CHAPTER XVII

.*

*LESSONS IN FLYING.*

'It bain't no sort o' use; I shall never l'arn t' fly!' grumbled Bob Reid, as he stood rubbing his bruises. He had just come 'a nasty cropper,' and seemed, as he expressed it, to have 'hurt meself all over at wanst.' One hand was rubbing a leg, while the other was busy with a shoulder. 'If I 'ad 'alf a dozen more 'ands I could find plenty for 'em t' do!' he continued ruefully. 'I seem t' be bruised everywhere. Let's give it up, Tom, afore we suicides ourselves unintentional.'

'Not I!' cried Tom Clinch, who was balancing himself on a ladder. He flung his arms--to which two great wings were attached--about wildly, and leaped into the air, gasping as he came floundering down. 'You see, Bob, I 'll master it yet!'

The two sailors had had some 'flying-dresses' lent them, and had been practising and striving for all they were worth to learn the mystic art; but somehow they could not, as Tom put it, 'fall into the knack.'

'It be like swimmin',' Tom went on, between leaps and jumps which would have done credit to a Spring-heeled Jack. 'It takes a long time t' fall inter the knack'----

'Ye'll fall inter the ditch d'reckly,' Bob tittered, as Tom rolled over on the ground. 'It's no use, Tom! Let's be sensible, an' give it up. It ain't dignerfied like fur us two chaps at our time o' life!'

'I be goin' t' try another jump from that there ladder,' returned Tom obstinately. 'You needn't try no more if ye funks it! But when I starts out to do a thing I don't like t' be beat! Other people 'ere does it, so why shouldn't we?'

'Ay, but they l'arns it in their young days,' said Bob.

'Theer 's Mr Gerald--he's gettin' on fine! An' Mr Jack, too, ain't doin' bad at it! He be a-practisin' now just out yonder--t'other side that fence! There he goes now--a-soarin' up in grand style! I 'd give 'alf me month's wages t' be able t' go like that!'

'It's that puff o' wind's took 'old o' 'im,' Bob declared, as he watched Jack perform some rather curious aerial evolutions. 'Strikes me the wind's got 'old of 'im, an 'e can't 'elp 'isself! Yes! Look out fur 'im t' stop 'im, Tom!'

Tom had just succeeded, at the moment this urgent warning was uttered, in again climbing laboriously up the ladder on to a narrow platform which had been erected as a 'jumping-off place' for fliers.

There were several of these platforms, of various heights, placed at intervals in some spacious fields laid out specially near the city of Ivenia, for the use of those who were learning to fly, or experimenting with small flying-machines. They might be likened to the diving-platforms, with ladders leading up to them, which are to be seen at some bathing-places. They were open to all, and were freely used by old and young--especially the latter. It was no uncommon sight to see numbers of boys and girls--some almost babies--fluttering about like so many large butterflies.

This particular morning the two sailors were practising on their own account in one part, while Gerald and Jack were similarly engaged, not far away, under Alondra's tuition.

It was a windy day, with violent squalls at intervals, and lulls between. Just at the time Tom climbed to the platform there had arisen a very violent gust, which came sweeping across, bearing with it the figure of Jack, with large wings whirling about like the sails of a windmill. Whether he was purposely heading for the platform as a refuge to which he could cling, or whether the unexpected violence of the wind carried him there, it would be difficult to say. All that is certain about it is that he cannoned against Tom Clinch, and a moment later the two were gyrating and spinning in the air like a couple of gigantic bluebottles. Then, as though poor Bob Reid had not already enough bruises to attend to, the two descended like an avalanche plump on top of him. Finally, Gerald, who had followed Jack in his involuntary flight, sailed straight into the struggling group. Fortunately, at this point Alondra arrived. He had come after the two chums to render them his assistance, and was now able to help to disentangle them.

'One o' my wings is broke!' cried Tom, as he sat up and surveyed the wreck.

'I'm afraid both mine are,' said Jack.

'You 've broke my back atween ye!' Bob spluttered, as he rolled over. 'This settles it! No more flyin' fur me!'

'I've had enough for to-day too!' Jack laughingly owned, as he proceeded to divest himself of his flying outfit. 'It's a mistake for beginners to practise on a windy day.'

'I doan't practise no more--wind or no wind,' Bob declared in a tone of conviction. 'All I wants now be some limbrokation--an' plenty on it!'

'I think you only require a little more practice,' Alondra afterwards assured the two chums, as they were walking home towards his yacht, leaving their outfits to be brought after them by the two sailors.

'I don't know,' said Jack doubtfully. 'We've been trying it for a good while now, and we don't seem to make much progress. I begin to doubt if we ever shall. It's different with you, you see. Your people have learnt it more or less for generations, and it's in the blood, I fancy. I think we shall have to be content with motor-wings.'

Jack referred to the smallest form of flying-machine in use. It consisted merely of a pair of wings worked by a small motor, a balancing tail, and a saddle-seat on which the aeronaut perched himself. In many respects it might be described as the aerial counterpart of our motor-bicycle.

From the incidents just related it will be gathered that the visitors had not made much progress in learning the use of artificial wings. Whether there was something different in their physical constitution, or whether it was, as Jack was inclined to think, that the knack of flying was becoming hereditary amongst the Martians, it is certain that neither the youthful aspirants nor the two elderly sailors had so far been able to master the tantalising secret of soaring into the air at will with artificial wings alone. They could come down--from a height; but then, as Tom Clinch remarked, 'Most people can do that wi'out any l'arnin'.'

When, an hour or two later, Alondra's yacht landed them again at Karendia, as the king's palace was called (the name meant literally 'the palace in the clouds'), they found Monck awaiting them.

'I have some news for you young people,' said he. 'Our royal master has honoured me by entrusting me with a special mission to Sedenia (King Agrando's country); and he will let you accompany me, so that you may see something of another part of our world.'

'I 'm willing, if you others are going, of course,' Gerald answered readily, but without enthusiasm. He glanced at Alondra as he spoke.

'I shall like very much to go with you,' said Alondra. 'It is a country well worth visiting. There are many curious natural wonders to be seen there. Moreover, we shall be able to visit other countries on our way.'

That night, as the two chums were retiring to rest, Gerald said, with a shiver, 'Do you know, Jack, I would give a good deal if we could get out of this trip. I've got a feeling--a sort of presentiment'----

'Nerves again!' murmured Jack sleepily. 'We shall be all right! We go as the king's guests or ambassadors, or whatever it is; and not even the Ogre will dare to harm us. Ivanta has a long arm, it strikes me.'

'Maybe he has, and maybe it will, as you say, be all right,' was Gerald's reply. 'All the same, something tells me we're in for trouble in some way or another.'

*