from any expression that might betray their thoughts.

It was the quiet man in civilian attire who spoke first. He sat beside
another whose insignia proclaimed him of general's rank, but he
addressed himself to Colonel Boynton.

"I am very glad," he said quietly, "very glad. Colonel, that my
unofficial visit came at just this time. I should like to ask some few
questions."

Colonel Boynton shifted the responsibility with a gesture almost of
relief. "It is in your hands. Mr. Secretary," he said. "You and
General Clinton have dropped in opportunely. There is something here
that will tax all our minds."

The man in civilian clothes nodded assent. He turned to Captain Blake.

"Captain," he said, "you saw this at first hand. You have told us what
you saw. I should like greatly to know what you think. Will you give
us your opinion, your impressions?"

* * * * *

The captain arose smartly, but his words came with less ease.

"My opinion," he stated, "will be of little value, but it is based
upon these facts. I have seen to-night, sir, a new type of aircraft,
with speed, climb and ceiling beyond anything we are capable of. I
can only regard it as a menace. It may or may not have been armed, but
it had the size to permit the armament of a cruiser; it had power to
carry that weight. It hung stationary in the air, so it is independent
of wing-lift, yet it turned and shot upward like a feather in a gale.
That spells maneuverability.

"That combination, sir, can mean only that we are out-flown,
out-maneuvered and out-fought in the air. It means that the planes in
our hangars are obsolete, our armament so much old iron.

"The menace is potential at present. Whether it is an actual threat or
not is another matter. Who mans that ship--what country's insignia she
carries--is something on which I can have no opinion. The power is
there: who wields it I wish we knew."

The questioner nodded at the conclusion of Blake's words, and he
exchanged quiet, grave glances with the general beside him. Then--

"I think we all would wish to know that, Captain Blake," he observed.
And to the colonel: "You may be able to answer that soon. It would be
my idea that this craft should be--ah--drawn out, if we can do it. We
would not attack it, of course, until its mission is proved definitely
unfriendly, but you will resist any offensive from them.

"And now," he added, "let us thank these officers for their a