Ned Knight bends to his stick and glues his eyes to the instrument. The seconds are tickin’ off. Forty--fifty--sixty! _Whacko!_ The gun! Ned stomps on the gas. Away goes the Alton. It takes off quick, climbs fast and, roarin’ high, plows into the sky. And I, back on the field, watch it go with tears in my eyes! One by one, at sixty-second intervals, the planes take off, and soon they’re parading along the sky, and trailin’ out of sight. Once they’re gone, there is nothin’ to do but wait for reports along the way. The crowd lingers, and I avoid Mr. Alton. He goes to his car; I just float around. What’s happenin’ to Ned and Jane now, I wonder? What’s goin to happen to ’em as they drive across half a dozen states. Are they goin’ to pull onto Long Island and get down to Curtiss first? Oh, Lord! Well, plenty happened in that plane on the way, and this is what! Ned Knight concentrated on his controls as he had never concentrated before. In the back seat Jane just sat and enjoyed herself. Little by little the Alton went up to her top speed. With the throttle gradually opened, she tore through the sky screaming. With the wires shrieking, the struts rattling, the whole plane trembling and throbbing, it roared on its way, hell-bent for victory. The string of planes kept goin’ across the sky spaced like they were at the take off for a while. At the Ohio line one of them began to drop, and took to the ground, disabled, and disqualified, ’cause the race was a non-stop affair. Another one soon followed. Others began to draw back a little, and still others drove ahead a little. And while Ned was strivin’ to pass the Impco and reach the Stormbird, Jane removed her helmet and goggles, and then reached forward and gently tapped his shoulder. Ned looked back; for a minute he thought he was dreamin’. Then he shouted something that was lost in the thunder of the motors, and bored on. He couldn’t snap off the ignition a minute; ’t would slow the plane. Jane smiled at him, still enjoyin’ every minute; and then he looked back again, and grinned. He’d caught onto the joy of the thing and then Jane was satisfied. Ned bent to his controls again, for the Impco was slippin’ closer. It wasn’t bearin’ up under the continued, terrific strain. Ned grasped the opportunity and kept the throttle wide open. Bit by bit the Impco slid back, and Ned gave it a wide berth. Slowly, but surely, the Alton advanced. For miles the planes bobbed side by side; and then the Alton crept forward, inch by inch, until it was leadin’. Jane gaily waved at the Impco pilot and threw him a couple of kisses! The Alton bored on, and Ned concentrated on the Stormbird. It was still thundering on, a strong ship, much better than the Imp, perhaps equal to ours--perhaps even better! Ned kept the throttle wide; and Jane settled down to the serious business of takin’ the lead.