ACROSS THE EQUATOR WITH THE AMERICAN NAVY 



599 



Official Photograph, U. S. Navy 

 OUT OF ITS ELEMENT: THE FLOATING WRECK OE A KITE BALLOON 



every one did know was that no seaplane 

 can last long in even a trifling sea. 



Just a few days before one had been 

 forced down in a choppy little tangle of 

 water — the sort of sea a dory would 

 make nothing of at all — and her body 

 had snapped square in two. 



That sort of an accident had never 

 happened before. Her mate alighted on 

 the water in an attempt at rescue and 

 her body snapped. The crews of the 

 two planes had only been saved by a 

 combination of miracle and calm Ameri- 



The wireless caught a little now and 

 then, first from 4311's radio and later 

 from the destroyer Hatfield, which was 

 standing by. The seaplane had found 

 shelter under Sarrana Banks and might, 

 possibly, be saved. 



Her mate. No. 3681, was flying over- 

 head, as a fishhawk might circle over a 

 wounded mate, but she was ordered on 

 to Old Providence. There was nothing 

 that she could have done, in any case. 

 If 43 1 1 had gone to pieces and the Hat- 

 field had not been at hand, 3681 must 

 have flown overhead and watched the 



