w that it was the only thing that could prevent them from
plunging into the sea. So John threw open a window for his brother,
the nimblest one of them, gave his hand a parting squeeze, and Paul
climbed through.

Paul never had realized as he did now how smooth that rounded body of
the machine was, nor how strong the wind shot back along it when the
machine was in flight. Although he clutched it with both arms and
legs, and lay as close to it as he could press, he thought two or three
times, as he made his way out toward the tail, that he would be torn
loose. He knew that his friends in the cabin, whom it might be he
would never speak to again, were watching his progress with fear
gripping their hearts, and were probably inwardly praying for his
success with every breath.

Finally the boy reached the tail. He dare not look down at the sea to
see how much closer they were now, for the sight might unnerve him and
prove disastrous to his purpose. So, glazing his vision to all except
his environs and intent, he wrapped his legs around the narrowing body
of the machine, let go with his arms, and in a crouching posture seized
the tangled wires. Two or three tugs and he had them free. He
announced this fact with as loud a yell as he could.

Immediately afterward he heard his brother's voice. "Hang right there
where you are, Paul! Don't try to come back until we get elevation
again and I give you the word."

He realized what this meant and looked down as he once more wrapped his
arms around the fuselage, with his shoulders against the rudder
bracket. What he saw was the restless sea less than two hundred feet
below! Had Bob waited for him to attempt to crawl back into the cabin
with the tail elevated, the Sky-Bird would have buried herself in the
waters before he was half-way to his objective. They must now rise, if
that were possible, to a good height; then Bob would slowly spiral the
airplane downward and afford him a declining surface to work back upon.

Luckily Paul's freeing of the right elevating plane, gave the pilot
fairly good control over the machine, so Bob had no difficulty in
bringing the Sky-Bird into a rising swoop, although none too soon.
Mounting at a good angle, but one which would not be likely to displace
the youth clinging at the tail, he brought the airplane up to two
thousand feet.

"Now, Paul! Slide for it!" cried John, as the machine began a slow
descent in a great circle.

Paul the