Evening star., 1928-04-27

that It's crew should pay the long de-
ferred respects to New York and the
United States.
Dawn broke sluggishly The skies
were all dull gray as a lumberman's
shirt. One could not see Greenly Island
miles away. Five of us sat in the
kitchen of Alfred Corners cottage at
Long Point, listening TO the inarticu-
lating mumbling Of his telegraph in
Strument and staring hopelessly at the
skies.
Smokes Last Cigarette.
Maj. Fitzmaurice leaned against the
wall, miSerly cherishing his last Cipa-
rette, the last cigarette to be had in
miles.
The Germans and the Norseman
pulled on their heavy coats and trudped
up the mound TO the Blessed Virgin
behind Long Point, TO better see the
SKY. 1t was not yet o'clock. Quebec
time. but this little bit of activity was
already energizing this village of %
iamllleS. The rude shacks tumbled
lorth round-Shouldered men. mufIled
IN dark, cheap clothing. Through
sluShy, winding paths they stumbled to
the Alliance plane, where Ernst Keep
pen, the Junkers mechanic, went over
the motors with the precise eve of a
master mechanician. Hour later, the
three men came back. 1T is settled"
said koehl, in that slow. heSitatine
way of one who is not certain of a
new language. I'VE shall go" The
barons face held a wide smile which
uncovered his widespread teeth, and
he nervously began to pack his duffle
bag. Right no." agreed Fitzmaurice
as Irish in Labrador as he must be on
the flying field at Baldonnel.
Pack Quickly.
IL didn't take long to pack, Some
now or other. the major had gathered
Wnat ne called the transatlantic flying
officers wardrobe. a toothbrush, a comb
ana tooth paste. vanishing cream, to
lessen the bite of the Arctic sun, and
fountain pen for his extemporaneous
Journalistic work. These he crammed
into his pocket. The baron looked re-
luctantly at his spatS. This climate and
the slush had not been easy on them.
Where they must have once been re-
Iresnlngly SpecklesS and Suave they now
were shoddy and stained So. too were
his low-cut shoes.
shall change" he said, smiling.
into my costume transatlantic. In Nj
Corners parlor he doffed his shoes.
spatS and socks and changed to fisher
mems rubber boots. But the monocle
remained tight. seemingly as fixed as
Gibraltar, in his eye.
Baichen Carries Bag.
Balchen came trudgins out of the
green and white two-story dwelling of
Jean Vatoir lie. Gresly, show place of
Long Point, with heavy bag on his
shoulder.
There was little ostentation. Indeed.
there could be none, for the people of
Long Point are simple. We shook hands
with John Jones. Fred Jongas, JACQUES
La Point and others remembered SIM
ply as the man with the mustache who
talks so much" "the man who fell in
the water" and "the man who shot the
seal"
AT exactly minutes after Z. after
taxing the plane across the bay. Ball
chen lifted the big monoplane from the
ice flow and nosed 1t into the West
Would We pass without n yaledictorv
after all this? Must Greenly Island, 10
attain which brought so much punish
ment to mind and body, slip into the
horizon without tribute?
BaIchen Romantic Figure.
For all this unaSsuming detachment.
his rare ability To see and never show,
the quality of understanding and
romance dWells deeply in Balchens set
eyes. AS the plane shot across the
Island at nearly mile and one-half
minute, he depressed the control stick
and the plane shot down into a swift
salute. Hats were raised. The barons
mouth opened In wide, but soundless
exclamation, lost In the din of the
motors, and the captain waved his
hands frantically.
"Gutby. Greenly Island" There was
an unexpected sincerity TO this display.
For IA days they had dwelled there,
IL had proved haven TO them when
death seemed close. unacceptable. But
they were glad to leave It. Now. as il
by signal, all eyes turned to Labrador
70 the little colony OF houses clinRine
70 the rock~coarsened slope, and then
down TO the edge Of the ice. There lay
the Bremen in the Ice OF snow wall
jade wing in crystal setting. its
snout OF a nose pointing out toward
Newfoundland.
DO believe the baron's eyes came per-
llousiy close TO tears that moment. and
Koehl, short and stocky, clambered on
the little seat in the mechanics cabin
to see,
The baron's frail figure heightened
IN Prussian erectness. His hand came
VI, srnartly in salute.
Bremen, my Bremen" his voice car
ried above the howl of the motors. you
haf carried US far und We shall come
back for you" He watched II until il
could be seen no more.
Only the night before, when 1t be-
came necessary 10 recognize that the
Bremen was not In condition To be
flown at once. he had protested: with
out the Bremen, IL win be hard to come
10 the United States 1t was not we