The propellers whirled in the sun and Alec felt a tingling sensation go over him. He glanced at the clock … just a few minutes more. He thought of his mother and father on the upper observation deck waiting for him to depart from the building and board the ship. He wondered if they felt the same as he did.

Five minutes passed, and then the roar of the engines rose to a higher pitch. Still there was no signal for the passengers to board. Alec became a little panicky. Supposing something was wrong with one of the engines and they didn’t go! Then the bell rang again. “That’s us!” he shouted. He rose to his feet so hastily that he tipped the long table, upsetting a cup of coffee into a matronly woman’s lap. Sputtering an apology, he ran for the door, closely followed by Mr. Volence, Henry and the other passengers.

They walked down the runway and onto the ramp. Turning, Alec looked up at the observation deck of the Administration Building. “Look!” he shouted. “There’s Mother and Dad.” Alec and Henry waved.

“Have a good trip,” Alec’s father called. His mother waved a small handkerchief.

“So long!” Alec yelled above the roar of the plane’s engines.

They were alongside the Flying Clipper now and some of the passengers had already boarded the ship. She strained the steel cables that held her to the ramp, as though impatient to be in flight.

Alec took one final look at his parents, waved again, and then climbed down the passageway, followed by Henry and Mr. Volence.

Inside, Alec was amazed to find how spacious the plane was. The steward showed them to their compartment, and Mr. Volence told Alec to sit by the large porthole. Henry took the seat opposite Alec and Mr. Volence sat down beside him.

They were on the opposite side of the ramp, so Alec was not able to see the Administration Building or his mother and father. “You’ll be able to see them when we taxi out of the bay into the channel,” Mr. Volence assured him.

The plane’s engines slowed to idling speed, and the steward returned and helped them fasten their seat belts. “We’ll be taking off in a few minutes,” he told them. “We’re waiting for one more passenger who is to occupy this space.” He nodded to the empty seat beside Alec.

“I was of the opinion the Flying Clipper didn’t wait for anyone.” Mr. Volence smiled.

The steward snapped Alec’s seat belt. “We don’t usually,” he replied, “… but we’ve had orders to wait. He’ll be here in a few minutes. He’s in the customs office now.”

Alec looked out the window across the dark waters of the bay. A little to the right he could see La Guardia Airport and the commercial airline planes taking off.