"I really believe you would be safer if you were a bird, John," asserted Mrs. Ross, with an uneasy smile.  "Birds have no motors to fail them, no fire to ignite and burn them up, as our present airplanes.  How many of your own unfortunate associates can lay their untimely deaths to either one of these causes!  It was only the last time you were here that you were telling Paul and me about the terrible fall Howard Smith had because his motor stopped, and how his machine ignited, and how he was burned past recognition."