Linda climbed into the plane without the slightestmisgiving. (Page 271)
LINDA CARLTON'S
OCEAN FLIGHT
By EDITH LAVELL
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING
COMPANY
Akron, Ohio New York
Copyright MCMXXXI
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY
Linda Carlton's Ocean Flight
Made in the United States of America
LINDA CARLTON'S OCEAN FLIGHT
Chapter I
In the Fog
"My girl, you are in perfect physical condition," announcedpleasant-faced Dr. Ginsley, who had served as the Carlton familyphysician for years. "I can't picture anybody in more radiant health."
"I thought so," smiled Linda Carlton, the pretty aviatrix who had beenflying her Arrow biplane for the last three months. "But Aunt Emilywanted to make sure, before I go any further with aviation."
"Yes, of course, she's right. And what are you planning now?"
"A thorough course at a good ground school, so that I can get atransport license—that ranks the highest, you know. I—I haven'tdecided on any particular school yet, because Aunt Emily[Pg 8]still opposes the idea. She wants me to have a coming-out party instead, like theother girls in Spring City. So I'm waiting for Daddy to come home."
"And if I'm a judge your daddy will let you go to the school," said thedoctor admiringly. "I heard all about how you saved his life with yourplane!"
"Oh, no!" protested Linda, modestly. "It was that wonderfulsurgeon—Dr. Lineaweaver—who did that. I was merely lucky enough to beable to get him in time."
The doctor chuckled.
"Well, luck or no luck, you made a long flight alone at night. I thinkit was marvelous. You can't tell me anything bad about the young peopletoday. To my mind, they're finer and braver than they were in my day!And that's something from an old man....
"Well, good-by, Linda, and good luck! I suppose you're not flyinganywhere today?"
"Oh, no! It's too foggy."
She opened the door of the waiting-room that led to the porch, and itseemed immediately as if the fog rushed right into the house. It wasdamp and penetrating, and so dense that it hid the doctor's gate fromview.
Linda stepped out on the porch, and almost bumped into a woman witha small child in her arms. The stranger seemed almost to appear fromnowhere, out of the obscurity of the fog.
"Oh, you must excuse me!" she cried, excitedly. "I'm that worried Ican't see where I'm headed!"
"It was just as much my fault," replied Linda. "Or really, it wasn'teither's," she added. "We'll blame it on the fog."
But the other did not seem to be listening, and looking closely at her,Linda saw how deeply distressed she was. Evidently she was very poor,for her worn blue serge dress hung about her ankles