hwith. He thought over
his costume and threw his collar and the tell-tale aeronaut's white cap
into the water far below. He turned his coat collar up to hide any gleam
of his dirty shirt. The tools and nuts in his pockets were disposed
to clank, but he rearranged them and wrapped some letters and his
pocket-handkerchief about them. He started off circumspectly and
noiselessly, listening and peering at every step. As he drew near
his antagonists, much grunting and creaking served to locate them. He
discovered them engaged in what looked like a wrestling match with the
Asiatic flying-machine. Their coats were off, their swords laid aside,
they were working magnificently. Apparently they were turning it round
and were having a good deal of difficulty with the long tail among the
trees. He dropped flat at the sight of them and wriggled into a little
hollow, and so lay watching their exertions. Ever and again, to pass the
time, he would cover one or other of them with his gun.

He found them quite interesting to watch, so interesting that at times
he came near shouting to advise them. He perceived that when they had
the machine turned round, they would then be in immediate want of the
nuts and tools he carried. Then they would come after him. They would
certainly conclude he had them or had hidden them. Should he hide his
gun and do a deal for food with these tools? He felt he would not be
able to part with the gun again now he had once felt its reassuring
company. The kitten turned up again and made a great fuss with him and
licked and bit his ear.

The sun clambered to midday, and once that morning he saw, though the
Germans did not, an Asiatic airship very far to the south, going swiftly
eastward.

At last the flying-machine was turned and stood poised on its wheel,
with its hooks pointing up the Rapids. The two officers wiped their
faces, resumed jackets and swords, spoke and bore themselves like men
who congratulated themselves on a good laborious morning. Then they
went off briskly towards the refreshment shed, the Prince leading.
Bert became active in pursuit; but he found it impossible to stalk them
quickly enough and silently enough to discover the hiding-place of the
food. He found them, when he came into sight of them again, seated with
their backs against the shed, plates on knee, and a tin of corned beef
and a plateful of biscuits between them. They seemed in fairly good
spirits, and once the Prince laughed.