Air Stories, April 1936 — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AIR STORIES ‘‘ What the deuce is up now? ’’ he inquired breathlessly. Warton explained, and for ten minutes the pair sat silently in the tender waiting for Fories and Savage to return. Warton’s mind was just beginning to form vague apprehen- sions, when the two machines appeared and landed, and a few minutes later Savage, with his leather coat flying in the wind and his big boots clattering as he ran, galloped across the aerodrome and scrambled into the tender. ‘‘Right away !’’ he shouted at the driver, then turned to Warton and said, ‘‘Hallo, boy ! They’ve only just told me about you. You are a silly ass, you know. I thought you were dead. What- ever made you go down to the ground like that ? ”’ ‘¢T dunno,’’ Warton replied. kind of got annoyed.”’ ‘‘Well, anyway, you got the old sausage,’’ continued Savage. ‘‘ And now how are you feeling ? It’s only a bit of a cut in the shoulder, isn’t it? You, Lasts, too, with a punctured heel ! ’Strewth, I could shake the pair of you ! Anyway, I’m coming with you to the C.C.S. to make sure you don’t start any nonsense on the way. Why, what the devil’s that thing coming down the road P ”’ Warton looked back and saw a small figure hotly pursuing them in a cloud of dust. They stopped the tender and waited. ‘‘ Well I’m darned, if it isn’t old Ryeward !’’ exclaimed Savage, as the figure approached, and Ryeward, very hot and with his helmet held on top of his head by the elastic of his goggles, leapt at the step of the tender and fell at full length upon the floor. ‘‘ Thought I’d come and see how you were,’’? he announced, as soon as he was able to speak ; and thereafter sat solemnly staring at Warton, alternately growling and puffing his cheeks in and out. The Casualty Clearing Station was only a few miles from the aerodrome, so Savage and Ryeward left the wounded pair at the gate, with promises to return on the following day. Warton and Lastor were taken into a large, cool tcf tent and examined by a brisk little surgeon who was continually dropping his gold-rimmed pince-nez. Lastor’s case was soon disposed of. ‘Nothing much wrong with you, young man,’’ the doctor announced. ‘‘A com- plete rest and a little care will soon put you right.’’ But at the sight of Warton’s wound he shook his head. ‘‘ Hum !’’ he said. ‘‘ Well, as you want to stay in France, I’ll try not to send you down to the base. But we’ll have to open up that wound of yours first, and see just what damage has been done. Now follow the orderly, both of you, and get to bed.’’ CHAPTER IV ‘To Confound the Huns ” ARTON’S wound healed quickly, . after the cleaning operation, and on the fifth day after he had been hit he was packed off with Lastor to Wimeraux for convalescence. But the hospital routine soon palled, and at the end of a fortnight they persuaded the doctors that nothing could do them more good than a little flying, and so obtained permission to wire to the squadron for atender. Instead of a tender, the C.O.’s car arrived with Savage and Ryeward full of enthusiasm and pleasure at the prospect of taking them home. ‘‘ Cheero, boys !’’ Savage greeted them. ‘‘So you’ve got tired of leading an idle life, and are going to return to your lan- guishing comrades. As on a previous occasion, I have taken the liberty of engaging a table at Mony’s. We will proceed thither forthwith.’’ Over the soup, Warton noticed three stars, carefully tarnished to make them look old, that ornamented each shoulder of Savage’s tunic. ‘“Well I’m darned !’? he exclaimed. ‘‘ Why do you always wait to display your new and shining honours until we’re having dinner at this place P_ First your ribbon, now this ! Please explain.’’ ‘‘ The explanation is simple enough,”’ answered Savage, trying to speak care- 316 lessly, but only partially succeeding. ‘‘Fories went home two days ago, COMIC OOKS.COM