ually and the water was
only a little more than waist deep when she reached the pontoons and
pulled herself aboard.

Turning, she called softly to Sue.

"Wade out with Jackie. It isn't deep."

A minute later Sue, holding Jackie in her arms, was beside the seaplane
and Jane helped them aboard.

"Get into the forward cockpit," she said. "I'm going to cast off the
mooring line."

Once free of the line which held it, the seaplane started drifting
along parallel with the beach. Jane scrambled back to the pilot's
cockpit after pulling the canvas off the motor. Guardedly she turned on
the light over the dash. Some of the instruments were unfamiliar, but
it was a standard control plane. Her heart leaped for she knew she
would be able to fly it.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Sue.

"Wait for dawn."

"But that will be hours."

"We can't risk a takeoff in the night," replied Jane. "Make yourselves
as comfortable as you can. At least we're on our way."

Through the night they drifted, the current keeping them just offshore.
With the first light, Jane saw they were at least three miles from the
cabins. In a few more minutes their absence would be discovered.

"Wake up," she told Sue and Jackie. "We're starting home."

Jane primed the motor and snapped the starter switch. The motor failed
to catch and she primed it again, this time successfully. The trim
plane shook as the propeller spun in the early morning light.

In order to take off into the wind, Jane was forced to turn the plane
toward the cabin. Then she opened the throttle, gritted her teeth and
held the stick hard. The seaplane leaped forward, skimming the tiny
waves. It shook itself free and Jane knew they were a step nearer home.

They passed close enough to the beach to see Bardo and his two fellow
kidnapers run from the cabin. Then Jane banked the seaplane and sped
southward. Where they were headed she could only guess, but they were
one their way.

Sue yelled and pointed back. Jane turned. The kidnapers were getting
the transport ready for flight, but it would be at least another five
minutes before they could get into the air.

They rounded a rocky headland and Jane dropped the seaplane low, barely
skimming the water. They would be harder to follow down low.

The top speed of the seaplane was 110 an hour and Jane knew that the
transport, capable of almost double that, would soon be upon them. They
must find shelter soon.

Fifteen minutes