“I presume the aviator made a landing among the trees.”
“His uplifter enables him to descend where he chooses, for he can come as straight down as a stone falling from the sky. A space a few yards wide will answer and there must be plenty of such spots even in so wild a region as that beyond us.”
“That must be the explanation,” said Hunter, “and of course he can make the same kind of start, though we have never seen him do it. We couldn’t afford to wait here until he came back, but have noticed him several times since.”
“Hello! that must be the Duke!” said Wadsworth as the three heard the sound of whistling from the wood on the other side of the tent.
“Brace yourself to meet this undesirable citizen,” added Hunter, lowering his voice; “try to bear with him, for he needs your charity. He’s a ‘bad egg.’”
The next moment the third member of the little party, still whistling a popular air, came into view from behind the tent and Wadsworth, who had risen, said impressively:
“Mr. Hamilton, permit me to introduce you to the Duke de Sassy, a general nuisance and—”