He was ready to go, but the ramp was not completed, and for fifteen minutes more, while the water dribbled from the leak in the radiator, he worked furiously with Wilson and the other men, shoveling sandy soil up upon the built-up incline. When this work was completed the ramp looked like a huge V laid flat on one side. Beginning a few feet from the fence, it sloped with increasing steepness toward the south. At its highest point it was four or five feet above the level of the field. * * * * * It was full daylight, gray with drifting clouds, when Nick and Wilson started out again. The Patrol pilot taxied as far back in the field as he could get and made a running turn to get as much room as possible for the take-off. The wheels hurled sand as the turn was made, the ship straightened out and roared down toward the ramp. The Vought picked up thirty miles an hour before it hit the slope. When it struck the incline it seemed to be catapulted into the air, so violently did it ricochet. It struck the ramp a crushing blow and bounced nearly forty feet above the level of the mesquite trees, and before it could settle back Nick fought it into control and held it in the air. They had made it! [Illustration: The Vought bounced nearly forty feet, and before it could settle back Nick fought it into control.] They were in the air, yes. But that shock against the ramp had done something to the landing-gear! Nick felt it give way--and knew that at least one wheel was out of commission. With this knowledge, Nick realized he was almost helpless to prevent a serious crash when he reached Rock Springs; he felt a profound regret that he had attempted this journey in the first place: he knew that Wilson would in all probability be of no value to the sufferers of the storm after he got there! But Nick did not turn back to San Antonio, knowing this. He circled the field; then swung toward the northwest and settled the ship on its course. He believed that he still had one wheel of his landing-gear intact, and if he did he might get down without serious injury to himself or Wilson. Fifteen minutes after he had taken off, the motor began to heat, and he reached up and turned the valve at the base of the gravity tank. Water ran down through the tube to the radiator, and a large part of it spewed from the joint in the pipe and was flung back into Nick’s face. The needle of the centigrade swung down to normal after a few minutes, and Nick shut the water off.