If we had been told the night before, we should have slept badly. The two patrols of protection left the field exactly on schedule time. He was romping with Whiskey. As a squadron leader Talbott has many virtues, but the most important of them all is his casualness. And he is so sincere and natural in it.
Situations are dramatic enough, tense enough, without one's taking thought of the fact.
He might have stood there, watch in hand, counting off the seconds. Don't let us down. Instead of that, he glanced at his watch as if he had just remembered us. We're having lunch at twelve. That will give you time to wash up after you get back.