It seemed as if nothing made by
man could stand the pressure.
But the _Golden Butterfly_ had been built by one of the foremost young
aviators in the country, and it was sound and true in every part. Peggy
felt no fear of anything giving out under the strain.
And now the aviation park appeared in the distance. Peggy headed
straight for it, hoping devoutly that her motor would not heat up
and jam under the terrific speed it was being forced to.
The Cuban woman glanced round anxiously. It was a bad move for her. Like
a flash the _Golden Butterfly_ shot by the other machine as the latter
wobbled badly.
Peggy's delight was mixed with apprehension. The motor was beginning to
smoke. Plainly it was heating up.
"Will it last five minutes longer?"
That was the thought in Peggy's mind. The _Golden Butterfly_ was hardly
an airship any longer. It was a thunderbolt--a flying arrow. Before
Peggy's eyes there was nothing now but the tall red and white "pylon"
that marked the winning post. Could she make it ahead of her rival?
Close behind her she could hear the roar of the other motor, but she
did not dare to look round for fear of losing ground.
Pages:
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165