He dropped a hammer out of the car, stopped the horizontal motion and started the vertical, adjusted the planes, and descended gently to the ground. “That’s better,” he cried, when he had measured the distance between the aeroplane and the hammer; “it’s only a dozen yards. We’re getting on. Really, I wish I could try your suggestion.” “Shall I mention it to the pater?” said Oliphant eagerly. “Not on any account,” said Tom aghast. “Even if I could do it, he of all men must not know.” “I don’t see why.” “Supposing I tried it and came a cropper, there’d be a double outcry against him; the first for not rescuing Sir Mark Ingleton, the second for allowing a crack-brained engineer to make a fool of himself and a corpse in the bargain. No, give it up; I don’t see any help for it.” But when left to himself Tom could not keep his thoughts from Oliphant’s suggestion. The adventurous idea captivated his imagination; he began to consider it in earnest; he spent several hours of the afternoon in further experimenting with the aeroplane, and after dinner, when Mr. Greatorex and he went out into the grounds for their customary stroll and cigarettes, he broached the subject, in a casual way, and in much the same terms as Oliphant had used. “Pity we couldn’t take a trip to Morocco and get Ingleton away,” he said cautiously. “Eh! Pull Langside’s chestnuts out of the fire! He was a fool to send the man to Morocco. I wouldn’t if I could, and of _course_ it’s impossible.” “I’m not sure of that. And it isn’t a party matter, really.” “Not party! It’s _all_ party.” “Sir Mark Ingleton is an agent of the Crown, sir, and the Crown is above party. I think in these matters we might sink our differences.” “Yes, and sink our aeroplane, and _drown_ ourselves, and serve us _right_.” But opposition was only a stimulus to Tom. He began to argue the matter strenuously. Mr. Greatorex, to do him justice, was no bigot. His politics were at bottom a particularly intense form of patriotism; and when Tom showed him that there were at any rate possibilities in the suggestion, he gradually changed his view, forgot his reluctance to help a political opponent, and became indeed quite enthusiastic. “By _George_, Tom!” he exclaimed; “what a grand send-off it would be to your invention if the first use of it were the rescue of this unfortunate diplomatist! And what a magnificent thing for the Country! Come and let’s talk it out over a cup of coffee. Not a _word_ before Mrs. Greatorex, mind.” “Well, John, are you pleased with your toy?” said that good lady when they re-entered the house. “Quite, my dear, _quite_.” “It will be quite a feature of our garden party. But I hope Tom will make sure that it is absolutely safe before he takes anybody up at half a crown a ride. I shall be glad of the half-crowns for my Nursing Association, but I should never forgive you if any one was hurt.” “Why, my dear, the half-crowns would go to pay the _nurses_.”