"Leslie F. Stone - Men With Wings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stone Leslie F)

one of the Smithsonian expeditions into the heart of the Amazon country. I
knew
the country. I knew several Indian dialects. And now all reports were
pointing
to the fact that the winged men had their home in Brazilian jungles. Why could
I
not go down there and alone find my way to their settlement? I would get the
complete story, the history of this new race, and their intentions! I was the
man to do it.
Sims, the city editor, had to think it over. It sounded good. It was. The
next
morning I was summoned to his desk. Of course I had not slept all that night
and
now was feverishly awaiting that call. Plans had already been laid. I was to
go
with two more trusted men, Jack D'Arcy and Dick Norton, also reporters on the
News. We were of course to keep our plans secret and must hurry before
another
paper beat us to it.
We took off in our plane one dim morning, and by the afternoon had passed the
Mexican border. We were apprehensive that our mission be discovered. Howard
Wormley the famous aviator was our pilot. We thought at first to use Lima as
our
headquarters, but after scouting around the city for a day we flew to Cuzco
somewhat southward but nearer the Brazilian jungles.
We learned that two planes, one leaving from Quito and one from Rio de
Janeiro
had headed for the Amazon jungles, but had been heard of no more, forced into
a
bad landing no doubt. The papers were of course filled with the latest
abductions. A most daring one had occurred aboard a great trans-pacific air
liner going from Honolulu to San Francisco. The account read:
"Aboard Quitonia, April 5; Another victim has been added to the long list of
white women who have been stolen by winged men.
"At ten o'clock this morning the liner's passengers were startled to see a
flying man appear coming toward the craft. At first he had been taken for a
giant bird but as he drew closer it could be seen that he was one of that
strange new race of winged men. He alighted on the super-structure holding by
one hand to some rigging while he surveyed the people on the observation
deck.
Then letting go his hold he soared over their heads for several minutes giving
a
pretty exhibition of fancy flying, then swept low as he scanned each face. He
dropped to the edge of the deck at last smiling brightly.
"People crowded to the rail and spoke to him. He was said to be a handsome
youth, an interesting freak. He did not look harmful. He answered a few
questions put to him, joked and laughed and then motioned for one of the
young
women passengers to come close. She was a Miss Elizabeth Moray, known to be a
teacher on a holiday jaunt, a very pretty young person.