Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

Page 25 text:

By EMiLY FRIEDMAN “Bunk!” Bartel Overton waved his hand derisively, and burst into a throaty laughter. Fred Newton turned and glowered indignantly at his friend. No one likes to be ridiculed, least of all a staid senior. “I tell you, it is not bunk!” he declared with char- acteristic vehemence. “Тһе story I just told you is absolutely true. Do you mean to say,” Bartel queried, arching his brows with mock incredulity, “that a man who has never run an airplane before in his life can step into one and make a successful trip in it?” “Why, surely! answered Fred with the positive- nes of a man who is convinced that he is right. But, he continued, you must remember that it is necessary for this man to be spurred on by a deeper emotion than mere reckless daring. The object of our argument, as you know, was оп an island. Не spent several years there, and one day a wreck was washed upon the beach which contained all the necessary equipment to construct a complete flying machine. Well, he managed to put the different parts together. filled the tank, and flew off to the nearest civilized island which was several hundred miles away. As you see, with this man it was a question of life or death. It was absolutely improbable that a ship would ever rescue him, as the island was far off the course of any vessel; naturally, pressed by circum- stances, he took a chance and came out of it alive.” Bunk! repeated Bartel, you only read of such things in books. I don't think anyone, no matter how necessary it was, could do a thing he had never done before. Meanwhile they had reached the end of the street on which they had been walking. With a brief So long —Bartel and Fred parted. Fred going home- ward, while Bartel turned toward the dock. Here he was to take pretty Jean Thiebalt for a sail upon the river. Bartel Overton, a clean-cut, lithe youth, was a com- parative newcomer to Forthawan, a town which nestled demurely between the River Shaset, Mt. Owl- ing and the Atlantic Ocean. Не, too, was a senior at the Forthawan High School. The winter before, he had been acclaimed far and wide as hero of the gridiron. The fellows admired him for his daring and sportsmanship; the girls admired him for his impudent good looks. Не had been attracted to Jean Thiebalt from the very first, and now it was common gossip that Jean would look at no one else. Several days before, Bart had received a trim sail boat as a gift from his father. Sailing was a popular sport among the younger folks. But at this time of the year, the latter part of April, it was rather precarious upon the river, as storms were very frequent and sud- den. However, anxious to try out the new sail boat, Bart and Jean had made arrangements to venture out. As Bart came upon the dock where his boat was moored Jean was already waiting. “I thought you weren't ever coming, Bart, was Jean's greeting as she smiled up into his face. Bart flushed slightly. He had never quite over- come his shyness before her. “І am sorry, Jean, he said. Fred and I were having quite an argument, and I suppose we were walking too leisurely. “Tell me about it!” I will as soon as we are out on the river, and Bart busied himself with his boat. He uncoupled it, helped Jean to her place, pulled up the sail and in a few minutes they were on their way towards Pirates’