cf05 19 KB
Newer Older
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138


	Buffeted/vbn by/in swirling/vbg winds/nns ,/, the/at little/jj green/jj biplane/nn struggled/vbd northward/rb between/in the/at mountains/nns beyond/in Northfield/np-tl Gulf/nn-tl ./.
Wires/nns whined/vbd as/cs a/at cold/jj November/np blast/nn rocked/vbd the/at silver/jj wings/nns ,/, but/cc the/at engine/nn roar/nn was/bedz reassuring/vbg to/in the/at pilot/nn bundled/vbn in/in the/at open/jj cockpit/nn ./.
He/pps peered/vbd ahead/rb and/cc grinned/vbd as/cs the/at railroad/nn tracks/nns came/vbd into/in view/nn again/rb below/rb ./.


	``/`` Good/jj old/jj iron/nn compass/nn ''/'' !/. !/.
He/pps thought/vbd ./.


	A/at plume/nn of/in smoke/nn rose/vbd from/in a/at Central/jj-tl Vermont/np-tl locomotive/nn which/wdt idled/vbd behind/in a/at string/nn of/in gravel/nn cars/nns ,/, and/cc little/jj figures/nns that/wps were/bed workmen/nns labored/vbd to/to set/vb the/at ruptured/vbn roadbed/nn to/in rights/nns ./.
The/at girders/nns of/in a/at shattered/vbn Dog/nn-tl River/nn-tl bridge/nn lay/vbd strewn/vbn for/in half/abn a/at mile/nn downstream/rb ./.
Vermont's/np$ main/jjs railroad/nn line/nn was/bedz prostrate/jj ./.
And/cc in/in the/at dark/jj days/nns after/in the/at Great/jj-tl Flood/nn-tl of/in 1927/cd --/-- the/at worst/jjt natural/jj disaster/nn in/in the/at state's/nn$ history/nn --/-- the/at little/jj plane/nn was/bedz its/pp$ sole/jj replacement/nn in/in carrying/vbg the/at United/vbn-tl States/nns-tl mails/nns ./.


	Rain/nn of/in near/jj cloudburst/nn proportions/nns had/hvd fallen/vbn for/in three/cd full/jj days/nns and/cc it/pps was/bedz still/rb raining/vbg on/in the/at morning/nn of/in Friday/nr ,/, November/np 4/cd ,/, 1927/cd ,/, when/wrb officials/nns of/in the/at Post/nn-tl Office/nn-tl Department's/nn$-tl Railway/nn-tl Mail/nn-tl Service/nn-tl realized/vbd that/cs their/pp$ distribution/nn system/nn for/in Vermont/np had/hvd been/ben almost/ql totally/rb destroyed/vbn overnight/rb ./.
Clerks/nns and/cc postmasters/nns shoveled/vbd muck/nn out/in of/in their/pp$ offices/nns --/-- those/dts who/wps still/rb had/hvd offices/nns --/-- and/cc wondered/vbd how/wrb to/to move/vb the/at mail/nn ./.
The/at state's/nn$ railroad/nn system/nn counted/vbd miles/nns of/in broken/vbn bridges/nns and/cc missing/vbg rights-of-way/nns :/: it/pps would/md obviously/rb remain/vb out/in of/in commission/nn for/in weeks/nns ./.
And/cc once/rb medicine/nn ,/, food/nn ,/, clothing/nn and/cc shelter/nn had/hvd been/ben provided/vbn for/in the/at flood's/nn$ victims/nns ,/, communications/nns and/cc the/at mail/nn were/bed the/at next/ap top/jjs problems/nns ./.


	From/in Burlington/np ,/, outgoing/jj mail/nn could/md be/be ferried/vbn across/in Lake/nn-tl Champlain/np-tl to/in the/at railroad/nn at/in Port/nn-tl Kent/np-tl ,/, N./np Y./np ./.
But/cc what/wdt came/vbd in/rp was/bedz piling/vbg up/rp ./.
The/at nearest/jjt undisrupted/jj end/nn of/in track/nn from/in Boston/np was/bedz at/in Concord/np ,/, N./np H./np ./.
When/wrb Governor/nn-tl Al/np Smith/np offered/vbd New/jj-tl York/np-tl National/jj-tl Guard/nn-tl planes/nns to/to fly/vb the/at mail/nn in/rp and/cc out/in of/in the/at state/nn ,/, it/pps seemed/vbd a/at likely/jj temporary/jj solution/nn ,/, easing/vbg Burlington's/np$ bottleneck/nn and/cc that/dt at/in Montpelier/np too/rb ./.


	The/at question/nn was/bedz ``/`` Where/wrb to/to land/vb ''/'' ?/. ?/.
There/ex was/bedz no/rb such/jj thing/nn as/cs an/at airport/nn in/in Vermont/np ./.
Burlington/np aviator/nn John/np J./np Burns/np suggested/vbd the/at parade/nn ground/nn southwest/nr of/in Fort/nn-tl Ethan/np-tl Allen/np-tl ,/, and/cc soon/rb a/at dozen/nn hastily-summoned/jj National/jj-tl Guard/nn-tl pilots/nns were/bed bringing/vbg their/pp$ wide-winged/jj ``/`` Jenny/np ''/'' and/cc DeHaviland/np two-seaters/nns to/in rest/nn on/in the/at frozen/vbn sod/nn of/in the/at military/jj base/nn ./.


	The/at only/ap available/jj field/nn that/wps could/md be/be used/vbn near/in flood-ravaged/jj Montpelier/np was/bedz on/in the/at Towne/np farm/nn off/in upper/jj Main/jjs-tl Street/nn-tl ,/, a/at narrow/jj hillside/nn where/wrb takeoffs/nns and/cc landings/nns could/md be/be safely/rb made/vbn only/rb under/in light/jj wind/nn conditions/nns ./.
Over/rp in/in Barre/np the/at streets/nns had/hvd been/ben deep/jj in/in swirling/vbg water/nn ,/, and/cc bridges/nns were/bed crumpled/vbn and/cc gone/vbn ./.
Anticipating/vbg delivery/nn of/in medicines/nns and/cc yeast/nn by/in plane/nn ,/, Granite/nn-tl City/nn-tl citizens/nns formed/vbd an/at airfield/nn committee/nn and/cc with/in the/at aid/nn of/in quarrymen/nns and/cc the/at 172nd/od-tl Infantry/nn-tl ,/, Vermont/np-tl National/jj-tl Guard/nn-tl ,/, laid/vbd out/rp runways/nns on/in Wilson/np flat/nn ,/, high/rb on/in Millstone/nn-tl Hill/nn-tl ./.
The/at ``/`` Barre/np-tl Aviation/nn-tl Field/nn-tl ''/'' was/bedz set/vbn to/to receive/vb its/pp$ first/od aircraft/nn the/at Sunday/nr following/vbg the/at flood/nn ./.


	Though/cs the/at makeshift/jj airports/nns were/bed ready/jj ,/, the/at York/np-tl State/nn-tl Guard/nn-tl flyers/nns proved/vbd unable/jj to/to keep/vb any/dti kind/nn of/in mail/nn schedule/nn ./.
They/ppss had/hvd courage/nn but/cc their/pp$ meager/jj training/nn consisted/vbd of/in weekend/nn hops/nns in/in good/jj weather/nn ,/, in/rp and/cc out/in of/in established/vbn airports/nns ,/, And/cc the/at increasingly/rb cold/jj weather/nn soon/rb raised/vbd hob/nn with/in the/at water/nn cooled/vbn engines/nns of/in their/pp$ World/nn-tl War/nn-tl 1/cd-tl ,/, planes/nns ./.
It/pps seemed/vbd like/cs a/at good/jj time/nn for/in officials/nns to/to use/vb a/at recently-passed/jj law/nn empowering/vbg the/at post/nn office/nn department/nn to/to contract/vb for/in the/at transport/nn of/in first/od class/nn mail/nn by/in air/nn ./.
They/ppss had/hvd to/to act/vb fast/rb ,/, for/cs letters/nns were/bed clogging/vbg the/at terminals/nns ./.


	Down/rp in/in Concord/np ,/, New/jj-tl Hampshire/np-tl ,/, was/bedz a/at flier/nn in/in the/at right/jj place/nn at/in the/at right/jj time/nn :/: Robert/np S./np Fogg/np ,/, a/at native/jj New/jj-tl Englander/np-tl ,/, had/hvd been/ben a/at World/nn-tl War/nn-tl 1/cd-tl ,/, flying/vbg instructor/nn ,/, barnstormer/nn ,/, and/cc one/cd of/in the/at original/jj planners/nns of/in the/at Concord/np-tl Airport/nn-tl ./.
Tall/jj ,/, wiry/jj ,/, dark-haired/jj Bob/np Fogg/np had/hvd already/rb racked/vbn up/rp one/cd historical/jj first/od in/in air/nn mail/nn history/nn ./.
Piloting/vbg a/at Curtiss/np-tl Navy/nn-tl MF/nn flying/vbg boat/nn off/in Lake/nn-tl Winnipesaukee/np-tl in/in 1925/cd ,/, he/pps had/hvd inaugurated/vbn the/at original/jj Rural/jj-tl Delivery/nn-tl air/nn service/nn in/in America/np ./.


	During/in the/at excitement/nn following/vbg Lindbergh's/np$ flight/nn to/in Paris/np earlier/rbr in/in 1927/cd ,/, dare/vb devil/nn aviators/nns overnight/rb became/vbd legendary/jj heroes/nns ./.
In/in Concord/np ,/, Bob/np Fogg/np was/bedz the/at most/ql prominent/jj New/jj-tl Hampshire/np-tl boy/nn with/in wings/nns ./.
Public-spirited/jj backers/nns staked/vbd him/ppo to/in a/at brand-new/jj airplane/nn ,/, aimed/vbd at/in putting/vbg their/pp$ city/nn and/cc state/nn on/in the/at flying/vbg map/nn ./.
The/at ship/nn was/bedz a/at Waco/np biplane/nn ,/, one/cd of/in the/at first/od two/cd of/in its/pp$ type/nn to/to be/be fitted/vbn with/in the/at air/nn cooled/vbn ,/, 225/hp/jj Wright/np radial/jj engine/nn known/vbn as/cs the/at Whirlwind/nn-tl ./.
A/at trim/jj green/jj and/cc silver-painted/jj craft/nn only/rb 22-1/2/cd feet/nns long/jj ,/, the/at Waco/np was/bedz entered/vbn to/to compete/vb in/in the/at ``/`` On-to-Spokane/jj-tl ''/'' Air/nn-tl Derby/nn-tl of/in 1927/cd ./.
As/cs a/at matter/nn of/in fact/nn ,/, Fogg/np and/cc his/pp$ plane/nn didn't/dod* get/vb beyond/in Pennsylvania/np in/in the/at race/nn --/-- an/at engine/nn oil/nn leak/nn forced/vbd him/ppo down/rp --/-- but/cc the/at flying/vbg service/nn and/cc school/nn he/pps started/vbd subsequently/rb were/bed first/od steps/nns in/in paying/vbg off/rp his/pp$ wry-faced/jj backers/nns ./.
So/rb with/in all/abn this/dt experience/nn ,/, Bob/np Fogg/np was/bedz a/at natural/jj choice/nn to/to receive/vb the/at first/od Emergency/nn-tl Air/nn-tl Mail/nn-tl Star/nn-tl Route/nn-tl contract/nn ./.
His/pp$ work/nn began/vbd just/rb six/cd days/nns after/in the/at flood/nn ./.


	By/in airline/nn from/in Concord/np to/in Burlington/np is/bez a/at distance/nn of/in about/rb 150/cd miles/nns ,/, counting/vbg a/at slight/jj deviation/nn for/in the/at stop/nn at/in either/cc Barre/np or/cc Montpelier/np ./.
The/at first/od few/ap days/nns Bob/np Fogg/np set/vbd his/pp$ plane/nn down/rp on/in Towne/np field/nn back/rb of/in the/at State/nn-tl House/nn-tl when/wrb the/at wind/nn was/bedz right/jj ,/, and/cc used/vbd Wilson/np flat/nn above/in Barre/np when/wrb it/pps wasn't/bedz* ./.
Between/in the/at unsafe/jj Towne/np field/nn and/cc the/at long/jj roundabout/jj back/jj road/nn haul/nn that/wps was/bedz necessary/jj to/to gain/vb access/nn to/in Wilson/np flat/nn ,/, arrangements/nns at/in the/at state/nn capital/nn were/bed far/ql from/in satisfactory/jj ./.
Each/dt time/nn in/rp ,/, the/at unhappy/jj pilot/nn ,/, pushing/vbg his/pp$ luck/nn ,/, begged/vbd the/at postal/jj officials/nns that/wps met/vbd him/ppo to/to find/vb a/at safer/jjr landing/vbg place/nn ,/, preferably/rb on/in the/at flat-topped/jj hills/nns across/in the/at Winooski/np-tl River/nn-tl ./.


	``/`` But/cc Fogg/np ''/'' ,/, they/ppss countered/vbd ,/, ``/`` we/ppss can't/md* get/vb over/in there/rb ./.
And/cc besides/rb you/ppss seem/vb to/to make/vb it/ppo all/ql right/rb here/rb ''/'' ./.
It/pps took/vbd a/at tragedy/nn to/to bring/vb things/nns to/in a/at head/nn ./.
After/cs a/at week/nn of/in precarious/jj uphill/jj landings/nns and/cc downwind/jj takeoffs/nns ,/, Fogg/np one/cd day/nn looked/vbd down/rp at/in the/at shattered/vbn yellow/jj wreckage/nn of/in an/at Army/nn-tl plane/nn strewn/vbn across/in snow-covered/jj Towne/np field/nn ./.
Sent/vbn to/in Montpelier/np by/in Secretary/nn-tl Herbert/np Hoover/np ,/, Red/jj-tl Cross/nn-tl Aide/nn-tl Reuben/np Sleight/np had/hvd been/ben killed/vbn ,/, and/cc his/pp$ pilot/nn ,/, Lt./nn-tl Franklin/np Wolfe/np ,/, badly/rb injured/vbn ./.
With/in the/at field/nn a/at blur/nn of/in white/jj the/at unfortunate/jj pilot/nn had/hvd simply/rb flown/vbn into/in the/at hillside/nn ./.


	Faced/vbn with/in this/dt situation/nn ,/, Postmaster/nn-tl Charles/np F./np McKenna/np of/in Montpelier/np went/vbd with/in Fogg/np on/in a/at Burlington/np trip/nn ,/, and/cc together/rb they/ppss scouted/vbd the/at terrain/nn on/in the/at heights/nns of/in Berlin/np ./.
A/at long/jj flat/jj known/vbn as/cs the/at St./np John/np field/nn seemed/vbd to/to answer/vb their/pp$ purpose/nn ,/, and/cc since/cs the/at Winooski/np bridges/nns were/bed at/in last/rb passable/jj ,/, they/ppss decided/vbd to/to use/vb it/ppo ./.


	With/in a/at wary/jj eye/nn on/in the/at farmer's/nn$ bull/nn ,/, Fred/np Somers/np of/in Montpelier/np and/cc Mr./np St./np John/np marked/vbd the/at field/nn with/in a/at red/jj table/nn cloth/nn ./.
As/cs a/at wind/nn direction/nn indicator/nn ,/, they/ppss tied/vbd a/at cotton/nn rag/nn to/in a/at sapling/nn ./.
With/in these/dts aids/nns ,/, and/cc a/at pair/nn of/in skiis/nns substituting/vbg for/in wheels/nns on/in the/at Waco/np ,/, Bob/np Fogg/np made/vbd the/at first/od landing/nn on/in what/wdt is/bez now/rb part/nn of/in the/at Barre-Montpelier/jj-tl Airport/nn-tl on/in November/np 21/cd ,/, 1927/cd ./.


	Each/dt trip/nn saw/vbd the/at front/jj cockpit/nn filled/vbd higher/rbr with/in mail/nn pouches/nns ./.
During/in the/at second/od week/nn of/in operations/nns ,/, Fogg/np received/vbd a/at telegram/nn from/in the/at Post/nn-tl Office/nn-tl Department/nn-tl ,/, asking/vbg him/ppo to/to ``/`` put/vb on/rp two/cd airplanes/nns and/cc make/vb two/cd flights/nns daily/rb ,/, plus/cc one/cd Sunday/nr trip/nn ''/'' ./.
Since/cs Fogg's/np$ was/bedz a/at one-man/jj ,/, one-plane/nn flying/vbg service/nn ,/, this/dt meant/vbd that/cs he/pps would/md have/hv to/to do/do both/abx trips/nns ,/, flying/vbg alone/rb 600/cd miles/nns a/at day/nn ,/, under/in sub-freezing/jj temperature/nn conditions/nns ./.


	Over/in the/at weeks/nns ,/, America's/np$ first/od Star/nn-tl Route/nn-tl Air/nn-tl Mail/nn-tl settled/vbd into/in a/at routine/jj pattern/nn despite/in the/at vagaries/nns of/in weather/nn and/cc the/at lack/nn of/in ground/nn facilities/nns and/cc aids/nns to/in navigation/nn ./.
Each/dt morning/nn at/in five/cd Fogg/np crawled/vbd out/in of/in bed/nn to/to bundle/vb into/in flying/vbg togs/nns over/in the/at furnace/nn register/nn of/in his/pp$ home/nn ./.
Always/rb troubled/vbn by/in poor/jj circulation/nn in/in his/pp$ feet/nns ,/, he/pps experimented/vbd with/in various/jj combinations/nns of/in socks/nns and/cc shoes/nns before/cs finally/rb adopting/vbg old-style/nn felt/nn farmer's/nn$ boots/nns with/in his/pp$ sheepskin/nn flying/vbg boots/nns pulled/vbn over/in them/ppo ./.
A/at sheep-lined/jj leather/nn flying/vbg suit/nn ,/, plus/cc helmet/nn ,/, goggles/nns and/cc mittens/nns completed/vbd his/pp$ attire/nn for/in the/at rigors/nns of/in the/at open/jj cockpit/nn ./.
The/at airman's/nn$ stock/nn answer/nn to/in ``/`` Weren't/bed* you/ppss cold/jj ''/'' ?/. ?/.
Became/vbd ``/`` Yes/rb ,/, the/at first/od half/abn hour/nn is/bez tough/jj ,/, but/cc by/in then/rb I'm/ppss+bem so/ql numb/jj I/ppss don't/do* notice/vb it/ppo ''/'' !/. !/.


	As/cs daylight/nn began/vbd to/to show/vb through/in the/at frosty/jj windows/nns ,/, Fogg/np would/md place/vb a/at call/nn to/in William/np A./np Shaw/np at/in the/at U./np-tl S./np-tl Weather/nn-tl Station/nn-tl at/in Northfield/np ,/, Vermont/np ,/, for/in temperature/nn and/cc wind-velocity/nn readings/nns ./.
Shaw/np could/md also/rb give/vb the/at flyer/nn a/at pretty/ql good/jj idea/nn of/in area/nn visibility/nn by/in a/at visual/jj check/nn of/in the/at mountains/nns to/to be/be seen/vbn from/in his/pp$ station/nn ./.
``/`` Ceilings/nns ''/'' were/bed judged/vbn by/in comparison/nn with/in known/vbn mountain/nn heights/nns and/cc cloud/nn positions/nns ./.
Later/rbr on/rp in/in the/at day/nn Fogg/np could/md get/vb a/at better/jjr weather/nn picture/nn from/in the/at Burlington/np-tl Weather/nn-tl Bureau/nn-tl supervised/vbn by/in Frank/np E./np Hartwell/np ./.


	Out/rp at/in the/at airport/nn each/dt morning/nn ,/, Fogg's/np$ skilled/jj mechanic/nn Caleb/np Marston/np would/md have/hv the/at Waco/np warmed/vbn up/rp and/cc running/vbg in/in the/at drafty/jj hangar/nn ./.
(/( He'd/pps+md get/vb the/at engine/nn oil/nn flowing/vbg with/in an/at electric/jj heater/nn under/in a/at big/jj canvas/nn cover/nn ./.
)/) Wishing/vbg to/to show/vb that/cs aviation/nn was/bedz dependable/jj and/cc here/rb to/to stay/vb ,/, Bob/np Fogg/np always/rb made/vbd a/at point/nn of/in taking/vbg off/rp each/dt morning/nn on/in the/at dot/nn of/in seven/cd ,/, disregarding/vbg rain/nn ,/, snow/nn and/cc sleet/nn in/in true/jj postal/jj tradition/nn ./.
Concord/np learned/vbd to/to set/vb its/pp$ clocks/nns by/in the/at rackety/jj bark/nn of/in the/at Whirlwind's/nn$-tl exhaust/nn overhead/rb ./.
Sometimes/rb the/at pilot/nn had/hvd to/to turn/vb back/rb if/cs fully/rb blocked/vbn by/in fog/nn ,/, but/cc 85%/nn of/in his/pp$ trips/nns were/bed completed/vbn ./.


	Plane/nn radios/nns were/bed not/* yet/rb available/jj ,/, and/cc once/rb in/in the/at air/nn ,/, Fogg/np flew/vbd his/pp$ ship/nn by/in compass/nn ,/, a/at good/jj memory/nn for/in landmarks/nns as/ql seen/vbn from/in above/rb ,/, and/cc a/at capacity/nn for/in dead/jj reckoning/nn and/cc quick/jj computation/nn ./.
Often/rb ,/, threading/vbg through/in the/at overcast/nn ,/, he/pps was/bedz forced/vbn to/to fly/vb close/rb to/in the/at ground/nn by/in a/at low/jj ceiling/nn ,/, skimming/vbg above/in the/at Winooski/np or/cc the/at White/jj-tl River/nn-tl along/in the/at line/nn of/in the/at broken/vbn railroad/nn ./.
When/wrb driving/vbg rain/nn or/cc mist/nn socked/vbd in/in one/cd valley/nn ,/, Fogg/np would/md chandelle/vb up/rp and/cc over/rp to/to reverse/vb course/nn and/cc try/vb another/dt one/cd ,/, ranging/vbg from/in the/at Ottauquechee/np up/in to/in Danville/np in/in search/nn of/in safe/jj passage/nn through/in the/at mountain/nn passes/nns ./.


	The/at dependable/jj Wright/np engine/nn was/bedz never/rb stopped/vbn on/in these/dts trips/nns ./.
It/pps ticked/vbd over/rp smoothly/rb ,/, idling/vbg while/cs Fogg/np exchanged/vbd mails/nns with/in the/at armed/vbn messenger/nn from/in Burlington/np at/in Fort/nn-tl Ethan/np-tl Allen/np-tl ,/, and/cc one/cd from/in Montpelier/np and/cc Barre/np at/in the/at St./np John/np field/nn ./.


	Sometimes/rb ,/, on/in a/at return/jj trip/nn ,/, the/at aviator/nn would/md ``/`` go/vb upstairs/rb ''/'' high/rb over/in the/at clouds/nns ./.
There/rb he'd/pps+md take/vb a/at compass/nn reading/nn ,/, figure/vb his/pp$ air/nn speed/nn ,/, and/cc deduce/vb that/cs in/in a/at certain/jj number/nn of/in minutes/nns he'd/pps+md be/be over/in the/at broad/jj meadows/nns of/in the/at Merrimack/np-tl Valley/nn-tl where/wrb it/pps would/md be/be safe/jj to/to let/vb down/rp through/in the/at overcast/nn and/cc see/vb the/at ground/nn before/cs it/pps hit/vbd him/ppo ./.
Bob/np Fogg/np didn't/dod* have/hv today's/nr$ advantages/nns of/in Instrument/nn-tl Flight/nn-tl and/cc Ground/nn-tl Control/nn-tl Approach/nn-tl systems/nns ./.
At/in the/at end/nn of/in the/at calculated/vbn time/nn he'd/pps+md nose/vb the/at Waco/np down/rp through/in the/at cloud/nn bank/nn and/cc hope/vb to/to break/vb through/rp where/wrb some/dti feature/nn of/in the/at winter/nn landscape/nn would/md be/be recognizable/jj ./.


	Usually/rb back/rb in/in Concord/np by/in noon/nn ,/, there/ex was/bedz just/rb time/nn to/to get/vb partially/rb thawed/vbn out/rp ,/, refuel/vb ,/, and/cc grab/vb a/at bit/nn of/in Mrs./np Fogg's/np$ hot/jj broth/nn before/cs starting/vbg the/at second/od trip/nn ./.
Day/nn after/in day/nn Fogg/np shuttled/vbd back/rb and/cc forth/rb on/in his/pp$ one-man/jj air/nn mail/nn route/nn ,/, until/cs the/at farmers/nns in/in their/pp$ snowy/jj barnyards/nns and/cc the/at road/nn repairmen/nns came/vbd to/to recognize/vb the/at stubby/jj plane/nn as/cs their/pp$ link/nn with/in the/at rest/nn of/in the/at country/nn ./.


	The/at flyer/nn had/hvd his/pp$ share/nn of/in near-misses/nns ./.
At/in Fort/nn-tl Ethan/np-tl Allen/np-tl the/at ever-present/jj wind/nn off/in Lake/nn-tl Champlain/np-tl could/md readily/rb flip/vb a/at puny/jj man-made/jj thing/nn like/cs an/at airplane/nn if/cs the/at pilot/nn miscalculated/vbd ./.
Once/cs the/at soldiers/nns from/in the/at barracks/nns had/hvd to/to hold/vb the/at ship/nn from/in blowing/vbg away/rb while/cs Fogg/np revved/vbd the/at engine/nn and/cc got/vbd the/at tail/nn up/rp ./.
At/in a/at nod/nn of/in his/pp$ head/nn they/ppss let/vb go/vb ,/, turning/vbg to/to cup/vb their/pp$ ears/nns against/in the/at icy/jj slipstream/nn ./.
Tracks/nns in/in the/at snow/nn showed/vbd the/at plane/nn was/bedz airborne/jj in/in less/ap than/in a/at hundred/cd feet/nns ./.


	One/cd afternoon/nn during/in a/at cold/jj ,/, powdery/jj snowstorm/nn ,/, Fogg/np took/vbd off/rp for/in Concord/np from/in the/at St./np John/np field/nn ./.