,*APT] ,TW5TY ,F\R

,WON 0A ,L5G?

  ,RIS+ UPW>D1 ON A /EEP SLANT1 = HE
WANT$ 6GET 96! UPP] CURR5TS Z SOON Z
POSSI#1 ,TOM LOOK$ D[N & (F 6HIS LEFT &
SAW "O MA*9E GO+ OV] ! GR.D 9 CURI\S
L1PS & B.DS4 ,X 0 ! T9Y ,DEMOISELLE--!
SMALLE/ CRAFT 9 ! RACE1 & XS PECULI>
/YLE ( />T+ 0 ALW ?US MANIFE/$4
  8,I DON'T 2LIEVE HE'S GO+ 6MAKE X10
?"\ ,TOM4
  ,HE 0 "R4 ,9 ANO!R MO;T ! T9Y CRAFT1
AF RIS+ A %ORT 4T.E1 DOVE D[NW>D1 & 0
WRECK$4 ,! "Y 9V5TOR SAW ! TWO M5 CRAWL+
\ F ! TANGL$ PLANES & W+S1 APP>5TLY
UN9JUR$4

8,"O 3TE/ANT LESS10 ?"\ ,TOM1 GRIMLY1
  ?\< )
P;Y 9 8 HE>T =! UN=TUNATES4

  ,H["E1 HE M/ ?9K ( HMF & 8 [N CRAFT
N[4 ,HE GL.ED AT ,MR4 ,DAMON SITT+ 2S
HM4 ,T ODD G5TLEMAN1 ) N"E A ?"\ ( B.S+
ANY?+ N[1 UN.S HE DID X SIL5TLY1 0 WAT*+
! LUBRICAT+ SY/EM4 ,? 0 A VITAL "P (!
CRAFT1 = IF ANY?+ W5T WR;G ) X1 &! BE>+S
OV]H1T$1 ! RACE WD H 6BE AB&ON$4 ,S ,TOM
0 N TRU/+ 6ANY AUTOMATIC >RANGE;T1 B _H
9/ITUT$1 ALM AT ! LA/ MO;T1 A DUPLICATE
H&-"W$ SY/EM1 S T IF "O FAIL$ HM HE WD H
! O!R4
  8,A GD />T60 %\T$ ,MR4 ,DAMON 9 8 C>4

,TOM NO4$1 & GL.ED 2H HM4 ,ON A L9E )!
,HUMM+-,BIRD1 & AT AB ! SAME ELEV,N1 7 !
,BL]IOT MONOPLANE &A ,W"R BIPLANE4 ,2L 7
  !
,SANTOS-,DUMONT &! ,ANTO9ETTE4

  8,":'S ! ,SLU7]80 CALL$ ,TOM 6HIS FR4
  ,MR4 ,DAMON MO;N$ UPW>D4 ,"!1 9 ! AIR
ABV ,TOM'S MA*9E1 & SLI<TLY 9 ADV.E1 0
,&Y ,FOG]'S CRAFT4 ,HE _H GOTT5 AWAY 9
BETT] %APE ?AN _H ! ,HUMM+-,BIRD4
  ,=A MO;T ,TOM'S HE>T MISGAVE HM4 ,!N
HE TURN$ ON M P[]1 & _H ! SATISFAC;N (
M.T+ UPW>D & %OOT+ ONW>D UNTIL HE 0 ON
EV5 T]MS ) ,&Y4
  ,! BULLY GAVE "O GL.E OV] T[>D 8
RIVAL1 & PULL$ A L"E4 ,! ,SLU7] 9CR1S$
H] SPE$1 B ,TOM 0 N A SECOND 2H HM4
  ,"! 0 A RO>+ NOISE 9 ! RE>1 & UP %OT
,DE ,TROMP 9 ! ,F>MAN1 & ,LOI ,T;G1 ! LL
,JAPANESE1 9 ! ,SANTOS-,DUMONT4 ,TRULY !
RACE 0 GO+ 6HE A HOTLY 3TE/$ "O4 ,B ! 5D
0 F> (F YET4
  ,AF ! F/ JOCKEY+ =A />T & POSI;N1 !
RACE SETTL$ D[N 96:AT MI<T 2 T]M$ A
8GR9D40 ,! C\RSE 0 A L>GE "O1 B S
FAVORA# 0 ! ATMOSPH]E T "D1 & S* 0 !
LOC,N ( ,EAGLE ,P>K 9 A GRT VALLEY1 T
EV5 ON ! F> SIDE (! GRT ELLIPSE !
3TE/ANTS CD 2 SE51 DIMLY )! NAK$ EYE1 B
V PLA9LY ) GLASSES1 ) : _M (! SPECTATORS
7 PROVID$4
  ,>.D & >.D !Y W5T1 AT NO V GRT HEI<T1
= X 0 NEC 6MAKE \ ! SIGNALS SET UP 0!
RACE (FICIALS1 S T ! 3TE/ANTS WD "K :5
!Y 7 NE> ! F9I%1 T !Y MI<T USE ! LA/
ATOM ( SPE$4 ,S AT V>Y+ HEI<TS ! WOND];L
MA*9ES CIRCL$ AB ! C\RSE4
  ,! ,HUMM+-,BIRD 0 "W+ WELL1 & ,TOM
FELT A S5SE ( PRIDE Z HE SAW ! GR.D
SLIPP+ AWAY 2L HM4 ,HE FELT SURE T HE WD
W91 EV5 :5 ,ALAM$A1 ! ,SPANI>D1 9 !
,ANTO9ETTE1 CAME CREEP+ UP ON HM1 & EV5
:5 ,&Y ,FOG]1 )A BUR/ ( SPE$1 PLAC$ HMF
& 8 PASS5G] 9 ! L1D4
  8,I'LL CAT* HM60 MUTT]$ ,TOM1 & HE
OP5$ ! ?ROTTLE A TRIFLE WID]1 & W5T AF
,&Y1 PASS+ HM ) EASE4
  ,!Y _H COV]$ AB ?IRTY MILES (! C\RSE1
:5 ! HUMM+ & CRACKL+ (! WIRE.S APP>ATUS
TOLD ,TOM T A MESSAGE 0 -+4 ,HE SNAPP$ !
RCVR 6HIS E>1 ADJU/+ ! \T] COV]+ 6%UT \
! RACKET (! MOTOR1 & LI/5$4
  8,WELL80 ASK$ ,MR4 ,DAMON1 Z ,TOM TOOK
(F ! RCVR4
  8,DAD ISN'T Q S WELL10 ANSW]$ ! LAD4
8,MR4 ,JACKSON SAYS !Y H S5T = ,DR4
,H5DRIX AG4 ,B DAD IS GAME4 ,HE S5DS ME
^W 6G ON & W91 & ,I'LL D X1 TOO1 ONLY--0
  ,TOM PAUS$1 & *OK$ BACK A SOB4 ,!N HE
PREP>$ 6GET M SPE$ \ ( 8 MOTOR4
  8,( C\RSE Y W60 CRI$ ,MR4 ,DAMON4
8,B.S MY--60
  ,B !Y 5C.T]$ AN ADV]SE CURR5T ( W9D AT
T MO;T1 & X REQUIR$ ! ATT5;N ( BO? (!
AVIATORS 6MANAGE ! MA*9E4 ,X 0 SOON ON
AN EV5 KEEL AG1 & ONCE M 0 %OOT+ =W>D
>.D ! C\RSE4
  ,AT "TS ,TOM WD 2 9 ADV.E1 & AG HE WD
H 6GIVE PLACE 6! ,CURTIS1 ! ,F>MAN1 OR !
,SANTOS-,DUMONT1 Z ^! SPE$Y MA*9ES1
FAVOR$ 0A SPURT F _! MOTORS1 OR 0"S
CURR5T ( AIR1 %OT AH1D4 ,B1 9 G5]AL1
,TOM MA9TA9$ ! L1D1 & AM;G ! SPECTATORS
"! 2GAN A S]IES ( GUESSES Z 6H[ M* HE WD
W9 BY4
  ,TOM GL.ED AT ! B>OGRAPH4 ,X REGI/]$ A
LL OV] TWELVE HUNDR$ FEET4 ,HE LOOK$ AT
! SPE$ GAGE4 ,HE 0 DO+ A TRIFLE BETT]
?AN A HUNDR$ MILES AN H\R4 ,HE LOOK$ D[N
AT ! SIGNALS4 ,"! 0 TW5TY MILES YET 6G4
,X 0 ALM "T =! SPURT = : HE _H BE5 HOLD+
BACK4 ,YET HE WD WAIT UNTIL FIVE MILES F
! 5D1 & !N HE FELT T HE CD GA9 & MA9TA9
A L1D4
  8,&Y SEEMS 6BE DO+ WELL10 SD ,MR1
,DAMON4
  8,YES1 HE HAS A GD MA*9E10 3C$$ ,TOM4
  ,FIVE MILES M 7 REEL$ (F4 ,!N AN O!R
FIVE4 ,ANO!R R.D ( T 4T.E & ,TOM WD KEY
8 MOTOR UP 6! HI<E/ PIT*1 & !N ! ,HUMM+-
,BIRD WD %[ :AT %E CD D4 ,EAG]LY ,TOM
WAIT$ =! "R SIGNAL4
  ,SU45LY ! WIRE.S 2GAN BUZZ+ AG4 ,QKLY
! "Y 9V5TOR CLAMP$ ! RCVR 6HIS E>4 ,MR4
,DAMON SAW HM TURN PALE4

8,DR4 ,GLADBY SAYS DAD HAS A TURN =!
  WORSE4 ,"! IS
LL HOPE10 TRANSLAT$ ,TOM4

  8,W Y-->E Y GO+ 6QUIT80 ASK$ ,MR4
,DAMON4
  ,TOM %OOK 8 H1D4
  8,NO60 HE CRI$4 8,MY "F HAS 2COME
UNCONSCI\S1 S ,MR4 ,JACKSON SAYS1 B 8
LA/ ^WS 7 6ME3 ,8,TELL ,TOM 6W9 !
RACE60' ,& ,I'M GO+ 6D X60
  ,TOM SU45LY *ANG$ 8 PLANS4 ,"! 0 6BE
NO WAIT+ =! SIGNAL N[4 ,HE WD 2G9 8 F9AL
SPURT1 & IF POSSI# F9I% ! HUNDR$ MILES
AT 8 UTMO/ SPE$1 W9 ! RACE & !N HA/5
6HIS "F'S SIDE4
  ,)A M5AC+ RO> ! MOTOR (! ,HUMM+-,BIRD
TOOK UP ! A4I;NAL P[] T ,TOM S5T 96H]4
,%E %OT AH1D L AN EAGLE D>T+ AF 8 PREY4
,TOM OP5$ UP A BIG GAP 2T 8 MA*9E &! "O
NE>E/ HM1 :1 AT T MO;T1 0 ! ,ANTO9ETTE1
)! ,SPANI>D DRIV+ H]4
  8,N[ 6W960 CRI$ ,TOM1 GRIMLY4
  ,SURELY NO RACE 0 "E FL[N Z 0 T "O6
,TOM FLA%$ "? ! AIR S QKLY T 8 SPE$ 0
ALM 9CR$I#4 ,! GAGE REGI/]$ "O HUNDR$ &
?IRTY MILES AN H\R6
  ,D[N 2L 9 ! GR& /&S1 & ON ! AVI,N
FIELD1 "! 7 YELLS ( APPROVAL--( WOND]--(
FE>4 ,B ,TOM & ,MR4 ,DAMON CD N HE> !M4
,!Y ONLY HE>D ! P[];L S;G (! MOTOR4
  ,FA/] & FA/] FLEW ! ,HUMM+-,BIRD ,TOM
LOOK$ D[N1 & SAW ! SIGNAL PUT UP : M1NT
T "! 7 B ?REE MILES M 6G4 ,HE FELT T HE
CD D X4 ,HE 0 HALF A LAP AH1D ( !M ALL
N[4 ,B HE SAW ,&Y ,FOG]'S MA*9E PULL+
AWAY F ! BUN*4
  8,HE'S GO+ 6TRY 6CAT* ME60 EXULT$
,TOM4
  ,!N "S?+ HAPP5$4 ,! MOTOR (! ,HUMM+-
,BIRD SU45LY SLACK5$ XS SPE$1 X MISS$
EXPLO.NS1 &! TRIM LL CRAFT 2GAN 6DROP
2H4
  8,:AT'S ! MATT]80 CRI$ ,MR4 ,DAMON4
  8,?REE (! CYL9D]S >E \ ( BUSI;S60
YELL$ ,TOM4 8,WE'RE D"O =1 ,I GUESS40
  ,ON CAME ! O!R MA*9ES1 ,&Y 9 ! L1D1 !N
! ,SANTOS-,DUMONT1 !N ! ,F>MAN1 & LA/LY
! ,W"R4 ,!Y SAW ! PLI<T (! ,HUMM+-,BIRD
& DET]M9$ 6B1T H]4 ,TOM CA/ A DESPAIR+
LOOK UP AT ! MOTOR4 ,"! 0 NO?+ 6BE D"O4
,HE CD N R1* X ,9 MID-AIR4 ,HE CD ONLY
KEEP ON1 CRIPPL$ Z HE WAS1 & TRU/ 6LUCK4
  ,&Y PASS$ 0HIS RIVAL ) AN EVIL SMILE
ON 8 UGLY FACE4 ,!N ! ,ANTO9ETTE FLA%$
BY4 ,9 TURN ALL ! O!RS
LEFT ,TOM 9 ! RE> ,TOMS HE>T 0 L L1D4
,MR4 ,DAMON GAZ$ BLANKLY =W>D4 ,!Y 7
B1T54 ,X DID N SEEM POSSI#4
  ,"! 0 B A S+LE *.E4 ,IF ,TOM %UT (F
ALL P[]1 COA/$ =A MO;T1 & !N1 ]E !
PROPELL] _H C1S$ REVOLV+1 IF HE CD />T !
MOTOR ON ! SP>K1 ! SIL5T CYL9D]S MI<T
PICK UP1 )! O!RS1 & 2G9 AG4 ,HE WD TRY
X4 ,!Y CD 2 NO WORSE (F ?AN !Y W]E4
  8,A MILE 2H60 GASP$ ,TOM4 8,X'S A L;G
*.E1 B ,I'LL TAKE X40
  ,HE %UT (F ! P[]4 ,! MOTOR 0 SIL5T4 !
,HUMM+-,BIRD 2GAN 6FALL4 ,B ]E %E _H G"O
D[N T5 FEET ,TOM SU45LY SWIT*$ ON !
BATT]IES4 ,"! 0 A MO;T ( SIL;E1 & !N
CAME ! WELCOME RO> T TOLD (! REK9DL$
MOTOR4 ,& S* A RO> Z X WAS6 ,E CYL9D] 0
EXPLOD+ Z ?\< N"O ( !M _H "E /OPP$6
  8,WE DID X60 YELL$ ,TOM4 ,OP5+ UP AT
FULL SPE$1 HE S5T ! SKY RAC] ON ! C\RSE
6OV]TAKE & PASS 8 RIVALS4
  ,SL[LY HE CREPT ON !M4 ,!Y LOOK$ BACK
& SAW HM -+4 ,!Y TRI$ 6PUT ON M SPE$1 B
X 0 IMPOSSI#4 ,&Y ,FOG] 0 9 ! L1D4 ,HE 0
2+ SL[LY OV]HAUL$ 0! ,SANTOS-,DUMONT1 )!
QUE] TAIL-RU4]S4
  8,I'LL GET HM60 MUTT]$ ,TOM4 8,I'LL
PASS 'EM ALL60

,& HE DID4 ,)A WOND];L BUR/ ( SPE$ ! LL
,HUMM+-,BIRD OV]TOOK "O AF ANO!R ( H]
  L>G]
RIVALS1 & PASS$ !M4 ,!N %E CREPT UP ON
  ,&Y'S
,SLU7]4

  ,9 AN 9/ANT M X 0 D"O1 &1 A GD L5G? 9
ADV.E (! ,FOG] CRAFT1 ,TOM %OT OV] !
F9I% L9E A W9N]1 RI*] 0T5 ?\S& DOLL>S1
&1 N ONLY T1 B HE _H PICK$ UP A MILE T
_H BE5 LO/1 & _H SNAT*$ VICTORY F ALM
C]TA9 DEF1T4
  ,"! 0 A SU3ES.N ( ?"U+ *E]S Z HE %UT
(F ! MOTOR1 & VOLPLAN$ 6E>?1 B HE PD LL
ATT5;N 6!M4 ,HE BR"\ 8 CRAFT 6A /OP J Z
! WIRE.S ON X BUZZ$ AG4
  ,HE LI/5$ )A LOOK ( PA9 ON 8 FACE4
  8,MY "F IS DY+10 HE SD SIMPLY4 8,I M/
G 6HM4 ,MR4 ,DAMON1 W Y FILL ! TANKS )
OIL & GASOL9E1 :ILE ,I S5D (F A
MESSAGE80
  8,OIL & GASOL9E10 MURMUR$ ! ODD MAN1
:ILE HUNDR$S PRESS$ UP 63GRATULATE ,TOM
,SWIFT 8,:AT >E Y GO+ 6D80
  8,I'M GO+ 6MY "F 9 ! ,HUMM+-,BIRD1 SD
,TOM4 8,X'S ! ONLY WAY ,I C SEE HM
ALIVE10 & HE 2GAN 6CLICK (F A MESSAGE
6,MR4 ,JACKSON1 /AT+ T HE _H WON ! RACE
& 0 GO+ 6FLY 6,%OPTON1 :ILE ,MR4 ,DAMON
& S"EAL O!RS REPL5I%$ ! FUEL & OIL (!
AEROPLANE4
  ,TOM ,SWIFT _H WON "O RACE4 ,CD HE W9
! O!R8























