rather under the impression you'd never flown one either."
"I haven't — yet," laughed the Major, and hasted away for his coat and helmet.
"Can you beat that?" exclaimed the Lieutenant.
The Captain sighed and went to aid the Major into his leathern armour. Lightly and joyously the youthful Major climbed into the machine and sat awhile to examine and remark upon its unfamiliar features, while a sturdy mechanic stood at the propeller ready to start the engine.
"By the way," said he, turning to address me. "You're staying to luncheon, of course?"
"I'm afraid we can't," answered our Intelligence Officer.
"Oh, but you must — I've ordered soup! Right-oh!" he called to his mechanician; the engine hummed, thundered, and roaring, cast back upon us a very gale of wind; the witch-lamb moved, slid forward over the grass, and gathering speed, lifted six inches, a yard, ten yards — and was in flight.