Nogales international., 1933-01-11

said WtNQy. Inc OhTlDpch1a .
pretty big place to be lost in and we
gotta make this mite Of something 10
eat last for -
God knows how long" sat6 John
son. finishing the uncompieted sen"
tence.
Windy apportionedSthe food. gave
Steve and Johnson each two swallows
OF water and took two himself.
Whats the matter. WindyP On
your feedp" Steve asked after he had
swallowedl a inoathful Of pemmican
and a hibble of chocolate. :
"Oh. I'm not hungy--I'm light
eater in the morning-
"Hell. i've seen you eat enough
breakfast to make three good meals
for healthy COB"
yeah? Well. I'm taking mine
when get ready. seer"
For moment he giared at Steve
with stirring Of the old animosity.
The day wore on and would have
been unbearably hot but for a breeze
that sprang up towards noon Windy
and johnson walked around the rocky
and barren island that gave them
shelter in vain search for something
edible. The only growing things
were q few stunted palm trees. little
coarse grass and some. undernrusn.
The sky was cloudless and through
ont the day they. strained their eyes
looking up into the ciondless blue. at
first hopefully. but long before DARK
ness fell. hopelessly-
Windy examined the injured air.
plane: the fabric Of the lower right
wing was broken In two places: one
wooden strut broken in two. anotner
cracked. while the wire running from
the top Of the strut to the BODY OF
the plane had snapped in two.
..She might stay up" said Winoy,
In answer to his companions unaskeo
question. .if we knew where we were
going. Hey, you Steve. you're smart
guy Can't you fix that radio set 60 s
we can send message"
ITS receiving set. muttereo
Steve. and YEARLY adjusted on ms
head the earphones OF the small radio
set they had taken out OF the ar
plane
well. what are they doing now?"
demanded Windy. almost truculentiy.
Nothing"
Huh, Nothingi Haven't given up
the search have they?"
Hell, would you II you were the
feet commander and some OF your
men were lost? Be reasonable!
Half an hour later. the radio re-
ceivers still to his ears. Steve an
nounced that the last of the search
ing planes had been called in Tor the
night. -
The third day was nurky and
saually with poor visibility. the
search for the n-.ssing aviators was
still being conducted by the squadron
of planes from the Saratoga-Steve
could hear orders being sent out TO
the searchers by radio. Late IN the
afternoon. they heard. between thun-
derings of the surf. the roar OF an
airplane's engine.
The plane, from the sound. passed
almost directly overhead. but they
could not see 1T. and of course their
small island was equally invisible
from the passing plane.
\ Despairing silence caught and held
the three castaways for the rest OF
the evening.
When Steve Nelson crawled out
from under the airplane wing on the
fourth morning, he found Windy,
kneeling by a large fat stone. writing
industriously with the stub OF lead
pencil upon a torn bit of paper.
Better hurry with that love letter
or the postman will call before you've
finished it!'' said Steve. ironically.
You're the, postman." replied
Windy. shortly. and refused to say
anything more But he continued
laboriously writing for another five
minutes, read over what he had writ
ten. folded 1t up and put it in his
pocket.
He spent the forenoon tinkering
with the injured wing of the airplane.
A thick stick which he. cut from some
underbrush he used as splint to
mend the broken strut. binding 1t
above and below the break with bits
of wire he twisted off the broken wire
wing supports. Then he took another
stick to fill the gap thus made In the
wire support. twisting the ends of the
wire about the groove he cut with his
pocket knife in each end Of the stick.
Going to fly to Cuba or to Colun-
bia?" jeered Steve.
mo, but am going to take the air
the next time hear plane anywhere
about" rejoined Windy. and added
thoughtfully: IF she'll take the air"
He stuck at his job. Johnson help
ing as much as he could with his left
hand. They succeeded in mending
the rents in the fabric by cutting up
the leg Windy had cut off Steve's
trousers to get at his broken leg. and
using it for patches. They took their
shoelaces for thread. making holes
through the patch and the fabric
with knife blade.
She ought to stay UP in the air as
long as the gas holds out" said
Windy. surveying his work on the
plane.
An hour or SO later Windy thrust
into Steve's hand the bit OF paper on
which he had been writing.
Here. postman. deliver that. II you
ever get chance" and he betook
himself of for another search for
something that might prove edible.
Steve unfolded the torn paper and
read:
ITO whom 1t may concern. 1t was
me that put the dame up to tricking
Steve Nelson's girl into believing she