The Air Ministry had no desire that enterprising journalists should make public the design of the secret Extranian plane , and if the theory that Extranian pilots had been flying over London at night proved correct , public indignation , were the fact known , might make it very difficult for the Government to preserve the atmosphere of diplomatic goodwill so necessary for the handling of the present crisis .sx It was still comparatively early and the roads were fairly clear of traffic .sx In little over half an hour , Langton's car turned in at the entrance gates of Wintram Hall .sx Under the portico of the old Georgian house , a grey-haired , soldierly figure was awaiting him .sx Nearby , a groom held two saddled horses .sx As Langton jumped from the car , the Colonel came down the steps to meet him .sx " Colonel Butler ?sx " Yes .sx I expect you're in a hurry to see this thing .sx You ride ?sx " .sx Langton nodded , and as they were mounting , the Colonel explained that this was their quickest method of approaching .sx the fallen .sx machine .sx They .sx left the grounds of .sx the Hall , crossed the .sx road , and were soon riding .sx down narrow paths between the .sx trees , where it was frequently neces- .sx sary to crouch in the saddle to avoid .sx overhanging branches .sx They had the forest .sx to themselves .sx Occasionally , a rabbit scurried .sx across the path or a deer raised a timid head .sx from the bracken ; small birds twittered in the .sx thickets and blackbirds whistled mellowly , now and .sx then , but the full chorus of song was over for the year .sx The sun burned strong in the open spaces ; the peace and quiet of the whole scene struck Langton as in strange contrast to his errand .sx There was something ironical in the complete indifference of Nature to the presence of the instrument of death and destruction which had fallen into this quiet forest .sx Langton was listening to the crooning of a dove hidden in .sx the green boughs above him , when the Colonel checked his horse and made a sign to him to come alongside .sx They had arrived on the edge of an open glade about fifty yards across .sx It was surrounded on all sides by tall beeches and oaks , whose height formed a barrier that no ordinary plane could surmount without a much longer take-oft .sx And in the centre of this space , seeming to occupy most of it , lay the most extraordinary machine that Langton had ever seen .sx The wings extended almost from side to side of the glade , and what struck Langton's expert eyes at once was the fact that this was neither a biplane nor a monoplane , but something of both .sx It had two planes on either side of the body , but instead of being superimposed , the lower plane was practically on a level with the upper , behind which it extended fan-wise .sx The confused metaphor that rose in Langton's mind was a four-winged mono-plane .sx Between the wings , the fuselage lay long and tapering , a glistening silver-grey .sx It was wholly enclosed ; no windows were visible , and the pilot's quarters were apparently completely built in .sx The under-carriage was not visible , being completely covered by the downward spread of the four enormous wings .sx On the nose of the machine Langton could see , on the near side , one of those large globular discs which the officer at Manston had described as windows :sx they seemed to be constructed of a cellular framework of metal , with panes of some glassy material ; but no light came from them .sx Near these protuberances were a number of complicated , pipe-like affairs , the use of which it was impossible to guess ; and in front of them emerged two long tube-like appliances which were folded back towards the wings .sx What was this extraordinary structure whose presence in the forest seemed so astonishing , and yet which seemed , in some subtle manner , not entirely out of harmony with Nature ?sx Beyond the fact that it was obviously intended for purposes of aviation , neither of the two men who were staring at it could frame any rational answer to the question .sx THERE was no sign of life or movement about the machine .sx " What d'ye make of it ?sx " asked Colonel Butler , at last .sx " The new Extranian hush-hush plane , I think , " said Langton , trying to put his horse towards it .sx But both of the horses were strangely restive and kept backing .sx " I shouldn't go too near all at once , " warned the Colonel .sx " Where's the crew ?sx " No crew there , " said Langton .sx " You see all that stuff in the nose of the thing those long feelers and so on ?sx That explains it ; it's one of those automatic planes , controlled by wireless .sx It may be stuffed full of gas or high explosive , of course , but there's nothing human in it .sx Let us have a look .sx " They dismounted and walked across the still dew grass ; and as they did so the huge size of the thing before them became apparent .sx The fuselage towered above them like a house , the expanse of wing seemed colossal .sx " Damn it , you'd almost say it was hairy , " said the Colonel , as he peered up at the enormous body .sx " That's all part of the wireless gadget , " said Langton .sx " We'll soon get the secret of that .sx " LANGTON turned from his scrutiny of .sx the body and approached the edge .sx of the hinder plane .sx He could not guess at the construction of the wide , laminated surface , the edge of which was fringed with spikes set closely together .sx " You'd better wait where you are , Colonel , " he said , as he stepped carefully on to the wing .sx " Just in case anything happens .sx " He began walking over the plane .sx The surface was hard and slippery under his feet ; here and there he could detect a vein-like structure , presumably of light metal girder-work , which kept the wing rigid .sx It was when he put his foot on one of these concealed girders that a strange thing happened .sx A tremor seemed to go through the entire machine .sx Langton was puzzled for a moment .sx Then the explanation seemed to be that the under-carriage had been damaged in landing and that his weight had upset the precarious balance of the machine .sx He went on and reached the forward plane , pausing to notice how the rear plane fitted under the front one so closely that they were almost in touch .sx It looked as if one could be slid under the other , and this structure puzzled him .sx He walked on till he came to the junction of the planes with the body .sx Here the body rose in a dome-like structure that offered no opening and seemed impossible to climb ; the dome was covered with interlacing work of some kind that looked like metal feathers , which presented a smooth grey surface of the same colour as the wings .sx He felt this surface with his hands .sx To his surprise , it was strangely soft and yielding .sx He dug his fingers into it .sx Again a strange tremor ran through the entire structure , but this time something further happened .sx The two long feelers that had been folded over the wings suddenly shot forwards and waved to and fro in the air with a loud swishing sound .sx Then something started in the under-carriage ; the .sx whole body shot up several feet from the ground ; a strange pulsating movement began in the wings , that nearly jerked Langton off his feet .sx And for the first time in his life he was seized with panic , a wild , unreasoning panic that made him run for the edge of the wing ; a horrible notion that this thing was alive filled his mind .sx He ran for his life ; but just as he reached the edge of the wing and was about to jump to the solid ground , the wings with a mighty motion shot upwards over the top of the fuselage .sx For a moment , as he fell headlong through the flexible spikes that fringed the wing , he thought that he had set in action some mechanism for exploding a cargo of destruction .sx But no explosion followed ; only , as he lay face downward in the long grass , a rush of air almost lifted him from the ground ; he could hear the branches near him swaying in the gust of it .sx Then all was silent .sx He rolled over the glade was empty and only the crushed grass and the figure of Colonel Butler , standing with his head craned backwards , remained as evidence that the plane had ever been there .sx Langton scrambled to his feet and followed the Colonel's gaze skyward .sx Far up in the blue , the great silver shape was rapidly lessening as it rose and circled over the forest , higher and higher , till it became indistinguishable .sx Even in the depths of his amazement , Langton's professional eye noted instantly the peculiar bird-like action of the wings , which rose and fell in long beats or trembled like a hovering hawk's .sx In what seemed a few moments , it was out of sight ; the peace and silence of the green forest were as if they had never been disturbed .sx Langton hobbled over to the Colonel and stared at him .sx The Colonel returned the stare ; then both of them turned to where the terrified horses were tethered to trees .sx " Better come back with me and have a drink , " said the Colonel .sx " You took a nasty toss .sx " IN silence they mounted and rode back to Wintram Hall , lost in speculation that neither liked to put into words .sx " Do you want to do anything immediate about this ?sx " asked the Colonel , as they dismounted .sx " Report , I mean to say , or anything like that before lunch .sx " He avoided Langton's eye as he spoke , but Langton understood .sx " Only to send my men back to London , " he said .sx " I'll be glad to have lunch here , if it's convenient .sx " The Colonel went into the house to give his instructions , and Langton interviewed the men who stood grouped round a Service lorry on the drive .sx It was with a certain sense of relief that he heard that nobodyhad seen anything of a strange plane .sx He explained that their services would not be required any longer , and , having dismissed them , entered the house .sx He found the Colonel pacing up and down the hall .sx As soon as Langton had removed the traces of his fall , they sat down to lunch in an oak-panelled dining-room .sx While the servants were in the room they talked of other things , but the Colonel was preoccupied in manner and always seemed on the verge of saying something which he did not say .sx " I've served in India a lot , " he came out once , " and in West Africa .sx Funny things happen there things you wouldn't believe if I told them .sx " " So I've heard , " said Langton .sx " And that's one reason , " went on the Colonel , " why I don't believe that any-thing's impossible .sx " THE butler had gone out of the room .sx Langton looked straight at his host .sx " You mean , " he said slowly , " you mean that the thing was alive ?sx " .sx The Colonel nodded .sx " You couldn't see what I did .sx When you dug your fist into it damn it , it stood up !sx Stood up , sir , on legs !sx Three on each side .sx I counted them .sx Six legs you know what that is ?sx " It might be a mechanical device of some kind , " suggested Langton uncertainly .sx " No , sir !sx " said the Colonel fiercely , leaning forward as he spoke .sx " It was an infernal great moth that's what it was .sx I'll show you presently .sx I collect 'em in the forest here , since I retired .sx I'm supposed to be a bit of a dab at entomology , and I know .sx '' " But , " stammered Langton , " admitting it was alive , how do you account for the coldness of everything I touched ?sx Seemed ice-cold .sx " " Insects have no blood like ours .sx They have a circulating fluid , but it's cold .sx It would be cold that's another proof .sx " " Then , how am I to report a thing like that ?sx " demanded Langton unhappily .sx " You can't , " said the Colonel .sx " You can't .sx They wouldn't believe you .sx You'd be up before a medical board before they'd got to the end of your report .sx " " What am I to do , then ?sx " .sx " If you're finished , " said the Colonel , " come into my study and I'll show you something .sx Keep my collection there .sx "