The Dreadnought of the Air

hurst junction that he had three-quarters of an hour to wait. Since he did not feel inclined to cool his heels on the station pl

t shelter from the slanting though powerful rays of th

has been sighted again. I'll get an evening paper at the bookstall when I return to the station. How jolly fine the forest scenery is.

fare obtainable on board the "Royal Oak" in the Tropics, combined to make the most appetizing meal he had tasted for months past. It rem

"Directly I set foot ashore at Portsmouth I'll order a pr

down in the country. One of his first acts was to hire a man to stand outside his bedroom wind

I heard the sea breaking again

vividness. Perhaps; but up to the present he felt no such overwhelming desi

on the traveller remembered

to get to the station and, since he did the outward journey

orter as Dacres arrived on the

lms

d the railway employee with the air of

t the envelope. "I thoug

oncerned reply. "Now it leaves here at

t not to have asked when I arrived here. However, can't be helped. 'What's done can't be undone,' as the landlubber remarked when he tied a slippery hitch in

acres hurried to buy a copy. The news as far as the airship was concerned was woef

essage from Cape Columbia, announcing that Lieutenant Cardyke and four men o

e was always keen on Polar work. I remember how he used to devour Scott's and Shackleton's works when he was at Osborne. All the same, I wonder they don't ma

was signalled. Folding the paper and placing it in his pocket he r

ving walked. The sun had just dipped behind the heather-clad hills as Dacres a

ho left the train, and in response to Dacres' inquiry as to the dir

e sung out to a shock-headed youth who was str

ter of a couple o' mile t'ot

how to reach Wilverley Post, Dacres found h

motor or a ca

rdered 'em. There be a bus, o

on he swung along the road, breathing in the pure moorland air, determined

verhead a deep buzzing caused him to look upwards. Two aviators, making towards Bournemouth, glided swiftly through t

ere was just sufficient light for him to decipher the directions. Lyndhurst-he did n

ght to be fairly soon. What a deserted-looking spot, though. However," he added optimistically, "it might be a jo

at a loss to give the desired information. He had lived at

. The chauffeur obligingly stopped, but was likewise un

ten chances to one it would only be taking you farther out of your way. If you like,

articularly to get to Cranbury

ped on his way, while Dacres prepared t

ethodically along the hard tarred road. Out of the darkness loomed

nder. Du 'ee ta?k this path an' 'twill bring ee right agin the gates of t'ouse. It'll be a matter of a cou

Dacres, bestowing a shilling upon the

d bogs close on hand. Why, only t'other evenin' old Bi

us to hear of the nocturnal adv

ht," he said. "About two miles

ached to such an extent that the sharp spikes tingled the pedestrian's calves. Here and there the footway, worn by the action of rain and the passing of cattle, was several

cation of the path. So acute was the angle between the two ways and so alike in width that he

ooks like a case of pay your money and take your choice.

on the sandy ground. Three matches he struck before

The ways meet again. Anyway,

h amidst the heather, four black objects darted acros

sts roaming about in this deserted spo

stion that it was the reunion of the two forked routes. With this reassuring discovery he redoubled his efforts

and down into a wide yet shallow valley it plunged, till once more it split into two ways. To add to the perplexity of the sit

f the night. He could easily imagine himself to be "bushed" in the A

the hollow the mists were considerably denser and rose hi

his peace of mind was now considerably ruffled by the vexatious delay

ok that trickled over the now ill-defined track. On either hand the ground was marshy and

g with muddy boots," he reflected as he waded through the shallow

nse disgust that there were no signs of the path being resumed. Evidently th

with a gaunt tree, the outlines of which we

e for that hill. Perhaps it will be clearer up t

he was no better off, for the sky was still overcast, while as far as he could see in the dim light the surrounding country was enshrouded in mist. In vai

outed in sten

ckly answered by

omewhere about. I've heard that pensioners frequ

are you?" he

you?" cam

merely wasting precious breath. If only there were a breeze I

at his watch Dacres discovered

her path. Wish I'd accepted that fellow's offer and got him to pilot me th

a shrewd suspicion that he was describing a large circle, for one peculiar-shaped t

ht leapt up at some distance ahead of him. "N

from the midst of a deep shadow. Suddenly the light vanished, but the shadow resolved itself i

d earnestly, while the clatter of a metal object

"A broken-down car, perhaps. Then, these t

ith disastrous results to his trousers and coat sleeves. The pain caused by o

egan to tinkle faintly.

eings once more. Standing upon the lowermost wire and holding upon the one above, he wriggled adroi

until it began to occur to him that he was in danger of being lost in a woo

d. All w

d raise his voice there was a sudden scuffling to t

lads. He's