it, but, in keeping his machine on an even keel, he is
unconsciously balancing it against the horizon, and with the
horizon gone he is lost indeed. Not only that, but it also
prevents him from choosing his landing-place, and the
chances are that, landing in a fog, he will smash into a tree,
hedge, or building, with disastrous results. The best and
boldest pilot 'wares a fog, and so this one, finding the
conditions becoming worse and yet worse, and being forced to
descend lower and lower in order to keep the earth within
view, wisely decides to choose a landing-place while there is
yet time to do so.
Throttling down the power of the engine he spirals downwards,
keenly observing the country below. There are
plenty of green fields to lure him, and his great object is to
avoid one in which the grass is long, for that would bring
his machine to a stop so suddenly as to turn it over; or one
of rough surface likely to break the under-carriage. Now
is perfect eyesight and a cool head indispensable. He sees
and decides upon a field and, knowing his job, he sticks to
that field with no change of mind to confuse him. It is none
too large, and gliding just over the trees and head on to the
wind he skilfully ``stalls'' his machine; that is, the speed
having decreased sufficiently to avoid such a manoeuvre
resulting in ascent, he, by means of the Elevator, gives the
Aeroplane as large an angle of incidence as possible. and the
undersides of the planes meeting the air at such a large
angle act as an air-brake, and the Aeroplane, skimming
over the ground, lessens its speed and finally stops just at
the farther end of the field.
Then, after driving the Aeroplane up to and under the
lee of the hedge, he stops the engine, and quickly lashing
the joy-stick fast in order to prevent the wind from blowing
the controlling surfaces about and possibly damaging them,
he hurriedly alights. Now running to the tail he lifts it up
on to his shoulder, for the wind has become rough indeed
and there is danger of the Aeroplane becoming unmanageable.
By this action he decreases the angle at which the planes
are inclined to the wind and so minimizes the latter's effect
upon them. Then to the Observer, ``Hurry up, old fellow,
and try to find some rope, wire, or anything with which to
picket the machine. The wind is rising and I shan't be able
to hold the 'bus steady for long. Don't forget the wire-
cutters. They're in the tool kit.'' And the Observer rushes
off in frantic haste, before long triumphantly returning with
a long length of wire from a neighbouring fence. Blocking
up the tail with some debris at hand, they soon succeed,
with the aid of the wire, in stoutly picketing the Aeroplane
to the roots of the high hedge in front of it; done with much
care, too, so that the wire shall not fray the fabric or set up
dangerous bending-stresses in the woodwork. Their work
is not done yet, for the Observer remarking, ``I don't like
the look of this thick weather and rather fear a heavy rain-
storm,'' the Pilot replies, ``Well, it's a fearful bore, but the
first rule of our game is never to take an unnecessary risk,
so out with the engine and body covers.''