Shortly after this the telephone bell in the corridor rang. A maid appeared, and after a very pretty French curtsey, said:-- "Monsieur le Commandant Dastral, s'il vous plait?" "Ah, oui, Mademoiselle, qu'est-ce que vous voulez?" asked Dastral, rising to his feet, and returning the pretty maid's curtsey. "C'est pour vous, ce message téléphonique." "Merci, mam'selle," replied Dastral, as he hastened to the telephone box. "Hullo! Who is that?" asked a voice some twenty or thirty miles away. "Lieutenant Dastral, of the Flying Corps. Who is that, please?" "Major Bulford, Squadron Commander, speaking from the aerodrome at St. Champau." "Yes, sir!" replied Dastral smartly, springing unconsciously to attention, although the voice was so far away from him. "Good-morning, Dastral. Congratulations, my boy. I have heard all about your adventures yesterday from my Adjutant. You've started well! You're just the man we're wanting here. We're having warm work with the Boches this week. You're a lucky dog to run into a German submarine on your first trip over." "Oh, it was my observer, sir. He spotted the blamed thing, and bombed her. It was as easy as winking. Just a stroke of luck, sir, that's all." "Well, I hope your luck 'll keep in. We shall be glad to see you as soon as you can come over. Are you both all right?" "Yes, sir. Quite all right, 'cept for a slight chill through being in the water for a few minutes." "Well, better stay where you are a couple of days if you are comfortable, and then come on here." "Thank you, sir. Yes, we're quite comfortable here, and we'll report at the aerodrome in a couple of days." "Right. Good-bye. Oh, I say! Are you there?" "Yes, sir." "I was going to tell you that the machine arrived here about an hour ago. It's some 'bus' and I like the look of her, except that she's badly smashed, and will be in the hands of the riggers and mechanics for four or five days before she can be used again." "Oh, that's not so bad. I feared she would be useless after the crash she got, sir. How did you get her there so quickly?" "Oh, we received word from the harbourmaster that she had been brought in by a destroyer, and we immediately sent down a couple of tenders with trailers and brought her on here this morning. Good-bye. The fellows here are all anxious to meet you." "Good-bye, sir." As soon as he had rung off Dastral rushed back into the room to tell Jock all about his chat with the O.C. of the Squadron at St. Champau, and especially about the two days' extra leave. "Good!" ejaculated his friend. "Seems a decent sort of chap, eh?" "Rather a sport, I should say, old man." "Capital. That little affair of ours yesterday seems to have done us no harm. It'll probably give us a good entree into the new mess. Hope they're all decent fellows there."