They walked slowly back toward the hangar, discussing further the events which had just taken place and planning for the tightening of the guard lines around the plant.
“As soon as this agent of the Gerka is patched up in the hospital I’ll go over and give him a thorough grilling,” said Timms as they reached the hangar.
“Let me know when you go,” said Andy. “I’d like to see what he has to say.”
“I’ll do that,” promised the secret service agent as Andy and Bert got into the young engineer’s roadster.
When they reached the little building which served as Andy’s office, they found a messenger boy with a telegram for Andy.
“Must be from Dad,” he said as he ripped open the envelope, “and believe me I’ll be glad to have him back here in charge of things.”
Andy scanned the telegram; then he read it again hardly able to believe the words which were typed on the yellow sheet.
“What’s the matter?” asked Bert anxiously.
“Nothing wrong,” grinned Andy, “but it’s news, big news!” With eyes aglow and face reflecting his own enthusiasm he handed the telegram to Bert.
“Rush work with all possible speed,” said the message. “Have just completed plans for Goliath’s first official flight this summer which will take us to North pole for an exchange of mail with the Submarine Neptune, which will be commanded by Gilbert Mathews.”
“My gosh,” exclaimed Bert, “a trip to the North pole. Well, that is news.”
“I’ll say,” replied Andy. “Watch us make time from now on for there won’t be any more accidents with this Rubanian secret agent out of the way.”
The change of the seasons was at hand and the last dirty patches of snow melted under the rays of the March sun. Andy spread the news that the first official flight of the Goliath would take it into the polar regions and the crews inside the lofty hangar were filled with new enthusiasm and energy. They were making history, placing America in the forefront of the air-minded nations, and they thrilled at their task.
In the afternoon Andy helped Bert check over the damage which the agent of the Gerka had done to the radio apparatus and they were greatly relieved to find that the set intended for installation on the Goliath worked perfectly.
When Andy returned to his office, Bert accompanied him and they discussed the outlook for the polar flight.