Reece was never idle, never quiet.  An hour in which nothing had been done was to him an hour wasted.  If he had nothing else to do he would go over work just completed and make sure it had been done well.  In consequence, Reece had few accidents, and rarely suffered delays and waits while something was being “put right.”  Jimmy appreciated this quality in Reece, and saw its results.

By tuning his inclinations and point of view with that of the instructor, Jimmy got into very close touch with the little man, who was never tired of answering questions and making explanations.  Reece had been for some years working for one or another of the crack international fliers who traveled in various parts of the world.  He had no ambition to become a star himself, but knew most of the well-known airmen of two continents, and contained a store—–­house of anecdotes about them and their doings.

Jimmy always walked or rode home with Archie when he could, and much of their time on Sundays was spent together.  The colonel had from the first insisted that they should have the Sundays to themselves and they had got into the habit of going to church each Sunday morning in uniform, with the army men, who always turned out in some force.  Sunday afternoons generally found them at the airdrome, and often they might be found at work, but they were considered free to do as they chose.  These Sunday afternoons were of great value to Archie, for Jimmy Hill, whether working or not, never failed to give Archie a sort of resume of what he had picked up during the week.

One Thursday afternoon the colonel was making a round of the hangars.  Archie was on duty with him, accompanying him as a sort of extra orderly, the soldier orderly having been sent to the town with a message.

As they passed down the front of the hangars the colonel turned to watch one of the pupils trying his first “solo,” or flight by himself, not far away.  “Handles her nicely,” he said, half to himself.  Then, turning to Archie, he added:  “How would you like to be up there in that machine?”

To his surprise Archie looked very thoughtful and shook his head soberly before he replied:  “I hardly know, sir.”

“What!” said the colonel.  “Have I found one of you Brighton boys that is not anxious to fly?”

“I am anxious enough to fly.  It’s the machine I was thinking about.”

“What’s the matter with the machine?”

“I don’t know if anything is the matter with her, but that is the old biplane they call the ‘bad bus.’  She has given more than one man a spill, sir.  Everything goes well with her for a while and then she plays a trick on someone.  Last time I saw her cutup she side-slipped without any explanation for it.  Some of us have got the idea that she has always got to be watched for sideslip.  I would not mind going up in her after I had learned to fly, but she would not be my choice for my first solo.”