Chapter 2 Summary

Flying over Ferris, Indiana, in his Fleet biplane, narrator Richard spots an antique Travel Air 4000 on the ground and decides to drop in. It is mid-July and the first time in years he has seen a fellow gypsy flier. He lands neatly, taxis close, throttles down, and nods to Donald W. Shimoda, who is sitting beneath his plane and watching. Richard likes Shimoda instantly without knowing why. He is not large, has black, shoulder-length hair, and hawk's eyes. Shimoda claims there is not much he can do but barnstorm because he gets into problems if he stays anywhere too long. Richard finds it hard to look at the man closely because light seems to glisten around his head and fade into misty silver. Shimoda brushes off Richard's question about his troubles, saying only he likes to keep moving - like Richard.

Shimoda's 1928/29 plane...