Evening star., 1927-05-07
Continued from Yesterdays star)
TWENTY-SEVENTH INSTALL
MENT.
CHAPTER XLII.
An Additional Passenger.

7 TE looked at his watch; it wa
- IL O'Clock, On Saturday Their
would be nobody in the office
II Il but he knew where to find tn
editor, and in a few minute
was on the phone, telling him wha
he had learned on the previous night
The editor made a quick decision.
I'm fix the police" he said. &c
along to the American consul, explain
the position to him, and get youl
passport visaed. Ill have reservs
tons made for you on the ship by
wireless. What time does the Escorial
sail?'
AT midday It will leave in an
hour" said Bill.
There was a silence at the other
end of the wire.
IN hire a car to take you to
Southampton, came the instructions,
''and will wire the seaplane company
TO have a machine waiting 10 carry
and pick up the EscoriaL She'll not
leave Cherbourg before 8 o'clock to-
night. Have you got any money!"
"No, sir" said Bill promptly.
VERY good. I'll send my brother
along with the car and the cash; he'll
meet you outside the consulate"
Bill slammed down the receiver on
to the machine, flew into his room and
packed all the clothes that We're visi-
BILE while the housekeeper went in
search OF a taxi.
The consulate was closing when he
arrived. The consul, indeed. had al
ready taken his departure. and it
seemed impossible that the all-irn-
portant visa could be obtained. Never
theIess. visa or no visa, Bill Holbrook
was determined that he would make
the trip. The most they could do
would be TO turn him back from New
York, and he thought he had in
ffuences sufficiently strong in that
city TO find his way into his native
land without making acquaintance
with Ellis Island. Happily, this un-
satisfactory course was not necessary,
for, after telephone consultation
with his chief, the assistant consul
was able to stamp his passport, and
by the time this business was through
and Bill had emerged on Bedford
square, he found the editors servant
waiting with a roll of money. And
p the sidewalk was the car that the
editor had hired.
At half-past 3 that afternoon he ar
rived at southampton to learn that
the Escorial had sailed promptly at
midday and would arrive at Cherbourg
SCCtA
longer time than he supposed to find
the headquarters of the seaplane COM
panv, and il was nearly before, with
thunderous roar of her tractors, the
little plane rose steeplv from the wa
ter and, mounting higher and higher.
headed for Cherbourg. Midway the
engine began TO miss fire and the pilot
was forced to bring her down on to
the water, which fortunately, was
smooth. Another half-hour was
wasted while he corrected the error
which had led to the forced landing.
Bill was in that agony of fear and
anger which is only experienced by
those who find themselves held up
when they are late for an appoint
ment. But at last the repairs were
completed and the seaplane buzZed up
again. and as his watch pointed to
half-past they sighted the French
coast and presently the huge bulk of
the Escorial, with her four tunnels
and her tremendous hull.
Even as the ship came into sight he
saw a white feather of steam shoot
out from her siren and knew that she
was signaling her departure. Down
swept the plane, coming to rest with
in fathom of the high hull just as
the gangway was being pulled up
from the tender.
Bill signaled franticallt and at the
imminent risk Of his life walked the
somewhat precarious foothold of the
seaplane's float, and, barely manag-
ing to reach the bulwarks of the ten
der, swung himself aboard. The gang
way was up, but he was evidently ex-
pected, for a pilot ladder was dropped
Immediately and, clinging desperately
to the rope, he reached one of the
lower decks and was hauled on board.
Tt was not until then that he rea-
1ized that he had left his bag on the
seaplane, but somehow this did not
worry him greatly. Within a few
yards of him was, as he knew, Betty
Carew and that was compensation for
any material loss.