Evening star., 1924-12-18

Thanks, old man. Well, so long"
We roared down to the sheds in
quick time and found the Merlin
afloat and ready, shining like silver
under the arcs Miiliken had every
thing prepared. from extra wraps and
food for the passengers, down to easy
chairs in the cabin, and the fixing OF
the tank had been done in very work
man like fashion. We were good for
1000 kilometers.
We took off at 3:15, and ! laid the
course on a point or two north of
east, quickly bringing the Merlin up
to a steady 400 kilometers the hour.
1t was reckoned that we should sight
the Parnassic at a point ESQ kilome-
ters east of Cape Cod, and $50 south
of Halifax, which gave US a 1000 odd
kilometers of an outward voyage.
1t would have been easy that morn
ing to fly by the stars, they were so
clean and bright. Their light was
reflected in dusky sheen off the sea
below. To the north, the Great Dip
per was poised on the end of his han
die. What clouds there were about
were the merest wisps, and there
wasn't trace of fog.
Dan, wrapped as if for a journey
to the North Pole, sat at my side,
a little behind where I was in the
pilots seat, and he leaned forward in
interested silence to watch every
move of my hands, but his eyes were
shining with delight at his adven-
ture. The murmur of the silenced
engine came to us on beautiful
liquid note which showed clearly how
thoroughly Milliken and his men had
done their work. That excellent arti-
hn ,f TnY
and leaned against the side of The
cabin, his head cooked sideways to
listen intently to the voice of the err
gine. There was nothing to do, for
the Merlin was flying like an angel.
The lights of steamer after steamer
appeared family on the skyline, neared,
and passed under us out of sight. On
our port bow the coastwise lights
winked and glowed, until at last Nan
tucket fell far astern, and in less than
an hours flying we had passed to the
on the control-boar showed AIS, l
turned to Milliken.
Let down the aerial" l said, "and
see if we can pick up the Parnassic."
1t was characteristic of the man
that he knew the call and the wave
length without having to ask, and it
was without any comment. but a
quick nod that he lowered the aerial
and fixed the receiver to his ears. In
a minute the cabin was filled VITA the
blatter of the radio.
"PNC. PNC. PNC,"
He waited a little and repeated the
call, then suddenly switched to the
open receiver of the radiophone. A
strange voice issued from the box
and filled the cabin.
There's something the matter with
the Parnassics wireless" said voice,
gone phut, or something. Who's
calling her, anyhow"
This is the seaplane Merlin" said
Milliken. who are you?"
British steamship, Maramba," the
voice replied. Where are you?" Mil
liken looked at me.
1.-TWO hundred kilometers or so due
east of Cape Cod" told him, and he
repeated it into the transmitter.
Looking for the Parnassic?"
That's the notion" said Milliken
"She should be somewhere round
43 degrees north, so degrees west.
say, there's something the matter in
this blinking ocean this morning
ghosts or something-gives you the
creeps. Well, cheerio, Berlin!" said
the English voice. rs it cold up
there?"
ken. "Cheerio. Marambar'
''Cheerio and good luck,"
Milliken looked to me for instruc-
tions.
wait Is minutes, Milliken, and try
her again,'I told him. He pulled up
the aerial, and almost without think
ing what l was doing l opened the
throttle. The hand of the speed-dial
went steadily round to $50 as the
Merlin lunged forward with a keener
note.
What's that glow that comes and
goes on the horizon away to the
left?' asked Danny, when Is minutes
had elapsed.
1T must be the light on Cape Sa-
ble," l said, with a look at the height
register, which showed we were 1900
odd meters above sea level. About
a 100 kilometers away"
Milliken was letting down the aerial
again, and soon the radio once more
was spluttering its "PNC! PNC,
PNCn' But save for the steady song
of the engine, no sound greeted our
ears Milliken tried again and again,
without result. AS uneasy feeling
took hold of me.
Haul in the aerial, Milliken," I
said. I'm going to let her go full
out. Clamp the telephone receiver to
your ears, Dan"
Milliken spun the drum round, and
ceivers. which would cut out all noise