CHAPTER XXIII--A DUMPING OPERATION The heavily-laden "Golden Hind" resumed her delayed journey. Both gas-bags and planes had to do their full share of work to keep the airship afloat. She was flying low, but making good progress; but so little was her reserve of buoyancy that had the three Huns who perished in the catastrophe to Z64 been saved, it was doubtful whether Fosterdyke could have "carried on." To make matters worse, some of the patches on the repaired ballonets were leaking, for owing to the heat of the rubber the solution was not holding well. "I wonder if Drake’s ’Golden Hind,’ when she arrived in the Thames after circumnavigating the globe, was patched up like we are," remarked Kenyon. "It took Drake three long years to do the trick, and we look like completing our voyage in under seventeen days." "If the old ’bus holds out," added Bramsdean. "’Tany rate, no one can say we haven’t done our bit. The ’Golden Hind’s’ been a regular sort of aerial lifeboat. That is some satisfaction. I’d rather we did that than win the race." "I suppose our passengers won’t get up to any of their Hunnish tricks?" observed Kenneth. "Trust Fosterdyke for that," replied Peter grimly. "He’s had ’em placed in the dining-saloon. (Fortunately, we won’t require many more meals.) They can amuse themselves there without getting into mischief. There’s one of our fellows stationed outside to keep the blighters in order." Just then the baronet came upon the scene. "Von Sinzig looks like pulling it off," he observed. "A wireless from the S.S. _Wontwash_ reports that a monoplane passed over the ship at 6 P.M., flying east. According to the position given, the _Wontwash_ was only thirty-five miles west of Gibraltar." "Then perhaps he’s back at his hangar by this time," commented Peter. "Any news of the others?" "Yes; Commodore Theodore Nye has been unable to get hold of another ’bus yet, although two of the Australian R.A.F. pilots are bringing him a ’Bristol’ machine from Melbourne. He’s out of the running. That he admits, but he means to complete the course, even if it takes him six months." "And the Jap?" asked Kenyon. "Not a word," replied the baronet. "He’s keeping quiet; but mark my words, that quadruplane will turn up unexpectedly. If his ’bus had had British motors, he would have romped home in less than a week." "What engines has he?" asked Bramsdean. "Japanese," replied Fosterdyke. "Passable imitations of ours and good up to a certain point; but give me British engines all the jolly old time." Although the baronet made frequent enquiries of the operator, no wireless messages concerning von Sinzig came through. "Perhaps he’s crashed," suggested Peter. "Not he," replied Kenyon. "That Hun’s got the luck of a cat with nine lives. He’s playing his own game."