man had these engines
paid! They were almost human in intelligence, more than human in their
untiring zeal.

The repairs were not difficult to make; the belt was cut and fastened
again with a leather lace borrowed from the police "chief's" shoe, and
the careful use of a wrench and other tools out of their kit finally
fixed the loose coupling. But these operations had consumed
unlooked-for valuable time, and when they had had breakfast with their
friends and were ready at last to go, they found that the watch of
their host indicated the hour of nine.

Setting their own watches to this local time, as had been their custom
in all towns upon arriving or leaving, our flyers once more thanked
their entertainers for courtesies extended, wished them good-bye, and
got in their machine.

As they taxied swiftly down the course, the rush of wind from the big
propeller sent more than one Ecuadorean's wide-brimmed hat flying from
his head, and to the enjoyment of all, a native who was perched
precariously upon an up-ended cask was blown heels-over-head backwards.

No sooner had they straightened out upon their northeasterly course
than Bob sat down to his instruments and called up the Panama wireless
station. In about ten minutes he got it, and told of their position
and the accident to the _Clarion_. They all knew that when the news of
this catastrophe reached the American newspapers there would be the
greatest excitement, and that Mr. Wrenn would not only be grievously
disappointed but horrified at the fate of the three members of his crew.

They now had just four hours in which to reach their goal. That meant
they must travel at an average rate of better than 160 miles an hour.
Since they had gone considerably faster than this when the occasion had
warranted it in the past, they felt no anxieties now. John, who was at
the throttle, opened the Sky-Bird up to 165, and at this gait they
skimmed swiftly along over the blue-green waters of the big Pacific.

"This speed ought to bring us in by twelve-thirty--a good half-hour
ahead of our limit,--so there's no need of rushing matters," said John,
to which sentiment his comrades agreed.

By eleven o'clock all were keenly on the look-out. Each flyer coveted
the honor of being the first one to see the coastline of Central
America, the resting-place of Panama.

Paul, with the binoculars to his eyes, was the one to win. It was just
exactly 11:25 when he shouted in true marin