Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-11-27
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
Editeu by Professor Erwin.
LANDING In LUCK.
BY William Falkner.

BY William Falkner.
The macnIne levelled off and set
tied on the aerodrome. 1t turned anu
TAXED back and stopped, headed into
the wind again, its engine running
IDLE. The instructor in the forward
cockpit faced about and raised his
goggles.
Parrish" he said, mot SO bad. How
many hours have you had!"
Cadet Thompson, q barracks ace, .
who had just made IA fairly creditable
landing assumed an expression or as
sured confluence.
Seven hours and nine minutes, sir. I"
Think you can-hold that stick
back, will ou?-think you can take
her round alone?"
Yes, sir" he answered as he had
answered at least four times day for
the last three days, with the small re-
naming part OF his unconquered OPP
timism in his voice. The instructor
climed slowly out onto the lower wing,
then to the ground, stretching his legs.
He got a cigarette from his clothes
after fashion resembling sleight-of-
hand.
= you've got to solo some day. Ths
c. o. gave us all raggin' last night.
It's chaps like you that give this stage
such name for inefficiency. Here
you have had seven hours, and yet YOU
never know if you are goin' to land on
this aerodrome or down at Borden.
And then you always pick house or
another machine to land on. WHAT
ever brought you to think you coula
fly? Swear | don't know what to do
with you. Let you try it and break
your neck, or recommend you for dis
charge. Get rid OF you either way,
and devilsh good thing, too"
A silence that hung heavily about
Thompson's unhappy head. The in
structor, sucking his cigarette, stared
off across the aerodrome, where other
wild and hardy amateurs took off,
landed and crashed. A machine de-
scended tail high, levelled off too soon
and landed in series Of bumps like
an inferior tennis ball.
"See that chap there? He's prob
ably had half your time but he makes
landings alone. But you, you cut
your gun and sit up there like blind
idiot and when you condescend to dive
the bus, you try your best to break
our necks, yours and mine too; and
I'll say right now, that's somethin'
none of you rockin' chair aviators is
goin' to do. Well, it's your neck or
my reputation, now. Take her off,
and what ever you do, keep your nose
down."
Thompson pulled down his goggles.
He had been angry enough to kill his
officer for the better part Of week,
so added indignities rested but lightly
upon him. He was strange mixture
of fear and pride as he opened the
throttle wide and pushed the stick for
ward-fear that he would wreck the
machine landing, and pride that he
was on his own at last. He was nc
physical coward, his fear was that he
would show himself up before his less
fortunate friends to whom he haC
talked largely Of spins and side slip,
and gliding angles.
All-in-all, he was in no particularly
safe frame OF mind for his solo flight
He gained sped down the field. The
tail was off the ground now ane
Thompson, more or less nervous
thought he had taken the machine of
like veteran with the instructor
aboard, pulled the stick back befor'
the machine had gained speed suffi
Gent to rise. It lurched forward an,
the tail sank heavily, losing NOR
speed. He knew that he had gone to-
far down the field and should tur1
back and take off again, so he closes
the throttle. When the noise Of tn
engine ceased he heard the instructo
shouting at him, and the splutter Of
motor cycle. Sending after him, wer
they? Cadet Thompson was ono
more cleanly angry. He jerked tn
throttle open.
His subconsc;ous mind had register
ed cable across the end Of the felt
and he had flown enough to know tina
it was touch and go as to whether h
would clear it. He was afraid of risin
too soon again and he knew that h
would not stop in time were he
close the throttle now. So, his eye
on the speed Indicator, he pulled tn
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