AIR SERVICE BOYS IN THE BIG BATTLE

Or SILENCING THE BIG GUNS

By Charles Amory Beach

CHAPTER I. BAD NEWS FROM THE AIR

"Well, Tom, how's your head now?"

"How's my head? What do you mean? There's nothing the matter withmy head, " and the speaker, who wore the uniform of a French aviator, glanced up in surprise from the cot on which he was reclining in histent near the airdromes that stretched around a great level field, notfar from Paris. 

"Oh, isn't there?" questioned Jack Parmly, with a smile. "Then Ibeg your pardon for asking, my cabbage! I beg your pardon, SergeantRaymond!"

Tom Raymond, whose, chum had addressed him by the military title, lookedcuriously at his companion, and smiled at the appellation of the termcabbage. It was one of the many little tricks picked up by associationwith their French flying comrades, of speaking to a friend by some odd, endearing term. It might be cucumber or rose, cabbage or cart wheel--thewords mattered not, it was the meaning back of them. 

"Say, is anything the matter?" went on Tom, as his chum, attiredlike himself', but wearing an old blouse covered with oil and grease, continued to smile. "What gave you the notion that my head hurt?"

"I didn't say it hurt. I only asked how it was. The swelling hasn'tbegun to subside in mine yet, and I was wondering if it had in yours. "

"Swelling? Subside? What in the world--"

Jack Parmly brought to a sudden termination the rapid torrent of wordsfrom the mouth of his churn by silently pointing to a small medalfastened to the uniform jacket of his friend. It was the coveted croixde guerre. 

"Oh, that!" exclaimed Tom. 

"Nothing else, my pickled beet!" answered Jack. "Doesn't it make yourhead swell up as if it would burst every time you look at it? Now don'tsay it doesn't, for that's the way it affects me, and I'm sure you'renot very different. And every time I read the citation that goes withthe medal--well, I'm just aching for a chance to show it to the folksback home, aren't you, Sergeant?"

Tom Raymond started a bit at the second use of the title. 

"I see you aren't any more used to it than I am!" exclaimed Jack. "Well, it'll be a little time before we stop looking around to see if it isn'tsome one behind us they're talking to. So I thought I'd practice ita bit on you. And you can do the same for me. I should think, out ofcommon politeness, you'd get up, salute and call me the same. "

"Oh! Now I see what you're driving at, " voiced Tom, as he glanced upfrom a momentary look at his medal to the face of his comrade-in-arms, or perhaps in flying would be more appropriate. "The wind's in thatquarter, is it?"

"No wind at all to speak of, " broke in Jack. "If you'd like to go for afly, and see if we can bag a Boche or two, I'm with you. "

"Against orders, Jack. I'd like to, but we were ordered here for restand observation work; and you know, as well as I do, that obeying ordersis just as important as sending a member of the Hun Flying Circus downwhere he can't do any more of his grandstand stunts. But I'm hoping thetime will come when we can climb up back of our machine guns again, anddo our bit to show that the little old U. S. A. Is still on the map. "

"I guess that time'll soon come, Tom, old man. I heard rumors that alot of us were to be sent up nearer the front shortly, and if they don'tinclude you and me, there'll be something doing in this camp!"

"That's what I say. So you thought I'd have a swelled head, did you, because they gave us the croix de guerre?"

"I confess I had a faint suspicion that way, " admitted Jack. "Both of usbeing advanced to sergeants was a big step, too. "

"It was, " agreed Tom. "I almost wish they hadn't done it, for there arelots of others in the escadrille that deserve it fully as much, and somemore, than we do. "

"That's right. But you can't make these delightful Frenchmen seeanything the way you want 'em to. Once they get a notion in their headsthat you've done something for la belle Frame, they're your friendsfor life, kissing you on both cheeks and pinning medals on you whereverthey'll stick. "

"Well, they mean all right, Jack, " said Tom. "And there aren't anybraver or more lovable people on the face of the earth than these sameFrench. They've done more and suffered more for their country than wedream of. And it's only natural that they should say 'much obliged, ' intheir own particular way, to any one they think is helping to free themfrom the Germans. "

"I suppose you're right. But advancing us to sergeants would have beenenough, without pinning the decorations on us and mentioning us in theorder of the day, as well as giving us as fine a citation as ever wassigned by a commanding general. However, it's all in the day's work, though when we flew over the German super cannons, and did our bit inhelping demolish them so they couldn't shell Paris any more, we didn'tthink--or, at least, I didn't--that we'd be sitting here talking aboutit. "

"Me either, " agreed Tom. "But, to get down to brass tacks, what have youbeen doing to get into such a mess? You look like a chauffeur of theold days they tell of when they had to climb under the car to see if itneeded oiling--"

"That's just about what I have been doing, " admitted Jack. "When I heardthe rumor that our escadrille might get orders to move at any hour, Idecided that it was up to me to look MY machine over. It didn't makethat nose dive just the way I wanted it to the last time I was up, andI'm not taking any chances. So I've been crawling in and around andunder it--"

"While I've been lying here I taking it easy!" broke in Tom. "I don'tcall that fair of you, Jack, " and he seemed genuinely hurt. 

"Go easy now, my pickled onion!" laughed his chum. "I wasn't going toleave you out in the cold. I just came to tell you that you'd betterstop looking like a moving picture of an airman, and put on some oldduds to look over your own craft. And here you go and--"

"All right, old ham sandwich!" laughed Tom. 

 "I'll forgive you. I'm going to do the same as you, and tinkerwith my machine. If, as you say, we're likely to be on the job againsoon, I don't want too take any chances either. Where's that mechanicianof mine? There was something wrong with my joy stick, he said, the lasttime I came down out of the clouds to take an enforced rest, and I mightas well start with that, if there's any repairing to be done--"

Tom flung off his uniform jacket, with the two silver wings, denotingthat he was a full-fledged airman, and sent an orderly to summon hischief mechanician, for each aviator had several helpers to run messagesfor him, as well as to see that his machine is in perfect trim. 

Experts are needed to see to it that the machine and the aviator are inperfect trim, leaving for the airman himself the trying and difficulttask, sometimes, of flying upside down, while he is making observationsof the enemy with one eye, and fighting off a Boche with theother--ready to kill or be killed. 

Sergeants Tom Raymond and Jack Parmly, chums and fellow airmen flyingfor France, started toward the aerodromes where their machines were keptwhen not in use. They were both attired now for hard and not very cleanwork, though the more laborious part would be done by mechanics at theirorders. Still the lads themselves would leave nothing to chance. Indeedno airman does, for in very, truth his He and the success of an armymay, at times, depend on the strength or weakness of a seeminglyinsignificant bit of wire or the continuity of a small gasoline pipe. 

"Well, it'll seem good to get up in the air again, " remarked Jack. "Alittle rest is all right, but too much is more than enough. "

"Right O, my sliced liberty bond!" laughed Tom. "And now--"

Their talk was interrupted by a cheer that broke out in front of arecreation house, in reality a YMCA hut, or le Foyer du Soldat as itwas called. It was where the airmen went when not on duty to read thepapers, write letters and buy chocolate. 

"What's up now?" asked Jack, as he and his chum looked toward thecheering squad of aviators and their assistants. 

"Give it up. Let's go over and find out. "

They broke into a run as the cheering continued, and then they saw hatsbeing thrown into the air and men capering about with every evidence ofjoy. 

"We must have won a big battle!" cried Jack. 

"Seems so, " agreed Tom. "Hi there! what is it?" he asked in French of afellow aviator. 

"What is it? You ask me what? Ah, joy of my life! It is you who ought toknow first! It is you who should give thanks! Ah!"

"Yes, that's all right, old man, " returned Jack in English. "We'll givethanks right as soon as we know what it is; but we aren't mind readers, you know, and there are so many things to guess at that there's no usein wasting the time. Tell us, like a good chap!" he begged in French, for he saw the puzzled look on the face of the aviator Tom hadaddressed. 

"It is the best news ever!" was the answer. "The first of your bravecountrymen have arrived to help us drive the Boche from France! Thefirst American Expeditionary Force, to serve under your brave GeneralPershing, has reached the shores of France safely, in spite of theU-boats, and are even now marching to show themselves in Paris! Ah, isit any wonder that we rejoice? How is it you say in your own delightfulcountry? Two cheers and a lion! Ah!"

"Tiger, my dear boy! Tiger!" laughed Jack. "And, while you're about it, you might as well make it three cheers and done with it. Not that itmakes any great amount of difference in this case, but it's just thecustom, my stuffed olive!"

And then he and Tom were fairly carried off their feet by the rush ofenthusiastic Frenchmen to congratulate them on the good news, and toshare it with them. 

"Is it really true?" asked Tom. "Has any substantial part of Uncle Sam'sboys really got here at last?"

He was told that such was the case. The news had just been receivedat the headquarters of the flying squad to which Tom and Jack wereattached. About ten thousand American soldiers were even then on Frenchsoil. Their coming had long been waited for, and the arrangements sailedin secret, and the news was known in American cities scarcely any soonerthan it was in France, so careful had the military authorities beennot to give the lurking German submarines a chance to torpedo thetransports. 

"Is not that glorious news, my friend?" asked the Frenchman who hadgiven it to Tom and Jack. 

"The best ever!" was the enthusiastic reply. And then Jack, turningto his chum, said in a low voice, as the Frenchman hurried back to thecheering throng: "You know what this means for us, of course?"

"Rather guess I do!" was the response. "It means we've got to apply fora transfer and fight under Pershing!"

"Exactly. Now how are we going to do it?"

"Oh, I fancy it will be all right. Merely a question of detail andprocedure. They can't object to our wanting to fight among our owncountrymen, now that enough of them are over here to make a showing. Isuppose this is the first of the big army that's coming. "

"I imagine so, " agreed Jack. "Hurray! this is something like. There'sgoing to be hard fighting. I realize that. But this is the beginning ofthe end, as I see it. "

"That's what! Now, instead of tinkering over our machines, let's see thecommandant and---"

Jack motioned to his chum to cease talking. Then he pointed up to thesky. There was a little speck against the blue, a speck that becamelarger as the two Americans watched. 

"One of our fliers coming bark, " remarked Tom in a low voice. 

"I hope he brings more good news, " returned Jack. 

The approaching airman came rapidly nearer, and then the throngs thathad gathered about the headquarters building to discuss the news of thearrival of the first American forces turned to watch the return of theflier. 

"It's Du Boise, " remarked Tom, naming an intrepid French fighter. He wasone of the "aces, " and had more than a score of Boche machines tohis credit. "He must have been out 'on his own, ' looking for a strayGerman. "

"Yes, he and Leroy went out together, " assented Jack. "But I don't seeHarry's machine, " and anxiously he scanned the heavens. 

Harry Leroy was, like Tom and Jack, an American aviator who had latelyjoined the force in which the two friends had rendered such valiantservice. Tom and Jack had known him on the other side--had, in fact, first met and become friendly with him at a flying school in Virginia. Leroy had suffered a slight accident which had put him out of the flyingservice for a year, but he had persisted, had finally been accepted, andwas welcomed to France by his chums who had preceded him. 

"I hope nothing has happened to Harry, " murmured Tom; "but I don't seehim, and it's queer Du Boise would come back without him. "

"Maybe he had to--for gasoline or something, " suggested Jack. 

"I hope it isn't any worse than that, " went on Tom. But his voice didnot carry conviction. 

The French aviator landed, and as he climbed out of his machine, helpedby orderlies and others who rushed up, he was seen to stagger. 

"Are you hurt?" asked Tom, hurrying up. 

"A mere scratch-nothing, thank you, " was the answer. 

"Where's Harry Leroy?" Jack asked. "Did you have to leave him?"

"Ah, monsieur, I bring you bad news from the air, " was the answer. "Wewere attacked by seven Boche machines. We each got one, and then--well, they got me--but what matters that? It is a mere nothing. "

"What of Harry?" persisted Tom. 

"Ah, it is of him I would speak. He is--he fell inside the enemy lines;and I had to come back for help. My petrol gave out, and I--"'

And then, pressing his hands over his breast, the brave airman staggeredand fell, as a stream of blood issued from beneath his jacket. 

CHAPTER II. A GIRL'S APPEAL

At once half a score of hands reached out to render aid to the strickenairman, whose blood was staining the ground where he had fallen. 

Tom, seeing that his fellow aviator was more desperately wounded thanthe brave man had admitted, at once summoned stretcher-bearers, and hewas carried to the hospital. Then all anxiously awaited the report ofthe surgeons, who quickly prepared to render aid to the fighter of theair. 

"How is he?" asked Jack, as he and Tom, lingering near the hospital, sawone of the doctors emerge. 

"He is doing very nicely, " was the answer, given in French, for the twoboys of the air spoke this language now with ease, if not always withabsolute correctness. 

"Then he isn't badly hurt?" asked Jack. 

"No. The wound in his chest was only a flesh one, but it bledconsiderably. Two bullets from an aircraft machine gun struck ribs, andglanced off from them, but tore the flesh badly. The bleeding was heldin check by the pressure DU Boise exerted on the wounds underneathhis jacket, but at last he grew faint from loss of blood, and then thestream welled out. With rest and care he will be all right in a fewdays. "

"How soon could we talk with him?" asked Tom. 

"Talk with him?" asked the surgeon. "Is that necessary? He is doing verywell, and--"

"Tom means ask him some questions, " explained Jack. "You see, he startedto tell us about our chum, Harry Leroy, who was out scouting with him. Harry was shot down, so Du Boise said, but he didn't get a chance togive any particulars, and we thought--"

"It will be a day or so before he will be able to talk to you, " thesurgeon said. "He is very weak, and must not be disturbed. "

"Well, may we talk with him just as soon as possible?" eagerly askedJack. "We want to find out where it was that Harry went down in hismachine--out of control very likely--and if we get a chance--"

"We'd like to take it out on those that shot him down!" interruptedTorn. "Du Boise must have noticed the machines that fought him andHarry, and if we could get any idea of the Boches who were in them--"

"I see, " and the surgeon bowed and smiled approval of their idea. "Youwant revenge. I hope you get it. As soon as we think he is able totalk, " and he nodded in the direction of the hospital, "we will let yousee him. Good luck to you, and confusion to the Huns!"

"Gee, but this is tough luck!" murmured Tom, as he and his chum turnedaway. "Just as we were getting ready to go back into the game, too! Hadit all fixed up for Harry to fly with us in a sort of a triangle schemeto down the Boches, and they have to go and plump him off the map. Well, it is tough!"

"Yes, sort of takes the fun out of the good news we heard a while ago, "agreed Jack. "I mean about Pershing's boys getting over here to France. I hope Harry's only wounded, instead of killed. But if the Huns have hima prisoner--good-night!"

"There's only one consolation, " added Tom. "Their airmen are the best ofthe lot Of course that isn't saying much, but they behave a little morelike human beings than the rest of the Boche gang; and if Harry hasfallen a prisoner to them he'll get a bit of decent treatment, anyhow. "

"That's so. We'll hope for that. And now let's go on with what westarted when we saw Du Boise coming back--let's see what chance we haveof being transferred to an All American escadrille. "

The boys started across the field again toward the headquarters, and, nearing it, they saw, in a small motor car, a girl sitting beside themilitary driver. She was a pretty girl, and it needed only one glance toshow that she was an American. 

"Hello!" exclaimed Tom, with a low whistle. "Look who's here!"

"Do you know her?" asked Jack. 

"No. Wish I did, though. "

Jack glanced quickly and curiously at his chum. 

"Oh, you needn't think you're the only chap that has a drag with thegirls, " went on Tom. "Just because Bessie Gleason--"

"Cut it out!" exclaimed Jack. "Look, she acts as though she wanted tospeak to us. "

The military chauffeur had alighted from the machine and was talkingto one of the French aviation officers. Meanwhile the girl, left toherself, was looking about the big aviation field, with a look ofwonder, mixed with alarm and nervousness. She caught sight of Tom andJack, and a smile came to her face, making her, as Tom said afterward, the prettiest picture he had seen in a long while. 

"You're Americans, aren't you?" began the girl, turning frankly to them. "I know you are! And, oh, I'm in such trouble!"

Tom stepped ahead of Jack, who was taking off his cap and bowing. 

"Let me have a show for my white alley, " Tom murmured to his chum. "You've got one girl. "

"You win, " murmured Jack. 

"Yes, we're from the United States, " said Tom. "But it's queer to seea girl here--from America or anywhere else. How'd you get through thelines, and what can we do for you?"

"I am looking for my brother, " was the answer. "I understood he wasstationed here, and I managed to get passes to come to see him, but itwasn't easy work. I met this officer in his motor car, and he broughtme along the last stage of the journey. Can you tell me where my brotheris? His name is Harry Leroy. "

Torn said afterward that he felt as though he had gone into a spinningnose dive with a Boche aviator on his tail, while Jack admitted that hefelt somewhat as he did the time his gasoline pipe was severed by a Hunbullet when he was high in the air and several miles behind the enemy'slines. 

"Your--your brother!" Tom managed to mutter. 

"Yes, Harry Leroy. He's from the United States, too. Perhaps you knowhim, as I notice you are both aviators. He told me if I ever got toFrance to come to see him, and he mentioned the names of two youngmen--I have them here somewhere--"

She began to search in the depths of a little leather valise shecarried, and, at that moment, the military chauffeur who had brought herto the aviation field turned to her, and spoke rapidly in French. 

She understood the language, as did Tom and Jack, and at the first wordsher face went white. For the chauffeur informed her that her brother, Harry Leroy, whom she had come so far to see, was, even then, lying deador wounded within the German lines. 

"Oh!" the girl murmured, her fare becoming whiter and more white. "Oh--Harry!"

Then she would have fallen from the seat, only Tom leaped forward andcaught her in his arms. 

And while efforts were being made to restore the girl to consciousness, may I not take this opportunity of telling my new readers something ofthe previous books of this series, so that they may read this one moreintelligently?

Torn Raymond and Jack Parmly, as related in the initial volume, "AirService Boys Flying for France; or The Young Heroes of the LafayetteEscadrille, " were Virginians. Soon after the great world conflictstarted, they burned with a desire to fight on the side of freedom, andit was as aviators that they desired to help. 

Accordingly they went to an aviation school in Virginia, under theauspices of the Government, and there learned the rudiments of flying. Tom's father had invented an aeroplane stabilizer, but, as told in thestory, the plans and other papers had been stolen by a German spy. 

Tom and his chum resolved to get possession of the documents, and theykept up the search after they reached France and were made membersof the Lafayette Escadrille. It was in France that they met AdolphTuessing, the German spy. 

The second volume, entitled "Air Service Boys Over the Enemy's Lines;or The German Spy's Secret, " takes the two young men through furtheradventures. They had become acquainted on the steamer with a girl namedBessie Gleason and her mother. Carl Potzfeldt, a German sailing underfalse colors, claimed to be a friend of Bessie and her mother, but Jack, who was more than casually interested in the girl, was suspicious ofthis man. And his suspicions proved correct, for Potzfeldt had planned adaring trick. 

After some strenuous happenings, in which the Air Service Boys assisted, Bessie and her mother were rescued from the clutches of Potzfeldt, and went to Paris, Mrs. Gleason engaging in Red Cross work, and Bessiehelping her as best she could. 

 Immediately preceding this present volume is the third, called "AirService Boys Over the Rhine; or Fighting Above the Clouds. "

By this time the United States had entered the great war on the side ofhumanity and democracy. 

Then the world was startled by the news that a great German cannon wasfiring on Paris seventy miles away, and consternation reigned for atime. Tom and Jack had a hand in silencing the great gun, for it wasthey who discovered where it was hidden. Also in the third volume isrelated how Tom's father, who had disappeared, was found again. 

The boys passed through many startling experiences with their usualbravery, so that, when the present story opens, they were taking amuch needed and well-earned rest. Mr. Raymond, having accomplished hismission, had returned to the United States. 

Then, as we have seen, came the news of the arrival of the first ofPershing's forces, and with it came the sad message that Harry Leroy, the chum of Torn and Jack, had fallen behind the German lines. Andwhether he was alive now, though wounded, or was another victim of theHun machine guns, could not be told. 

"Harry's sister couldn't have come at a worse time, " remarked Tom, as herejoined Jack, having carried the unconscious girl to the same hospitalwhere Du Boise lay wounded. 

"I should say not!" agreed Jack. "Do you really suppose she's Harry'ssister?"

"I don't see Any reason to doubt it. She said so, didn't she?"

"Oh, yes, of course. I was just wondering. Say, it's going to be toughwhen she wakes up and realizes what's happened. "

"You bet it is! This has been a tough day all around, and if it wasn'tfor the good news that our boys are in France I'd feel pretty rocky. Butnow we've got all the more incentive to get busy!" exclaimed Tom. 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean get our machines in fighting trim. I'm going out and get a fewGermans to make up for what they did to Harry. "

"You're right! I'm with you! But what about what's her name--I meanHarry's sister?"

"I didn't hear her name. Some of the Red Cross nurses are looking afterher. They promised to let me know when she came to. We can offer to helpher, I suppose, being, as you might say, neighbors. "

"Sure!" agreed Jack. "I'm with you. But let's go and--"

However they did not go at once, wherever it was that Jack was going topropose, for, at that moment, one of the Red Cross nurses attached tothe aviation hospital came to the door and beckoned to the boys. 

"Miss Leroy is conscious now, " was the message. "She wants to see youtwo, " and the nurse smiled at them. 

Tom and Jack found Miss Leroy, looking pale, but prettier than ever, sitting up in a chair. She leaned forward eagerly as they entered, and, holding out her hands, exclaimed:

"They tell me you are my brother's chums! Oh, can you not get me somenews of him? Can you not let him know that I have come so far to seehim? I am anxious! Oh, where is he?" and she looked from Tom to Jack, and then to Tom again. 

CHAPTER III. ANXIOUS WAITING

Nellie Leroy--for such the boys learned was her name--broke the silence, that was growing tense, by asking:

"Is there any hope? Tell me, do you think there is a chance that mybrother may be alive?"

"Yes, there is, certainly!" exclaimed Tom quickly, before Jack had anopportunity to give, possibly, a less hopeful answer. 

"And if he is alive, is there a chance that he may be rescued--that Imay go to him?" she went on. 

"Hardly that, " said Tom, slowly. "It's a wonder you ever got as near tothe front as this. But as for getting past the German lines--"

"Then what can I do?" asked Nellie Leroy, eagerly. "Oh, tell mesomething that I can do. I'm used to hard work, " she went on. "I've beena Red Cross nurse for some time, and I helped in one big explosion of amunitions plant in New Jersey before I came over. That's one reason theylet me come--because I proved that I could do things!" and she didlook very efficient, in spite of her paleness, in spite of her, seemingfrailness. There was an indefinable air about her which showed thatshe would carry through whatever she undertook. "I never faintedbefore--never. "

"It's like this, " said Tom, and Jack seemed content, now, to let hischum play the chief role. "When one of us goes down in his machine backof the enemy's lines, those left over here never really know what hashappened for a few days. "

"And how do they know then?' she asked. 

"The German airmen are more decent than some of the other Hun forceswe're fighting, " explained Torn. "Generally after they capture one ofour escadrille members, dead or alive, they fly over our lines a fewdays later and drop a cap, or a glove, or something that belongs to theprisoner. Sometimes they attach a note, written by one of their airmenor from the prisoner, giving news of his condition. "

"And you think they may do this in my brother's case?" asked Nellie. 

"They are very likely to, " assented Tom, and Jack, to whom the girllooked for confirmation, nodded, his agreement. 

"How long shall we have to wait?" Harry's sister asked. 

"There is no telling, " said Tom "Sometimes it's a week before theirairmen get a chance to fly over our lines. It all depends. "

"On what?"

"On how the battle goes, " answered Tom. "If there is much fighting, andmany engagements in the air, the Boches don't get a chance to fly overand drop tokens of our men they may have shot down. We do the same forthem, so it's six of one and a half dozen of the other. Often for a weekwe don't get a chance to let them know about prisoners we have, becausethe fighting is so severe. "

"Will it be that way now?" the girl went on. 

"Hard to say--we don't have the ordering of battles, " replied Jack. "Butit's been rather quiet for a few days, and it's likely to continue so. If it does one of their men may fly over to-morrow, or the next day, anddrop something your brother wore--or even a note from him. "

"Oh, I hope they do the last!" she murmured. "If I could have a notefrom him I'd be the happiest girl alive I I'd know, then, that he wasall right. "

"He may be, " said Tom, trying to be hopeful. "You see Du Boise, who waswith Harry when the fight took place, is himself wounded, so he can'ttell us much about it. "

"Yes, they told me that my brother's companion reached here badlyhurt. He is so brave! I wish they would let me help take care of him. Iunderstand a great deal about wounds, and I'm not at all afraid of thesight of blood. It was silly of me to faint just now, but--I--I couldn'thelp it. I'd been counting so much on seeing Harry, and when they toldme he was gone--"

She covered her face with her hands, and endeavored to repress heremotion. 

"You're not Harry's little sister, are you?" asked Jack, hoping tochange the current of talk into other and happier channels. 

"No; that's Mabel--Mab he calls her. She's younger than I. Did he oftenspeak of her?"

"Oh, yes; and you too!" exclaimed Tom, so warmly that Nellie blushed, and the damask tint in her hitherto pale cheeks was most becoming. 

"We've seen your picture, and Mab's too, " went on Tom. "Harry keeps themjust over his cot in the barracks. But I didn't recognize you when I sawyou a little while ago in the machine. Though I might have, if so manythings hadn't happened all at once, and made me sort of hazy, " Tomexplained. 

"Then are you and my brother good friends?" asked Nellie. 

"The best ever!" exclaimed Tom, and Jack warmly assented. "Not so manyAmericans are in this branch of the escadrille as are in others, " Tornwent on; "so Harry and Jack and I are a sort of little trio all byourselves. He hardly ever goes up without us, but we are on a restbillet; and to-day he went up with Du Boise. "

"If he had only come back!" sighed Nellie. "But there! I mustn'tcomplain. Harry wouldn't let me if he were here. We both have to do ourduty. Now I'm going to see what I can do to help, and not be silly anddo any more fainting. I hope you'll pardon me, " and she smiled at thetwo boys. 

"Of course!" exclaimed Tom, with great emphasis, and again Miss Leroyblushed. 

"Then, is to wait the only thing we can do?" she asked. 

"That's all, " assented Tom. "We may get a message from the clouds anyday. "

"And, oh! I shall pray that it may be favorable!" murmured the girl. "Perhaps I may question this Mr. Du Boise, and learn from him just whathappened?" she interrogated. 

"Yes, we want to talk to him ourselves, as soon as he's able to sit up, "said Jack. "We want to get a shot at the Boche who downed Harry. "

"So you are as fond of Harry as all that! I am glad!" exclaimed hissister. "Have you known him long?"

"We knew him slightly before we went to the flying school inVirginia with him, " said Tom. "But down there, when we started in at'grass-cutting, ' and worked our way up, we grew to know him better. ThenJack and I got our chance to come over. But Harry had a smash, and hehad to wait a year. "

"Yes, I know. It almost broke his heart, " said Miss Leroy. "I was awayat school at the time, which accounts for my not knowing more of youboys, since Harry always wrote me, or told me, about his chums. Then, when I came back after my graduation, I found that he had sailed forFrance. "

"And maybe we weren't glad to see him!" exclaimed Tom. "It was likegetting letters from home. "

"Yes, I recall, now, his mentioning that he had met over here somestudents from the Virginia school, " said Miss Leroy. "Well, after Harrysailed I was wild to go, but father and mother would not hear of it atfirst. Then, when the war grew worse, and I showed them that I could dohard work for the Red Cross, they consented. So I sailed, but I neverexpected to get like this. "

"Oh, well, everything may come out all right, " said Tom, as cheerfullyas he could. But, in very truth, he was not very hopeful in his heart. 

For once an aviator succumbs to the hail of bullets from the Germanmachine guns in an aircraft, and his own creature of steel and wingsgoes hurtling down, there is only a scant chance that the disabledairman will land alive. 

Of course some have done it, and, even with their machines out ofcontrol and on fire, they have lived through the awful experience. Butthe chances were and are against them. 

Harry Leroy had been seen to go down, apparently with his machine out ofcontrol, after a fusillade of Boche bullets. This much Du Boise had saidbefore his collapse. As to what the fallen aviator's real fate was, timealone could disclose. 

"I can only wait!" sighed Nellie, as the boys took their leave. "Thedays will be anxious ones--days of waiting. I shall help here all Ican. You'll let me know the moment there is any news--good or bad--won'tyou?" she begged; and her eyes filled with tears. 

"We'll bring you the news at once--night or day!" exclaimed Tom, vigorously. 

As he and Jack walked out of the hospital, the latter remarked:

"You seem to be a favorite there, all right, Tom, my boy. If we weren'tsuch good chums I might be a bit jealous. "

"If you feel that way I'll drop Bessie Gleason a note!" suggested Tom, quickly. 

"Don't!" begged Jack. "I'll be good!"

CHAPTER IV. TRANSFERRED

One glance at the bulletin board, erected just outside their quarters atthe aerodrome, told Tom and Jack what they were detailed for that day. It was the day following the arrival of Nellie Leroy at that particularplace in France, only to find that her brother was missing--either dead, or alive and a prisoner behind the German lines. 

"Sergeant Thomas Raymond will report to headquarters at eight o'clock, to do patrol work. "

"Sergeant Jack Parmly will report to headquarters at eight o'clock forreconnaissance with a photographer, who will be detailed. "

Thus read the bulletin board, and Tom and Jack, looking at it, nodded toone another, while Tom remarked:

"Got our work cut out for us all right. "

"Yes, " agreed Jack. "Only I wish I could change places with you. I don'tlike those big, heavy machines. "

But orders are orders, nowhere more so than in the aviation squad, andsoon the two lads, after a hearty if hasty breakfast, were ready for theday's work. They each realized that when the sun set they might eitherbe dead, wounded or prisoners. It was a life full of eventualities. 

A little later the two young airmen, in common with their comrades, wereready. Some were to do patrol work, like Tom--that is fly over andalong the German lines in small swift, fighting planes, to attack a Hunmachine, if any showed, and to give notice of any attack, either fromthe air or on the ground. The latter attacks the airmen would observe inprogress and report to the commanders of infantry or batteries who couldtake steps to meet the attack, or even frustrate it. 

Tom was assigned to a speedy Spad machine, one of great power andlightness into which he climbed. He was to fly alone, and on hismachine was a machine gun of the Vickers type, which had to be aimed bydirecting, or pointing, the aeroplane itself at the enemy. 

After Tom had given a hasty but careful look at his craft, and hadassured himself of the accuracy of the report of his mechanician thatit had oil and petrol, his starter took his place in front of thepropeller. 

"Well, Jack, " called Tom to his chum, across the field, where Jack wasmaking his preparations for taking up a photographer in a big two-seatedmachine, "I wish you luck. "

"Same to you, old man. If you see anything of Harry, and he's alive, tell him we'll bring him back home as soon as we get a chance. "

"Do you think there is any chance?" asked Tom eagerly. "I wouldn't wantanything better than to get Harry away from those Boches--and make hissister happy. "

"Well, there's a chance, but it's a slim one, I'm afraid, " remarkedJack. "We'll talk about it after we get back. Maybe there'll be amessage from the Huns about him before the day is over. "

"I hope so, " murmured Tom. "If those Huns only act as decently toward usas we do toward them, we'll have some news soon. "

For it is true, in a number of instances that the German aviators dodrop within the allied lines news of any British, French or Americanbirdman who is captured or killed inside the German lines. 

"All ready?" asked Tom of his helper. 

"Switch off, gas on, " was the answer. 

Tom made sure that the electrical switch was disconnected. If it wasleft on, in "contact" as it is called, and the mechanician turned thepropeller blades, there might have been a sudden starting of the enginethat would have instantly kill the man. But with the switch off therecould be no ignition in the cylinders. 

Slowly the man turned the big blades until each cylinder was sucked fullof the explosive mixture of gasoline and air. 

"Contact!" he cried, and Tom threw over the switch. 

Then, stepping once more up to the propeller, the man gave it a pull, and quickly released it, jumping back out of harm's way. 

With a throbbing roar the engine awoke to life and the propeller spunaround, a blur of indistinctness. The motor was working sweetly. Tonithrottled down, assured himself that everything was working well, andthen, with a wave of his hand toward Jack, began to taxi across thefield, to head up into the wind. All aeroplanes are started thisway--directly into the wind, to rise against it and not with it. On andon he went and then he began to climb into the air. With him climbedother birdmen who were to do patrol and contact work with him, thelatter being the term used when the airship keeps in contact throughsignaling with infantry or artillery forces on the ground, directingtheir efforts against the enemy. 

Having seen Tom on his way, Jack turned to his own machine. As his chumhad been, Jack was dressed warmly in fur garments, even to his helmet, which was fur lined. He had on two pairs of gloves and his eyes wereprotected with heavy goggles. For it is very cold in the upper regions, and the swift speed of the machine sends the wind cutting into one'sface so that it is impossible to see from the eyes unless they areprotected. 

Jack's machine was a two-seater, of a heavy and comparatively safetype--that is it was safe as long as it was not shot down by a Hun. Jack was to occupy the front seat and act as pilot, while Harris, thephotographer he was to take up, sat behind him, with camera, map, penciland paper ready at hand for the making of observations. 

On either side of the photographer's seat were six loaded drums ofammunition for the Lewis gun, for use against the ruthless Hun machines. Jack had a fixed Vicker machine weapon for his use. 

"Hope I get a chance to use 'em, " said Harris with a grin, as he climbedinto his seat, patted the loaded drums, and nodded to Jack that he wasready. 

The same procedure was gone through as in the case of Tom. The man spunthe propeller, and they were ready to set off. Accompanying them weretwo other reconnaissance planes, and four experienced fighting pilots, two of them "aces, " that is men who, alone, had each brought down fiveor more Hun planes. The big planes, used for obtaining news, pictures, and maps of the enemy's territory, are always accompanied by fightingplanes, which look out for the attacking Germans, while the other, and less speedy, craft carry the men who are to bring back vitalinformation. 

"Let her go!" exclaimed Harris to Jack, and the latter nodded to themechanician, who, after the order of "contact, " spun the blades againand they were really off, together with the others. 

Up and up went Jack, sending his machine aloft in big circles as theothers were doing. Before him on a support was clamped a map, similar tothe one supported in front of Harris, and by consulting this Jack knew, from the instructions he had received before going up, just what part ofthe enemy's territory he was to cover. He was under the direction ofthe photographer and map-maker, for the two duties were combined in thisinstance. 

Up and up they went. There was no talking, for though this is possiblein an aeroplane when the engine is shut off, such was not now the case. But Jack knew his business. 

His indicator soon showed them to be up about fourteen thousand feet, and below them an artillery duel was in progress. It was a wonderful, but terrible sight. Immediately under them, and rather too nearfor comfort, shrapnel was bursting all around. The "Archies, " oranti-aircraft guns of the Germans, were trying to reach the Frenchplanes, and, in addition to the bullets, "woolly bears" and "flamingonions" were sent up toward them. These are two types of burstingshells, the first so named because when it explodes it does so with acloud of black smoke and a flaming center. I have never been able tolearn how the "onions" got their name, unless it is from the stench letloose by the exploding gases. 

Though they were fired at viciously, neither Jack nor his companion washit, and they continued on their way, keeping at a good height, as didtheir associates, until they were well over the front German lines. 

Jack noticed that some of the other planes were dropping lower, to givetheir observers a chance to do their work, and, in response to a shovein his back from the powerful field glasses carried by Harris, Jack senthis machine down to about the nine-thousand-foot level. By a glance atthe map he could see that they were now over the territory concerningwhich a report was wanted. 

They were now under a heavy fire from the German anti-aircraft guns, butJack was too old a hand to let this needlessly worry him. He sent hismachine slipping from side to side, holding it on a level keel now andthen, to enable Harris to get the photographs he wanted. In addition, the observer was also making a hasty, rough, but serviceable map of whathe saw. 

Jack glanced down, and noted a German supply train puffing its way alongtoward some depot, and he headed toward this to give Harris a chance tonote whether there were any supplies of ammunition, or anything else, that might profitably be bombed later. He also saw several columns ofGerman infantry on the march, but as they were not out to make an attacknow, they had to watch the Huns moving up to the front line trenches, there later, doubtless, to give battle. 

Back and forth over the German lines flew Jack, Harris meanwhile doingimportant observation work. As Jack went lower he came under a fiercerfire of the batteries, until, it became so hot, from the shrapnelbursts, that he fain would have turned and made for home. But orderswere orders, and Harris had not yet indicated that he had enough. 

Twisting and turning, to make as poor a mark as possible for the enemyguns, Jack sent his machine here and there. The other pilots were doingthe same. Machine guns were now opening up on them, and once the burstof fire came so close that Jack began to "zoom. " That is he sent hiscraft up and down sharply, like the curves and bumps in a roller-coasterrailway track. 

By this time the leading plane gave the signal for the return, and, thankful enough that they had not been hit, Jack swung about. But thedanger was not over. They had yet to pass across the enemy's front linetrenches, and when Harris signaled Jack to go down low in crossing thelad wondered what the order was for. It was merely that the observerwanted to see what was going on there so he could report. 

They went down to within a mile of the earth, and several times theplane was struck by pieces of shrapnel or bullets from machine guns. Twice flying bits of metal came uncomfortably close to Jack, but he waskept too busy with the management of his machine to more than noticethem. Harris was working hard at the camera and the maps. 

Then, suddenly, came the danger signal from the leading plane, and onlyjust in time. Out from the German hangars came several battle machines. Harris dropped his pencil and got ready the automatic gun, but it wasnot needed, for, after approaching as though about to attack, the Hunssuddenly veered off. Later the reason for this became known. A squadronof French planes had arisen as swiftly to give battle, and however bravethe Hun may be when he outnumbers the enemy, he had yet to be known totake on a combat against odds. 

So Jack and his observer safely reached the aerodrome again, bringingback much valuable information. 

"Is Tom here yet?" was Jack's first inquiry after he had divestedhimself of his togs and men had rushed to the developing room the camerawith its precious plates. 

"Not yet, " some of his chums told him. "They're having a fight upstairsI guess. "

Jack nodded and looked anxiously in the direction in which Tom was lastseen. 

It was an hour before the scouting airplanes came back, and one was sobadly shot up and its pilot so wounded that it only just managed to getover the French lines before almost crashing to earth. 

"Are you all right, Tom?" cried Jack, as he rushed up to his chum, whenhe saw the latter getting out of his craft, rather stiff from the cold. 

"Yes. They went at me hard--two of 'em but I think I accounted for one, unless he went into a spinning nose dive just to fool me. "

"Oh, they'll do that if they get the chance. "

"I know, " assented Tom. "Hello!" he exclaimed as he noticed a splinteredstrut near his head. "That came rather close. "

And indeed it had. For a bullet, or a piece of shrapnel, has plowed afurrow in the bit of supporting wood, not two inches away from Tom'shead, though in the excitement of the fight he had not noticed it. 

There had been a fight in the upper air and one of the French machineshad not come home. 

"Another man to await news of, " said the flight lieutenant sadly, whenthe report reached him. "That's two in two days. "

"No news of Leroy yet?" asked Tom and Jack, as they went out ofheadquarters after reporting. 

"None, I am sorry to say. It is barely possible that he landed insome lonely spot and is still hiding out--if he is not killed. But Iunderstand you two young men had something to request of me. I can giveyou some attention now, " went on the commander of their squadron. 

"We want to be transferred!" exclaimed Tom. "Now, that Pershing's menare here--"

"I understand, " was the answer. "You want to fight with your countrymen. Well, I would do the same. I will see if I can get you transferred, though I shall much regret losing you. "

He was as good as his word, and a week later, following some strenuousfights in the air, Tom and Jack received notice that they could reportto the first United States air squadron, which was then being formed onthat part of the front where the first of Pershing's men were brigadedwith, the French and British armies. 

Du Boise, who had brought word back of the fate that had befallen HarryLeroy, sent for Tom and Jack when it became known that they were toleave. 

"Shall I ever see you again?" he asked wistfully. 

"To be sure, " was Tom's hearty answer. "We aren't going far away, andwe'll fly over to see you the first chance we get. Besides, we're goingto depend on you to give us some information regarding Leroy. If theHuns drop any message at all they'll do it at this aerodrome. "

"Yes, I believe you're right, " assented Du Boise, trying not to show thepain that racked him. "But it's so long, now, I begin to believe hemust be dead, and either the Huns don't know it or they aren't goingto bother to send us word. But I'll let you know as soon as I hearanything. "

"Is his sister here yet?" asked Jack, for Tom and he had been too busythe last two days, getting ready to shift their quarters, to call onNellie Leroy. 

"She has gone back to Paris, " answered Du Boise. "There was no place forher here. I can give you her address. I promised to let her know in caseI got word about her brother. "

"I wish you would give me the address!" exclaimed Tom eagerly, and hischum smiled at his show of interest. 

CHAPTER V. THE RESOLVE

"Well, to-morrow, if all goes well, we'll be with Pershing's boys, "remarked Jack, as he and Tom were sitting in their quarters afterbreakfast, the last day but one they were to spend in the LafayetteEscadrille with which they had so long been associated. 

"That's so. We'll soon be on the firing line with Uncle Sam, " agreedTom. "Of course we've been with him, in a way, ever since we've beenfighting, for it's all in the same cause. But there'll be a little moresatisfaction in being 'on our own, ' as the English say. "

"You're right. What's on for to-day?" asked Jack. 

"Haven't the least idea. But here comes a messenger now. "

As Tom spoke he glanced from a window and saw an orderly coming towardtheir quarters. The man seemed in a hurry. 

"Something's up!" decided Jack. "Maybe they've got word from poorHarry. "

 "I'm beginning to give him up, " said Tom. "If they were going tolet us have any news of him they'd have done it long ago--the beasts!"and he fairly snarled out the words. 

"Still I'm not giving up, " returned Jack. "I can't explain why, but Ihave a feeling that, some day, we'll see Harry Leroy again. "

Tom shook his head. 

"I wish I could be as hopeful as you, " he said. "Maybe we'll see himagain--or his grave. But I want to say, right now, that if ever I havea chance at the Hun who shot him down, that Hun Will get no mercy fromme!"

"Same here!" echoed Jack. "But here comes the orderly. "

The man entered and handed Jack a slip of paper. It was from thecommander of their squadron, and said, in effect, that though Tom andJack were no longer under his orders, having been duly transferred toanother sector, yet he would be obliged if they would call on him, athis quarters. 

"Maybe he has news!" exclaimed Jack, eagerly. 

Again Tom shook his head. 

"He'd have said so if that was the case, " he remarked as he and his chumprepared to report at headquarters, telling the messenger they wouldsoon follow him. 

"Ah, young gentlemen, I am glad to see, you!" exclaimed the commander, and it was as friends that he greeted Tom and Jack and not as militarysubordinates. "Do you want to do me one last favor?"

"A thousand if we can!" exclaimed Jack, for he and Tom had caughtsomething of the French enthusiasm of manner, from having associatedwith the brave airmen so long. 

"Good! Then I shall feel free to ask. Know then, that I am a littleshort-handed in experienced airmen. The Huns have taken heavy toll ofus these last few days, " he went on sorrowfully, and Torn and Jack knewthis to be so, for two aces, as well as some pilots of lesser magnitude, had been shot down. But ample revenge had been taken. 

"By all rights you are entitled to a holiday before you join yournew command, under the great Pershing, " went on the flight commander. "However, as I need the services of two brave men to do patrol duty, I appeal to you. There is a machine gun nest, somewhere in the Bochelines, that has been doing terrible execution. If you could findthe battery, and signal its location, we might destroy it with ourartillery, and so save many brave lives for France, " he went on. "I donot like to ask you--"

"Tell 'em to get out the machines!" interrupted Jack. "We were justwishing we could do something to make up for the loss of Harry Leroy, and this may give it to us. You haven't heard anything of him, haveyou?" he asked. 

The commander shook his head. 

"I fear we shall never hear from him, " he said. "Though only yesterdaywe received back some of the effects of one of our men who was shot downbehind their lines. I can not understand in Leroy's case. "

"Well, we'll make 'em pay a price all right!" declared Tom. "And nowwhat about this machine gun nest?"

The commander gave them such information as he had. It was not unusual, such work as Tom and Jack were about to undertake. As the officerhad said, they were practically exempt now that they were about to betransferred. But they had volunteered, as he probably knew they would. 

Two speedy Spad machines were run out for the use of Tom and Jack, eachone to have his own, for the work they were to do was dangerous and theywould have need of speed. 

They looked over the machine guns to see that they were in shape forquick work, and as the one on the machine Tom selected had congealedoil on the mechanism, having lately returned from a high flight, anotherweapon was quickly attached. Nothing receives more care and attentionat an aerodrome than the motor of the plane and the mechanism of themachine gun. The latter are constructed so as to be easily and quicklymounted and dismounted, and at the close of each day's flight the gunsare carefully inspected and cleaned ready for the morrow. 

"Locate the machine gun battery if you can, " was the parting request toTom and Jack as they prepared to ascend. "Send back word of the locationas nearly as you can to our batteries, and the men there will see to therest. "

"We will!" cried the Americans. 

Locating a machine gun nest is not as easy as picking out a hostilebattery of heavier guns, for the former, being smaller, are more easilyconcealed. 

But Tom and Jack would, of course, do their best to help out theirfriends, the French. Over toward the German lines they flew, and beganto scan with eager eyes the ground below them. They could not fly at avery great height, as they needed to be low down in order to see, and inthis position they were a mark for the anti-aircraft guns of the Huns. 

They had no sooner got over the enemy trenches, and were peering aboutfor the possible location of the machine gun emplacement, when theywere greeted with bursts of fire. But by skillfully dodging they escapedbeing hit themselves, though their machines were struck. The two chumswere separated by about a mile, for they wanted to cover as much groundas possible. 

At last, to his great delight, Tom saw a burst of smoke from a buildingthat had been so demolished by shell fire that it seemed nothing couldnow inhabit it. But the truth was soon apparent. The machine gun nestwas in the cellar, and from there, well hidden, had been doing terribleexecution on the allied forces. Pausing only to make sure of hissurmise, Tom began to tap out on his wireless key the location of thehidden machine gun nest. 

Most of the aeroplanes carry a wireless outfit. An aerial trails afterthem, and the electric impulses, dripping off this, so to speak, reachthe battery headquarters. Owing to the noise caused by the motor of theairship, no message can be sent to the airman in return, and he has todepend on signs made on the ground, arrows or circles in white by dayand lighted signals at night, to make sure that his messages are beingreceived and understood. 

The Allies, of course, possess maps of every sector of the enemy'sfront, so that by reference to these maps the aircraft observer can sendback word as to almost the precise location of the battery which it isdesired to destroy. 

Quickly tapping out word where the battery was located, Tom awaiteddevelopments, circling around the spot in his machine. He was fired atfrom guns on the ground below, but, to his delight, no hostile planesrose to give him combat. A glance across the expanse, however, showedthat Jack was engaging two. 

"He's keeping them from me!" thought Tom, and his heart was heavy, forhe realized that Jack might be killed. However, it was the fortune ofwar. As long as the Hun planes were fighting Jack they would not molesthim, and he might have time to send word to the French battery thatwould result in the destruction of the Hun machine nest. 

There came a burst of fire from the Allied lines he had left, and Tomsaw a shell land to the left and far beyond the Hun battery hidden inthe old ruins. He at once sent back a correcting signal. 

The more a gun is elevated up to a certain point, the farther it shoots. Forty-three degrees is about the maximum elevation. Again, if a gun iselevated too high it shoots over instead of directly at the target aimedat. It is then necessary to lower the elevation. Tom has seen that theguns of the French battery, which were seeking to destroy the machinegun nest were shooting beyond the mark. Accordingly they were told todepress their muzzles. 

This was done, but still the shells fell to the left, and an additionalcorrection was necessary. It is comparatively easy to make correctionsin elevation or depression that will rectify errors in shooting shortof or beyond a mark. It is not so easy to make the same corrections inwhat, for the sake of simplicity, may be called right or left errors, that is horizontal firing. To make these corrections it becomes needfulto inscribe imaginary circles about the target, in this case the machinegun nest. 

These circles are named from the letters of the alphabet. For instance, a circle drawn three hundred yards around a Hun battery as a centermight be designated A. The next circle, two hundred yards less in size, would be B and so on, down to perhaps five yards, and that is gettingvery close. 

The circles are further divided, as a piece of pie is cut, into twelvesectors, and numbered from 1 to 12. The last sector is due north, while6 would be due south, 3 east, and 9 west, with the other figures fornortheast, southwest, and so on. 

If a shot falls in the fifty-yard circle, indicated by the letter D, but to the southwest of the mark, it is necessary to indicate that bysending the message "D-7, " which would mean that, speaking according tothe points of the compass, the missile had fallen within fifty yards ofthe mark, but to the south-southwest of it, and correction must be madeaccordingly. 

Tom watched the falling shells. They came nearer and nearer to thehidden battery and at last he saw one fall plump where it was needed. There was a great puff of smoke, and when it had blown away there wasonly a hole in the ground where the ruins had been hiding the machineguns. 

Tom's work was done, and he flew off to the aid of Jack, who hadovercome one Hun, sending his plane crashing to earth. But the other, an expert fighter, was pressing him hard until Ton opened up on him withhis machine gun. Then the German, having no stomach for odds, turnedtail and flew toward his own lines. 

"Good for you, Tom!" yelled Jack, though he knew his chum could not hearhim because of the noise of the motor. 

Together the two lads, who had engaged in their last battle strictlywith the French, made for their aerodrome, reaching it safely, though, as it was learned when Jack dismounted, he had received a slight bulletwound in one side from a missile sent by one of the attacking planes. But the hurt was only a flesh wound; though, had it gone an inch to oneside, it would have ended Jack's fighting days. 

Hearty and enthusiastic were the congratulations that greeted theexploit of Torn in finding the German machine gun nest that had beensuch a menace, nor were the thanks to Jack any less warm, for withouthis help Tom could never have maintained his position, and sent backcorrections to the battery which brought about the desired result. 

"It is a glorious end to your stay with us, " said the commander, withshining eyes, as he congratulated them. 

There was a little impromptu banquet in the quarters that night, and Tomand Jack were bidden God-speed to their new quarters. 

"There's only one thing I want to say!" said Jack quietly, as he rose inresponse to a demand that he talk. 

"Let us hear it, my slice of bacon!" called a jolly ace. 

"It's this, " went on Jack. "That I hereby resolve that if we--I mean Tomand I--can't rescue our comrade, Harry Leroy, from the Huns--providedhe's alive--that we'll take a toll of five Germans for him--or as many, up to that number, as we can shoot down before they get us. Five Germanfliers is the price of Harry Leroy, who was worth a hundred of them!"

"Bravo! Hurrah! So he was! Death to the Huns!" were the cries. 

Torn Raymond sprang to his feet

"What Jack says I say!" he cried. "But I double the toll. If Harry Leroyis dead he leaves a sister. You all saw her here! Well, I'll get fiveHuns for her, and that makes ten between Jack and me!"

"Success to you!" cried several. 

With this resolve to spur them on, Tom and Jack bade their bravocomrades farewell and started for Paris, whence they were to journey tothe headquarters of General Pershing and his men. 

CHAPTER VI. IN PARIS

Attired in their natty uniforms of the La Fayette Escadrille, which theyhad not discarded, with the double wings showing that they were fullyqualified pilots and aviators, Jack Parmly and Tom Raymond attractedno little attention as, several hours after leaving their places on thebattle front, they arrived in Paris. They were to have a few days restbefore joining the newly formed American aviation section which, as yet, was hardly ready for active work. 

"Well, they're here!" suddenly cried Tom, as he and Jack made their wayout of the station to seek a modest hotel where they might stay untiltime for them to report. 

"Who? Where? I don't see 'em!" exclaimed Jack, as he crowded to the sideof his chum, murmurs from a group of French persons testifying to theesteem in which the American lads were held. 

"There!" went on Tom, pointing. "See some of our doughboys! And maybethe crowds aren't glad to have 'em here! It's great, I tell you, great!"

As he spoke he pointed to several khaki-clad infantrymen, some of thefirst of the ten thousand Americans lads that were sent over to "takethe germ out of Germany. " The Americans were rather at a loss, but theyseemed masters of themselves, and laughed and talked with glee as theygazed on the unfamiliar scenes. They, too, were enjoying a holidaybefore being sent on to be billeted with the French or British troops. 

"Come on, let's talk to 'em!" cried Tom, enthusiastically. "It's as goodas a letter from home to see 'em!"

"I thought you meant you saw--er--Bessie and her mother, " returned Jack, and there was a little disappointment in his voice. 

"Oh, we'll see them soon enough, if they're still in Paris, " said Tom, gazing curiously at his chum. "But they don't know we are coming here. "

"Yes, they do, " said Jack, quietly. 

"They do? Then you must have written. "

"Of course. Don't you want to see them before we get shipped off to anew sector?"

"Why, yes. Just now, though, I'm anxious to hear some good, old UnitedStates talk. Come on, let's speak to 'em. There's one bunch that seemsto be in trouble. "

But the trouble was only because some of Pershing's boys--as they weregenerally called wanted to make some purchases at a candy shop and didnot know enough of the language to make their meaning clear. It was agood-natured misunderstanding, and both the French shop-keeper and hishelper and the doughboys were laughing over it. 

"Hello, boys! Glad to see you! Can we help you out?" asked Tom, as heand Jack joined the group. 

The infantrymen whirled about. 

"Well, for the love of the Mason an' Dixon line! is there somebody heahwho can speak our talk?" cried one lad, his accent unmistakably markinghim as Southern. 

"Guess we can help you out, " said Jack. "We're from God's country, too, "and in an instant the were surrounded and being shaken hands with on allsides, while a perfect barrage of questions was fired at them. 

Then, when the little misunderstanding at the candy shop had beenstraightened out, Tom and Jack told something of who they were, mentioning the fact that they were soon to fight directly under thestars and stripes, information which drew whoops of delight from theenthusiastic infantrymen. 

"But say, friend, " called out one of the new American soldiers, "can yousling enough of this lingo to lead us to a place where we can get hamand eggs? I mean a real eating place, not just a coffee stand. I'vebeen opening my mouth, champing my jaws and rubbing my stomach all day, trying to tell these folks that I'm hungry and want a square meal, andhalf the time they think I need a doctor. Lead me to a hash foundry. "

"All right, come on with us!" laughed Tom. "We're going to eat, too. Iguess we can fix you up. "

The two aviators had been in Paris before and they knew their way about, as well as being able to speak the language fairly well. Soon, withtheir new friends from overseas, they were seated in a quiet restaurant, where substantial food could be had in spite of war prices. And then itwas give and take, question and answer, until a group of Parisians thathad gathered about turned away shaking their heads at their inability tounderstand the strange talk. But they were well aware of the spirit ofit all, and more than one silently blessed the Americans as among thesaviors of France. 

The wonderful city seemed filled with soldiers of all the Alliednations, and most conspicuous, because of recent events, were thekhaki-clad boys who were soon to fight under Pershing. Having seen thatthe little contingent they had taken under their protection got whatthey wanted, Tom and Jack, bidding them farewell, but promising to seethem again soon, went to their hotel. 

And, their baggage arriving, Jack proceeded to get ready for a bath anda general furbishing. He seemed very particular. 

"Going out?" asked Tom. 

"Why--er--yes. Thought I'd go to call on Bessie Gleason. This is hernight off duty--hers and her mother's. "

"How do you know?"

"Well--er--she said so. Want to come?"

"Nixy. Two's company and you know what three is. "

"Oh, come on! Mrs. Gleason will be glad to see you. "

"Well, I suppose I might, " assented Tom, who, truth to tell, did notrelish spending the evening alone. 

Bessie and her mother had, of late, been assigned as Red Cross workersto a hospital in the environs of Paris, and ant times they could comeinto the city for a rest. They maintained a modest apartment not farfrom the hotel where Tom and Jack had put up, and soon the two ladsfound themselves at the place where their friends lived. 

"Oh, I'm so glad you both came!" exclaimed Bessie as she greeted them. "We have company and--"

"Company!" exclaimed Jack, drawing back. 

"Yes, the dearest, most delightful girl you ever--"

"Girl!" exclaimed Tom. 

"Yes. But come on in and meet her. I'm sure you'll both fall in lovewith her. "

Jack was on the point of saying something, but thought better of it, and a moment later, to the great surprise of himself and Torn, they werefacing Nellie Leroy. 

CHAPTER VII. THE AMERICAN FRONT

Tom and Jack bowed. In fact, so great was their surprise at first thatthis was all they could do. Then they stared first at Bessie and then atthe other girl--the sister of Harry, their chum, who was somewhere, deador alive, behind the German lines. 

"Well, aren't you glad to see her?" demanded Bessie. "I thought I'dsurprise you. "

"You have, " said Jack. "Very much!"

"Glad to see her--why--of course. But--but--how--"

Tom found himself stuttering and stammering, so he stopped, and staredso hard at Nellie Leroy that she smiled, though rather sadly, for itwas plain to be seen her grief over the possible death of her brotherweighed down on her. And then she went on:

"Well, I'm real--I'm not a dream, Mr. Raymond. "

"So I see--I mean I'm glad to see it--I mean--oh, I don't know what I domean!" he finished desperately. "Did you know she was going to be here?Was that the reason you asked me to come?" he inquired of Jack. 

"Hadn't the least notion in the world, " answered Jack. "I'm as muchsurprised as you are. "

"Well, we'll take pity on you and tell you all about it, " said Bessie. "Mother, here are the boys, " she called; and Mrs. Gleason, who hadsuffered so much since having been saved from the Lusitania andafterward rescued by air craft from the lonely castle, came out of herroom to greet the boys. 

They were as glad to see her as she was to meet them again, and for atime there was an interchange of talk. Then Mrs. Gleason withdrew toleave the young people to themselves. 

"Well, go on, tell us all about it!" begged Tom, who could not take hiseyes off Nellie Leroy. "How did she get here?" and he indicated Harry'ssister. 

"He talks of me as though I were some specimen!" laughed the girl. "Butgo on--tell him, Bessie. "

"Well, it isn't much of a story, " said Bessie Gleason. "Nellie startedto do Red Cross work, as mother and I are doing, and she was assigned tothe hospital where we were. "

"This was after I heard the terrible news about poor Harry at yourescadrille, " Nellie broke in, to say to Tom and Jack. "I--I suppose youhaven't had any--word?" she faltered. 

"Not yet, " Jack answered. "But we may get it any day now--or they may, back there, " and he nodded to indicate the air headquarters he and Tomhad left. "You know we're going to be under Pershing soon, " he added. 

"So you wrote me, " said Bessie. "I'm glad, though it's all in the samegood cause. Well, as I was saying, Nellie came to our hospital-I call itours though I have such a small part in it, " she interjected. "She wasintroduced to us as an American, and of course we made friends at once. "

"No one could help making friends with Bessie and her mother!" exclaimedNellie. 

"Don't flatter us too much, " warned Bessie. "Now please don't interruptany more. As I say, Nellie came to us to do her share in helping carefor the wounded, and, as mother and I found she had settled on noregular place in Paris, we asked her to share our rooms. Then we got totalking, and of course I found she had met you two boys in her searchfor her brother. After that we were better friends than ever. "

"Glad to know it, " said Tom. "There's nothing like having friends. I hadn't any notion that I'd meet any when I started out with himtonight, " and he motioned to Jack. 

"Well, I like that!" cried Bessie in feigned indignation. "I like toknow how you class my mother and me?" and she looked at Tom. 

"Oh, --er--well, of course--you and your mother, and Jack. But he andyou--"

"Better swim out before you get into deep water, " advised Jack quickly, and he nudged Tom with his foot. 

Then the boys had to tell about their final experiences before leavingthe Lafayette Escadrille with which many trying, as well as many happy, hours were associated, and the girls told of their adventures, whichwere not altogether tame. 

Since Mrs. Gleason had been freed from the plotting of the spy, Potzfeldt, she had lived a happy life--that is as happy as one couldamid the scenes of war and its attendant horrors. She and Bessie werethrowing themselves heart and soul into the immortal work of the RedCross, and now Nellie bad joined them. 

"It's the only way I can stop thinking about poor Harry, " she said witha sigh. "Oh, if I could only hear some good news about him, that I mightsend it to the folks at home. Do you think it will ever come--the goodnews, I mean?" she asked wistfully of Tom. 

"All we can do is to hope, " he said. He knew better than to buoy upfalse hopes, for he had seen too much of the terrible side of war. Inhis heart he knew that there was but little chance for Harry Leroy, after the latter's aeroplane had been shot down behind the German lines. Yet there was that one, slender hope to which all of us cling when itseems that everything else is lost. 

"He may be a prisoner, and, in that case, there is a chance, " said Tom, while Jack and Bessie were conversing on the other side of the room. 

"You mean a chance to escape?"

"Hardly that, though it has been done. A few aviators have got away fromGerman prison camps. But it's only one chance in many thousand. No, whatI meant was that--well, it's too small and slim a chance to talk about, I'm afraid. "

"Oh, no!" she hastened to assure him. "Do tell me! No chance is toosmall. What do you mean?"

"Well, sometimes rescues have been made, " went on Tom. "They are evenmore rare than escapes, but they have been done. I was thinking thatperhaps after Jack and I get in with Pershing's boys we might be in somebig raid on the Hun lines, and then, if we could get any information asto your brother's whereabouts, we might plan to rescue him. "

"Oh, do you think you could?"

"I certainly can and will try!" exclaimed Tom, earnestly. 

"Oh, will you? Oh, I can't thank you enough!" and she clasped his handin both hers and Tom blushed deeply. 

"Please don't count too much on it, " Tom warned Nellie. "It's adesperate chance at best, but it's the only one I can see that we cantake. First of all, though, we've got to get some word as to where Harryis. "

"How can you do that?"

"Some of the Hun airmen are almost human, that is compared to theother Boche fighters. They may drop a cap of Harry's or a glove, orsomething, " and Tom told of the practice in such cases. 

"Oh, if they only will!" sighed Nellie. "But it is almost too much tohope. "

And so they talked until late in the evening, when the time came forNellie, Bessie and her mother to report back for their Red Cross work. The boys returned to their hotel, promising to write often and to seetheir friends at the next opportunity. 

"I won't forget!" said Tom, on parting from Nellie. 

"Forget what?" asked Jack, as they were going down the street together. 

"I'm going to do my best to rescue her brother, " said Tom, in a lowvoice. 

"Good! I'm with you!" declared Jack. 

The stay of the two boys in Paris was all too short, but they wereanxious to get back to their work. They wanted to be fighting undertheir own flag. Not that they had not been doing all they could forliberty, but it was different, being with their own countrymen. And so, when their leaves of absence were up, they took the train that was todrop them at the place assigned, where the newly arrived Americans werebeginning their training. 

"The American front!" cried Tom, as he and Jack reached the headquartersof General Pershing and his associate officers. "The American front atlast!"

"And it's the happiest day of my life that I can fight on it!" criedJack. 

CHAPTER VIII. A BATTLE IN THE AIR

Strictly speaking there was at that time no American front. That didnot come until later, for the American soldiers, as was proper, werebrigaded with the French and British, to enable our troops, who wereunused to European war conditions, to become acquainted with the needfulmeasures to meet and overcome the brutality of the Huns. 

But even with this brigading of the United States' troops with theseasoned veterans, which, in plain language, meant a mingling of thetwo forces, there was much that was strictly American among the newarrivals. 

Not only were the khaki-clad soldiers real Americans to the backbone, but their equipment and the supplies that had come over with them in thetransports were such as might be seen at any army camp in this country, as distinguished from a French or a British camp. 

"Well, the boys are here all right, " remarked Jack, as he and Tom madetheir way toward the headquarters at which they were to report. 

"Yes, and it makes me feel good to see them!" said Tom. "This is thebeginning of the end of Kaiserism, if I'm any judge. "

"Oh, it isn't going to be so easy as all that, " returned Jack. "We'llsee some hard fighting. Germany isn't licked yet by any means; butthose, are the boys that can bring the thing to a finish, " and hepointed to a company of the lean, stem, brown figures that were swingingalong with characteristic stride. 

The place at which Tom and Jack had been ordered to report was aninterior city of France, not far from the port at which the firsttransport from America had arrived. A first glance at the scenes onevery hand would have given a person not familiar with war a beliefthat hopeless confusion existed. Wagons, carts, mule teams and motortrucks-"lorries, " the English call them--were dashing to and fro. Menwere marching, countermarching, unloading some vehicles, loading others. Soldiers were being marched into the interior to be billeted, otherswere being directed to their respective French or English units. Officers were shouting commands, and privates were carrying them out tothe best of their ability. 

But though it all seemed chaos, out of it order was coming. There was asystem, though a civilian would not have understood it. 

"Well, let's find out where we're at, " suggested Torn, to his chum. 

"Right O, my pickled grapefruit!" agreed Jack with a laugh. "Let's getinto the game. "

They were about to ask their direction from a non-commissioned officerwho was directing a squad of men in the unloading of a truck whichseemed filled with canned goods, when some one said:

"There goes Black Jack now!"

The two air service boys looked, and saw, passing along not far away, a tall man, faultlessly attired, who looked "every inch a soldier, " andwhose square jaw was indicative of his fighting qualities, if the restof his face had not been. 

"Is that General Pershing?" asked Tom, in a low voice of thenon-commissioned officer. 

"That's who he is, buddy, " was the smiling answer. "The best man in theworld for the job, too. Come on there now, you with the red hair. Thisisn't a croquet game. Lay into those cases, and get 'em off some timebefore New Year's. We want to have our Christmas dinner in Berlin, remember!"

"So that's Pershing, " commented Jack, as he looked at the Americancommander, who, with his staff officers, was on a trip of inspection. "Well, he suits me all right!"

"The next thing for us to do is to find out if we suit him, " remarkedTom. "Wonder if he knows we're here?"

"I don't even believe he knows we're alive!" exclaimed Jack, for themoment taking Tom's joke quite seriously. 

As General Pershing passed on, receiving and returning many salutes, Tomand Jack made their inquiries, learned where they were to report, andwent on their way, longing for the time when they could get into actionwith the American troops. 

"Oh, so you're the two aviators from the Lafayette Escadrille, "commented the commanding officer, or the C. O. , of the newly formedAmerican squadron, as Tom and Jack, drawing themselves up as straightas they could, saluted when he looked over their papers and their logbooks. These last are the personal records of aviators in which theynote the details of each flight made. They are official documents, butwhen a birdman is honorably discharged he may take his log book withhim. 

"We were told to report to you, sir, " said Tom. 

"Yes. And I'm glad to see you. We're going to establish a purelyAmerican air force, but as yet it is in its infancy. I need someexperienced fliers, and I'm glad you're going to be with us. Of courseI have a number who have made good records over there, " and he nodded toindicate the United States, "But they haven't been under fire yet, and Iunderstand you have. "

"Some, " admitted Jack, modestly enough. 

"Good! Well, I'm to have some more of our own boys, who are to betransferred from the French forces, and some from the Royal FlyingCorps, so with that as a start I guess we can build up an air servicethat will make Fritz step lively. But we've got to go slow. One thingI'm sorry for is that we haven't, as yet, any American planes. We'llhave to depend on the French and English for them, as we have to, atfirst, for our artillery and shells. "

"We can fly French or British planes, " remarked Tom. 

And, as my old readers know, the air service boys had had experiencewith a number of different models. 

"We can fly a Gotha if we have to, " said Jack. "One came down back ofour lines last month, and we patched it up and flew it for practice. "

"I hope you can get some more of that practice, " said the commandingofficer with a smile. 

"But, now that you're here, I'll swear you in and see what the ordersare regarding you. I'm afraid there won't be much fighting for you atfirst--that is strictly as Americans. I understand our air front, ifI may use that term, will have to grow out of a nucleus of French andEnglish fighters. "

"That's all right, as long as we get the right start, " commented Tom. 

It was necessary to swear the boys into the service of the UnitedStates, even though they were natives of it; since, on entering theLafayette Escadrille, they had been obliged to swear allegianceto France. But this was a matter of routine where the Allies wereconcerned, and soon Tom and Jack were back again where they longed tobe--enrolled among the distinctive fighters of their own country. 

They were assigned to barracks, and found themselves among some otherairmen, many of whom were student fliers from the various aviation campsof the United States. Few of these youths had had much practice, thoughsome had been to the Canadian schools. And none of them had, as yet, fought an enemy in the air. 

To aid and instruct them, however, were such fighters as Tom and Jack, and some even more experienced from the French, Italian and Britishcamps, who had been detailed to help out the United States in theemergency. 

The next few weeks was an instruction and reconstruction period, withTom and Jack often filling the roles of teachers. They found theirpupils apt, eager and willing, however, and among them they discoveredsome excellent material. As the commanding officer of the new Americanair forces had said, the planes used were all of English or French make. It was too early in the war for America to have sent any over equippedwith the Liberty motor, though production was under way. 

After this period had passed, Tom and Jack, with a squadron of otherbirdmen were sent to a certain section of the front held largely byAmerican troops, supported by veteran French and British regiments. 

It was the first wholly American aircraft camp established since thebeginning of the World War, and it was not even yet as wholly Americanas it was destined to be later, for the aviators were, as regardsveterans, largely French and English. Torn and Jack were, in point ofservice, the ranking American fliers for a time. 

There had been several sharp engagements across No Man's Land betweenthe mingled French, British and French forces and the Huns, and honorswere on the side of the former. There had been one or two combats in theair, in which Tom and Jack had taken part, when one day word came froman observation balloon on the American side that a flock of Germanaircraft was on the way from a camp located a few miles within the Bochelines. 

There was a harried consultation of the officers, and then orders weregiven for a half score of the Allied machines to get ready. Two veteranFrench aces were to be in command, with Tom and Jack as helpers, andsome of the American aviators were to go into the battle of the air forthe first time. 

"The Huns are evidently going to try to bomb some of our ammunitiondumps behind our lines, "' said one officer, speaking to Tom. "It's up toyou boys to drive 'em back. "

"We'll try, sir, " was the answer. "We owe the Huns something we haven'tbeen able to pay off as yet. "

Tom referred to the loss of Harry Leroy. So far no word had beenreceived from him, either directly or through the German aviators, as towhether he was dead or a prisoner. Letters had passed between Bessie andNellie and Jack and Tom, and the sister of the missing youth begged fornews. 

But there was none to give her. 

"Unless we get some to-day, " observed Tom as he and his chum hurriedtoward the hangars where their machines were being made ready for them. 

"Get news to-day? What makes you think we shall?" asked Jack. 

"Well, we might bring down a Fritzie or two who'd know something aboutpoor Harry, " was the answer. "You never can tell. "

"No, that's so, " agreed Jack. "Well, here's hoping we'll have luck. "

By this time there was great excitement in the American aviationheadquarters. Word of the oncoming Hun planes had spread, and not aflier of Pershing's forces but was eager to get into his plane and goaloft to give battle. But only the best were selected, and if there wereheart-burnings of disappointment it could not be helped. 

Two classes of planes were to be used, the single seaters for the aces, who fought alone, and the double craft, each one of which carried apilot and an observer. In the latter cases the observers were the newmen, who had yet to receive their baptism of fire above the clouds. 

Tom and Jack were each detailed to take up one of the new men, and theair service boys were glad to find that, assigned to each of them, was the very man he would have picked had he had his choice. They wereeager, intrepid lads, anxious to do their share in the great adventure. 

Quickly the machines were made ready, and quickly the fighters climbedinto them. The roar of the motors was heard all over the aerodrome, andsoon the machines began to mount. Up and up they climbed, and none toosoon, for on reaching elevations averaging ten thousand feet, there wasseen, over the German lines, a flock of the Hun planes led by two orthree machines painted a bright red. These were some of the machinesthat had belonged to the celebrated "flying circus, " organized by adaring Hun aviator and ace who was killed after he had inflicted greatdamage and loss on the Allied service. He and his men had their machinespainted red, perhaps on the theory that they would thus inspire terror. These were some of the former members of the "circus, " it was evident. 

"It's going to be a real fight!" cried Tom, as he headed his machinetoward one of the red craft. Whether the green man Tom was taking uprelished this or not, knowing, as he must, the reputation of these redaviators, Tom did not stop to consider. 

Then, as the two hostile air fleets approached, there began a battleof the clouds--a conflict destined to end fatally for more than oneaviator. 

CHAPTER IX. THE FALLING GLOVE

Numerically the Hun planes, were superior to the American fleet ofairships that quickly rose to oppose them. That probably accountedfor fact that the Germans did not turn tail and scurry back beyond theprotection of their own anti-aircraft guns and batteries. For it wasseldom, if ever, they went into a fight when the odds were against them. 

On came the Fokkers and Gothas, the black iron crosses painted on thewings of the machines standing out in bold relief in the clear air. Thesun glinted on the red craft which were in the lead, and besides Tom, who headed for one of these, a French ace darted down from a height toengage the red planes. 

"See if you can plug him when I put you near enough!" cried Tom to hisobserver, who had the reputation of being a good shot with the Lewisgun. Practice with the machine weapons in aeroplanes had been goingon, for some time among the new American aviators. "Let him have a gooddose!" cried Tom. "If you miss him, then I'll try!"

Of course Tom had to shut off the engine when he said this, as no voicecould have been heard above the roaring of the powerful motor. But whenhe had given his companion these instructions and had ascertained, bya glance over his shoulder, that the lad understood for he nodded hishead, Tom again turned on the gasoline, and the propeller, that had beenrevolving by momentum and because of the pressure of air against it, took up its speed again. 

Straight for the red machine rushed Tom, and a quick glance told himthat his companion was ready with the gun. The weapon to be worked bythe latter was mounted so that it could be aimed independently of theaeroplane. Tom also had a gun in front of him, but it was fixed andcould be aimed only by pointing the whole craft. Once this was done Tomcould operate the weapon with one hand, steering with the other, and, attimes, with his feet and knees. 

There came several sharp pops near Tom's head, and he knew these weremachine bullets from the Hun aviator's gun, breaking through the tightlystretched linen fabric of the wings of his own plane. 

"Let him have it before he plugs us!" cried Tom to his companion, thoughof course the latter could not hear a word. An instant later Tom heardthe Lewis gun behind him firing, and he saw several tracer bulletsstrike the Hun machine. But they were not near the aviator himself, anddid no material damage. 

"Guess he's too nervous to shoot straight, " reasoned Tom. "I'll have totry my own gun, " he decided. 

Tom noticed that the Hun was climbing up, trying to get into a positionabove the American plane, which is always an advantage. And the airservice boy knew he must not let this happen. Quickly he shifted therudder and began to climb himself. But he was at a disadvantage as hismachine carried double, while the red plane had only one man in it, anace beyond a doubt. 

"I've got to get him now or never!" thought Tom. Once more he shiftedhis direction, and then, as he had his gun aimed just where he wantedit, he pressed the lever and a burst of bullets shot out and fairlyriddled the red plane. It seemed to stop for an instant in the air, andthen, quivering, turned and went down in a nose dive, spinning around. 

"No fake about that!" mused Tom, as he leaned over and looked down fromthe height. "He's done for!"

And so, the Hun was, for he crashed to the ground behind the Americanlines. The incident did not affect Tom Raymond greatly. It was not hisfirst killing. But when he, glanced back toward his companion, he sawthat the other was shrinking back as if in horror. 

"He'll get over that soon enough. All he has to do is to think of whatthe Huns have done--crucifying men and babies--to make his heart hard, "thought Tom. 

Whether his companion did this or not, did not disclose itself, but thefact remains that when Tom flew off to engage another Hun machine thelad back of him rose to the occasion and shot so well that Fritz veeredoff and flew back over his own lines, wounded and with his craft barelyable to fly. 

Not all the American machines fared as well as this, however. Jack wasin poor luck. The first burst of bullets from the German he engagedpunctured his gasoline tank, and he was obliged to coast back to his ownaerodrome to get another machine, if possible. He was also hit once inthe leg, the wound being painful though not dangerous. He received firstaid treatment and wanted to get back into the fight, but this was notallowed, and he had to watch the battle from the ground. 

The fight was fast and stubborn, and in the end the American forces won, for at a signal from the remaining red plane, which seemed to bear acharmed existence, as it did not appear to be hit, the others remainingof the Hun forces, turned tail and scooted back to safety. 

But they had left a toll of five machines sent crashing to earth, fourof them each containing two men. The leading French ace was killed, asevere loss to the Allied forces, and three of the American machineswere damaged and their operators severely wounded, though with a chanceof recovery. By American machines is meant those assigned for use toPershing's forces, though the craft used up to that time were of Frenchor English make. The real American machines came into use a littlelater. 

"Well, I think we can call it one to our credit, " said Tom, as herejoined Jack after the battle. 

"Yes. But you had all the luck!" complained his chum. "It went againstme, and the lad I took up. It--"

"Never mind; it'll be your turn next, " replied Tom, consolingly. 

And so the new American aviators received their baptism of fire, and, totheir credit, longed for more. 

More credit was really due the American forces than would be indicatedby the mere citation of the losses inflicted on the German side in thisfirst air battle. For many of the American fighters were "green, " whilenot one of the Huns, as was learned later, but what had several Alliedmachines to his score. And so there was rejoicing in General Pershing'scamp, even though it was mingled with sorrow at the losses inflicted. 

Busy days followed, Tom and Jack were in the air much of the time. Andwhen they were not flying they were delivering talks to new students, who were constantly arriving. They found time once to run into Paris ontheir day of leave, to see Bessie and Nellie, and they went on a littlepicnic together, which was as jolly as such an affair could be in themidst of the terrible war. Nellie had received no word of her missingbrother, and Jack and Tom had no encouragement for her. 

Then came more hard work at camp, and another battle of the air inwhich the American forces more than equaled matters, for they fairlydemolished a German plane squadron, sending ten of the machines crashingto earth and the others back over the Hun lines, more or less damaged. That was a great day. And, as a sort of reward for their work, Tom andJack were given three days' leave. At first they thought to spend themin Paris, but, learning that neither Bessie nor her mother nor Nelliecould leave their Red Cross work to join them, the two lads made otherarrangements. 

"Let's go back and see the fellows in the Lafayette Escadrille, "suggested Tom. 

"All right, " agreed Jack. 

And thither they went. 

That they were welcomed need not be said. It was comparatively quiet onthis sector just then, though there had, a few days before, been a greatbattle with victory perching on the Allied banners. The air conflicts, too, had been desperate, and many a brave man of the French, Englishor American fliers had met his death. But toll had been taken of theBoches--ample toll, too. 

The first inquiry Tom and Jack had made on their arrival at their formeraerodrome had been for news of Harry Leroy, but none had been received. 

It was when Tom and Jack were about to conclude their visit to theirformer comrades of the air that an incident occurred which made a greatchange in their lives. One sunny afternoon there suddenly appeared, amere speck in the blue, a single aeroplane. 

"Some one of your men must have gone a long way over Heinie's lines, "remarked Jack to one of the French officers. 

"He is not one of our men. Either they were all back long ago or theywill not come back until after the war--if ever. That is a Hun machine. "

"What is he doing--challenging to single combat?" asked Tom, as the loneplane came on steadily. 

"No, " answered the officer, after a look through his glasses. "I thinkhe brings some messages. We sent some to the Germans yesterday, and Ithink this is a return courtesy. We will wait and see. "

Nearer and nearer came the German plane. Soon it was circling around theFrench camp. Hundreds came out to watch, for now the object of the loneaviator was apparent. He contemplated no raid. It was to drop news ofcaptured, or dead, Allied airmen. 

Then, as Tom, and the others watched, a little package was seen tofall from the hovering aeroplane. It landed on the roof of one of thehangars, bounced off and was picked up by an orderly, who presented itto the commanding officer. 

Quickly and eagerly it was opened. It contained some personal belongingsof Allied airmen who had been missing for the past week. Some of them, the message from the German lines said, had been killed by their fallsafter being shot down, and it was stated that they had been decentlyburied. Others were wounded and in hospitals. 

"No word from Harry, " said Tom, sadly, as the last of the relics fromthe dead and the living were gone over. 

"Well, I guess we may as well give him up, " added Jack. "But we canavenge him. That's all we have left, now. "

"Yes, " agreed Tom. "If we only--?"

A cry from some of those watching the German plane interrupted him. Thetwo air service boys looked up. Another small object was falling. Itlanded with a thud, almost at the feet of Tom and Jack, and the latterpicked it up. 

It was an aviator's glove; and as Jack held it up a note droppedout. Quickly it was read, and the import of it was given to all in asimultaneous shout of joy from Tom and Jack. 

"It's word from Harry Leroy! Word from Harry at last!"

CHAPTER X. STUNTS

Truly enough, word had come from the missing aviator, or, if notdirectly from him, at least from his captors. The German airmen, fallingin with the chivalry which had been initiated by the French and English, and later followed by the Americans, had seen fit to inform the comradesof the captured man of his whereabouts. 

"Where is he? What happened to him?" asked several, as all crowdedaround Tom and Jack to hear the news. 

Jack, reading the note, told them. The missive was written in very goodEnglish, though in a German hand. It stated that Harry Leroy had beenshot down in his plane while over the German lines, and had fallen in alonely spot, wounded. 

The wound was not serious, it was stated, and the prisoner was doingas well as could be expected, but he would remain in the hands of hiscaptors until the end of the war. The reason his whereabouts was notmentioned before was that the Germans did not know they had one of theAllied aviators in their midst. 

Leroy had not only fallen in a lonely spot, but he was made unconsciousby his fall and injuries, and when he recovered he was lying near hisalmost demolished plane. 

He managed to get out his log book and other confidential papers, andset fire to them and the plane with the gasoline that still remained inthe tank. He destroyed them so they might not fall into the hands of theGermans, a fate he knew would be his own shortly. 

But Harry Leroy was not doomed to instant capture. The blaze caused byhis burning aeroplane attracted the attention of a peasant, who had notbeen deported when the enemy overran his country, for the young aviatorhad fallen in a spot well back of the front lines. This French peasanttook Harry to his little farm and hid him in the barn. There the man, his wife, and his granddaughters, looked after the injured aviator, feeding him and binding up his hurts. It was a great risk they took, and Harry Leroy knew it as well as they. But for nearly two weeks heremained hidden, and this probably saved his life, for he got bettertreatment at the farmhouse than he would, as an enemy, have received ina German hospital. 

But such good luck could not last. Suspicion that Americans were hiddenin the Frenchman's barn began to spread through the country, and ratherthan bring discovery on his friends, Leroy left the barn one night. 

He had a desperate hope that he might reach his own lines, as he was nowpretty well recovered from his 'Injuries, but it was not to be. He wascaptured by a German patrol. But by his quick action Harry Leroy hadremoved suspicion from the farmer, which was exactly what he wished todo. 

The Germans, rejoicing over their capture, took the young aviator to thenearest prison camp, and there he was put in custody, together with someunfortunate French and English. The tide of war had turned against HarryLeroy. 

So it came about that, some time after he had been posted as missing andwhen it was surely thought that he was dead, Harry Leroy was found to beamong the living, though a prisoner. 

"This will be great news for his sister!" exclaimed Jack, as the notedropped by the German airman was read over and over again. 

"Yes, she'll be delighted, " agreed Tom. "We must hurry back and tellher. "

"And that isn't all, " went on Jack. "We must try to figure out a way torescue Harry. "

"You can't do that, " declared a French ace, one with whom the airservice boys had often flown. 

"Why not?" asked Tom. 

"It's out of the question, " was the answer. "There has never been arescue yet from behind the German lines. Or, if there has been, it'slike a blue moon. "

"Well, we can try, " declared Jack, and Tom nodded his head in agreement. 

"Don't count too much on it, " added another of their friends. "Harry maynot even be where this note says he is. "

"Do you mean that the Germans would say what isn't so?" asked Tom. 

"Of course! Naturally!" was the answer. "But even if they did not inthis case, even if they have truly said where Leroy is, he may be movedat any time--sent to some other prison, or made to work in the mines orat perhaps something far worse. "

Tom and Jack realized that this might be so, and they felt that therewas no easy task ahead of them in trying to rescue their chum from thehands of the Germans. But they were not youths who gave up easily. 

"May we keep this note?" asked Tom, as he and Jack got ready to depart. Having fallen on the camp of the escadrille with which they wereformerly quartered, it was, strictly speaking, the property of theairmen there. But having been told how much the sister of the prisonerwould appreciate it, the commanding officer gave permission for Tom andJack to take the glove and note with them. 

"Let us know if you rescue him, Comrades!" called the Frenchmen to thetwo lads, as they started back for their own camp. 

"We will, " was the answer. 

Nellie Leroy's joy in the news that her brother was alive was temperedby the fact that he was a German prisoner. 

"But we're going to get him!" declared Tom even though he realized, ashe said it, that it with almost a forlorn hope. 

"You are so good, " murmured the girl. 

Jack and Tom spent a few happy hours in Paris, with Nellie andBessie--the last of their leave--and then, bidding the girls and Mrs. Gleason farewell, they reported back to the American aerodrome, wherethe young airmen were cordially welcomed. 

There they found much to do, and events followed one another so rapidlyat this stage of the World War that Tom and Jack, after their return, had little time for anything but flying and teaching others what theyknew of air work. They had no opportunity to do anything toward therescue of Harry Leroy; and, indeed, they were at a loss how to proceed. They were just hoping that something would transpire to give them astarting point. 

"We'll have to leave it to luck for a while, " said Torn. 

"Or fate, " added Jack. 

"Well, fate plays no small part in an airman's life, " returned Tom. "While we are no more superstitions than any other soldiers, yet thereare few airmen who do not carry some sort of mascot or good-luck piece. You know that, Jack. "

And even the casual reader of the exploits of the aviators must havebeen impressed with the fact that often the merest incident--or accidentis responsible for life or death. 

Death often passes within hair's breadth of the intrepid fliers, andsome of them do not know it until after they have made a landing andhave seen the bullet holes in their machine--holes that indicate howclose the missiles have passed to them. 

So, in a way, both Tom and Jack believed in luck, and they both believedthat this same luck might point out to them a way of rescuing HarryLeroy. 

Meanwhile they were kept busy. After the big battle in the air matterswere quiet for a time on their sector of the front. The arrival of newfliers from America made it necessary to instruct them, and to this Tom, Jack and other veterans were detailed. 

Then began a series of what Jack called "stunts. " In order to inspirethe new pupils with confidence, the older flying men--not always olderin years--would go aloft in their single planes and do all sorts oftrick flying. Some of the pupils--the more daring, of course--wished toimitate these, but of course they were not allowed. 

The pupils were first allowed merely to go with an experienced man. This, of course, they had done at the flying schools in the UnitedStates, and had flown alone. But they had to start all over again whenon French soil, for here they were exposed, any time, to an attack froma Hun plane. 

After they had, it was thought, got sufficient experience to undertakethese trick features by themselves, they were allowed to make trialflights, but not over the enemy lines. 

Tom and Jack gave the best that was in them to these enthusiasticpupils, and there was much good material. 

"What are you going to do to-day, Jack?" asked Tom one morning, as theywent out after breakfast to get into their "busses, " as they dubbedtheir machines. 

"Oh, got orders to do some spiral and somersault stunts for the benefitof some huns. " ("Hun, " used in this connection, not referring to theGermans. "Hun" is the slang term for student aviators, tacked on them bymore experienced fliers. )

"Same here. Good little bunch of huns in camp now. "

Tom nodded in agreement, and the two were soon preparing to climb aloft. 

With a watching group of eager young men on the ground below, in companywith an instructor who would point out the way certain feats were done, Torn and Jack began climbing. Presently they were fairly tumbling aboutlike pigeons, seeming to fall, but quickly straightening out on a levelkeel and coming to the ground almost as lightly as feathers. 

"A good landing is essential if one would become a good airman, " statedthe instructor. "In fact I may say it is the hardest half of the game. For it is comparatively easy to leave the earth. It is the coming backthat is difficult, like the Irishman who said it wasn't the fall thathurts, it was the stopping. "

"Give 'em a bit of zooming now, " the instructor said to Tom and Jack. "The boys may have to use that any time they're up and a Boche comes atthem. "

"Zooming, " he went on to the pupils, "is rising and falling in a seriesof abrupt curves like those in a roller-coaster railway. It is a veryuseful stunt to be master of, for it enables one to rise quickly whenconfronting a field barrier, or to get out of range of a Hun machinegun. "

Tom undertook this feature of the instruction, as Jack signaled that hisaeroplane was out of gasoline, and soon the former was rolling acrossthe aviation field, seemingly straight toward a row of tall trees. 

"He'll hit 'em sure!" cried one student. 

"Watch him, " ordered the instructor. 

With a quick pull on the lever that controlled the rudder, Tom senthimself aloft, but not before a curious thing happened. 

On the ground where it had been dropped was a tunic, or airman'sfur-lined jacket. As Tom's machine "zoomed, " the tail skid caught thisjacket and took it aloft. 

Tom did not seem to be aware of this, though he must have felt that hismachine was a bit sluggish in the climbs. However, he went through withhis performance, doing some beautiful "zooming, " and then, as he wasflying high and getting ready to do a spiral nose dive, the tunicdetached itself from his skid and fell. 

Just at this moment Jack came out from the hangar and, looking aloft andnoting Tom's machine, saw the falling jacket. His heart turned sickand faint, for, unaware of what had happened, he thought his chum hadtumbled out while at a great height. For the tunic, turning over andover as it sailed earthward, did resemble a falling body. 

"Oh, Tom! Tom! How did it happen?" murmured Jack. 

The others, laughing, told him that it was nothing serious, but Jacklooked a bit worried until the empty jacket fell on the grass and, alittle later, Tom himself came down smiling from aloft, all unaware ofthe excitement he had caused. 

CHAPTER XI. OVER THE LINES

"Well, I guess we stay downstairs, to-day, " remarked Tom to Jack, the day following their exhibition flights for the benefit of the airstudents. 

"Yes, it doesn't look very promising, " returned his chum. 

Jack looked aloft where the sky--or what took its place--was representedby a gray mist that seemed ready to drip water at any moment. It wasa day of "low visibility, " and one when air work was almost totallysuspended. This applied to the enemy as well as to the Yankees. For eventhough it is feasible to go up in an aeroplane in fog, or even rain orsnow, it is not always safe to come down again in like conditions. 

There is nothing worse than rain, snow or fog for clouding an aviator'sgoggles, making it impossible for him to see more than a plane's lengthahead, if, indeed, he can see that far. Then, too, little, if anything, can be accomplished by going aloft in a storm or fog. No observationsof any account can be made, and the aviator, once he gets aloft, is aslikely to come down behind the German lines as he is to descend safelywithin his own. 

That being the case, Tom and Jack, in common with their comrades of theair, had a vacation period. Some of them obtained leave and went to thenearest town, while some put in their time going over their guns andglasses and equipment and machines. 

Jack and Tom elected to do the latter. There was one very fast andpowerful Spad which they often used together, taking turns at pilotingit and acting as observer. They thought they might have a chance soon togo over the German lines in this, their favorite craft, so they decidedto put in their spare time seeing that it was in perfect shape, and thatthe two machine guns were ready for action when needed. 

"'Would you rather do this than fly, Jack?" asked Tom, as they wentover, in detail, each part of the powerful Spad. 

"I should say not! But, after all, one is just as important as theother. I hope we get a good day to-morrow. I'd like to do somethingtoward seeing if we can't get Harry out of the Boche's clutches, " and henodded in the direction of the German lines. 

"'Tisn't going to be easy doing that, " remarked Tom. "I'd ask nothingbetter than to have a hand in getting him away, but I haven't yet beenable to figure out a shadow of a plan. Have you?"

"The only thing, I can think of is to organize a big raid on the sectionwhere he's held--I mean somewhere near the German prison--and if webombed the place enough, and created enough excitement, some of us mightland and get Harry and any others that might be with him. "

Tom shook his head. 

"That'd be a pretty risky way of doing it, " he said. 

"Can you think of a better?" Jack demanded quickly. 

"Not off hand, " came the reply. "We've got to stew over it a bit. Onething's sure--we've got to get Harry out, or his sister never will feellike going back home and facing the folks. "

"That's right!" agreed Jack. "We've got a double motive for this. ButI'm afraid it's going to be too hard. "

"That's what we thought when we rescued Mrs. Gleason from the old castlewhere Potzfeldt had her caged, " retorted Tom. "But you made out allright. "

"Yes; thanks to your help. "

"Well, we'll both work together again, " declared Tom. "And now let'stry this Lewis gun. The last time we were up it jammed on me, and yet itworked all right on the ground. " So they tested the guns, looked to themotor, and in general made ready for a flight when the weather shouldclear. 

This happened two days later, when the fog and mist were blown away andthe blue sky could be seen. In the interim the artillery and infantryon both sides had not been idle, and there had been some desperateengagements, with the brigaded American troops making a new name forthemselves. 

"I guess there'll be something doing to-day, " remarked Tom, as he andJack tumbled out of bed at the usual early hour. "Clear as a bell, " heannounced, after a glance from the window. "Shouldn't wonder but what wewent over their lines to-day. "

"And I suppose, by the same token, they'll be coming over ours, " andJack nodded to indicate the Germans. 

"Let 'em come!" exclaimed Tom. "It takes two sides to make a fight, andthat's what we're here for. "

Hardly had the two air service boys finished their breakfast, than anorderly came to tell them the commanding officer wanted them to reportto him. They hurried across the aviation ground, toward the headquartersbuilding, noting on the way that there were signs of unusual activityamong the newer members of the American air forces, as well as among theFrench and British veterans. 

"Must be going to make a raid, " observed Jack. 

"Something like that--yes, " assented Tom. 

"Hope we're in on it, and the commanding officer doesn't have us takesome huns up to show 'em what makes the wheels go around, " went on Jack. "Of course that's part of the game, but we've done our share. "

However, they need have felt no fear, for when they stood before thecommanding officer, saluting, they quickly learned that they were to goon a special mission that day--in fact as soon as they could get ready. 

"I want you two to see if you can discover a battery of small guns thathave been playing havoc with our men, " he said, as he looked up from atable covered with maps. "They're located somewhere along this front, but they're so well camouflaged that no one has yet been able todiscover them. 

"I want you boys to see if you can turn the trick. The guns have killeda lot of our men, as well as the French and English. We've tried to rushthe emplacement, but we can't get a line on where it is for it's wellhidden. I asked permission of the British commanding general to send uptwo American scouts, and he mentioned you boys. Get your orders from themajor, and good luck to you. "

"Do you want us to go together or separately?" asked Tom. 

"Together--in a double plane. I might say that we are going to try araid on a big scale over the enemy's lines, and you two will thus have abetter chance to carry out your observations unmolested. The Hun planeswill have their hands full attending to our fighters, and they may notattack a single plane off by itself. We'll try to draw them away fromyou. 

"At the same time I might point out that there is nothing sure in this, and that you may have to fight also, " concluded the commanding officer, as he waved a dismissal. 

"Oh, were ready for anything, " announced Tom. And as he and Jack gotoutside he clapped his chum on the back, crying: "That's the stuff! Goodold C. O. To send us! That's what we've been looking for! Maybe we'llhave time to drop down and shoot some of the Huns that are guardingHarry. "

"No chance of that--forget it now, " urged Jack. "We'll clean up thislocation trick first, and then think of a plan to get Harry away. Itsounds hard to say it, but it's all we can do. Orders are orders. "

They were glad they had made ready the speedy Spad plane, for it wasin this that they would try to locate the hidden battery, and, havingreceived detailed instructions from the major in command, the two ladsclimbed into their air plane and started off. 

The day was clear and bright, just the sort for aeroplane activity; andit was evident there would be plenty of it, since, even as they beganclimbing, Tom and Jack saw planes from their own aerodrome skirtingahead of and behind them, while, in the distance and over German-heldterritory, were Fokkers and Gothas with the iron cross conspicuouslypainted on each. 

Tom and Jack had been given a map of the front, their own and the Germanlines being shown, and the probable location of the hidden Hun batterymarked. This they now studied as they started over the front, Jack beingin front, while Tom sat behind him, to work the swivel Lewis gun. 

Their Spad machine was one that could be controlled from either seat, sothat if one rider was disabled the other could take charge. Therewere two guns, one fixed and the other movable, and a good supply ofammunition. 

"Well, I guess there'll be some fighting to-day, " observed Tom, as Jackshut off the motor for a moment, to see if it would respond readily whenthe throttle was opened again. "They're closing in from both sides. "

And indeed the Allied planes were sailing forth to meet a squadron ofthe enemy. But none of the Hun craft seemed to pay any attention to Tomand Jack. Steadily they flew on until an exclamation from Jack causedTom to look down. He noted that they were over the German lines, andheaded for the probable location of the battery that had been such athorn in the side of the Allies. 

CHAPTER XII. A PERFECT SHOT

The plane in which Tom and Jack had gone aloft to make observationswhich, it was hoped, would result in the discovery of the hiddenbattery, was a special machine. While very powerful and swift andequipped for air-fighting, it was also one that had been used by one ofthe French photographers and his pilot. The photographer, was a daringman, and had, not long before, gone to his death in fighting threeHun planes. But he had peculiar ideas regarding his car, and under hisorders it had been fitted with a glass floor in the two cockpits, orwhat corresponded to them. 

Thus he and his pilot could look down and observe the nature of theenemy country over which they were traveling without having to leanover, not always a safe act where anti-aircraft guns below are shootingup shrapnel. 

So as Torn and Jack flew on and on, over the enemy's first andsucceeding line trenches, they looked down through the glass windows inthe plane to make their observations. There was a camera attached tothe plane, and though they could each make use of it, but they were notskilled in this work. 

It was impossible for them to talk to one another now, as Jack had themotor going almost full speed, and the noise it made was deafening, orit would have been except for the warm, fur hoods that covered the earsof the fliers. They were warmly dressed for they did not know how highthey might ascend, and it is always cold up above, no matter how hot itis on the earth. 

Up and up they climbed, and then they flew on and over the enemy lines, keeping close lookout for anything unusual below that would indicatethe presence of the battery. Behind them, and off to one side, a fierceaerial battle was going on. 

Tom and Jack were eager to get into this and do their share. But theyhad orders to make their observations, and they dared not 'refuse. Theycould tell by looking back every now and then that the affair was goingwell for the Allies, including some of the American airmen, even if theHuns outnumbered them. 

Back and forth over the German lines swept the glass-bottomed Spad, andat a certain point Tom, who was looking down, uttered an exclamation. Ofcourse Jack could not hear, but he could feel the punch in the back hischum administered a moment later. 

Jack turned his head, and saw his chum eagerly pointing downward. Amoment later he motioned over his left shoulder, pointing backward, asthough they had just passed over something which would warrant a secondinspection. 

Jack swung the machine about in a big circle, banking sharply, and then, as he passed over the ground covered a little while before, he, too, looked down, and with sharper glance than he had used at first. 

What he saw was the ruins of a small French chateau. It had been underheavy fire from the Allied guns, for it had sheltered a German machinegun nest, and some accurate shooting on the part of the American gunnershad demolished it a day or so before. 

But what attracted the attention of Tom and Jack was that whereas thechateau before the bombardment had stood on a little hill without atree near it, now there was a miniature forest surrounding it. It wasas though trees and bushes had sprung up in the night. As soon as hehad seen this, Jack turned to Tom, nodded comprehendingly, and at oncestarted back over the American lines. They had no easy time reachingthem, for by this time the fleet of Hun planes had been defeated by theAllies, and had turned tail to run for safety--that is what were left ofthem, several having been shot down, and at no small cost to the French, English and American forces. 

But the defeat of their airmen seemed to anger the Germans, and theyopened up with their antiaircraft batteries on the machine in which Tomand Jack were flying homeward. "Woolly bears" and "flaming onions, " aswell as shrapnel, was used against them, and they were in considerabledanger. Jack had to "zoom" several times to get out of reach of theshells. 

They finally reached their aerodrome, however, and as soon as they hadlanded and their plane was taken in charge by the mechanics the two ladshurried to the commanding officer. 

"Well?" he asked sharply, as they saluted. "Did you discover anything?"

"I think so, sir, " returned Tom, for Jack had told his chum to dothe talking, since the discovery was his. "You remember, sir, the oldchateau we put out of business the other day?"

"Yes, I recall it. What about it?"

"This: It seems suddenly to have grown a wooded park around it, andthe trees and bushes don't seem to be as fresh as natural ones ought tolook. "

"You mean they camouflaged the ruins, and have put another battery inthe old, chateau?"

"I think so, sir. It wouldn't do any harm to drop a few shells there. If it's still a ruin the worst will be that we've wasted a littleammunition and may start the German guns up. And if it is what we thinkit is, we may blow up the battery. "

The commander thought for a moment. 

"I'll try it!" he suddenly said. "It's worth all it will cost. "

He called an orderly and issued his instructions. Tom and Jack had notyet been dismissed, and now the commanding officer turned to them andsaid:

"Since you boys were sharp enough to discover this, I'll let you have afront seat at the show which will start soon. Go up and do contact work. Let the gunners know when they make a hit. "

The air service boys could not have wished for anything better. 

"Once more for our bus!" exclaimed Jack delightedly, when they wereoutside. 

Their Spad had been refilled with gasoline, or "petrol, " as it is calledon the other side, and oil had been put in, while the machine guns hadbeen looked to. 

"You seem to have spotted it all right, Tom, " went on Jack, just asthey were about to start, for word came that the American batteries wereready. 

"Yes, I was looking down through the glass, and when I saw the oldchateau it struck me that it had suddenly grown a beard. I rememberedit before, as being on a bare hill. I thought it was funny, and that Imight be mistaken. But when you agreed with me I knew I was right. "

"Oh, the Huns have brought up trees and bushes to disguise the place allright, " declared, Jack. "The only question is whether or not the batteryis hidden there. "

But there was not long a question about that. Their machine was equippedwith wireless to signal back the result of the shots, and Jack andTom were soon in position. From the maps used when they had previouslyshelled the place to drive out the German gunners, the Americanartillery forces knew just about where to plant the shells. 

There was a burst of fire from the designated battery. Up aloft Jack andTom watched the shell fall. It was a trifle over, and a correction wassignaled back. 

A moment later the second shell--a big one sailed over the German firstlines, and fell directly on the chateau partly hidden in the woods. 

There was a burst of smoke, and with it mingled clouds of dust andflying particles. Faintly to Tom and Jack, above the noise of theirmotor, came the sound of a terrific explosion. 

There had been a direct hit on the old ruins, as was proved by the factthat not only was the German battery put out of commission, but a greatquantity of ammunition hidden in the trees and bushes was blown up, andwith it a considerable number of Germans. 

And that it was a place well garrisoned was evident to the air serviceboys as they saw a few Huns, who were not killed by the shell andresultant explosion of the ammunition dump, running away from the placeof destruction. 

"That was it all right, " said Jack, as he and Tom landed back of theirown lines. 

"Yes, and it couldn't have been hit better. I hope that was the batterythey wanted put out of business. "

And it was, for no more shells came from that vicinity of the Hunpositions for a long time. The aeroplane observations had given the veryinformation needed, and Tom and Jack were congratulated, not only bytheir comrades, but by the commanding officer himself, which counted fora great deal. 

CHAPTER XIII. A DARING SCHEME

Tom sat up on his bunk and looked across at Jack, who was just showingsigns of returning consciousness--that is, he was getting awake. It wasthe morning after the successful discovery of the hidden German battery, and since this exploit the two lads had not been required to go on duty. 

"What's the matter?" asked Jack, opening his eyes and looking at hischum. "Has the mail come in? Any letters?"

"No. I was just thinking, " remarked Tom, and though his eyes were fixedon Jack it was clear that his thoughts were somewhere else. 

"Thinking, Tom? That's bad business. Have you seen the doctor?"

"Oh, shut off your gas!" ordered Tom. "You're side slipping. First youknow you'll come down in a tail spin and I'll have to be looking for anew partner. "

"It's as serious as all that, is it?" asked Jack, as he began to dress. "Well, in that case I withdraw my observation. Go ahead. How's thevisibility?"

"Low. We won't have to go up to-day, unless it clears. "

"Um. And I was counting on getting a few Huns right after breakfast. Well, what's your think about, if you really were indulging in thatexpensive pastime?"

"I was, " said Tom, and he got up and also proceeded to put on hisclothes. "I was thinking about Harry. "

"Oh!" and Jack's voice was decidedly different. It had lost all itsflippant tone. "Say, he certainly is in tough luck. I wish we could dosomething for him--and his sister. Doubtless you were thinking of her, too, " and a little smile curled his lips. 

"Yes, I was thinking of Nellie, " conceded Tom, and he was so bold andfrank about it that Jack choked back the joke that he was about to make. "I was thinking that we haven't done very much to redeem our promise. "

"But how can we?" asked Jack. "We haven't had a chance to do anything torescue Harry. Of course I want to do that as much as you do, but how isit to be done? Can you answer me that?"

"We can't do it by just talking, " said Tom. "That's what I've beenthinking about. A scheme came to me in the night, and I've been waitingto tell you about it. "

"Shoot then, my pickled blunderbuss, " returned Jack. "I'm with you tothe last drop of petrol. "

"Well, I don't know that it's so much, " said Tom. "It's only that weought to get word to Harry, somehow, that we're thinking of him andtrying to plan some way of rescuing him. We ought to tell him his sisteris here, too, and, at the same time we might drop him something to smokeand a cake or two of chocolate. "

Jack looked at his chum in amazement. Then he burst out with:

"Say, while you're at it why don't you send him a piano, and anautomobile, too, so he can ride home when he wants to? What do youmean--getting word to him? Don't you know that the beastly Huns willhold up the mail as they please, and anything else we might send. Theydon't even let the Red Cross packages go through until they get good andready. Talk about your barbarians!"

"Oh, I wasn't thinking of the mail, " replied Tom. 

"No? What then?"

"Why, we know where he is held a prisoner--at least we have the name ofthe prison camp, and he may be there unless he's been transferred. Ofcourse that's possible, but it's worth taking a chance on. "

"A chance on what?" asked Jack, "You haven't explained yet. What do youplan to do?"

"Fly over the place where Harry is held a prisoner and drop down apackage and some letters to him, " said Tom. "Now wait until you hearit all before you say it can't be done!" he went on quickly, for Jackseemed about to interrupt. 

"If Harry is held where he was first made a prisoner, it's a big place, and there are thousands of our captives there, as well as French andBritish. Well, where there are so many they have to have a big stockadeto pen 'em in, worse luck. And dropping a bomb on a big place is easierthan dropping one on a small object. "

"Say! Suffering snuffle-boxes!" cried Jack. "You don't mean to drop abomb in Harry's prison, camp, do you? Do you think he might possiblyescape in the confusion?"

"Nothing like that, " said Tom. "I mean drop a package containing somesmokes, some chocolate and a letter telling him we haven't forgottenhim and that we're going to try to rescue him, and for him to be on thelookout. That could be done. "

"How?"

"By us flying over the place in our speedy Spad. We needn't make a verybig package, though the more of something to eat we can give him thebetter, for those Boches starve our men. Let's get a week off--thecommanding officer will let us go. We can go to our old escadrille andmake arrangements to start from there. The boys will help us all theycan. "

"Oh, there's no doubt about that, " assented Jack. "They all liked Harryas much as we did. But I can't see that your scheme will succeed. It's arisky one. "

"All the more reason why it ought to succeed, " declared Tom. "It's thefellows who take chances who get by. Now let's see if we can get a fewhours off to go to Paris. "

"Go to Paris? What for?"

"To see Nellie Leroy and have her write her brother a letter. It will bebetter to have one come direct from her than for us merely to give himnews of her in one of our notes. "

"Yes, " agreed Jack, "I guess it would. And I begin to see which way thewind blows. You wish to see Nellie. "

"Oh, you make me tired!" exclaimed Tom. "All you can think of is girls!I tell you I'm doing this for Harry!"

"And I believe you, old top, and what's more, I'm with you from the wordgo. It's a crazy scheme and a desperate one, but for that very reason itmay succeed. The only thing is that we may not get permission to carryit out. "

"Oh, I don't intend that anyone shall know what our game is, " returnedTom. "Of course the authorities would squash it in a minute. No, we'llhave to keep dark about that. All we need is permission to do a littleflying 'on our own, ' for a while. "

"Suppose they won't let us do that?"

"Oh, I think they will, after what we did yesterday, " said Tom. "Comeon, let's get ready to go to Paris. "

CHAPTER XIV. WILL THEY SUCCEED?

The scheme evolved, or, perhaps, dreamed of by Tom Raymond in hisanxiety to get some word to the captive Harry Leroy worked well at thestart. When he and Jack asked permission to have half a day off to makethe trip to Paris it was readily granted. Perhaps it was because oftheir exploit of the day before, when their sharp eyes had discoveredthe camouflaged German battery and brought about its destruction, ormaybe it was because the day was a misty one, + when no flying could bedone. 

At any rate, soon after breakfast saw the two boys on their way to thewonderful city--wonderful in spite of war and the German "super cannon, "which had itself been destroyed. 

Tom and Jack knew that unless their plans were changed, the two girlsand Mrs. Gleason would be at home in Paris, for they had a holiday oncein every seven, and it was their custom to come to their lodging fora rest from the merciful, though none the less exceedingly trying, RedCross work. 

Nor had the boys guessed in vain, for when they presented themselvesat the Gleason lodging, where Nellie Leroy was also staying, they weregreeted with exclamations of delight. 

"We were just thinking of you, " said Bessie, as she shook hands withJack. 

"And so we were of you, " Jack replied, gallantly. 

"I thought of it first, " said Tom. "He'll have to give me credit forthat. "

"Yes, " agreed Jack, "I will. He's got a great scheme, " he added, as Mrs. Gleason came in to greet the boys. "Tell 'em, Tom. "

"Is it anything about--oh, have you any news for me about Harry?" askedNellie eagerly. 

"Not exactly news from him, but we're going to send some news to him!"exclaimed Tom. "I want you to write him a letter-a real, nice, sisterlyletter. "

"What good will that do?" asked Nellie. "I've sent him a lot, but Ican't be sure that he gets them. I don't even know that he is alive. "

"Oh, I think he is, " said Tom, hopefully. "If the German airmen weredecent enough to let us know he was a prisoner of theirs, they wouldtell us if--if--well, if anything had happened to him. "

"I think, " he went on, "that you, can count on his being alive, thoughhe isn't having the best time in the world--none of the Hun prisonersdo. That's why I thought it would cheer him up to let him know weare thinking of him, and if we can send him some smokes, and somechocolate. "

"Oh, he is so fond of chocolate!" exclaimed Nellie. "He used to love thefudge I made. I wonder if I could send him any of that?"

Tom shook his head. 

"It would be better, " he said, "to send only hard chocolate--the kindthat can stand hard knocks. Fudge is too soft. It would get all mussedup with what Jack and I have planned to do to it. "

"What is that?" asked Bessie Gleason. "You haven't told us yet. How areyou going to get anything to Harry through those horrid German lines?"

"We're not going through the German lines we're going above 'em; in anaeroplane. And when we get over the prison camp where Harry is held, we're going to drop down a package to him, with the letters, thechocolate and other things inside. "

"Oh, that's perfectly wonderful!" exclaimed Bessie. "But will theGermans let you do it?"

"Well, " remarked Jack, "they'll probably try to stop us, but we don'tmind a little thing like that. We're used to it. Of course, as I tellTorn, it's a long chance, but it's worth taking. Of course it isn't easyto drop any object from a moving aeroplane and have it land at a certainspot. We may miss the mark. "

"For that reason I'm going to take several packages, " put in Tom. "Ifone doesn't land another may. "

"But if you do succeed in dropping a package for Harry in the midst ofthe German stockade, won't the guards see it and confiscate it?"asked Mrs. Gleason. "You know they'll be as brutal as they dare to theprisoners--though of course, "' she added quickly, as she saw a look ofpain on Nellie's face, "Harry may be in a half-way decent camp. But, even then, won't the Germans keep the package themselves?"

"I've thought of that, " replied Tom. "We've got to take that chancealso. But I figure that, in the confusion, Harry, or some of his fellowprisoners, may pick up the package, or packages, unobserved. Of coursethere's only a slim chance that Harry himself will pick up the bundle. But it will be addressed to him, and if any of the French, British, orAmerican prisoners get it, they'll see that it goes to Harry all right. "

"Oh, of course, " murmured Mrs. Gleason. "But what was that you saidabout the 'confusion?'"

"That's something different, " said Tom. "I'm counting on dropping a fewbombs on the German works outside the camp, to--er--well, to sort oftake their attention off the packages we'll try to drop inside thestockade. Of course while we're doing this we may be and probably shallbe, under fire ourselves. But we've got to take that chance. It's amad scheme, Jack says, and I realize that it is. But we've got to dosomething. "

"Yes, " said Nellie in a low voice, "we must do something. This suspenseis terrible. Oh, if I only could get word to Harry!"

"You write the letter and I'll take it!" declared Tom. 

"And I'll help!" exclaimed Jack. 

And then the letters--several of them, for each one wrote a few linesand made triplicates of it, since three packages were to be dropped. Theletters, to begin again, were written and the bundles were made up. They contained cigarettes, cakes of hard chocolate, soap and a few otherlittle comforts and luxuries that it was certain Harry would be glad toget. 

The rest of the plan would have to be left to Tom and Jack to work out, and, having talked it over with their friends, they found it was timefor them to start to their station, since their leave was up at eleveno'clock that night. 

Getting permission for a week's absence was not as easy as securingpermission to go to Paris. But Tom and Jack waited until after a sharpengagement, during which they distinguished themselves by bravery in. The air, assisting in bringing down some Hun planes, and then theirpetition was favorably acted on. 

Behold them next, as a Frenchman might say, on their way to their formersquadron, where they were welcomed with open arms. They had to take thecommanding officer into their confidence, but he offered no objectionto their scheme. They must go alone, however, and without his officialknowledge or sanction, since it was not strictly a military matter. 

And so Tom and Jack were furnished with the best and speediest machinein their former camp, and one bright day, following a hard air battlein which the Huns were worsted, they set out to drop the letters andpackages over the prison camp where Harry Leroy was held. 

"Well, how do you feel about it?" asked Jack, as he and his chum steppedinto their trim machine. 

"Not at all afraid, if that's what you mean. "

"No. And you know I didn't. I mean do you think we'll pull it off?"

"I have a sneaking suspicion that we shall. "

"And so have I. It's a desperate chance, but it may succeed. Only if itdoes, and we get Harry's hopes raised for a rescue, how are we going topull that off?"

"That's another story, " remarked Tom. "Another story. "

They mounted into the clear, bright air, and proceeded toward the Germanlines. Would they reach their objective, or would they be shot down, tobe either killed or made prisoners themselves? Those were questions theycould not answer. But they hoped for the best. 

CHAPTER XV. BADLY HIT

Before undertaking their kindly though dangerous mission, Tom and Jackhad carefully studied it from all angles. At first Jack had been franklyskeptical, and he said as much to his chum. 

"You'll never get over the place where Harry is held a prisoner, "declared Jack. "And, if you do, and start to dropping packages, they'llnever land within a mile of the place you intend, and Harry'll have thejoy of seeing some fat German eat his chocolate cake. "

"Well, maybe, " Tom had agreed, "But I'm going to try. "

To this end they had secured the best map possible of the ground in andaround the prison camp. Its location they knew from the dropped glove ofthe aviator, which contained a note telling about Leroy. 

It was not uncommon for Germany to disclose to her enemies the namesof prisons where certain of the Allies were confined, and this was alsodone by England and France. The prison camps were located far enoughbehind the defense lines to make it impossible for them to be reachedin the course of ordinary fighting. 

Then, too, the airmen of Germany seemed a step above her other fightersin that they were more chivalrous. So Tom and Jack felt reasonablycertain as to Leroy's whereabouts. Of course it was possible that he hadbeen moved since the note was written, but on this point they would haveto take a chance. 

To this end they had provided themselves not only with the best mapsobtainable showing the character of the ground and the nature of thedefenses around the prison, where Harry and other Allied men were held, but inquiries had also been made by those in authority, at the requestof Tom and Jack, of German prisoners, and from them had come informationof value about the place. 

Of course the two air service boys had no hope of inflicting much damageon batteries or works outside the prison. By the dropping of some bombsthey carried they hoped to distract attention from themselves longenough to drop the packages to Leroy. The bombs were a sort of feint. 

And now they were on their way, winging a path over their own lines, andsoon they would be above those of the Hun. 

Some of the former comrades of Tom and Jack, having been apprised ofwhat the lads were to attempt, had, without waiting for official orders, decided to do what they could to help. This took the form of a daringchallenge to the German airmen to come out and give battle. 

After their thorough drubbing of the day before, however, the Bocheaviators did not seem much inclined to venture forth for another cloudfight. But the French and some English fliers who were acting with them, laid a sort of trap, which, in a way, aided the two Americans. 

A half dozen swift Spads took the air soon after Tom and Jack ascended, but instead of flying over the German lines they went in the oppositedirection, making their way to the west. They got out of sight, and thenmounted to a great height. 

Shortly after this some heavy, double-seated planes set out for theGerman territory as though to make observations or take photographs. It was the belief of the French airmen that the Huns would swarm out toattack these planes, or else to give battle to the machine in which Tomand Jack rode. And, in such an event, the swift Spads would swoop downout of a great height and engage in the conflict. 

And that is exactly what occurred. Torn and Jack had flown only a littleway over the trenches of the enemy when they saw some Hun planes comingup to meet them. It was in the minds of both lads that they were in fora fight, but before they had a chance to sight their guns, some Frenchplanes of the slow type appeared in their rear. 

To these the Huns at once turned their attention, and then the Spadsswooped down, and there was a sharp engagement in the air, whichultimately resulted in victory for the Allied forces, though two of theFrench fliers were wounded. 

But the feint had its effect, and attention was drawn away from Tom andJack, who flew on toward the prison camp. 

Had their mission been solely to carry words of cheer with some materialcomforts to Harry Leroy, it is doubtful if Tom and Jack would havereceived permission to make the trip. But it was known they were bothdaring aviators and good observers, and it was this latter ability ontheir part which counted in their favor. For it was thought they mightbring back information concerning matters well back of the German frontlines, information which would be of service to the Allies. 

And in furtherance of this scheme Jack and Tom made maps of the countryover which they were flying. They had been provided with materials forthis before leaving. 

On and on they flew, changing their height occasionally, and, when theywere fired at, which was the case not infrequently, they "zoomed" toescape the flying shrapnel. 

But on the whole, they fared very well, and in a comparatively shorttime they found themselves over the country where, on the maps, wasmarked the location of Harry Leroy's prison camp. 

"There it is!" suddenly exclaimed Tom, but of course Jack could not hearhim. However, a punch in Jack's back served the same purpose, and hetook his eyes from his instruments long enough to look down. Then aconfirmatory glance at the map made him agree with Tom. The air serviceboys were directly over the prison camp. 

This, like so many other dreary places set up by the Germans, consistedof a number of shacks, in barrack fashion, with a central parade, orexercise ground. About it all was a barbed wire stockade and, though thecharacter of these wires did not show, there were also some carrying adeadly electric current. 

This was to discourage escapes on the part of prisoners, and itsucceeded only too well. 

But the camp was in plain sight, and in the central space could be seena number of ant-like figures which the boys knew were prisoners. 

Whether one of them was Leroy or not, they were unable to say. 

But they had reached their objective, and now it was time to act. Hightime, indeed, for below them batteries began sending up shells whichburst uncomfortably close to them. They were of all varieties, fromplain shrapnel to "flaming onions" and "woolly bears, " the latter a mostunpleasant object to meet in mid-air. 

For the Germans were taking no chances. They knew the vulnerablepoints of their prison camp lay above, and they had provided a ring ofanti-aircraft guns to take care of any Allied, machines that might flyover the place. Whether any such daring scheme had been tried before ornot, Tom and Jack could not say. 

Of course it was out of the question that any great damage could be donein the vicinity of the camp without endangering the inmates, so it wasnot thought, in all likelihood, that any very heavy air raids would haveto be repelled. But in any case, the Huns were ready for whatever mighthappen. 

"Better drop the bombs, hadn't we?" cried Jack to Tom, as he slowed downthe motor a moment to enable his voice to be heard. 

"I guess so--yes. Drop 'em and then shoot over the camp again and letthe packages fall. It's getting pretty hot here. "

And indeed it was. Guns were shooting at the two daring air service boysfrom all sides of the camp. 

In the camp itself great excitement prevailed, for the prisoners knew, now, that it was some of their friends flying above them. 

There was another danger, too. Not many miles away from the prison campwas a German aerodrome, and scenes of activity could now be noticedthere. The Huns were getting ready to send up a machine--perhaps morethan one--to attack Tom and Jack. 

It was, then, high time they acted, and as Jack again started theengine, he guided the machine over a spot where the anti-aircraft gunswere most active. 

"There's a battery there I may put out of business, " he argued. 

Flying fast, Jack was soon over the spot, or, rather, not so much overit, as in range of it. For when an aeroplane drops a bomb on a givenobjective, it does not do so when directly above, but just before itreaches it. The momentum of the plane, going at great speed, carriesany object dropped from it forward. It is as when a mail pouch is thrownfrom a swiftly moving express train or a bundle of newspapers is tossedoff. In both instances the man in the train tosses the pouch or hisbundle before his car gets to the station platform, and the momentumdoes the rest. 

It was that way with the bomb Jack released by a touch of his foot onthe lever in the cockpit of the machine. Down it darted, and, wheelingsharply after he had let it go, the lad saw a great puff of smokehovering directly over the spot where, but a moment before, Hun gums hadbeen belching at him. 

"Good! A sure hit!" cried Tom, but he alone heard his own words. Jack'sears were filled with the throb of the motor. He had two more bombs, and these were quickly dropped at different points on German territoryoutside the camp. 

At the time, aside from the evidences they saw, Jack and Tom werenot aware of the damage they inflicted, but later they learned it wasconsiderable and effective. However, they guessed that they had createdenough of a diversion to try now to deliver the packages containing theletters and other comforts. 

Jack swung the machine at a sharp angle over the prison camp, and ashe cleared the barbed wire fence Tom, who had been given charge of thepackets, let one go. It fell just outside the barrier, caused by somefreak of the wind perhaps, and the lad could not keep back a sigh ofdismay. One of the three precious packages had fallen short of the mark, and would doubtless be picked up by some German guard. 

But Tom had the satisfaction of seeing the two other bundles fallfairly within the prison fence, and there was a rush on the part of theunfortunate men to pick them up. 

"I only hope Harry's there, " mused Tom. "That's tough luck to wish aman, I know, " he reflected, "but I mean I hope he gets the letters andthings. "

However, he and Jack had done all that lay in their power to make thispossible, and it was now time to get back to their own lines if theycould. The place was getting too dangerous for them. 

Swinging about in a big circle, and noting that groups of prisoners werenow gathered about the place where the packets had fallen, Jack sentthe machine toward that part of France where they had spent so manystrenuous days. 

"They're going to make it lively for us!" cried Jack, as he noted twoswift German planes mounting into the air. "It's going to be a fight. "

But he and Tom were ready for this. Their Lewis and Vickers guns were inposition, and they only awaited the approach of the nearest Hun plane tounlimber them. They mounted steadily upward to get beyond the range ofthe anti-aircraft batteries and were soon in comparative safety, sincethe Huns, at this particular sector at least, were notoriously badmarksmen. 

With the German planes, that would be a different story, and Tom andJack soon found this out to their cost. 

For one of the Boche machines came on speedily, and much more quicklythan the boys had believed possible was within range. The German machineguns--for it was a double plane--began spitting fire and bullets atthem. They replied, but did not seem to inflict much damage. 

Suddenly Tom saw Jack give a jump, as though in an agony of pain, andthen the young pilot crumpled up in his seat. 

"Badly hit!" exclaimed Tom with a pang at his own heart. "Poor Jack isout of it!"

The machine, out of control for a moment, started to go into a nosedive, but Tom let go the lever of his machine gun, and took charge ofthe craft, since it was one capable of dual manipulation. Tom now hadto become the pilot and gunner, too, and he had yet a long way to go toreach his own lines, while Jack was huddled, before him, either dead orbadly wounded. 

CHAPTER XVI. JUST IN TIME

It was with mingled feelings of alarm and sorrow that Tom Raymond sentthe speedy Spad aeroplane on its homeward way toward the French lines. He was worried, not chiefly about his own safety, but on account ofJack; and his sorrow was in the thought that perhaps he had taken hislast flight with his beloved chum and comrade in arms. He could not seewhere Jack had been hit, but this was because the other lad lay in sucha huddled position in the cockpit. Jack had slumped from his seat, thesafety straps alone holding him in position, though he would not havefallen out when the machine was upright as it was at present. 

"One of those machine gun bullets must have got him, " mused Tom, as hestarted the craft on an upward climb, for it had darted downward whenJack's nerveless hands and feet ceased their control. For part of thesteering in an aeroplane is done by the feet of the pilot, leaving hishands free, at times, to fire the machine gun or draw maps. 

Tom had a double object in starting to rise. One was to get into abetter position to make the homeward flight, and another was to havea better chance not only to ward off the attack of the Hun planes, ofwhich there were now three in the air, but also to return their fire. It is the machine that is higher up that stands the best chance in anaerial duel, for not only can one maneuver to better advantage, but themachine can be aimed more easily with reference to the fixed gun. 

In Tom's case he did not have access to this weapon, which was fixedon the rim of the cockpit where Jack could, and where he had beencontrolling, it. With Jack out of the fight, through one or more Germanbullets, it was up to Tom to return the fire of the Huns from his swivelmounted Lewis gun. He was going to have difficulty in doing this andalso guiding the craft, but he had had harder problems than this to meetsince becoming an aviator in the great war, and now he quickly conqueredhis worrying over Jack, and began to look to himself. 

He gave one more fleeting glance at the crumpled-up figure of hischum, seeking for a sign of life, but he saw none. Then he swung about, turning in toward the nearest Hun airman, and not away from him, andopened up with the machine gun, using both hands on that for a moment, while he steered with his knees. 

It was not easy work, and Tom hardly expected to make a direct hit, but he must have come uncomfortably close to the Boche, for the latterswerved off, and for an instant his plane seemed beyond control. Whetherthis was due to a wound received by the aviator, or to a trick on hispart was not disclosed to Tom. But the machine darted downward andseemed to be content to veer off for a while. 

The third plane Tom soon saw was not going to trouble him, as it had notspeed equal to his own, so that he really had left only one antagonistwith whom to deal. And this plane, containing two men, with whom he hadnot yet come to close quarters, was racing toward him at great speed. 

"I guess there's only one thing to do, " mused Tom, "and that's to runfor it. I won't stand any show at all with two of them shooting at me, while I have to manage the machine and the gun too. If I can beat 'em toour lines I'd better do it and run the chance of some of our boys comingout to take care of 'em. I'd better get Jack to a doctor as soon as Ican. "

And abandoning the gun to give all his attention to the motor, Tomopened it full and sped on his way. The other machine's occupants sawhis plan and tried to stop it with a burst of bullets, but the range wasa little too far for effective work. 

"Now for a race!" thought Tom, and that is what it turned out to be. Seeing that he was going to try to get away, the Hun plane, which wasalmost as speedy as the one Tom and Jack had started out in, took afterthem. The other German craft was left far in the rear, and the one Tomhad shot at appeared to be in such difficulties that it was practicallyout of the fight. 

Thus the odds, once so greatly against our heroes, were now greatlyreduced, though not yet equal, since Jack was completely out of thegame--for how long Tom could only guess, and he seemed to feel coldfingers clutching at his heart when he thought of this. 

But Tom soon discovered, by a backward glance over his shoulder now andthen, that his machine, barring accidents, would distance the other, andthis was what his aim now was. So on and on he sped, watching the Germanoccupied French territory unrolling itself below him, coming nearer andnearer each minute to his own lines and safety. 

Behind them, he and Jack--for the latter had done his share before beingwounded--had left consternation in the German ranks. The bombs had doneconsiderable damage--as was learned later--and the dropping of packageswithin the prison camp was fraught with potential danger to an extent atwhich the Boches could only guess. 

On and on sped Tom, sparing time, now and then, to look back at hispursuers, who were, it could not be doubted, doing their best to getwithin effective range. And, every now and again, Tom would glance atthe motionless form of his churn. 

But poor Jack never stirred, and Tom was fearing more and more that hischum had made his last flight. As for the Hun aviators, after using upa drum or so of bullets uselessly, they ceased firing and urged theirmachine on to the uttermost. 

But Tom had the start of them, and he was also on a higher level, sothat the Germans must climb at an oblique angle to reach him. 

And, thanks to this, Tom saw that, if nothing else happened, he wouldsoon be in comparative safety with the unconscious form of Jack. Theanti-aircraft batteries were firing in vain, as he was beyond theirrange, and, far away, he could see the lines of the French armies, behind which he soon hoped to be. 

And then the unexpected happened, or, rather, it had taken place sometime since, but it was only then brought to Tom's attention. His enginebegan missing, and when he sought for a cause he speedily found it. Nearly all the gasoline had leaked out of the main tank. As he knewthat there had been plenty for the return flight, there was but oneexplanation of this. A Hun bullet had pierced the petrol reservoir, letting the precious fluid leak away. 

"Now if the auxiliary tank has any in it, I'm fairly all right, " thoughtTom. "If it hasn't, I'm all in. "

His worst fears were confirmed, for the auxiliary tank had suffered alike fate with the main one. Both were pierced. There were only a fewdrops left, besides those even then being vaporized in the carburetor. 

With despair in his heart, Tom looked back. If the Hun plane chose torush him now all would be over with him and Jack. He had only enoughfuel for another thousand meters or so, and then he must volplane. 

He saw a burst of flame and smoke from the enemy plane, and realizedthat he was being shot at again. But the distance was still too far foreffective aim. 

And then, to his joy, Tom saw the pursuer turn and start back toward theGerman territory. The firing had been a last, desperate attempt to endhis career, and it had failed. Either the Huns were almost out of petrolthemselves, or they did not relish getting too close to the Frenchlines. 

"And now, if I can volplane down the rest of the way, I'll be in a fairposition to save myself, " mused Tom, as he made a calculation of thedistance he had yet to go. It was far, but he was at a good height andbelieved he could do it. 

Suddenly his engine stopped, as though with a sigh of regret that itcould no longer serve him, and Tom knew that volplaning alone would savehim now. He was still over the enemy country, and had his plight beenguessed at by the Germans, undoubtedly they would have sent a machine upto attack him. But they were in ignorance. 

There was nothing to do but drift along. Gravity alone urged the crafton. As he swept over the German trenches Tom was greeted with a burst ofshrapnel, and he was now low enough to be vulnerable to this. But luckwas with him, and though the plane was hit several times he thought hewas unharmed. But in this he was wrong. He received a glancing woundin one leg, but in the excitement he did not notice it, and it was notuntil he had landed that he saw the blood, and knew what had happened. 

On and on, and down and down he volplaned until he was so near his ownlines, and so low down, that he could hear the burst of cheers from hisformer comrades. 

Then he aimed his craft for a level, grassy place to make a landing, and as he came to a gradual stop, and was surrounded by a score of eageraviators, he cried out, as soon as he could speak, "I'm all right! Butlook after Jack! He's hurt!"

A surgeon bent hastily over the huddled form, and with the aid of somemen lifted it from the cockpit. Jack's legs were covered with blood, andwhen the medical man saw whence it came, then and there he set hastilyto work to stop the bleeding from a large artery. 

"You got back only just in time, my friend, " he said to Tom, as Jack wascarried to a hospital. "Two minutes more and he would have been bled todeath. "

CHAPTER XVII. A CRASH

Not until a day or so later, when Jack was able to sit up in bed andgreet Tom with rather a pale face, did the latter learn all that hadhappened. And it was a very close call that Jack had had. 

As Tom had guessed, it was some of the bullets from the Hun machine gunthat had stricken down his chum. One had struck him a glancing blow onthe head, rendering Jack unconscious and sending him down, a crumpled-upheap in the cockpit of his machine. Another bullet, coming throughthe machine later, had found lodgment in Jack's leg, cutting part waythrough the wall of one of the larger arteries. 

It was certain that this bullet, the one in the leg, came after Jackwas hit on the head, for that first wound was the only one he rememberedreceiving. 

"It was just as though I saw not only stars' but moons, suns, comets, rainbows and northern lights all at once, " he explained to his chum. 

The bullet in the leg had cut only part way through the wall of anartery. At first the tissues held the blood back from spurting out ina stream that would soon have carried life with it. But either someunconscious motion on Jack's part, or a jarring of the plane, broke thehalf-severed wall, and, just before Tom landed, his chum began to bleeddangerously. Then it was the surgeon had made his remark, and acted intime to save Jack's life. 

"Well, I guess we made good all right, " remarked Jack, as his chumvisited him in the hospital. 

"I reckon so, " was the answer, "though the Huns haven't sent us any loveletters to say so. But we surely did drop the packages in the prisoncamp, though whether Harry got them or not is another story. But we didour part. "

"That's right, " agreed Jack. "Now the next thing is to get busy andbring Harry out of there if we can. "

"The next thing for you to do is to keep quiet until that wound in yourleg heals, " said the doctor, with a smile. "If you don't, you won't doany more flying, to say nothing of making any rescues. Be content withwhat you did. The whole camp is talking of your exploit. It was noble!"

"Shucks!" exclaimed Tom, in English, for they had been speaking Frenchfor the benefit of the surgeon, who was of that nationality. 

"Ah, and what may that mean?" he asked. 

"I mean it wasn't anything, " translated Tom. "Anybody could have donewhat we did. "

But of this the surgeon had his doubts. 

In spite of the dangerous character of his wound, Jack made a quickrecovery. He was in excellent condition, and the wound was a clean one, so, as soon as the walls of the artery had healed, he was able to beabout, though he was weak from loss of blood. However, that was soonmade good, and he and Tom, bidding farewell to their late comrades, returned to the American lines. They had been obliged to get anextension of leave--at least Jack had--though Tom could report back ontime, and he spent the interim between that and Jack's return to duty, serving as instructor to the "huns" of his own camp. They were eager tolearn, and anxious to do things for themselves. 

Before long Jack returned, though he was not assigned to duty, andhe and Tom visited Paris and told Nellie, Bessie and Mrs. Gleason theresult of their mission. 

"You didn't see Harry, of course?" asked Nellie, negatively, thoughreally hoping that the answer would be in the affirmative. 

"Oh, no, we couldn't make out any individual prisoner, " said Tom. "Therewas a bunch of 'em--I mean a whole lot--there. "

"Poor fellows!" said Mrs. Gleason kindly, "Let us hope that they willsoon be released. "

"Tom and I have been trying to hit on some plan to rescue Harry, " put inJack. "And we'd help any others to get away that we could. But is isn'tgoing to be easy. "

"Oh, I don't see how you can do it!" exclaimed Nellie. "Of course Iwould give anything in the world to have Harry back with me, but I mustnot ask you to run into needless danger on his account. That would betoo much. Your lives are needed here to beat back the Huns. Harry maylive to see the day of victory, and then all will be well. "

"I don't believe in waiting, if anything can be done before that. " Tomspoke grimly. "But, as Jack says, it isn't going to be easy, " he wenton. "However, we haven't given up. The only thing is to hit on some planthat's feasible. "

They talked of this, but could arrive at nothing. They were not evensure--which made it all the harder to bear--that Harry had received thepackages dropped in the prison camp at such risk. The only thing thatcould be done was to wait and see if he wrote to his sister or hisformer chums. Letters occasionally did come from German prisoners, butthey were rare, and could be depended on neither as to time of deliverynor as to authenticity of contents. 

So it was a case of waiting and hoping. 

Jack was not yet permitted to fly, so Tom had to go alone. But he servedas an instructor, leaving the more dangerous work of patrol, fighting, and reconnaissance to others until he was fit to stand the strain offlying and of fighting once more. 

"Sergeant Raymond, you will take up Martin to-day, " said the flightlieutenant to Tom one morning. "Let him manage the plane himself unlessyou see that he is going to get into trouble. And give him a goodflight. "

"Yes, sir, " answered Tom, as he turned away, after saluting. 

He found his pupil, a young American from the Middle West, who was notas old as he and Jack, awaiting him impatiently. 

"I'm to get my second wing soon, and I want to show that I can manage aplane all by myself, even if you're in it, " said the lad, whose name wasDick Martin. "They say I can make a solo flight to-morrow if I do wellto-day. "

"Well, go to it!" exclaimed Tom with a laugh. "I'm willing. "

Soon they were in a double-seater of fairly safe construction--that is, it was not freakish nor speedy, and was what was usually used in thisinstructive work. 

"I'm going to fly over the town, " declared Martin, naming the Frenchcity nearest the camp. "Well, mind you keep the required distance up, "cautioned Tom, for there was, a regulation making it necessary forthe aviators to fly at a certain minimum height above a town in flyingacross it, so that if they developed engine trouble, they could coastsafely down and land outside the town itself. 

"I'll do that, " promised Martin. 

But either he forgot this, or he was unable to keep at the requiredheight, for he began scaling down when about over the center ofthe place. Tom saw what was happening, and reached over to take thecontrols. But something happened. There was a jam of one of the levers, and to his consternation Tom saw the machine going down and headingstraight for a large greenhouse on the outskirts of the town. 

"There's going to be one beautiful crash!" Tom thought, as he worked invain to send the craft up. But it was beyond control. 

CHAPTER XVIII. GETTING A ZEPPELIN

Dick Martin became frantic when he saw what was about to happen. Hefairly tore at the various levers and controls, and even increased thespeed of the motor, but this last only had the effect of sending themachine at a faster rate toward the big expanse of glass, which was thegreenhouse roof. 

"Shut it off! Shut off the motor!" cried Tom, but his words could notbe heard, so he punched Martin in the back, and when that frightened ladlooked around his teacher made him understand by signs, what was wanted. 

With the motor off there was a chance to speak, and Torn cried:

"Head her up! Try to make her rise and we may clear. I can't do a thingwith the levers back here!"

Martin tried, but his efforts had little effect. For one instant themachine rose as though to clear the fragile glass. Then it dived downagain, straight for the greenhouse roof. 

"Guess it's all up with this machine!" thought Tom quickly. He was notafraid of being killed. The distance to fall was not enough for that, and though he and his fellow aviator might be cut by broken glass, stillthe body of the aeroplane would protect them pretty well from eventhis contingency. But there was sure to be considerable damage to theproperty of a French civilian, and the machine, which was one of thebest, was pretty certain to be badly broken. 

And then there came a terrific crash. The aeroplane settled down by thestern, and rose by the bow, so to speak. Then the process was reversed, and Tom felt himself being catapulted out of his seat. Only his safetystrap held him in place. The same thing happened to Dick Martin. 

Then there was an ominous calm, and the aeroplane slowly settled downto an even keel, held up on the glass-stripped frames of the greenhouse, one of the very few in that vicinity, which was considerably in the rearof the battle line. 

Slowly Tom unbuckled his safety strap and climbed out, making his way tothe ground by means of stepping on an elevated bed of flowers inside thenow almost roofless house. 

Martin followed him, and as they stood looking at the wreckage they hadmade, or, rather, that had been made through no direct fault of theirown, the proprietor of the place came out, wearing a long dirt-smudgedapron. 

He raised his hands in horror at the sight that met his gaze, and thenbroke into such a torrent of French that Tom, with all the experience hehad had of excitable Frenchmen, was unable to comprehend half of it. 

The gist was, however, to the effect that a most monstrous andunlooked-for calamity had befallen, and the inhabitants of all theearth, outside of Germany and her allies, were called on to witnessthat never hid there been such a smash of good glass. In which Torn wasrather inclined to agree. 

"Well, you did something this time all right, Buddie, " Tom remarked toDick Martin. 

"Did I--did I do that?" he asked, as though he had been walking in hissleep, and was just now awake. 

"Well, you and the old bus together, " said Tom. "And we got off lucky atthat. Didn't I tell you to keep high, if you were going to fly over oneof the towns?"

"Yes, you did, but I forgot. Anyhow I'd have cleared the place if thecontrols hadn't gone back on us. "

 "I suppose so, but that excuse won't go with the C. O. It's a badsmash. "

By this time quite a crowd had gathered, and Tom was trying to pacifythe excitable greenhouse owner by promising full reparation in the shapeof money damages. 

How to get the machine down off the roof, where it rested in a mass ofbroken glass and frames, was a problem. Tom tried to organize a wreckingparty, but the French populace which gathered, much as it admired theAmericans, was afraid of being cut with the broken glass, or else theyimagined that the machine might suddenly soar aloft, taking some of themwith it. 

In the end Tom had to leave the plane where it was and hire a motor totake him and Martin back to the aerodrome. They were only slightly cutby flying glass, nothing to speak of considering the danger in whichthey had been. 

The result of the disobedience of orders was that the army officialshad rather a large bill for damages to settle with the French greenhouseproprietor, and Tom and Dick Martin were deprived of their leaveprivileges for a week for disobeying the order to keep at a certainheight in flying over a town or city. 

Had they done that, when the controls jammed, they would have been ableto glide down into a vacant field, it was demonstrated. The machine wasbadly damaged, though it was not beyond repair. 

"And that's the last time I'm ever going to be soft with a Hun, you canmake up your mind to that, " declared Tom to Jack. "If I'd sat on himhard when I saw he was getting too low over the village, it wouldn'thave happened. But I didn't want him to think I knew it all, and Ithought I'd take a chance and let him pull his own chestnuts out of thefire. But never again!"

"'Tisn't safe, " agreed Jack. He was rapidly improving, so much so thathe was able to fly the next week, and he and Tom went up together, anddid some valuable scouting work for the American army. 

At times they found opportunity to take short trips to Paris, where theysaw Nellie and Bessie, and were entertained by Mrs. Gleason. Nelliewas eager for some word from her brother, but none came. Whether thepackages dropped by Tom and Jack reached the prisoner was known only tothe Germans, and they did not tell. 

But the daring plan undertaken by the two air service boys was soonknown a long way up and down the Allied battle line, and more than oneaviator tried to duplicate it, so that friends or comrades who wereheld by the Huns might receive some comforts, and know they were notforgotten. Some of the Allied birdmen paid the penalty of death fortheir daring, but others reported that they had dropped packages withinthe prison camps, though whether those for whom they were intendedreceived them or not, was not certain. 

"But we aren't going to let it stop there, are we?" asked Tom ofJack one day, when they were discussing the feat which had been sosuccessful. 

"Let it stop where? What do you mean?"

"I mean are we going to do something to get Harry away from the Bochenest?"

"I'm with you in anything like that!" exclaimed Jack. "But what can wedo? How are we going to rescue him?"

"That's what we've got to think out, " declared Tom. "Something has to bedone. "

But there was no immediate chance to proceed to that desired end becauseof something vital that happened just about then. This was nothing morenor less than secret news that filtered into the Allied lines, to theeffect that a big Zeppelin raid over Paris was planned. 

It was not the first of these raids, nor, in all likelihood, would itbe the last. But this one was novel in that it was said the great Germanairships would sail toward the capital over the American lines, or, rather, the lines where the Americans were brigaded with the Frenchand English. Doubtless it was to "teach the Americans a lesson, " as theGerman High Command might have put it. 

At any rate all leaves of absence for the airmen were canceled, and theywere ordered to hold themselves in readiness to repel the "Zeps, " asthey were called, preventing them from getting across the lines toParis. 

"And we'll bring down one or two for samples, if we can!" boasted Jack. 

"What makes it so sure that they are coming?" asked Tom. 

It developed there was nothing sure about it. But the information hadcome from the Allied air secret service, and doubtless had its inceptionwhen some French or British airman saw scenes of activity near one ofthe Zeppelin headquarters in the German-occupied territory. There werecertain fairly positive signs. 

And, surely enough, a few nights later, the agreed-upon alarm wassounded. 

"The Zeps are coming!"

Tom and Jack, with others who were detailed to repel the raid, rushedfrom their cats, hastily donned their fur garments, and ran to theiraeroplanes, which were a "tuned up" and waiting. 

"There they are!" cried Torn, as he got into his single-seated plane, anexample followed on his part by Jack. "Look!"

Jack gazed aloft. There was a riot of fire from the anti-aircraftguns of the French and British, but they were firing in vain, for theZeppelins flew high, knowing the danger from the ground batteries. 

Sharp, stabbing shafts of light from the powerful electric lanterns shotaloft, and now and then one of them would rest for an instant on a greatsilvery cigar-shape--the gas bag of the big German airships that werebeating their way toward Paris, there to deal death and destruction. 

"Come on!" cried Tom, as his mechanician started the motor. "I'm goingto get a Zep!"

"I'm with you!" yelled Jack, and they soared aloft side by side. 

CHAPTER XIX. ON PATROL

Aloft with Tom and Jack were several other fighters, for it was not onlyconsidered a great honor to bring down a Zeppelin, but it would savemany lives if one or more of the big gas machines could be preventedfrom dropping bombs on Paris or its environs. 

The machines which were used were all of the single type, thoughof different makes and speeds. Each one was equipped with electriclaunching tubes. These were a somewhat new device for use againstcaptive Hun balloons and Zeppelins and were installed in many of thefighting scout craft of the Americans and Allies. 

Between the knees of Toni and Jack, as well as each of the other pilots, was a small metal tube. This went completely through the floor of thecockpit, so that, had it been large enough to give good vision, onecould view through it the ground beneath. 

In a little rack at the right of each scout were several small bombs ofvarious kinds. Some were intended to set on fire whatever they came incontact with, being of phosphorus. Others were explosive bombs, pure andsimple, while some were flares, intended to light up the scene at nightand make getting a target easier. 

Included in the rack of death and destruction was a simple stick; notunlike a walking cane, and this seemed so comparatively harmless that anuninitiated observer would almost invariably ask its use. 

At the lower end of the launching tube, through which the bombs weredropped, was a "trip, " or sort of catch, that caught on a triggerfastened to each bomb. The trip pulled the trigger, so to speak, and setin operation the firing device. 

In the early days, though doubtless the defect was afterwards corrected, the bombs sometimes stuck in the launching tube, and as they were likelyto go off in this position at any moment, it was the custom of thepilots to push them on their way with the cane if the missiles jammed. Hence it was an essential part of each flying machine's armament. 

Higher and higher mounted the fighting scouts, with Tom and Jack amongtheir number. It was necessary to mount very high in order to getabove the Zeppelins, as in this position alone was it possible for theaeroplanes to fight them to any advantage. The Zeppelins carried manymachine guns of long range, and for the pigmy planes to attack them onthe same level, meant destruction to the smaller craft. 

There were several German machines in the raid toward Paris, but Tomand Jack caught sight of only two. The others were either at too great aheight to be observed, or else were farther off, lost in the haze. 

But the two silver shapes, resembling nothing so much as huge, expensivecigars, wrapped in tinfoil, were flying on their way, now and thendropping bombs, which exploded with dull, muffled reports--an earnest ofwhat they would do when they got over Paris. They were traveling fast, under the impulse of their own powerful motors and propellers, and alsoaided by a stiff breeze. 

Of course conversation was out of the question among Tom, Jack and theother aviators, but they knew the general plan of the fight. They wereto get above the Zeppelins--as many of them as could--and drop bombson the gas envelope. They were also to attack with machine guns ifpossible, aiming at the rudder controls and machinery. It was the greatdesire of the Allied commanders to have a Zeppelin brought down asnearly intact as possible. 

Up and up climbed the speedy scout machines, and it was seen that someof them would never get in a position to do any damage. The German craftwere traveling too speedily. But Tom and Jack managed to get to a heightof about twenty thousand feet, which was above the Zeppelins, though bythis time the Germans were in advance of them, for they had climbed atrather a steep angle. However, they knew their speed was many times thatof the German machine on a straight course. 

On and on they went. Then came a mist which hid the enemy from sight. The aviators railed at their luck, and Tom and Jack dropped down a bit, hoping to get through the mist. It lay below them like a great, grayblanket. 

Suddenly they fairly plumped through it, and saw, not far away, the twobig silver shapes, shining in the searchlights which were now givinggood illumination. It was a moonlight night, which seemed a favorite fora German bombing expedition. 

Far below them, and beneath the Zepplins, Tom and Jack could see thelights of other aeroplanes, which were flying low to observe lanterns onthe ground, set in the shape of arrows, to indicate in which directionthe German craft were traveling. Later, if necessary, these observingmachines could climb aloft and signal to those higher up. 

Nearer and nearer Jack and Tom came to one of the Zeppelins. And now, inthe semi-darkness, they became aware that they were being fired at bya long-range gun on the German craft. The bullets sung about them, butthough their machines were hit several times, as they learned later, they escaped injury. 

Now the battle of the air was on in grim and deadly earnest. Severalscout planes flew at the big Zeppelin like hornets attacking a bear. They fired their machine guns, and the Germans replied in kind, but withmore terrible effect, for two of the Allied planes were shot down. Itwas a sad loss, but it was the fortune of war, or, rather, misfortune, for the Zeppelin was not engaged in a fair fight, but seeking to bomb anunfortified city. 

Now Tom and Jack, though somewhat separated, were close above theZeppelin, and in a position where they could not be fired at. They beganto drop incendiary bombs through the tubes between their knees. 

These bombs were fitted with sharp hooks, so that if they touchedthe gas bag they would cling fast, and burn until they had ignited theenvelope and the vapor inside. And as they circled about, dropping bombafter bomb, the two air service boys saw this happen. Some at least oftheir bombs reached their target. 

The great craft, now on fire in several places, was twisting and turninglike some wounded snake, endeavoring to escape. Tom glanced towardthe other Zeppelin and saw that this was fairly well surrounded byaeroplanes, but was not, as yet, on fire. 

The bees had fatally stung one great German bear, and, a little later, it crashed to the ground where it was nearly all consumed, and of itscrew of thirty men, not one was left alive. 

The other plane, though greatly damaged by machine gun fire, was not setablaze, but was forced to turn and sail for the German lines again. Sothat two were prevented from bombing Paris. 

Well satisfied with what they had accomplished, Torn, Jack and theothers who had set the Zeppelin on fire, descended. Later they learned, by word from Paris, that on of the German machines was shot down overthat city and some of its crew captured. So that though the Huns didconsiderable damage with their bombs, they paid dearly for that unlawfulexpedition. 

This was the beginning of a series of fierce aerial battles betweenthe German forces and the Allied airmen, though for a long dine no moreZeppelins were seen. Sometimes fortune favored the side on which Tom andJack fought, and again they were forced to retire, leaving some of theirfriends in the hands of the enemy. 

Once Tom and Tack, keeping close together doing scout work, were cut offfrom their companions. They had ventured too far over the Hun lines, and were in danger of being shot down. But a squadron of airmen fromPershing's forces made a sortie and drove the Germans to cover, rescuingthe two air service boys from an evil fate. 

Then followed some weeks of rainy and misty weather, during which therewas very little air work on either side. But the fight on land went on, with attacks and repulses, the Allies continually advancing their lines, though ever so little. Slowly but surely they were forcing the Germansback. 

Now and then there were night raids, and once Tom and Jack, who had notflown for a week because of rain, were just back of the lines when acaptured German patrol was brought in, covered with mud and blood. Therehad been lively fighting. 

"I wish we were in on that!" exclaimed Tom. "I'm getting tired ofsitting around. "'

"So am I!" agreed Jack. "Let's ask if we can't go out on patrol somenight. It will be better than waiting for it to stop raining. "

To their delight their request was granted, as it had been in a numberof other cases of airmen. Temporarily they were allowed to go with theinfantry until the weather cleared. 

The two air service boys were in the dugout one night, having servedtheir turns at listening post work and general scouting, when an officercame in with a slip of paper. He began reading off some names, and whenhe had finished, having mentioned Tom and Jack, he said:

"Prepare for patrol duty at once. "

"Good!" whispered Tom to his chum: "Now there'll be something doing. "

He little guessed what it was to be. 

CHAPTER XX. CAPTURED

Silently, in the darkness of their trenches, the party of which Tom andJack were to be members, prepared to go over the top and penetratethe German front line of defense, in the hope of taking prisoners thatinformation might be had of them. It was a risky undertaking, but onefrequently accomplished by the Allies, and it often led to big results. 

There were about a score in the patrol, and, to their delight, thoughthey rather regretted it later, Tom and Jack were given positions wellin front, two files removed, in fact, from the lieutenant commanding. 

"Now I suppose you all understand what you're to do, " said thelieutenant as he gathered his little party about him in one of thelarger dugouts, where a flickering candle gave light. "You'll allprovide yourselves with wire cutters, hand grenades and pistols. Rifleswill be in the way. Take your gas masks, of course. No telling whenFritz may send over some of those shells. Blacken your faces, as usual. A star shell makes a beautiful light on a white countenance, so don't beafraid of smudging yourselves. And when we start just try to imagine youare Indians, and make no noise. One object is to come in contact withsome German post, try to hear what's going on from their talk, and makesome captures if we can. Do you all understand German?"

It developed that they did--at least no one would confess he did not forfear of being turned back. But, as it developed, they all had some, ifslight, acquaintance with the language. 

A little period of anxious waiting followed--a sort of zero houreffect--until finally the word was received from some source, unknown toTom and Jack, to proceed. The night was black, and there was a mist overeverything which did not augur for clear weather on the morrow. 

"Forward!" whispered the lieutenant, for they were so near the Germanlines that incautious talking was prohibited. Out of their trenches theywent, Tom and Jack well in front, and close to the leader. 

As carefully as might be, though, at that, making noise which themembers of the patrol thought surely must be heard clear to Berlin, theymade their way over the shell-torn and uncertain ground in the darkness. They went down between their own lines of barbed wire to where anopening had been made opposite what was considered a quiet spot in theHun defenses, and then they started across "No Man's Land. "

It was not without mingled feelings that Tom and Jack advanced, and, doubtless, their feelings were common to all. There was greatuncertainty as to the outcome. Death or glory might await them. Theymight all be killed by a single German shell, or they might run intoa German working party, out to repair the wire cut during the day'sfiring. In the latter case there would be a fight--an even chance, perhaps. They might capture or be captured. 

On and on they went, treading close together and in single file, makinglittle noise. Straight across the desolate stretch of land that laybetween the two lines of trenches they went, and, when half way, therecame from the German side a sudden burst of star shells. These are asort of war fireworks that make a brilliant illumination, and the enemywas in the habit of sending them up every night at intervals, to revealto his gunners any party of the enemy approaching. 

"Down! Down!" hissed the lieutenant. But he need not have utteredthe command. All had been told what to do, and fell on their facesliterally--their smoke-blackened faces. In this position they resembled, as nearly as might be, some of the dead bodies scattered about, and thatwas their intention. 

 Still each one had a nervous fear. The star shells were verybrilliant and made No Man's Land almost as bright as when bathed insunshine, a condition that had not prevailed of late. There was noguarantee that the Germans would not, in their suspicious hate, turntheir rifles or machine guns on what they supposed were dead bodies. Inthat case-well, Tom, Jack and the others did not like to think about it. 

But the brilliance of the star shells died away, and once more therewas darkness. The lieutenant cautiously raised his head and in a whispercommanded:

"Forward! Is every one all right?"

"My mouth's full of mud and water--otherwise I'm all right, " said someone. 

"Silence!" commanded the officer. 

Once more he led them forward. They reached the first German wire, andinstantly the cutters were at work. Though the men tried to make nonoise, it was an impossibility. The wire would send forth metallicjanglings and tangs as it was cut. But an opening was made, and thepatrol party filed through. And then, almost immediately, somethinghappened. 

There was another burst of star shells, but before the Americans had anopportunity to throw themselves on their faces, they saw that they wereconfronted by a large body of Germans who had come forward as silentlyas themselves, and, doubtless, on the same sort of errand. 

"At 'em, boys! At 'em!" cried the lieutenant. "The Stars and Stripes! At'em!"

Instantly pandemonium broke loose. In the glaring light of the starshells the two forces rushed forward. There was a burst of pistol fire, and then the fight went on in the darkness. 

"Where are you, Tom?"' yelled Jack, as he flung a grenade full at a big, burly German who was rushing at him with uplifted gun. 

"Here!" was the answer, and in the darkness Jack felt his chum collidewith him so forcefully that both almost went down in a heap. "I jumpedto get away from a Hun bayonet, " pantingly explained Tom. 

Jack's grenade exploded, blowing dirt and small stones in the faces ofthe chums. There were shouts and cries, in English, French and German. The American lieutenant tried to rally his men around him, but, as wasafterward learned, they were attacked by a much larger party of Hunsthan their patrol. 

"We must stick together!" cried Jack to Tom. "If we separate we're lost!Where are the others?"

"Sam Zalbert was with me a second ago, " answered Tom, naming a lad withwhom he and Jack had become quite friendly. "But I saw him fall. I don'tknow whether he slipped or was hurt. Look out!" he suddenly shouted. 

He saw two Germans rushing at him and Jack, with leveled revolvers. There was no time to get another grenade from their pockets, and Tom didthe next best thing. He made a tackle, football fashion, at the legs ofthe Germans, which he could see very plainly in the light of many starshells that were now being sent up. 

Almost at the same instant Jack, seeing his chum's intention, followedhis example, and the two Huns went down in a heap, falling over theheads of their antagonists with many a German imprecation. Their weaponsflew from their hands. 

"Come on! This is getting too hot for us!" cried Jack, as he scrambledto his feet, followed by Tom. "There'll be a barrage here in a minute. "

This seemed about to happen, for machine guns were spitting fire anddeath all along that section of the German front, and the American andFrench forces were replying. A general engagement might be precipitatedat any moment. 

The American lieutenant tried to rally his men, but it was a hopelesstask. The Germans had overpowered them. Tom and Jack started to run backtoward their own lines, having made sure, however, of putting beyond thepower to fight any more the two Germans who had attacked them. 

"Come on!" cried Tom. "We've got to have reinforcements to tackle thisbunch!"

"I guess so!" agreed Jack. 

They turned, not to retreat, but to better their positions, when theyboth ran full into a body of men that seemed to spring up from the veryground in the sudden darkness that followed an unusually bright burst ofstar shells. 

"What is it? Who are they? What's the matter?" cried Tom. 

"Give it up!" answered Jack. "Who are you?" he asked. 

Instantly a guttural German voice cried:

"Ah! The American swine! We have them!"

In another moment Tom and Jack felt themselves surrounded by anoverpowering number. 

Hands plucked at them toughly from all sides, and their pistols and fewremaining grenades were taken from them. 

"Turn back with the prisoners!" cried a voice in German. 

The two air service boys found themselves being fairly-lifted from theirfeet by the rush of their captors. Where they were going they could notsee, but they knew what had happened. 

They had been captured by the Germans!

CHAPTER XXI. THE CLEW

For one wild instant Tom and Jack, as they admitted to one anotherafterward, felt an insane desire to attempt to break away from theircaptors, to rush at them, to attack if need be with their bare hands, and so invite death in its quickest form. They even hoped that theymight escape this way rather than live to be taken behind the Germanlines. 

It was not only the disgrace of being captured--which really was nodisgrace considering the overwhelming numbers that attacked them--t itwas the fear of what they might have to suffer as prisoners. 

Tom and Jack, as well as the others, might well regard with horror thefate that lay before them. But to escape by even a desperate strugglewas out of the question. They were surrounded by a ring of Germans, several files deep, and each was heavily armed. Then, too, their captorswere fairly rushing them along over the uneven ground as though fearfulof pursuit. The air service boys had no chance, nor did any of theircomrades of the patrol who might be left alive. How many these were, Tomand Jack had no means of knowing. They did not see any of their comradesnear them. There were only the Huns who were bubbling over with coarsejoy in the delight of having captured two "American pigs, " as theybrutally boasted. 

Stumbling and half falling, Tom and Jack were dragged along. Now andthen they could see, by means of the star shells, groups of men, somenear and some farther off. There was firing all along the Hun and Alliedlines, and as the boys were dragged along the big guns began to thunder. What had started as an ordinary night raid might end in a generalengagement before it was finished. 

There seemed to be fierce lighting going on between the several detachedgroups, and the air service boys did not doubt that some word of thedispersing and virtual defeat of the party they were with had reachedtheir lines, resulting in the sending out of relief parties. 

"This sure is tough luck!" murmured Jack to Tom, as they stumbled alongin the midst of their captors. 

"You said it! If our boys would only rush this bunch and get us away. "

"Silence, pigs!" cried a German officer, and with his sword he struckat Tom, slightly injuring the lad and causing a hot wave of fierceresentment. 

"You wouldn't dare do that if I had my hands free, you dirty dog!"rasped out Tom in fairly good German, and he tugged to free his armsfrom the hold of a Hun soldier on either side. 

The officer who had struck Tom seemed about to reply, for he surgedthrough the ranks of his men over toward the captive, but a command fromsome one, evidently higher in authority halted him, and he marched on, muttering. 

There was sharp fighting between the Hun sentries and small parties, and similar bodies from the American and Allied sides going on alongthe lines now, and both armies were sending up rockets and otherilluminating devices. 

The two Virginia lads felt themselves being hurried forward--or back, whichever way you choose to look at it--and whither they were beingtaken they did not know. The taunts of their captors had ceased, thoughthe men were talking together in low voices, and suddenly, at somethingone of them said, Tom nudged Jack, beside whom he was walking. 

"Did you hear that?" he asked in so low a voice that it was not heard bythe Hun next him. Or if it was heard, no attention was paid to it, forTorn spoke in English. The tramp of the heavy boots of the Huns and therattle of their arms and accoutrements made noise enough, perhaps, tocover the sound of his voice. 

"Did I hear what?" asked Jack. 

"What that chap said. It was something about one of the German prisoncamps having been burned by the prisoners, a lot of whom got away. Therest were transferred to a place not far from here. Listen!"

And the Americans listened to the extent of their ability. 

Then it was they blessed their lucky stars that they understood enoughof German to know what was being said, for it was then and there thatthey got a clew to the whereabouts of Harry Leroy, from whom they hadheard not a word since the dropping of his glove by the German aviator. They did not even know whether or not their packages had reached theirchum. 

The talk of the Germans who had captured Tom and Jack was, indeed, concerning the burning of one of the prison camps. As the boys learnedlater, the prisoners, unable to stand the terrible treatment, had risenand set fire to the place. Many of them perished in the blaze and by thefire of German rifles. The others were transferred to a camp nearer thebattle line as a punishment, it being argued, perhaps, that they mightbe killed by the fire of the guns of their own side. 

"And there are some airmen, too, in the new prison camp, " said one ofthe Germans. "Our infantrymen claimed them as their meat, though ourairmen brought them down. But there was no room for them in the prisoncamp with the other captured aviators, so The Butcher has them in hischarge. "

Tom and Jack learned later that "The Butcher" was the title bestowed, even by his own men, on a certain brutal German colonel who had chargeof this prison camp. 

Then there came to Tom and Jack in the darkness a curious piece ofinformation, dropped by casual talk of the Huns. One of them said toanother:

"One of the transferred airmen tried to bribe me to-day. "

"To bribe you? How and for what?"

"He is an accursed American pig, and when he heard we were opposite someof them, he wanted me to throw a note from him over into the Americanlines. He said I would be well paid, and he offered me a piece of goldhe had hidden in the sole of his shoe. "

"Did you take it?"

"The gold? Of course I did! But I tore up the note he gave me to tossinto the American lines. First I looked at it, though. It was signedwith a French name, though the prisoner claimed to be from the UnitedStates. It was the name Leroy which means, I have been told, the king. Ha! I have his gold, and the note is scattered over No Man's Land! ButI will tell him I sent it into the trenches of his friends. He may havemore notes and gold!" and the brute chuckled. 

Tom and Jack, looked at one another in the darkness. Could it bepossible that it was their friend Harry Leroy who was so near to them, since he had been transferred from a camp far behind the lines?

It seemed so. There were not many American airmen captured, and therecould hardly be two of this same rather odd name. 

"It must be Harry, " murmured Tom. 

"I think so, " agreed Jack. 

"Silence, American pigs!" commanded man officer. 

He raised his sword to strike the lad. But just then occurred aninterruption so tremendous that all thought of punishing prisoners whodared to speak was forgotten. 

A big shell rose screaming and moaning from the Allied lines and landednot far from the party of Germans which was leading along Tom and Jack. It burst with a tremendous noise well inside the Hug defenses, and thiswas followed by a terrific explosion. As the boys learned later theshell had landed in the midst of a concealed battery--a stroke of luck, and not due to any good aiming on the part of the American gunner--andthe supply of ammunition had gone up. 

There was great commotion behind the German lines, and two or three ofTom's and Jack's captors were thrown down by the concussion. The airservice boys themselves were stunned. 

And then there suddenly sounded a ringing American cheer, while a voice, coming from a group of soldiers that confronted the German patrol, cried:

"Halt! Who's there? Are there any of Uncle Sam's boys?"

"Yes! Yes!" eagerly cried Tom and Jack. "Come on! We're captured by theGermans!"

There was another cheer, followed by a roar of rage, and then came arush of feet. Gleaming bayonets glistened in the light of star shellsand many guns, and the members of the German patrol, finding themselvessurrounded, threw down their arms and cried:

"Kamerad!"

The fortunes of war had unexpectedly turned, and Tom and Jack had beenrescued and saved by a party of Pershing's gallant boys. 

CHAPTER XXII. NELLIE'S RESOLVE

"What happened?"

"How'd they get you?"

"Are you hurt?"

These were a few of the questions put to Tom and Jack as they weresurrounded by the rescuing party of their friends, led, it afterwarddeveloped, by the very lieutenant with whom the two air service boys hadstarted in the patrol across No Man's Land. 

The German captors had either all surrendered or been killed, and thetables were most effectively switched around. At first Tom and Jack weretoo surprised and overwhelmingly grateful to answer. 

But they soon understood what had happened. And then they told the storyof their fight against odds until captured. They said nothing just thenof the unexpected information that had come to them about Harry Leroy'spresence in a German camp so comparatively near their own lines. Butthey resolved, at the first opportunity, to make use of the information. 

The shooting of the big guns gradually ceased when it was made manifestthat neither side was ready for a general engagement. The pop-pop of themachine weapons, too, died away and the star shells ceased rising. 

"Come on you Fritzies--what's left of you, " cried the lieutenant, whenhe had made sure that there were no others of his party whom he couldrescue. 

Then with Tom and Jack the center of a happy, tumultuous throng of theirown comrades, the trip back to the American lines was begun. It waswithout incident save that on the way a wounded British soldier wasfound lying in a shell hole and carried in, ultimately to recover. 

Tom and Jack told what had happened to them, how they had beensurrounded and led away; and then, came the story of the lieutenant whohad led the patrol party which had turned defeat into victory with theaid of reinforcements which were sent to him. 

He had seen his hopes blasted when rushed by the big crowd of the Hunpatrol, and, though slightly wounded, he realized that absolute defeatwould come to him and his men unless he could get help. He sent a runnerback with word to send relief, and then, surrounding himself with whatfew men remained alive and uncaptured, the fight went on. 

It was bitter and sanguinary, and at last, with only two men left besidehim, the lieutenant heard the rush of the relief guard. He was placedin charge, as he knew the lay of the land, and the party hurried to andfro, wiping up little knots of Germans here and there, until the mainbody encountered the squad having in charge the two air service boys. 

"You began to think it was all up with you, didn't you?" asked thelieutenant, when they were all once more safely in the dugout. 

"We certainly did!" admitted Tom. 

"We had visions of watery soup and wheatless bread for the rest of thewar, " observed Jack. 

He and Tom were slightly wounded--mere scratches they dubbed thehurts--but they were sent to the rear to be looked over and bandaged, aswere some of the others who were more severely hurt. There were some whocould not be sent back--who were left in No Man's Land silent figureswho would never take part in a battle again. They had paid their pricetoward making the world a better place to live in, and their names wereon the Honor Roll. 

"Well, what do you think about it?" asked Tom of Jack. 

"I don't know what to think. It seems hardly possible that Harry can beso near to us, and yet we can't do a thing to help him. "

"I'm not so sure about that, " returned Tom. "That's what I want to talkabout. "

It was a week after the patrol raid, and clear weather had succeeded therain and mist, so that it was possible for the aeroplanes to operate. And their services were much needed. 

There were preparations going on back of the German lines of whichGeneral Pershing and the Allied commanders needed to be informed. Andonly the "eyes" of the armies could see them and report--the eyes beingthe aeroplanes. 

So it came about that, having been relieved of their temporary transferto the infantry, Tom and Jack were once more with their comrades of theair. 

"Well, let's think it over, and talk about it when we come down, "suggested Jack. "We've got to go upstairs for our usual tour of dutynow. "

This would last three hours. They were to do scout work--report anyunusual activity back of the German lines, or give warning of theapproach of any hostile aeroplanes. After their tour of duty was endedthey would have the rest of the day to themselves, provided there wasno general attack. Of course if, while they were up, they were attacked, they must fight. 

Each lad had a plane to himself, since the young "huns" had all prettywell passed their novitiate, and were now in the regular flying squad. Later some other new aviators would report for instruction on the battlefront. 

Up and up climbed Tom and Jack, and eagerly they scanned the Germanlines for any signs of activity. But though there were some Hun planesin the air, they did not approach to give battle. Possibly some otherplans were afoot. Afterward Tom and Jack admitted to one another thatthere was a great temptation to fly over the German trenches to try toget a sight of the prison that had been spoken of--the camp where HarryLeroy might be held. 

But to do this would be in direct violation of their orders, and theydared not take any risks. For to do so might involve not only themselvesin danger, but others as well. And that view of the matter determinedthem. They would have to await their opportunity for rescuing theirchum--if it could be accomplished. 

Their tour of duty aloft that day was without incident. This is not anusual condition at times along the long battle front. Men can not go onfighting without stop, and there come lulls in even the fiercest battle. Flesh and blood can stand only a certain amount of torture, and theneven the soul rebels. 

So Tom and Jack drifted peacefully down to their aerodrome, noting thatit was being newly camouflaged, for the recent rain had played havocwith some of the concealments. 

As far as possible both the Germans and the Allies tried to conceal thelocation of their flying camps. The aeroplanes and balloons needed largebuildings to house them, and such structures made excellent and, ofcourse, fair war-marks for bombing parties in aeroplanes hovering aloft. So it was the custom to put up trees and bushes or to stretch canvasover the aerodromes and paint it to resemble woods and fields in aneffort to conceal, or camouflage, the depots where the airships werestationed. But this work was done by a special detail of men, and withit Tom and Jack had nothing to do. 

They turned their machines over to the mechanics, who would go carefullyover them and have the craft in readiness for the next flight. Then, being free for several hours, the two young airmen could do as theypleased, within certain limits. 

"Well, did anything occur to you?" asked Jack, as he and Tom, havingdivested themselves of their heavy fur-lined garments, went to the messhall, which was in an old stable, from which the horses had long sincebeen removed. 

"You mean a plan to rescue Harry?"

"That's it. "

"No, I'm sorry to say I can't think of a thing, " Tom answered. "Ithought I would, but I didn't. Have you anything to say?"

"Yes. Let's go to Paris. "

"You mean to see--er--?"

"Yes!" interrupted Jack with a smile. "This is their day off, and wemight as well have a little enjoyment when we can. From the easy time wehad to-day we'll have some hard fighting to-morrow. This was too good tolast. Heinie is up to some mischief, I think. "

"Same here. "

So, having received permission, they went to Paris, and soon found theirway to the lodgings of Mrs. Gleason, where the air service boys werewelcomed by Bessie and Nellie. 

Of course the first question had to do with the captive Harry, and tothe delight of Nellie Tom was able to say:

"We have news of him, anyhow. "

"News? You mean he is all right?"

"Well, as all right as he ever can be while the Boches have him, Isuppose, " was the answer. 

"But the news didn't come direct from him. He's in another camp. I'lltell you about it. "

Tom and Jack, by turns, related what had happened on the night patrol, and explained how they had overheard talk of Harry. 

"Then he is nearer than he has been?" asked Nellie. 

"Yes, " admitted Tom. 

"Won't it be easier to rescue him then?" Bessie queried. 

"Well, that doesn't follow, " said Jack. "Of course if we could rescuehim, we'd have a shorter distance to bring him, to get him inside ourlines. But it's just as difficult getting beyond the German lines now asit was before. Tom and I thought we'd come and talk it over, and see ifyou girls have anything to suggest. We'll do the rescue work if we onlyget a chance, and can find some plan. Have you any?"

He asked that question, though he hardly expected an answer. And both heand Tom, as well as Bessie and her mother, were greatly surprised whenNellie exclaimed:

"Yes, I have!"

"You have?" cried Tom. "What is it? Tell us, quick!"

"I am going to save my brother by offering myself as a prisoner in hisplace, " said Nellie with quiet resolve. "That's how I'll save him! I'llexchange myself for him!"

CHAPTER XXIII. THE BIG BATTLE

Nellie Leroy rose from, the chair where she had been sitting, and stoodbefore the little party of her friends, gathered in the little Parisapartment where Bessie Gleason and her mother made their home when theywere not actively engaged in Red Cross work. The sister of the captiveairman had a quiet but very determined air about her. 

"That is what I am going to do, " she said, as no one at first answeredwhat had been a dramatic outbreak. "Perhaps you will tell me best how togo about it, " and she turned to Tom and Jack. "You know something of theGerman lines, and where I can best go to give myself up. "

"Why--why, you can't go at all!" burst out Tom. 

"I can't go?"

"No, of course not. You mean all right, Nellie, " went on the young man, "but it simply can't be done. To give yourself up to the Germans wouldmean for yourself not only--Oh, it couldn't be done!" as he thought ofthe cruelty of the Huns, not only to the soldiers of the Allied armiesbut to helpless women and children. "You couldn't give yourself up tothose brutes!' he cried. 

"To save my brother I could, " said Nellie simply. "I would do anythingfor him!"

"I know you would, " murmured Bessie. 

"But it would just be throwing yourself away!" exclaimed Jack, comingto the help of his chum, who was gazing helplessly at him in thisnew crisis. "Tell her, Mrs. Gleason, " he went on, "that it is utterlyimpossible, even if the army authorities would let her. Even if sheshould give herself up to the Germans, they wouldn't keep any agreementthey made to exchange her brother. They'd simply keep both of them. "

"Yes, I think they would, " said Mrs. Gleason. "It is out of thequestion, my dear, " and gently she laid her hand on the girl's shoulder. "That is very fine and noble of you, but it would be wrong, for itwould not save your brother, and you would certainly be made a prisoneryourself. And of the horrors of the German prison--at least some wherethe infantrymen have been kept, I dare not tell you. I imagine it mustbe better where the airmen are captured, " she went on, for she fearedthat if she painted too black a picture of what Harry might suffer hissister would not be held back by anything, and might sacrifice herselfuselessly. 

"But what am I do?" asked Nellie, helplessly. "I want Harry so much! Weall want him! Oh, isn't there something? Can't you save him?" and sheheld out her hands appealingly to Torn and Jack. 

There was a moment of silence, and then Tom burst out with:

"Well, I may as well speak now as later, and I'll tell you what I'vemade up my mind to do. Yes, it's a new plan I've worked out, " he wenton, as Jack looked at him curiously. "I haven't told even you, old man, as it wasn't quite ready yet. But it's a scheme that may succeed, nowthat we know definitely where Harry is, from what the German patrolsaid. He isn't so far away as when we dropped the packages in the prisoncamp, though we don't yet know that he was there at the time we did ourstunt. However, if this new plan succeeds we may have a chance to findout. "

"How?" asked Nellie, eagerly. 

"By talking to Harry himself. "

"How are you going to do that?" demanded Bessie. 

"What kind of game have you been cooking up behind my back?" asked Jack. 

"As desperate as the other, I guess you'll call it, " answered Tom. "Butsomething has to be done. "

"Yes, something has to be done, " agreed Jack. "Now what is it?"

Tom arose and went to the door. He opened it, looked carefully up anddown the hall, evidently to make sure no one was listening, and thencame back to join the circle of his friends. 

"I'm going to speak of something that very few know, as yet, " he said, "and I don't want to take any chances of its getting out. There maybe German spies in Paris, though I guess by this time they're few andscattering. 

"I'm not going to tell you how I know, " he said, "but I do know thatsoon there is to take place a big battle--that is, it will be bigfor the American forces that are to have part in it. There has been aconference among the Allied commanders, and it has been decided thatit's time to teach the Germans a lesson. They've been despising theAmerican troops, as they despised General French's 'contemptible littlearmy, ' and General Pershing is going to show Fritz that we have asoldier or two that can fight. "

"You mean there's to be a big offensive?" asked Jack. 

"No, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a general engagement like that. It's to be kept within the limits, of the sector where the United Statestroops are at present, " said Tom. "That is where you and I are located, Jack, and that, as you know, is almost opposite the prison where Harryand the others are confined. "

"I begin to see what you are driving at!" cried Nellie, her eyesshining. "But are you sure of this?"

"Yes, " went on Jack, "how did you bear of this when it's supposed to besuch a secret?"

"It came to me by accident, " said Torn, "and I wouldn't speak of it toany one but you. Soon, however, it will be more or less public on ourside, as it will have to be when we start to get ready. But it's tobe kept a secret from Fritz as long as possible. It's to be a surpriseattack, and if it doesn't develop into a big battle it won't be thefault of Uncle Sam's boys. "

"Will the air service have any part in it?" asked Jack eagerly, as iffearing he might be left out. 

"I don't see how they can get along without us, " said Tom. "Not thatwe're the whole works, but it is well established now that an army can'tfight without the use of aeroplanes, to tell not only what the otherside is doing, but also how our own guns are shooting. Oh, we'll be init all right!"

"When?" asked Jack. 

"That I can't say, " replied his chum. "But now to get down to the thingthat concerns us, or rather, Harry. I have a scheme--and you can call itwild if you like--that when the battle is going on, you and I, Jack, andsome other airmen if we can induce them to do it, and I think we can, may be able to drop bombs near the prison camp. We'll have to judge ourdistances pretty carefully, or we'll do more harm than good. Then, ifall goes well, and we can blow down some of the camp walls or fences, and if the battle favors our side, we can make a descent on enemyterritory and rescue Harry and any others that are with him. What do youthink of that plan?"

"It's wonderful!" exclaimed Nellie, glaring at Tom with a strange, newlight in her eyes. 

"It's very daring, " said Bessie, more calmly. 

"It's crazy!" burst out Jack

"I thought you'd say that, " commented Tom calmly, "and I'd have beendisappointed if you hadn't. And just because it is crazy it may succeed. But it's the only thing I can think of. Daring will get you further inthis war then anything else. You've got to take big chances anyhow, andthe bigger the better, I say. "

"I'm with you there all right, " agreed Jack. "But to land in hostileterritory--it hasn't been done ten times since the war began, and havethe aviator live to get away with it!"

"I know it, " said Tom, quietly. "But this may be the eleventh successfultime. Now that's my plan for rescuing Harry Leroy. If any of you have abetter one let's hear it. "

No one answered, and finally Nellie spoke. 

"No, " she said, with a shake of her head, "it's very fine and nobleof you boys, but I can't allow it. If you wouldn't let me give myselfup--exchange myself for Harry, I can't let you give your lives for himthis way. It wouldn't be fair. It would be depriving the Allies of twovaluable fighters, to possibly get back one, and the possibility is soslim that--well, it's suicidal!" she exclaimed. 

"Not so much so as you think, " said Tom. "I've got it all figured outas far as possible. And as for landing in hostile territory, if all goeswell, and the big battle progresses as Pershing and his aides think itwill, maybe we won't have to land in hostile territory at all. We maydrive the Germans back, and then the prison will be within our lines. "

"That's so!" cried Jack. "I didn't think of feat. Tom, old man, maybeyour scheme isn't as crazy as I thought! Anyhow, I'm in it with you. Theonly thing is--will this big battle take place?"

"'It will unless the Germans decide to surrender between now and the dayset, " Tom answered grimly, "and I hardly believe they'll do that. It's agoing to be some fight!"

"Glad of it!" cried Jack. "Now we've got something to live for!" Asif he and Tom did not risk their lives every day to make life in thecivilized world something worth living for. 

"Well, we must be getting back!" exclaimed Tom, as he looked at hiswatch. "All leaves will be stopped in a few days--just before we startpreparations for the big battle. If we can we'll see you once morebefore then. "

"And afterward?" inquired Nellie, softly and pleadingly. 

"Yes, and afterward, too!" exclaimed Tom. "And we'll bring Harry backwith us. Now good-bye!"

It was a more solemn farewell than the friends had taken in some time, for all felt the impending events, and Tom and Jack talked but littleduring the return trip from Paris to their headquarters. 

What Tom had said about the big battle was strictly true. It had beendecided in high quarters that it was time the newly arrived Americansoldiers showed what they could do. That they could fight fiercely andwell was not a question, it was only a matter of getting themfamiliar with the different conditions to be met with on the Europeanbattlefields, against a ruthless foe. 

Tom and Jack had a chance for one more hasty, flying visit to Paris, andthen all leave was withdrawn, and there began in and about the Americancamp such a period of tense and intensive work as bore out what Tom hadsaid. The big battle was impending. 

Great stores were accumulated of rations and munitions. Great guns werebrought up into position and skillfully camouflaged. Machine guns ingreat numbers were prepared and a number of aeroplanes were brought fromother sectors and made ready for the flying fight. 

"How are your plans coming on?" asked Jack of Tom, at the close of a daywhen it seemed that every one's nerves were on edge from the strain ofpreparing. 

"All right, " was the answer. "I've spoken to a number of the boys, andthey're with me. You know we're pretty much 'on our own, ' when we'reflying, and I think that we can drop the bombs and make a descent longenough to pick up Harry and other refugees if we break open the prison. "

"But suppose we land, stall the engines and the Germans surround us?"

"That mustn't happen, " said Tom. "We won't stall the engines for onething. We'll just have to drop down, and taxi around as well as we canuntil we pick up Harry, or until he sees us. The machines will carrythree as well as two, and even if we have, by some mischance to go upin singles, they'll carry double. But I figured on your being with me. Harry knows enough of the game to be on the lookout when he hears thebombs drop and sees the planes hovering over him, and he'll tip off theothers to be ready for a rescue. 

"Of course I don't say we can get 'em all, and maybe something willhappen that we can't get Harry away. But I think we'll teach Fritz alesson, and I think we can break up the prison camp so some of the poorfellows can get away. As I said, it's a desperate chance, but one we'vegot to take. "

"And I'm with you!" exclaimed Jack. "And now when does the big battletake place?"

He was answered a moment later, for an orderly arrived with instructionsto the air service boys to report at their hangars at once. 

There they were told something of the impending attack--the first publicmention of it, though more than one had guessed something unusual was inthe air from the tenseness of the last few days. 

The attack was to start at dawn the next morning, preceded by an intenseartillery fire. It was to be the fiercest rain of shells since theAmericans had come to the front lines. Then the infantry, supported bytanks and aeroplanes, would follow, going over in waves which it washoped would overwhelm the Germans. 

That night was a tense one. Suppose the enemy had guessed, or a spy hadgiven word of the impending battle? Then success would be jeopardized. But the night passed with only the usual exchange of shots and thesending up of star shells over No Man's Land. 

And so, as the hour of dawn approached, the tense and nervous feelinggrew. Tom and Jack, with their comrades in their hangars, were dressedin their fur garments and ready. Their machines had received the lasttouches from the hands of the mechanics, and each one was well equippedwith bombs and machine gun ammunition. Tom and Jack were to be allowedto go up together in a big double bombing plane. 

The night passed. The hour approached. Anxious eyes watched the hands ofwatches slowly revolve. 

Then suddenly, as if the very earth had been blasted away from beneaththem, the batteries of big guns belched forth fire, smoke and shell. 

The great battle was on!

CHAPTER XXIV. SILENCING THE GERMAN GUNS

Engagements in the World War were on such a vast scale that it wasdifficult for a single observer to give a word picture of them. All hecould see, stationed behind the lines, was a vast cataclysm of smokeand fire, and his ears were deafened by so vast a sound that it wascomparable to nothing on this earth ever heard before. 

An observer in the air was little better off, save for that portiondirectly beneath him, and even that he could not see very much of, onaccount of the smoke and dust. If he looked to the left or the right, orbackward or forward, he was at the disadvantage of distance. 

To him, then, great columns of infantry appeared only as crawling worms, and batteries of artillery merely patches of woods whence belched fireand smoke. That he must keep high in the air when over the enemy's lineswent without saying, for he would be fired at if he came too low. Sothen, even an airman's vision was limited when it came to describing agreat battle. 

Of course he always did what he was assigned to do. He kept in contact, or in communication, with his own certain batteries, or his infantrydivision, directing the shots of the former and the advance of thelatter. So, really, he had little time to observe anything save theeffect of the firing of his own side on a certain limited objective. 

As for the soldiers in battle, they are, of course, unable to observeanything except that which goes on immediately in their neighborhood. The artilleryman fires his gun under the direction of some observer, often far away, who telephones to him to lower or elevate his piece, ordeflect it to the tight or left. The infantryman advances as the barragelifts, and rushes forward according to orders, firing or using hisbayonet as the case may be, digging in when halted, and waiting foranother rush forward. The machine gunner and his squad aim to put asmany of the advancing, retreating, or standing enemy out of the fightingas possible, and to save themselves. 

The truck men hasten up with loads of ammunition, fortunate if they arenot sent to their death in the drive. The stretcher bearers look for thewounded and hasten back with them. 

So, all in all, no single person can observe more than a very small partof the great battle. It is really like looking through a microscopeat some organism, while the whole great body lies beyond the field ofvision. 

Only the general staff-the officers in their headquarters far behindthe lines, who receive reports as to how this division or corps isretreating or advancing--can have any real conception of the big battle, and these persons may see it only at a distance. 

So the usual process of things in general is reversed, and the personfarthest removed from the fighting may really see, or rather know, mostabout it. 

And so with a storm of shot and shell, manmade thunders and lightnings, and bolts of death from the earth below and the air above, the greatbattle opened and advanced. 

It progressed just as other battles had progressed. There was a terrificartillery preparation, which took the Germans evidently by surprise, for the response was long in coming, and then it was not in proportion. After the great cannon had done their best to level the big guns on theGerman side, a barrage, or curtain of fire was started, and behind this, which was in reality a falling hail of bullets, the Americans and theirsupporting French and British comrades advanced. The curtain of steelwas to kill or push back the Germans, and to make it safe for theAmericans to go forward. By elevating the small guns the curtain fellfarther and farther into the enemy's territory, thus making it possiblefor the Allies to go on farther and farther across No Man's Land. 

The infantry rushed forward, fighting and dying nobly in a noble cause. Position after position was consolidated as the Germans fell back beforethe rain of shot and shell. It is always this way in an offensive, smallor large. The first rush of the attacking side, be it German, French, British, or American, carries everything before it. It is the counterattack that tells. If the attackers are strong enough to hold what theygain, well and good. If not--the attack is a failure. 

But this one--the first great attack of the Americans--was not destinedto fail, though once it trembled in the balance. 

Tom and Jack, with their companions, had flown aloft, and, taking thestations assigned to them, did their part in the battle. As the lightgrew with the break of day, they could see the effect of the Americanbig guns. It was devastating. And yet some German batteries livedthrough it. Several times Tom and Jack, by means of their wireless, sent back corrections so that the American pieces might be aimed moreeffectively. Below them was a maelstrom--an indescribable chaos of deathand destruction. They only had glimpses of it--glimpses of a seeminglyinextricable mixture of men and guns. 

And through it all, though they did not for a moment neglect their duty, bearing in mind their instructions to keep in contact with the batteriesthey served, Tom Raymond and Jack Parmly were eagerly seeking for asight of the prison where Harry Leroy might be held. At one time afterthey had dropped bombs on some German positions, thereby demolishingthem, Tom, who was acting as pilot, signaled to his chum that he wasgoing far over the enemy's lines to try to locate the prison. 

Jack nodded an acquiescence. It was not entirely against orders whatthey were about to do. They might obtain valuable information, and itwould take only a short time, so speedy was their machine. Then too, they had used up all their bombs, and must return for more. Before doingthis they wished to make an observation. 

Luck was with them. They managed to pass over a comparatively quietsector of the lines where the German resistance had been wiped out, andwhere, even as they looked down, Americans were digging in and guns werebeing brought up to support them. 

And not many kilometers inside the German positions from this point, they sailed over a prison camp. They, knew it in an instant, and feltsure it must be the one spoken of by the German who had taken Leroy'sgold and then betrayed him. 

"That's the place!" cried Tom, though of course Jack could not hear him. "Now to bomb it and set Harry free!"

But they must return for more ammunition, and this they set about doing. They wished they might drop some word to the prisoners confined there, stating that help might soon be on its way to them, but they had nochance to send this cheering word. 

Back they rushed to their own lines, and no sooner had they landed thanan orderly rushed up to them and instructed them to report immediatelyto their commanding officer. 

"Boys, you're just in time!" he cried, all dignity or formality havingbeen set aside in the excitement of the great battle. 

"What is it?" asked Tom. 

"We want you to silence some big German guns--a nasty battery of themthat's playing havoc with our boys. The artillery hasn't been able tolocate 'em--probably they're too well camouflaged. And we can't advanceagainst 'em. Will you go up and try to put them out of business?"

Of course there could be but one answer to this. Tom and Jack hurriedoff to see to the loading of their machine with bombs--an extra largenumber of very powerful ones being taken. 

Once more they were off on their dangerous mission, for it wasdangerous, since many American planes were brought down by German firethat day, and by attacks from other Hun machines. 

But Tom and Jack never faltered. Up and up they went, the probablelocation of the guns having been made known to them on the map theycarried. Up and onward they went. For a time they must forego the chanceof rescuing their friend. 

Straight for the indicated place they went, and just as they reachedit there came a burst of fire and smoke. It appeared to roll out froma little ravine well wooded on both sides, and that accounted for thefailure of the Americans to locate it. Chance had played into the handsof the air service boys. 

There was no need of word between Tom and Jack. The former headed theplane for the place whence the German guns had fired upon the Americans, killing and wounding many. 

Over it, for an instant, hovered the aeroplane. Then Jack touched thebomb releasing device. Down dropped the powerful explosive. 

There was a great upward blast of air which rocked the machine in whichsat the two aviators. There was a burst of smoke and flame beneath them, tongues of fire seeming to reach up as though to pull them down. 

Then came a terrific explosion which almost deafened the boys, eventhough their ears were covered with the fur caps, and though their ownengine made a pandemonium of sound. 

The air was filled with flying debris--debris of the German guns andmen. The bombs dropped by Tom and Jack had accomplished their mission. The harassing battery was destroyed. The German guns were silenced. 

CHAPTER XXV. THE RESCUE

Tom and Jack circled around slowly over the place where the Germanbattery had been. It was now no more--it could work no more havoc to theAmerican ranks. It did not need the wireless news to this effect, whichthe aviators sent back, to apprise the Allies of what had happened. Theyhad seen the harassing guns blown up. 

Now out swarmed the Americans, charging with savage yells over the placethat had been such a hindrance to their advance. Tom and Jack had donetheir work well. 

There was no need for the one to tell the other what was in his mind. There were still two of the powerful bombs left, and there was but onethought on this matter. They must be used to blow up, if possible, the camp near the German prison. Doing that would create havoc andconsternation enough, the air service boys thought, to drive the captorsaway, and enable Leroy and his fellow prisoners to be saved. 

Jack punched Tom in the back and motioned for him to shut off the motora moment so that talking would be possible. Tom did this, and Jackcried:

"Shall we take a chance?"

"Yes!" Tom answered in return. 

Strictly speaking, having accomplished the mission they were sent outon, they should have returned to their base for orders. But the airmenwere given more liberty of action and decision than any other branch ofthe Allied service. 

"Go to it!" cried Jack, and once more Tom started the motor and headedthe craft for the Hun prison. 

Again the air service boys were hovering over the prison camp. Theycould now see that there was much more activity around it than there hadbeen before the big battery was destroyed. The fight was coming closer, and the Germans evidently knew it. Whether they were trying to arrangeto take their captives farther back, or merely seeking to escapethemselves from a trap, was not then evident. 

And, having reached a position where they could see below them whatlooked to be a concentration of German guns, perhaps to fire on anyforce that might advance against the prison. Jack let fall one of histwo remaining bombs. 

It swerved to one side, and though it exploded with great force, andcreated havoc and consternation among the Huns, it did not fall where itwas intended. The second battery was still intact. 

"My last shot!" grimly mused Jack, as he looked at the other bomb. 

Tom maneuvered the aeroplane until he had it about where he thoughtJack would want it. The latter pressed the releasing lever and the bombdescended. It was the most powerful of the lot, and when it struck andexploded it not only demolished the defensive battery, making a hole inthe place where it had stood, but it tore down part of the prison fence, and made such destruction generally that the Germans were stunned. 

Instantly, seeing that all had been accomplished that was possible, andnoting that hovering around him were other Allied airmen who had agreedto help in the rescue, Tom sent his craft down. There was a burst ofshrapnel around him and Jack, but though the latter was grazed by abullet, neither was seriously hurt. A Hun plane darted down out ofthe sky to attack the bold Americans, but quickly it was engaged by asupporting Allied craft. However, the Hun was a good fighter, and wonthe battle against this antagonist. But when two other Allied planesclosed in, that was the last of the enemy. He was sent crashing down tosatisfy the vengeance in toll for the life of the birdman he had taken. 

Now Tom and Jack could see that their plan had worked better than theyhad dared to hope. The boldness of the attack from the air, coupled withthe advance of the American army, started a panic in the German ranks. They began a retreat and the regiments near the prison camp wereincluded in the rout. 

By this time either some of the prisoners saw that there was a break inthe cordon around them, or they realized that a great battle was puttingtheir guards to flight, for some of them made a rush toward a side wherethere were no Germans, and succeeded in breaking out--no hard task sincepart of the fence was shattered by the explosion. 

"Now's our chance, " cried Tom, though of course Jack could not hearthis. "Harry may be among that bunch, and we want to get him and anyothers we can save. "

He started the aeroplane on its downward path, while Jack, guessing theobject, got the machine gun ready for action, since there might be asquad of Germans ready to give battle on the ground. 

Several other planes of the Allies, seeing what was going on, swooped tothe aid of the two Americans, for there were no other of the Hun craftwithin sight now. All had been sent crashing down, or had drawn off. 

On either side of the immediate sector which included the prison camp, the battle was still raging fiercely, mostly with success on the side ofthe Americans, though in places they suffered a temporary setback. 

In the vicinity of the prison itself wild scenes were now being enacted. The prisoners were beginning to rise in force, for they saw freedomlooming before them. There were fights between them and the guards, and terrible happenings took place, for the guards were armed and theprisoners were not. But as fast as some of the Germans fell they werestripped of their guns and ammunition, and the weapons turned by theprisoners against their former captors. 

All this while Tom and Jack were descending in their plane. As yet theywere uncertain whether they were to be able to rescue Leroy or not. Theycould not distinguish him at that height, though from the enthusiasticmanner in which several of the newly liberated ones waved at theon-coming aeroplanes, it would seem that they were of that arm of theservice, and appreciated what was about to happen. 

Nearer and nearer to the ground flew Tom and Jack. And then, to theirhorror, they saw that several Germans had set up two machine guns torake the prison yard, which was still filled with excited captives. TheGermans were determined that as few as possible of their late captivesshould find freedom. 

Tom acted on the instant, by sending the plane in a different direction, to enable Jack to use his machine gun. And Jack understood this, for, with a shout of defiance, he turned his weapon on the closely packedGermans around their machine guns. 

For a moment they stood and some even tried to swerve the guns about toshatter the dropping aeroplane. But Jack's fire was too fierce. He wipedout the nest, and this danger was averted. 

A moment later Tom had the machine to earth, and it ran along the unevenand shell-torn ground, coming to a rest not far from what had been theouter fence of the prison camp. A group of Allied captives, newly freed, rushed forward. Tom and Jack, removing their goggles, looked eagerly fora sight of Harry Leroy. They did not see him, but they saw that whichrejoiced them, and this was more aeroplanes coming to their aid, andalso a column of infantry on the march across a distant valley. Thestars and stripes were in the van, and at this the rescuers and theprisoners set up a cheer. It meant that the Germans were beaten at thatpoint. 

"Where's Harry Leroy? Is he among the prisoners?" cried Jack to severalof the liberated ones who crowded around the machine. There would be noquestion now of trying to save some one, a rush by mounting to the airwith him. The advance of the Americans and the Allies was sufficientlystrong to hold the prison position wrested from the Germans. 

"Was Harry Leroy among you?" asked Tom, of the joy-crazed prisoners. Many were Americans, but there were French, Italian, Russian, Belgianand British among the motley throng. 

Before any one could answer him there was a hoarse shout, and from someplace where they had been hiding a squad of German soldiers rushedat the group of recent prisoners about Tom and Jack. Their guns hadbayonets fixed, and it was the evident purpose of the Huns to makeone last rush on the prisoners near the aeroplane to kill as many aspossible. 

The Germans were a sufficiently strong force, and none of theseprisoners was armed. They began to scatter and run for shelter, and Tornand Jack became aware that matters were not to be as easy as they hadexpected. 

But fortunately the fixed machine gun on the aeroplane, which was nearthe pilot's seat, pointed straight at the oncoming Huns. With a cry Tomsprang to the cockpit and quickly had the weapon spitting bullets at thefoe. Then Jack saw his chance, and, climbing up to his seat, he swunghis gun about so that it, too, raked the Germans. 

They came on with the desperation and courage of despair, but the steadyfiring was at last too much for them. They broke and ran--what were leftof them alive--in what was a veritable rout, and this ended the lastdanger for that immediate time and place. 

Other aeroplanes dropped down to help consolidate the victory, and theexplosion of some American shells at a point beyond the prison camptold its own story. The artillery had moved up to keep pace with theadvancing infantry. The big battle had been won by Pershing's men, andthe air service boys had not only done their share, but they had beeninstrumental in delivering a number of prisoners. 

As the last of the Germans fled and Tom and Jack leaned back, well nighexhausted by the strain of the fighting, a voice cried:

"Good work, old scouts! I knew you'd come for me sooner or later. Atleast I hoped you would!"

They turned to see Harry Leroy walking slowly toward them. 

Harry Leroy it was, but wounds, illness, and imprisonment had worked aterrible change in him. He was but the ghost of his former sturdy self. Still it was their chum and the brother of Nellie Leroy, and Tomand Jack knew they had kept the promise made to the sister. They hadeffected the rescue which the offensive made possible. 

"Hurray!" cried Tom. "It's really you then, old scout!"

"What's left of me--yes. Oh, but it's good to see the flag again!" andhe pointed to the colors on the aeroplane and on the advancing bannersof the infantry. "And it's good to see you again! I'd about given up, and so had most of us, when we heard the shooting and knew something wasgoing on. But how did it happen? How did you get here, and how did youknow I was here?"

"Go easy!" advised Tom with a grin. "One question at a time. Can youride in our bus? If you can we'll take you back with us. The others willbe taken care of soon, I fancy, for our boys will soon be in permanentoccupation here. Will you come back with us?"

"Will I? Say, I'll come if I have to hitch on behind, like a can to adog's tail!" cried Leroy, and, weak and ill-nourished as he was, it wasevident that the sight of his former comrades had already done him muchgood. 

So now that the position was well won by the Americans and the Allies, Tom and Jack turned their machine about, wheeled it to a good takingoff place, and with Harry Leroy as a passenger, though it made the placerather crowded, they flew back over the recent battleground, and totheir own aerodrome, where Harry and some other prisoners, broughtthrough the air by other birdmen, were well taken care of. 

The great battle was not yet over, for there was fighting up and downthe line, and in distant sectors. But it was going well for Pershing'sforces. 

"And now, " remarked Harry, when he had had food and had washed and hadbegun to smoke, "tell me all about it. " He was in the quarters assignedto Tom Raymond and Jack Parmly, being their guest. 

"Well, there isn't an awful lot to tell, " Tom said, modestly enough. "Weheard you were in trouble, and came after you; that's all. How did youlike your German boarding house?"

"It was fierce! Terrible! I can't tell you what it means to be free. But I'd like to send word to my folks that I'm all right. I suppose theyhave heard I was a prisoner. "

"Yes, " answered Tom. "In fact, you can talk to one of the family soon. That is, as soon as you can go to Paris. "

"Talk to a member of the family? Go to Paris? What do you mean?" Harryfairly shouted the words. 

"Your sister Nellie is staying with friends of ours, " said Tom. "We'lltake you to her. "

"Nellie here? Great Scott! She said she was coming to the front, but Ididn't believe her! Say, she is some sister!"

"You said it!" exclaimed Tom, with as great fervor as Harry used. 

"Didn't you get the bundles we dropped?" asked Jack. "The notes and thepackages of chocolate?"

"Not a one, " 'replied Harry. "I was looking for some word, but nonecame, after one of the airmen told me he had dropped my glove. But Iknew how it was--you didn't get a chance to send any word. "

"Oh, but we did!" cried Tom, and then he told of the dropping of thepackages. 

But, as Leroy related, he had been transferred from that camp a few daysbefore. 

Two of the packets fell among the prisoners, who, after trying in vainto send them to Harry, partook of the good things to eat, which theymuch needed themselves. They were given to the ill prisoners, and thenotes were carefully hidden away. Some time after the war Harry receivedthem, and treasured them greatly as souvenirs. 

"But we didn't make any mistake this time, " said Tom. "We have you now. "

"Yes, " agreed Harry with a smile, "you have me now, and mighty glad I amof it. "

A few days later, when Harry was better able to travel, he went to seeNellie in Paris, a message having been sent soon after the big battle, to tell her that he was rescued and as well as could be expected. 

"But if it hadn't been for Tom and Jack I don't believe I'd be therenow, " said Harry to his sister, as he sat in the homelike apartment ofthe Gleasons. 

"I know you wouldn't, " said Nellie. "They said they'd rescue you andthey did. We shall never be able to thank them enough--but we can try!"

She looked at Tom, and he--well, I shall firmly but kindly have toinsist that what followed is neither your affair nor mine. 

And now, though you know it as well as I do, my story has come to anend. At least the present chronicle of the doings of the air serviceboys has nothing further to offer. Their further adventures will berelated in another volume to be entitled: "Air Service Boys Flying forVictory. "

But it was not the end of the fighting, and Tom and Jack did not ceasetheir efforts. Harry Leroy, too, was eager to get back into the contestagain, and he did, as soon as he had sufficiently recovered. 

He told some of his experiences while a prisoner among the Germans, andsome things he did not tell. They were better left untold. 

However, I should like to close my story with a more pleasant scene thanthat, and so I invite your attention, one beautiful Sunday morning toParis, when the sun was shining and war seemed very far away, though itwas not. Two couples are going down a street which is gay with flowerstands. There are two young men and two girls, the young men wearthe aviation uniforms of the Americans. They walk along, chatting andlaughing, and, as an aeroplane passes high overhead, its motors droningout a song of progress, they all look up. 

"That's what we'll be doing to-morrow, " observed Tom Raymond. 

"Yes, " agreed Jack Parmly. 

"Oh, hush!" laughed one of the girls. "Can't you stay on earth one day?"

And there on earth, in such pleasant company, we will leave the AirService Boys. 

THE END