“We’ll take off all right, Alec,” he assured him. “They’d have told us earlier if the weather was no good over the Atlantic.” He jerked his head in the direction of the adjoining room. “C’mon. They have some vittles inside, and my stomach’s cryin’ from hunger.”

“Didn’t you have breakfast home, Henry? I did.”

“Naw, I didn’t even wake the missus,” and Henry smiled. “ ’Fraid she’d change her mind at the last minute. Better to go hungry.”

Mr. Volence was busy and told them he’d join them in a few minutes. Henry and Alec made their way to the table where the other passengers were having breakfast. To Alec they all looked as though they were accustomed to transatlantic travel. Most of them were casually reading the morning papers, patiently waiting for the time to embark.

Alec was too excited to eat anything, but Henry had two orders of ham and eggs. “Nothin’ like a full stomach.” He grinned.

“Sure, nothin’ like it,” Alec agreed, glancing out the window at the great silver bird he’d soon be on. The morning sun reflected from its hull and shone in his eyes. He turned back to Henry. “You never told me how you managed to get away, Henry. Did you have much trouble?”

Henry answered between mouthfuls. “A little. She couldn’t see it at first, but then I told her I’d bring her back a lot of ivory … she’s crazy about ivory … has all sorts of trinkets around the house.”

“But, Henry, there isn’t much ivory in Arabia.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Well,” Henry said after a pause, “I’ll just have to get some somewhere.” He swallowed his coffee. “Anyway, her sister from the Ozarks is gonna spend the summer with us, same as she did last year and the year before, and she always sleeps in my bed. So it’s just as well that I’m not around.”

Mr. Volence arrived and sat down with them. “I’ll just have a cup of coffee,” he said, “I’ve had breakfast.” He glanced at the clock. “… almost time,” he added.

“Is that the crew over there?” Alec asked, nodding toward a table in one corner of the room at which a group of men, wearing dark blue uniforms, was seated.

“Yes, it is,” Mr. Volence replied.

“Gee, it’s a big crew,” Alec said. “There are twelve.”

“It takes a good many men to handle these babies.”

A bell rang twice and Alec saw the crew leave their table and walk toward the door. He rose from his seat. Why weren’t the others getting up? They’d be late.

“Sit down, Alec,” and Mr. Volence smiled, “the next bell will be ours. The crew has to warm the ship up a bit before we take over.”

Alec watched the crew as they went down the long runway, and onto the ramp that led to the plane. They marched in a column of twos.

“That’s the captain and the first officer up front, Alec,” Mr. Volence told him.

“There are almost as many crew members as there are passengers,” Henry commented.

A few minutes later there was a loud roar as the four engines were started.