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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Air Service Boys Over the Atlantic , by
+Charles Amory Beach
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Air Service Boys Over the Atlantic 
+
+Author: Charles Amory Beach
+
+Release Date: January 3, 2004  [eBook #10584]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: US-ASCII
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AIR SERVICE BOYS OVER THE ATLANTIC
+***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan, and the Project
+Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
+
+
+
+AIR SERVICE BOYS OVER THE ATLANTIC
+
+OR
+
+THE LONGEST FLIGHT ON RECORD
+
+BY CHARLES AMORY BEACH
+
+1920
+
+
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+CHAPTER
+
+     I OUT FOR BUSINESS
+
+    II THE RESCUE
+
+   III A BOLD PROJECT
+
+    IV THE REST BILLET
+
+     V THE AIR RAIDERS
+
+    VI STRIKING A BLOW FOR LIBERTY
+
+   VII THE BATTLE IN THE AIR
+
+  VIII BOMBING THE BRIDGE
+
+    IX CONVINCING PROOF
+
+     X GROPING FOR LIGHT
+
+    XI THE AMAZING PLAN
+
+   XII GRIPPED IN SUSPENSE
+
+  XIII OFF FOR THE CHANNEL
+
+   XIV READY FOR THE START
+
+    XV THE LONG FLIGHT BEGUN
+
+   XVI THE FIRST NIGHT OUT
+
+  XVII WHEN THE SUBMARINE STRUCK
+
+ XVIII THE COLD HAND OF FEAR
+
+   XIX A DESPERATE CHANCE
+
+    XX ON THE ICE FLOE
+
+   XXI ATTACKED BY A POLAR BEAR
+
+  XXII WHEN THE ICEBERG ROLLED OVER
+
+ XXIII THE END OF THE FLIGHT
+
+  XXIV SURPRISING BRIDGETON
+
+   XXV TO SEE THE WAR THROUGH--CONCLUSION
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+OUT FOR BUSINESS
+
+
+"Look! What does that mean, Tom?"
+
+"It means that fellow wants to ruin the Yankee plane, and perhaps finish
+the flier who went down with it to the ground."
+
+"Not if we can prevent it, I say. Take a nosedive, Tom, and leave it to
+me to manage the gun!"
+
+"He isn't alone, Jack, for I saw a second skulker in the brush,
+I'm sure."
+
+"We've got to drive those jackals away, no matter at what risk. Go to it,
+Tom, old scout!"
+
+The big battle-plane, soaring fully two thousand feet above the earth,
+suddenly turned almost upside-down, so that its nose pointed at an angle
+close to forty-five degrees. Like a hawk plunging after its prey it sped
+through space, the two occupants held in their places by safety belts.
+
+As they thus rushed downward the earth seemed as if rising to meet them.
+Just at the right second Tom Raymond, by a skillful flirt of his hand,
+brought the Yankee fighting aircraft back to an even keel, with a
+beautiful gliding movement.
+
+Immediately the steady throb of the reliable motor took up its refrain,
+while the buzz of the spinning propellers announced that the plane was
+once more being shot through space by artificial means.
+
+The two occupants were Tom Raymond and Jack Parmly, firm friends and
+chums who had been like David and Jonathan in their long association. It
+was Tom who acted as pilot on the present occasion, while Jack took the
+equally important position of observer and gunner.
+
+Both were young Americans with a natural gift in the line of aviation.
+They had won their spurs while serving under French leadership as members
+of the famous Lafayette Escadrille. The adventures they encountered at
+that time are related in the first book of this series, entitled: "Air
+Service Boys Flying For France."
+
+After America entered the war, like all other adventurous young Yankee
+fliers, the two Air Service Boys offered their services to their own
+country and joined one of the new squadrons then being formed.
+
+Here the two youths won fresh laurels, and both were well on the way to
+be recognized "aces" by the time Pershing's army succeeded in fighting
+its way through the nests of machine-gun traps that infested the great
+Argonne Forest.
+
+It was in the autumn of the victory year, 1918, and the German armies
+were being pushed back all along the line from Switzerland to the sea.
+Under the skillful direction of Marshal Foch, the Allies had been dealing
+telling and rapid blows, now here, now there.
+
+To-day it was the British that struck; the day afterward the French
+advanced their front; and next came the turn of the Americans under
+Pershing. Everywhere the discouraged and almost desperate Huns were being
+forced in retreat, continually drawing closer to the border.
+
+Already the sanguine young soldiers from overseas were talking of
+spending the winter on the Rhine. Some even went so far as to predict
+that their next Christmas dinner would be eaten in Berlin. It was no
+idle boast, for they believed it might be so, because victory was in
+the very air.
+
+So great was the distress of the Hun forces that it was believed Marshal
+Foch had laid a vast trap and was using the fresh and enthusiastic
+Yankees to drive a dividing wedge between Ludendorff's two armies, when a
+colossal surrender must inevitably follow.
+
+The whole world now knows that this complete break-up of the Teutons
+was avoided solely by their demand for an armistice, with an agreement
+on terms that were virtually a surrender--absolute in connection with
+their navy.
+
+Tom and Jack had displayed considerable ability in carrying out their
+work, and could no longer be regarded as novices. Each of them had for
+some time been anticipating promotion, and hoped to return home with the
+rank of lieutenant at least.
+
+They had been entrusted with a number of especially dangerous missions,
+and had met with considerable success in putting these through. Like most
+other ambitious young fliers, they hoped soon to merit the title of
+"ace," when they could point to at least six proven victories over rival
+pilots, with that number of planes sent down in combat.
+
+On the present occasion they had sallied out "looking for trouble," as
+Jack put it; which, in so many words, meant daring any Hun flier to meet
+them and engage in a duel among the clouds.
+
+Other planes they could see cruising toward the northwest, and also
+flying in an easterly direction; but as a rule these bore signs of being
+Allies' machines, and in all probability had Yankee pilots manning them.
+
+Apparently the Hun airmen were otherwise employed. They seemed to prefer
+venturing out after nightfall, gathering in force, and often taking a
+strange satisfaction in bombing some Red Cross hospital, where frequently
+their own wounded were being treated alongside the American doughboys.
+
+During the weeks that the Americans were battling in the great Argonne
+Forest the two Air Service Boys had contributed to the best of their
+ability to each daily drive. Again and again had they taken part in such
+dangerous work as fell to the portion of the aviators. Their activities
+at that time are set down in the fifth volume of this series, entitled:
+"Air Service Boys Flying For Victory."
+
+Frequently they had found themselves in serious trouble, and their
+escapes were both numerous and thrilling. Through it all they had been
+highly favored, since neither of them had thus far met with a serious
+accident. Numbers of their comrades had been registered as "missing," or
+were known to have been shot down and lost.
+
+It was no unusual thing a few days after a flier had gone out and failed
+to return at evening, for a Hun pilot to sail over and drop a note
+telling that he had fallen in combat, and was buried at a certain place
+with his grave so marked that it could be easily found.
+
+There seemed to be a vein of old-time chivalry among the German airmen
+even up to the very last, such as had not marked any other branch of
+their fighting forces, certainly not the navy. And the Americans made it
+a point to return this courtesy whenever an opportunity arose.
+
+Tom was proud of his ability to execute that difficult feat known as a
+"nose-dive." More than once it had extricated him from a "pocket" into
+which he found himself placed by circumstances, with three or more enemy
+planes circling around and bombarding him from their active guns.
+
+At such times the only hope of the attacked pilot lay in his ability to
+drop down as if his machine had received a fatal blow and when once far
+below the danger point again to recover an even keel.
+
+Jack never doubted what the result would be, having the utmost confidence
+in his comrade. The wind rushed past his ears as they pitched downward;
+and just when objects on the ground loomed up suggestively there was the
+expected sudden shift of the lever, a consequent change in the pointing
+of the plane's nose, and then they found themselves on the new level,
+with the motor again humming merrily.
+
+Jack was on the alert and quickly discovered the object that just then
+enlisted their whole attention. As he had suspected when using the
+glasses from the higher level, it was a Yankee bomber that lay partly
+hidden among the bushes where it had fallen. He could easily see the
+Indian head marking the broken wing.
+
+The pilot was sitting near by as though unable to make a run for it,
+although Jack imagined he must suspect the approach of danger, for he
+gripped something that glinted in the sunlight in his right hand. It was,
+of course, an automatic pistol.
+
+Looking hastily around Jack glimpsed the creeping figures of the two
+Germans who, having seen the fall of the Yankee plane, must have come out
+from some place of concealment and were bent on finishing the pilot, or
+at least taking him prisoner. They had almost reached a point where it
+would have been possible for them to open fire on the wounded American.
+
+Jack looked in vain for any second figure near the fallen plane. If the
+pilot had had an observer with him, which was most likely, considering
+the fact that he had been using a bombing machine, the latter must have
+been dispatched for relief some time before.
+
+"There they are, Tom!" burst from the one who crouched close to the
+machine gun, and pointing as he spoke. "Swoop down and let me give them
+a volley!"
+
+The Huns evidently realized what was coming, and feared that their
+intended victim might after all escape their hands. Even as Jack spoke
+there came a shot from below, and a bullet went screaming past close to
+the ears of the Air Service Boys. It was followed by a second and a third
+in quick succession.
+
+What the marksmen hoped to do was either to kill the pilot or else to
+strike some vulnerable part of the engine, thus disabling it and wrecking
+the plane. Those were chances which had to be taken continually; but as a
+rule the rapidity of flight rendered them almost negligible.
+
+Jack waited no longer. The two men were about to fling themselves behind
+friendly trees, and but a small chance remained that he might catch them
+before they were able to shield themselves by these close-by trunks.
+
+Jack, in his most energetic fashion, commenced to spray the vicinity with
+a shower of leaden missiles. The chatter of the machine gun drowned any
+cries from the two men below. The Yankee plane swooped past the spot
+where the injured pilot still sat at bay, ready to sell his life dearly
+if the worst came.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THE RESCUE
+
+
+The rat-tat-tat of gunfire suddenly ceased. Jack could no longer cover
+the spot where the two Huns were hiding behind the tree-trunks, and
+consequently it would be a sheer waste of ammunition to continue firing.
+
+But already Tom had commenced to circle, and soon they would be swooping
+down upon the scene from another direction. Jack kept on the alert, so as
+to note quickly any possible movement of the enemy.
+
+Again he poured a hot fire on the place where he knew the Germans were
+cowering, tearing up the ground with a storm of bullets as though it had
+been freshly harrowed. But the sturdy trees baffled him once more.
+
+"Nothing doing, Tom!" he called out, vexed. "We've got to drop down and
+go it on foot if we want to save that pilot!"
+
+"I see a good landing place!" announced the other almost instantly.
+
+"Great luck! get busy then!"
+
+The ground chanced to be unusually smooth, and the plane, after bumping
+along for a short distance, came to a stand. Meanwhile, both young fliers
+had succeeded in releasing themselves from their safety belts.
+
+Together they jumped to the ground and started on a run toward the spot
+where those crouching figures had last been seen. Of course, the Huns
+must already know of their landing and would be ready to defend
+themselves, if not to attack; but, nothing daunted by this possibility,
+the pair pushed ahead through bushes and past trees.
+
+"Better separate, and attack 'em from two different angles, hadn't we,
+Tom?" panted Jack presently, as a shot was heard and something clipped a
+twig from a bush within a foot of his hand.
+
+"Take the left, and I'll look after the right!" snapped out Tom.
+
+Both were armed with automatic pistols, for airmen can never tell when
+their lives may depend upon their ability to defend themselves, and so
+seldom make a flight without some such weapon in their possession.
+
+"They're on the run!" cried Jack, in a tone of disgust; for he had really
+hoped to have a further brush with the skulking enemy.
+
+He sent several shots in their direction whenever he caught glimpses of
+the bounding figures, but without much hope of striking either of them.
+Still, they had undoubtedly accomplished the business in hand, which was
+to save the Yankee pilot.
+
+"He's over this way, Jack," observed Tom, moving to the right still
+further, after being joined by his comrade. "I can see the opening where
+he must have struck. The Hun flier didn't bother to follow him down and
+find out if he'd made a count. He may have been here for some time."
+
+"I see him now," continued Jack eagerly. "And it strikes me there's
+something familiar about his looks. Yes, we've met that pilot before,
+Tom. It's Lieutenant Colin Beverly, one of the cleverest Yankee aces of
+the newer squad."
+
+The aviator had already discovered the Air Service Boys' presence.
+Doubtless all that had occurred had been noted by him as he sat, waiting
+for anything that might happen; and the swoop of the American plane, as
+well as Jack's firing, had of course told him help was near.
+
+"He's waving his hand to us," continued Jack, answering in kind.
+
+"Keep your gun ready for business," warned the other, inclined to be more
+cautious. "There may be other Huns prowling around, because we're not
+far from their lines, you understand."
+
+A minute afterwards they reached the pilot of the wrecked bomber.
+
+"Hello, fellows!" was his familiar greeting, as he thrust a hand out
+toward them. "Glad to see you, all right. They were after me, just as I
+suspected. My observer was wounded in the arm, but went for help. As for
+me, save for a few scratches, I made the fall in great luck. But I'm
+still crippled from that other accident. Just got out of hospital a week
+ago. They tried to keep me from going up, but I'd have died only for the
+permission."
+
+Colin Beverly they knew to be one of the liveliest fliers then serving in
+the American ranks. He had gained a name for daring second to none. Early
+in his service he had won a reputation, and was already a double ace;
+which meant that he was officially credited with at least twelve
+victories over enemy fliers.
+
+Tom and Jack had met him a number of times previously, and there had
+always been a strong attraction between the three. Lieutenant Beverly was
+one of fortune's favorites in so far as worldly riches went, since he had
+a million at least to his credit, it was said.
+
+He had enlisted as soon as the United States entered the war, and had
+chosen aviation as his branch of the service, since it offered his
+venture-venturesome, almost reckless, spirit a chance for action. He had
+had numerous escapes so narrow that his friends began to believe some
+magical charm must protect him.
+
+As he had mentioned when speaking to them on their arrival, his closest
+call had sent him to the hospital with a fractured bone in his left leg;
+and even when discharged as cured he really should not have returned to
+the harness; only, those in authority found it difficult to keep such an
+energetic soul in check.
+
+"Those chaps will come back with more of their kind, I reckon," Tom
+remarked. "They've made up their minds to get you, Lieutenant, and
+when a Hun is bent on a thing he keeps on trying. We can take you
+along with us."
+
+"I hate to desert the bus," complained the other, giving his wrecked
+plane a wry look. "But then what's the use of sticking it out? Chances
+are we'll be through the mess before they ever get it in fighting trim
+again. Yes, I'll go along, boys, if you'll lend me a shoulder. Gave that
+game leg another little knock in falling; but then, I might have broken
+my neck, so I'm thankful."
+
+"The Beverly luck again!" chuckled Jack, at which the intrepid flier
+nodded with kindling eyes.
+
+"Getting to believe I can carry anything through I care to tackle, for a
+fact, fellows," he remarked, with the same amazing confidence that had
+taken him along so many times in a whirlwind of success.
+
+They ranged alongside, and he leaned on Tom's arm as he limped off,
+giving no further heed to the mass of damaged engine, crumpled wood, bent
+steel guys, and torn canvas that had once been a powerful bombing plane.
+
+Jack kept in readiness to meet any attack that might spring up, though
+they had reason to believe the Huns had temporarily withdrawn from the
+field of action.
+
+"Your friend Harry Leroy dropped in to see me while I was laid up,
+Raymond," remarked the lieutenant, with a broad grin, as he saw how his
+words caused the color to flash into the bronzed cheeks of the other.
+
+"Haven't seen Harry for some time," Tom replied, his eyes twinkling with
+pleasure; "but I heard of you through his sister. Nellie said you were
+the hardest patient she'd ever tackled, because you kept fretting to get
+out and be at work again."
+
+"Yes, Miss Leroy was my nurse for a week, and I think I improved more
+under her care than at any other time. She's a fine girl, Raymond."
+
+"Sure thing, Lieutenant. I ought to know," came the unabashed answer.
+"I've known Nellie for some time, and that was always my opinion. We're
+good friends all right."
+
+"H'm! I guess you must be," chuckled the other. "I wish you could have
+seen her look when I mentioned that I knew you well, and liked you in the
+bargain. I kept talking Tom Raymond a full streak just to watch the
+blushes play over her face and the light shine in her eyes. Raymond,
+you're a lucky dog."
+
+"Here's our plane, and we'll soon be able to get going with such a smooth
+bit of ground ahead," Tom hastened to remark, though it was easy to see
+that what the other said had thrilled him.
+
+"All aboard!" sang out Jack, after a last quick look around. "No Huns in
+sight, as far as I can see."
+
+The ascent was easily made, for, as Tom had said, they were favored with
+an unusually level stretch of ground beyond, over which the plane rolled
+decently until the pilot switched his lever and they started to soar.
+From some place close by an unseen enemy commenced to fire again, but
+without success.
+
+Once fully on their way, the danger faded out of sight. Again they were
+spinning through space, with the earth fading below them.
+
+"Back home, Tom?" called out Jack, and the pilot nodded an affirmative.
+
+Swiftly they sped, and presently were dropping back to earth at the spot
+whence their outgoing flight had started. Here there were evidences of
+bustle, with planes coming and going all the while. Couriers could be
+seen on horses or motorcycles speeding away with important news to be
+sent from the nearest field telephone station in touch with division
+headquarters.
+
+The landing was made without incident, though curious glances were cast
+in their direction. Many knew that Tom and his chum had made their ascent
+without a third passenger, and the presence of Lieutenant Beverly
+announced that some sort of tragedy of the air had occurred.
+
+A number of other pilots swooped down upon them to learn the particulars.
+As usual they were inclined to be jocular, and greeted the limping
+Beverly with a volley of questions, as well as remarks concerning that
+"luck" of which he had talked.
+
+"They can't get you, no matter how they try, Beverly," one called out.
+
+"Another machine to the scrap-heap!" laughingly observed the most
+celebrated of Yankee aces, slapping Colin on the shoulder. "Makes an even
+dozen for you I understand. Planes may come and planes may go but you go
+on forever. Well, long may you wave, old chap! Here's wishing you luck.
+So the boys picked you up, did they? Nice work, all right."
+
+"Just in time, too," confessed Beverly, "because there were some Huns on
+the way to finish me that had to be chased off."
+
+Tom had been noticing something which he thought a bit strange. It was a
+way Lieutenant Beverly had of looking at him curiously, as if deciding
+something in his mind which had suddenly gripped him.
+
+"Is there anything else we can do for you, Lieutenant?" he finally asked,
+when they had left the bevy of pilots and mechanics behind and were
+heading toward their quarters; for Tom wished to see the other
+comfortable before he and Jack ascended once more.
+
+"I don't believe there is--at present," the other slowly replied. "But
+this accidental meeting may develop into something worth while; that is,
+if you chaps would care to join me in a sensational flight."
+
+At hearing these words Jack began to show a sudden interest.
+
+"If you know anything about us, Lieutenant!" he exclaimed eagerly, "you
+ought to understand that we've always been willing to tackle any job
+coming our way."
+
+"This one," continued the other gravely, "promises to be an unusually
+dangerous enterprise that if successful, will be sure to win the crew of
+the big bombing plane tremendous honors and perhaps rapid advancement."
+
+"You're only exciting us more and more by saying that," said Tom.
+"Suppose you explain what it is, and then we could decide whether we'd
+want to join you or not."
+
+"My sentiments exactly," added Jack.
+
+Lieutenant Beverly looked from one face to the other. He seemed to be
+mentally weighing the chances of his ever being able to run across two
+more promising candidates for the honor of sharing his secret than the
+pair of ambitious lads then in touch with him. As though his decision was
+taken he suddenly exclaimed:
+
+"It's a go, then! I'll let you into my little secret, which so far hasn't
+been shared by a single living man. Then later on you can decide if you
+care to accept the risk for the sake of the glory success would bring, as
+well as striking a blow for the flag we all love!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+A BOLD PROJECT
+
+
+"Pitch in, please!" urged the impatient Jack Parmly.
+
+"Listen, then, boys," commenced the other earnestly. "You doubtless know
+that I've got more money than is good for any single man to handle? Well,
+I've squandered a small bunch of it in having a wonderful plane made and
+sent abroad. Of course it's intended to be handed over to the Government
+in due course of time, but with the proviso that they allow me to
+engineer the first long flight in it."
+
+"That sounds interesting, Lieutenant," admitted Jack, apparently
+considerably impressed.
+
+"Tell us some more about it, please," urged the practical Tom.
+
+"It's possibly by long odds the largest bombing plane that so far has
+ever been built, even beating those big Caproni machines of Italy that
+can carry a dozen in the crew. This Martin bomber can be run by three
+hands, although several more might be used if the right kind were found.
+Its possibilities in the way of distance and continued flight can
+hardly be estimated, since all depends on the cargo carried. The less
+crew, the more petrol and bombs to make up the load."
+
+"Yes, we get that, Lieutenant," said Jack, as the other paused briefly,
+possibly to get his breath, and then again because he wished the
+information to sink slowly into their minds.
+
+"With this monster biplane I assure you it will be an easy matter to fly
+all the way to Berlin, bomb the city so as to terrify the inhabitants
+even as they tried to do to Londoners, turn around, and return here
+without touching ground once; yes, and if necessary, repeating the trip."
+
+Jack showed intense excitement, while Tom too was deeply interested.
+
+"We knew that thing would soon arrive," the latter said; "and they say
+the Germans are getting cold feet already with the prospect before them.
+But it's come a little sooner than I, for one, expected. What's your big
+scheme, Lieutenant?"
+
+"Berlin or bust?" chanced Jack explosively.
+
+"You've hit the right nail on the head, Parmly," admitted the other,
+with a nod of appreciation. "I mean to show that it can be done. Just as
+soon as I can get that big bomber here, and the permission to take on
+the job, well start some fine night for Berlin and give Heine the jolt
+of his life."
+
+Jack thrust out his hand impulsively.
+
+"You can count for one on my going, Lieutenant; that is, provided I get
+permission from the boss!" he announced promptly.
+
+"I'm inclined to say the same," Tom added quietly, though his face
+displayed an eagerness he did not otherwise betray.
+
+With that Lieutenant Beverly squeezed a hand of each.
+
+"I mean to start things going shortly," he told them. "And you'll surely
+hear from me, for I must keep track of you boys."
+
+"Where is the big Martin bomber now, did you say?" asked Jack.
+
+"I didn't mention the fact, but it lies hidden in a special hangar on the
+French coast, not a great distance from Dunkirk," came the answer. "I
+have a special guard watching it, and my mechanics keep everything
+ready for any sudden call. Right now she's tuned up to top-notch pitch,
+and a full supply of gas is kept on hand all the time, as well as
+everything needed in the way of supplies. That's where money talks."
+
+Jack looked his admiration, and then burst out with:
+
+"You're sure a dandy, Lieutenant Beverly, and if ever you undertake that
+wonderful trip to Berlin and back I only hope I have the great good luck
+to be aboard."
+
+"Consider it settled then," he was told. "And now that I've found my
+comrades for the venture I can go about further details, and start
+getting the consent of Headquarters to the enterprise. One of these
+nights Berlin is going to get a shock that may help bring the war to a
+speedy close."
+
+"Here's our dugout," said Tom. "We're going back to work again after I've
+bandaged Jack's finger, for he gave it an ugly scratch when handling the
+gun, he doesn't himself know just how. Can we do anything further for you
+right now, Lieutenant?"
+
+"Thank you, nothing, Raymond. I shall get on nicely. I'll rest up a day
+or so while things are simmering connected with that big affair. Of
+course it's to be a great secret among the three of us; not another soul
+knows anything about my project or the giant bombing plane I had shipped
+over to France."
+
+"That's understood, and we're as mum as a couple of clams," Jack told
+him; and so they separated, little dreaming at the moment what a
+remarkable series of circumstances were fated to arise that would bring
+them together for the carrying out of an enterprise greater than
+anything as yet recorded in the annals of aerial exploits.
+
+Tom and Jack were back on the field before half an hour had elapsed,
+making a fresh start for the clouds, just as eager as ever to have some
+adventurous Hun airman accept their challenge and give them battle.
+
+For a whole hour did they fly back and forth in the disputed territory
+between the two armies. Far beneath they could see by the aid of the
+powerful binoculars marching columns of soldiers, all heading toward the
+northwest. These they knew to be the German forces, making one of their
+regular daily retreats in fairly good order.
+
+Behind them the Hun armies left innumerable nests of machine-gunners to
+dispute the advance of the Yankee battalions, and hold them in check,
+even at the price of utter annihilation. Many times the men selected for
+this sacrifice to the Fatherland held grimly on until they were
+completely wiped out by the sweep of the Americans.
+
+Occasionally one of the Yankee pilots, provoked because none of the enemy
+dared to accept the gauge of battle he flung before them, would swoop
+down and try to make a target of these marching columns. Then for a brief
+period there would be exciting work, with the machine gun of the
+scurrying plane splashing its spray of bullets amidst the scurrying
+soldiers, and the daring pilot in return taking their volleys.
+
+Perhaps, if the boldness of the Americans caused them to take too great
+chances, there might be one less plane return to its starting point that
+day; and the report would be brought in that the pilot had "met his fate
+in the discharge of his duty."
+
+Wearied at length of the useless task, the Air Service Boys finally gave
+it up for that afternoon. Jack in particular showed signs of keen
+disappointment, for he always chafed under inaction.
+
+"There was some talk of another raid for tonight, you remember, Tom," he
+said, when they once more alighted and gave the plane over into the
+charge of the hostlers; "and if it turns out that way I only hope we're
+detailed to go along to guard the bombers. It's growing worse and worse
+right along these days, when Fritz seems to have gotten cold feet and
+refuses to accept a dare."
+
+"I see fellows reading letters," remarked Tom suddenly. "Let's hope there
+is something for us."
+
+"It's been a long time since I heard from home," sighed Jack. "I
+certainly hope everything is going on well in old Virginia these days.
+There's Captain Peters waving something at us right now, Tom!"
+
+"Letters, Jack, and a sheaf of them at that!"
+
+"Come on, let's run!" urged the impatient one, suiting his actions to the
+words by starting off on a gallop.
+
+Tom took it a little more slowly so that when he arrived and received his
+letters from the aviation instructor, who happened to be in the camp at
+the time, Jack was already deeply immersed in one which he had received.
+
+It was late in the afternoon. The sun hung low in the west, looking fiery
+red, which promised a fair day on the morrow. Once he had his letters,
+however, Tom paid but scant attention to anything else.
+
+His news from Virginia must have been pleasant, if one could judge from
+the smile that rested upon his wind and sun-tanned face as he read on.
+Again in memory he could see those loved ones in the old familiar haunts,
+going about their daily tasks, or enjoying themselves as usual. And
+whenever they sat under the well-remembered tree in the cool of the early
+fall evening, with the soft Virginia air fanning their cheeks, the red
+and golden hues of frost-touched leaves above them, he knew their talk
+was mostly of him, the absent one, most fondly loved.
+
+Tom looked up. He thought he had heard a groan, or something very
+similar, break from the lips of his chum. It startled Tom so that when he
+saw how troubled Jack looked a spasm of alarm gripped his heart.
+
+"Why, what is the matter with you?" he cried, leaning forward and laying
+a hand on the other's arm. "Have you had bad news from home?"
+
+Jack nodded his head, and as he turned his eyes his chum saw there was a
+look of acute anxiety in them.
+
+"No one dead, or sick, I hope, Jack?" continued the other apprehensively.
+
+"No, at least that is spared me, Tom; they are all well. But just the
+same, it's a bad muddle. And the worst of it is I'm thousands of miles
+off, held up by army regulations, when I ought to get home for a short
+visit right away."
+
+"See here, is it anything connected with that Burson property--has that
+matter come to a head at last?" demanded Tom, as a light dawned upon him.
+
+"Nothing less," assented the other gloomily. "The issue has been suddenly
+forced, and may be settled any day. If I'm not there, according to the
+eccentric will of my uncle, Joshua Adams Kinkaid, that property will fall
+into the hands of my cousin, Randolph Carringford, who, as we both know,
+is just at present over here acting in a confidential capacity to some
+Government official."
+
+"Yes, I've seen him," said Tom, frowning. "And to tell the honest truth
+his face didn't impress me strongly. In fact, I didn't like your cousin.
+What's the use? All Virginia knows that Randolph Carringford is a black
+sheep--that no decent man or woman will acknowledge him for a friend.
+Wonder what Joshua Kinkaid meant, anyhow, by ringing him in. But are the
+lands worth as much as it was believed, Jack?"
+
+"I learn in this letter from our lawyer that the richest kind of coal
+veins have been located on the Burson property in West Virginia; and that
+they promise to be valued at possibly a million dollars. Think of what
+that would mean to the Parmly family! For we are far from being rich.
+Father lost his grip on business you know, Tom, when he volunteered, and
+went into the Spanish war, and when he died did not leave very much."
+
+"Do you suppose your cousin knows anything about this new development?"
+continued Tom sympathetically.
+
+"He is too greedy not to have looked after every possible chance," came
+Jack's despondent reply. "And now that this thing's come up I can begin
+to understand why he kept smiling in that way all the time he chatted
+with me a week ago when we chanced to meet. I think he had had a tip
+even then that this thing was coming off, and was laying his plans.
+Though how he could known, I can't imagine."
+
+"Then you suspect he may already be on his way across, and will arrive
+before you can get there to put in your claim?" asked Tom.
+
+"Even allowing that he had no news until this mail got in, Tom, he'd get
+off a whole lot easier that I'll ever be able to, and so could catch a
+boat, while I kept untwisting the army red tape. It's a bad job all
+around, I'm afraid, and bound to make me feel blue."
+
+"There's only one thing for you to do, Jack." remarked the energetic chum
+promptly, and his confidence gave the other considerable satisfaction.
+
+"What is that?"
+
+"Apply for leave at once. And include me at the same time, because I'll
+go with you, of course, Jack. We'll try to get back in time to join in
+the grand march to the Rhine. Promise me to do this before we sleep
+to-night!"
+
+"I will, Tom, and here's my hand on it!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+THE REST BILLET
+
+
+"Here's a pretty kettle of fish, Jack!" Tom Raymond remarked several
+hours later, as he came into the dingy dugout where his chum was sitting.
+
+A number of other pilots and observers occupied the same quarters, which
+had once been the refuge of German officers. Wretched though these
+quarters were, they at least afforded security from the bursting shells
+that were being sent across now and then by the enemy, from their
+positions on the hills to the northwest.
+
+Jack had been paying small heed to the merriment of his mates, who, like
+most young men gathered together in a group, had been carrying on high.
+Sitting there with his head resting on his hand he had allowed himself to
+become buried in deep thought. A strained worried look had taken
+possession of his usually sunny face.
+
+"What's the matter now, Tom?" he asked, with a deep sigh, as though he
+had been rudely brought back to a realization of the fact that he was
+still in France, where the battle raged, and far removed from those
+peaceful Virginia scenes he had been picturing.
+
+"We're ordered out with that raiding party to-night," Tom continued,
+lowering his voice to a whisper, since it was supposed to be a military
+secret, and not to be openly discussed.
+
+"Oh! Well, what does it matter?" asked Jack, beginning to show animation.
+"We've put in our applications for leave, but the chances are they'll not
+be acted upon immediately, although we asked for speed. And nothing would
+please me more than to see action while I'm waiting. I'm afraid I'd go
+clean daffy unless I could forget my troubles in some way."
+
+"Glad to hear you say that, Jack, because I'm feeling particularly keen
+myself to be one of that bunch to-night"
+
+"When do we start?" demanded the other tersely.
+
+"Not until two in the morning," came the low reply. "All that's been
+figured out with regard to the moon you know."
+
+Jack took a quick glance around. So far as he could see, no one was
+paying the least attention to him and his comrade. One of the air pilots
+was trying to sing a song, being in jovial mood after receiving a letter
+that he admitted was from his "girl in the States" and the others
+manifested a desire to join in the chorus, though none of them dared let
+their voices out, since it was against the rules.
+
+"Did you learn anything about the job we've got on hand, Tom?"
+
+"Yes, that's what I did; though I believe it was not generally told to
+all who are to be in the party," came the cautious reply. "Of course just
+before the flight they'll be given full particulars, when orders are
+issued to the pilots and observers. It's a bridge this time, Jack!"
+
+"That one spanning the river about twenty miles back of the German lines,
+do you mean?"
+
+"Yes, it's the most important bridge within fifty miles. Over it day and
+night the retreating Boche armies are passing. There's hardly a minute
+that guns and regiments may not be seen passing across at that point."
+
+"Yes," observed Jack, "and a number of times some of our airmen have
+tried to bomb it in the daytime; but Fritz keeps such a vigilant watch we
+never could succeed in getting close enough to do any material damage.
+And so the High Command has decided that bridge must be knocked to
+flinders!"
+
+"We're going out to make the attempt, anyhow," resumed Tom, nodding.
+"Four big bombing machines in the bunch, guarded by eight battleplanes;
+and we've the good fortune to be chosen as the crew of one. I consider
+we're lucky, Jack."
+
+"That's right, Tom. Though I don't feel quite as keen for it as I would
+have been had I not received that letter from our lawyer, asking me to
+hurry back home if I could possibly make it. Still, I'll be in for a bad
+night, anyhow, and might just as well be working."
+
+"Are you worrying about your cousin?" demanded Tom suspiciously.
+
+"To tell you the truth I am, more or less," Jack confessed. "I know him
+as a man utterly without principle. When he knows that it is a race
+between us to see which one can get to America first, so as to win the
+prize my foolish uncle left in such a haphazard way, there's absolutely
+nothing, I honestly believe, that Randolph wouldn't attempt in order to
+keep me from getting there in advance of him."
+
+"Well, try to forget all that just now," said Tom. "I've a nice little
+surprise for you, Jack. I suppose you know they've got a sort of 'Y' hut
+running back here a bit?"
+
+"Heard some of the fellows talking about it, but, somehow, didn't seem to
+take much stock in the news. Fact is, I've temporarily lost my taste for
+those doughnuts and the girls who give their time to jollying up our
+fellows, as well as attending to their many wants in the line of letter
+writing and such things."
+
+"Perhaps," insinuated Tom, with a mild grin, "a doughnut mightn't go
+so badly now if the girl who offered it happened to answer to the name
+of Bessie?"
+
+At that Jack suddenly began to show more interest. A gleam came into his
+saddened eyes and a faint smile to his face.
+
+"That's an altogether different thing, Tom!" he exclaimed. "Do you really
+mean that Bessie and Mrs. Gleason are so close as all that?"
+
+"If you care to walk out with me you can be talking to them inside of
+fifteen minutes," came the ready answer. "And while about it, I might
+as well tell you that Nellie is there too. Seems that she's attached to
+a field hospital staff that's keeping us close company, and, meeting
+the Gleasons, came over for the evening. She's been overworked lately,
+and needs some rest. I promised to come back for a short while, and
+fetch you along."
+
+"Did--er, Bessie ask you to look me up?" asked Jack confusedly.
+
+"To be sure! Twice at least. And I had to promise solemnly I'd do it even
+if I had to take you by the collar and hustle you there. But our time is
+limited, and we'd better be on our way, Jack."
+
+The other showed an astonishing return to his old form. Apparently the
+mere fact that he was about to see the Gleasons again caused him to
+forget, temporarily at least, all about his fresh troubles. They were
+soon hurrying along, now and then dropping flat as some shell shrieked
+overhead or burst with a crash not far away.
+
+Their relations with Mrs. Gleason and Bessie were very remarkable, and of
+a character to bind them close together in friendship. In fact, as has
+been described at length in one of the earlier books of this series, Tom
+and Jack had been mainly instrumental in releasing the mother and young
+daughter from a chateau where they were being held prisoner by an
+unscrupulous and plotting relative, with designs on their fortune.
+
+The so-called "hut" of the Y.M.C.A. workers was really only another
+dilapidated and abandoned German dugout, which had been hurriedly
+arranged as a sort of makeshift headquarters, where the doughboys who
+could get leave might gather and find such amusement as the
+conditions afforded.
+
+There were Salvation Army lassies present too, with their pies and
+doughnuts that made the boys feel closer to home than almost anything
+else, and even a sprinkling of Red Cross nurses from the field hospital
+who had been given a brief leave for recuperation.
+
+Adjoining this particular rest billet was another of similar character
+run by the K. of C., which was also well patronized; indeed there seemed
+to be a friendly rivalry between the organizations to discover which
+could spread the most sunshine and cheer abroad.
+
+Jack immediately was pounced upon by a pretty, young girl whose face was
+either very sunburned or covered with blushes. This was of course the
+Bessie mentioned by Tom. Others who watched professed a bit of envy
+because Jack received all her attention after he appeared.
+
+Nellie Leroy, the Red Cross nurse, looked very sweet in her regulation
+hospital uniform, with the insignia of her calling on her sleeve. If her
+face bore a sad expression it was no more than must be expected of one
+seeing so much suffering at close quarters as came to the share of all
+the women and girls who devoted their very lives to such a calling. In
+Tom's eyes she was the prettiest girl in all France. It could also be
+seen that Nellie was very fond of the stalwart young air pilot, from the
+way in which her eyes rested on his figure whenever he chanced to be
+absent from her side during the next hour; which to tell the truth was
+not often.
+
+Of course nothing was said about the night's dangerous work that lay
+ahead for the two chums. But Bessie noticed that Jack occasionally
+looked grave, and questioned him concerning it. In answer he took her
+into his confidence to a certain extent concerning his reason for wanting
+to be in Virginia.
+
+The time for separating came all too soon. Tom was very particular about
+this, being a firm believer in duty before pleasure.
+
+"Look us up often if you get the chance," said Mrs. Gleason, who had been
+actively at work all the evening carrying out her customary duties, and
+proving indeed a "good angel" to scores of the young soldiers, who looked
+upon her as they might on their own mothers.
+
+"You can depend on it we will," said Tom, giving Nellie a warm look that
+caused her eyes to drop and a wave of color to come into her cheeks.
+
+"Wild horses couldn't keep me away, if I can get across," Jack told
+Bessie, as he was squeezing her little hand at separating. "But then you
+never know what's going to happen these days. All sorts of things are
+possible. If I do start across the big pond you'll hear of it, Bessie."
+
+Jack looked back and waved his hand to the little group standing in the
+door of the dugout. He seemed much more cheerful than earlier in the
+evening, Tom thought; and as that had been one of his motives in getting
+the other across from the aviation camp he felt satisfied.
+
+"And now for business," he remarked as they made their way along, with a
+frequent bursting shell giving them light to see any gap in the road into
+which they might otherwise have stumbled.
+
+Fritz was unusually active on this particular night, for some reason or
+other, for he kept up that hammering hour after hour. It might be the
+German High Command suspected that the Americans were ready to make a
+more stupendous push than had as yet been undertaken, with the idea of
+capturing a whole division, or possibly two, before they could get away;
+and this bombardment was continued in hopes of discouraging them.
+
+The two Air Service Boys did not bother themselves about this, being
+content to leave all such matters to those in command. They had their
+orders and expected to obey them to the letter, which was quite
+enough for them.
+
+Once more in their dugout, Tom and his comrade crawled into their limited
+sleeping quarters simply to rest, neither of them meaning to try to
+forget themselves in slumber.
+
+When the time came for action they were soon crawling out of the hole in
+the ground. As pilots came and went unnoticed, each intent on his
+individual work, their departure caused not the faintest ripple. In fact,
+there were two other airmen who also came out and joined them when making
+for the place of the temporary canvas hangars, they, too, having had
+secret orders concerning this same night raid.
+
+Arriving on the open field, they found a busy scene awaiting them. Here
+were mechanics by the score getting planes ready for ascension. The
+hum of motors and the buzz of propellers being tuned up could be heard in
+many quarters.
+
+Those sounds always thrilled the hearts of the two boys; it seemed to
+challenge them to renewed efforts to accomplish great things in their
+chosen profession. When, however, they reached their own hangar and
+found a knot of mechanics working furiously, Tom's suspicions
+instantly arose.
+
+"What's wrong here?" he asked the man who was in charge of the gang.
+
+"There's been some sort of ugly business going on, I'm afraid," came the
+reply; "for we're replacing several wire stays that look as if they'd
+been partly eaten by a corrosive acid. Smacks of rank treachery,
+Sergeant."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+THE AIR RAIDERS
+
+
+Upon hearing the words uttered by the mechanic who handled the men
+working at their battleplane, Tom and his chum exchanged meaning looks.
+
+"Can you make it perfectly safe again before half an hour passes?" asked
+the former anxiously.
+
+"Surely," came the confident reply. "I know what's in the wind, and
+you'll be fit for any sort of flight when another fifteen minutes has
+gone by. We're on the last stay now, and I've carefully examined the
+motor and every other thing about the plane. Don't fear to risk your
+lives on my report. I'd go up myself willingly if I had the chance."
+
+"All right, Sessions, we're willing to take your word for it," Tom
+assured him, and then drew his comrade aside.
+
+Jack on his part was eager for a little talk between themselves. That
+staggering fact had appalled, as well as angered, him. Why should
+their particular plane have been selected for such treacherous work,
+among all the scores connected with the air service in that sector of
+the fighting front?
+
+"What do you make of this thing, Tom?" he immediately demanded.
+
+"It's an ugly bit of business, I should say," came the guarded reply.
+
+"You mean calculated to make every one feel timid about taking any
+extraordinary risk--is that it?" continued Jack.
+
+"Yes, if the fact were generally circulated. But according to my mind
+they'll keep it quiet until after the armada gets off. No use alarming
+the others, though orders have gone out I presume to have every plane
+carefully examined. Still, that would only be ordinary caution; we never
+go up without doing such a thing."
+
+"Tom, do you think there could be any possible connection between this
+work of a German spy, as it appears on the surface, and my news from Mr.
+Smedley, the lawyer?"
+
+"It's possible--even probable, Jack. A whole lot depends on whether we
+learn of any other plane having been meddled with. One thing sure, it'll
+spur them to greater vigilance about watching things here. This isn't
+the first time there's been a suspicion of rank treachery. Planes have
+been known to be meddled with before now."
+
+"I wouldn't put it past him!" muttered Jack sullenly.
+
+"Meaning your cousin Randolph, I suppose," Tom added. "Nice opinion to
+have of a near relative, I must say. But then I'm inclined to agree with
+you. It may be only a queer coincidence, your getting such important news
+this afternoon, and some unknown party trying to bring about our downfall
+and death in this brazen way only a few hours afterwards."
+
+"And using corrosive acid, too," spluttered the indignant Jack. "I've
+heard of ropes being partly cut, even wire stays or struts filed to
+weaken them; but this is the limit. Don't I wish they'd caught the skunk
+in the act!"
+
+"He'd never have left this aviation camp alive," said Tom sternly. "Why,
+the boys would be so furious they'd be tempted to lynch him offhand."
+
+"And I'd be glad to help pull the rope!" snapped Jack. "A more cowardly
+act couldn't be imagined than this. Air pilots take great enough chances,
+without being betrayed by spies or traitors."
+
+"We'd better say nothing about it," Tom concluded. "I'm going to run
+over the entire machine on my own account."
+
+"And I'll do the same, Tom; for a pilot can't be too sure of his mount,
+especially when there's such meanness afoot."
+
+They accordingly busied themselves after their individual fashion. Every
+brace and stay was looked over carefully and tested as only pilots know
+how. Long experience, and many accidents have taught them where the weak
+spots lie, and they understand how to guard against the giving way at
+these points.
+
+So the minutes passed. Other pilots had already ascended to await the
+assembling of the picked squadron at some given altitude. Every minute
+or two could be heard the rush of some unit starting forth. There were
+few of the accompaniments of an ordinary ascent, for all loud cries had
+been banned.
+
+"All ready!" came the welcome words at last.
+
+The last strut had been carefully gone over, and now everything was
+pronounced in perfect condition. At the same time, after such a discovery
+had been made, it was only natural for the boys to feel a queer tug in
+the region of their hearts as they climbed to their seats, and with hands
+that quivered a little proceeded to make fast the safety belts.
+
+"There goes another bomber, which makes four--the full number you spoke
+of, Tom," remarked Jack. "I suppose we're holding up the procession more
+or less, worse luck, when usually we can be found in the lead."
+
+"The commander must know about our mishap," replied Tom, "and isn't
+apt to blame us for any little delay. The night's still young, and we
+can reach our destination in half an hour, with time to spare. So
+cheer up, old comrade; everything's lovely and the goose hangs high.
+Now we're off!"
+
+With that he gave the word, and paid attention to his motor, which
+started a merry hum. The propellers commenced to spin, and down the
+slight slope they ran with constantly increasing speed. All around them
+could be heard the refrain of planes in action; from above came similar
+sounds, and Jack, looking up, discovered dim scurrying forms of
+mysterious shape that flitted across the star-decked sky like giant bats.
+
+Now they, too, were rising swiftly in spirals. Both kept a keen watch,
+for it was at this time they stood the greatest chance of taking part in
+an unfortunate collision that might result in a fatal disaster.
+
+But every pilot was on edge, and careful to avoid any such blunder. They
+had been well drilled in all the maneuvers connected with just such a
+hurried ascent in numbers. Each plane had its regular orbit of action,
+and must not overstep the bounds on penalty of the commander's
+displeasure.
+
+After mounting to the arranged height, the Air Service Boys found that it
+was a very animated region, though fully a thousand feet from the earth's
+surface. Almost a dozen planes in all were moving in a great circle,
+their motors lazily droning, and the pilots ready to enter into squadron
+formation on signal.
+
+In fact, Tom and his chum were the last to arrive, which under the
+circumstances was not to be wondered at.
+
+"All on deck, I reckon," called out Jack, after he had taken a survey
+about him. "There's the signal from the flagship, Tom. We've got to
+keep the red lantern ahead of us and fall into line. There go the
+bombers to the center, and our place you said was on the left, tailing
+the whole bunch."
+
+Like a well disciplined aerial navy they fell into place, each taking its
+position as previously arranged. When the formation was made complete
+another signal was given. This meant the advance was now to begin, and
+the crossing of the German lines undertaken.
+
+Unless there chanced to be some mistake made concerning the proper
+altitude required, so as to clear all possible bombardment when over the
+Hun lines, this might be accomplished without danger. So far as was
+known, they had gauged the utmost capacity for reaching them possessed by
+the German anti-aircraft guns, and Jack promised himself to jeer at the
+futile efforts of these gunners to explode their shrapnel shells close to
+the speeding armada.
+
+Something must have been underrated, however; and, in fact, few plans
+can be regarded as absolutely perfect. The advancing raiders were
+passing over the enemy front when a furious bombardment suddenly burst
+forth below.
+
+Jack could see the spiteful flashes of the numerous guns, and while the
+sound of the discharges came but faintly to his ears, to his
+consternation, all around them, as well as above and below, came sharp
+crackling noises, accompanied by bursts of dazzling light.
+
+They were actually in the midst of a storm of bursting projectiles and in
+immediate peril of having some damage done to their swift-flying planes
+such as would spell ruin to the enterprise, perhaps bring instant death
+to some of the fliers!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+STRIKING A BLOW FOR LIBERTY
+
+
+"Climb, Tom! Climb in a hurry!"
+
+Jack Parmly shrilled these words close to the ear of his chum. Really,
+there was no need of his saying a single word, since the pilot had sensed
+their immediate danger just as quickly as had Jack himself. Already Tom
+was pulling the lever that would point the nose of their aerial craft
+upward toward the stars, and take them to a much loftier elevation.
+
+The experience was very exciting while it lasted, Jack thought. He saw
+the numerous planes, forming the raiding squadron break formation in
+great haste, each pilot being eager to dodge the bursting shells and seek
+an elevation where they could not reach his flimsy craft.
+
+It would take only one accidental shrapnel shell to cause the destruction
+of the best machine among them, and thus reduce the number of available
+airmen serving the cause of liberty.
+
+For a brief interval the explosions continued to sound all around them.
+But presently Jack was enabled to breathe easily again. They had climbed
+beyond the range of the German guns, no matter how heavily charged; and,
+besides this, they sped along rapidly, so that the Hun lines were soon
+left behind.
+
+"Trouble's past. Admiral signaling keep on this level, Tom!" called out
+the observer.
+
+"Got you, Jack!" came the answer, heard above the rushing noises that
+"made the welkin ring," as Jack told himself.
+
+The firing ceased as the German gunners realized, to their chagrin
+doubtless, that again their intended prey had eluded them. They must have
+set those anti-aircraft quick-firers of theirs in fresh elevated
+emplacements after the Yankees had taken the measure of their power to do
+harm; but the trap, if such it was intended to be, had failed to catch a
+single victim.
+
+"Did they get any of our crowd?" Tom called out, feeling considerable
+uneasiness as to the result of the bombardment.
+
+"Never touched us," he was immediately assured by the observant Jack.
+"All the same it was a smart trick, and somebody's bound to be hauled
+over the coals on account of the blunder."
+
+"Yes," admitted Tom, speaking loud so as to be heard above the roar of
+the numerous planes around them, "because it might have played hob with
+the squadron, and even ruined the success of the whole expedition."
+
+After that they relapsed into silence. It was exceedingly difficult to
+try to keep up any sort of conversation while going at such a furious
+pace through the upper air currents. Besides, the night was cold at such
+an elevation, and consequently both boys had their heads well muffled
+up, making use of hoods with goggles for the purpose. They also wore
+gloves on their hands, as well as heavy sweaters under their
+leather-lined coats.
+
+The formation, in a way, reminded Jack of many a flock of wild geese that
+he had seen flying north or south over Virginia in their spring and
+autumn migrations. In the lead went the battleplane containing the
+squadron commander, forming the apex of the triangle, and showing a fiery
+red eye in the shape of an automobile rear light as a rallying point for
+all the other machines.
+
+Then the seven other battleplanes sank away from the apex, three on one
+side and four on the other, that of the Air Service Boys being the one to
+the rear of all the rest.
+
+Flying two and two abreast, and guarded on both sides by those sturdy
+fighting craft came the four huge bombers, each heavily laden with the
+most destructive of explosives. They, too, could show teeth if cornered
+and compelled to depend on their own defensive powers; for each of them
+carried a machine gun, of which the observer had been trained to make
+good use, just as he must know how to drop his bombs successfully when
+the proper instant arrived.
+
+All seemed quiet just at present, but none of those guiding the aerial
+racing craft deceived themselves with the belief that this could last
+long. It went without saying that the Huns must realize the necessity for
+guarding the important bridge across which their beaten armies were
+flocking day and night in constantly increasing numbers. Unless the guns
+could be taken across in safety, they stood to lose many of their best
+batteries.
+
+Consequently they would be apt to assemble a flotilla of fighting planes
+in that vicinity, ready to soar aloft and give furious battle to any
+Allied squadron venturesome enough to make the attempt at destruction.
+
+If the blowing up of the bridge could only be accomplished, the sacrifice
+of a few planes with their crews might be counted a cheap price to pay
+for the great benefits reaped.
+
+The minutes passed, and all the while the raiders were drawing nearer and
+nearer their intended goal. Every pilot and observer in that squadron had
+been carefully selected with a view to his fitness for the gigantic task
+that had been laid out for accomplishment.
+
+There would be no hesitation when the eventful moment came, since none
+was present save those who had been tried in the furnace of battle and
+found to be fine gold, eighteen carat pure. Such a thing as flinching
+when the test came was not to be considered; they would carry through
+their appointed tasks or fall while in the endeavor, paying the price the
+airman has ever had dangled before his eyes.
+
+Jack was using his night-glass, and he now broke out with a cry.
+
+"We must be getting close to the bridge, Tom! I can see flickering
+lights darting about, and I believe they must be planes rushing up
+into the air!"
+
+"Like as not they've been warned of our coming by the row we're making,"
+replied the pilot, in a shout. "Then again those Huns along the line
+would send word back, for they must know what we're aiming at. It's all
+the same to us. We came out after action, and we'd be terribly
+disappointed if we didn't get a lot of it."
+
+Then came signals from the leading plane. Closer formation was the rule
+from that time forward, since the bombers must be amply protected in
+order to allow their gunners an opportunity to get to work with those
+frightful explosives and hurl them at the place where the bridge was
+supposed to lie.
+
+Both boys began to feel their pulses thrill with eagerness, as well as
+excitement. Looking down, Jack could detect moving lights, the source of
+which he could only speculate upon. Then came a flash which must mark the
+discharge of the first anti-aircraft gun. The enemy was showing exceeding
+nervousness, for as yet the leading American plane could not be anywhere
+within range.
+
+With the burst of shrapnel there came a realization that the gunners
+below were only trying to get their range. The whole pack would break
+loose in another minute or less; but Jack had reason to believe their
+altitude was such as to render the fusillade harmless.
+
+Then down below he saw a sudden brilliant flash. That must mark the
+falling of a flaming bomb, dropped from one of the big planes in order to
+get a lead on their location. Jack believed he had even glimpsed the
+bridge itself in that brief interval. How the prospect thrilled him!
+
+Tom, on his part, had little opportunity to observe anything that was
+taking place earthward. His duty lay closer at hand, for he knew that a
+swarm of fighting Gothas had started up to engage the attacking squadron,
+and realized that one or more of these hostile aircraft might suddenly
+appear close at hand, bent on bringing about their destruction.
+
+Besides, constant vigilance was the price of safety in other particulars.
+With almost a dozen of their own planes speeding through space, a false
+move on the part of a careless pilot was apt to bring about a collision
+that could have only one result.
+
+Jack made a discovery just then that caused him to cry out.
+
+"The signal, Tom! We are to drop down and give the bombers a better
+chance to get there. No matter what the cost, we've got to reach that
+bridge to-night!"
+
+Already Tom was changing the course. They had begun to swing lower, each
+unit of the attacking squadron in its appointed place. A brief interval
+followed, and then came the bursting shrapnel again around them, while
+from several quarters close by hovering German planes commenced using
+their machine guns, to be answered by the challengers in like manner.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE BATTLE IN THE AIR
+
+
+The din soon became general, one after another of the American planes
+joining in the battle. The German aircraft held off a little, fighting
+from afar, evidently thinking to accomplish their ends without taking too
+much risk. Had they boldly assaulted, doubtless the result would have
+been much more disastrous to both sides.
+
+The big bombers had but one object in view, which was to bomb the
+important target below. To drop an explosive on a certain spot had been
+the most important training of those aboard these craft. They had been
+carefully selected from the ranks of the many observers taking service
+in the aviation branch of the service; and great things were expected
+of them now.
+
+The Huns had concentrated the glare of numerous searchlights on the hub
+of the squadron's activities, so that the speeding planes could be seen
+darting hither and thither like bats during an August evening, darting
+around some arc-light in the street.
+
+The flash of the distant guns aboard the planes looked like faint
+fire-flies in action. No longer was the earth wrapped in darkness, for
+flares dropped by the bombers kept continually on fire. The bridge stood
+plainly out, and a keen eye, even without the aid of glasses, could
+distinguish the rush of terrorized German troopers trying to get clear of
+the danger zone before a well directed bomb struck home.
+
+Jack, leaning from his seat, took all this in. He was keyed to the
+top-notch by what he saw and heard. Tame indeed did most other incidents
+of the past appear when compared with this most stupendous event.
+
+"Wow!" burst from his lips, as a sudden brilliant flash below told that
+the first huge bomb had struck; but with all that racket going on around
+of course no ordinary human voice could have been heard.
+
+He could see that it had not been a successful attempt, for the bomb
+struck the ground at some little distance away from the terminus of the
+structure spanning the river. However, it did considerable damage where
+it fell, and created no end of alarm among those who were near by.
+
+As yet the Air Service Boys had not been engaged with any of the hostile
+planes, though most of the other Yankee pilots seemed to be having their
+hands full in meeting and repelling fierce attacks.
+
+Both kept in readiness for work should their turn come, Tom manipulating
+the plane, and Jack working the rapid-fire gun which he had learned to
+handle so cleverly.
+
+Strangely enough, Jack, as he looked, was reminded of a vast circus which
+he had once attended, and where tumblers, athletes, and trained animals
+were all performing in three rings at the same time. He had found it
+utterly impossible to watch everything that went on, and remembered
+complaining lustily afterwards in consequence.
+
+Now there were some eleven rings in all, besides what was taking place
+thousands of feet below, where the bombs had started to burst, tearing
+great gaps in the ground close to the bridge, and causing the water
+itself to gush upward like spouting geysers.
+
+Lower still dropped the venturesome pilots guiding the destinies of the
+four huge bombers. What chances they were taking, bent only on succeeding
+in the important task to which they had been assigned!
+
+Jack knew he would never forget that dreadful crisis, no matter if he
+were allowed to live to the age of Methuselah; such an impression did it
+make upon his mind.
+
+But their turn came at length, for in the dim light two big Gothas were
+discovered swinging in toward them as though bent on bringing about the
+destruction of the Yankee battleplane.
+
+Jack forgot about what was taking place below, since all of his
+energies must now be directed toward beating off this double attack.
+It had come to the point of self-preservation. The Hun airmen were
+playing a prearranged game of hunting in couples. While one made a
+feint at attacking, the other expected to take advantage of an
+exposure and inflict a fatal blow that would send the American
+aeroplane whirling to death.
+
+Jack saw when the nearest plane opened fire. The spitting flame told him
+this, for it darted out like the fiery tongue of a serpent. He also
+realized that the bullets were cutting through space all around them; and
+a splinter striking his arm announced the fuselage of the plane had
+already been struck, showing the gunner had their range.
+
+Then Jack began work on his own account, not meaning to let the fight
+become one-sided. His duty was to pepper any of the enemy craft that came
+within range, regardless of consequences. To Tom must be left the entire
+running of the plane motor, as well as the maneuvering that would form a
+part of the affray.
+
+Heedless of what was taking place around them, the two chums devoted
+their attention to the task of baffling the designs of their two foes.
+Wonderfully well did Tom manage his aerial steed. They swung this way
+and that, dipped, rose, and cut corners in a dizzying fashion in the
+endeavor to confuse the aim of the Hun marksmen.
+
+Once Jack experienced a sudden sinking in the region of his heart. There
+was a strange movement to the plane that made him fear the motor had been
+struck. He also missed the cheery hum at the same time, and felt a
+sickening sensation of falling.
+
+But immediately he realized that Tom was only executing his pet drop, the
+nose-dive. One of the Huns followed them down, just as a hawk-might
+pursue its prey. When the American plane came out of the dive at the new
+level Jack saw that the Hun was closer than ever, and once again starting
+to bombard them.
+
+At least they now had only a single adversary to deal with, which could
+be reckoned a point gained. Most of the fighting was going on above them,
+but Jack believed the bombers must be somewhere near by, possibly at a
+still lower level.
+
+Again the maneuvering, or jockeying, for position commenced. In this air
+duel the pilot who knew his business best was going to come out ahead. It
+might be they were opposed by some celebrated German ace with a long list
+of victories to his credit, which would render their chances smaller.
+
+Tom, however, seemed to be keeping up his end wonderfully well. The
+hissing missiles cut through the canvas of their wings, beat upon the
+side of the fuselage, and even nipped the Air Service Boys more than once
+as they stormed past. Neither of the boys knew whether they were
+seriously wounded or not; all they could do was to fight on and on, until
+something definite had been achieved on one side or the other.
+
+Once Jack felt something blinding him, and putting up a hand discovered
+that it was wet; yet he was not conscious of having been struck in the
+head by a passing bullet. Dashing his sleeve across his eyes he shut his
+jaws still tighter together, and continued to play his gun as the
+opportunity arose.
+
+They were coming to closer quarters, and the issue of the battle, however
+dreadful the result, could not be much longer delayed, Jack knew.
+
+Then it happened, coming like a flash of lightning from the storm cloud!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+BOMBING THE BRIDGE
+
+
+"Tom, we've done it!" Jack shrieked, when he saw the enemy Gotha plane
+take a sudden significant dip and flutter downward like a stricken bird.
+
+Evidently a shot more fortunate than any that had preceded it had
+struck a vital part of the rival craft, putting the motor suddenly out
+of repair.
+
+When he felt his plane begin to crumple up under him the Hun pilot had
+commenced to strive frantically to recover control. Jack, horror-stricken
+by what was happening, leaned over and watched his struggle, which he
+knew was well nigh hopeless from the beginning.
+
+Still the German ace made a valiant effort to avoid his fate. He could be
+seen working madly to keep from overturning, but apparently his hour had
+struck, for the last Jack saw of the beaten Gotha it was turning
+topsy-turvy, falling like a shooting star attracted to the earth by the
+law of gravitation.
+
+That affair being over, Jack, breathing hard, now allowed himself to pay
+some attention to what was going on in other quarters. At the same time
+he proceeded to introduce a fresh belt of cartridges into the hungry maw
+of the machine gun, in case they were forced into another engagement.
+
+Above them the battle still raged, though of course Jack could not decide
+which side might be getting the better of it. His interest focused
+chiefly on the bombing machines, which he found were now far away, moving
+along in erratic courses as their pilots strove to get in exact position
+for a successful blowing up of the bridge.
+
+Jack could count only three of them. Unless the fourth had wandered far
+afield it looked as though disaster had overtaken its crew. No matter,
+even such a catastrophe must not deter those remaining from seeking by
+every means in their power to reach their objective.
+
+Even as he stared downward Jack saw another of those brilliant flashes
+that proclaimed the bursting of a bomb. He felt a sense of chagrin steal
+over him, because so far no explosive seemed to have succeeded in
+attaining the great end sought. The bridge still stood intact, if
+deserted, for he could catch glimpses of it when the smoke clouds were
+drifted aside by the night breeze.
+
+Fires were now burning in several quarters, started undoubtedly by some
+of the bombs that had missed their intended objective. These lighted up
+the scene and gave it a weird, almost terrifying aspect as witnessed from
+far above.
+
+All at once Jack saw some bulky object pass between their machine and the
+ground below. It must be the missing bomber, he concluded, though the
+realization of the fact made him thrill all over in admiration of the
+nerve of those who could accept such terrible chances.
+
+Yes, despairing of getting in a telling blow at such a height, the
+reckless crew of the big Yankee plane had actually dropped down
+until they could not be more than a thousand feet from the earth.
+And now they were speeding forward, meaning to test their skill at
+such close quarters.
+
+Not being able to make Tom hear his voice, Jack gave the other a tug, and
+so managed to call his attention to what was passing below. Just in time
+did Tom look, for at that very moment there came another of those amazing
+brilliant illuminations, and the dull roar greeted their ears a few
+seconds afterwards.
+
+They saw with staring eyes the air filled with the material that had once
+constituted the wonderful bridge, across which day and night the
+retreating Huns were taking their valuable guns and stores. A brief space
+of time did the scene bear the aspect of chaos, and then, when the smoke
+cleared sufficiently for them to see, they looked upon a void where the
+bridge had stood.
+
+Jack fell back appalled, yet quivering with deepest satisfaction.
+Their raid would be one of triumph, since the main object had now
+been achieved.
+
+Hardly had he allowed himself to exult after this fashion than Jack
+discovered that Tom seemed to be greatly agitated. So he once more looked
+down, filled with a sudden fear lest the gallant fighters in that
+adventurous bomber had paid dearly for their success.
+
+He immediately saw that his alarm was not groundless. The big Yankee
+plane must have been struck in some vital part, for it was rapidly
+sinking as though doomed. Jack's only consolation lay in the fact that
+the crew seemed to be in better luck than those of the stricken Gotha;
+for they managed to keep from turning turtle; and unless striking the
+ground with too great violence might yet come out of the affair alive,
+even though finding themselves prisoners of war.
+
+Tom was already striking for the upper levels. He saw that the other
+three bombers had also commenced to climb, since their mission was now
+carried out, and further risks would be only a needless hazard. Then,
+too, the crews of the battle Gothas, realizing that they had failed to
+save the bridge, concluded to withdraw from the combat, leaving the
+Americans to make their way back to their starting point, victorious and
+rejoicing.
+
+Yes, there was the signal flashing from the plane of the commander, which
+meant that the raiding squadron should assemble above the reach of the
+crackling shrapnel, and prepare in a body for the homeward journey.
+
+A sense of exultation, mingled with sincere thankfulness, gripped the
+hearts of the two Air Service Boys as they realized that the peril was
+now really a thing of the past. The homeward trip would be a mere
+bagatelle, for surely no Huns would venture to attack them while on the
+way. By exercising good judgment they ought also to keep above the reach
+of those elevated anti-aircraft guns along the front hills.
+
+Now Jack remembered the temporary blinding sensation. He found on
+investigating that he had been near a serious accident, since a passing
+bullet had grazed his head, cutting the skin and causing quite a copious
+flow of blood.
+
+"What's happened to you?" called out the alarmed Tom, on seeing that the
+other was binding his handkerchief about his head.
+
+"Another scratch, that's all," replied Jack, as though that were only a
+matter of course, to be expected when modern knights of the upper air
+currents sallied forth bent on adventure. "A miss is as good as a mile,
+you know, Tom. And I guess I have a hard head in the bargain. It's all
+right, nothing to worry over. Fortunately it didn't strike me in the
+face, and mar my beauty any."
+
+Jack could joke under almost any serious conditions; but Tom felt
+relieved to know the worst. They were at the time back again in their
+appointed place, tailing the procession.
+
+Counting again as best he could, Jack discovered that there were only
+seven of the battleplanes in the double line now. It looked very much as
+though the loss of the big bomber was not the only penalty they had paid
+for their daring raid. But no doubt the story would all be told after the
+flight was over and the various pilots and observers could get together
+to compare notes.
+
+Again were they subjected to a bombardment when they sailed over the
+German front lines; but this time, taking a lesson from their previous
+experience, they maintained such an altitude that no shrapnel was able to
+reach them.
+
+Shortly afterward, and one by one, the battered Yankee planes dropped on
+the open field where the hangars lay, like huge buzzards alighting to
+satisfy their hunger in an orgy.
+
+The first thing Tom did when he and Jack found themselves again on their
+feet and the waiting mechanics and hostlers looking after their plane,
+was to reach out and seize upon his chum's hand.
+
+"We've got good reason to congratulate ourselves on coming through that
+nasty business so well, Jack," he said earnestly. "If you look at our
+machine you'll see how near we came a dozen times to cashing in our
+checks. They knocked us up pretty well, for a fact."
+
+"I should say they did," admitted Jack, as he examined the various marks
+showing where the Hun bullets had punctured different parts of the wings,
+or struck the fuselage, narrowly missing both the motor and the partly
+protected petrol supply tank.
+
+They lingered around for a full hour, there was so much to talk about as
+they gathered in groups and compared experiences, as well as commented on
+the possible fate of their fellow aviators who had failed to return.
+
+In spite of the loss incurred, the achievement accomplished was of such a
+character as to fill them with pardonable pride. No member of that
+historical night raid, whereby the retreat of the Germans was so badly
+handicapped by the loss of the big bridge, would ever have cause to blush
+for his part in the bold undertaking.
+
+Finally the two chums, finding themselves exhausted and in need of
+sleep, broke away from the chattering throng and sought their bunks in
+the former Hun dugout. All was now silence around them, the enemy
+batteries having ceased sending over even occasional shells; and they
+were able to enjoy a few hours of rest undisturbed by having the roof of
+their shelter damaged by a chance explosion.
+
+On the following morning the advance was resumed, the same tactics being
+employed that had met with such success all through the Argonne. Wherever
+they discovered that machine-gun nests had been placed these were
+"mopped-up" by surrounding them, and then attacking from the rear, while
+the attention of the defenders of the stone house, or it might be a
+windmill foundation, was gripped by a pretense at frontal assault.
+
+Those who had participated in the air raid on the bridge were given a day
+off, so as to recuperate. They felt that they deserved it, for the
+destruction of that bridge was apt to be a serious stumbling-block in the
+path of the retreating Huns, one that might cost them dearly in the way
+of prisoners and lost artillery.
+
+Jack utilized this opportunity by striving to learn important facts in
+connection with the matter that was weighing so heavily on his mind. He
+absented himself from the dugout which the air pilots continued to
+occupy and which they disliked giving up until assured of some other
+half-way decent billet in a village that might be abandoned by Fritz when
+falling back.
+
+Of course Jack had to have his slight wounds attended to, and in order to
+make sure that he had not neglected this before going off, Tom, during
+the morning, found it absolutely necessary to wander over to the field
+hospital, where of course he looked up Nellie.
+
+Really it took almost a full hour for him to make all the inquiries he
+considered essential; and he might have consumed a still longer time
+but that there was a call for the nurse's services, and she had to
+excuse herself.
+
+"Never mind," said Tom grimly to himself, as he made his way back to the
+old dugout, "it was well worth the walk. And Nellie is looking fine, for
+a fact. They call her the most popular nurse at the front, and I've heard
+fellows in plenty say that if ever they got knocked out by Hun bullets
+they'd want nothing better than to have her take care of them."
+
+He did not find Jack anywhere around when he got back, nor had those he
+asked seen anything of him since early morning. Of course Tom knew what
+it was that engaged the attention of his comrade, and he only hoped Jack
+might not meet with any bad luck in his endeavor to learn something of
+the movements of his cousin, Randolph Carringford.
+
+Then came the afternoon. From indications Tom fancied that would be their
+last night in the old dugout. The Huns were still falling back, and word
+had been going around that by another day the Yankees would undoubtedly
+occupy the village that lay just beyond the hills where the bursting
+shrapnel had ascended on the occasion of the passage of the air squadron.
+
+It was about four o'clock when Tom sighted his chum. Jack's face was
+gloomy, and he lacked his customary sprightliness of walk.
+
+As he came up he tried to smile, but it was a rank failure.
+
+"Well," he said disconsolately, "the very worst has happened, Tom.
+I've managed to get word after trying for hours, and have learned that
+my cousin sailed yesterday from Havre. He's beat me to it, and I've
+lost out!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+CONVINCING PROOF
+
+
+"Are you sure about that?" asked Tom, though at the same time realizing
+that Jack was not the one to give in easily, and must have used every
+avenue for gaining information before reaching this condition of
+certainty.
+
+"There's not the slightest reason to doubt it, I tell you, Tom," Jack
+replied slowly, shaking his head at the same time to emphasize his
+sorrowful feelings in the matter. "I asked particularly, and the word
+came that a passenger named Randolph Carringford had sailed yesterday on
+the _La Bretagne_ for New York."
+
+"Then that point seems settled," admitted Tom, though disliking to
+acknowledge the fact. "Still, something might happen to prevent his
+reaching New York City, or Virginia."
+
+"What could stop him, since I'm utterly powerless to do anything?" asked
+Jack, still unconvinced.
+
+"Well," continued the would-be comforter, "vessels have started out
+before this and never arrived at their destination. Take the _Lusitania_
+for instance. More than ever are the Hun submersibles on the job these
+critical days, for their commanders know they've almost got to their
+last gasp."
+
+"No such luck for me, I'm afraid, Tom," sighed the other, quickly
+adding: "And for that matter I wouldn't want to profit at the expense of
+the lives of others. So I hope the French boat gets safely past the
+closed zone, no matter what it costs me personally. But it galls me to
+feel how helpless I am. If my hands were tied this minute I couldn't be
+worse off."
+
+"Are you sure cabling would do no good, if we could manage to send an
+urgent message?"
+
+"Nothing will do except my presence there in person before Randolph can
+present himself, thanks to our uncle's foolish will that puts a premium
+on rascality. Yes, it's a bitter pill I have to swallow. I'd do anything
+under the sun if only I could hope to beat that scheming cousin out! But
+it's useless; so I'll just have to grin and bear it."
+
+"I wish I had any suggestion to offer," remarked Tom; "but to tell the
+truth I don't see what you can do but wait and see what happens. We've
+got our applications for leave in, and some influential friends pulling
+wires to help us through. Something may turn up at the last minute."
+
+"It's mighty fine of you to say that, though I know you're only trying to
+keep me from discouragement."
+
+"See who's coming, will you?" suddenly ejaculated Tom.
+
+Even before he looked the other could give a shrewd guess as to the
+identity of the person approaching, for Tom seemed unduly pleased.
+
+"It's Nellie, as sure as anything," muttered Jack. "I wonder what's
+brought her over here. You don't imagine anything could have happened to
+Bessie or Mrs. Gleason--the Huns haven't been trying to bomb any 'Y' huts
+or hospitals lately, have they, Tom?"
+
+"Not that I've heard," came the ready answer. "And besides, I had the
+pleasure of chatting with Nellie for a whole hour this morning. You see
+I got a bit anxious about you; was afraid you'd neglected to step over
+and get those cuts attended to as you'd promised; so to make sure I
+wandered across."
+
+"Of course you did!" jeered Jack. "And if that excuse hadn't held water
+there were plenty more shots in the locker! But never mind; here's Nellie
+hurrying toward us. Doesn't she look rather serious, Tom?"
+
+"We'll soon know what's in the wind," was the answer, as the pretty Red
+Cross nurse hastened to join the two boys.
+
+"You didn't expect to see me again so soon, I imagine, Tom," she said as
+she came up, trying to catch her breath at the same time, for she had
+evidently hurried.
+
+"No, I must say I didn't dream I'd have that pleasure, Nellie," replied
+the air pilot, as he took her hand in his and squeezed it. "But something
+unusual must have brought you all the way over here, I imagine."
+
+"Well, it was, Tom," she told him.
+
+"It isn't safe either," continued Tom, "for you to be abroad. The Huns
+are likely to begin long range shelling any minute, and the road's a
+favorite target for their gunners; they've got it's range down fine."
+
+"It isn't about Bessie, I hope?" ventured Jack, still more or less
+apprehensive.
+
+Nellie looked at him and slightly smiled, for she knew Jack was
+exceedingly fond of the young girl.
+
+"Bessie is perfectly well," she assured him; "and when I passed the Y hut
+she and her mother were helping some of the Salvation Army girls make a
+fresh heap of doughnuts. But my coming does concern you, Jack."
+
+"Please explain what you mean by that?" he begged her, while his face
+lighted up with interest, showing that for the moment his troubles,
+lately bearing so heavily upon him, were forgotten.
+
+"I will, and in as few words as possible," she answered, "for my time is
+limited. I left several cases to be cared for by a nurse who has not had
+as thorough a training as she might have had, and the responsibility lies
+with me. But I can give you five minutes before I start back again."
+
+Needless to say Nellie by this time had both boys fairly agog with
+curiosity, for neither of them could give the slightest guess as to the
+nature of the news she was bringing.
+
+"You see, they were bringing in a lot of fresh cases," she explained,
+"for there has been some furious fighting going on this morning, as our
+boys drove in to chase the Huns out of the village. Among the number of
+wounded, one man among others fell into my care. His name is Bertrand
+Hale, and I think both of you know him."
+
+Tom and Jack exchanged looks.
+
+"We have met him many times," said the former; "but I can't say that he
+has ever been a friend of ours. He's rather a wild harum-scarum sort of
+chap--I imagine his own worst enemy, for he drinks heavily when he can
+get it, and spends much of the time in the guard-house. Still, they say
+he's a fighter, every inch of him, and has done some things worth
+mentioning."
+
+"I imagine you describe him exactly, Tom," Nellie told him. "Very well,
+this time he's in a pretty bad way, for he has a number of serious
+injuries, and, besides has lost his left arm, though it's possible he may
+pull through if his constitution hasn't been weakened too much through
+dissipation."
+
+"But what about Bertrand Hale, Nellie? Did he tell you anything that
+would be of interest to us?" asked Tom.
+
+"I can see that you're beginning to suspect already, Tom," she continued.
+"For that is exactly what happened. He kept following me with his eyes as
+I moved around doing my work, after taking care of him. Then he beckoned
+to me, and asked whether I wasn't a particular friend of Jack Parmly and
+Tom Raymond.
+
+"Of course I assured him it was so, and with that he looked so very eager
+that I knew he had a secret to tell me. This is the gist of what he said,
+boys. Just four days ago he was approached by a man he didn't know, who
+managed to get some strong drink into his hands, and after Hale had
+indulged more than he ought made a brazen proposition to him.
+
+"It was to the effect that he was willing to pay a certain sum to have
+you boys injured so that you would be laid up in the hospital for weeks.
+He had gained the promise first of all that Bertrand would never say a
+word about what he meant to tell him.
+
+"Although he admitted that his mind was hardly clear at the time, still
+Bertrand assured me he had repelled the offer with indignation, and even
+threatened to beat up his tempter unless he took himself off. The man
+hurried away, and then in the excitement of the order for his battalion
+to go over the top, Bertrand Hale forgot all about it.
+
+"From that time on it was nothing but fighting and sleeping for him, so
+he had no time even to think of warning you. Then he got into the mess
+this morning that finished him. With that arm gone he's done with
+fighting, he knows, even if he pulls through.
+
+"It was the sight of me that made him remember, for he said he surely had
+seen me with one of you boys several times. And so he confessed, begging
+me to get word to you, so that if the unknown schemer did find a tool to
+carry out his evil plots you would be on your guard.
+
+"I could not wait after hearing that, but came as fast as I could,
+fearing you might have set out again and that something would go wrong
+with your plane. That is the story simply told, Tom. Can you guess why
+any one should wish to do either of you such a wrong as that?"
+
+"What you tell us, Nellie," said Tom soberly, "clears up one mystery
+we've been puzzling over."
+
+Then he rapidly sketched what they had discovered on the preceding night,
+when they had arrived at the hangar prepared to go forth with the
+raiders, only to learn that some unknown person had been meddling with
+their plane.
+
+"So it looks as if Bertrand's refusal to play the dirty game didn't
+prevent that man from finding some one who was willing to sell his soul
+for money," was the way Tom wound up his short story.
+
+Nellie was appalled. Her pretty face took on an expression of deepest
+anxiety, showing how much she cared should ill-fortune attend these good
+friends of hers.
+
+"How can such wickedness exist when war had made so many heroes among
+our boys?" she mourned. "But you must be doubly on your guard, both of
+you. Tell me, can you guess why this unknown person should want to
+injure you?"
+
+"Simply to keep me from setting out for America," said Jack bitterly.
+"Let me describe my cousin Randolph to you, Nellie; and then tell me if
+what Bertrand said about the unknown man would correspond to his looks."
+
+After she had heard his accurate description Nellie nodded her head.
+
+"He saw very little of his face, so he said. Bertrand only said the
+other was a man of medium build, with a soft voice that made him think of
+silk and then too he had a trick of making gestures with his left hand,
+just as you've said your cousin does. Yes, something tells me your guess
+is close to the mark; but he must be a very wicked man to attempt such a
+dreadful thing."
+
+"Worse than I ever thought," admitted Jack grimly. "But after all nothing
+came of his lovely scheme; nor did it matter, since he's given me the
+slip, and is right now almost a third of the way across the sea. I'm like
+a race-horse left at the post."
+
+"Whatever you do, Jack, don't lose the fine courage that has been your
+mainstay through other troubles," Nellie said, as she laid a hand on his
+arm and looked steadfastly into the young air-pilot's face.
+
+"Thank you, Nellie, for your confidence in me," he continued, showing
+some of his old spirit again. "I ought to be ashamed to give in so
+easily. Yes, Tom and I have been in plenty of bad scrapes, and pulled
+out just because we set our teeth and refused to admit we were down and
+out. So I'm going to try the same dodge in this case, and not acknowledge
+defeat until the ninth inning is through, and the last man down."
+
+"Good-bye, both of you, and remember, no matter what comes some of us are
+always thinking of you and praying for your safety."
+
+With these words, long remembered by both boys, Nellie gave each of them
+her hand, and hurried away before they could see how her eyes dimmed with
+the gathering mists.
+
+"A brave girl," said Tom, with considerable vigor, as he tenderly watched
+her retreating figure and waved his hand when he saw her turn to blow a
+farewell kiss in their direction.
+
+"Yes," said Jack, heaving a sigh. "She and Bessie seem to be our good
+angels in this bad mess of war, Tom. I feel better after hearing her
+words of encouragement; but all the same I'm still groping in the dark.
+How am I going to beat Randolph across the Atlantic? For once I wish I
+had wings, and might fly across the sea like a bird. How quickly I'd make
+the start."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+GROPING FOR LIGHT
+
+
+Tom realized that for once his chum was completely broken up, and hardly
+knew which way to turn for help. This told him that if anything were done
+to relieve the desperate situation it would have to originate with him.
+
+"Stick to your programme, Jack, and don't give up the ship. Until you
+know that Randolph has reached the other side, and entered into
+possession of the property, there's still some hope left."
+
+"Yes, a fighting chance. And I must hang to it like a leech," admitted
+the other, trying to smile, but making a sorry mess of it.
+
+"How do we know what the good fairy may do for you, so as to outwit
+the villain of the piece?" continued Tom. "While it isn't a pleasant
+thing to speak of, still some marauding undersea boat may lie in wait
+for his ship, and in the sinking who can tell what fate may overtake
+your cousin?"
+
+"It would only serve him right if he did go down like others, a thousand
+times nobler than Randolph, have done before now," grumbled Jack; and
+somehow the vague possibility excited him, for his eyes began to sparkle
+and take on a look that told Tom he was seeing the whole thing before his
+mental vision.
+
+For a purpose Tom chose to encourage this supposition; it would have the
+effect of building up Jack's sinking hopes, and just then that was the
+main thing. So Tom proceeded to picture the scene, having plenty of
+material from which to draw, for he had read the details of more than one
+submarine sinking.
+
+"It must be a terrible sensation to any passenger, no matter how brave
+he may think himself," he went on to say, "when he feels the shock as
+a torpedo explodes against the hull of the steamer and knows that in a
+short time she is doomed to be swallowed by the sea. And you told me
+once yourself, Jack, that this scheming cousin of yours couldn't swim
+a stroke."
+
+"Worse even than that!" declared Jack, with a sneer on his face to
+express his contempt, "he's a regular coward about the water. And if they
+do have the hard luck to run up against a Hun torpedo, Randolph will be
+frightened half to death."
+
+"Queer," commented Tom, "how most of these schemers prove to have a
+yellow streak in their make-up, when the test really comes. Just picture
+him running screaming up and down the deck, and being kicked out of the
+way by every officer of the vessel when he implores them to save him."
+
+"I can see it all as plain as day!" cried Jack excitedly. "And if I know
+human nature the chances are those sailors would think of the coward
+last of all."
+
+"Yes, they'd leave him to the sinking ship if there was no room in the
+boats, you can depend on that, Jack. And now set your teeth as you
+usually do, and tell me again that you're not going to own up beaten
+until the umpire says the game is over."
+
+"I do promise you, Tom," came the immediate response, showing that Jack
+was getting a fresh grip on his sinking courage and hopes. "But all the
+same, I keep on groping, and I'd like to see the light."
+
+"For a change of subject," Tom observed, "shall we tell Lieutenant
+Beverly about your troubles? I've just glimpsed him coming this way."
+
+"No reason why we shouldn't," agreed Jack. "He's a good friend of mine
+and three heads might be better than two in cracking this hard nut I'm up
+against. But he looks as if he might be bringing us news. Ten to one
+he's going to say the way is cleared for us to take that long trip with
+him to Berlin and back in his big Martin bomber."
+
+"Too bad to disappoint him," remarked Tom. "But of course that's out of
+the question now."
+
+"I'd have been glad of the chance to go, only for this sudden
+complication in my own affairs," Jack sighed. "But why couldn't you take
+the spin in his company, Tom? It's a pity to break up his plans."
+
+"And desert my chum when he's in trouble? I'd never forgive myself for
+doing such a thing. The lieutenant will have to find some other pals for
+his record making Berlin and back flight."
+
+Jack thought he detected a vein of regret in his comrade's voice, and he
+quickly flashed:
+
+"You're disappointed, of course, Tom; you've been counting on that trip
+all the while, because its daring and dash appealed to you, just as they
+did to me."
+
+"Forget it, please," urged Tom sturdily. "It was only a dream, and, after
+all, perhaps it couldn't be carried out. For all we know it may be the
+best thing in the world for us that we're prevented from starting; for
+such a long flight is a great risk, and might end our careers."
+
+"Well, here's the lieutenant," said Jack, turning to greet the newcomer,
+and striving to look natural, though it cost him a great effort.
+
+"I've hurried here as fast as I could!" exclaimed Beverly, his eyes
+sparkling with pleasure. "I wanted to bring the good news before you
+received it officially."
+
+"What's that?" demanded Jack, turning a puzzled look toward his chum.
+
+"Why, when they notified me I could have three weeks' leave of absence
+from duty, with no question concerning my movements during the interim, I
+chanced to learn that your request had also been granted. Both of you
+will be free, don't you understand? and the big game is now open to us."
+
+"Well, that's certainly good news you've brought us, Lieutenant Beverly,"
+said Tom, accepting the other's extended hand which was offered in
+congratulation. "I suppose you're counting now on getting that long
+flight off your mind? I regret to tell you I fear it's hull down in the
+distance for the two of us!"
+
+"What! You haven't flunked, Tom? I'd never believe either of you could go
+back on me like that," cried the other, looking sorely distressed and
+bitterly disappointed.
+
+"Circumstances over which we have no control," continued Tom, while
+Jack hung his head and looked gloomy, "have arisen to knock our
+plans galley-west. Much as we'd be pleased to make the game, we
+simply can't do it."
+
+"But the bomber is all ready and waiting!" gasped Lieutenant Beverly.
+"And we're having a vacation extended to us, with no red tape or strings
+tied to the conditions! Why, the track is cleared for the biggest flight
+on record, and now you tell me you'll have to drop out. See here, what's
+this mean? There's something queer about it all, I know."
+
+"Just what there is, Lieutenant," remarked Jack, looking him squarely in
+the eye, "and it's only right you should know the reason. Tom might go
+along with you, but he absolutely refuses to leave me alone to fight
+against the slickest scoundrel living. Now listen, and I'll sketch the
+whole story for you."
+
+This he proceeded to do rapidly, omitting nothing that seemed of moment.
+When the meddler's secret work in tampering with their plane before they
+went up on the night raid was mentioned, the flight lieutenant's eyes
+flashed with indignation. Being a pilot himself he could appreciate such
+rank treachery better than any layman could.
+
+"That's how the land lies," said Jack in conclusion. "And you understand
+now just why we must disappoint you, and make you look elsewhere for two
+companions on your trip to Berlin to frighten the Huns. It breaks my
+heart to decline, but this other matter must take my whole attention."
+
+"You don't blame Jack, do you?" asked Tom.
+
+"I should say not!" came the ready answer, accompanied by a keen look,
+first at Jack and then at the other, as a dazzling idea suddenly flashed
+into Beverly's mind. "Business before pleasure, every time with me; and
+it's only right you should devote every atom of your mind and body to
+beating that skunk to the post."
+
+"We've settled on that policy all right," said Jack. "The only trouble is
+we haven't so far found a remedy to overcome his long lead; for he's got
+almost two days' run head of me, you understand."
+
+Tom saw the lieutenant smile broadly and draw a long breath. Then
+something seemed to grip his heart as he heard Beverly say:
+
+"Hold on! I've got an inspiration, boys. Perhaps there may be a way open
+to beat him to it yet!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+THE AMAZING PLAN
+
+
+"Tell us what you mean, please?" begged the excited Jack.
+
+"Take things coolly, to begin with," warned the other; "because what I'm
+going to say will almost stun you at first, I suppose. But it's no new
+idea with me. Fact is, I'd planned it all out in my mind long ago; had it
+more than half arranged at the time I ordered that monster Martin bomber
+built at my own expense and shipped over to France."
+
+"Yes," muttered Jack, while he kept his eyes glued hungrily on the
+flushed face of the other.
+
+Tom said nothing, but looked as though he already half guessed what was
+coming, if the eager and expectant gleam in his eyes signified anything.
+
+"I explained to you," the lieutenant continued steadily, "that the big
+bomber was equipped for a trip to Berlin and back; and went so far as to
+say the flight could be _repeated without making a landing_, if there
+was any need of such a thing. All right, then; in a pinch, properly
+loaded with plenty of gasoline and stores, that machine would be able to
+take three fellows like you two and myself all the way across the
+Atlantic, and land us on American soil! Get that, do you, Jack?"
+
+No one said a word for half a minute. The proposition was so astounding
+that it might well have appalled the stoutest heart. At that time no one
+had attempted to cross the Atlantic in a heavier-than-air plane, a feat
+later on successfully accomplished. Nobody had piloted the way in a
+Yankee-made seaplane; nor had any one navigated the air passage in a
+monster dirigible. The three thousand miles of atmosphere lying between
+Europe and America still stood an uncharted sea of vapor, where every
+imaginable evil might lie in wait for the modern Columbus of aerial
+navigation.
+
+Then Jack drew a long breath. The lieutenant was watching the play of
+emotion across his face, and he knew the seed had been sown in good
+ground, where it was bound to take root. Jack's extremity would be his,
+Lieutenant Beverly's, opportunity. So he returned to the attack, meaning
+to "strike while the iron was hot."
+
+"It staggers you at first, of course, Jack," he said, in his confident,
+convincing way. "But why should it? The danger is great, but nothing
+more than we're up against every day we set out for the clouds to give
+battle to a tricky Hun ace, who may send us down to our death. And I
+assure you we'd have at least a fighting chance to get across. What do
+you say, Jack?"
+
+For answer the other whirled on his chum. His face was lighted up with
+that sudden and unexpected renewal of hope, just when it had seemed as
+though he had fallen into the pit of despair.
+
+"Tom, would it be madness, do you think?" he cried, clutching the other
+by the arm, his fingers trembling, his eyes beseeching.
+
+"We'd have a fair chance of making it, just as Colin says," Tom slowly
+answered. "Much would of course depend on contrary winds; and there'd be
+fighting in the fog banks we'd surely strike. But Jack,--"
+
+"Yes, Tom?" gasped the other, hanging on his chum's words eagerly, as one
+might to the timbers of a slender bridge that offered a slim chance to
+reach a longed-for harbor.
+
+"If you decide to accept the venture I'm with you!" finished Tom.
+
+At that the eager flight lieutenant showed the utmost enthusiasm.
+
+"Call it settled then, Jack, so we can get busy working out the
+programme!" he begged, again insisting upon gripping a hand of each.
+
+Jack found himself carried along with the current. He could not well have
+resisted had he so desired, which was far from being the case. It seemed
+to him as though he were on a vessel which had drifted for hours in the
+baffling fog, and then all of a sudden the veil of mist parted, to show
+him the friendly shore beyond, just the haven for which he was bound.
+
+"It is, perhaps, a desperate attempt to make such a flight on short
+notice," Jack said. "But think! If we succeed! And think, too, of that
+schemer winning the prize! Yes, Tom, since you've already agreed to stand
+in with me, I say--_go_!"
+
+After that a fever seemed to burn in Jack's veins, due to the sudden
+revulsion of feeling from despair to hope. He asked many questions, and
+for an hour the three talked the matter over, looking at the
+possibilities from every conceivable angle.
+
+Tom was not so sanguine of success as either of his mates; but he kept
+his doubts to himself. As an ambitious airman he was thrilled by the
+vastness of the scheme. As Lieutenant Beverly had truly remarked, while
+it held chances of disaster, they were accepting just as many challenges
+to meet their death every day of their service as battleplane pilots.
+
+Then again it seemed to be the only hope offered to poor Jack; and Tom
+was bound to stick by his chum through thick and thin. So he fell in with
+the great scheme, and listened while the flight lieutenant touched upon
+every feature of the contemplated flight.
+
+Luckily it was no new idea with him, for he had spent much time and labor
+in figuring it all out to a fraction, barring hazards of which they could
+of course know nothing until they were met.
+
+"I've got all the charts necessary," he assured them, after they had
+about exhausted the subject, with Jack more enthusiastic than ever. "And
+while you boys are waiting to receive your official notifications, which
+ought surely to come to-morrow, since there was a hurry mark on them, I
+noticed, I'll rush over to the coast and see that additional supplies of
+fuel and food are put aboard."
+
+"Don't stint the gas, above everything," urged Jack. "We'd be in a pretty
+pickle to run out while still five hundred miles from shore. If it was
+only a big seaplane now, such as we hear they're building over in
+America, we might drop down on a smooth sea and wait to be picked up by
+some ship; but with a bomber, it would mean going under in a hurry."
+
+"Make your mind easy on that score, Jack," came the lieutenant's reply.
+"I'll figure to the limit, and then if the plane can carry another fifty
+gallons it'll go aboard in the reserve reservoir. I'm taking no chances
+that can be avoided. There'll be enough to bother us, most likely. And,
+for one, I'm not calculating on committing suicide. I hope to live to
+come back here aboard some ship, and see the finish of this big,
+exciting scrap."
+
+Tom liked to hear him talk in that serene way. It showed that Lieutenant
+Colin Beverly, while a daring aviator was not to be reckoned a reckless
+one; and there is a vast difference between the two. Tom was of very much
+the same temperament himself, as was proved in past stirring incidents in
+his career, known to all those who have followed the fortunes of the Air
+Service Boys in previous books of this series.
+
+"Is there anything else to confer about?" asked Tom. "Because I can see
+you're itching to get away, Colin."
+
+"Not a thing, as far as I know," came the reply. "If any fresh idea
+happens to strike me I'll have it on tap when you arrive. Are you sure
+you've got the directions how to get to Dunkirk, and then how to find my
+secret hangar on the coast beyond the town, Tom?"
+
+"We'll be ready to skip out just as soon as our official notice comes to
+hand," the other assured him.
+
+"That's the only thing bothering me just now," observed Jack. "Any delay
+there might ruin our plans at the last minute. As it is, we're not apt to
+have any too much time to beat the steamer to New York."
+
+"I expect you to show up to-morrow night, and then we can slip away
+unnoticed in the dark," said the lieutenant. "I've kept tabs on the
+weather conditions, as it's always been a fad with me; and I'm happy to
+say there seems to be no storm in prospect, while the winds are apt to be
+favorable, coming from the east, a rare thing these fall days. So-long,
+boys, and here's success to our jolly little flight!"
+
+After he had left them Jack turned on his comrade to say:
+
+"It seems to be our only chance, and not a long one at that; but I'm bent
+on trying it out. Anything to beat Randolph to the tape, Tom!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+GRIPPED IN SUSPENSE
+
+
+From that hour on Jack continued in a fever of suspense. His one thought
+was of the coming of the official notification connected with their
+hoped-for leave.
+
+Tom fancied that his chum did not get much sleep on the following night,
+the last both of them hoped they would have to spend in the dugout used
+as a billet back of the American front.
+
+So another day found them. Jack took special delight in casting up
+figures connected with the case. These he would show to his chum, and
+make various comments. Tom, realizing how the other was endeavoring to
+suck consolation from this proceeding, encouraged him in it.
+
+"By to-night," Jack said, more than once, "it will be three whole days
+since the steamer sailed from Havre. I've tried to find out how fast
+she is, and then figured that they'd have to slow down when passing
+through the barred zone. I reckon it will take her eight or nine days
+to get across."
+
+"Oh, all of that," Tom assured him; "and it might be as many as twelve.
+You see, the few passenger steamers still in use haven't been in dry dock
+for the longest time, and their hulls must be covered with barnacles,
+which cuts off considerable from their speed."
+
+Jack gave him a thankful look.
+
+"You're the best sort of jollier, Tom," he observed. "You know how to
+talk to a fellow who's quivering all over with eagerness and dread. What
+if something happens to hold up those notices until it's too late for
+even Colin's big bomber to catch up with the steamer?"
+
+"You're only borrowing trouble when you allow yourself to fear that," was
+the reply. "But all the same, I mean to do everything I can to get things
+hurried along. I'll see the general, and with your permission explain to
+him that there's great need of our getting word to-day."
+
+"But, surely, you wouldn't dare hint anything about the big trip we want
+to take, Tom?" asked Jack, looking alarmed.
+
+"I should say not!" came the immediate response. "If we did that, the
+general would consider it his duty to put his foot down on the mad scheme
+right away. Trust me to let him know we stand to lose out in something
+that concerns your whole future if the notifications are delayed beyond
+early this afternoon, and I'm sure he'll start the wires going to get
+them here."
+
+"What can I be doing in the meanwhile?"
+
+"You might see to making arrangements for crossing to the coast on the
+first train that goes out," answered Tom.
+
+"But that's going to be slow traveling, even if we're lucky enough to get
+aboard," protested the other. "Tom, do you think the general would permit
+us to take our machine, and fly to Dunkirk?"
+
+"Good! That's a clever idea you've hit on, Jack!" exclaimed the other.
+"I'll take it up with the general when I see him. He might find it
+_convenient_, you know, to have some message sent across the country to
+the coast; and it would save us hours of time, perhaps win the race for
+us. A splendid thought, Jack!"
+
+"Then let's hope it can be carried through," returned the other.
+
+Tom did not lose any more time but hurried away to try to get an
+opportunity to talk with the kindly old general. He had always shown an
+interest in the fortunes of the two Air Service Boys, and they had
+already received favors from him on several occasions.
+
+The minutes dragged while he was gone. Jack could not keep still, so
+nervous did he feel, but continued walking up and down, "like a tiger
+in its cage," he told himself. He ran through the entire gamut of
+possible troubles and triumphs in his mind, as he tried to picture the
+whole thing.
+
+"What great luck to have Colin Beverly break in on us just at the
+time when my fortunes had reached their lowest ebb," Jack kept saying
+to himself.
+
+At last Tom came back. Jack could read success in his looks, even before
+the other had had a chance to open his mouth and say a single word.
+
+"It's all right then, I take it, Tom?" he exclaimed impulsively.
+
+"Didn't have any trouble at all in interesting the general," replied the
+messenger joyfully. "He said he'd see to having an urgent call go out to
+hurry the notifications along, and almost promised they'd get here by two
+this afternoon."
+
+"And how about the plane business?"
+
+"That's all settled in the bargain. I have written permission to make use
+of our plane, turning it over to a certain agent in Dunkirk after we've
+arrived there. The general will send a message over to us which we're to
+deliver at the same time we give up the machine."
+
+"Great work, Tom! I've always said you'd make a mighty fine diplomatic
+agent, if ever you tried, and now I know it."
+
+"No soft-soap business, please. If it had been anybody but the general
+I'd have surely fallen down on my job. But you know he's always had an
+interest in us, Jack."
+
+"Do you think he suspected anything?" asked the other.
+
+"Sure he did, but not _the_ thing, for nobody in the wide world would
+ever dream we were planning such an unheard of thing as a non-stop flight
+across the Atlantic."
+
+Tom dropped his voice to a whisper when he said this; not that there
+seemed to be any particular need of caution, but simply on general
+principles. They could not afford to take any chance of having their
+great plan discovered in these early stages of the game.
+
+"Well, I don't know how I'm going to hold out much longer," complained
+Jack. "I can't keep still five minutes, but have to jump up and walk it
+off. Let's see--two o'clock you said, didn't you? That'll be nearly three
+long hours more. It's simply terrible, Tom! Sixty minutes in each hour!"
+
+"But then we'll have to eat our regular midday meal, remember," Tom tried
+to cheer his companion up by saying. "If you prefer it, we might walk
+over to the field-hospital, which, by the way, I hear is to be moved
+ahead to-night, to keep in closer touch with the wounded straggling back
+from the front. The Y hut's close by, too, and we'd enjoy an hour or so
+with the girls. Nellie told me she expected her brother, Harry, to be
+back on our sector any day now, and if he should come before we clear out
+we'd be mighty glad to see him."
+
+Jack hesitated.
+
+"Gee! you do tempt a fellow, Tom," he finally remarked, as though coming
+to a conclusion. "Nothing I'd like better than to chat with Bessie and
+have a few of those Salvation Army girls' doughnuts to munch. But I guess
+it would be foolish in our laying off just now."
+
+"You mean the notifications might arrive while we were gone?" remarked
+Tom, nodding his head, pleased because the other took such a sensible
+view of the matter.
+
+"Yes. We might lose a whole hour, perhaps two, by being away,"
+explained Jack. "That would be too bad; it might even turn out a
+catastrophe, if in the end that hour would save us from being beaten in
+the race against time."
+
+"All right, then, we'll hang around and watch for something to come from
+Headquarters. The general promised me he'd have the notifications
+sent over without any delay just as soon as they came."
+
+"Let's go over to the flying field and watch some of the boys come in,"
+suggested Jack, and to this the other readily assented.
+
+Even when an airman is off-duty his special delight lies in "hanging out"
+at the aviation field, seeing his fellow workers go forth, watching their
+return, and listening to the many thrilling accounts of battles fought,
+as well as perils endured.
+
+The fascination of the sport, once it has fairly gripped a man, makes him
+its slave; he can think of little else; and doubtless even in dreams he
+fancies himself performing unusual hazards and earning the applause of
+the multitude.
+
+However this proved to be a very good panacea for Jack's nervousness
+and they managed to put in a full hour there. Business was unusually
+brisk in the way of engagements; and Tom more than once secretly
+regretted that circumstances beyond their control caused them to miss a
+"whole lot of fun."
+
+The enemy was up in the air in more ways than one on that day.
+Desperation on account of the blowing up of the bridge caused the German
+plane scouts to meet the challenges offered by the exultant Yankees, and
+news of many an encounter kept coming in about the time the two boys
+thought of leaving the field and going for their dinner.
+
+Word had also been received of several accidents to American pilots, and
+it looked as though the history of that eventful day would set a new
+high-water mark in the way of losses.
+
+Jack even began to fear they might be ordered to go up, which would bring
+about a fresh delay while communication was being established with
+Headquarters to verify their story. So he was really glad when Tom drew
+him away by suggesting that it was time they dined.
+
+At one o'clock they were at their headquarters, killing time and waiting.
+Jack's nerves once more began showing signs of being frayed, or "ragged,"
+as he called it. He jumped at the least unusual sound, and alternately
+looked expectant and despairing.
+
+It was now close to two o'clock, and as yet there was no sign of relief.
+Jack jumped up for the twentieth time and started to walk back and forth,
+while others among the airmen were gathering their belongings together,
+preparatory to a change of base.
+
+Then a messenger was seen hurrying toward them. Jack became almost wild
+with excitement, until he knew for a fact the notifications had arrived.
+
+"And now," said Tom, "let's put for the field and get away without
+any further loss of time. It's a long way to Dunkirk, remember, even
+by way of the air line, as a bee would take it. And we must get there
+before dark!"
+
+They ran part of the way, and thus presented themselves before the
+hangar. Ample preparations had already been made. The petrol tank had
+been filled, and, everything being in readiness, they would have nothing
+to do but jump aboard and make a quick start.
+
+But Tom was too old a pilot to take things for granted. After that recent
+experience with treachery he meant to be doubly careful before risking
+their lives in the air. Dunkirk on the Channel was a considerable
+distance off; and a drop when several thousand feet above French soil
+would go just as hard with them as if it were German territory.
+
+Accordingly he took a survey of the plane from tip to tip of the wings;
+looked over the motor, tested every strut and stay, leaving nothing to
+Jack, who was fairly quivering with the intensity of his feelings.
+
+Even the longest day must come to an end, and Tom's examination was
+finally completed.
+
+"Get aboard!" he told Jack. "We're in great trim to make a record flight
+of it. And even the breeze favors us, you notice."
+
+"Let's hope it keeps on as it is," said Jack, quickly; "because an
+easterly wind will help carry us on our way to-night!"
+
+"We'll be in luck to have such help," Tom replied. "As a rule, the
+passage from Europe to America meets with head winds most of the way. How
+are you fixed, Jack?"
+
+"All ready here, Tom."
+
+"Half a minute more, and I'll be the same. Take your last look for some
+time, Jack, at the American fighting front. We'll never forget what we've
+met with here, and that's a fact."
+
+"But, Tom, we expect to come back again, if all goes well,"
+expostulated Jack. "In fact, we've just got to, or be accused of
+running away. We arranged all that, you remember, and how we'd manage
+to get across in such a way that no one will be any the wiser for our
+having been out of France."
+
+"Don't let's worry about that yet," said Tom. "The first big job is to
+get across the Atlantic. Ready, back there? Here goes!"
+
+Another minute, and with a rush and a roar the plane sped along the
+field, took an upward slant, and set out for the coast. The first leg of
+the great flight had actually been started!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+OFF FOR THE CHANNEL
+
+
+"Tom, do you think that spy left behind by my cousin could have learned
+in any way about our plan?"
+
+They were passing over a section of Northern France, keeping a mile and
+more above the surface of the earth, when Jack called out in this
+fashion. Talking is never easy aboard a working plane. The splutter of
+the motor, added to the noise caused by the spinning propellers, as well
+as the fact that as a rule pilot and observer keep well muffled up
+because of the chill in the rarified air, all combine to make it
+difficult.
+
+But Jack was hard to repress. Especially just then did he feel as if
+he must find some answer to certain doubts which were beginning to
+oppress him.
+
+"There's no way of telling," Tom answered promptly. "We've already seen
+that the fellow is a clever, as well as desperate, rascal. He may be an
+American, though I'm rather inclined to believe your cousin has found a
+native better suited to his needs. And such a treacherous Frenchman would
+prove a tricky and slippery sort. Yes, he may have overheard us say
+something that would put him wise to our big game."
+
+"I hope not, I surely do," Jack continued, looking serious again. "Fact
+is, Tom, I'll never feel easy until we see the ocean under us."
+
+At that Tom laughed heartily. He even put a little extra vim into his
+merriment in the hope of raising his chum's drooping spirits.
+
+"That sounds mighty close to a joke, Jack, for a fact," he said.
+
+"I'd like to know how you make that out?" demanded the other.
+
+"Why, most people would be apt to say our troubles were likely to begin
+when we have cut loose from the land and see nothing below us as far as
+the eye can reach but the blue water of the Atlantic."
+
+"All right," cried Jack, showing no sign of changing his mind. "I'll
+willingly take chances with nature rather than the perfidy and
+treachery of mankind. Somehow, I can't believe that we're really
+launched on the journey."
+
+"Wake up then, old fellow, and shake yourself. You'll find we've made a
+pretty fair start. Already we've put thirty miles behind us. Unless we
+run up against some snag, and have engine trouble, we ought to get to
+the Channel long before dark sets in."
+
+So Jack relapsed into silence for a time. As he was not needed in order
+to run the motor or guide the plane in its progress westward, Jack could
+amuse himself in using the powerful binoculars.
+
+They were at the time far removed from the earth, but through the
+wonderful lenses of the glasses objects became fairly distinct. So Jack
+could see much to interest him as they sped onward. Finally he again
+broke out with an exclamation.
+
+"Nothing but the ruins of towns and villages down below, Tom," he called.
+"The fighting has been fierce along this sector, I should say. Why, even
+the woods have been smashed, and it looks like a regular desert. Poor
+France, what you must have suffered at the hands of those savage Huns."
+
+"Yes," replied the pilot, over his shoulder, "here is where much of the
+most desperate fighting of the British took place. Some of those ruined
+places were beautiful French towns only a few years ago, where laces and
+such things were made for most of the fashionable world. Now they look
+about like the ruins of Ninevah or Babylon."
+
+Fortune favored them during the next hour, and even Jack's spirits
+had begun to improve. Then came a check to the sanguine nature of
+the outlook.
+
+"Sorry to tell you, Jack," reported Tom, after some uneasy movements,
+which the other had noticed with growing alarm, "that we'll have to make
+a landing. After all, it's not going to be a non-stop flight to the
+coast. Only a little matter, but it should be looked after before it
+develops into serious trouble. I'm going to drop down to a lower level,
+where we can keep an eye out for a proper landing place."
+
+"But that means time lost!"
+
+"We can spare an hour if necessary, and still get to Dunkirk by evening,"
+Tom replied cheerfully. "I was a bit suspicious of that very thing, and
+only for our desperate need of haste would have waited to start until it
+had been gone over again. But then I took chances, knowing it would, at
+the worst, mean only a stop for repairs. Sorry, but it can't be helped."
+
+When the plane had reached a distance of a thousand feet above the earth,
+with Jack eagerly looking for a favorable landing place, the latter had
+managed to recover from his depression.
+
+"I see what looks like a fine stretch, Tom," he now announced. "Notice
+that road looking as if it might be pitted with shell-holes? Just on its
+right, where that single tree trunk stands, there's a field as level as
+a barn floor. Circle around, and let's get closer to it."
+
+Further examination convinced them that they had really run upon a
+suitable landing place. What pleased Tom still more was the fact that so
+far there had been no evidence of human presence near by.
+
+This meant that they would not be bothered during the time required for
+overhauling the engine by curious spectators, who might even question
+their right to be flying away from the front.
+
+The landing was made in good style, and with only a few bumps, thanks to
+the smooth character of the field's surface. Even Jack was compelled to
+admit that though they had met with trouble, matters might be much worse.
+
+"We'll get busy now, and soon have things as fit as a fiddle," said Tom,
+throwing off some of his superfluous garments so as to be free to work.
+
+By this time both boys had grown to be real experts in all sorts of
+mechanical repairing, as every airman must of necessity become before he
+can pass the acid test. Unlike the driver of a car on country roads, when
+a break-down occurs he cannot step to a neighboring house, use the long
+distance or local telephone, and summon help. The airman is usually
+compelled to depend exclusively on his own ability to overcome the
+difficulty.
+
+To get at the seat of trouble necessitated considerable disarrangement
+of the motor's parts. This consumed more or less time, and the minutes
+passing were jealously given up by the impatient Jack.
+
+But the boys worked fast, and finally all had been accomplished. Tom
+tested the engine, and pronounced himself satisfied, while Jack looked
+over the field ahead of them.
+
+"It's going to take us to Dunkirk without any further trouble, I give you
+my word for it, Jack," he said. "How long have we been here?"
+
+"Just one hour, lacking three minutes," came the prompt reply.
+
+"Then I'm safe," laughed Tom; "for I said within the hour. Come, pile
+aboard and we'll be off. Sure you examined the ground ahead, and saw to
+it we'd hit no bumps that might give us trouble?"
+
+"It's all right there, Tom; could hardly be better. But be sure you don't
+change from a straight course, because there's a nasty shell-hole, about
+ten feet deep, to the left. If we struck that--good-night!"
+
+"I notice you marked it with that pole, Jack, and I'll swing clear, you
+can depend on that."
+
+They had no difficulty in making a successful ascent. Once free from the
+ground, the plane's nose was again turned toward the southwest. Tom had
+long before marked out his course, and kept an eye on the compass as
+well as on his little chart.
+
+He knew they were heading for the Channel port as straight as the crow
+flies. The sun was getting far down in the western sky, and it was now
+necessary to shield their eyes when looking ahead, on account of the
+dazzling glare that at times threatened to blind them.
+
+The character of the country below had changed materially, Jack told the
+pilot, who seldom had a chance to look through the glasses, since his
+entire attention was taken up with manipulating the engine, watching its
+rhythmical working, and keeping the plane pushing directly on its course.
+
+"Heine didn't get a chance to ruin things here when he passed through,
+going to Paris and to his smash on the Marne," Jack explained. "Towns and
+villages look natural, as I see them, and they must have harvested crops
+in those brown fields. This is a bit of the real France, and entirely
+different from the horrible desert we've been at work in so long."
+
+The afternoon was wearing away. Jack frequently stared eagerly off to the
+west, when the sun's glowing face was veiled for a brief time by some
+friendly cloud. Several times he believed he could see something that
+looked like a stretch of water, but dared not voice his hopes.
+
+Then came a time when a heavier cloud than usual masked the brightness
+of the declining sun. Another long earnest look and Jack burst out with a
+triumphant shout.
+
+"Tom, I can see the Channel, as sure as you're born!" was the burden of
+his announcement; and of course this caused the pilot to demand that he
+too be given a chance to glimpse the doubly welcome sight.
+
+There could not be any mistake about it. Tom corroborated what Jack had
+declared. It was undoubtedly the English Channel they saw, showing that
+their journey from the American front had been successfully accomplished.
+
+"Now for Dunkirk!" jubilantly cried Jack, looking as though he had thrown
+off the weight of dull care, and was once more light-hearted. "And by the
+same token, Tom, unless I miss my guess, that may be the city we're
+heading for over yonder a little further to the south."
+
+"Then I kept my course fairly well, you'll admit," the pilot shouted at
+him, naturally feeling conscious of a little pride over his achievement.
+
+Rapidly they pushed on with a slight change of course. Jack kept using
+the glasses and reported his observations to the busily engaged pilot.
+
+"It'll be dusk, likely, when we land," he observed at one time. "But that
+doesn't cut much figure, for we can easily find our way down to Beverly's
+hangar on the coast. He said it was only a few miles from town, and
+they'll know at the aviation field, of course."
+
+"He gave us the name of a British officer who would post us," added Tom.
+
+After a bit they were passing over the outskirts of Dunkirk, and making
+for what appeared to be an aviation field, since they could see various
+hangars, and another plane was just settling ahead of them.
+
+Ten minutes passed, and Jack was delighted to find that they had made a
+successful landing. A number of French and British aviation men hastened
+to surround them, more than curious to know what strange chance had
+brought two Yankee fliers to Dunkirk.
+
+Of course neither Tom nor Jack meant to afford them the least
+satisfaction. They had certain business to transact, and after that was
+off their hands the great adventure loomed beyond.
+
+Accordingly, their first act was to find the man to whom they had been
+referred by Lieutenant Beverly.
+
+"We want to see Major Denning; can anybody direct us to him?" Tom asked.
+
+"That happens to be my name," remarked a red-faced officer on the
+outskirts of the crowd and who had just arrived. "What can I do for you?"
+
+"Lieutenant Colin Beverly of the American aviation corps referred us to
+you, Major," said Tom. "We have a message for you, after which we must
+deliver an official packet sent by our general to the command here and
+make arrangements to have our plane sent back to where we started from
+some hours ago, on the American fighting front."
+
+"I shall be pleased to give you any assistance in my power, gentlemen,"
+said the British major, being apparently a very agreeable and
+accommodating man indeed, as Beverly had informed them they would find
+him.
+
+Stepping away from the crowd the Air Service Boys delivered their
+message, which was really a sort of prearranged password.
+
+"Lieutenant Beverly is a cousin of mine, you know; which makes me more
+than anxious concerning him just now," went on Major Denning, after these
+formalities had been gone through with.
+
+"Why so, Major?" demanded Tom, while Jack looked worried.
+
+Whereupon the red-faced major drew them still further to one side,
+and, lowering his heavy voice so as not to be overheard by others,
+went on to say:
+
+"I, as you know, know something about that wonderful big bomber he's
+had sent over, and how he means to give Berlin a scare shortly. I've
+even had the privilege of looking the monster over, and feeling a
+thrill at picturing how it would give the Huns a fright when it
+appeared over Berlin. But you see its presence here is a secret, and
+known to but few of us."
+
+"Glad to hear it, Major," Tom remarked. "But please explain why you are
+worried about Beverly."
+
+"That is," continued the officer, "because an explosion was heard,
+coming from the south, just a short time ago. Everybody believes it
+must be the airdrome sheltering the dirigible Britain sent over here
+for use, and which lies further down the coast. But, much as I hate to
+say it, I fear something serious has happened to Beverly's hangar; in
+fact that a bomb has destroyed it, or else some rank Hun treachery has
+been at work there!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+READY FOR THE START
+
+
+"Just our beastly luck!" gasped Jack, turning white with apprehension.
+
+"Wait, we haven't any proof as yet," advised Tom. "The Major himself
+admits that he's only afraid it may have been Beverly's hangar. Hasn't
+anything been done to learn the truth, sir?"
+
+"Oh, yes," came the quick reply. "A number of cars have gone down that
+way, but the road's in a shocking condition, and up to now none of them
+has returned to advise us. I'd be very sorry if it turned out as I fear,
+doubly so if Beverly himself were injured or killed, because I'm fond of
+the chap, don't you know."
+
+"Let's hope everything is all right," said Tom, as composedly as
+possible. "And first of all I'd like to get through the business part of
+our errand here. I have the packet to deliver for our general. Then the
+machine must be turned over to a representative of our Government here.
+After all that's attended to we'll strike out for the Beverly hangar."
+
+"I'll be pleased to take you there personally, if you like," remarked
+Major Denning.
+
+"And we'll accept your offer with thanks, sir. It is very kind of you,"
+said Tom, at the same time wondering what the other would say when he
+made the astounding discovery that the object of the expedition was even
+more ambitious than a mere flight to Berlin and back; that indeed the
+daring adventurers meant to attempt a record voyage across the Atlantic
+by air such as would vie with that of Columbus.
+
+Jack fell into a fever of suspense again, and counted the minutes that
+must be consumed in carrying out the business in hand. Tom was
+exceedingly scrupulous concerning this.
+
+"The general was kind enough to give us a good push on our way here," he
+told Jack, when the latter continued to fret and hint about "cutting off
+corners" in order to hasten their getting away. "We're bound to do our
+part of the job right up to the handle. Besides, what do ten or twenty
+minutes amount to?"
+
+When Tom announced himself satisfied night had settled on the land.
+Dunkirk had for long been annoyed by the fire of a long-range
+monster gun, shells dropping into the city at stated intervals for
+weeks at a time.
+
+So, too, hostile airplanes had hovered over the Channel port, trying to
+make it unpleasant for the British Tommies in camp near by. But since
+Marshal Foch opened operations on a large scale, together with the
+furious drive of General Pershing's army, this had altogether ceased.
+
+Major Denning had a car at their disposal.
+
+"It will take us to a place where we can leave the road and follow a
+path to the beach," he told them. "Beverly has quite a force of men
+there looking after things, which fact makes me hope nothing could have
+happened to injure or destroy that wonderful bomber. But we've been
+pestered to death with Hun bounders playing spy, and I'd put nothing
+past them."
+
+They set out, and were soon on the way. Major Denning had a man at the
+wheel, evidently his chauffeur, for he was a British private. He knew the
+road, and managed to steer clear of the obstructions that continually
+cropped up.
+
+"Seems to me those Hun pilots must have dropped most of their bombs out
+this way, instead of hitting the town or the camps," Tom suggested, as
+they dodged to and fro, and often suffered severe bouncings.
+
+"No man-power to make any road repairs, in the bargain," explained the
+officer. "Since the drive has been on we are sending every British
+battalion we can muster forward. These things can wait until the German
+is licked, which we all believe is coming shortly, with Marshall Haig and
+General Pershing and General Petain on the job."
+
+"Wow! what's that mean?" cried Jack, half jumping up as the sound of
+several shots not far away came distinctly to their ears.
+
+"Did those shots seem to be over yonder to the right?" asked the major.
+
+"So far as I was able to judge that's where they came from," Tom replied.
+"Does the hangar lie in that quarter, sir?"
+
+"Just what it does! There's certainly something strange going on around
+there to-night. But we'll quickly learn for ourselves, because the spot
+where we leave the road is just ahead of us."
+
+Jack was the first out; indeed the car had not wholly come to a stand
+before he made a flying jump. Leaving the chauffeur to watch the car, the
+major soon found the trail. He carried a small hand electric torch with
+him, a vest-pocket size, but at least with a ray sufficiently strong to
+dissipate the gloom under the brush and to show them what seemed to be a
+well defined trail.
+
+"We may find ourselves made a target by some of his wideawake guards.
+That they are on the alert those shots we heard a bit ago seem to
+testify," suggested Major Denning.
+
+"Oh, we'll use the signal whistle; and I feel sure Lieutenant Beverly
+himself will be listening to catch it, for he expects us any minute now."
+
+"We're getting close enough just now to exercise due caution, at any
+rate," the guide answered in a whisper.
+
+Taking the hint, Tom commenced giving the signal. It was a short sharp
+whistle, four times repeated. Hardly had Tom sounded this than they heard
+an answer.
+
+"Fine!" exclaimed Jack. "He's here on deck, and perhaps everything may be
+all right yet."
+
+They continued along the path, and Tom repeated his whistling. Finally
+the figure of a man loomed up beyond.
+
+"That you, Tom, Jack?" came a voice.
+
+"Hello, Beverly!" Jack burst out impulsively. "We've come all the way by
+air. What's going on around here; nothing serious happened, I hope?"
+
+"Rest easy on that score, boys," the other replied, still advancing.
+
+"Then the machine is still ready for business, is it?" cried Jack.
+
+"In apple-pie order, down to the last drop of juice, and ready to do the
+builders proud. But I'm mighty glad to see you, boys, I surely am. Afraid
+there'd be some hitch at the last minute from your end."
+
+"And," said Tom, wringing the other's hand, "Jack has been picturing all
+sorts of terrible things happening to you and the plane here, near
+Dunkirk. He's as happy as a clam at high tide right now, I assure you."
+
+"You bet I am!" Jack cried explosively, gripping the fingers of the
+lieutenant with great enthusiasm.
+
+"Why, hello! who's this but my English cousin, Major Denning?" cried
+Beverly, discovering that his two chums were not alone.
+
+"Thought it best to steer them to you, and take no chances of a miss,"
+explained the officer. "Besides, to tell you the truth, I fancied seeing
+you start off on your long contemplated trip to wake up Berlin. Once I
+was in hopes I might even have the opportunity of accompanying you. I've
+a score to settle with the beast for knocking a hole in my London house
+and frightening my aunt almost into fits. At least you'll let me wish you
+_bon voyage_, Beverly."
+
+Tom said nothing. He realized that the major had no inkling of the real
+purpose of the flight about to be undertaken; and if he was to be told
+the facts the information must come from Lieutenant Beverly himself.
+
+"Oh! By the way, that Berlin trip will have to wait," chuckled the
+lieutenant, making up his mind that a clean breast of the whole matter
+must follow. "Fact is, Major, we're after larger game than that would
+prove to be; something calculated to stagger you a bit, I think."
+
+"You're certainly puzzling me by what you say, Colin," declared the
+major, betraying a growing curiosity in voice and manner. "I'd like to
+know for a fact what you could call larger game than a non-stop flight to
+Berlin and back, starting from the Channel here. Are you planning a trip
+to the moon, after Jules Verne's yarn?"
+
+"No. But something that has as yet never been attempted," came the steady
+reply. "It is a flight across the Atlantic to America in the big bomber
+plane, and starting this very night!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+THE LONG FLIGHT BEGUN
+
+
+Major Denning was greatly astonished when Lieutenant Beverly made so
+astounding an assertion.
+
+"Well, I wouldn't put anything past you Yankees," he presently remarked,
+with a dry chuckle. "But this is something of a Herculean task you're
+planning, Colin. A flight of over three thousand miles is a greater
+undertaking than any plane has so far been able to carry through. And if
+you should meet with trouble, the jig is up with you all!"
+
+"We understand what we're up against, I assure you," Tom replied. "The
+plan is entirely Lieutenant Beverly's, sir. Sergeant Parmly has reason to
+get home before the _La Bretagne_ reaches New York harbor, and she's
+already three days out. Learning this, our good friend here made a
+thrilling proposition, which we eagerly accepted. That's the story in a
+nutshell, Major Denning."
+
+"I must say I admire your nerve, that's all," exploded the other,
+shaking hands with all of them. "Just the type of chap I'd like to tie up
+with. My word! if I could get leave, and there was room for one more
+aboard the big bomber, I'd beg of you to take me in. But I wish you every
+luck in the wide world. My word, fancy the nerve of it!"
+
+"We must remember not to speak a word so that any of the men can guess
+what our real destination is," Beverly cautioned, as they continued along
+the path. "Only my right-hand agent here knows the truth, and he means to
+keep it dark."
+
+"But they must suspect something unusual," suggested Tom.
+
+"It's hinted that we are aiming at Berlin, don't you know?" pursued the
+lieutenant, chuckling. "But believe me, the game is a bigger one than
+just that little jaunt, far bigger in fact."
+
+Presently they came to the shore where the stout hangar was found, partly
+hidden under the branches of low trees and shrubbery. Before them lay the
+sandy stretch of beach hard as a dancing floor, and well fitted to be
+their "jumping off" place.
+
+Tom bent down to feel it, after the manner of an experienced air pilot.
+
+"Couldn't be bettered much, could it, Tom?" demanded Lieutenant Beverly
+confidently.
+
+"I should say not!" was the quick response.
+
+Jack was feeling quite joyous since the outlook for starting on the
+anticipated flight had become so bright. At the same time he told himself
+he would not entirely lose that tense sensation around the region of his
+heart until they were actually off.
+
+Around the hangar they found a cordon of several armed men; a fact which
+caused Tom to remember that they shortly before had heard the report of
+firearms, and as yet had failed to learn the cause. Then again there was
+that explosion down the coast. He turned to Lieutenant Beverly for an
+explanation.
+
+"We too heard the sound of an explosion," Beverly told him in reply. "It
+came from further down the shore. There's some sort of British airdrome
+in that quarter, I'm informed; and possibly they had an accident there.
+As for the shooting, that's easily explained. My men were the cause."
+
+"Spies hanging around, probably?" hazarded the major, in disgust. "We've
+been bothered with the slick beasts right along--shot several, but even
+that didn't keep the coast clear."
+
+"There have been skulkers around for some time," continued the
+lieutenant. "Baxter tells me he'd warned them off until he grew tired,
+and threatened that the next one who was caught trying to peep would be
+fired upon. So to-night when a sentry reported suspicious movements in
+the brush we sent in a few shots, more to give them a scare than to do
+any damage."
+
+"Have they tried to injure your plane, Colin?" asked the major.
+
+"I understand that once my men discovered a fire had been started in a
+mysterious way, which they succeeded in putting out. Only for prompt work
+it would have at least disabled the bomber so that its usefulness for the
+present would be nil."
+
+"The ways of those German spies are past finding out," complained Major
+Denning. "They seem to take a page from Indian tactics, and resort to all
+species of savage warfare. It wouldn't surprise me if you found they had
+shot an arrow with a blazing wad of saturated cotton fastened to its
+head, and used your hangar as a target. History tells us your redskins
+used to do something like that in the days of the early colonies."
+
+Shortly afterwards the monster bombing plane was wheeled out of its
+hangar, and became an object of vast interest to the two Air
+Service Boys.
+
+Tom and Jack were of course familiar with its working, but needed a few
+hints from Lieutenant Beverly with respect to certain new features that
+it possessed.
+
+"What do you think of it, boys?" was the natural question asked by the
+intrepid flight commander, who of course meant to do his share of the
+handling of the giant plane during its long flight.
+
+"A jim-dandy! That's what!" exclaimed the delighted Jack, almost awed by
+the tremendous size of the up-to-date machine, with its wonderful expanse
+of planes and its monster body in which the vast amount of stores, as
+well as surplus gasoline, could be stowed.
+
+"I'm confident we'll have more than a fighting chance to reach the
+objective we have in view," Tom in his turn remarked; and even though the
+men standing near must have heard what he said they could not possibly
+suspect the truth that lay back of his words.
+
+"Everything has been looked after, and right now there's not a single
+item lacking," Lieutenant Beverly assured them. "Mention what you please,
+and I defy you to find I've overlooked it. I notice that you have brought
+your glasses along, Jack. I have a fine pair with me, but we can
+doubtless use both."
+
+"And on my part," added Tom, "I thought it wise to carry a few small
+knickknacks that I've become attached to. They ought to share my
+fortunes. If I cash in, my reliable old compass here, for instance,
+wouldn't be valued highly by any one else; but it's saved my life more
+than a few times."
+
+"And may again," said Jack softly; "for those fogs are simply dreadful,
+if half that's said about them turns out to be true."
+
+Tom was stooping down and feeling the firm sandy beach.
+
+"A splendid place to make our start, Lieutenant," he remarked.
+
+"I selected it with that idea in view," explained the other. "Besides, in
+a long trip, like the run to Berlin, this would be as desirable a station
+as any. What do you think of the plane, Tom?"
+
+"As well as I can see it, I am satisfied it will be all you told us," Tom
+answered him, while Jack added:
+
+"Same here."
+
+Certainly, as seen spread out on the almost level stretch of hard sand
+the monster bombing plane did have a powerful appearance that must
+favorably impress any experienced pilot. Tom and Jack had noted several
+things about it calculated to inspire confidence. They were taking
+tremendous risks, of course, but then that was nothing novel in their
+lives as aviators.
+
+"Is there anything to delay us further?" asked Jack naively, feeling
+that even minutes might count when the issue was so plainly outlined.
+
+"I do not know of the slightest reason," admitted Lieutenant Beverly,
+moving toward the bombing plane and followed by his two comrades. "And
+that being the case, let's get aboard. Anything like a written message
+you would like to leave behind, to be sent in case we are never heard
+from again, boys? You can give it to my cousin, the major here, who will
+attend to it."
+
+Both Tom and Jack had thought of this long before, and each had prepared
+a simple statement which would explain their fate in case they met with
+disaster on the flight. These sealed and directed envelopes they now
+handed to Major Denning.
+
+"Depend on me to hold them until all doubt is past," he told them, as he
+warmly pressed a hand of each.
+
+Then Lieutenant Beverly gave the word to his men, and immediately the hum
+of the giant motors announced that they were off on their amazing trip to
+span the Atlantic, as it had never been done before, by way of the air!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+THE FIRST NIGHT OUT
+
+
+It was with a strange feeling of exhilaration that Tom and Jack realized
+the fact that at last they were embarked on a flight that would either
+bring about their death or, if successful, make a record in long distance
+non-stop travel in a heavier-than-air machine.
+
+The cheers of the men on the beach had been drowned in the roar of the
+powerful motors and twin propellers when they left the land and commenced
+to sweep upward in a graceful curve.
+
+Both boys looked down to catch the last glimpse of France, the land so
+closely associated with liberty in the minds of all true Americans. It
+was in her cause two million young Yankees were at that very hour facing
+the Boche in a determined effort to chase him back over the Rhine and
+force a stern settlement for all the devastation his armies had wrought.
+
+Quickly did the darkness blot out all trace of land. Back some little
+distance, it was true, they could still glimpse feeble lights, marking
+the location of Dunkirk. The French no longer feared to illuminate to a
+limited extent since bombing planes no longer came raiding at night, nor
+did that unseen monster Krupp cannon deliver its regular messages of
+bursting shells.
+
+Below them lay the English Channel, and Lieutenant Beverly had so shaped
+the course that as they rose higher and higher they were heading directly
+across, with the eastern shore of England close enough to have afforded
+them a view of the land had it not been night-time.
+
+They had discussed all this many times, and settled on what seemed the
+most feasible route. Of course, it might have been a much shorter
+distance had they decided to head almost south-west-by-south, making for
+the Azores, and stopping there to prepare for another flight across to
+Newfoundland. Going that way, they would have had the benefit of the
+general easterly winds. But this did not appeal to Tom and Jack for
+several good reasons. In the first place, it meant that a landing at the
+Azores would be reckoned of such importance that it must be heralded far
+and near. This was apt to get them into trouble with the military
+authorities, since they had received no _bona fide_ permission to leave
+the soil of France; at least, to return to America.
+
+Then again Jack was opposed to the plan for the reason that if they
+should land at the extreme point of Newfoundland considerable delay must
+be caused by the difficulty of getting transportation to the States. All
+the while Randolph Carringford would be steadily moving on, and, landing
+at New York, have an advantage over Jack.
+
+There was also a third reason that influenced the young navigators in
+deciding to take the longer course across the Atlantic. This concerned
+the fogs such as can always be met with off the Newfoundland Banks, and
+which are often so dense that vessels flounder through them for several
+days at a stretch.
+
+By taking the southern course, and steering direct for the Virginia shore
+they would be likely to miss much of this trouble, even though it was a
+time of year when heavy mists hang along the entire Atlantic seaboard.
+
+All of them were silent for some little time, only the roar of the motor
+and the propellers beating in their ears. Beverly had established a
+method of communication when in flight without unduly straining the
+voice. It was very similar to a wireless telephone outfit which Tom and
+Jack had employed not long back, and by the use of which they could
+actually talk with an operator similarly equipped, even if standing on
+the earth a mile below their plane.
+
+It was arranged for all three of them, and could be removed from the
+head when no communication was desired. In the beginning they were not in
+the mood to make use of this contrivance, which, however, would
+undoubtedly be welcome later on, when they would be passing over the
+apparently limitless sea and the monotony had begun to wear upon their
+nerves. Then conversation might relieve the tension.
+
+It was Jack who presently called out:
+
+"I can see lights below us. Do you think we've crossed the Channel,
+Lieutenant?"
+
+"Yes, that's the English shore, and doubtless Dover lies directly below
+us, although we're at such a height that it's impossible to make sure."
+
+"What's the idea of keeping so high, Lieutenant?" continued Jack.
+
+"Simply to avoid collision with any of the coast guard fliers, who might
+take us for Huns meaning to attack London again after a long break. But
+Jack, I'm going to ask a favor of you."
+
+"Go to it then!" called out the other, who was plainly "on edge" with
+excitement over the wonderful fact that they were at last on their way.
+
+"Drop that formality from this time on," said Beverly earnestly.
+"Forget that I happen to rank you, for I'm sure your commissions are
+only delayed in the coming. From now on let it be either plain Colin,
+or if you prefer, Beverly. We're three chums in a boat--a ship of the
+air, to be exact--and all ranking on a level. You'll agree to that,
+won't you, Jack?"
+
+"You bet I will, Colin, and it's just like you to propose it!" cried the
+pleased Jack.
+
+After that they fell silent again, though now and then Jack, who was
+making good use of the night-glasses, announced that they seemed to be
+passing over some city.
+
+Tom had studied their intended course so thoroughly that he was able to
+tell with more or less accuracy what some of those places were. In so
+doing he always kept in mind the probable speed at which the big plane
+was traveling.
+
+They had veered a little, and would not come anywhere near Liverpool or
+Dublin, as Jack had suspected might be the case until he looked over the
+chart Tom had marked. On the contrary, their new course would carry them
+over the south of England, and just cut across the lower part of Ireland;
+indeed, the latter might have been skipped entirely with profit to
+themselves in miles gained, only it seemed natural they should want to
+keep in touch with land just as long as possible.
+
+How steadily the giant plane moved majestically through the realms of
+space several miles above the earth! Tom found himself fascinated by the
+working of the motors from the very minute he first heard them take up
+their steady labor. Surely, if the feat were at all within the bounds of
+possibilities, they had, as Lieutenant Beverly said, "a fighting chance."
+
+Of course there was always impending danger. Any one of a score of
+accidents was liable to happen, especially after the engines had been
+constantly working hour after hour.
+
+Such things may bother an aviator when over the enemy's country, because
+if a landing seems necessary in order to avoid a fatal drop, there must
+always arise the risk of capture. How much more serious would even the
+smallest engine trouble become, once they were far out over the ocean
+with nothing in sight as far as the eye could reach save an endless
+vastness of rolling waters beneath, and passing clouds overhead?
+
+Tom, however, would not allow himself to brood upon these possibilities,
+and when they flashed across his mind he persistently banished them.
+Sufficient to the day was the evil thereof; and if difficulties arose
+they must meet them bravely, doing the best they could, and accepting
+the results in the spirit of Columbus, who was the pioneer in spanning
+the Atlantic.
+
+Jack now made a discovery that caused him to call out again.
+
+"I believe we've left the land again, and it's water down under us right
+now, fellows!" he called shrilly, his voice sounding above the clamor by
+which they were continually surrounded.
+
+"Well, according to my calculations," said Tom, "we should be about quit
+of England and striking the Irish Sea at its junction with the Atlantic.
+It's that you believe you see right now."
+
+"Then before long we'll glimpse Ireland's lights!" cried the exultant
+Jack. "Though we're likely to pass over only the city of Cork as we dash
+on for the big sea beyond. So far everything is moving like grease,
+Lieu--Colin."
+
+"I promised you it would," the pilot told him. "And let's hope it keeps
+up this way all the way through."
+
+Again they ceased trying to talk since it proved such an effort without
+resorting to the little wireless telephone arrangement. Jack did notify
+them, however, when he believed he sighted tiny specks far below that he
+took for the lights of some place of consequence; but Tom, who knew
+better, assured him he must be mistaken.
+
+"You're straining your eyes so much you mistake other things for
+lights, Jack," he told the observer. "It might even be the reflection
+of the stars on the glasses of your binoculars. We're not near Cork
+yet, and there's no other place worth mentioning that we'll come near.
+Rest up, Jack."
+
+"Plenty of time for that after we've struck out over the ocean," came
+Jack's defiant answer.
+
+Later on he again declared he saw lights. They had been speeding for some
+hours at a rate of more than sixty miles, which was good time for one of
+those monster heavily laden bombers to make.
+
+"Yes, I imagine it's Cork this time," said Tom, when appealed to.
+"We veer to the left here, and pass out to sea over Queenstown,
+don't we, Colin?"
+
+"According to our mapped-out plan that's the course," came the reply, as
+the pilot shifted his levers, and headed a little more toward the south.
+
+Their sensations at that particular time were very acute. It was as if
+they had reached the dividing line, and were about to enter upon a course
+that would admit of no turning back.
+
+"There, the last glimmer of light has disappeared!" finally cried
+Jack in an awed tone, "and we're heading out over the Atlantic, bound
+for America!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+WHEN THE SUBMARINE STRUCK
+
+
+It was long past midnight.
+
+In fact, the aviators could expect to see dawn break before a great
+while. When that event came about they knew what an appalling spectacle
+must greet their wondering eyes. Above, the boundless expanse of blue
+sky, with fleecy little white clouds passing here and there, looking like
+islands in a sea of azure; below, an unending sea of tossing waves, with
+perhaps not even a fishing vessel in sight.
+
+Jack fell asleep, being utterly tired out. Tom too caught what he called
+little "cat-naps" from time to time. Beverly stuck faithfully to his
+post, for not a wink of sleep could come to one in whose hands the
+destinies of the whole expedition lay.
+
+So the minutes passed, bringing them ever nearer the breaking of another
+day. The immensity of their undertaking no longer appalled them. It was
+too late for consideration anyway, since they were now fully launched
+upon the flight, and turning back was not to be thought of.
+
+Jack, waking out of a nap, looked down, and immediately uttered a loud
+cry.
+
+"Why, it's getting daylight, and you can glimpse the ocean! How queer it
+looks, fellows, to be sure! Is everything going well, Colin?"
+
+"Couldn't be improved on," he was assured by the faithful pilot.
+
+"First I must use the glasses to see how it looks at closer range," Jack
+continued. "Then I think we ought to have breakfast. This cold air makes
+a fellow as hungry as a wolf. I think I must have lost myself for a bit."
+
+Tom did not say anything, only smiled, but he knew that the other had
+enjoyed at least a full hour of sleep.
+
+"How far are we from land, Tom, would you say?" next asked the observer,
+while he was adjusting the glasses to his eyes.
+
+"Possibly a hundred and fifty miles, perhaps nearer two hundred," Tom
+assured him, in a matter-of-fact tone, as though that was only what might
+be expected.
+
+"Hello! I can see a vessel already, and heading into the west!" declared
+Jack. "Of course I can't make out what she's like, though I bet you her
+hull and funnels are camouflaged to beat the band, so as to fool those
+Hun submarine pirates with the stripes of black and white. You don't
+think it's possible that could be the _La Bretagne_, Tom?"
+
+"Well, hardly," came the quick reply, "unless something happened to
+detain the French steamer after she left Havre days ago. She ought to be
+a whole lot further along than this boat is. She must be some small liner
+from Liverpool or Southampton, making for Halifax or New York."
+
+Jack presently tired of staring at the little speck far down below.
+
+"I wonder if they can see us with a glass," he next observed, as Tom
+began to hand out bread and butter, with hard-boiled eggs or ham between,
+and some warm coffee kept in Thermos bottles so as to take the chill of
+the high altitudes out of their bodies.
+
+"Not a chance in a hundred," Beverly assured him. "Besides, those aboard
+the steamer are devoting all their efforts to watching for enemies in the
+water, and not among the clouds."
+
+They munched their breakfast and enjoyed it immensely. Indeed it seemed
+as though they devoured twice as much as upon ordinary occasions.
+
+"Lucky we laid in plenty of grub!" Jack declared, when finally all of
+them announced that they were satisfied. "This Atlantic air makes one
+keep hungry all the time. Now I can see that steamer plainly, for we've
+dropped a little lower. Oh! What can that mean?"
+
+His voice had a ring of sudden alarm about it that instantly aroused
+Tom's curiosity. Even Lieutenant Beverly looked over his shoulder as
+though he, too, felt a desire to learn more.
+
+"They seem to be firing guns!" continued Jack presently. "Of course we're
+far too high to hear the sound, but I can see the smoke as sure as I'm
+sitting here. Can it be they're being attacked by a Hun undersea boat, do
+you think, boys?"
+
+"Such things keep on happening right along in these shark-infested
+waters," replied Tom. "Go on and tell us all you see, Jack!"
+
+They were all of them thrilled by the consciousness that possibly a grim
+tragedy of the sea was being enacted directly beneath, without any
+likelihood of their being able to render succor to those who might soon
+be in distress.
+
+"They keep on firing," Jack continued. "I can see each puff of smoke
+belch out. There, something has happened! I believe it was a torpedo that
+exploded against the hull of the steamer, for I saw a great blotch rise
+up, and men are running about the decks like mad!"
+
+Beverly had almost automatically decreased their speed, as though
+inclined to hover above the ill-fated vessel as long as possible, at
+least to learn what followed.
+
+"They seem to be making signals!" Jack presently cried out.
+
+"Look around and see if you can glimpse anything coming on!" demanded
+Tom, as though suspecting the cause of this fresh announcement.
+
+Hardly had the one who gripped the binoculars started to do as he was
+requested than he gave a cry of mingled relief and satisfaction.
+
+"Two boats racing straight for the spot, boys! Destroyers, too! Like as
+not Americans, for they keep lying out here, you know, to protect our
+transports going over with the boys. How they do cut through the water
+with their sharp bows and make the waves fly! But that steamer looks as
+if she might be sinking right now!"
+
+The excitement grew intense. Beverly even started to circle around,
+content to lose a few miles and some minutes if only he could satisfy
+their minds that all was well with the unfortunate steamer that had been
+so ruthlessly torpedoed without warning by the undersea pirates.
+
+"They're coming up like fun!" cried Jack presently. "I can't see as well
+as I'd like, though, on account of the sea fog that keeps drifting along
+in patches like clouds. I really believe they'll get up before she
+founders. Now the crew have started putting off boats to make sure of
+saving the passengers if the worst comes!"
+
+"Which shows they have a capable captain aboard," commented Tom.
+
+"But the sea must be pretty rough," continued Jack, "because the small
+boats toss and pitch sharply as they start away from the steamer. Hang
+that fog, it's going to shut the whole picture out soon. But there,
+one of the destroyers has arrived, and the boats are heading straight
+on to it."
+
+A minute later Jack gave them another little batch of news.
+
+"The other destroyer is circling around, and must be looking for signs of
+the sub. Wow! that was a terrible waterspout, though. And there goes a
+second one!"
+
+"They're dropping depth bombs, intending to get the slinker!" announced
+Beverly jubilantly.
+
+"Here's hoping they do then!" cried Jack, and immediately afterwards
+added: "But it's all over for us, boys, because the fog's shut it off
+completely. Might as well get along on our way; but I'm happy to know
+those Yankee boats came up in time to save everybody aboard the steamer.
+What a bully view we had of the performance!"
+
+"It's such things that are apt to break the monotony and routine of a
+long flight like the one we've undertaken," remarked Tom. "In time, of
+course, the dash across the Atlantic will become quite common; and those
+who make it are apt to see wonderful sights."
+
+"Two hundred miles out," Jack was saying to himself as he sat there still
+holding the glasses in his hand, though not attempting to make use of
+them, and his eyes ranged longingly toward the western horizon where the
+blue of the sky touched the dark green of the boundless sea, all his
+thoughts centered on the goal that lay far distant across that vast waste
+of tumbling waters.
+
+So as the sun started to climb in the eastern heavens the flight of the
+big bombing plane carrying the trio of adventurous ones was continued,
+every mile left behind bringing them that much nearer their destination,
+with the future still an unsolved problem.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+THE COLD HAND OF FEAR
+
+
+Noon came and went, with the same steady progress being maintained hour
+after hour. Tom relieved Beverly at the pilot's berth, and the latter
+succeeded in getting some much needed rest. Still, none of them could
+sleep comfortably, which was hardly to be wondered at considering their
+strange surroundings.
+
+"My first nap when flying, for a fact!" admitted Colin, after he had
+awakened, and managed to stretch his stiffened limbs.
+
+"Tough work trying to get a few winks of sleep when one is quivering all
+over with excitement," Jack remarked.
+
+They were no longer maintaining such a high course, having descended
+until the heaving sea lay not more than a thousand feet below. Nothing
+was in sight in any direction, which was one reason for Tom's dropping
+down as he did.
+
+"A lot of water," Jack commented, for they had started to try out the
+wonderful little wireless telephone, to find that it really worked
+splendidly. "Guess after the flood Noah must have thought that way too.
+But shucks! we haven't got even a dove to send out."
+
+"We happen to have something better," Tom told him, "which is the power
+to shoot our boat through space at the rate of a mile a minute. No ark
+business about this craft."
+
+"Well, is there any objection to breaking our fast again?" the other
+inquired, changing the subject.
+
+Beverly seemed to think not, for he proceeded to get out the hamper in
+which much of their prepared food was contained.
+
+"I laid in double the quantity I expected we'd devour," he told them,
+"and then added something to that for good measure. No telling what may
+crop up; and if we happen to be cast on a desert island a healthy lot of
+grub might come in handy."
+
+"It does right now, when we are far from any island, unless that's one up
+there in that dark cloud floating above us," and Jack stretched out to
+receive his portion of the lunch as parceled out by Colin.
+
+"One thing that made me drop to a lower level," explained Tom, "was the
+fact of its being so cold up there among the clouds. Already I feel
+better for the change."
+
+"How about it if we should sight a steamer?" asked Jack. "They'd report
+meeting a plane flying west here in midocean, which would stir up no end
+of comment in the papers, and might lead to our being found out."
+
+"We depend on you to keep the glasses in use, and report anything in
+sight ahead," laughed Tom; for the clatter of the motors did not seem to
+bother them in the least when using the wireless telephone. "And when you
+sing out 'smoke down low on the horizon to the west!' it's going to be an
+easy job for us to climb up above the clouds in a hurry."
+
+So it was settled, and they ate their lunch in comfort.
+
+Up to that time not the slightest thing had arisen to give them concern
+with regard to the working of the engines. These aroused the admiration
+of the three voyagers by their remarkable performance. Tom declared their
+equal had never been installed in any plane that was ever built, and
+Lieutenant Beverly's eyes glowed with satisfaction to hear his pet
+praised so cordially by one whose good opinion he valued as highly as he
+did Tom Raymond's.
+
+After Jack had taken his turn at piloting the machine, he amused himself
+"between naps" by watching the surface of the sea through the binoculars.
+
+"No telling but what I may glimpse a submarine creeping along under the
+surface," he told the others jokingly. "Then wouldn't we wish we'd
+brought along a few bombs--the kind they dropped on that Hun bridge the
+night we went with the raiders. Right now I could almost imagine that
+shark's dorsal-fin was a periscope belonging to an undersea boat."
+
+Other things came along to cause momentary interest, among them rolling
+porpoises that rose in sight, and then vanished under the waves, though
+from their height the boys could easily follow their movements.
+
+Jack was getting a good deal of enjoyment out of the situation, and Tom
+was glad to notice this fact. He had feared his chum's nerves might give
+way under the long-continued strain; but apparently Jack had returned to
+his ordinary condition.
+
+All of them rather dreaded the coming of night. Flying in midocean while
+daylight lasted was serious enough, but with darkness around for many
+hours, the situation must awaken new anxieties.
+
+But their hearts were still apparently undaunted. The success that had
+rewarded their bold starting out gave abundant promise of still better
+things ahead. Tom resolutely refused to allow himself to have any fear.
+What if two thousand miles still lay between them and the goal of
+their hopes? Was not the miracle-worker of a monster plane doing
+remarkably fine work, and should they not continue to believe the end
+justified the means?
+
+So they watched the sun dropping lower and lower in the western sky
+without any one voicing the thought that must have been in each mind. The
+same inscrutable Providence that had watched over them by day would still
+guard them when the light was gone. Under the stars, seeming now so much
+nearer and brighter than when ashore, they went on and on, until back in
+the east another day dawned, the great day of hope for them!
+
+Jack had taken to looking eagerly ahead once more.
+
+"What do you think you see?" Beverly asked him, for Tom again served as
+pilot at the steering gear.
+
+"Why, I'm all mixed up about it," came the slow reply. "It certainly
+isn't a steamer, and again it just can't be land!"
+
+"Well, hardly," Beverly answered. "To tell the honest truth I don't
+believe there's a foot of land closer to us than the Bermudas, which must
+lie off in that direction," pointing further toward the southwest.
+
+"When the sun glints on it I'm fairly dazzled," Jack continued, "just as
+if some one had used a piece of broken looking-glass to shoot the rays
+into my eyes. And then there's a sort of queer mist hanging about that
+thing in the bargain, so that sometimes it's almost blotted out. What
+under the sun can it be?"
+
+"I think I can give a guess," Tom called back. "How would an iceberg fill
+the bill, Colin?"
+
+"Just the thing, I'd say," the lieutenant answered, "only who ever heard
+of an iceberg floating down in mid-Atlantic at this season of the year?
+Such a thing would be uncommon, to say the least."
+
+"But not impossible?" ventured Tom, to which the other agreed.
+
+"Take a look, and tell us, Colin," urged Jack, offering the glasses.
+
+A minute afterwards they were handed bade again.
+
+"Just what it is, Tom, after all," reported Beverly. "A pretty tall berg
+it seems to be, with an extensive ice-floe around it as level in spots as
+a floor. I thought I saw something move on it that might be a Polar bear,
+caught when the berg broke away from its Arctic glacier. We will pass
+directly over, and may be able to feel the chill."
+
+"It was the _Titanic_, wasn't it, that bumped into an iceberg, and went
+down with such a frightful loss of life?" remarked Jack.
+
+"No other," replied Tom. "But we'll try to make sure nothing like that
+happens to our frail craft. Try to guess what would happen to that
+monster berg if we hit head on?"
+
+"Hardly a crack!" Jack retorted. "But I'm more interested in wondering
+what would become of us. Guess we'd better keep a good thousand feet up,
+and not bother trying to pry into the ice-floe's secrets."
+
+"I'm not dreaming of dropping a foot lower just at present," Tom said
+decisively; and not one of them dreamed how soon that decision would have
+to be reversed, since all still looked fair about them, with no storm in
+sight and the wonderful motors kept up their regular pulsations as if
+capable of going on forever.
+
+Yet strange vicissitudes and changes are the portion of those who
+follow the sea; which may also be applied to other voyagers of space,
+the sailors of the air. One minute all seems fair, with the sun
+shining; another, and a white squall is dashing down upon the ship, to
+catch the crew unawares and perhaps smother them with its mighty
+foam-crested billows.
+
+It was not half an hour later when something happened that was calculated
+to chill the hearts of those bold navigators, such as even close contact
+to the ice-floe and berg could never bring about.
+
+At the time they had reached a point almost above the field of ice from
+the Arctic regions, and Jack was scrutinizing its full extent, commenting
+the while on many peculiar features that attracted his attention.
+
+"It's a Polar bear, all right, fellows," he announced, "and believe me
+he's some size in the bargain. If I had a rifle along I wouldn't mind
+dropping down there and rustling him. But what ails you, Tom? You seem
+bothered about something. Gee! you're as white as a ghost!"
+
+Lieutenant Beverly leaned forward and clutched the pilot's arm.
+
+"Anything gone wrong with the motors, Tom?" he demanded hoarsely.
+
+"I've just made a terrible discovery," replied Tom, trying to
+control himself. "The worst has happened, and I'm afraid we're in
+for a bad time!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+A DESPERATE CHANCE
+
+
+"Tell us the worst, Tom!" cried Beverly hoarsely.
+
+Jack tried to echo the words, but his tongue seemed to stick to the
+roof of his mouth. He knew his chum well enough to feel assured that
+no ordinary hovering peril could cause the other to look so ashen
+pale. It must be a frightful catastrophe by which they were
+threatened, Jack realized.
+
+"The feed pipe! It must be choking up! Latterly I've more than suspected
+the motors were doing poorer work than before!"
+
+The others understood. Under ordinary conditions they would decide on
+dropping to the ground for repairs; a task that might be carried out in a
+brief time, or consume hours, everything depending on the condition in
+which they found things.
+
+But how utterly impossible to dream of doing anything like that now! Jack
+looked down to where, in the declining light of the sun, he could see
+that limitless sea of billowy water. How different indeed all might be
+were their airship a seaplane, capable of floating on the surface of the
+water and making a successful launch from it, just as a gull would do.
+
+"I'll take a look, Tom!" Lieutenant Beverly called out. "Not that I doubt
+what you say, but all of us will have to put our heads together; we shall
+need all our wits if what you fear proves to be a fact."
+
+Tom was more than willing, in fact he would have himself insisted on the
+lieutenant or Jack doing this very thing. Pilots differ in plenty of
+ways; and, as Beverly had said, one might hit on an answer to the problem
+that had entirely escaped the others.
+
+Jack said not a word, but almost held his breath while Beverly was making
+his eager examination. The plane was not more than a thousand feet above
+the sea at most, and going very slowly now.
+
+A short time elapsed. Then Beverly completed his task. The flight
+lieutenant looked more serious than ever, which told the story even
+before he uttered a single word.
+
+Apparently the worst had come, and they were up against a question on the
+answer to which everything, even life itself, depended.
+
+"I'm sorry to say it's a positive fact, boys!" called out Beverly, and
+as both the others were straining their ears to catch what he said, they
+had no difficulty in hearing every word.
+
+"It's the supply pipe clogging then?" Tom asked.
+
+"Yes," came the quick answer. "And while under some conditions I've been
+able to get along for a short time without dropping down, as a rule I've
+found it wise to look for a landing-place before things got to the point
+of desperation and avoid a fall, possibly in the midst of a German
+battalion."
+
+"No chance of our getting at it while afloat, is there?" Jack asked,
+although he knew what Beverly was bound to say.
+
+"Not the slightest," the other shot back. "It might keep going for
+something like an hour, and then shut off the gas entirely. Of course
+there's always a possibility of a miracle happening, such as the
+obstruction being suddenly overcome; but I'm afraid that's one chance in
+a million."
+
+"But can't something be done, boys? Must we just fold our hands, and meet
+our fate?" demanded Jack. "What are you thinking about, Tom, for I can
+see a look in your face that we ought to know? Have you an idea--is there
+yet a hope that we can get a grip on this danger, and choke it?"
+
+Tom's face was still colorless, but there was a gleam in his eye, which
+Jack had discovered. Perhaps after all it might be only the light of
+desperation, a determination to die game if a cruel fortune decreed that
+their time had come. Jack could not tell.
+
+"Yes, I have a plan," said Tom quickly. "Perhaps you'll both call it a
+wild idea, and think I'm crazy; but desperate cases call for equally
+desperate remedies, and at the worst we'll have a chance."
+
+"Good boy, Tom!" cried Jack. "Just like you to hit on a plan! Haven't
+I known you to come to the front many times when things looked very
+black for us?"
+
+"Tom, tell your scheme!" demanded Beverly. "Things may develop faster
+than we suspect now, and if there's any way to get around this trouble
+the sooner we start the better."
+
+"Of course," Tom replied, "we'll be taking the risk of smashing the nose
+of our craft when we strike, unless luck favors us. I've landed on every
+sort of ground, from smooth velvety turf to bumpy stuff that almost
+joggled me to pieces; but I never before tried dropping on an ice-floe!"
+
+Beverly and Jack stared hard at each other. Apparently the idea struck
+them like a sudden blow, showing that neither had as yet contemplated
+such a thing.
+
+Then they turned and stared down at the wide field of floating ice that
+was attached to the towering bulk of the mighty berg, as though weighing
+the possibility of Tom's amazing suggestion in their minds.
+
+Jack gave a shout.
+
+"Tom, you're a genius, that's what you are!" he almost shrieked in the
+intensity of his emotion. "I honestly believe it can be done
+successfully."
+
+"We'd have to drop a whole lot lower, so as to take a closer survey, and
+learn just how smooth the surface of the floe is," Tom continued.
+
+"I've looked through the glasses," replied Jack. "And as far as I could
+make out it seemed fairly decent. I know we've landed on worse ground
+many a time, and without being wrecked."
+
+"Look again then, while I'm dropping down," urged Tom.
+
+All of them were tremendously excited, as may readily be believed. And
+who would not have been under similar conditions? Although army air
+pilots are accustomed to taking great risks, and seldom go up without the
+thought flitting through their minds that their hour may be close at
+hand, still they are human, and when the dreadful crisis springs upon
+them they can feel the chilly hand that seems to clutch the heart.
+
+Jack soon made his report.
+
+"Yes, it looks good to me!" he cried, with a hopeful ring to his voice.
+"I can see a crack or two that would be bad for us to run into; but
+there's a clear field over on the north side of the floe. I'm sure we
+could make it without getting badly shaken up. Then it's our only chance;
+if we miss this what else could we do?"
+
+"Nothing," Tom replied quietly. "But I'm going to circle the berg, and
+see what lies on the other side."
+
+"Whatever we decide to do," remarked Beverly, who seemed to have
+recovered to a great extent from his first perturbation, "we must lose no
+time about carrying it out. That feed pipe might become fully clogged at
+any minute, you know. Then besides, the sun is ready to dip down behind
+the sea horizon, when we'll soon be plunged into darkness."
+
+"Yes," agreed Tom, "we mustn't fool away our time. It's going to be no
+easy job to make a safe landing on the ice, something none of us has ever
+practiced. But it'd be still worse to go at it haphazard."
+
+The others knew what was in Tom's mind. Should they seriously injure the
+big bombing plane there would be no way of making repairs. On land it
+could be turned over to the repair-shop, and inside of a week perhaps
+emerge once more in as good shape as ever. No such convenience could be
+looked for out there in mid-Atlantic!
+
+In a short time they had circled the great mass of ice. They all fully
+realized now how cold it was, and why the sea water must be affected for
+a mile or more all around such a tremendous bit of the Arctic regions.
+
+They found that most of the floe lay on the north side of the berg; and
+decided that their best chance for landing must be in that quarter.
+
+"The old berg looks top-heavy," Jack at one time called out. "You can see
+that it leans toward the north; and sometimes I've thought it wobbled
+considerably, though that may have been the plane waving up and down."
+
+"No, you were right, Jack," said Beverly. "Its leaning that way tells
+that the warmer sea water has begun to eat at its base. Before a great
+while the berg will roll over, and smash all that floe into bits."
+
+"I hope not when we're on it, working at our motor!" Jack could not keep
+from exclaiming, looking with more interest than ever at the monster berg
+that had come all this distance from some glacier a thousand miles away,
+perhaps several times that distance, and would sooner or later lose
+itself in sub-tropical waters.
+
+Lower still Tom took them. All eyes continued to survey the field of
+ice, particularly in that extreme northern sector where Jack had reported
+lay the best place for landing.
+
+"Once more in a circle so as to face the wind," said Tom, "and then I
+mean to put it to the test."
+
+"Good luck to you, Tom!" said Jack. "If ever you dropped as if you were
+falling on eggs, let it be now. I'm going to hold my breath when we
+strike the ice, and only hope we don't keep gliding along until we shoot
+off the edge into the sea!"
+
+"Leave that to me, Jack," came the assurance of the pilot.
+
+After that no one said a word, for both Lieutenant Beverly and Jack
+Parmly realized that it would be dangerous to distract Tom's attention
+from his work just at the most critical moment.
+
+The sun had reached the horizon, and inside of a few minutes must
+vanish from view. At that moment Tom shut off the engine, and made
+ready to alight!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+ON THE ICE FLOE
+
+
+If ever Tom Raymond had need of skill and care it was then, for what
+might be an ordinary mishap ashore must be a fatal accident under the
+conditions by which they were faced.
+
+But almost as lightly as a snowflake touches the ground he brought the
+wheels under the big bomber in contact with the ice. Indeed, Jack could
+not tell for a certainty when the actual contact occurred; though
+immediately afterwards he found himself being shaken more or less as the
+heavy plane bumped along over the ice.
+
+One peril still menaced them, which was that their momentum, unless
+halted, might carry them to the terminus of the floe, and plunge them
+over. But Tom had taken all precautions, and allowed for everything, even
+an unusual slide on account of the smooth surface under the wheels.
+
+Slower grew their progress, though the bumping continued unabated. And
+finally they had come to a full stop, with still some little stretch of
+the ice field ahead.
+
+Then Jack tried to yell, cowboy fashion; but, to his surprise and
+disgust, he could hardly make a sound above a whisper, his voice having
+failed him through sheer nervous excitement.
+
+He jumped from his seat, and immediately sat down with a rude jar on the
+ice; but, nothing daunted, he quickly scrambled to his feet and began to
+dance like a wild Indian might when the war tocsin sounds through the
+village, and all his primeval instincts are aroused by the thought of
+fighting and plunder.
+
+Tom and Lieutenant Beverly also hastened to leave their seats. They too
+found that their legs were cramped and almost useless, through having
+maintained a sitting position during so many weary hours.
+
+Jack's exuberant spirits caused him to fairly hug his chum.
+
+"Didn't I know you could do it, Tom?" he cried. "See how the old luck
+keeps hanging over us, will you? It's always been this way, Colin; and to
+have Tom along means success every time."
+
+"That may be," the lieutenant replied, giving Tom a fond look; "but if I
+were you I'd call it something more than just luck. It takes brains to
+think up such schemes as this one, brains and a lively imagination in
+the bargain; and Tom's rich in both of those requirements."
+
+"Let's get busy, and see about fixing that feedpipe," broke out the
+modest object of all this praise. "We have only a short time of daylight
+to work in, and after that must depend on our little searchlight torch."
+
+All were willing to start work. Jack found himself shivering slightly,
+although they had not been on the ice-floe many minutes.
+
+"Gee, but it's certainly cold, for a fact!" he exclaimed. "I'd hate to be
+marooned here any length of time, let me tell you, even if we did have
+grub enough to last over a week. Why, we'd freeze to death; not to
+mention what would become of us when the old berg crashed over and
+scattered all this floe ice!"
+
+"Let's hope that our stay will be of short duration then," said Beverly,
+with a quick and apprehensive glance in the direction of the towering
+iceberg, upon the peak of which the last rays of the sinking sun glinted
+until it seemed to be frosted with a million diamonds.
+
+Tom was already busily engaged, after the bomber had been wheeled partly
+around, in order that he might have the benefit of what light remained
+with the departure of day.
+
+Beverly and Jack hovered over him, ready to give advice, or lend a
+helping hand. Of course none of them had ever had to do with this
+particular type of a plane; but then all engines have many similarities
+in their construction, and Tom, as well as the other two, had proved
+themselves to be capable mechanics, as well as able pilots.
+
+Finally, as it was impossible for the three of them to work at the
+repairs, Jack walked around and examined the singular formation
+constituting the berg and attendant ice-floe.
+
+"Why," he told himself in glee, "it floated across our path when we
+needed a landing-place the worst kind, as if we'd ordered it to be held
+in waiting. It might be the next time there'll be a convenient island
+handy, though I hope there'll come no next time."
+
+He even found a way to climb on to the berg itself, though in most places
+the field ice was chopped into small bits by some action on the part of
+the vast bulk, perhaps during a high wind and a heavy sea.
+
+"All I want to be able to say is that I've been on a regular iceberg,"
+Jack announced, after he had once more returned to his mates; "but
+it's frigid, let me tell you. Why, there's enough ice in that mountain
+to freeze all the cream made around New York in a whole season, and
+then some."
+
+He found that Tom was still busily engaged, with Beverly bending down in
+frequent consultation.
+
+"Say, is it going to be anything serious, fellows? Worse than we at
+first thought?"
+
+Beverly looked up and gave him a reassuring smile. He was now holding
+the little hand-torch and directing its ray so that Tom could get the
+full benefit.
+
+"No reason to believe so, Jack," he remarked quietly. "Tom's still of the
+opinion that we ought to have it all fixed up for keeps before an hour
+goes by, if things keep on working as we expect."
+
+"Fine! You make me happy when you say that, Colin!" Jack returned. "If
+only the berg doesn't roll over before we get out of this, I'll consider
+that we have much to be thankful for," he added slowly.
+
+"Could you feel any motion when you stood on that lower shelf of the
+berg?" asked Beverly, showing that he had watched what Jack was doing.
+
+"I should say I could," the other assured him. "It nearly made me
+sea-sick. I'd hate to have to stay here very much longer. If you watch a
+cloud passing you can see just how the peak dips, and swings back and
+forth. It's getting ready to tumble, and before long!"
+
+Tom worked on.
+
+He too realized that the longer they were compelled to stay on the ice
+field the greater their danger must become. If that towering berg ever
+did turn over bottom-up it would smash the floe into fragments and churn
+up the adjacent waters in a way that would leave no avenue of escape for
+the trio of adventurous air pilots who had alighted there by reason of
+circumstances beyond their control.
+
+His hands felt cold, and he was compelled at times to get up and thrash
+both arms about to induce circulation in his extremities. Beverly and
+Jack both offered to take his place, but Tom, having started the job,
+thought he had better finish it if possible.
+
+"Everything seems to be working along as good as pie," Beverly reported,
+in order to add to Jack's peace of mind, for he knew the other must be
+growing a bit anxious again. Delay meant so much to Jack in this endeavor
+to beat the steamship across the Atlantic.
+
+"If you've no objections, I'll rustle after that grub bag, and indulge in
+something to help get rid of this empty feeling I've got. We'll all feel
+better for something to eat," said Jack. "I think Tom could work faster
+if he would take time now for a sandwich."
+
+"You're right, perhaps, Jack," returned Colin. "Although we had better
+wait for a full meal till we get in the air."
+
+"Here's luck, boys!" cried Jack a minute afterwards.
+
+"What have you found now?" asked Tom, without looking up.
+
+"Why, the coffee's still hot. And let me tell you, it feels good to my
+hands. There never was a finer thing for poor air pilots than these
+bottles that allow them to have a warm drink when two miles up, and in
+freezing temperature. This will put fresh life in our bodies."
+
+"That isn't half bad," answered Tom; "so hand it over, and I'll take a
+drink or two."
+
+Tom swallowed his coffee and hastily ate a sandwich, but the others,
+without Tom's reason for haste, ate hungrily.
+
+Never, they confessed, had they felt such voracious appetites as on this
+flight. Perhaps the invigorating sea air had something to do with it; but
+Jack, at least, was not the one to bother himself about the cause, so
+long as the provisions held out.
+
+Some time passed in this way. Tom at work, Beverly holding the flashlight
+in one hand and taking in the other such food as Jack handed to him.
+
+Tom had just remarked he believed he had effected a radical cure, and
+that the feed-pipe was not likely to become obstructed again; at the same
+time Jack could see he was starting to put things together once more.
+
+It began to look as though they might be ready to make a fresh start in
+a very short time, not more than ten minutes, Jack figured. It thrilled
+him to realize this fact. He even glanced toward the towering berg as
+if to say:
+
+"Now be good, and just hold off your gymnastics till we get started, old
+chap! Afterwards you can cut up as much as you please, and little we'll
+care. But I've got too much at stake right now in getting to land to have
+any silly ice mountain turn over on me. So forget your troubles for
+another half hour, if you please!"
+
+Just then Jack saw something move close by. A scuffling sound, followed
+by a strange sniffling, could be plainly heard. Jack bent down and
+clutched Beverly by the arm, saying shrilly:
+
+"Listen, both of you! That Polar bear is coming for us, and I think he
+means business, too!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+ATTACKED BY A POLAR BEAR
+
+
+"Here's trouble, all right!" grumbled Beverly, as he turned, looking to
+where Jack was pointing, and also discovered something moving.
+
+Tom dropped his monkey-wrench. Something else besides a tool of that kind
+would be needed to defend them against the claws and teeth of such a
+bulky monster as a huge Polar bear.
+
+All of them could now make the animal out as Beverly concentrated the
+little ray of light upon him. The beast was advancing slowly, but
+pugnaciously, sniffling the air, and evidently furiously hungry on
+account of his prolonged cruise upon the icefield, deprived of his
+customary fish meals.
+
+"What ought we do, Tom?" Jack called out hurriedly. "If we retreat,
+like as not he'll muss things up around here, and maybe ruin our
+plane for us."
+
+"We must keep him away!" announced Lieutenant Beverly. "It would mean
+death to us all if he got to tumbling around and smashed some of the
+parts of the machine."
+
+As he said this he fumbled about his person, producing the automatic
+pistol with which he usually went on his flights; and without which few
+air pilots venture to enter into combat with enemy fliers.
+
+Tom duplicated his act immediately, while Jack, at the same time, secured
+his weapon from the place where he kept it when in his seat. So, after
+all, things did not seem to be altogether favorable to Bruin; and had the
+bear only known what he was up against possibly he would have found it
+discreet to back off and let the three strange creatures alone.
+
+"Be sure to hold your fire, boys!" Lieutenant Beverly ordered, taking
+command. "We must be like old Put at the battle of Bunker Hill, and wait
+till we can see his eyes clearly. It's going to be hard to drive off that
+big rascal with only pistols! Aim for the spot back of his foreleg if you
+can; that may reach his heart!"
+
+There was not much time for preparation, since the bear kept advancing at
+the same shuffling gait. Tom tried shouting at him, hoping the sound of a
+human voice might cause the beast to alter his intention, and turn back.
+
+The bear did stop, and thrust his muzzle further out as though to get a
+better whiff of the queer animals against which he found himself pitted.
+
+"Didn't go, Tom, for he's coming on again!" cried Jack.
+
+"Get ready to give him a volley," the lieutenant ordered. "Tom, move off
+a bit to the right, and I'll go to the left. That may upset his
+calculations some; and besides, we'll have a better chance to bore in
+back of his forelegs. Jack, stand where you are, and shoot when we do!"
+
+"I'm game!" came the steady reply.
+
+Both the others made a quick move, and the bear found himself facing
+three separate points of peril. He growled fiercely, and came on again,
+straight toward the plane, which seemed to have aroused his curiosity.
+Perhaps he fancied it was some monster bird that would afford him more
+than one good meal.
+
+"Give it to him, everybody!" suddenly shouted Lieutenant Beverly.
+
+Hardly had he uttered the last word than there was a rattle of firearms
+as the three of them discharged their weapons. There arose a mighty roar
+of anger as the bear felt the sudden pain of bullets entering his flesh.
+
+"Again! He's staggering, but full of fight yet!"
+
+Once more the pistol shots rang out. The bear was moving, but seemed to
+be growing quite weak and confused, for once he fell half over, though
+managing to recover and push on.
+
+It took several more rounds before the huge bulk rolled over, gave a few
+spasmodic kicks, and then expired.
+
+"Bully work, boys!" shouted Jack, as he hurried forward to take a
+close-up view of their victim. "Gee whiz! but isn't he a buster though?
+Never did I dream I'd help bring down a real Arctic white bear! And just
+to think of the queer conditions of this hunt, too, will you? I wager,
+now, there never was one like it--by airplane at that!"
+
+After one look at the bear Tom returned to his task. Shooting game was
+all very fine, but he had business of a different character to call for
+his attention just then.
+
+"Wonder if the old chap has got a mate around?" suggested Jack, a sudden
+thought causing him to survey the ice-floe as seen under the faint light
+of the stars that were beginning to show in the heavens above.
+
+"Not one chance in a thousand he had company," Beverly insisted; "but no
+harm in your keeping a wary eye about, Jack, while Tom gets things in
+shape again. I have to stay here with the light. If you've a sharp knife
+what's to hinder you from taking one of his claws for a trophy?"
+
+"I'll do that same. Thank you for reminding me, Colin! Some fellows I
+know are such Doubting Thomases you have to be in a position to prove
+everything you tell them. Tom, loan me that knife of yours, please. It's
+got an edge like a razor to it, and those paws look simply immense."
+
+"Make haste about it, for we'll soon be ready to skip out of this place,"
+Tom warned him as he handed over the knife.
+
+Jack began to work industriously. He found he had undertaken no mean job
+when he contracted to sever one of the front paws of the dead Polar bear.
+Not only did he have to cut through ligaments and tough skin, but the
+bones themselves gave him no end of trouble.
+
+He solved this by finding the heavy monkey-wrench, and using it as a
+hammer, with the knife in place, thus actually severing the paw complete
+after considerable trouble.
+
+"There, isn't that a regular beauty to show?" he demanded, holding up the
+result of his labor. "I feel something like a young Indian warrior who's
+just killed his first grizzly, and means to hang the claws about his neck
+to prove his bravery."
+
+He stood looking down at the monster bear for a minute, debating
+something in his mind.
+
+"I wonder now," Jack finally observed, "if we could eat that bear meat,
+supposing something happened to keep us marooned on this ice for weeks at
+a stretch? What do you think about it, Tom?"
+
+"It might be possible, if we got in a bad pinch and were almost
+starving," came the reply. "But you must remember we'd have to swallow it
+raw, because we haven't any means for making a fire; and trying to kindle
+a blaze on the ice would be a tough job."
+
+"Then I'm glad to know we don't have to depend on bear meat to keep us
+from starving," Jack announced. "Pretty nearly through, Tom?"
+
+"Five minutes more ought to see us ready to start. I'm pretty hungry
+though and would like something more to eat. You boys ate a good deal,
+but you called it 'a snack,' and not 'supper.'"
+
+"On the whole," Colin suggested, "perhaps we'd better leave the supper
+until we get to moving smoothly again. Things ought to taste better if we
+feel we've got the bulge on this engine trouble for fair."
+
+Jack did not try to urge any undue haste. Nevertheless he looked several
+times in the quarter close by where the big berg raised its cone, as if
+his uneasiness now might be wholly concerned with its possibilities for
+making fresh trouble.
+
+Was it imagination, or some sort of optical delusion that made the tip
+of the huge berg seem to come lower and lower, then draw back again as if
+making a ceremonious bow like a dancing-master?
+
+Jack gasped, and opened his lips to cry out, but thinking better of it
+restrained the temptation. They could not get away until the repairs were
+complete. At the same time, while trying to make himself believe he had
+magnified the thing, he was conscious of a louder grinding noise than any
+heard up to that moment.
+
+Tom was putting the finishing bolt in place. A few more efforts and he
+would be able to announce that his task had been completed. Jack became
+conscious of a peculiar undulating movement to the ice under his feet. It
+was just the same as he could remember experiencing when on skates, and
+going at full steam over a thin section of ice that must have easily
+broken under his weight only for the speed with which he crossed over.
+
+Was the ice floe about to break up? Would it result in several smaller
+sections separating from the main stem, none of which might be of a size
+to allow them sufficient room for making a start?
+
+The thought alarmed Jack. He also knew that undoubtedly any movement to
+the pack ice must be caused by some action of the giant berg. Was that
+mountain of ice about to take the plunge at last, and turn over, its base
+being eaten away to such an extent that the whole had become top-heavy?
+
+Once again did Jack turn his startled eyes to the left. He could not get
+it out of his mind how terribly suggestive that "bow" on the part of the
+berg had been.
+
+There it was, coming again! Perhaps the wind had grown stronger since
+they dropped down upon the ice, and was adding its force to the action of
+the waters.
+
+Jack found himself unable to hold in any longer. If such a dreadful peril
+hung over them it was time his companions knew the need of haste in
+getting free from that doomed field of ice. So he put all doubts behind
+him and gave tongue.
+
+"Hurry, hurry, Tom! The iceberg is acting queerly. It's tottering as if
+ready to roll over on us! Don't you see how it acts, Tom?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+WHEN THE ICEBERG ROLLED OVER
+
+
+Fortunately Tom had everything ready for an immediate start, acting under
+orders, Jack and Beverly having previously changed the position of the
+big plane, so that it now faced the run taken when landing.
+
+This brought the wind back of them; but that would be an asset rather
+than a detriment. They had also gone hastily over the course to make
+absolutely certain there was no break, or other trap, which might give
+them serious trouble.
+
+"Jump aboard, both of you!" cried Tom, still keeping his head--a lucky
+thing, since to get "rattled" in such a crisis might prove fatal.
+
+The beating of the engine and the whirr of the propellers announced that
+they were off. On the comparatively smooth ice it was easy to make a
+start unassisted by mechanics or hostlers.
+
+Jack's heart seemed to be in his throat, and he waited in feverish
+suspense to learn whether success or failure was to be their fortune.
+Faster now grew their progress, but would the stretch of ice prove a
+long enough area to give them the necessary momentum?
+
+Every second they expected to hear horrible grinding noises from behind,
+such as must accompany the toppling over of the berg. Even the splash of
+waves against the further side of the big ice-floe seemed like the
+pounding of a monster hammer, at least to Jack's excited imagination.
+
+They were now drawing perilously near the brink. Was Tom ever going to
+elevate the plane and attempt the rise from the flat surface of the ice?
+
+Just when it seemed to Jack that hope must yield to despair he realized
+that the jumpy motion of the plane ceased suddenly. He knew what this
+meant, and that Tom had finally shown his hand, for they no longer bumped
+along but began to move through space!
+
+Then Jack fell back, breathing freely again. Success had rewarded their
+efforts, and once more the big bomber was speeding through its own
+element on the wings of the wind.
+
+But it had indeed been a narrow escape for the adventurous trio; for
+hardly had they started to swing upward into space when from behind them
+arose a series of horrible crashings, gurglings, and the mad splashing of
+water, telling that in truth the giant berg had carried out its threat
+and rolled completely over, playing havoc with the entire floe.
+
+No one spoke immediately. In fact, none of them could have uttered a
+word, no matter how hard he had tried. In each young heart a feeling of
+intense gratitude reigned, as well as a sensation of horror, for only too
+well did they know what their immediate fate must have been had they
+remained prisoners on the ice but another two minutes.
+
+Tom pointed the nose of the plane directly into the southwest. He even
+seemed to be getting additional speed out of his motors, as though bent
+on making up for the lost time.
+
+All of them began to settle down for another long monotonous period with
+the whole night before them. Far from comfortable might be their
+situation, but not a single complaint would be heard. All they asked was
+that things might go on as they were, with the plane reeling off knot
+after knot of the cruise into the west.
+
+After a while Jack remembered that Tom had had but a bite of supper.
+Accordingly he got out the supplies and proceeded to serve them. Then he
+took Tom's place for a while and held the airship true to her course.
+
+They kept about five hundred feet or so above the sea. Somehow it
+gave them a little encouragement just to catch the glint of the
+stars on the tumbling waves below. There was a friendliness in the
+billows, a something that seemed to keep them in contact with their
+fellow men; a thing which they missed when passing along two thousand
+feet or more above the surface of the terrestrial globe, even beyond
+the floating clouds.
+
+So the long vigil was taken up. Hour after hour the giant bomber must
+wing its swift flight, ever speeding onward into the realm of space
+through which it was now making a voyage unequalled since Columbus sailed
+his three high-decked boats into that unknown ocean at the end of which
+he expected to come to the East Indies.
+
+By turns they managed to get some sleep, each serving his trick as pilot.
+
+The hours grew into early morning. How eagerly did the pilot often turn
+his tired head to gaze backward toward the east, to see if but the first
+faint gleam of coming dawn had appeared there. And how joyfully did he
+welcome it when that desire became reality.
+
+So the unfolding day found them, still heading onward, and with
+everything promising well. Jack, of course, had his binoculars out as
+soon as it was possible to see any distance. Shortly afterwards he made
+an important announcement.
+
+"Smoke head of us, fellows. Much too much to come from any one steamer.
+You can see it with the naked eye, dead on there!"
+
+After taking a good look, Tom, who was at the wheel, gave his opinion.
+
+"It might be a vessel afire," he said slowly. "One of those tank-oil
+steamers would make a fierce smoke, you know. But on the whole I rather
+believe it's a convoy of troop ships going across to France."
+
+"I never thought of that, Tom!" cried Jack, again clapping the glasses to
+his eyes; "but I reckon you're right, for I can see funnels of black
+smoke rising from different quarters. Yes, there must be dozens of boats
+in that flotilla. What had we better do?"
+
+"Go aloft, and try to keep out of sight among the little clouds," was the
+immediate reply Tom made. "We could continue to watch, and see all that
+passed below, at the same time keeping ourselves fairly invisible.
+They'll hardly be looking up so as to discover a speck floating past. And
+then again all that smoke is bound to make it difficult for them to see."
+
+He lost no time in commencing a spiral climb for altitude, boring upward
+with the powerful bomber in a way that was wonderful.
+
+By degrees they attained the height desired, and once again did Tom head
+into the southwest. Jack reported what he saw from time to time, calling
+above the noise made by engines and propellers.
+
+"It's a big convoy, all right," he told them. "I can see ever so many
+steamships following one another in double column. Each is loaded with
+our boys in khaki, I presume. Then off on either side and ahead are
+little specks that I can just make out by reason of their smoke
+streamers. Those must be the score or more of destroyers, guarding the
+flotilla against U-boat attack. It's a great sight, let me tell you!
+Here, Colin's getting out his glasses to take a look. Tom, you must have
+a chance too."
+
+Each in turn managed to survey the stirring spectacle as spread out upon
+the sea far beneath them. And the pulses of those gallant lads throbbed
+with pardonable pride when they realized what magnificent efforts America
+was making to win the war in favor of the Allies, after entering it so
+late herself.
+
+Gradually the great smoke cloud began to grow more distant, the fleet
+with its convoy having passed by, continuing to head into the east, where
+the lurking U-boat would possibly be waiting to attack.
+
+"That was a great sight!" exclaimed Tom, as their attention again turned
+to possibilities lying before them, rather than what had passed by.
+
+"Never forget it as long as I live!" Jack declared vehemently.
+
+"It's been a good thing for us in more than one way," Tom went on to say.
+"You see, personally, I've been just a bit in doubt about our actual
+bearings; and this has set me straight. I can put my finger on the actual
+spot on the chart where we'd be likely to meet the fleet. So now we've
+got to change our course sharply."
+
+"Running more into the south-southwest, you mean, I suppose, Tom?"
+asked Beverly.
+
+"Just that," continued the acting pilot. "We want to strike the Virginia
+shore, you understand, and right now we're off Long Island. After several
+hours on our new course we'll again make a sharp swing into the west, and
+then look for land!"
+
+"And that land, oh, joy! will be our own America!" cried Jack, his face
+fairly beaming with expectation.
+
+They kept booming along on the new course for several hours, and as it
+did not seem necessary to continue at such a great altitude they again
+descended to the old familiar line of flight, with the sea about five
+hundred feet below.
+
+"Given another hour," Tom said, along about the middle of the morning,
+"and it will be time to strike for the west. We must be off Delaware or
+the tip of Maryland right now. Jack just reported a faint glimpse of
+land, but wasn't sure it might not be a low-hanging cloud bank."
+
+"And now we're in for another experience, I'm afraid," called out Jack,
+"for there's a nasty sea fog sweeping along from the south. We're bound
+to drive into it before five minutes more--the first real mist blanket to
+strike us all the way across."
+
+Jack's prediction proved no idle one, for in less than the time specified
+they found themselves suddenly enveloped by a dense mantle of mist
+through which it would have been utterly impossible to have seen anything
+a hundred feet away.
+
+Tom for one did not like the coming of that fog just when they were about
+to drew near the land of their hopes. Unlike a vessel, they could not
+come to anchor and ride it out, waiting for the fog to lift; but must
+drive on, and desperately strive to find some sort of landing.
+
+"The thickest fog I ever saw!" Jack observed, after they had been passing
+through the moist gray blanket of mist for some little time.
+
+"Just the usual kind you'll meet with on the sea at times," answered the
+lieutenant. "I was caught in one when out on the fishing banks, and it
+wasn't any too pleasant a feeling it gave me either. But for our compass
+we'd never have reached shore again."
+
+"And but for the compass right now," said Tom, "it would be next to
+impossible to steer a straight course."
+
+"One good thing," Jack told them; "very little danger of a collision,
+such as vessels are likely to encounter in so dense a fog."
+
+"No, the air passage across the Atlantic hasn't become so popular yet
+that we have to keep blowing a fog horn while sailing," laughed Colin.
+
+All of them were feeling considerably brighter, now that their wonderful
+venture seemed to be drawing close to a successful termination. If only
+their luck held good and allowed them to make a safe landing, they felt
+they would have good reason for gratitude.
+
+"What makes it feel so queer at times?" Jack asked later on. "Why, I seem
+to have the blood going to my head, just as happened when looping the
+loop, and hanging too long in stays."
+
+"I've noticed the same thing myself," added Colin briskly, "and tried to
+figure out the cause. Tom, what do you say about it?"
+
+"A queer situation has arisen, according to my calculation," the pilot
+told them. "Fact is, without being able to see a solitary thing anywhere
+about us, above or below, it's often impossible to know when we're
+sailing on a level keel, or flying upside down!"
+
+"That's a fact," admitted Lieutenant Beverly. "When you haven't the
+slightest thing to guide you, stars, sun, or earth, how can you tell
+which is up or which is down? We go forward because of the compass; but
+part of the time I do believe, just as you say, Tom, we've been flying
+upside-down!"
+
+"I don't fancy this way of flying," Tom announced. "I think it would be
+better for us to climb in order to see if we can get out of this
+pea-soup."
+
+"Ditto here!" echoed Jack. "I'm getting dizzy, with it all, and my head
+feels twice as heavy as ordinary. You can't mount any too soon to
+please me, Tom."
+
+Lieutenant Beverly was not averse, it seemed, so the call became
+unanimous.
+
+"All we want is to sight land," the Lieutenant remarked. "Then we can
+start for the interior, and try to pick a nice soft spot for landing
+without getting all smashed up."
+
+Later on he was reminded of that wish by Jack, for they certainly found
+such a spot, as future events proved.
+
+By climbing to a considerable height it was found that they could avoid
+the uncomfortable experiences that had befallen them closer to the
+surface of the ocean. Here the sun was shining, and while clouds floated
+around them there was no longer a chance of the plane being inverted.
+
+Jack could make out land at times, though still faintly seen, and lying
+low on the uncertain horizon.
+
+"I wonder if that can be Virginia I see?" he sometimes said; but talking
+more to himself than trying to make the others hear.
+
+"It isn't far away at most, Jack," Beverly assured him; for he
+sympathized with Jack and the reason the other had for longing to get to
+the home town ahead of his scheming cousin.
+
+"Show me the chart and just about where we ought to be right now, Tom,"
+said Jack. "That is, if it's no trouble."
+
+"No trouble to do it," came the quick reply, and with a pencil Tom made a
+cross on the chart while Jack's eyes danced with joy.
+
+"Then that must be Virginia off there to the west!" he cried, again
+snatching up the glasses for another earnest look.
+
+Tom watched him out of the corner of his eye. Well did he know that as
+Jack feasted his gaze upon the far distant land in imagination he was
+seeing that dearly loved home, with the friends who were so precious to
+him, and in fancy receiving their warm greetings.
+
+They continued on for some little time. Tom felt pretty confident that
+he was correct, though he would be glad to have some confirmation of
+his figuring.
+
+"The fog is thinning some!" he finally stated, "and I think we'd better
+seek a lower level."
+
+"Might as well," added Beverly, approving of the idea instantly.
+
+"Yes," added Jack, "when the time comes to fly landward we'll want to be
+down far enough to see where we're going. We needn't be afraid any longer
+of making a sensation, because seaplanes must be cruising over these
+waters nearly every day, coming from the station near Fortress Monroe at
+Hampton Roads."
+
+Accordingly it was not long before they were skirting the upper reaches
+of the diminishing fog bank, being about a thousand feet or so above the
+sea itself. Now and then slight rifts appeared in the disappearing mist,
+and at such intervals it was possible for them to catch fleeting glimpses
+of the Atlantic, whose wide expanse they had successfully spanned, an
+event that would make history, if only it could ever be publicly known.
+
+Jack could no longer see the low shore, much to his distress; but then
+he knew positively it was there, and when the time came to change
+their course directly into the west a brief flight would carry them
+over the land.
+
+It really mattered little to him where they made their landing, since he
+would be able to find a way of reaching Bridgeton within a few hours. He
+consulted his little wrist watch again and again.
+
+Tom was more than a little amused to see Jack even clap it close to his
+ear. He knew the reason of his doing this, for time was crawling on so
+slowly in the estimation of the impatient one that he even suspected the
+faithful little watch had ceased to go, though its steady ticking must
+have speedily assured him such could not possibly be the case.
+
+"Listen!" Lieutenant Beverly suddenly called out.
+
+A strange weird sound came faintly to their ears. Even above all the
+noise of their working engine they could make it out. To any one who came
+from the interior of the country it might have seemed a bewildering
+sound, and have called up strange fancies connected with marine monsters
+that were said to have once inhabited these waters near the Gulf Stream.
+
+But the trio of voyagers had lived too long near the coast not to
+recognize a fog-siren when they heard its strident call.
+
+Jack in particular was exultant.
+
+"Tell me, is that the anchored light-ship's siren, Tom, do you think?" he
+demanded, with considerable excitement.
+
+The pilot nodded his head, and with a finger pointed to a dot on the
+chart to indicate that it could be nothing else.
+
+"I presume, Tom," Jack went on to say, "you came down when you did partly
+to catch that sound as we came near the shoals where the lightship stands
+guard day and night the whole year through."
+
+"Well, I had that in mind," came the answer, "for, as I said before,
+while feeling pretty sure of my bearings I thought I'd like to have them
+verified. And now you can see I wasn't much out of the way."
+
+"You've done splendidly, Tom," said Beverly, clapping the other heartily
+on the back. "We've all carried ourselves like true Americans through
+this whole affair; and it'll afford us considerable satisfaction when we
+look back on the wonderful trip."
+
+"And now, Tom, hadn't we better turn toward the shore?" asked Jack.
+
+"Just as soon as we get over the lightship I will know how to steer,
+Jack. Keep cool, and before long you'll be looking down on our beloved
+Virginia once again."
+
+"You make me mighty happy when you say that, Tom. Many times I've
+wondered if I'd ever see it again, we've been overseas so long and in so
+many perils while doing our duty. How fine it'll be to stand once more
+on the soil where both of us were born, and know we've done a pretty big
+thing in crossing the Atlantic by the new air route!"
+
+They fell silent again after that, but not for long. Louder and clearer
+came the frequent long-drawn wails of the steam fog-horn, until finally
+it seemed evident they were almost exactly above the lightship that, as
+Tom knew, was anchored on the shoals to warn mariners of their danger by
+means of a far-reaching lamp and the powerful siren's hoarse voice.
+
+"Now we'll strike in for the land!" called out Tom, his announcement
+causing Jack to thrill with delight, while Beverly too showed his
+pleasure in broad smiles.
+
+Soon afterwards they were speeding due west, with Jack gluing his eyes to
+his glasses and reporting every few minutes fresh signs of vast
+importance. Virginia soon lay beneath them, to announce that they had
+completed their wonderful flight across the Atlantic.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+THE END OF THE FLIGHT
+
+
+No longer did the fog enfold them in its damp grasp. After leaving the
+immediate coast behind them the last trace of it disappeared.
+
+Jack refused to take his entranced eyes from the binoculars for a single
+minute. He felt a hundred-fold repaid for all the perils encountered
+during the memorable flight from the shore of France, during which they
+had spanned the vast area of the Atlantic, and were now sailing
+peacefully along above the home soil.
+
+Lieutenant Beverly made an announcement just then that startled them.
+
+"We must look for a place to drop down without any further loss of time!"
+he called out to Tom, who was still serving as pilot.
+
+"But it would be mighty fine," Jack observed wistfully, "if only we might
+keep going on until we got a few miles out of Bridgeton. I know every rod
+of territory for miles around and could point out a dandy level field to
+make our landing in. We'd be able to descend without observation, too, I
+really believe."
+
+"That'd surely be nice, Jack," Beverly told him, "and I wish we could
+accommodate you. But the fact is we're about out of gas! I noted this a
+short time ago, but said nothing, because it would do no good to throw a
+scare into you both. Besides, Tom had already headed direct for the land
+at the time."
+
+"How lucky that didn't happen when we were a hundred miles out at sea!"
+Tom exclaimed, his first thought being one of satisfaction, rather than
+useless complaint. This was characteristic of Tom, always seeing the
+bright side of things, no matter how gloomy they appeared to others.
+
+"Then I'd better be looking for a landing-place," Jack quickly remarked,
+getting over his little disappointment.
+
+"And the sooner we duck the better," Beverly admitted. "If the motors
+go back on us we'll be in a bad fix; and volplaning to the ground
+isn't always as easy as it's pictured, especially when you've no
+choice of a landing."
+
+"After all, it does not matter so very much," Jack concluded. "Surely
+once we succeed in gaining a footing we can discover a means for getting
+to our goal without much loss of time."
+
+He bent his energies toward looking for what would seem to be a
+promising open spot, where there would not be apt to be any pitfalls or
+traps waiting to wreck their plane, and possibly endanger their lives.
+
+"Scrub woods all below us, Tom!" he announced.
+
+"But there must be openings here and there," the pilot told him. "If only
+the field seems long enough to admit of our coming to a stop, we'd better
+take chances."
+
+"Nothing yet, sorry to say," called out Jack.
+
+"Suppose you drop lower, Tom," suggested Beverly. "If we skirt the tops
+of the taller trees we'll be better able to see without depending on the
+glasses. All three of us can be on the lookout at the same time."
+
+Tom considered that a good idea and he lost no time in carrying it out.
+It was easier now to take particular note of the ground; but they passed
+over mile after mile of the scrub without discovering what they most
+earnestly sought.
+
+"Things are getting down to a fine point, Tom," warned Beverly. "Our gas
+is on its last legs, and any minute now we'll find ourselves without
+motive power."
+
+"It must change soon," the pilot told them. "This scrub forest has got to
+give way to rising ground and open spaces."
+
+"But if it doesn't, what then?" asked Jack.
+
+"I hate to think of crashing down into those trees," Tom admitted.
+"We've just got to get over being too particular. Several places we let
+pass us might have answered our purpose. Look ahead, Jack, and tell me if
+there doesn't seem to be some sort of open spot lying there."
+
+Jack gave a whoop.
+
+"Here we are!" he cried exultantly. "It's an opening in the scrub timber,
+a big gash too, for a fact! Why, already I can see that it looks like a
+level green field. How queer it should be lying right there, as if it
+might be meant for us."
+
+"You don't glimpse any other chance further on, do you, Jack?" continued
+the pilot.
+
+"Never a thing, Tom. Just a continuation of those same old dwarf
+oak trees. But why do you ask that? What's the matter with this
+fine big gap?"
+
+"I'm afraid it's a marsh, and not a dry field!" Tom answered. "But all
+the same I presume we'll have to chance it. Better to strike a bog than
+to fall into those trees, where the lot of us might be killed."
+
+"Suppose we circle around, and try to find the best place for a descent,"
+proposed Beverly.
+
+All of them strained their eyes to try to see better. Unfortunately a
+cloud passed over the sun just then, rendering it difficult to make sure
+of anything.
+
+"What's the verdict?" sang out Tom presently, keeping a wary eye on the
+straining motors.
+
+"Looks to me as if that further part might be the highest ground," was
+Jack's decision.
+
+"I agree with you there!" instantly echoed Beverly.
+
+"That settles it! Here goes to make the try," Tom announced, again
+swinging in and shutting off all power.
+
+He continued to glide downward, approaching the ground at a certain point
+which he had picked but with his highly trained eye as apparently the
+best location for the landing.
+
+Suspecting what might happen, Tom held back until the very last, so that
+the big bombing plane was not going at much speed when its wheels came in
+contact with the ground for the first time.
+
+Something happened speedily, for it proved to be a bog, and as the
+rubber-tired wheels sank in and could not be propelled, the natural
+result followed that the nose of the giant plane was buried in the soft
+ground, and they came to an abrupt stop.
+
+Tom was the first to crawl forth, and Beverly followed close upon his
+heels. The third member of the party did not seem as ready to report,
+which fact alarmed his chum.
+
+"Jack, what's wrong with you?" he called out, starting to climb aboard
+the smashed plane again.
+
+"Nothing so very much, I think; but I seem to be all twisted up in this
+broken gear, and can hardly move," came the answer.
+
+Tom secretly hoped it was not a broken arm or leg instead. He started to
+feel around, and soon managed to get the other free from the broken ends
+of the wire stays that had somehow hindered his escape. Together they
+crawled out, to find Lieutenant Beverly feeling himself all over as if
+trying to discover what the extent of his damages were.
+
+"Try to see if you've been injured any way seriously, Jack," begged his
+anxious chum, still unconvinced.
+
+An investigation disclosed the marvelous fact that all of them had
+managed to come through the smashing landing with but a small amount of
+damage. When this was ascertained without any doubt Jack started to
+prance around, unable to contain himself within bounds.
+
+"Excuse me if I act a little looney, fellows!" he begged. "Fact is, I'm
+just keyed up to topnotch and something will give way unless I let off
+steam a bit."
+
+With that he yelled and laughed and cheered until his breath gave out.
+Neither of the others felt any inclination to try to stop his antics.
+Truth to tell, they were tempted to egg Jack on, because he was really
+expressing in his own fashion something of the same exultation that all
+of them felt.
+
+The great flight had been carried through, and here they were landed on
+the soil of America, three young aviators who but a few days before had
+been serving their country on the fighting-front in Northern France. Yes,
+the Atlantic had been successfully bridged by a heavier-than-air plane,
+and from the time of leaving France until this minute their feet had not
+once pressed any soil; for that ice-pack in mid-Atlantic could not be
+counted against them, since it too was nothing but congealed water.
+
+"But the poor old bomber! It's ruined, Colin, I'm afraid," Jack finally
+managed to say, when he sank down from his exertions.
+
+"That's a small matter," Beverly assured him. "The main thing is that we
+did what we set out to do, and proved that the dream of all real airmen
+could be made to come true. We may live to see a procession of monster
+boats of the air setting out for over-seas daily, carrying passengers, as
+well as mail and express matter."
+
+"Yes," said Tom gravely, and yet with a pardonable trace of pride in
+voice and manner, "the Atlantic has been conquered, and saddled, and
+bridled, like any wild broncho of the plains. But hadn't we better be
+thinking of getting out of this soft marshy tract?"
+
+"As quickly as we possibly can," Jack told him. "We'll try to run across
+some Virginia farmer, black or white, who will have a horse and agree to
+take us to the nearest railroad station. Once we hit civilization, the
+rest will be easy."
+
+"What about the plane, Colin?" asked Tom.
+
+"It can stay here for the time being," the other answered him. "Later
+on I'll hire some one to have it hauled out and stored against my
+coming back--after we've been a while in Berlin and got Heine to
+behaving himself."
+
+They secured such things as it was desirable they should keep. Acting on
+Tom's advice everything that might testify to their identity was also
+removed, lest the bogged plane be accidentally discovered and betray
+them. Afterwards they set out to find a way beyond the borders of the
+marsh and scrub oaks, to some place where possibly they might get
+assistance.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+SURPRISING BRIDGETON
+
+
+"Here's the end of the marshy tract," Tom said, after they had been
+floundering around for some little time.
+
+"How fine it feels to be on solid ground again," Jack observed, stamping
+his feet as though he really enjoyed the sensation.
+
+Indeed, after being for such a long time, weary hours after hours,
+confined in the big bombing plane, the relief was greatly appreciated by
+both Tom Raymond and Lieutenant Beverly, as well as by Jack Parmly.
+
+"Now for the home town!" the last mentioned told his companions. "And as
+near as I can figure it out there's not a ghost of a chance that Cousin
+Randolph could have arrived before me."
+
+"For that matter I'm sure the French steamer must be still far out at
+sea, with a day or two's journey ahead of her," Colin assured him.
+
+"Then it's my game, provided we don't run across some U. S. army
+authorities who'd want to know our names and hold us for investigation,
+which would knock everything flat."
+
+"We're going to try to avoid all that bother," Beverly assured him. "It
+isn't going to make us feel very proud of our achievement, since we have
+to hide our light under a bushel; but for one I don't regret it. No
+matter if we have to be punished for desertion, our motive was honorable;
+and they never will be able to deny us the credit of having made the
+longest flight on record in a heavier-than-air machine."
+
+"All the same," urged Tom, "I'd rather keep quiet about that stunt, for
+the present at least. I want to go back and finish the work over there.
+If the Huns are going to be driven to the Rhine we ought to be doing our
+duty by Uncle Sam; which we couldn't if shut up in the Government
+penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth, awaiting trial as deserters."
+
+"Here's a plain trail that may lead us out of this region of scrub oaks,
+and to some farmer's place!" the lieutenant exclaimed just then; and in
+their eagerness to get in touch with some one who would take them to the
+railroad they talked no further concerning the great flight and its
+possible serious consequences to them.
+
+Half an hour afterwards they came to the home of a farmer, who was trying
+to make a living out of his isolated holdings, eking it out, as he
+informed them while his wife was getting up the best meal possible, by
+doing some terrapin hunting, and even trapping muskrats and such
+fur-bearing animals during the otherwise unprofitable winter months.
+
+It was very comfortable to sit down once more to a table after being so
+long taking "snacks" at odd hours, and being cramped in the bombing
+plane. And as the farmer's wife had plenty of fresh eggs, which they told
+her not to stint, the generous omelet she produced was fully appreciated,
+flanked as it was by rashers of pretty fair bacon.
+
+There were also some freshly made soda biscuits which had a true
+old-fashioned Southern taste, appreciated by Tom and Jack. Lieutenant
+Beverly did not show any great liking for them; but he was a Northerner,
+brought up on baking-powder biscuits, so the others could understand his
+want of appreciation.
+
+Taken all in all, they certainly enjoyed that first bite ashore after the
+completion of their memorable flight across the Atlantic.
+
+Jack, so Tom said, seemed to think it was a sort of celebration because
+of the event, for his face was wreathed in a perpetual smile.
+
+"The sort of smile," Jack retorted, "that won't come off."
+
+"Oh, how good I do feel!" was a remark that if he made it once he did a
+dozen times, always finding it greeted by answering nods on the part of
+his two companions.
+
+Of course they told the farmer they were aviators who had had the
+misfortune to drop into the marsh, where he would find their plane.
+
+Beverly hired him to dismantle this in part, and store it away in his
+shed until later on it could be called for in person. He was not to
+deliver it to any person without the presence of one of the trio.
+
+When he started out to drive them in his old rickety vehicle to the
+nearest railroad station, miles distant, he was almost stricken dumb
+because Beverly, in the fulness of his gratitude over their marvelous
+escape, thrust a full hundred dollars upon him, with a promise of a like
+amount later on for looking after the abandoned bombing plane.
+
+"To-day is marked with a white stone in the life of Farmer Jenkins,
+believe me," Jack whispered aside to Tom, as they saw the amazed look
+spreading over the man's weather-beaten face.
+
+"It's that with all of us," said Tom soberly.
+
+Jack fell silent after that. He was engrossed with thoughts connected
+with his unexpected return to the home of his childhood; and in
+imagination could see the excitement their unheralded appearance was
+certain to arouse.
+
+It had been arranged between them that their presence must be kept as
+much a secret as possible. On this account they would delay their arrival
+at the home of Jack's mother until after darkness had set in.
+
+"To-morrow," Jack had said, when these things were being discussed,
+"we'll telegraph to Mr. Smedley in Richmond to come on without delay in
+connection with my dead uncle's estate, ready to settle it according to
+the provisions of his queer will. Then we'll be ready for Randolph when
+he bobs up."
+
+Beverly had also made a suggestion when they were thus talking it all
+over, and arranging plans after their usual way.
+
+"Now I've got a good friend who lives on Staten Island, right in New York
+harbor," he informed them. "Often while at his house visiting I've amused
+myself with a glass watching steamers pass through the Narrows lying
+between the shore of the island and that part of Brooklyn opposite Fort
+Wadsworth. I'll wire him to let me know by the same means when _La
+Bretagne_ reaches Quarantine in the harbor."
+
+"A clever idea, Colin!" Tom cried. "In that way we can figure out just
+when Jack's cousin might expect to arrive in Bridgeton to claim the
+estate as being the first one on the ground, thanks to that silly
+provision of the old man's will."
+
+"Given two hours to get off the vessel, after the time she reaches
+Quarantine," Jack figured, "and six more to get to Richmond makes eight
+in all. Then he might be two hours getting out to Bridgeton, for trains
+are not very plentiful. He could make it in that time if he took a
+roadster with a chauffeur and came that way. Ten hours in all."
+
+"We'll be lying in wait for Randolph, all right!" laughed Beverly. "And
+what a surprise it'll be! The man must think he's dreaming, having left
+you over in France, Jack, on the fighting front when he sailed, with not
+one chance in a thousand that you could catch even the next boat, days
+later, and then finding you here ahead of him!"
+
+The prospect pleased them all so much that they made light of the
+merciless jostling received in that springless wagon over wretched
+Virginia shore roads. In fact, they were so elated over the great success
+that had rewarded their daring venture that it seemed just then as if
+nothing could ever again make them feel blue, or depressed in spirits.
+
+In due time the lonely little station was reached. It was then two in the
+afternoon of that eventful day. Just as Tom anticipated, it turned out
+that there would not be a train in the direction they wished to go for
+two hours and more. This train would drop them at another station where
+a connection was made with the road that ran through Bridgeton.
+
+It was lucky they found themselves in no hurry, thanks, as Jack naively
+remarked, to their having come across "on the air-line limited."
+
+The time dragged to Jack, naturally, but he felt he had no reason for
+complaint after such wonderful good fortune. At last their train came
+along. What if it was ten minutes late? That would only shorten their
+wait at the junction.
+
+"So long as we reach the old town by nine tonight I'll be satisfied,"
+Jack had bravely committed himself by saying; and indeed it was just
+about then they did jump from the steps of the car at Bridgeton, for the
+second train had been two hours late.
+
+Nevertheless all of them were united in thinking they had made a swift
+trip from the American sector of the fighting front in France to the town
+of Bridgeton in the Old Dominion in just _four complete days_.
+
+Jack led the way, though, of course, Tom would have been just as
+competent a guide, since this was also his home town.
+
+How those blinking lights in the well-remembered windows of the Parmly
+home held Jack's eyes, once he sighted them! Never before in all his
+life had he felt such a delicious thrill creep over him from head to toe.
+
+Knocking on the door he and his chums carried out their pre-arranged
+plan. Jack and Tom were to keep back out of sight, leaving Lieutenant
+Beverly to break the glorious news first and prepare the family, so there
+might not be so loud an outcry as to arouse the neighbors and breed the
+excitement in the community that neither of the returned fighters wished.
+
+Jack's aunt, who, a widow herself, made her home with her widowed
+sister-in-law, came to the door, for some reason or other. Perhaps the
+negro servants still went home at night, as had been the case before Jack
+went to the war. She looked surprised and anxious as soon as she saw that
+the caller was a stranger, and evidently an aviator from his dress.
+
+"This is Mrs. Parmly, I believe?" the visitor hastened to say.
+
+"Mrs. Job Parmly. Mrs. Parmly's sister-in-law."
+
+"I see. Mrs. Parmly, my name is Beverly, Lieutenant Beverly of the United
+States Aerial Corps, just over from France. I am a good friend of your
+nephew, Jack, who has entrusted a message to me to deliver to his mother.
+May I come in for a short time, Mrs. Parmly?"
+
+He was immediately warmly greeted and drawn into the sitting-room where
+he met Jack's mother. The two outside could peep under the drawn shade
+and watch all that went on, Jack quivering with emotion as he looked on
+the beloved faces of his own people once again.
+
+Beverly knew how eager the boy must be, and hence he lost little time in
+getting down to the main fact, which was that he wished them not to do
+anything to arouse curiosity in the neighborhood; but that Jack was near
+by, and all would be soon explained; also that they must not be troubled
+thinking he, Jack, had done anything really wrong.
+
+When he had drawn down the shades fully, that being the signal to those
+outside, Jack could restrain himself no longer. Opening the front door
+he rushed into the house and quickly had his mother and then his aunt
+in his arms.
+
+The story was told at length, with the family clustered around Jack and
+Tom, hanging on every word as though it were the most thrilling thing
+they had ever heard, which in truth it must be.
+
+Then Tom had to be considered. Lieutenant Beverly volunteered to go over
+to the Raymond house, which could easily be pointed out to him, and bring
+back the startled family, so they could greet their boy, whom they, of
+course, supposed to be at that very moment still overseas, risking his
+life in his perilous calling.
+
+It seemed to Tom that the delight of once more greeting these loved
+ones well repaid him for all he had passed through in making that
+wonderful flight. The story had to be all gone over again, and scores
+of questions answered.
+
+By degrees the scope of Jack's plan was grasped by his family, who of
+course knew about the strange conditions of Joshua Kinkaid's will,
+whereby the bulk of his large estate, long before promised to the
+Parmlys, would go without restrictions to either Randolph Carringford or
+Jack Parmly, according to which of them, after the death of the testator,
+appeared before a notary public specified in Bridgeton, and qualified to
+assume the trust.
+
+So, too, the plan of campaign designed to confound the arch-schemer
+who had even plotted to keep Jack from ever applying in person, was
+agreed to.
+
+The presence of the three was to be kept a dead secret. They would not go
+out of the house by daylight, even for a breath of air. In the morning
+the old family lawyer, who had also served Mr. Kinkaid in a similar
+capacity, would be sent for to come hurriedly.
+
+Once he arrived, the stage would be set for carrying out the provisions
+of the queer will, which Tom considered might hardly have stood the
+test of a contest in court, though later on the lawyer, Mr. Smedley, who
+had himself carefully drawn it up, assured him it was really an
+iron-bound document.
+
+"But," Jack said, as they waited for the lawyer's coming on the noon
+train from Richmond, "we can spare a couple of days here, and still make
+the steamer we hope to sail on for the other side. And it would be too
+bad if we missed seeing how dear Cousin Randolph takes his Waterloo."
+
+Mr. Smedley arrived, and was astounded to see Jack. He showed that his
+sympathies were on the side of the Parmly family by his delight when
+shaking hands again and again.
+
+Then the thrilling story was once more told, after he had been bound to
+secrecy. It would be hard to describe the emotions of the old lawyer as
+he sat and listened to what a great feat Jack and his two comrades had
+carried through.
+
+After that all arrangements were made, and the lawyer decided to stay to
+see the thing through. It was the most astonishing event in all his life,
+he assured the company, and not for a fortune would he miss the scene
+that must accompany the coming of Randolph Carringford.
+
+Mr. Smedley also sent a long telegram to that friend of Colin Beverly's
+who lived on Staten Island. Later that same day a reply was received
+promising to carry out faithfully the instructions given, if he had to
+sit up all night keeping watch on all vessels arriving, though if port
+rules were rigorously carried out no steamer would be allowed to enter or
+leave except by daylight.
+
+"But we know that isn't the case," Tom said, "because those troop ships
+have left New York under cover of darkness many a time. Still, the ships
+may have waited down the bay until morning, and then sailed."
+
+That day passed, and the following night. Early on the morning of the
+third day after Jack's arrival home came a telegram to Mr. Smedley.
+
+"Now for news!" cried Jack, as it was opened.
+
+The message was brief and to the point, affording them all the
+intelligence they required.
+
+"_La Bretagne_ at Quarantine eleven to-night; expected to dock in
+two hours!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+TO SEE THE WAR THROUGH--CONCLUSION
+
+
+"Rap-rap-rap!"
+
+It was just at two that afternoon, and the train from Richmond had
+arrived ten minutes previously. Those within had seen a station hack
+deposit some one at the Parmly gate.
+
+Mrs. Parmly herself answered the summons, the colored servants having
+been given an unexpected but welcome holiday when they appeared for work
+that same morning, in order to keep them from making discoveries.
+
+"Good afternoon, Aunt," said the smooth-tongued visitor, starting to
+enter without waiting for an invitation. "I learned after getting to
+Richmond this morning that Mr. Smedley had come out to visit you; an
+occurrence which makes it convenient for me."
+
+When he entered the sitting-room he found only Jack's aunt and the lawyer
+there, Jack and Tom and Lieutenant Beverly being in an adjoining room,
+but with the connecting door ajar, so they could catch every word spoken
+and enjoy the dramatic situation to the utmost, being ready to step in
+when the crisis arrived.
+
+Carringford proceeded to shake hands with the lawyer, after greeting Mrs.
+Parmly effusively. There was a smile as of triumph on his sallow face.
+
+"Glad to find you here in Bridgeton, Mr. Smedley," Randolph again said,
+his voice like oil and his manner confident and condescending. "I
+received the notification from you when over in France working in a
+secret capacity for the Government."
+
+"Yes," remarked the lawyer, "I sent both out as required."
+
+"Must say," continued Carringford, "I wasn't much surprised, because I
+always knew Uncle Joshua to be a queer old duck. Realizing that unless I
+got a move on me and beat Cousin Jack home I'd stand to lose out in the
+game I managed to get passage on the _La Bretagne_, of the French Line.
+Docked at one last night, couldn't get a train till morning; but here I
+am, sir, ready to convince you that, being the first on the ground, my
+claim is perfectly valid."
+
+He evidently expected that his coming would have produced something akin
+to consternation in the Parmly family, and must have wondered how they
+could meet bitter disappointment with such smiling faces.
+
+"You have made very good time in crossing, Randolph," remarked the
+lawyer calmly, "considering the tempestuous times, and need of caution on
+account of the U-boats. I should say that the French steamer surpassed
+her record."
+
+"And that being the case," resumed the other, smiling still as a winner
+at the races might do when handed his stake ten times multiplied, "since
+I'm here on the ground first, and you are the lawyer in the matter,
+what's to hinder our completing the formalities necessary to put me in
+possession of my great uncle's estate, according to his last will and
+testament?"
+
+"The only stumbling-block that I'm aware of, Randolph," said Mr. Smedley
+suavely, "is a little matter of priority."
+
+"But I am the first to appear before you, Mr. Smedley, and there were but
+two contestants for the property. Isn't that true?" demanded the
+newcomer, frowning at the thought that some unexpected legal tangle was
+about to appear.
+
+"You are perfectly right in one thing, Randolph," continued the lawyer.
+"The race was to be between you and Jack. I must say you have made very
+good time getting over here. But in spite of your speed, Randolph, you
+are showing up somewhat late. In fact, the affair is all over, and I have
+started proceedings looking to conveying the property to the one
+undoubtedly presenting the prior claim."
+
+The other was thunderstruck.
+
+"Impossible, I tell you, Smedley!" he burst out. "With my own eyes I saw
+Jack Parmly over there at the front in France when I hurried to the port
+to embark on _La Bretagne_. He was not aboard that ship, I can take my
+oath, and another couldn't arrive in New York for days. So you have no
+other resource but to admit my claim to be just, and hand over what
+belongs to me. I demand it, sir."
+
+"Not so fast, Randolph," begged the lawyer. "A little more moderation.
+You have made some sort of miscalculation I fear."
+
+With these words he stamped his foot. Recognizing the signal, Jack
+stepped blithely into the sitting-room, followed by Tom and Beverly. His
+appearance almost caused Carringford to "have a fit," as Jack afterwards
+described the effect of his coming on the scene.
+
+"What does this mystery mean?" he managed to gasp.
+
+"Only that I took a notion to come home and claim that legacy left by our
+eccentric Uncle Joshua," Jack told him, with a shrug of his shoulders, as
+though miracles were an every-day occurrence with him.
+
+"But I certainly saw you again and again, and heard you talk at the same
+time just before I left for Havre to sail!" cried Randolph, nevertheless
+convinced that at least this was the real flesh-and-blood Jack Parmly
+standing before him.
+
+"Oh! did you?" remarked Jack, mockingly. "Perhaps it was a dream. Perhaps
+I had an understudy over there. Perhaps a whole lot of things. But the
+one positive fact about which there isn't any doubt is that I'm here
+ahead of you, and you've lost out in your game, that's all."
+
+"But--it's impossible, incredible!" continued the other, hardly able yet
+to believe his own eyes.
+
+"Still, you must admit that I'm Jack Parmly, and quite in the flesh,
+which after all is enough to settle the matter," he was calmly told. "My
+family here have received me as their own; and Mr. Smedley had no
+trouble in recognizing me. So perhaps you'd better be packing your grip
+again, Cousin Randolph, and returning to your secret Government duties
+over in France!"
+
+"But--how could you have reached here so far ahead of me?" gritted the
+disgusted Randolph weakly.
+
+"Please don't forget that I'm an aviator, and we fliers are able to put
+over all sorts of stunts these days," laughed Jack; though his manner
+implied that he might be joking when saying this. At any rate, it could
+not enter the mind of any one to believe such a thing as flying across
+the Atlantic within the bounds of reason.
+
+Carringford of course saw that his room was more desired than his
+company. Besides, he had not heart or desire to linger any longer, since
+he had received such a staggering blow.
+
+Accordingly he took his departure, and acted quite like a "bear with a
+sore head," as Jack described his ugly way of slamming the door and
+hurrying out to the station hack that had been all this while waiting for
+him at the gate.
+
+Now that the one great object which Jack had in view was accomplished, he
+and the other two began to consider the best way in which they could
+return to France without attracting too much attention.
+
+"I have a scheme that may work admirably," said Beverly. "And it happens
+that the boat my good old friend is master of is due to sail from New
+York the day after to-morrow. We'll go on that as stowaways."
+
+Then, seeing the look of astonishment and also bewilderment that came
+into the faces of his hearers, he went on to explain further.
+
+"Of course I don't use that word in the usual sense of getting aboard
+unknown to any of the officers, perhaps through the complicity of a
+member of the crew, and hiding ourselves among the cargo. Such stowaways
+are a scarcity nowadays, the peril of torpedoes having given them cold
+feet. But I believe I can fix it with my friend the captain so that
+he'll allow us to remain aboard without our names appearing on the
+passenger list."
+
+"Sounds good to me," asserted Jack, while Tom said thoughtfully:
+
+"I suppose we could stick to our staterooms during the day, and only go
+on deck late at night, when nearly everybody was asleep. Like as not,
+there'd be quite a number of army officers aboard, so we mightn't be
+noticed if any one ran against us while taking the air at night."
+
+Accordingly this plan was settled upon; and as they were not absolutely
+certain about the time of sailing, with much still to be done before
+that event took place, once again did Tom and Jack have to bid their
+relatives good-bye.
+
+"It'll not be for so very long now, let's hope," said Tom's father, as he
+squeezed his son's hand at parting; "for Germany is on her last legs, and
+unless all signs fail the war must soon come to an end."
+
+"Besides," added Lieutenant Beverly, "none of us is likely to try to
+repeat the little flight we just carried through. We feel as if we can
+rest on our well earned laurels."
+
+"And it'll be some time, I firmly believe," said Mr. Raymond, "before
+your wonderful feat is duplicated, or even approached." But then, of
+course, he could not foresee how even before the peace treaty had been
+signed a number of ambitious aviators would actually cross the Atlantic,
+one crew in a huge heavier-than-air machine, another in an American
+seaplane, and still a third aboard a mighty dirigible, making the
+passages with but a day or so intervening between flights.
+
+When a certain steamship left New York harbor one morning soon afterwards
+three pairs of eyes took a parting look through a porthole in their
+united stateroom at the Statue of Liberty on Bedloe's Island.
+
+Of course the occupants of the stateroom were Tom and Jack and Colin.
+They had managed to interest the big-hearted captain in their scheme.
+He knew that he must not appear to be connected with such an escapade;
+but such was his admiration for their wonderful achievement, as well as
+his friendship for Lieutenant Beverly, that he readily consented to
+help them.
+
+"And so here we are," Jack observed, after they had passed out from Sandy
+Hook and were heading across toward troubled Europe, "going back to duty,
+before our leave of absence will have expired, and the three weeks
+already nearly half over. Let's only hope we can slip into the traces as
+if nothing unusual had happened and that mad flight was only an aviator's
+day dream."
+
+"It's a pleasure, too," added Tom reflectively, with a glance at his
+chum, "to know that there are loyal hearts waiting to greet us again over
+there where the shells are bursting. For of course Nellie and Bessie, not
+to mention Harry Leroy, will be counting the days anxiously until we show
+up. Little do they suspect all we've been through; and we'll have to bind
+them to secrecy when taking them into the game."
+
+"H'm!" chuckled Lieutenant Beverly, "perhaps there's a little
+Salvation Army lassie I, myself, will be glad to see again. Don't
+fancy you two have cornered the whole market of fine girls. There are
+others over there!"
+
+So we will leave them, only hoping that at some other day we may once
+more meet Tom and Jack and Colin, and accompany them through other
+activities.
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AIR SERVICE BOYS OVER THE ATLANTIC
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