The Boy Who Could Fly Without a Motor Read Online Free PDF Page B

air.
    Mrs. Jeffers called Bosun Jeffers over, and they watched in despair as their small son went across the green grass like a frog.
    "Ee-glup." And hop.
    "Ee-glup." And hop.
    "Ee-glup." And hop.
    Mrs. Jeffers said with determination, "Just as soon as that supply boat comes in, I'm taking him to the mainland and the hospital."
    "Absolutely." Bosun Jeffers nodded.
    Jon went back down to the cove and added three more stones to each pocket, then returned to the red cottage at the foot of the lighthouse and said he was going to take a nap. A long afternoon of emergency telepathy was ahead, to try to reach Ling Wu, a ghost Jon now wished he'd never met.
    "That does it," Jon's mother said to Bosun Jeffers. "Jon hasn't volunteered to take a nap in five years." As Jon walked out of the kitchen, a final massive hiccough grabbed him. He went, "Eeglup," and his heels rose three inches despite the added stones.
    Mrs. Jeffers began to weep.
    Later that same day, there was some unusual excitement. A squadron of Army Air Corps fighter planes flew back and forth to the west of Clementine, about two miles out.
    Rocks in his pockets, Jon went up the ladders to the top of the lighthouse and used his father's telescope to watch. The planes were Curtiss-Wright P-36s with Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp engines. He wondered what they were doing.

THIRTEEN
    THE NEXT DAY, WHILE UP ON THE TOWER platform, looking through the telescope at a tanker headed south, Jon spotted a small white boat moving toward Clementine. He focused in on it, and saw that it was Coast Guard, with three or four people aboard. Aside from when the steam supply-tug came,the only time an official boat visited the rock was for the annual lighthouse inspection.
    There was chop, and the boat bounced through the whitecaps. Jon and Smacks quickly descended the ladders and steps. Jon's father was in the kitchen, busily making his monthly nonfood, maintenance needs list, which included oil for the diesel and other items.
    "Dad, there's a Coast Guard boat approaching," said Jon. His father put down his pencil.
    They went down to the cove, Smacks romping ahead, wagging his tail furiously. Visitors were always welcome.
    The boat held three officers as well as a civilian and a two-sailor crew. The officers and civilian climbed out as the sailors tied the boat to the dock.
    The Coast Guard lieutenant introduced himself and then the other two officers and the civilian. The major was from Army Intelligence, the lieutenant commander was from Naval Intelligence, and the civilian was an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Jon had never seen an agent, but he'd often listened to the FBI show on the radio. Now here was a real one.
    Jon saw the frown and puzzled look on his dad's face. What in the world did these intelligence folks want on remote Clementine Rock? Jon felt the same way.
    The lieutenant said, "Boats, could we have a chat?"
    Jon's father said, "Sure. Let's go up to the kitchen. We'll have some coffee." He led the way, with Jon and Smacks following the group.
    Jon wished he could talk to the FBI agent and ask him if he'd ever been in a gun battle with bootleggers.
    They all sat down around the old oak table while Mrs. Jeffers made coffee and asked if they wanted a piece of the apple pie she'd just baked. If the men turned it down, Jon thought, they were fools. Just breathing the smell of his mother's pies was a treat.
    The lieutenant commander smiled at her and said, "Certainly. Thank you." He then said, "Tuesday night there was a trawler fishing about three quarters of a mile, perhaps a mile, off Three Fathom Shoal at approximately eleven o'clock. What I'm going to tell you now must remain top secret..."
    Jon's mouth hung open and his heart did cartwheels.
    "A flying object passed over this boat, circled it, and then disappeared into the darkness. Six of the eight crew members saw it, so it was not a figment of their imaginations. And it was not a big bird. You may laugh at