turn up any clues, I hope you'll let
me know."

"I most assuredly will. You may count on my help."

An early hour next day found Tom and Ned flying south over the sandy
coast of New Jersey. Every inch of the "Winged Arrow" had been
thoroughly inspected, but no other signs of damage had been discovered.
Even so, the young business manager sat a bit uneasily in his seat as he
peered out anxiously at the broad wings.

[Illustration: Tom and Ned Flew South]

"Afraid they'll drop off, old man?" grinned Tom. "Don't worry. We
X-rayed 'em and no struts have been filed nor any time-bombs planted!"

"Huh, I was just looking at the weather," grunted Ned indignantly. He
was secretly relieved, for he had been pondering how easily a charge of
dynamite could have been secreted aboard ship. "How soon do you think
we'll reach Delaware Bay?"

[Illustration: Ned Was Uneasy]

"Within the next twenty minutes," answered his chum, glancing at the
instrument board. "Mr. Britten is to meet us at a dock near Lewes."

Less than half an hour later the pontoons of the "Winged Arrow" were
plowing through the waters of Delaware Bay toward a near-by pier. A
wharf attendant caught the line Ned threw him and the ship was moored
securely to a stout post.

As Tom and his companion climbed up, a grizzled-looking old man hailed
them in a voice that seemed well able to travel from quarterdeck to
fo'c'sle even in the teeth of a hurricane.

[Illustration: The Plane Plowed Through the Waters]

"Ahoy there!" he bellowed, though scarcely twenty feet away. "Are you
young Swift and company?"

"Right you are. Captain Britten, I take it?"

Vastly flattered by the title, the red-faced old seaman warmly shook
hands with the boys. "Correct ye are, me lad. Your good father tells
me you need a bit o' salvagin' done an' I'm the man as'll do it proper!"

[Illustration: Captain Britten, the Grizzled Old Man]

"Good for you, Captain!" said Tom. "That's exactly what my father said.
And now, have you your equipment handy? If it's not too heavy we can
load it aboard the plane right away. Oh, and I want to introduce my good
friend here, Ned Newton."

[Illustration: "I Want to Introduce My Friend."]

"Glad to meet ye, shipmate! As for my salvagin' outfit, it's aboard
ship. We'll pick up my old barge, the 'Elizabeth B.,' but I calls her
the 'Betsy B.,' at Key West, where I keeps her anchored. She's in a
manner o' speakin' my winter home." Captain Britten picke