Only on the previous day Roseye had been up in the air with me across Hampstead, Highgate, and out as far as Hatfield and home to the aerodrome, making a further test of the potent but unseen power which we had been able to create, and which must, if further developed, be our strong arm by which to strike a very deadly blow against enemy airships. "Personally," declared Sir Herbert, in his bluff, matter-of-fact way, "I think the whole idea of air-defence from below is utterly futile. A gun can never hit with accuracy a moving object so high in the air and in the dark. What target is there?" "Exactly," exclaimed Eastwell. "That has always been my argument. I've been interested in aviation for years, and I know the enormous difficulties which face the efforts of those who man our anti-aircraft guns. Searchlights and guns I contend are inadequate." "They've hardly been tried, have they?" queried Lady Lethmere. "And, moreover, I seem to recollect reading that both have done some excellent work on the French front." "But London is not the French front," Eastwell protested. "The conditions are so very different." "Then what do you suggest as a really reliable air-defence?" Sir Herbert inquired. "Fight them with fast aeroplanes and bombs," Eastwell said. "But you've just told Munro that had he gone up last night from Hendon his flight would have been quite useless, as he would never have been able to mount sufficiently high in the time." "Quite so. But we ought to have efficient air-patrols at night," was his reply. "Combined with properly illuminated landing-places," Roseye added. "Otherwise more than half the airmen and observers must kill themselves through landing in the dark without any knowledge of the direction of the wind." "That could all be arranged--as it no doubt will be in due course," I said. "The Government are not such fools as some people seem inclined to believe. I'm not one of those who blame the whole Government for a few mistakes of its subordinate departments, and the incompetency of men pitchforked, in the hurry of an unexpected war, into places for which they are entirely unfitted. We all know of glaring cases of that sort. No. Let's take heart, and look on the best side of things. Britain is not vanquished yet, and the heart of the true Briton beats quicker and is fiercer than ever in its patriotism over the base enemy outrage of the kind that was committed upon innocent Londoners last night." "Only yesterday I was reading a popular book called _Can Germany Win_? written by an anonymous American," remarked Sir Herbert. "The writer gaily informs the public that even well-directed rifle-fire can bring the vaunted Zeppelins down, and to secure any accuracy of aim themselves, the airships must descend to an altitude which brings them well within the range of modern guns."