surprised and fascinated her.

In the other chief interest of her fellow passengers, Ethel was an
apt pupil, for though woefully ignorant of aviation, she was eager
to learn. She spent many hours in the company of Professor or Madame
Oshima, studying aeroplane construction and operation from the
displayed mechanisms on board. In fact, they found the great roomy
hold of the ship was packed with aeroplane parts. Small gasoline
turbines were stored in crates by the hundreds; also wings and
rudders knocked down and laid flat against each other and still
lower down in the framework of the floating palace were vast stores
of gasoline.

At the end of two weeks the Japanese squadron was in latitude 34°
north, longitude 125° west, and headed directly for the Los Angeles
district of Southern California--the richest and most densely
populated area of the United States.

One evening, just at dark, after they had been in sight of the
American aerial scouts all day, the Japanese fleet changed its
course and turned sharply to the southward. Now Panama was six days'
steaming from Los Angeles and less than three days from New Orleans.
So the authorities at Washington ordered all warships and available
soldiers on the Gulf Coast to embark for the Isthmus.

Meanwhile there was much going on beneath the armor plate of the
Japanese transports, and on the fourth day of their southward
movement the great trap doors were swung down and aeroplane parts
were run out on the tramways, the planes rapidly set up by skilled
workmen, and firmly hooked to the floor. Above and below deck they