Part 28 (1/2)
”It looks more like a dragon to me,” said John.
They wheeled and rode away over the wet ground, which gave back but little sound of hoofs, and soon they were again on their own road, bearing to the west. They were very thoughtful, but their own risks of the morning from the hidden bullets were forgotten. The mind of every one of the three turned forward.
CHAPTER X
THE DRAGONS OF THE AIR
About mid-morning the rain ceased, the fog rose, and was soon scattered by a powerful sun. The beautiful country, fresh and green, reappeared.
It was the fair land of France again and John rejoiced. His uniform dried fast upon him, and his spirits rose steadily. He saw the ruddy glow return to the cheeks of his comrades, and the horses seemed to grow stronger. The sky, washed by the rain, was a solid blue, and the air was crisp with the wine of life.
”It's good to breathe and live!” exclaimed Wharton joyously.
”You Yankees talk too much,” said Carstairs.
”And you English talk at the wrong time.”
”Generally we let our deeds talk for us.”
”Then you don't say much.”
John laughed. The pleasant way in which they quarreled always amused him.
”I promised not to take the side of either of you at any time,” he said.
”You seem to be about evenly matched, and of course it wouldn't be fair for me in such a case to help my countryman.”
”Two to one against us are about the odds we English like,” said Carstairs.
”Boaster,” said Wharton. ”Position and army equal we could always whip you, man for man.”
”Boaster yourself. Whenever we didn't whip you you'd always say that the position and arms were not equal.”
”Stop long enough to look at those birds in the heavens,” said John.
”Yes I see them,” said Carstairs. ”There are four but they're flying very high.”
”No, they're five,” said Wharton. ”There's one on the left detached from the others.”
”You're both wrong,” said John, smiling from the depths of his superior knowledge. ”They're not birds at all.”
”Then what under the sun can they be?”
”Aeroplanes. Flying machines.”
”Well you ought to know your kind of carriage. You've been up in one of them. Whose are they, I wonder?”
”I can't tell, they're so high, but I'd judge from the shape that they're the German Taubes.”
Carstairs and Wharton looked grave.