United States or Egypt ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Tam enjoyed the beauty and freshness of the early afternoon, every minute of it. He drove slowly, his eyes wandering occasionally from the road to make a professional scrutiny of the skies. He spotted the lonely watches of 89 Squadron and smiled, for 89 had vowed many oaths that they would catch the "Sausage-Killer," and had even initiated a sweepstakes for the lucky man who crashed him.
Apparently, the "Sausage-Killer" was not so blessed in the matter of sight as Tam, for the scout was on his tail and was pumping nickel through his tractor's screw before the destroyer of innocent gas-bags realized what had happened.
There was a discreet tap at the door, and Wilhelm MacBethmann, his faithful retainer, staggered in, bearin' his cup of acorn coffee. "'Rise, mein Herr, says he, 'get oot o' bed, ma bonnie laird. "'What o'clock is it, Angus? says the 'Sausage-Killer, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"You start with the beginning of the day. Now, properly, Tam." Her slim finger threatened him. "Is it literature ye'd be wanting?" asked Tam shyly. She nodded, and Tam shut his eyes and began after the style of an amateur elocutionist: "The dawn broke fair and bonny an' the fairest rays of the rising sun fell upon the sleeping 'Sausage-Killer' "
She sat with her elbows on the table, her chin resting on her clasped hands and her eyes fixed on Tam, eyes that danced with amusement, with admiration, and with just that hint of tenderness that you might expect in the proud mother showing off the accomplishments of her first-born. " fell aboot the heid of the Sausage-Killer," Tam went on, "bathin' his shaven croon wi' saft radiance.
"Who is the 'Sausage-Killer'?" asked the girl, startled. "He'll be the villain of the piece, A'm thinkin'," said Tam, "but if ye interrupt " "I am sorry," murmured the girl, apologetically.
He paid little attention to the flaming lines because the "Sausage-Killer" never came direct from his aerodrome. You would see him streaking across the sky, apparently on his urgent way to the sea bases and oblivious of the existence of Observation Balloons. Then he would turn, as though he had forgotten his passport and railway ticket and must go home quickly to get them.
"He'll miss the aerodrome," said the general. "That's not Tam's way of returning at all," said Blackie with knitted brows. The machine dropped in the very field where the "Sausage-Killer" had been brought down a week before. It did not skim down but landed awkwardly, swaying from side to side until it came to a stand-still. Blackie was racing across the field.
A thousand feet beneath him was a straggling wisp of cloud, so tenuous that you saw the earth through its bulk. Above was a smaller cloud, not so transparent, but too thin to afford a lurking place for his enemy. Tam was waiting for that famous gentleman, the "Sausage-Killer," the sworn foe of all "O. B.'s."
"'It's seven, your Majesty, says MacBethmann, 'shall I lay out yeer synthetic sausage or shall I fry up yesterday's sauerkraut? "But the 'Sausage-Killer' shakes his head. "'Mon Angus, he says, 'A've had a heedious dream. A' dreamt, says he, 'that A' went for to kill a wee sausage and A' dived for him and missed him and before A' could recover, the sausage bit me. 'Tis a warning, says he.
Word Of The Day