“Seems his mask didn’t suit him, so he knocked it off.”

“Oh! I see.”

“In other words he committed hari-kari in a rather strange way.

“I gave him a desert burial,” he explained after a while. “Just opened the trap door to the wing, and let him down.”

She nodded. It had been a long, hard journey that day. She hoped there would be sunshine, laughter and song at that day’s journey’s end. And, for once, she was not to be disappointed.

A short time later something big loomed up before them on the horizon. “Is it a mountain?” Mary asked herself. It seemed a little strange that it should be there. Then, too, it was so perfect in form, no bumps on this side or that.

“Recognize it?” Sparky asked.

“No, could it be—”

“Yes. That’s exactly what it is,” he laughed. “A pyramid. And this is Egypt.”

“Egypt!” She was impressed.

“Yup! Better get out your lipstick. We’ll be landing in about fifteen minutes. I’ve never been here but the other boys say it’s quite a spot, not so far from Cairo.”

“You need scrubbing up more than I do, and a bit of first aid.”

“Don’t bother about me.”

She did, for all that. With a damp cloth she washed the blood and engine grease from his face, then applied antiseptic.

After that she gave herself a hurried make-up. And then there they were, circling for one more landing among the date palms.

She found herself a trifle shaky about the knees when, at last, she stepped down to the good earth.

A few steps away a strongly built man was standing talking to another.

“He looks familiar,” she told herself.

Just then the man turned. “Dad!” she cried. After three long strides, she was in his arms.

“Mary! It’s good to see you!” he boomed. “I knew you were coming, but I couldn’t let you know where I was. Why did you volunteer for so dangerous an assignment?”

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