Page:The Zeppelin Destroyer.djvu/146

 'I shall be so very glad when they let me fly again, Claude. I feel ever so much better now—quite my old self again.'

'I'm delighted to hear that,' was my reply. 'But you must wait another week or two before you take out your machine. Your man is overhauling it thoroughly. When I was at Hendon yesterday I saw that he had taken down the engine.'

'Yes. I'm most anxious to help you, dear, with your great invention. How is it getting on?'

'Famously,' I replied. 'Teddy and I have been working hard for the last four days, and have made progress in both lightening the weight of the outfit, and increasing its power. I've ordered a big new dynamo to be constructed on such lines that it can be placed on my machine with a second engine. This engine will either run the dynamo, or the propeller.'

'Of course, I quite see,' she exclaimed. 'You must have a second engine for night-flying. How long will it be, do you think, before you can make a trial flight?' she asked anxiously.

'Early in January I hope, darling.'

'And you will let me come with you—won't you? Now promise me. Do,' she urged, placing her gloved hand upon my arm, and looking earnestly into my face.

'Yes. I promise,' I answered laughing. 'Teddy will, no doubt, be very anxious to come, but you shall make the first flight, darling. It is your privilege.'

'May I come out to Gunnersbury and help you?' she asked. 'I'm quite all right again, I assure you.'