The girl had just glanced at the barograph. It showed that they were
then 1,500 feet above the surface of the earth. The girl had hardly made
this discovery before, from beneath the "bow" of the monoplane, came a
wave of flame; driven from the steering wheel by the heat, Peggy drew
back toward her companion. Her face was ashen white.
Left to itself the aeroplane "yawed" wildly, like a craft without a
rudder. Then suddenly it dashed down toward the earth, smoke and flames
leaping from its front part.
Both girls uttered a cry of terror as the aircraft fell like a stone
hurled into space. Faster and faster it dashed earthward without a
controlling hand to guide it. It was at this instant that Roy and
Jimsy became aware of what had happened.
[Illustration: Both girls uttered a cry of terror as the air craft fell
like a stone hurled into space.]
Instantly they swung their machine around in time to see the _Golden
Butterfly_ make her sickening downward swoop. Both lads uttered a cry of
fear as they saw what appeared to mean certain death for the two Girl
Aviators.
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