"'Did you know you would have got a big reward?'
"'Reward! Hoo much?'
"'A hundred pound.'
"'A hunder poonds! If I'd knawn that I'd have rin like h——!'
"I saw him the other day," concluded the pilot, "and he hasn't yet recovered from his loss."
Number One, who had just entered, was saying to Billiken: "Well, young Hobbs, I suppose you are proud of yourself...." Dickey was over in the corner telling Pat, Jumbo, and the Padre all the horrible details. Pat was interjecting at intervals: "And the gun did not jam." The Padre was saying under his breath: "Poor souls. Poor souls."
Leslie, Tiny, Spring-heel Jack and the rest were talking at a rate of knots, discussing whether Zepps would give us any further chances, or if they would now fly high. As a matter of fact they did fly high from that time on, airships which could not get above ten thousand feet being withdrawn from the operations in the North Sea.
Every few minutes a signalman would wedge himself into the room bringing a signal of congratulation.
Then the Chief Steward entered and announced to Number One: "Dinner is served, sir."