There was a little silence. Then Lieutenant Adams spoke. His voice was like ice.
“You couldn’t have followed me through that fog, Langdon,” he stated. “Because you can’t handle a ship in the sky. Is that any reason that I should mess my chance up? My Nieuport was running low in gas, too. I wasn’t sure of finding the outfit. And I dropped on that Boche because he was out-maneuvering you. I sat up in the sky and watched you. You never even saw me there!”
Tex stared at the other lieutenant. Then he laughed nastily.
“You may get in a sky jam some time,” he said slowly. “You might even crack up a ship one of these days. And if I’m around—”
Lieutenant Adams swore sharply. His face twisted.
“You won’t be!” he snapped. “I’ll be shooting lead around the front when you’re—”
He broke off, controlling himself. Tex Langdon smiled at him, his eyes narrowed. When he spoke his voice was very low and steady.
“When I’m back where I came from, eh, Lieutenant? Maybe you’re right, Adams. But I’m not forgetting that you winged out on me, into the grey stuff. The captain didn’t ask me to verify that fact.”
The veteran smiled grimly. “If I ever get in a sky jam, Langdon,” he said slowly, “I won’t expect any help from you. If you did try to help you’d probably crash me in the air. It’s about the only thing you haven’t done since you’ve been up.”
Lieutenant Tex Langdon nodded. “Just about,” he agreed in a peculiar tone. “Except—I haven’t quit a man in ground fog!”