But the period proved to be even shorter. Before leaving the aeroplane that evening, they spent an hour or two in making a third seat. Two days later, when Mr. Appleton again crossed to their ledge to see them fly off, he noticed the addition. "Who’s your second passenger?" he asked. "Gur Buksh said that he’d like to try a flight," replied Bob: "but knowing how much you disapprove of the machine, he hasn’t ventured to ask your permission yet." "Humph! I don’t think I can allow that--at any rate, until I have tried it myself." "You don’t mean it, Uncle!" "Well, having an hour to spare, I think perhaps--I’ve a very open mind, you know." "Come _on_, sir!" cried Lawrence, slapping him on the back. "That’s sporting, upon my word." "Don’t fly away with me," said Mr. Appleton, as he got into his place. "One hour: no more." But when they were soaring northward down the river, and came to where the valley broadened out into the plains of Turkestan, Mr. Appleton forgot altogether about his time limit. The old adventurous spirit was still strong in him; after the first few minutes he was quite at his ease, and even when Bob "banked" the machine in wheeling round, or when a sudden gust swept through a rent in the mountain and made the aeroplane heel over slightly, he showed no nervousness. The flight lasted two hours, and as they walked back along the pathway, Mr. Appleton said-- "If the country were only flatter, I might be tempted to go in for flying myself. It’s most exhilarating. But I’m afraid I’d never be much good at it. I fancy it ought to be learnt young, like golf." After that both Mr. Appleton and Gur Buksh were occasional passengers with the boys. One day, as Lawrence was watching from the compound the flight of Bob accompanied by the Sikh, Ditta Lal came to his side. "I am consumed with envy, sir," he said: "envy, eldest born of hell, as blind poet sings." "Why, what’s wrong?" "Why, sir, that unlettered Sikh learns secrets of empyrean hidden from me, B.A. of Calcutta University." "Well, we’ll take you, any time you like." "Alas, sir! I am, through no fault of my own, fat and scant of breath, and rapid transit through rarefied atmosphere would blow me out--I mean, put disastrous strain upon my panting lungs." "D’you know, Babu, I think you’re a funk." "I repel charge with honest indignation, sir. I am bold as a lion, king of beasts--on terra firma, sir." They had been using the aeroplane for about a fortnight when a convoy of provisions arrived. The leader of the caravan brought news which gave interesting material for discussion at the supper-table, and which was talked over with scarcely less eagerness among the natives. The man reported that he had had great difficulty in getting through. Apparently an embargo had been laid on all food stuffs. Armed and mounted men were flocking south-west from all parts of Mongolia, and the talk of the country was that another great movement against Russia was in preparation.