Bill Barnes Air Adventurer, July 1935 — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AIR ADVENTURER and at the dummy with rolling eyes. After Bill had looked them over he whirled on Sandy. “What are you doing with that thing?” he asked. “T was entertaining them,” Sandy said, with a grin. “I heard them under- neath the transport and had the dummy talk to them. I thought that if they intended to set it on fire I might hold their attention until you came. My gosh, I was scared to death!” Bill glared at him and turned to the Betsileo guide who was talking to one of the frightened natives. “What do they want and where did they come from?” he asked. The guide’s brown face broke into smiles at Bill's question. He pointed to the man to whom he had been talking and laughed. “They’re harmless natives from across the Betsiboka River,’ he ex- plained. “They aren’t part of that other crowd you were fighting. They saw big birds land here yesterday. He says they had never seen such large birds. And they saw men riding on them. “When they saw you land they were hunting. They came here after you left to get one of the big bird’s eggs. They think they are birds that lay eggs. They wanted to hatch one so that they can fly in the air on it.” Bill gazed at the Betsileo for a mo- ment with an incredulous expression. Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter. “You saved us all right, kid,” he said to Sandy. “All they wanted was an egg. They think you’re an Easter rab- bit.” Sandy glared at the howling Red Gleason. Cy Hawkins was regarding Sandy with quiet, amused eyes. “Scared to death of a few harmless natives out hunting for eggs,’ Red laughed. BB—6 81 “Aw nuts!” Sandy said and stamped up the gangway into the transport. THE HIGH, shrill whine of shells racing overhead caused Bill and his men nervous moments as they inspected Red Gleason’s Snorter. They found that it was in as bad, if not worse, condition than Sandy’s Eaglet. Two control cables had been entirely shot away. The wings and fuselage had made contact with over two hundred bullets. Sandy counted the holes. “TI don’t see how you ever got it back here,” Bill said. “Or why you didn’t stop one of those bullets.” “It’s that silver five-franc piece with the hole in it he carries,” Sandy said, scornfully. Red grinned and dug one hand deep down in his breeches pocket. When he pulled it forth he spun a coin the size of a silver dollar high in the air and caught it with one hand. “You tell ’em kid,” he said. ‘“That’s been riding with me for eighteen years.” “It’s the only thing you can get to ride with you,” Sandy came back. “I'd just as soon ride on one of those shells as with you.” “Shut up!” Bill said, as a shell ex- ploded not over three hundred yards away. “They’re popping those shells down here at random, changing their range with every shot. But they’re too close for ® “Bill!’ Sandy yelled, his voice rising shrilly. “There goes that big bomber into the air.” Bill whirled and followed the finger Sandy pointed. A few miles off to the east the enemy bomber was circling up- ward. Bill watched it for a moment. As it straightened out and took a course to the southeast he jumped toward the Scarlet Stormer. ‘Hop in and unlimber the swivel gun, kid,”’ he said to Sandy. “We'll leok him over. Cy, you stay here unless I send for you. If I do, leave one of your oO CON) Ghook CO