opening them. Two days later the plane was assembled and tuned.

We loaded tackles and ropes, water, food and ammunition in it, and

then we each implored Billings to let us be the one to accompany

him. But he would take no one. That was Billings; if there was

any especially difficult or dangerous work to be done, that one man

could do, Billings always did it himself. If he needed assistance,

he never called for volunteers--just selected the man or men he

considered best qualified for the duty. He said that he considered

the principles underlying all volunteer service fundamentally wrong,

and that it seemed to him that calling for volunteers reflected

upon the courage and loyalty of the entire command.

We rolled the plane down to the water's edge, and Billings mounted

the pilot's seat. There was a moment's delay as he assured

himself that he had everything necessary. Jimmy Hollis went over

his armament and ammunition to see that nothing had been omitted.

Besides pistol and rifle, there was the machine-gun mounted in

front of him on the plane, and ammunition for all three. Bowen's

account of the terrors of Caspak had impressed us all with the

necessity for proper means of defense.

At last all was ready. The motor was started, and we pushed the

plane out into the surf. A moment later, and she was skimming

seaward. Gently she rose from the surface of the water, executed

a wide spiral as she mounted rapidly, circled once far above us

and then disappeared over the crest of the cliffs. We all stood

silent and expectant, our eyes glued upon the towering summit above

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