of the converted armybomber smelled like exactly what
it was--a barn. Ten sheep and a solitary goat were tethered to
stanchions along the sides. The sheep bleated continuously, the goat
looked cynically forbearing, and all gave off an ammoniacal smell which
was not absorbed by the bed of hay under their hoofs.

Enthusiasm for this venture was an emotion I found practically
impossible to summon up. Even without Le ffacase's sanguinary
prophecies, I objected to the trip. I had never been in a plane in my
life, and this for no other reason than disinclination. I feared every
possible consequence of the parachutejump, from instant annihilation
through a broken neck in the jerk of its opening, down to being
smothered in its folds on the ground. I distinctly did not want to go.

But caution sometimes defeats itself; I was so afraid of going that I
hesitated to admit my timidity and so I found myself herded with my two
companions, the pilot and crew, in with the sheep and the goat. I was
not resigned, but I was quiescent. Gootes and the animals were not.

While we waited he went through his entire stock of tricks including a
few new ones which were not completely successful, before the cameraman,
panting, arrived ten minutes after our scheduled departure. His name was
Rafe Slafe--which I thought an improbable combination of syllables--and
he was so chubby in every part you imagined you saw the smile which
ought to have gone with such a face and figure. Before his breath had
settled down to a normal routine, Gootes had rushed upon him with an
enthusiastic, "Ah, Rafello muchacho, give to me the abrazo; como usted,
companero?"

Slafe scorned reply, pushing Gootes aside with one plump hand while with
the other he tidied the sparse black hairs of his mustache, which was
trimmed down to an eyebrow shading his lip. After inspecting and
rejecting several identical bucketseats he found one less to his
distaste than the others and stowed his equipment, which was extensive,
requiring several puffing trips backandforth, next to it. Then he
lowered his backside onto the unyielding surface with the same anxiety
with which he might have deposited a fortune in a dubious bank.

His hands darted in and out of pockets which apparently held a small
pharmacopoeia. Pulling out a roll of absorbentcotton from which he
plucked two wads, he stuck them thoughtfully in his ears. He withdrew a
nasalsyringe and used it vigorously, swallowed gulps of a