a little searching also told them
that the nearest large one was Upolu.

In less than another hour they were circling above the beautiful island
of their choice, directly over the little town of Apia, which nestled
in the center of a luxuriant forest of palms and other tropical trees.
A number of boats and sailing vessels were in the harbor, and on board
these as well as on the ground hundreds of people were looking up aloft
and waving a welcome.

Now our flyers saw what they really were most concerned about--a T made
of white stones in an open spot by the beach. And in that field they
also saw something else they were very glad to witness. This was the
airplane of their rivals.

They had caught up with them at last!

CHAPTER XXVII

PAUL VERSUS PETE

There was a wild scamper of natives as our flyers came down upon the
smooth, hard sands of the beach. In this operation they had to use the
utmost care to avoid striking the machine of their contemporaries, but
it was accomplished without mishap, and the Sky-Bird came to a stop
about seventy feet from the _Clarion_.

They were immediately surrounded, at a very respectable distance,
by a cordon of Samoans. These were splendid-looking fellows.
Their dusky bodies were strong and stalwart, and their faces were
intelligent-looking. It was plain to be seen that they had not the
slightest hostile intentions toward the aviators. On the contrary
their features expressed clear friendliness, although it was obvious
that their experience with the _Clarion_ was still too fresh to
eradicate their natural timidity of such a strange thing as an airplane.

Our friends were very stiff and cramped from their long ride from Port
Darwin. It seemed so good now to be able to stretch their limbs, to
feel solid ground once more under their feet, and to see the blue sky
all around their heads!

The morning was hot, but a cool breeze blew inshore, giving a
delightful freshness to the air. Near at hand were rows of native
huts, made of poles and bark, and back of these loomed fine groves of
cocoanut trees and other tropical vegetation in the richest profusion.
Even the elevations of this volcanic island had their barrenness
alleviated by growths of greenery which seemed entirely to cover them.

No sooner had the boys sprung out of the machine than three white men
approached them. These introduced themselves as Mr. Plusson, in charge
of the local mission; Mr. Hart, a British