Fosterdyke. "Let's get on w

peed of 180 miles an hour. At that rate the petrol consumption was alarming, but Fosterdyke faced the fact cheerfully. While he was obtaining the nec

into account the vagaries of

ssistance of a dockyard mooring-party, a stout galvanised steel wire was lowered from the bow compartment of the fuselage and secured to a large mooring buoy of

s, sizes, and descriptions, while the water-front was packed with a dense concourse of interested spectators, re

s he prepared to descend a wire ladder, the end of which wa

no," repl

s. Not that I don't like obliging people, but I'm so deucedly forgetful. Right-o; s

and a Mercator's chart on which the proposed route was marked for the benefit of the International Air Committee's represe

all told--of weary waiting in draughty corridors until it pleased certain individuals holding high places to signify their condesce

ere considered indispensable in the matter of

hem. The British Empire might totter; the chance of winning fame by being the first airman to fly round the globe be lost; but by no possi

unruffled baronet was showing signs of annoyance. "Hang it all! It was ever thus. Petty hirelings whose one idea of efficiency is to r

post," reminded the cautious Peter

dyke. "The honour of achieving the flight will be enough. T

quarters," suggested Bramsdean. "After all, the 'Go

e signature's required for the indents, I presume. Ri

little difficulty. He had just finished his lunch, and as th

International Air Board. "That's nothing. You'll make that up easily. The documents? Ah--

ature enough?" a

ng that his signature was "absolutely it." On the other, years of punctilious devotio

essary. One is not conclusively in order with

to enquire pointedly why three-quarters of an hour would be taken

ealed and signed. As the competitors were on the point

," he observed dryly. "That had to b

. "An oversight, I admit, but you don't s

uld not be in order. In fact, as an authorised representative o

a paper competition. Form 4456 is not an absolute essential. Since you require it, I presume the case can be met if my representative in E

rial navigation, written in official phraseology so confusing that it was possible to have m

. Thereupon he rang a bell, summoned a head clerk, who in turn deputed a junior to fetch a certain form. When this was forthcoming a blob of sealing-wax, the impress of a seal, and the great

That official was urbanity personified. He did everything in his p

companion that sunset had descended upon the Rock.

"You can get back by the boat from the Old Mole. I won

e of mine for a starting-p

ountain pen? Where's---- Oh, dash it all, where's everything? ... That's settled

dean found themselves in the open air. Darkness had already fallen. It was a good two mil

not there. A message erroneously delivered had sent the boat back to the dockyard. Not to be done, Fosterd

the baronet and his companion gazed aloft in the hop

!" declared

d Fosterdyke, irrita

ind he was convinced

red. Both men recognised the buoy by the number painted on it. No wire rop

riously the "Golden