the hour of nine
What a tribute to the mechanical genius of modern man had these engines paid ! They were almost human in intelligence , more than human in their untiring zeal . The repairs were not difficult to make ; the belt was cut and fastened again with a leather lace borrowed from the police `` chief 's '' shoe , and the careful use of a wrench and other tools out of their kit finally fixed the loose coupling . But these operations had consumed unlooked-for valuable time , and when they had had breakfast with their friends and were ready at last to go , they found that the watch of their host indicated the hour of nine . Setting their own watches to this local time , as had been their custom in all towns upon arriving or leaving , our flyers once more thanked their entertainers for courtesies extended , wished them good-bye , and got in their machine . As they taxied swiftly down the course , the rush of wind from the big propeller sent more than one Ecuadorean 's wide-brimmed hat flying from his head , and to the enjoyment of all , a native who was perched precariously upon an up-ended cask was blown heels-over-head backwards . No sooner had they straightened out upon their northeasterly course than Bob sat down to his instruments and called up the Panama wireless station .