lly among the French and English, in this new pastime,
but I dare say the greater part of what they say is lies. But really,
the noise is becoming very great; I am unable to explain it."

Both men were now sitting erect, looking to right, to left, seawards,
landwards, towards the hills. All at once the sound ceased, a shadow
was cast upon them, and before they could realize the situation a
strange, uncouth object glided from behind them over the plantains,
and came to rest in the centre of the cabbage-patch.

Herr Schwankmacher sprang to his feet with a nimbleness surprising in
a man of his size, and rushed forward, snorting with rage and
indignation. His friend followed, neither indignant nor enraged, but
very much interested in the occurrence. His intelligent eyes gleamed
behind his glasses; he had himself experienced aerial adventures.

It chanced that Rodier was the first to step out of the machine. As
the burly, bearded, white-clad figure of Herr Schwankmacher cantered
heavily toward him, he lifted his cap, and with that sunny smile
which had accompanied him through life, he said--

"Monsieur, je vous fais mille excuses. Voudriez-vou bien me dire ou
l'on puisse obtenir de la petrole."

"Sapperment!" cried the infuriated German. "Es ist ein kriechender
Franzose!"

It was well that Rodier did not understand him, or, never having been
called a sneaking Frenchman before, he would certainly have fallen
tooth and nail on the offender, though in respect of bulk the German
would have made two of him. Fortunately for the keeping of peace, he
was quite ignorant of the German tongue, and when Herr Schwankmacher
proceeded to shake his pipe at him, and deliver his opinion of
trespassers in general and French trespassers in particular, with
intermittent allusions to cabbages, Rodier only listened with the same
gentle smile and deprecating movements of his grimy hands.

Smith, joining him, addressed Herr Schwankmacher in English, but his
intervention seemed only to add fuel to the flames. The German knew no
English; neither Smith nor Rodier knew German; and the affair promised
to come to a deadlock. But here a peacemaker stepped in. Herr
Schwankmacher's friend, who appeared to be greatly amused, stepped
forward with a noticeable limp.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, zis is not business. Permit me, sir," he said
to Smith.

He took Herr Schwankmacher by the arm, and spoke a few words to him;
upon which the German consented to be