Air Stories — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

AIR STORIES The pursuer thereupon turned upon a wing-tip and landed, taxying up to some- thing lying on the ground. For almost the first time in his flying career, Nobby Clarke heaved himself out of his cockpit unaided, picked up the object and wedged himself in again and came hurtling towards the tarmac with his tail well up and his wheels skimming the turf. A minute or two later, disengaging himself from those who ran to meet him, he reached the side of the Staff car. Saluting smartly, he proffered a pair of cavalry cords to Major Sharpness. ‘‘ These fell out of the Roland, sir,’’ he reported calmly without moving an eyelid. Colonel Blotten’s eyeballs nearly pop- ped out of his head as he beheld his salvaged property. ‘*Mine !’’ he thundered. ’em over at once, sir ! ’’ ‘* Hand HORTLY after the Colonel’s depar- ture, an orderly from the squadron- office sought out Lieutenant Nobby Clarke. ‘‘Want to tell me anything about this morning’s performance? ’’ de- manded Major Sharpness frigidly when his subordinate was standing before him. Nobby, slightly nervous, but knowing no complicity could definitely be traced to him, answered, ‘‘ No, sir.’’ ‘“Good,’’ replied Sharpness unex- pectedly ; ‘‘ because I don’t want to hear it if you do. Major McPherson early this morning and . .. what’s the matter ? ’’ ‘‘N-n-nothing, sir,’’ stammered Nope BAO cg mugdentys i agstag edict I was over talking to. Reniciber to Read INVADERS oF ENGLAND A Vivid Story of Aerial Warfare as it Might be To-morrow—of London Invaded from the Air—and of the R.A.F. Mobilised and in Action By J. H. STAFFORD that McPherson commanded No. ‘* Nothing at all, sir.’’ ‘*Good. Coming back, I saw one of our ’buses and a Roland on the deck. The pilots were apparently chatting quite amicably. I have a good pair of field-glasses, and I noticed our man was wearing very chatty pyjamas. Your reconnaissance being over towards Hamel this morning would naturally not take you in that direction. I was on the point of coming down to investigate when they took-off, with the Roland in the lead. I began to follow ’em to see what it was all about when I found I was almost out of petrol and just scraped in home.’’ He stopped speaking and surveyed Nobby—now thoroughly scared and won- dering when the axe would fall—with a thoughtful expression. ‘Some of the German pilots are pretty good sportsmen, don’t you think ?”’ he then suggested, with apparent irre- levance. ‘* Er—I’ve heard so, sir,’’ answered Nobby non-committally. ‘‘ Well ; you can take it from me, they are,’’ was Sharpness’ emphatic reply. ‘‘Allright. That’s all. You can go now—but if you ever hear of any one of our fellows desiring to fraternise with the enemy, tell him I’ll knock his block off if I catch him at it—and I probably would. ‘* Oh, and by the way,’’ he added as a much relieved Nobby was half out of the door, ‘‘I rather gathered that the Colonel doesn’t care a brass ha’penny. if the Squadron likes to parade in a brassiére and a loin cloth from now on.’’ On Sale See Next Month’s Price _ Feb. 11th AIR STORIES Ninepence SS See eee SON Rett COMICMOOlkS.COm