ur air-transport of to-day. And always I have seen brave
men--men who smiled grimly as they took those first crude controls in
their hands; who laughed and waved to us as they took off in the 'flying
coffins' of the great war; who had the courage to dare the unknown
dangers of the high levels and who first threw their ships through the
Repelling Area and blazed the air-trails of a new world.

"And to-day I, who have seen all this, stand before you and say: 'Thank
God that the spirit of brave men goes on!'

* * * * *

"It has never ended--that adventurer strain--that race of Viking men. We
have two of them here to-night. The whole world is pausing this instant
wherever men are on land or water or air to do honor to these two.

"They do not know why they are here. They have been summoned by the
Stratosphere Control Board which has delegated to me the honor of making
the announcement."

The tall figure was commandingly erect; for an instant the fire of youth
had returned to him.

"Walter Harkness!" he called. "Chester Bullard! Stand forth that the
eyes of the world may see!"

Two men arose from among the members of the Board and came hesitantly
forward. Strongly contrasting was the darkly handsome face of Harkness,
man of wealth and Pilot of the Second Class, and the no less pleasing
features of Chet Bullard, Master Pilot of the World. For Bullard's
curling hair was as golden as the triple star upon his chest that
proclaimed his standing to the world and all the air above.

The speaker was facing them; he turned away for a moment that he might
bow to a girl who was still seated next to the chair where Walt
Harkness had been.

"To Mrs. Harkness," he said, "who, until one month ago, was Mademoiselle
Delacouer of our own beloved France, I shall have something further to
say. She, too, has been summoned by the Board, but, for now, I address
these two."

* * * * *

Again he was facing the two men; and now he was speaking directly to
them:

"Pilot Harkness and Master Pilot Bullard, for you the world has been
forced to create a new honor, a new mark of the world's esteem. For you
two have done what never men have done before. We who have preceded you
have subdued the air; but you, gentlemen, you--the first of all created
beings to do so--have conquered space.

"And to you, because of your courage; because of your dauntless pioneer
spirit; because of th