the aeroplane speaks-第9部分

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　and　the　Aeroplane　is　ready　to　weather　the　possible　storm。

Says　the　Observer；　‘‘I'm　remarkably　peckish；　and　methinks　I　spy　the　towers　of　one　of　England's　stately　homes　showing　themselves　just　beyond　that　wood；　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　What　ho！　for　a　raid。　What　do　you　say？''

‘‘All　right；　you　cut　along　and　I'll　stop　here；　for　the　Aeroplane　must　not　be　left　alone。　Get　back　as　quickly　as　possible。''

And　the　Observer　trots　off；　leaving　the　Pilot　filling　his　pipe　and　anxiously　scrutinizing　the　weather　conditions。　Very　thick　it　is　now；　but　the　day　is　yet　young；　and　he　has　hopes　of　the　fog　lifting　sufficiently　to　enable　the　flight　to　be　resumed。　A　little　impatiently　he　awaits　the　return　of　his　comrade；　but　with　never　a　doubt　of　the　result；　for　the　hospi…　tality　of　the　country　house　is　proverbial　among　pilots！　What　old　hand　among　them　is　there　who　cannot　instance　many　a　forced　landing　made　pleasant　by　such　hospitality？　Never　too　late　or　too　early　to　help　with　food；　petrol；　oil；　tools；　and　assistants。　Many　a　grateful　thought　has　the　writer　for　such　kind　help　given　in　the　days　before　the　war　（how　long　ago　they　seem！）；　when　aeroplanes　were　still　more　imperfect　than　they　are　now；　and　involuntary　descents　often　a　part　of　'cross…country　flying。

Ah！　those　early　days！　How　fresh　and　inspiring　they　were！　As　one　started　off　on　one's　first　'cross…country　flight；　on　a　machine　the　first　of　its　design；　and　with　everything　yet　to　learn；　and　the　wonders　of　the　air　yet　to　explore；　then　the　joy　of　accomplishment；　the　dreams　of　Efficiency；　the　hard　work　and　long　hours　better　than　leisure；　and　what　a　field　of　endeavourthe　realms　of　space　to　conquer！　And　the　battle　still　goes　on　with　ever…increasing　success。　Who　is　bold　enough　to　say　what　its　limits　shall　be？

So　ruminates　this　Pilot…Designer；　as　he　puffs　at　his　pipe；　until　his　reverie　is　abruptly　disturbed　by　the　return　of　the　Observer。

‘‘Wake　up；　you　AIRMAN；''　the　latter　shouts。　‘‘Here's　the　very　thing　the　doctor　ordered！　A　basket　of　first…class　grub　and　something　to　keep　the　fog　out；　too。''

‘‘Well；　that's　splendid；　but　don't　call　me　newspaper　names　or　you'll　spoil　my　appetite！''

Then；　with　hunger　such　as　only　flying　can　produce；　they　appreciatively　discuss　their　lunch；　and　with　many　a　grateful　thought　for　the　donorsand　they　talk　shop。　They　can't　help　it；　and　even　golf　is　a　poor　second　to　flight　talk。　Says　the　Pilot；　who　must　have　his　grievance；　‘‘Just　observe　where　I　managed　to　stop　the　machine。　Not　twenty　feet　from　this　hedge！　A　little　more　and　we　should　have　been　through　it　and　into　Kingdom　Come！　I　stalled　as　well　as　one　could；　but　the　tail　touched　the　ground　and　so　I　could　not　give　the　Aeroplane　any　larger　angle　of　incidence。　Could　I　have　given　it　a　larger　angle；　then　the　planes　would　have　become　a　much　more　effective　air…brake；　and　we　should　have　come　to　rest　in　a　much　shorter　distance。　It's　all　the　fault　of　the　tail。　There's　hardly　a　type　of　Aeroplane　in　existence　in　which　the　tail　could　not　be　raised　several　feet；　and　that　would　make　all　the　difference。　High　tails　mean　a　large　angle　of　incidence　when　the　machine　touches　ground　and；　with　enough　angle；　I'll　guarantee　to　safely　land　the　fastest　machine　in　a　five…acre　field。　You　can；　I　am　sure；　imagine　what　a　difference　that　would　make　where　forced　landings　are　concerned！''　Then　rapidly　sketching　in　his　notebook；　he　shows　the　Observer　the　following　illustration：

‘‘That's　very　pretty；''　said　the　Observer；　‘‘but　how　about　Mechanical　Difficulties；　and　Efficiency　in　respect　of　Flight？　And；　anyway；　why　hasn't　such　an　obvious　thing　been　done　already？''

‘‘As　regards　the　first　part　of　your　question　I　assure　you　that　there's　nothing　in　it；　and　I'll　prove　it　to　you　as　follows''

‘‘Oh！　That's　all　right；　old　chap。　I'll　take　your　word　for　it；''　hurriedly　replies　the　Observer；　whose　soul　isn't　tuned　to　a　technical　key。

‘‘As　regards　the　latter　part　of　your　inquiry；''　went　on　the　Pilot；　a　little　nettled　at　having　such　a　poor　listener；　‘‘it's　very　simple。　Aeroplanes　have　‘just　growed'　like　Topsy；　and　they　consequently　contain　this　and　many　another　relic　of　early　day　design　when　Aeroplanes　were　more　or　less　thrown　together　and　anything　was　good　enough　that　could　get　off　the　ground。''

‘‘By　Jove；''　interrupts　the　Observer；　‘‘I　do　believe　the　fog　is　lifting。　Hadn't　we　better　get　the　engine　and　body　covers　off；　just　in　case　it's　really　so？''

‘‘I　believe　you're　right。　I　am　sure　those　hills　over　there　could　not　be　seen　a　few　minutes　ago；　and　lookthere's　sunshine　over　there。　We'd　better　hurry　up。''

Ten　minutes'　hard　work　and　the　covers　are　off；　neatly　folded　and　stowed　aboard；　the　picketing　wires　are　cast　adrift；　and　the　Pilot　is　once　more　in　his　seat。　The　Aeroplane　has　been　turned　to　face　the　other　end　of　the　field；　and；　the　Observer　swinging　round　the　propeller；　the　engine　is　awake　again　and　slowly　ticking　over。　Quickly　the　Observer　climbs　into　his　seat　in　front　of　the　Pilot；　and；　the　latter　slightly　opening　the　throttle；　the　Aeroplane　leisurely　rolls　over　the　ground　towards　the　other　end　of　the　field；　from　which　the　ascent　will　be　made。

Arriving　there　the　Pilot　turns　the　Aeroplane　in　order　to　face　the　wind　and　thus　secure　a　quick　‘‘get…off。''　Then　he　opens　the　throttle　fully　and　the　mighty　voice　of　the　Engine　roars　out　‘‘Now　see　me　clear　that　hedge！''　and　the　Aeroplane　races　forward　at　its　minimum　angle　of　incidence。　Tail　up；　and　with　ever…increasing　speed；　it　rushes　towards　the　hedge　under　the　lee　of　which　it　has　lately　been　at　rest；　and　then；　just　as　the　Observer　involuntarily　pulls　back　an　imaginary　‘‘joy…stick；''　the　Pilot　moves　the　real　one　and　places　the　machine　at　its　best　climbing　angle。　Like　a　living　thing　it　responds；　and　instantly　leaves　the　ground；　clearing　the　hedge　like　awell；　like　an　Aeroplane　with　an　excellent　margin　of　lift。　Upwards　it　climbs　with　even　and　powerful　lift；　and　the　familiar　scenes　below　again　gladden　the　eyes　of　the　Pilot。　Smaller　and　more　and　more　squat　grow　the　houses　and　hills；　more　and　more　doll…like　appear　the　fields　which　are　clearly　outlined　by　the　hedges；　and　soon　the　country　below　is　easily　identified　with　the　map。　Now　they　can　see　the　river　before　them　and　a　bay　of　the　sea　which　must　be　crossed　or　skirted。　The　fog　still　lingers　along　the　course　of　the　river　and　between　the　hills；　but　is　fast　rolling　away　in　grey；　ghost…like　masses。　Out　to　sea　it　obscures　the　horizon；　making　it　difficult　to　be　sure　where　water　ends　and　fog　begins；　and　creating　a　strange；　rather　weird　effect　by　which　ships　at　a　certain　distance　appear　to　be　floating　in　space。

Now　the　Aeroplane　is　almost　over　the　river；　and　the　next　instant　it　suddenly　drops　into　a　‘‘hole　in　the　air。''　With　great　suddenness　it　happens；　and　for　some　two　hundred　feet　it　drops　nose…down　and　tilted　over　sideways；　but　the　Pilot　is　prepared　and　has　put　his　craft　on　an　even　keel　in　less　time　than　it　takes　to　tell　you　about　it；　for　well　he　knows　that　he　must　expect　such　conditions　when　passing　over　a　shore　or；　indeed；　any　well…defined　change　in　the　composition　of　the　earth's　surface。　Especially　is　this　so　on　a　hot　and　sunny　day；　for　then　the　warm　surface　of　the　earth　creates　columns　of　ascending　air；　the　speed　of　the　ascent　depending　upon　the　composition　of　the　surface。　Sandy　soil；　for　instance；　such　as　borders　this　river　produces　a　quickly　ascending　column　of　air；　whereas　water　and　forests　have　not　such　a　marked　effect。　Thus；　when　our　Aeroplane　passed　over　the　shore　of　the　river；　it　suddenly　lost　the　lift　due　to　the　ascending　air　produced　by　the　warm　sandy　soil；　and　it　consequently　dropped　just　as　if　it　had　fallen　into　a　hole。

Now　the　Aeroplane　is　over　the　bay　and；　the　sea　being　calm；　the　Pilot　looks　down；　down　through　the　water；　and　clearly　sees　the　bottom；　hundreds　of　feet　below　the　surface。　Down　through　the　reflection　of　the　blue　sky　and　clouds；　and　one　might　think　that　is　all；　but　it　isn't。　Only　those　who　fly　know　the　beauties　of　the　sea　as　viewed　from　above；　its　dappled　pearly　tints；　its　soft　dark　blue　shadows；　the　beautiful　contrasts　of　unusual　shades　of　colour　which　are　always　differing　and　shifting　with　the　changing　sunshine　and　the　ever　moving　position　of　the　aerial　observer。　Ah！　for　some　better　pen　than　mine　to　describe　these　things！　One　with　glowing　words　and　a　magic　rhythm　to　express　the　wonders　of　the　air　and　the　beauty　of　the　garden　beneaththe　immensity　of　the　seathe　sense　of　space　and　of　one's　littleness　therethe　realization　of　the　Power　moving　the　multitudes　belowthe　exaltation　of　spirit　altitude　producesthe　joy　of　speed。　A　new　world　of　sensation！

Now　the　bay　is　almost　crossed　and　the　Aerodrome　at　B　can　be　distinguished。

On　the　Aerodrome　is　a　little　crowd　waiting　and　watching　for　the　arrival　of　the　Aeroplane；　for　it　is　of　a　new　and　improved　type　and　its　first　'cross…country　performance　is　of　keen　interest　to　these　men；　men　who　really　know　something　about　flight。

There　is　the　Squadron　Commander　who　has　done　some　real　flying　in　his　time；　several　well…seasoned　Flight…　Commanders；　a　dozen　or　more　Flight…Lieutenants；　a　knowledgeable　Flight…Sergeant；　a　number　of　Air　Mechanics；　and；　a　little　on　one　side　and　almost　unnoticed；　the　Designer。

‘‘I　hope　they　are　all　right；''　said　someone；　‘‘and　that　they　haven't　had　difficulties　with　the　fog。　It　rolled　up　very　quickly；　you　know。''

‘‘Never　fear；''　remarked　a　Flight…Commander。　‘‘I　know　the　Pilot　well　and　he's　a　good　'un；　far　too　good　to　carry　on　into　a　fog。''

‘‘They　say　the　machine　is　really　something　out　of　the　ordinary；''　said　another；　‘‘and　that；　for　once；　the　Designer　has　been　allowed　full　play；　that　he　hasn't　been　forced　to　unduly　standardize　ribs；　spars；　struts；　etc。；　and　has　more　or　less　had　his　own　way。　I　wonder　who　he　is。　It　seems　strange　we　hear　so　little　of　him。''

‘‘Ah！　my　boy。　You　do　a　bit　more　flying　and　you'll　discover　that　things　are　not　always　as　they　appear　from　a　distance！''

‘‘There　she　is；　sir！''　cries　the　Flight…Sergeant。　‘‘Just　a　speck　over　the　silvery　corner　of　that　cloud。''

A　tiny　speck　it　looks；　some　six　miles　distant　and　three　thousand　feet　high；　but；　racing　along；　it　rapidly　appears　larger　and　soon　its　outlines　can　be　traced　and　the　sunlight　be　seen　playing　upon　the　whirling　propeller。

Now　the　distant　drone　of　the　engine　can　be　heard；　but　no