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〃That baby over there carries twice as much armor； plus a thousand pounds of bombs； seven hundred and fifty miles farther； five thousand feet higher and eighty miles an hour faster than the Curtiss fighter you're talking about！〃 I retorted。
〃Curtiss builds good planes；〃 the General said stiffly。
I stared at him。 There wasn't any use in arguing。 It was like talking to a stone wall。 〃I'm not saying they don't； General；〃 I said。 〃Curtiss has been building good airplanes for many years。 But I'm saying this one is better than anything around。〃
General Gaddis turned to Morrissey。 〃We're ready to see a demonstration of your plane；〃 he said stiffly。 〃That is； if your pilot is through arguing。〃
Morrissey shot a nervous look at me。 Apparently the General hadn't even caught my name。 I nodded at him and turned back to the hangar。
〃Roll her out！〃 I called to the mechanics； who were standing there waiting。
Morrissey； General Gaddis and his aides walked out。 When I got outside I saw that Morrissey and the others had formed a group around the General but Forrester stood a little to one side； talking to a young woman。 I shot a quick look at her。 She was stuff； all right … wild eyes and sensuous mouth。
I followed the plane out onto the runway。 Hearing footsteps behind me； I turned around。 It was Morrissey。 〃You shouldn't have teed off on the General like that。〃
I grinned at him。 〃Probably did the old bastard good。 He's got enough yes men around him to be a movie producer。〃
〃All the same； it's tough selling him as it is。 I found out Curtiss is bidding their planes in at a hundred and fifty thousand each and you know the best we can do is two twenty…five。〃
〃So what？〃 I said。 〃It's the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad。 You can't buy a Cadillac for the same price as a Ford。〃
He stared at me for a moment； then he shrugged his shoulders。 〃It's your money； Jonas。〃
I watched him walk back to the General。 He might be a great aeronautical engineer； but he was too anxious ever to bee a good salesman。 I turned to the mechanic。 〃Ready？〃
〃Ready when you are； Mr。 Cord。〃
〃O。K。；〃 I said； starting to climb up to the cockpit。 I felt a hand tugging at my leg。 I looked down。
〃Mind if I e along for the ride？〃 It was the lieutenant colonel。
〃Not at all；〃 I said。 〃Hop in。〃
〃Thanks。 By the way； I didn't get your name。〃
〃Jonas Cord；〃 I said。
〃Roger Forrester；〃 he answered； holding out his hand。
I should have guessed it the minute I heard his name； but I didn't tie it up until now。 Roger Forrester … one of the original aces of the Lafayette Escadrille。 Twenty…two German planes to his credit。 He'd been one of my heroes when I was a kid。
〃I've heard about you；〃 I said。
His smile changed into a grin。 〃I've heard quite a bit about you。〃
We both laughed and I felt better。 I pulled on his hand and he came up on the wing beside me。 He looked into the cockpit； then back at me。
〃No parachute？〃
〃Never use 'em；〃 I said。 〃Make me nervous。 Psychological。 Indicates a lack of confidence。〃
He laughed。
〃I can get one for you if you like。〃
He laughed again。 〃To hell with it。〃
About thirty miles out over the ocean； I put her through all the tricks in the book and then some only the CA…4 could do； and he didn't bat an eyelash。
For a clincher； I took her all the way up in a vertical climb until； at fourteen thousand feet； she hung in the sky like a fly dancing on the tip of a needle。 Then I let her fall off on a dead stick into a tailspin that whipped the air…speed indicator up close to the five hundred mark。 When we got down to about fifteen hundred feet； I took both hands off the stick and tapped him on the shoulder。
His head whipped around so fast it almost fell off his neck。 I laughed。 〃She's all yours； Colonel！〃 I shouted。
We were down to twelve hundred feet by the time he turned around； eight hundred feet by the time he had the spin under control； six hundred feet before he had her in a straight dive； and four hundred feet before he could pull back on the stick。
I felt her shudder and tremble under me and a shrill scream came from her wings； like a dame getting her cherry copped。 The G pinned me back in my seat； choking the air back into my throat and forcing the big bubbles right up into my eyes。 Suddenly； the pressure lifted。 We were less than twenty…five feet off the water when we started to climb。
Forrester looked back at me。 〃I haven't been this scared since I soloed back in fifteen；〃 he yelled； grinning。 〃How did you know she wouldn't lose her wings in a dive like that？〃
〃Who knew？〃 I retorted。 〃But this was as good a time as any to find out！〃
He laughed。 I saw his hand reach forward and knock on the instrument panel。 〃What a plane。 Like you said； she sure does fly！〃
〃Don't tell me。 Tell that old coot back there。〃
A shadow fell across his face。 〃I'll try。 But I don't know if I can do much good。 It's all yours；〃 he said； raising his hands。 〃You take her back in now。〃
I could see Morrissey and the soldiers standing on the field； watching us through field glasses as we came in。 I put her into a wide turn and tapped Forrester on the shoulder。 He looked back at me。 〃Ten bucks says I can take the General's hat off on the first pass。〃
He hesitated a moment； then grinned。 〃You're on！〃
I came down at the field from about a thousand feet and leveled off about fifteen feet over the runway。 I could see the startled expression on their faces as we rushed toward them； then I pulled back the stick。 We went over their heads； into an almost vertical climb； catching them full blast in the prop wash。
I looked back just in time to see the captain running after the General's hat。 I tapped Forrester's shoulder again。 He turned to look back。 He was laughing so hard there were tears in his eyes。
She set down as lightly as a pigeon ing home to its roost。 I slid back the plastic canopy and we climbed down。 I glanced at Forrester's face as we walked over to the group。 All the laughter was gone from it now and the wary mask was back on。
The General had his hat on his head again。 〃Well； Forrester；〃 he said stiffly。 〃What do you think？〃
Forrester looked into his manding officer's face。 〃Without a doubt； sir； this is the best fighter in the air today；〃 he said in a flat； emotionless voice。 〃I'd suggest； sir； that you have a test group make an immediate check to substantiate my opinion。〃
〃Hmm；〃 the General said coldly。 〃You would； eh？〃
〃I would； sir；〃 Forrester said quietly。
〃There are other factors to be considered； Forrester。 Do you have any idea of what these planes might cost？〃
〃No； sir；〃 Forrester answered。 '〃My only responsibility is to evaluate the performance of the plane itself。〃
〃My responsibilities go much further than that；〃 the General said。 〃You must remember that we're operating under a strict budget。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Please bear it in mind；〃 General Gaddis said testily。 〃If I went off half…cocked over every idea you Air Corps men had； there wouldn't be money enough left to keep the Army running for a month。〃
Forrester's face flushed。 〃Yes； sir。〃
I glanced at him； wondering why he stood there and took it。 It didn't make sense