"What for?" enquired3 Derek. "S'pose it's not in connection with our demob. or otherwise?"
For weeks Derek and Kaye had been more or less on tenterhooks4. Both had applied5 for permanent commissions in the Marine6 Branch of the Royal Air Force, and, although their papers had been endorsed7 with a strong recommendation by the C.O., there appeared to be an endless and exasperating8 period of suspense9.
"Unfortunately, no," replied Kaye. "They are overwhelmed with work in the Adjutant's office. The Adjy. hasn't had time even to play deck-quoits for the last three days. They want your aid, my festive10 bravo."
"Rotten luck!" growled11 Derek. "If there's anything I loathe12 it's fugging in an office. Had two half days at it at Torringham, I remember. Didn't feel fit for flying for nearly a week. Make the best of it, though, and the sooner the job's done the better I'll be pleased."
The reason for Derek's presence in the office was quickly forthcoming. The forty new arrivals were formed up in the corridor, each man having to furnish particulars of himself in order that the office records might be checked.
"Something wrong here, Daventry," remarked the Adjutant, tossing over a slip of paper on which a pay-room sergeant13 had written down certain particulars. "George Townley, born 1899, at Itching14 Abbess—sounds like the head of a nunnery plagued with vermin, eh, what?"
"I'll have the man in and see what it means," suggested Derek.
He opened the door. Just outside was the Sergeant engaged in questioning the new arrivals, One was an ex-R.N. able-seaman who had re-engaged for transfer to the R.A.F.
"Three good-conduct stripes, eh?" exclaimed the N.C.O. disdainfully. His acquaintance with conduct stripes was rather a distressful15 one, he having been disrated twice before he turned over a new leaf. "My opinion of a three-good-conduct-badges man is one who keeps the Commander, Master-at-Arms, and the Mainmast all in a straight line—savvy?"
Catching16 sight of Derek the Sergeant pulled himself up. He was one of those men who, unfortunately, do exist in all three services—sarcastically overbearing to those under him, and fawningly17 civil to those in authority.
"What's this, Sergeant?" asked Derek, holding out the paper. "There seems to be some mistake about this man's birthplace."
"No, sir," replied the N.C.O. with conviction. "I looked the words up in the dictionary to make sure. 'Taint18 the first man I've come across who can't spell."
"Where's the man?" asked the Lieutenant19.
"Here, sir!"
"Well," began Derek, addressing the airman, "there seems to be some slight doubt concerning the place in which you were born. What is it?"
A suspicion of a smile flitted across the man's face.
"Itchen Abbass, sir; a village near Winchester," he replied. "I tried to explain to the Sergeant, but he would have his own way."
For the next month or so Sableridge Training Depot20 was passing through a dark period of its history. Like other army and air establishments it was suffering from the blight21 of demobilization. Those officers and men who knew that they might be returned to civil life any day didn't trouble in the slightest about duty. Their one idea was to pack up and clear out as quickly as possible. Discipline was lax; vague rumours22 of the closing down of the station were in the air. On parade the numbers steadily23, nay24, rapidly, dwindled25, until the four "flights" were reduced to a tenth of their former strength. In the harbour expensive motor-boats were rotting and rusting26 at their moorings for want of hands to man them and keep them in a state of efficiency.
All this was a disconcerting outlook for men of Derek's type. The departing units exercised an undesirable27 influence on those who were staying on, while, what was worse, they gave a cue to the new recruits.
"We're sending you to the doctor this morning, old son," announced the Adjutant to Derek. "All officers applying for permanent commissions are to be medically examined before noon."
Derek heard the tidings without emotion. He remembered his first medical examination for the service; how it filled him with trepidation28, as he feared that the doctor would discover some defect hitherto unknown to him. Since that time Daventry had become case-hardened. The examination, which might prove an ordeal29 to many, hardly troubled him in the least.
The R.A.M.C. Captain, an elderly man, whose rugged30 features and bull voice were merely foils to a kindly31 and sympathetic nature, wasted no time.
"You're O.K., Daventry," he declared, "fit as a fiddle32. I'll put you in A category. That means you're all right for aerial work. Why, what's the matter? You don't look pleased."
There was an expression of perplexity in Derek's face. A few months previously33 he would have hailed with delight the prospect34 of being a knight35 of the air once more; now a different feeling had arisen. The innate36 seaman's instinct had developed. He loved the sea; the actual marine work at Sableridge fascinated him. The thought of having to sever37 his connection with the depot rather staggered him.
"It's the uncertainty38 of everything that's worrying me," remarked the doctor, after Derek had explained. "Here am I, Medical Officer of Health to a large manufacturing district, hanging about here with precious little to do, while there are tons of work awaiting me at home. The authorities can't make up their minds, or if they can they won't, and the consequence is I'm at a loose end. Now, only the other day——"
Just then the doctor's flow of oratory39 was cut short by the arrival of a messenger.
"Mr. Daventry here, sir?" he enquired. "The Major wants to see him at once."
Hastily donning his tunic40 Derek made his way to the room of the Second in Command.
"Oh, Daventry," began the Major, returning his subordinate's salute41. "I've a little stunt42 for you. There's a wireless43 message just been received at Baxton and telephoned on to us. A large seaplane has been forced to descend44 here"—he placed his finger on a large chart of the English Channel—"latitude so and so; longitude45 so and so. Why she's come down we don't know, but she's wirelessed for assistance. I want you to take R.A.F. 1292 B and make for her at full speed. Get hold of her and take her in tow. I'll send No. 21 to give a hand in case she's too much of a handful. 1292 B has plenty of petrol, I hope?"
"Yes, sir," replied Derek. "Filled up this morning."
It was one of Daventry's forms of recreation, in the hum-drum days of the demobilization period, to see that boats immediately under his charge were kept as efficient as the scarcity46 of hands permitted. Every day he had the engines running, so that the boats would be in a state of seaworthiness. No. 1292 B was a twenty-two knotter, while No. 21 was capable of doing only nine and a half knots. Could he get the crippled sea-plane in tow with the first boat he could slow down until the more powerfully-engined No. 21 could relieve her of the tow.
"Wonder what a sea-plane's doing about here?" thought Derek, as he hurried off to turn out the crew from the Duty Watch. "Haven't seen a machine up since the armistice47. Joy-riders, I suppose."
Fortunately it was a fine day, although the sky was overcast48. The sea was smooth, so that, running at a high speed, the first motor-boat was fairly dry. What spray she raised she threw aside by her pronounced flare49.
"All out!" ordered Derek. "Give her full throttle50!"
Steering51 by compass Daventry held on for nearly two hours, continually sweeping53 the horizon with his glasses in the hope of spotting the disabled sea-plane. Smudges of smoke indicated shipping54, so that it was quite possible that the aviators55 might have been picked up by a vessel56 bound up or down Channel.
Standing57 with feet well apart on the slippery fore-deck one of the crew also kept a sharp look out. It was he who reported something at a distance of four or five miles on the port bow.
"That's what we're looking for," declared Derek, as he, too, took up a precarious58 position on the cambered fore-deck. "Starboard your helm, coxswain; steady—at that!"
A few minutes' run enabled the crew of No. 1292 B to verify their skipper's words. Riding easily on the gentle swell59 was a triplane of the latest type—a four-engined, cabined sea-plane capable of a 2000 miles non-stop run, accidents excepted. Soon it was easy to discern the tricoloured circles on her fuselage. By the arrangement of colours Derek knew that she was not an American, as he first supposed, but a British R.A.F. 'bus.
"Can't see anything wrong with her," he soliloquized. "Something must be adrift, of course, but hanged if I can see."
Adroitly60 handling his boat the coxswain brought her close alongside the huge starboard float, one of the triplane's crew swarming61 down to assist in making fast the heaving line. Other airmen and mechanics were taking a lively interest in the salvage62 operations, while from an open window in the side of the fuselage a red face surmounted63 by a gold-leafed cap was gazing down upon the rescuing boat.
"What's wrong?" enquired Derek.
"Both pilots crocked, sir," replied the man on the float. "They were just turning over when we hit a pocket pretty badly. One is stunned64; the other has a broken collar-bone and two fingers dislocated. Have you a doctor with you, sir?"
"No," replied Derek. "We had no information that one was required. Why didn't you wireless for medical aid?"
"We just got off our first message, sir, and then we landed rather badly. Our aerial was trailing, and the bump 'konked' out the apparatus65. I'm not a wireless man myself, sir; but our operator can explain."
"I'll take you in tow," said Daventry. "With luck we'll have you in Fisherton Harbour within four or five hours."
"Not if it can be avoided," protested the Staff Officer, from his elevated perch66. "Why the deuce didn't they send out more pilots? You'd better go back at full speed and bring off a couple of good, experienced flying-officers. It's an urgent case; absolutely imperative67 that the flight be resumed without loss of time."
Derek was about to order the bowman to cast off when a thought struck him.
"May I come on board, sir?" he asked. "I'm a pilot."
"Are you, by Jove?" rejoined the Staff Officer, who, as shown by the badges on his shoulder-straps, was a Brigadier-General. "That's fortunate! Yes, come aboard, by all means."
Leaping on to the float Derek swarmed68 up one of the struts69 and gained the open hatchway on the underside of the fuselage. The sight within was an eye-opener. He had no idea of the vast strides in aerial construction that had been made since the time when he had to relinquish70 flying.
The fuselage was nearly a hundred feet in length and entirely71 enclosed. It gave one the impression that it was the interior of a yacht, for on either side of the central corridor were partitioned-off compartments—cabins for passengers, officers, and crew, as well as a spacious73 but completely-crowded engine-room.
Right amidships were the two state-rooms in the occupation of the Staff Officer and his secretary. One compartment72 was furnished as a combined dining- and living-room, the other as a bedroom, with aluminium74 cots so arranged that, at any normal angle the sea-plane might assume, they would be always horizontal.
It was in the former cabin that Derek was received. There was nobody about to overhear the interview.
"Can you pilot this craft to Corunna?" asked the Brigadier-General. "It is a matter of extreme national importance that I arrive there before five this afternoon. If you cannot do it, then perhaps you might be able to take the sea-plane as far as Falmouth, where I can get experienced pilots."
"I can, sir," replied Derek.
"You've had experience?"
"Cross-Channel flights, sir; also some months' service on the Western Front."
"Good enough!" exclaimed the Staff Officer. "Carry on! The engineers say there's nothing wrong with the motors."
"Very good, sir," replied Derek, saluting75.
Entering the pilot's cabin Daventry found the two injured men. One was still insensible; the other, white-faced, was trying to make the best of his injuries. To him Derek put a few questions; then he telephoned to the engine-room, and received the reply that all was in readiness to resume the interrupted flight.
Very gently the two injured officers were lowered into the still waiting motor-boat.
"Carry on, coxswain!" ordered Derek. "Steer52 nor'-a-quarter-east and you'll pick up land within ten miles of Sableridge, even if you don't fall in with No. 21 before. Report to the C.O. that I am detained on duty, and that I will wire him directly I get ashore76."
The motor-boat pushed off, swung round, and set off at full speed for the invisible shore; while Derek, after testing the contacts—a process that took what seemed ages of suspense to the impatient Brigadier-General—gave the word for the four motors to be started.
Taxi-ing over the smooth sea nearly two hundred yards until sufficient speed was attained77, the huge sea-plane "took-off" almost imperceptibly. Then, climbing to two thousand feet, the triplane settled down to her long flight to the distant shores of Spain.
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1
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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2
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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4
tenterhooks
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| n.坐立不安 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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6
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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7
endorsed
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| vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品 | |
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8
exasperating
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| adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式 | |
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9
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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10
festive
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| adj.欢宴的，节日的 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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12
loathe
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| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
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13
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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itching
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| adj.贪得的，痒的，渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 ) | |
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15
distressful
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| adj.苦难重重的，不幸的，使苦恼的 | |
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16
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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fawningly
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| adv.奉承地，讨好地 | |
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18
taint
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| n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染 | |
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19
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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21
blight
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| n.枯萎病；造成破坏的因素；vt.破坏，摧残 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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23
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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25
dwindled
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| v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
rusting
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| n.生锈v.（使）生锈( rust的现在分词 ) | |
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27
undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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28
trepidation
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| n.惊恐，惶恐 | |
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29
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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30
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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32
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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35
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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36
innate
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| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
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37
sever
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| v.切开，割开；断绝，中断 | |
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38
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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39
oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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40
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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41
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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42
stunt
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| n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长 | |
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43
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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44
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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45
longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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46
scarcity
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| n.缺乏，不足，萧条 | |
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47
armistice
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| n.休战，停战协定 | |
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48
overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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49
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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50
throttle
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| n.节流阀，节气阀，喉咙；v.扼喉咙，使窒息，压 | |
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51
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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52
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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53
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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54
shipping
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| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
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55
aviators
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| 飞机驾驶员，飞行员( aviator的名词复数 ) | |
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56
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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57
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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58
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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59
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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60
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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61
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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62
salvage
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| v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救 | |
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63
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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64
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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65
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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66
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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67
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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68
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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69
struts
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| （框架的）支杆( strut的名词复数 )； 支柱； 趾高气扬的步态； （尤指跳舞或表演时）卖弄 | |
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70
relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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71
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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72
compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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73
spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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74
aluminium
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| n.铝 (=aluminum) | |
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75
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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76
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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77
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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