the revolutionists had been moved from its former position at the
narrows of the river. It might be those in charge had taken the alarm
and feared lest a government force must be on the way to capture them,
after being informed about the camp by the spies they had sent up the
river.

And Barranquila was finally reached, where they halted only long enough
to chat a short time with Senor Jose, who met them as before on the quay
and wanted to shake hands with the professor.

Knowing just how anxious the government was to get possession of
airships just then, Frank did not want to give them any further chance
to confiscate his neat little craft, under some pretense or other. So
they left the city at the mouth of the Magdalena and steamed away, bound
once more for Maracaibo, where they meant to take steamer for New York,
New Orleans or any port in the States.

The last glimpse they had of the river was the flood that was pouring
out between the jaws of land marking one of the mouths of the Magdalena
and making a distinct yellow area in the salty waters of the tropical
ocean.

The beloved little aeroplane had been safely boxed again and was making
the homeward voyage in their company. What