"Oh, no, not yet. Of course it isn't yet sure that he will ever see again, but, on the other hand, it isn't decided that he can't. It's a fifty-fifty proposition."
"But what makes you so serious?"
"Was I?"
"I should say so! You haven't told me one funny thing that Mr. Damon has said lately."
"Oh, haven't I? Well, let me see now," and he sent the machine up a little. "Well, the other day he—"
Tom suddenly stopped speaking and began rapidly turning several valve wheels and levers.
"What—what's the matter?" gasped Mary, but she did not clutch his arm. She knew better than that.
"The motor has stopped," Tom answered, and the girl became aware of a cessation of the subdued hum.
"Is it—does it mean danger?" she asked.
"Not necessarily so," Tom replied. "It means we have to make a forced landing, that's all. Sit tight! We're going down rather faster than usual, Mary, but we'll come out of it all right!"'