“Thanks, Jerry.” She smiled. Then without thinking she added, “I’ll be seeing you.”

One more hour passed. Just as they were ready to take off, Mary brought Sparky his dinner on a tray.

“It’s paid for, tray and all,” she said.

“Good! Then, let’s go.” He led the way into the cabin. “They say it brings good luck if you throw your dishes into the sea,” he laughed.

Mary did not laugh. One word Sparky had spoken stuck in her mind.

“Luck,” she whispered to herself. “We may need it, all kinds of luck.” She could not quite forget that they had already lost one plane. Just now she had visions of herself on a rubber raft in mid-Atlantic, casting a line in the vain hope of catching a fish.

CHAPTER IV THE BIG HOP

CHAPTER IV

THE BIG HOP

Shaking herself free from these disturbing thoughts, Mary checked the No. 1 card Sparky handed her and said, “It’s okay,” then watched him check his gas.

Working together like the well-trained team that they were, they threw on a switch here to release it, then snapped on another there, only to reach for one more switch. Mary nodded to the mechanic waiting outside. He nodded back, then held up a fire bottle. One engine coughed, then the other. Mary reached for two small levers, Sparky eased the throttle back to one thousand, then nodded to the mechanic. The mechanic removed the chocks from before their wheels. Sparky eased his plane slowly down the runway. They picked up speed. Faster—faster—faster they sped and then that magic word, “up,” and they were away.

They were not off for Africa, not yet. Their way led along the coast toward Natal, the jumping off place.

Sometimes they were far out over the sea and then again the beauty of tropical forests lay beneath them. It was a glorious trip.

Just at sunset a white spot appeared before them and Mary knew that this lap of their journey was nearing its end.

“There are good American mechanics at Natal,” Sparky said. “They’ll give the old ship a real going over. We’ll get a few hours of good, sound sleep. And then—”

“We’ll be off.” Mary thrilled to 

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