Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1911-09-14

responsibility rested on him. and he
showed no disposition to shirk it. Mel
Their was he altogether discouraged,
and he started to inspirit his friend
! Gentlemen" said respectfully,
pardon me for saying that we have
no time now for talk of this kind. 1t
is not for that that invited you into
| the cabin. Mr.. Grantham you have
done me the honor to put me in COM
mand. If l am to succeed from this
time forth | must be unhampered
wanted to ask you, Mr. Secretary, If
you would be willing to leave me in
absolute control. / have hitherto felt
that / ought to consult you in critical
moments | do not want to do that
in the future. Our only chance is in
having single responsible commander
and no divided counsels."
"You are entirely right" exclaimed
the secretary. II believe it's my fault
that Payton got off. From this mo-
ment you are in absolute control. I'll
simply be a spectator"
| Mr.. Grayman said nothing, and /
! was greatly STdtlueu-
| went Immediately on deck. the 9th
ers following. I was delighted to per-
ceive that the Chameleon was still Wis
fble, though dim in the distance, with
the Skylark doggedly churning after
her and yet firing from time to time
Close behind us rushed the Grow and
the Bobolink. | visited the engineer.
"Jim. do you know the Osprey's mo-
tors?'' I asked.
| 1--WE been aboard her often" he said.
land know her whole makeup pretty
well.'
What is her best speed?"
| "Jack"-the regular engineer of the
Osprey ften told me he had made.
100 miles,"
"See if you can't work it up to
hundred and forty"
II don't believe it's possible" replied
Jim. but I'll bust her if you say So"
II don't say bust her, but say see
what is the very best that's in her."
"Oh. if only had the Eaglep' he re-
sponded
mo use wishing for what you can't
have. Now go at it and make her
spin''
The Osprey certainly had never been
made to reveal her full powers before.
In ten minutes l was surprised at the
speed we were making. The sharp.
| steady swish of the aeroplanes as we
cut the air was inspiring to listen to.
The wind of our passage struck US in
gusts from right and left and made us
cling to the supports.
By this time the moon. approaching
| its last quarter, had well risen and
added her silvery glimmer to the twi-
light glow. enabling us more clearly to
make out the chase with our glasses
We were dropping the Grow and the
! BoISlink, and sigpaled them to do
better but evidently they were al
ready doing their best, for they had
not my engineer, and gradually they
! fell farther astern. Then / signaled
! them to by no means lose sight of us.
and on we went.
The Skylark was supposed to be.
next to the Eagle, the fastest flier In
the feet, but now we were plainly
Overhauling her. Jim was giving us
every inch of speed that the motors
contained. and the Osprey must have
been surprised at herself. / began to
doubt if even the Eagle could have
done better. 1t is sometimes as much
/ the man as the engine that counts, and
Jim | knew to be the best in the serv-
ice for his job.
| 1t was half after 2 o'clock in the
morning. and the northeastern heav-
ems were beginning to tighten, when
we passed the Skylark, close at hand.
so that could call across to her COM
mander. OF course did not slacken
speed
Grimes" / shouted, "can't the Sky
lark beat the Osprey"
"She always used to-" he called
back: but. by Jove. you must have be-
witched that aero. Where's OSBORN
II changed fiiers with him after the
Eagle was disabled. and I've got my
own crew. with the secretary, aboard
here. It's my engineer who is doing
this, See if you can't stir yours up to
a little livelier work. We mustn't let
Payton escape. He's got his prisoners
with him.
"You don't say sor' cried Grimes.
Il saw that you were disabled. and I
simply put out after him, but didn't
know he had the prisoners"
well. he has them. but we're going
to get them-and him. The Grow and
| the Bobolink are coming up astern.
Don't wait for them. but follow me as
! fast as you can"
| The indicator showed that we were
now making 1897 miles per hour. !
had never quite equaled that with the
| Eagle.
| During the night 1t had at all times
been far more difficult to detect the
| Chamolnon thar, tho Ckvlerk NOT oy1lV