Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-11-27

Jlllcer ana tell linn just what KIND Q.
| a poor fish he was.
Blasted Engilshman," he said
thinks he's the only man in this wing
who can really fly. Bet if he'd a hi
that cable he'd a'been on his back il
that road, right now. Wish t'hell liz
was"
He made his turn carefully. Below
at the elge of the aerodrome stood the
ambulance, its crew gaping foolishly
at him. Like fish," he thought, "like
poor fish," He leaned out of his cock
pit and gestured pleasantly at them,
a popular gesture known to all peoples
of the civilized world.
Eight hundred feet. "High enough, .
he decided, and made another circle,
losing height He picked his spot on
the field. "Now," he thought, cut
the throttle and pushed the stick for
ward. He found good gliding angle,
wires singing, engine idle and long
flames wrapping back from the ca
hausts. The field was filled with peo-
pie running about and Tapping their
arms. Another machine rose to meet
him. He opened the throttle and
closed it again, a warning. "Why'n
the hell don't they get off end femme
land?" he wondered.
The other machine passed him in a
ong bank, its occupants shouting at
i'm; one Of them carried something to
rbich he gestured and pointed franti-
caI4y. Thompson came out Of his dive.
They circled again and he saw that
the object was about the size and
.hape of wheel? A wheel from the
landing gear Of a machine. What
kind of a joke was this? Why had
they brought wheel up to show him :?
He'd seen lots Of wheels. Had two on
his machine-on his machine
wheels? Then Thompson remember
ed the cable. He had stripped a wheel
on that cable then. There was moth
ing else it could mean. His brain as
simulated this fact calmly. Having
lost a wheel, he had nothing to land
on. Therefore it we're quite pointless
to bother about landing, Immediately,
anyway. So he circled off and climb
ed, following cautiously by the other
machine, like two strange dogs meet
in.
"Sir," said an orderly, entering the
mess where the G.. O and thre lesser
lights were playing bridge, "sir, the
Flight Commander, B Flight, reports
that a cadet is abaht to crash"
"Crash p" repeated the c. 0.
"Out ere sir. Yes, sir, e 'assnt
got no landing gear"
"'No landing gear?' What's this?
What's this?"
Yes, sir. e wiped it orr a-taking
orr, sir. 'E's abaht out of petrol and
the Flight Commander says ell be a.
coming down soon, sir"
"My word" said the C. O., going to
the door and closely followed by the
others.
"Theye e is, sir, that's i'm in front. .
"My word said the C. o. again and
went off toward the hangarg at very
good gait.
"What's this? What's this?" APP
preaching the group Of officers.
cadet Thompson, sir" volunteered
one," Mr.. Blessings cadet. Oh, Bes
singh
Blessing came over, lifting his fee
Enormously.
| "What's all this, Mr.. Bessing?" Thu
lC. O. watched him narrowly. An in
structor gets bad name when his ca
fdet crashes, he is responsible for tn
tcadet's life as we'll as the machine.
| "pcttnn take off, sir. He tried t
rise too soon. and when he failed, in
stead Of comm back and tryin' again
he carried right on. Struck that cabE
and lost his right wheel and he's bee1
sittin' up there ever since. We sen
another chap up to pull him up BIT
He's almost out Of petrol and hel
|have to come down soon."
HIM. Didn't send him up too soor
did you, Mr.. Bessing?"
| Chaps had seven hours, sir, n
protested, and produced Thompson
Ieard.
| The C. O. studied it q moment, the
returned it.
| "Wharton, sir. He helped the q. I
to light and Lit q cigarette for hin
Isef.
! "Good lad, good lad" said the G. Q
shading his eyes as he satred into II