The Aeroplane Speaks. Fifth Edition

Said the Blackboard, "That's not half bad! It really begins to look something like the real thing, eh?" "The real thing, is it?" grumbled Drift. "Just consider that contraption in the light of any one Principle, and I warrant you will not find one of them applied to perfection. The whole thing is nothing but a Compromise." And he glared fixedly at poor Efficiency. "Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" she cried. "I'm always getting into trouble. What will the Designer say?" "Never mind, my dear," said the Lift-Drift Ratio, consolingly. "You are improving rapidly, and quite useful enough now to think of doing a job of work." "Well, that's good news," and Efficiency wiped her eyes with her Fabric and became almost cheerful. "Suppose we think about finishing it now? There will have to be an Engine and Propeller, won't there? And a body to fix them in, and tanks for oil and petrol, and a tail, and," archly, "one of those dashing young Pilots, what?"