e motors droned steadily and at the end
of that time, the snow lessened to a fine cloud. Objects on the ground
came into view. "There's a village!" cried Jane, pointing to the right.

Slim Bollei swung the tri-motor in a gentle circle, for he lacked the
power for steep climbs and banks. As the plane roared over the
snowbound town, men appeared, waving their arms frantically.

"I guess that's the place," grinned Slim. "It's the only town within
thirty miles. Now we've got to find a place where we can do a little
skiing."

Beyond the village he found a field nearly half a mile long. It was
sheltered in a valley with what wind still remained sweeping the length
of the field.

"Get back in the cabin and hang on," shouted the pilot. "I'm going to
cut the motors and see what kind of a snowbird this is."

"We're starting down," Jane told Miss Comstock when she returned to the
cabin.

The plane tilted forward and the motors eased down to a whisper. The
snow-covered ground leaped toward them, then seemed to pause in its mad
rush as the biplane leveled out there was a sharp bump, the sound of
tearing wood and fabric, and a series of jolting shocks before the
tri-motor came to rest with its nose in a deep drift.

Slim Bollei staggered back into the cabin, a deep gash over his right
eye.

"Get the serum out of here. The gas tanks have given way and the fuel
may explode any second."

Jane clutched the package of precious serum and threw open the cabin
door. Miss Comstock came after her, tugging the hamper loaded with
medical supplies while Slim carried the hamper of food. The snow was
eighteen inches deep, and they floundered through it, gasping for
breath. They stopped a hundred yards away from the big plane and Slim
eyed it ruefully.

"That's a good job for a salvage crew," he said, "but I guess the line
won't kick a whole lot. That ship paid for itself many a time."

Strangely enough, even with the fuel flowing out of the split gas
tanks, the big craft did not take fire and the flyer and the
stewardesses turned to greet the villagers, who were hurrying to meet
them.

Chapter Twenty-four

Dangerous Passengers

Miss Comstock and Jane remained in the village two days, ministering to
the needs of the stricken children and playing first assistant to the
over-worked village doctor. Then another Federated Airways plane, one
of the old tri-motors, dropped down on them and whisked them back to
Cheyenne. From th