ine--why did you bring her down?"

"Sir-r," said Tam, "I'll no' romance an' A'm tellin' ye Flyin'-Coor
truth. I saw nothin' an' felt nothin'--the engines were guid an' sweet
an' she swung like a leddy, but--"

"But?"

"Weel, what would ye say if ye were zoomin' up an' of a sudden, for no
reason, yeer hair stood up an' yeer flesh went creepy an' yeer mouth
grew as dry as Sunday morning? An' there was a cauld, cauld sensation
under yeer belt an' the skin aboot yeer eyes was all strained and ye
smelt things an' tasted things sharper, as if all yeer senses was racin'
like the propeller of a boat when her bow goes under water?"

Blackie shivered. "That's how you felt, eh?" he asked. "Well, you
needn't explain further, Tam."

"'Tis the airman's sixty-sixth sense," said Tam. "If he's worried or sad
that sixty-sixth sense gets thrown up and becomes more veevid, if ye'll
understand me."

"Worried? Sad?" said Blackie quickly. "What's worrying you, Tam?
Haven't you had your pay this month?"

Tam smiled slowly. "What that young fellow, Cox, is doing wi' ma fortune
doesna keep me awake at nights," he said; "the MacTavishes are feckless,
extravagant bodies and it no' concairns me whether ma balance is one
poond or two."

"What is worrying you?" asked Blackie.

"Weel," said Tam slowly, "A'm just a wee bit grieved. A frien' o' mine
is leaving France."

"Friend of yours?" said Blackie. "Who is your friend?"

"He is a braw big fellow about six foot high wi' muscular arms and curly
hair," said Tam. "His name's Jamie Macfarlane, and his mither's a leddy
in her own right."

Thus embarked upon his career of mendacity the artist in Tam compelled
him to complete the picture.

"We were at school together, Angus and A'."

"You said Jamie just now, Tam," reproved Blackie.

"Angus is his second name," said the glib Tam; "we were brought up in
the same village, the village of Glascae, and tramped off to the same
college at six every morning when the bummer went. There'd we sit, me
and Alec."

"Angus," suggested Blackie.

"Me and Alec Angus Jamie Macfarlane," said the undisturbed Tam,
"listenin' wi' eager ears to the discoorses of Professor Ferguson who
took the Chair in Rivets at the Govan Iron Works Seminary, drinkin' out
of the same mug--"

"Tam, you're lying," said Blackie; "what is really worrying you and
who's your friend?"

Tam heaved a sigh. "Ah, weel," he said, "A' shall be wanting to go into
Amiens, to-night, Cap