On the third day the little party, with their light luggage boarded
a train for Hakodate, at which point they arrived at noon. Hurrying
along the docks among others burdened like themselves, they came to
a great low-lying, turtle-topped warship; and, passing down a
gangway, entered the brilliantly lighted interior.

The constant flood of new passengers came, not in mixed and motley
groups, as the ordinary crowd of passengers, but by two, male and
female, as the unclean beasts into the ark. And they were all young
in years and athletic in frame--the very cream and flower of the
race.


[Illustration: Every few seconds an aeroplane shot into the air and
joined the endless winged line.]


Late that evening the vessel steamed out of port, and during the
next two days was joined by a host of other war craft, and the great
squadron moved in orderly procession to the eastward.

One point, that Ethel soon discovered was that, in addition to being
excellent physical specimens, all the men, and many of the women,
were proficient as aviators. Of these facts life on board bore ample
evidence, for the great fan ventilated gymnasium was the most
conspicuous part of the ship's equipment and here in regular drills
and in free willed disportive exercise those on board kept
themselves from stagnation during the idleness of the voyage. Into
this gymnasium work Ethel entered with great gusto, for there was a
revelation in the discovery of her own physical capabilities that