small as
possible, so that he might have more space in which to
operate the controls. I had every reason to believe they 25
required minute attention if we were to remain rebounding
about the skies from wind pocket to wind pocket five
thousand feet above the flying field. I had forgotten our
objective, which was Manhattan--the dreams of fifteen
years about to be realized.

I particularly wanted to be ricocheting from the crest 5
of one air wave to another. It was the choice of alternatives,
I concluded, for below us the crazy-quilted landscape
of Long Island appeared to be anything but a soft
place for landing. And there was a barn directly under
us for several minutes--the same barn. I know it was a 10
barn because it had a fence around it; otherwise it might
have been a dog's kennel--a lone dog's kennel at that--so
tiny was it from our viewpoint.

I know we hung suspended over it for some time. I
had an opportunity to review my entire past life, my good 15
deeds, of which there were few that I could recall at the
moment, and my misdeeds, of which there were many.
I pondered if they would miss me at the office. I thought
of other offices and other fellows and the nature of their
retrospection, fellows who had been in positions similar 20
to mine--and I knew where they were, or rather, where
they were not.

Francis had pointed at me among four other prospective
passengers standing about the great plane while they tuned
up the motors. 25

"You there, little fellow, get in here beside me!"

I had shinnied up the stepladder and crawled in beside
him, flattered at the distinction--the others took their
places in other cockpits free from controls and instruments--and
then I understood the reason for his choice. 30

Our flying suits were lined with fur, and bulky. The
cockpit was narrow at best, and Francis is not a small man.
So I huddled as far as possible at the side of the flyer's seat,
my side of it. And then: "Keep your paws in, if you
don't want them taken off with that propeller," he had
shouted into my ear. "Sit tight!"

I sat tight. No shrimp ever had as many wrinkles as I. 5
I pulled my hand in a fraction of an inch, braced my legs
against nothing in particular, while my ba