Evening star., 1936-01-05
The Lost Airplane Mystery :: By Boyce Morgs
ENSTALLMENT. I.

| Stafford Air Transport GO,
u Il and watched the Hawk dis
appear into the blue haze Of an
Autumn afternoon. Then he and Mr..
Stafford turned and walked toward
the airport office, which stood beside
the hangers, with the shops just
beyond.
well, that's our third real pay
load this week, Hal" said Mr.. Stafford
crisply. II hope Norbeck keeps right
on getting rush orders for these high
priced drugs"
so do T." Hal agreed. "Only this
one was a little too rush! If their
truck had got here Is minutes later.
to make South Branch in time to
connect with the eastbound plane"
"Oh, he'll make it all right" said
Mr.. Stafford. Shade can get every
thing out of the Hawk that's built into
her"
Hal didn't reply to that. He realized
that Jack Shade was flrst-class pilot
every bit as good as Eddie Moore.
Stafford's other ace flyer. But he
didn't like Shade. He never had liked
him since the first day he came TO
wor,,: for Mr.. Stafford, and he didn't
think he ever would.
Hal and Mr.. Stafford parted at the
door of the Office, and the boy con-
tinued on to the hangar. 1t was past
quitting time when he finally stopped
work, and he realized that he would
have to hurry to get home, eat his
supper. and get to night school on
time.
HAL FENTON was operating on
busy schedule these days. 1t had
all started six months before. when
Mr.. Stafford had happened to see
one of the model planes that Hal had
built. Hal was hard at work in the
basement Of his home, trimming
down tiny bits of balsa wood. when
Mr.. Stafford telephoned, told him
about seeing the model, and asked him
to call at his office.
"You may not know 1t, my boy"
he had said in his abrupt, direct way,
when Hal was sitting across desk
from him a few hours later, "but you
have real talent Those models you
make aren't just dead copies-they
have imagination. can't tell you just
what it is, but I know a chap who's
got the love of flying in him when
run across him. You've got it."
Hal nodded emphatically. I'm
crazy about flying" he said. That's
what I want to bean airplane de-
signer."
"Aeronautical engineering is great
field" said Mr.. Stafford. Its my
first love. I'm operating this trans
port line merely to make some money,
and I'll sell out the first chance I get.
In the meantime, how would you
like to come to work for me? This
flying business needs youth in it, and
particularly young fellows like you.
You'll need an education. but s job
will help you pay for it. How
about it?"
HAL was so nearly overcome with
delight that answering was diff
cult. But when he left Mr.. Stafford's
office half hour later all arrange
ments had been completed. Hal was
to make himself useful around the air.
port, helping Jonesy, the mechanic,
and go to night school to complete his
high school course. Then he would get
his aeronautical engineering as best
he cculd-by going to college If pos
sible or by correspondence If neces-
sary.
The six months since that day had
been months of glorious activity for
the boy. He was busy morning, noon
and night, but he loved it. He worked
hard at the airport, but he was learn
ing fast and his night school work was
never drudgery because he knew it was
leading toward the goal of his ambi-
tions
And he priced the association with
Mr.. Stafford, who was always In the
shop experimenting with various ideas
for improving airplsnes. He had al
ready designed one successful ship
and held several patents which he
hoped would some day prove very
valuable. Meanwhile, he operated the
transport company to make a living.
He had started it because the city
of Pembroke, where Hal lived, was al
most 300 miles from the transconti-
mental air route. The company ran one
plane a day to and from South