as it went.

Less than forty minutes later they were circling over Port Darwin, on
the northwest corner of the continent, while a good-sized crowd of
people down below pointed excitedly upward. The flyers soon made out
the landing-field by reason of its white marker, and swooped gracefully
down, while those below cheered.

Two zealous customs officials were anxious to examine the new arrivals,
also a health officer; but this did not take long, and during the
process they were able to converse pleasantly with Mr. Seth Partlow,
the British official in charge of the field, also with the mayor of
Darwin, who gave them the most cordial welcome.

They were sorry to learn that Pete Deveaux and his flyers had departed
less than a half-hour before their own arrival; but they had been
expecting such a report owing to the fact that they had been left so
far behind at Singapore. They now determined to hurry up refitting
operations, and leave at the first opportunity, hot upon the trail.

Messages were dispatched to Mr. Giddings at Panama and to his newspaper
in New York; and another roll of films containing numerous interesting
views taken that morning just before and after landing, were mailed in
to the _Daily Independent_.

Here, for the first time, they were able to secure a paper containing
accounts of their own and their rival's passage. It was a novel
experience to read these glowing descriptions of incidents still fresh
in their minds--descriptions which had in some cases flown by wire, in
others by air-waves, from point to point, more than half-way around the
world. It provoked thoughts which made them marvel at the wonderful
ingenuity and power of the very equipment which they were using
themselves every chance they could get--their wireless telegraph and
telephone sets. The remarkable news-gathering efficiency of the world,
the coordination of agencies in gathering and disseminating news, was
astounding to contemplate.

The mayor of the town insisted upon the boys partaking of dinner at his
home near by, and they thankfully agreed to do this when Mr. Partlow
declared he would personally see to the filling of the Sky-Bird's
tanks, for which task he had plenty of assistants.

They were most cordially received by the mayor's wife. Within fifteen
minutes they had the satisfaction of sitting down to one of the most
satisfying meals they had ever had. Not only was everything well
cooked, but there was a great var