The amazing flying belt - book two - Din and Paul's adventures in South Africa and Namibia.
Introduction
The book series of "The amazing flying belt" tells you the amazing and wonderful adventures of Henry and his teenagers sons Tim (17), Din (16), and Paul (18).
How they became rich after having endured bad experiences.
Chased by cruel enemies around the world who wanted to rob them.
How did they survive it?
Using Henry's magnificent invention of "The amazing flying belt."
Which Henry envisioned and designed a kind of machine that would be light and small enough so it can be worn on the waist. It would be full of tiny electronic and mechanic devices to enable one, a maximum of two people to fly unlimited distance at different velocities and heights
It would be powered by a special device that converted the sun's solar energy into electricity. The user would never need to worry about any fuel for the flying belt.
For balance, the belt generated air pockets around the user to allow him to sit, stand, or lie down while flying. Another crucial device was a special container tied on each side of the belt that pulled out and accumulated the moisture from the air, even in arid conditions (this, of course, worked more slowly than in humid countries.)
It had many more devices - complicated and difficult to understand.
Henry and his sons' adventures with "The amazing flying belts" are told in this book and the following books.
This is the second book – Din and Paul's amazing adventures in South Africa and Namibia.
Chapter 1 A challenging voyage through the Kalahari Desert
Once there was an inventor named Henry. Henry was 52 years with a full head of greying hair that defied his vibrant manner. He was taller than most people in his small town, in Florida USA and had kind big brown eyes.
Like most inventors he didn't pay much attention to his appearance. He was always dressed in an old green buttoned shirt and faded blue trousers. He patched his own worn brown shoes instead of driving to the cobbler. He considered going there a waste of time that took him away from his passion for making his big idea comes to life.
When Henry was a kid his family went on a trip of the Everglades National Park to see crocodiles. The large reptilian beasts were indeed impressive and scary, but what amazed Henry the most was the huge flocks of birds that took off from the marsh. That was the day he became fascinated with flight. Not airplane flight, or hot-air balloon flight. Not even a wing glider flight. But a flight where any person can take off to the sky whenever he wanted.
So as Henry grew that fascination became a passion. And this passion became his big idea - to create a flying belt!
He envisioned and designed a kind of machine that would be light in weight and small enough so it can be worn on the waist. It would be full of tiny electronic and mechanic devices to enable one or a maximum of two people to fly unlimited distances at different velocities and heights.
It would be powered by a special device that converted the sun's solar energy into electricity. The user would never need to worry about any fuel for the flying belt.
For balance, the belt generated air pockets around the user to allow him to sit, stand, or lie down while flying. Another crucial device was a special container tied on each side of the belt that pulled out and accumulated the moisture from the air, even in arid conditions (this, of course, worked more slowly than in humid countries.)
On his back and chest, the user carries two backpacks with extra clothes and emergency food and even a tiny and very light refrigerator powered by the same energy of the belt. For the comfort of the user, there was also a miniature air condition unit.
And more and more devices - complicated and difficult to understand.
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Henry had three sons: Tim, Din, and Paul.
Paul, the eldest, was a bright, cheerful, and adventurous 18 years old teenager but dependent and irresolute. Tall like his father and with green eyes like his mother. He copied his father's modest taste in clothing and usually wore a very casual t-shirt and trousers.
Tim was 17 years old brown eyes and hair, a tall, quiet, sensitive, courageous, quick-thinking boy.
Din was a smart, quick thinking adventurous and courageous boy of 16, mature for his age. capable of being a natural leader.
His brown eyes took everything fast and without fear, his hair was brown and long he quitted school early, to experience real adventures.
he didn't believe in learning theoretically, but practically. his parents supported him with this.
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Henry and Tim were hiding in a secret place, threatened by the cruel and dangerous diamonds dealer Mr. George in Florida, who wanted their diamonds which they got from a treasure hidden in a tiny uninhabited island, in the Bahamas Islands.
Henry's other two sons Paul and Din would begin the crossing of Kalahari desert on their way to Skeleton Coast to check another treasure that Din had found by accident in a buried wreck and recovered the last part of their first treasure.
The brothers were happy because of their success in selling many of their diamonds, overcoming many dangers.
They were also excited but more mature and knew that they might encounter more danger and evil men.
Leaving Mahikend where their injured friend Izak the Jewish diamonds dealer was hiding from his enemies and was healing.
Paul and Din checked again the Kalahari Desert map.
It was July, the wet season in the Kalahari Desert.
They expected to have to cross it. The climate was not tropical because of the high altitude ranges between 2400 and 3200 feet (800 and 1200 meters.)
There would be sometimes a frost during the night, so they had to be equipped with some warm clothes together with the light ones for the warm days.
The south-western part of Kalahari Desert, through which they intended to pass would be cooler than their last crossing because it was the wet season.
Because of its low aridity, The Kalahari Desert has a varied flora such as acacia trees with its white flowers and long wide green leaves, and the strange Kiwano the fruit that is known as the horned melon, the devil's thorn flower with its yellow flowers.
The brothers flew low above the desert, with a surprisingly low temperature. The land was high mountainous land. They passed near higher land, not trying to fly over them but encircled them, although it meant a lengthened voyage.
Every hour they landed somewhere to rest a little paying attention to the surrounding area.
From time to time they saw fleeting figures disappearing quickly when they passed.
Din and Paul thought they were probably Bushmen.
When the temperature rose towards noon, they halted near a Camel Thorn tree which gave them a shelter from the heat. They ate and drank sparely knowing the difficult terrain and condition they entered.
Feeling safe in this semiarid area.
No one of their pursuers would dare come here.
Din asked his brother if he was happy passing through that area.
He got an affirmative answer.
When evening came, they made a fire with some dried thorn, to warm themselves and prevent wild animals to approach them.
They took shifts to protect themselves.
It was Paul's shift when he awoke Din whispering "We have guests."
Din awoke immediately and looked around confused.
"I don't see anyone." He said angrily and was about to go to sleep when he had a glimpse of a human form low in the grass, who disappeared immediately.
"A Bushman," said Din shrugging his shoulders.
"Is it not a danger?" whispered Paul alarmed.
"If he and his friends saw us coming flying, I am sure he would be afraid of us, so just relax."
The Bushman looked at them for a short time and then disappeared.
"Be careful, don't show hostility or fear, they have poisoned arrows, just behave in a quiet
manner, smile at them and even invite them to our encampment." Said Din.
Paul was astonished, Din grew up mentally.
His shift ended and Din took his place.
After some minutes there was a movement, and Din saw two Bushmen coming slowly, carrying something on their hands.
Din smiled at them and invited them to come by gestures.
The Bushmen approached with what should have been a smile.
Din whispered to Paul to be quiet then he took some food from one of the backpacks and offered it to them.
In moments the four people were eating the other's food.
Then the Bushmen gesticulated with their hands towards the sky,
which Din affirmed it.
In a while, there were more Bushmen talking excitedly in their strange language.
It continued for sometimes then one of them probably the leader
said something, and the Bushmen bowed lightly and disappeared.
Paul felt relieved and went to sleep immediately.
Din sat near the little fire and thought about those little men behaving better than the white and brown ones.
In the morning, after they woke they saw that the Bushman left some strange food for them as a gift.
Paul wanted to throw it away, but Din took it and put some of their food as a gift.
Then waved them and they took off flying low and stopping for a minute to wave to the Bushmen who waved back excitedly.
Paul asked his brother, "Why all those ceremonies?"
"To get the goodwill of the Bushmen near and far, they communicate fast between them in their own way."
They would behave in a friendly way if we encounter some of them.
The morning was cool, and they enjoyed the weather changing their helmets to wide hats.
The weather became hot and then very hot towards noon, so they landed near a low hill which gave them some shade.
They drank water sparingly, ate a brief and light meal, then settled to wait for the afternoon.
Nobody was there, only some flying insects.
Din who wore a long-sleeved shirt suffered less from them than Paul.
After a while, Paul became hot in the face, and his breathing changed.
Din acted quickly.
He took Paul in his flying belt and flew towards a place he had seen before, it was a little Bushmen encampment!!
Without hesitation, he landed and gestured towards the Bushmen.
One of them came immediately, looking at Paul he ordered something in his strange language and a woman began to prepare something then attached it to Paul's face.
The leader told Din by movements to lay Paul on the ground in a shaded place and gave him some water to drink.
The Bush woman applied more and more of her stuff. Din had mixed feeling, on the one hand he was worried about Paul, on the other hand, he was confident that the Bush woman knew her work and wouldn't hurt Paul.
Din sat near his brother listening to his heavy breathing.
Paul's face was covered with cold perspiration and the Bush woman applied more of her stuff.
From time to time Paul coughed strongly, perplexed Din looked at the woman.
She signaled him to relax.
Din passed an anxious night, watching his brother fighting the fever.
Most of the night he didn't sleep.
When he awoke late, the next morning he saw that Paul felt better.
The woman gave Din some leaves and showed him how to make them ready to apply.
In exchange Din gave them water from his devices to the astonishment of the Bushmen.
While Din caught some of their words and taught the woman some basic English words.
They parted as friends.
Din told his brother that the first encounter with the Bushmen which was satisfactory, saved Paul's life.
Din put the material the woman had given him in a safe place in his backpack knowing now better about the danger of flying insects.
They departed from the Bushmen's encampment and continued their voyage.
After a while, Din asked Paul how he felt and got an answer he was feeling better, satisfied, they continued their flight.
Towards night the weather changed.
Rain began to fall in big droplets accompanied by fierce thunderstorms making the area vibrating with their sounds.
Paul felt the might of nature's elements and suggested to find some shelter.
Flying low and slowly searching but found nothing.
They had to rely on their helmets blankets and capes.
It took the rain a long time before it passed away.
They took off at last flying north, approaching the Botswana border and crossed it without incident.
Then discussing two alternatives. To travel southwest through Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park with its predators like lions, cheetahs, African leopards, and hyenas or to fly north-west over Botswana and then Namibia over semiarid areas.
They took the northern route because they had crossed the southern route last time.
While flying low they encountered green Camel thorn and yellow Devil's thorn flowers spread for great distances.
They checked from time to time their water devices, making sure it worked.
So the vital supply of water would not stop.
Having enough food to sustain themselves for two weeks, which was more than enough.
Planning to cover the great distance in a week, to get more used to such areas.
The weather changed towards night with rain and thunderstorms, which prevented them from lighting a fire.
The temperature descended beneath the zero, but luckily they had foreseen it and were equipped with some warm clothes.
Putting themselves behind a hill that protected them from the wind although not from the rain.
Nobody came during the night, but they passed an uncomfortable night.
In the morning they checked their position which was 60 miles from the Namibian border.
Informing their father, who warned them to be careful.
They consulted the map and saw that there was a difficult place with high plateaus across the border in Namibia where they intended to cross on their way to the town of Rehoboth in Namibia.
After that, they would fly to Namib Naukluft national park near the Atlantic Ocean.
Flying low and crossed the border in a place that was uninhabited, then proceeded across high plateaus and landed on one of them for the night.
It was cold the temperature dropped a little above the zero, but there was no rain so they made a fire that warmed themselves.
Waking up early feeling a blast of cold wind which came from the west,
Wrapping their blankets tightly trying to snatch more sleeping hours.
In the end, they woke up completely, made a small breakfast, checked their flying belt and continued their voyage.
Quickly the sky was covered by heavy clouds, a strong wind blew from the west, rain began to pour.
Landing near a low hill covered with vegetation looking for a shelter from the rain and cold.
They searched desperately drenched with water.
Suddenly Paul cried "Look there is a hole or semi cave there," pointing at a place at the hill's side.
Approaching they discovered a small cave or better to say a semi one, covered with some vegetation.
Approaching it carefully, in order not to encounter a wild animal, they heard more than they saw some small animal running out quickly.
It was some kind of strange animal named Meerkat, a light brown animal, usually standing on their hind strong legs, using their little front legs(better to call them hands.) They usually eat termites, and they looked around to see if there were termites mound. Which they didn't see.
Making a small fire from some brushwood they had found there to warm themselves and to protect themselves from wild animals.
It was an uncomfortable place small for them, but while the rain was pouring accompanied by a strong westerly wind. it was better than suffer a bad night outside the cave.
The meerkat didn't come, perhaps he had found another shelter.
looking into the dark and stormy night Paul that it was his to watch, saw something big and menacing move towards them.
He was stunned and afraid trying to call his brother but no sound came from his mouth.
Looking again at the same spot when a lightning lit the area, he didn't see it.
It took him some minutes to control his dread. Not wanting his brother to see his weakness he just sat near the fire waiting for his shift to end.
In the morning the rain stopped, and they continued their way, encountering more squalls, which were short but violent, enforcing them to land and search for a shelter, which they didn't always find.
Enduring another bad cold night ,Paul hoped not to see another dreadful thing in the night, "Perhaps it was my imagination." He thought.
Reaching the town of Rehoboth, situated in central Namibia just north of the Tropic of Capricorn.
A mere 60 miles from Windhoek the capital city of Namibia where they had been before.
The town lies on a high elevation plateau with several natural hot-water springs.
It was the first time since departing from Izak that they saw a town.
Resting in a hotel and eating in a restaurant, strolling for sometimes but were eager to continue their voyage.
They had a long voyage through high plateaus to reach Namib Naukluft national park.
A strong westerly wind came from the northwest with rain, Flying around to find a shelter but they found none.
Landing on the wet ground, waiting for the rain to stop.
"We must find a shelter it so cold." murmured Paul tightening his cape around himself.
Din just shrugged his shoulders, saying "We would wait here for a break in the wind then continue north, there is a hill or high ground there."
"Cannot we do it now?" asked Paul.
"Of course we can just fight our way against the elements, such an easy and fast way to weaken ourselves.
No, we wait here Not always we could hide from a storm and this is one of the cases.
Trying to be patient and enduring bravely that situation, I hope it won't last for a long time."
But it lasted for a long time.
Suffering+ a lot also they were equipped well.
At last the rain stopped and they took off immediately.
It took them a long and hard day through more thunderstorms and rain to reach Sossusvlei at night.
This place was the largest game park in Africa.
The most known part of the park is Sossusvlei.
In this hyper-arid area survived creatures like snakes, Geckos lizards, Gemsboks a type of antelopes, hyenas, and jackals.
The winds that brought the fog from the Atlantic formed the park's towering sand dunes.
Those dunes were the tallest in the world rising up to 900 feet(300 meters). They taper off near the coast.
Lagoons, wetlands, and mudflats attracted many birds.
They searched for a place to sleep.
Paul didn't want it to be the dunes for fear of snakes and jackals, so they slept near the shore and making there a fire for protection.
Even there Paul was afraid, although Din told him that their fire would prevent any danger.
In the end, he consented but didn't sleep at all because of the birds'
noise, while Din was fast asleep.
Towards midnight Paul heard some strange noises coming from a high dune not far away, awaking Din they checked the source of the noises by using their flashlights, revealing that it came from some jackals and hyenas looking for food.
Seeing the lights which frightened them the animals ran away.
As before Paul remained awake and alert while Din slept.
In the morning Paul was exhausted and fell immediately asleep while Din refreshed from the night's sleep, prepared a breakfast, which he ate alone, only at noon Paul woke up with a searing headache and ate his food slowly.
"Drink water, Paul, it helps overcome your headache, caused apparently by your lack of sleep.
"Yes, Doctor Din I will drink your medicament a glass of water please." He said earnestly and drank a glass of water.
"Don't you have pills against headaches." He asked his brother.
"Of course I have but the best medicament for it you just had swallowed," answered Din.
"I hope you are right," said Paul through a mist of pain.
They stayed in the beautiful park for another day, while Paul had recovered from his headache.
Looking gratefully at his brother. "We have a lot of that magic medicament." He added.
They took off after their long rest in the beautiful park flying above it at a low height enjoying the animals and birds living there.
Before continuing their way to Skeleton Coast.
It was an amazing stay. Looking at many species of birds, insects. reptiles and even animals.
Some by flying above them, some by approaching them carefully on foot.
Making some interesting flight over the big dunes, standing there looking at the Atlantic.
They saw people coming from many places to see those attractions.
They didn't mingle with them preferring to watch them and pay attention to see if there were suspected persons among them.
A day later they were flying east of Walvis Bay bypassing it.
When they were north of Walvis Bay, they turned west into the Atlantic encountering high waves.
Din blurted "Did father teach you the two ways to fly above the seas or the mountains?"
"No, why?"
"Good," answered Din it can help in the future, listen carefully and learn what I am going to teach you."
"The first way is to fly at a pre-arranged height for example 10 feet, in this way you don't feel the waves or the changing heights of the mountain like a flying plane."
"The second way is to fly according to the changing heights of the waves or mountains, that means the flying belt will behave like a ship at sea, going up and down the waves. or like somebody climbing a high mountain or descending it, so you don't fly a great height while passing a valley between two mountains."
"Why should I use the second way, perhaps across high mountains," said Paul "above the sea I would become seasick."
"Never mind, I will give one example of the necessity of the second way above the sea.
Somebody trying to force you to take him somewhere, using the second way above the sea would make him seasick and prevent him to wish to fly in your flying belt."
Paul granted "That an interesting way to use our flying belts."
They both laughed.
"Thank you, my loving brother," said Paul seriously "Perhaps we would try it now."
They did it and Paul was marveled at his father's genius to invent it.
Although he felt himself becoming seasick.
They were on their way towards the Skeleton Coast when Din said, "Did you see the two people who were watching us from the coast?" "No," said Paul alarmed "Who were they?"
Din shrugged, "I don't know, perhaps just curious men, or some agents of our enemies."
"What can we do?" asked Paul. "Misleading those people by flying southward instead of northward and double back north when they couldn't see us anymore, then recover the second part of our old treasure. and check if the new one still exists."
Turning southward keeping an eye on those people who reacted immediately using their mobiles to talk to someone.
"As I thought," said Din "They are agents of someone, probably Mr. Eduard's.
They flew for some time then turned away from the shore until they didn't see the shore any more they turned northward.
Reaching the place after dark and passing the night nearby, without making a fire.
They didn't want to reveal themselves to potential enemies.
The night became stormy, and strong winds came from the ocean.
The temperature dropped and chilled them.
They had a bad night, but the two of them were so tired that they fell asleep immediately.
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Chapter 2 A treasure lost and found.
Two hours after midnight, Paul awoke suddenly.
Startled, he looked around, then froze for a moment.
Two red eyes looked at him from the darkness.
He began to scream with all his power.
Din awoke immediately confused,
"What's wrong, Paul?" he asked.
"The red eyes, the red eyes!" he shouted.
"Where?" cried Din.
Paul pointed, but there were no red eyes, confused he stammered.
"But they were here a moment ago!"
"You are dreaming," said Din angrily, trying to catch his lost sleep in the stormy night.
Paul sat confused, he was sure he saw those dreadful red eyes looking at him.
He didn't go to sleep again, but he didn't see the red eyes either.
In the morning, they checked their surroundings but didn't find any traces of men or animals.
"If there was somebody or something near us in the night, all traces would be erased by the storm." Said Din
Paul still confused and perplexed didn't answer.
Din arranged a breakfast, which they ate in silence.
After they had finished it, Din suggested that they would check their treasures.
Reluctantly Paul said, "Let's do it."
Paul checked his fix in his flying belt, and they went to search for the first treasure.
They went to the spot shown by Paul but found nothing.
Amazed they looked at each other, thinking of the worst possibilities,
"It was stupid of us not to sell the rest of the diamonds with those we had sold before." said Paul angrily and frustrated.
Din didn't give up. "It's here I'm sure." He said stubbornly.
He searched again carefully for the mast's stamp but found nothing.
They sat on the sand desperate.
"What would we tell father, that the treasures were lost, it was stupid of us on the first place to put it in so remote place," said Paul bitterly.
"Perhaps…" began Din then stopped.
After some minutes he said "I will check it with my fix, perhaps it is more exact than yours, Paul,"
Din checked his fix, it was one hundred yards difference!
Din went quickly to the new place checking it carefully but didn't find the mast's stamp!
An idea began in his head, "Perhaps the storm covered the stamp with sand?" he thought.
Without talking he put his hand in the sand and moved it inside the sand,
Paul was puzzled, "What are you doing?" he asked.
Din told him and he began to search in the sand like Din.
The heat increased, it became a clear hot day, hours passed, their hands burned by the hot sand, but nothing was found.
Din didn't give up. He checked his fix again, it was 100 yards away!
Amazed by that measurement, he went immediately to dig.
Paul didn't follow him. He sat on the hot sand full of despair.
Noon came and passed without a result.
Din was tired and began to feel dispirited, but his stubborn character didn't let him stop, he shouted at Paul to help him, but Paul didn't answer.
Suddenly Din contacted something solid in the sand.
Immediately he began to take away the sand.
It was a big stone, cursing he threw it away.
Again he tried a little further, but it was only hot sand.
Thus it continued, they became tired and frustrated and decided to rest and sleep that night.
Paul suggested they would begin in the morning.
Din agreed.
The night came and with it cold and rain. They tried to catch some sleep, but they were so worried that they could not sleep at all.
The next day they woke late but could do nothing because of the bad weather.
Frustrated they waited impatiently to the rain to stop, which occurred in the late afternoon.
Quickly they went to work but when the night came they still didn't find the treasures.
Greatly worried they passed another bad night.
The next day changed and again the warm one came.
They were determined to find it that day.
Checking again their fixes, trying first Paul's fix.
Resolutely they began to search in earnest, but after some frustrating hours, they found nothing.
Paul felt awful and dispirited, but Din didn't give up.
He checked his fix and went to work.
After half an hour working furiously, the mast's stamp was uncovered!!
"I found it!" he shouted.
Paul looked at him confused.
"I found the mast!" repeated Din.
Paul stood slowly shaking his head in disbelieve.
Then as if awaking from a bad dream, he looked at the stamp.
"I will guard the place while you uncover the diamonds." He said.
"Father told us only to check the treasures." Said Din.
"Do it, damn you!" shouted Paul throwing all his fear and desperation on Din.
Din didn't answer but went to work.
It took him two hours to uncover the diamonds.
Then without a word he left them inside the wreck, measured 500 yards and went there.
He checked again his fix and began to dig, tired but determined. It took him almost two hours of hard work to find the second treasure which was untouched by anyone.
Without consulting his brother Paul called their father and asked him what to do, to which their father asked them to cover it without leaving a trace of its existence then asked them to take all the rest of the diamonds of the first treasure in order to sell them in Namibia or South Africa.
Din was stunned he told his father, that they have to reach Pretoria in South Africa to sell the diamonds to Mr. James, without being caught by Mr. Eduard or some other bad people.
Their father told Din that he counted on him and Paul, then Henry talked with Paul giving him the same instructions.
After accomplishing their tasks, they sat exhausted.
The night was half an hour away.
Going to gather some dry branches and made fire far away from the treasures' place, not to attract attention to the treasures' place.
The fire was made low and undistinguished between two high dunes.
The night was calm and cold and they have a peaceful sleep.
Chapter 3 Paul and Din bad experience in a sea voyage. 16.
They had two options to do their father's wish.
They could repeat their voyage through the Kalahari Desert.
Or could take a passenger ship from Walvis Bay to Cape Town and from there take a train to Pretoria.
Deciding to do the second alternative, although they had two enemies, one in Walvis Bay Mr. Ankur and in Johannesburg Mr. Eduard.
By wireless, they contacted the harbor and got an answer that no passenger ship was due to sail to Cape Town; They suggested to Paul and Din to try a cargo ship when arriving at the harbor.
Waiting until evening, they flew to Walvis Bay's harbor, to board some cargo ship journeying for Cape Town.
It would be slow and risky because of their diamonds, but they counted on their ability to fly away if they encountered danger.
Finding a medium-sized cargo ship sailing on the tide early next morning.
They boarded it late in the evening.
Its name was "The Lion". With 12 native seamen as her crew, the captain a Mr. Robertson and one mate by the name of Smith.
Their cargo was a general cargo. She was painted black with red on her bottom.
The captain told them to pay half the voyage's fee in advance and the rest at the end of their voyage.
They paid him half the fee and got a little cabin used for rare passengers.
When they entered their cabin, Paul said, "suspicious people, we have to guard our pack bags.
One must stay always in the cabin, and arrange shifts."
Sleeping in the cabin after locking it to prevent someone from entering it.
Next morning Din got out on deck early to see the ship leaving the harbor and entering a rough sea.
He felt the captain and the mate's casual looks.
After the ship got underway in a southern direction, the captain asked Din if he would be his guest with his brother for breakfast, in the captain's cabin.
Din said yes to it and the captain smiled at him changing looks with his mate.
Before going to the captain's cabin, they locked the cabin and Paul put a miniature special device that would warn them if someone would try to break into their cabin. "You could put it also in the passenger's ship." remarked Din, but Paul didn't answer.
In the tiny captain's cabin, they met the captain a tough middle-aged man with small crafty eyes. muscled arms and legs and grey hair, and the mate a thin tall man with black smooth hair black eyes and thin lips. His face showing irresolute. they looked at each other smiling.
The captain was amazed that two youth traveled alone.
They answered that they were traveling to meet their father in Cape Town.
The captain was curious about their backpacks "Why two each?" he asked.
"We didn't want to take a big backpack and not a suitcase so we use these smaller backpacks for our voyage.
With that, the conversation turned to the stormy sea, and the captain was amazed that they didn't suffer from a seasick, To which they answered that they were used to the sea because of their father's boat.
The breakfast consisted of eggs and bacon washed with sour cheap wine
Meanwhile, the weather became rougher, the ship was moving up and down, climbing a big wave then falling into a deep trough.
The captain excused himself and went to the ship's bridge.
The mate remained with them for a while but showed only a dull conversation, then he too excused himself and went up to the deck.
Going to their cabin, checking it and founding out that nobody disturbed it.
The ship began to roll heavily, big waves came from the west pushing the ship eastward, her engine worked to give her the power to battle the elements.
On the bridge, the captain reinforced the helmsman with another seaman to help control the ship.
The captain didn't leave the bridge for long hours while the ship struggled.
He changed frequently the seamen who held the ship's wheel.
The storm continued raging until late afternoon then it passed as it began.
The captain went to his cabin while the mate took his place.
The ship increased her speed.
Towards night another storm came, but it was shorter than the previous one.
Paul and Din were confined to their cabin, didn't suffer much because they left their little round window open, getting fresh salty sea air but were from time to time drenched by the big waves.
By their flying belts devices, they knew where they were.
"Do you think it's the storm's season?" asked Din.
"I don't know." Answered Paul "I hope it wouldn't be like that all the way to Cape Town."
After another bad night, the weather improved although the morning's sky became grey and threatening.
The brothers took advantage of the weather's change and came on deck.
Some sailors lashed things that could be flown away.
"I thought they did it before the storm." Said, Paul.
"Perhaps there was another storm brewing."
said, Din.
"We can check it in our devices," said Paul.
Din checked it in one of the flying belt's devices and said "Yes, another storm is coming soon, we will enjoy the sea air until then." he said.
Suddenly he whispered to Paul "Come quickly to our cabin but don't fly, we don't want them to know too much."
When they came near their cabin, a sailor was trying to open the cabin's door.
Paul tapped on his shoulder "Do you want something sailor?" he asked. The surprised sailor turned to them.
His ugly brown face twisted in a cruel smile.
"Captain's orders bring backpacks." He said in broken English.
"That's all?" asked Paul sarcastically.
Then he added, "Not now." Saying it firmly.
The sailor acted quickly, he pulled a knife on Paul, but before he could do it, Din connected his leg with the sailor's head causing him to fall on the deck without a sound.
"Best we clear out of the ship," he said in a low voice.
They entered quickly their cabin, put their diamonds in their backpacks and rushed to the door, but outside they met the captain with 3 armed sailors with knives.
"Not so quickly." said the captain smiling.
The sailors began to move.
A sudden jerk of the ship caused them to be thrown to one side.
"Now," said Din "out of the ship."
They flew immediately low and Paul bypassed the sailors. Din connected his leg with the captain's head throwing him on the deck stunned and injured while the sailors looked at them gapping their mouths.
coming to the ship's rails that had to pause and calculate how they would coordinate their movements with the ship's ones.
This gave the sailors time to recover and rush at them.
Din was quick in his calculating and shouted at his brother "Now, fly!"
Paul was slow to react and one of the sailors tried to stab him with his knife, only a sudden jerk of the ship when a big wave hit her saved his life, shocked he flew up narrowly missing a part of the ship to hit him.
The shocked Paul joined his brother still with cold perspiration from his evading twice to be killed or injured.
In a minute he joined Din, and the brothers flew above the unquiet sea, towards the land.
No one pursued them. at that moment a stormy wind hit the sailors, as it hit Paul and Din.
They didn't know where they were at that moment.
Din said through the wireless to Paul "Don't fight the storm let her push us, our destination is the African coast, we contact each other when we land there."
With that, he ceased talking hearing his brother's voice says "OK."
========================================
Aboard the "Lion" it was chaos.
The captain was on the leaning deck unconscious, while two of his men caught him before he fell into the sea, They tried to carry him to revive him but had a difficult time to do it.
At last, they succeeded, but the ship was without a leader all that time
Her mate proved to be incompetent he was frozen by fear, and unable to give any order.
Their boatswain tried to take command, but he was inexperience and acted slowly and in a hesitating way.
Meanwhile, the ship was hit by the raging storm. Big waves washed the ship's decks together with the strong wind it was pushed towards the African coast..
Desperately some sailors threw water on the captain's head.
It didn't help.
In vain the sailors tried to help the mate out of his frozen state, it helped only after someone slapped his face.
Confused he began to give contradicting orders, confusing the sailors totally.
The sailors tried the boatswain but the inexperienced man could do nothing,
The captain awoke at last but was still under the kick's influence and was slow to react.
======================================
Paul was afraid, it was all again, it was the third time that he found himself pushed by the strong stormy wind, not knowing where he was and half-paralyzed by fear,
He didn't try to communicate with Din, forgetting his brother's words not to fight the storm.
He flew against the wind for a while in order not to come near Africa but was pushed violently towards the African coast, causing him to lose power and to be confused.
==========================================
At the same time, Din didn't fight the storm but let it push him.
He found out quickly that he was pushed to the east towards the African continent.
He called his brother to let him know the direction of the storm, but Paul didn't answer him.
Din repeated his call and only after several times he heard his frightened brother's voice that he got Din's transmission.
"He is in real danger," thought Din. "I must know where he is?"
He called Paul again and asked him to send him an emergency signal.
Getting it he knew his brother's position.
"You are approaching Africa," he said, "you are only 20 miles away, prepare to land if possible, when you see the coast." he said urgently.
He himself was further away from the African coast about 30 miles and 20 miles north of his brother.
=========================================
Aboard the ship "The lion" the captain ordered one of the sailors to call the mate.
It took a long time.
When at last the incompetent mate appeared, it was obvious to the captain that he must overcome his weakness or lose the ship.
He called the boatswain and through him directed orders to the bewildered crew.
One of them panicked and called to his mates to abandon the ship. The crew rushed to the boats but couldn't put them into the sea, encountering high waves which flooded the decks.
One of the crew was in one of the boats trying to release the boat was swept into the sea together with the boat that was half untied by the lost sailor.
A great cry of frustration was yelled by the Indian crew.
The boatswain was not obeyed and the captain's orders were related directly to the panicked crew who ignored him.
Meanwhile, the ship flew eastward towards the African coast and her doom, pushed by the western stormy wind.
Paul was trying to control himself and to make an ordered landing.
Hearing his brother's desperate shout to slow down helped.
With an inhuman effort, he overcame his fear and obeyed his brother's orders, landing on the wet sand still pushed by the violent wind.
At last, he stopped, lay down exhausted for sometimes on the sand.
The wind was blowing hard and huge waves reached the shore swamping it with saltwater.
Paul tried his flying belt, seeing that it still worked, he flew away from the waves to an elevated dune then lost his conscious.
===========================================
Din approached bravely the coast.
He saw dunes away from the shore, so he directed himself there, using the dunes as a protection against the strong wind and landed there safely.
Immediately he contacted his brother but got no answer, knowing approximately his position, he flew east of the first line of dunes; he wasn't influenced greatly by the storm.
Reaching more or less his brother's position he landed on a dune, swept the area with his spyglass.
After some time he spotted his brother on a dune nearby motionless.
Fearing for the worst he got to Paul.
Checking him he felt his breath on his palm.
He checked him for injuries but saw minor ones.
"I will check him later." He thought, sitting by him.
==============================================
The captain made a huge effort to come into the bridge.
The situation was desperate, and he took desperate measures.
First, he fired with a gun which caused the crew to look at him, then he began giving orders confidently shouting it with a megaphone.
Feeling authority, the reluctant and confused crew began to respond slowly at first and then quickly.
The engines were put to full ahead, The wheel was turned south, and the ship respond slowly, while her engines sound rose into a crescendo.
From time to time the sea tried to overcome the ship.
The captain acted bravely and slowly increased the distance between the ship and the shore.
It took the captain hours in the stormy sea to save it.
At last while the storm's force diminished, the ship resumed her original course, with all her crew minus one, battered but alive.
==============================================
After a long time, Paul opened his eyes asking for water that Din gave him.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"Somewhere on the African shore." Answered Din. "How do you feel?"
"dizzy and injured." Answered Paul in a weak voice.
"First of all I will check you to find if there are serious damages, after that, your flying belt's situation, then I will find out our location." Said Din.
It was a laborious task, but in the end, Din found out that Paul suffered from some injuries on his hands and legs.
But fortunately, they were superficial.
Paul's flying belt was functioning well.
Generally, he was fortunate to suffer relatively only minor injuries.
The next act was to find their exact location, which was 60 miles north of Luderitz, on the west coast of Africa.
They decided to fly along the African coast southward, not stopping anywhere until they would reach Langebaan on the same coast.
From there they would take a train to Cape Town, without staying there, but changing a train there to Johannesburg and Pretoria.
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