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diff --git a/43344-0.txt b/43344-0.txt index 90a8f1d..acb3792 100644 --- a/43344-0.txt +++ b/43344-0.txt @@ -1,32 +1,4 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Don Hale with the Flying Squadron, by W. Crispin Sheppard - -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: Don Hale with the Flying Squadron - -Author: W. Crispin Sheppard - -Illustrator: H. A. Bodine - -Release Date: July 28, 2013 [EBook #43344] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON *** - - - - -Produced by Roger Frank and Sue Clark - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43344 *** DON HALE WITH THE @@ -6665,357 +6637,4 @@ will carry beyond the seas.” End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Don Hale with the Flying Squadron, by W. 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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: Don Hale with the Flying Squadron - -Author: W. Crispin Sheppard - -Illustrator: H. A. Bodine - -Release Date: July 28, 2013 [EBook #43344] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON *** - - - - -Produced by Roger Frank and Sue Clark - - - - - DON HALE - WITH THE - FLYING SQUADRON - - By W. CRISPIN SHEPPARD - - _Author of_ - "DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE" - "DON HALE OVER THERE" - "THE RAMBLER CLUB SERIES," ETC. - - Illustrated by H. A. BODINE - - THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY - PHILADELPHIA - 1919 - - - - - COPYRIGHT - 1919 BY - THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY - - Don Hale with the Flying Squadron - - - - -[Illustration: He shut off the engine and dove] - - - - - Introduction - - "Don Hale with the Flying Squadron" is the third of the "Don - Hale Stories." It follows "Don Hale in the War Zone," and "Don - Hale Over There," and tells what happens to Don after he - relinquishes his dangerous post as an ambulance driver for the - Red Cross on the western front. - - But Don's new duties are of a far more dangerous nature; and - during his training in the aviation school and after he finally - becomes a full-fledged member of that most famous of all flying - squadrons, the Lafayette Escadrille, he has interesting - experiences and enough exciting adventures to last even the most - spirited youngster an entire lifetime. - - It may be safely said, however, that the account is not - overdrawn; indeed, in the air service, in which most valiant - deeds have been performed, it would be hard to exaggerate the - perils which beset the "cavalry of the clouds" on every side. - - To add to the interest of Don's experiences with the escadrille - there is a certain mystery connected with several characters - which is not solved until the end of the story. - - In the next book of the series, "Don Hale with the Yanks," is - told the further adventures of the young combat pilot after he - has been transferred to the American air service. He sees much - of that memorable conflict--one of the turning points of the - great war--when, at Chateau Thierry, the German drive for Paris - was halted by the victorious Americans. - - W. Crispin Sheppard. - - - - - CONTENTS - - I--THE GREENHORN - II--NEW COMRADES - III--SPIES - IV--"PENGUINS" - V--TRAINING - VI--DUBLIN DAN - VII--THE VRILLE - VIII--THE HERO - IX--THE ACE - X--CORPORAL DON - XI--THE LAFAYETTE - XII--ABOVE THE CLOUDS - XIII--THE FARMER - XIV--THE BOMBARDMENT - XV--A BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS - XVI--THE EMPTY HOUSE - XVII--A MYSTERY - XVIII--THE RED SQUADRON - XIX--THE PERILOUS GAME - XX--HAMLIN - XXI--THE ARREST - XXII--THE TRIAL - - - - - Illustrations - - He Shut Off the Engine And Dove - "Spies Are Everywhere" - "There Are Other Games Just As Dangerous" - "The German Lines Must Not Be Crossed" - His Passage Was Unexpectedly Blocked - - - - - Don Hale With the Flying Squadron - - - - - CHAPTER I--THE GREENHORN - - -A rickety-looking cab, containing two passengers and much luggage, and -driven by a gray-haired _cocher_, drew slowly up to a high iron gate and -came to a halt. And the wheels had scarcely stopped before two young -chaps, with exclamations of deep satisfaction and relief, literally -tumbled out of the ancient vehicle and stared about them. - -"Well, Don, here we are at last!" cried the elder. - -"Yes, George. And this is certainly one of the greatest moments of my -life. Tomorrow I start my training to become a pilot," exclaimed the -other, such a degree of enthusiasm expressed in his tone as to make the -wrinkled cab driver turn, survey him with a curious grin, and comment in -the French tongue: - -"I guess that's the way most of them act until something happens." - -But the boys scarcely heard him. - -Surmounting the iron gate, inside of which an armed sentry was slowly -pacing, this inscription in large, bold letters, stood out against the -sky: - -"COLE D'AVIATION MILITAIRE DE BEAUMONT." - -"I certainly hope the Boches won't get you, young monsieur," continued -the driver. "But, if you don't mind, I'd be glad if you'd will your life -insurance to me." - -"I'll think about it," laughed the boy. He deposited several pieces of -silver in the palm of the hand held toward him, then began the task of -getting his luggage off the vehicle. By the time this was done the -sentry had opened the great iron gate. - -With a hasty good-bye, the boys turned toward the soldier and producing -several important-looking papers handed them to him. - -And while the proceeding was underway this series of comments passed -between five young men, attired in the horizon blue uniform of the -French poilu, who were strolling inside the great enclosure not far -away: - -"Well, well! What have we here?" - -"No doubt a couple more pilots." - -"But, if I'm not mistaken, one of them is actually wearing the stars and -wings insignia of the air service on his uniform. He's a corporal." - -"So he is! Such a young chap, too!--looks, for all the world, like a -high-school boy on his way home from the place of demerit marks and -ciphers." - -"Let's give 'em the grand quiz." - -It took the sentry only an instant to scan the papers and nod his head -in approval, and another instant for the newcomers to gather up their -possessions and head for the group of five. - -"Step up and give your names, boys." The speaker was a tall, angular -youth with bushy red hair and twinkling blue eyes. - -"Don Hale," answered one of the newcomers. - -"George Glenn," replied the other. - -"Of the Lafayette Squadron?" - -"Exactly! And on a couple of days' furlough." - -And one of the natural but not very agreeable ways of the world was -exemplified then and there; for Don Hale, the prospective student of the -great military flying school, immediately found his presence totally -ignored, while his companion, member of the most famous escadrille of -the aviation service, began to receive the homage and admiration due to -one who had attained such an exalted position in life. To be a member of -the Lafayette Flying Corps was indeed a signal honor--an honor coveted -above all things by the majority of the American aviation students. - -Don Hale, smiling a little to himself, thereupon seized the opportunity -to examine the view outspread before him. - -And what the boy saw made him draw a deep, long breath, like one who has -just experienced a feeling of vast satisfaction and pleasure. It was an -immense level field, or rather a series of fields. Far in the distance -long rows of low canvas hangars and tents stood out in faint gray tones -against the background of earth and sky. Nearer at hand were lines of -rather dingy-looking wooden structures--the barracks--and isolated -buildings used for various purposes, while dominating all rose a tall -and graceful wireless mast. - -Far more interesting to the American lad, however, was the sight of -several airplanes performing evolutions in the distant sky. The sun had -descended in the west and its cheerful rays no longer touched the earth, -but every now and again one or another of the graceful flying machines -caught the glow, and, as if touched by a fairy's wand, became -transformed for the moment into a flashing object of silver and gold. - -Don Hale felt his pulse quicken. How wonderful it was to be up in the -heavens, soaring with all the ease, the grace, the certainty of a huge -bird of the air! It made him long for the time to come when he, too, -would have his ambition fulfilled! Presently a deep gruff voice broke in -upon his meditations. - -"Better come down to earth, son." - -The red-headed chap had spoken. - -"Sure thing!" laughed the new student. "What's that, sir--my last job, -you ask? Oh, driving a Red Cross ambulance near the Verdun front." - -"I must say we seem to have met a couple of real heroes," chuckled the -other. "And now, to show you that I haven't forgotten my Fifth Avenue -manners, I'll introduce these would-be flyers, most of whom as yet -haven't risen above the grasshopper stage of the game." - -Thereupon, with many chuckles, he presented Gene Shannon, Cal Cummings, -Ben Holt and Roy Mittengale, adding that his own name was Tom Dorsey. - -"Glad to know you all!" declared Don Hale, heartily. - -"So am I," exclaimed George. - -"Very gratifying indeed, I'm sure!" laughed Dorsey. "We all hope that -later on some people about whom we are hearing a whole lot won't be so -glad to meet us." - -"Oh, you coming aces!" grinned Ben Holt. - -"Hooray, hooray, for the future cannon-flying express!" chuckled -Mittengale. Then, turning toward Don, he said: "I suppose that the day -you didn't run into at least a half dozen or so hair-breadth escapes -must have seemed like a pretty dull one?" - -"I had all the close calls I wanted," confessed the former ambulance -driver. - -"And yet you are now going in for something which at times ought to make -that Red Cross work look like little rides of joy. Ever take a spin in a -plane?" - -"No, sir." - -"Oh, boy! There's some job ahead of you, then." Mittengale laughed. -"You'll have to get right down to business." - -"You can just better believe I will!" declared Don, enthusiastically. -"I'm mighty anxious for the time to arrive when I can go up to -business." - -"It may never come," suggested Ben Holt. "'Tisn't everybody who is -fitted to be an airman. One or two bad spills--an airplane ready for the -scrap pile, or a student now and then killed on the training field, and -it's all off with some!" - -"If you don't look out, Holt, we'll elect you chairman and sole member -of our committee on pessimism," laughed Dorsey. "Say, son,"--he -addressed Don--"I suppose you have all your papers?" - -"Yes, and owing to my father having been a member of a Franco-American -aviation corps I didn't have much trouble in getting them," returned -Don. "He's now an instructor in an American aviation school." - -"What did they do to you? I'd like to know if your experiences were like -my own." - -"Well, here's the story," laughed the new _lve_[1] pilot. "I hoofed it -to the recruiting office, which is located in the Invalides at Paris, -filled out a questionnaire, signed a document requiring me to obey the -military laws of France and be governed and punished thereby; then, -after that agony was over, the medical man took me in charge. I just had -to show him that I was able to balance myself on one foot with eyes -closed, jump straight up from a kneeling position, and also walk a -straight line after having been whirled around and around on a revolving -stool until all the joy in life seemed to have gone." - -[Illustration: "Spies are Everywhere"] - -"Ugh!" grunted Dorsey. "The very recollection of that ordeal makes me -wish to recollect something else." - -"The kind of air-sickness you get by the unearthly dips and twists of an -airplane has sea-sickness beaten to a frazzle," commented Ben Holt, -pleasantly. - -"Then I'm not anxious to make its acquaintance," grinned Don. "I had a -few nerve tests, too, made in a pitch-dark room, which weren't -altogether pleasant. Among other things, a revolver was unexpectedly -fired several times close beside me." - -"It's tough, how they treat a perfectly respectable chap," chirped Cal -Cummings. - -"My, what a relief it was to receive a service order requiring me to -report to the headquarters of the Flying Corps of Dijon!" - -"That's an old story with us," drawled Mittengale. "Once there, you had -to answer a lot more questions. Then you paid a visit to the 'Vestiare,' -where the soldiers are outfitted. A uniform, shoes, socks, overcoat, hat -and knapsack were passed out, and thereby, and also perforce, another -chapter added to your brief but eventful history." - -"Besides all that, I received a railroad pass to come here, and also -three sous, representing that many days' pay," chuckled the new -candidate. "The salary I've already squandered," he confessed, with a -grin. - -"Awful! The French Government should be told about it," exclaimed Gene -Shannon, laughingly. "But now, son, perhaps you would like to begin a -new chapter by paying the captain a very necessary call?" - -"To be sure!" said Don. - -He stooped over, preparatory to gathering up his belongings, when -Shannon stopped him. - -"Leave the department store there, Don," he remarked. "We'll send some -of the Annamites over to wrestle with 'em. Now come along." - -The "Annamites," both Don and George knew, were the little -yellow-skinned Indo-Chinese, who had journeyed from far-off Asia to give -their services to the French Government. - -Led by Tom Dorsey, the crowd began to pilot the new student and his chum -toward headquarters. To Don Hale it was all wonderfully interesting. The -boy was filled with that eager curiosity and anticipation which is one -of the glorious possessions of youth. A new life--indeed a startlingly -strange life, would soon be opening out before him--one that held vast -possibilities, and also terrifying dangers. Whither would it lead him? - -"I say, young chap"--Ben Holt's voice broke in upon his -thoughts--"you've got to mind your eye in this place. No talking back to -officers; no overstaying your leave, eh, Monsieur Nightingale?" - -"Oh, cut it out!" snapped Mittengale. - -"Yes, there's a chap who knows!" Holt chuckled. "One day Roy thought -he'd enjoy a few extra hours in Paree--result: a nice little chamber two -stories underground; a rattling good wooden bench, but uncommonly hard, -as a bed; a bottle of water for company and eight days of delightful -idleness, to meditate upon the inconsiderate ways of military men." - -"It was well worth it," growled Mittengale. "Some tender-hearted chaps -smuggled in paper and I wrote sixty-four pages of my book entitled 'Life -and Adventures of an Airman in France!'" - -"An airman in France!" snickered Ben. "There's nerve for you! Why, he -hasn't even been above the three hundred foot level yet." - -"Well, that's just about two hundred and seventy-five feet higher than -your best record," retorted Mittengale, witheringly. "Don't talk, you -poor little grasshop." - -Don Hale paid no attention to these pleasantries, for, at that moment, -one of the distant machines circling aloft, now dusky, gray objects, -sometimes but faintly visible in the darkening sky, began to volplane. -Down, down, came the biplane, in wide and graceful spirals, toward the -earth. A few more turns and the wings were silhouetted faintly for the -last time against the sky; another instant and they cut across the turf -in still swiftly moving lines of grayish white. - -"Good work, that!" cried Don, breathlessly. - -"Fine!" agreed George. - -"Won't I be jolly glad when I can manage a machine like that!" Don -happened to glance at his chum's face, and was surprised to see a swift, -subtle change come across it, an almost sad expression taking the place -of his usual buoyant look. "What's the matter, old chap?" - -"I was thinking what a dangerous life you are about to begin, Don. As -some of the boys in the squadron say: 'Death is often carried as a -passenger by the airman.'" - -"And you engaged in the very same work yourself!" laughed Don. "There's -consistency for you! I understand, though, just how you feel about it, -George. Honestly, at times, I've worried a whole lot about you. But"--a -determined light flashed into his eyes--"we must 'carry on' the big job -before us." - -"That's the way to look at it," acquiesced George, heartily. "You have a -cool head and steady nerves, Don; and you'll be called upon to use all -your wits, all your courage and resourcefulness, as never before in the -whole course of your life. Great adventures are ahead!" - -"Better wait until he gets out of the ground-class before talking that -way," grinned Ben Holt, dryly. - -"Don't discourage the infant class, Holt," put in Dorsey. "Now, boys -"--he turned to face Don and George--"that good-sized building you spy -just across the field is the headquarters of the captain and -moniteurs--teachers we call 'em in the good old lingo of the United -States. By the way, know much French?" - -"Oh, yes," replied Don. - -"Good! Frankly speaking, some of these chaps here do not." Dorsey -chuckled mirthfully. "Their efforts sound weird and wild. And sometimes -it has the effect of making the moniteurs act wildly and weirdly." - -"The idea of Dorsey talking about French!" scoffed Ben Holt. "Why, he -can't even speak English. An Englishman's the authority for that." - -"One's shortcomings should never be mentioned in polite society," -grinned Tom. "And now, Don, while you're over there parleying the -parlez-vous we'll get a bunch of the Oriental Wrecking Crew, the -Annamites, to lift your traps." - -"As a rule, I rather object to having my things lifted," laughed Don. -"But this time it's all right." - -"You'll find our crowd, with a few additions equally handsome, in the -big barracks--the third from the end. Now scoot." - -While Don and George didn't exactly "scoot," they nevertheless -immediately left the group and made good time toward the building -indicated. Within a few minutes they entered and were conducted by an -orderly to the captain's sanctum. - -If Don had expected any effusive greeting or words of commendation for -his willingness to give his services to aid the cause of France he would -have been greatly disappointed. The captain, very alert and -authoritative in manner, greeted the two boys in a casual, disinterested -sort of way, and examined Don's papers. - -Then came the usual number of formalities and an order to report to the -sergeant on the aviation field on the following morning. - -Don Hale was now duly enrolled as an _lve_, or student pilot, in one -of the most important of the great Bleriot flying schools in France. - ------ - -Footnote 1: - -lve--pupil. - - - - - CHAPTER II--NEW COMRADES - - -A pleasant refreshing breeze was springing up as Don Hale, with his -chum, left headquarters and hastened toward the barracks which was to be -his temporary home. - -There were plenty of signs of life about the great plateau, and -occasionally voices came over the air from the distance with peculiar -distinctness. By this time all nature had become gray and sombre, and -the slowly advancing shadows which heralded the approach of dusk were -enveloping the distant hangars and tents and merging the vast, sweeping -line of the horizon almost imperceptibly into the coldish tones of the -sky. - -Here and there lights were beginning to flash into view. From barrack -windows, from tents and outbuildings, they shone--each little sparkling, -star-like beam carrying with it a message of good cheer and welcome. - -Just before Don and George reached the barracks designated by Tom -Dorsey, over the door of which was painted in very large black letters -"Hotel d'Amerique," a loud and lusty chorus, composed of French and -American voices, accompanied by a piano, started up, singing with -ludicrous effect: - -"The Yanks are Coming." - -Then, as the last words were carried off on the breeze, the momentary -silence that ensued was broken by a loud-voiced student standing by the -window, who bawled: - -"True enough, boys!--the Yanks are not only coming, but they're here." - -The aviators immediately crowded to the window, and even before Don and -George entered the building, which was to the accompaniment of that -well-known classic: "Hail, hail! The gang's all here!" they had received -a noisy and good-natured welcome. - -A smiling and dapper little Frenchman was the first to shake them by the -hand; and having performed this act with much gravity he immediately -struck an attitude and began to recite, in the manner of a schoolboy who -has memorized a piece: - -"Gentlemens, excuse the bleatings of a little chump who should remain -silent before he speaks. Permit me to say, however, that you may use me -as a doormat when it is your will and I shall be overwhelmed with joy. -And now having bored you to tears I will desist." - -He ended the oration, which some of the fun-loving, mischievous -Americans had taught him, with a low bow, evidently much surprised at -the chuckles and gurgles of mirth which ran through the room. - -Don Hale laughingly made a speech in reply, quite astonishing the -Frenchmen present by his ready command of their tongue. - -And during it all he had been observing his new home with keen curiosity -and lively interest. The interior of the long but rather low wooden -structure was whitewashed, and ranged alongside each wall were rows of -beds. They were makeshift affairs, however, consisting of a couple of -sawhorses with a plank thrown across. Over the top had been placed a -mattress, looking as though it had done long and valiant service. - -"Clearly, the _lves_ are expected to rough it a bit," thought Don. - -It would be a strange boy indeed, however, who objected to roughing -it--Don Hale, at least, was not one of that kind. - -The lad was glad to discover that the room was evidently occupied by -Frenchmen, as well as by his own compatriots. At one end large posters -made by some of the best known artists of France adorned the wall, while -at the other were pictures clearly of American origin. - -Tom Dorsey made the introductions, adding a word or two, in a jocular -fashion, about the characteristics of each. Very naturally, the new -student took a decided interest in studying the Americans with whom he -would be so closely associated during the weeks to come. - -"Among those present" were men of striking dissimilarities in -appearance--of widely different stations in life--of various degrees of -wealth; but the call of adventure, having brought them all together, had -also served to unite them in a common spirit of comradeship perhaps -impossible under other circumstances. There was, for instance, Dave -Cornwell, of New York, of the beau monde of Fifth Avenue, with -aristocracy imprinted unmistakably on his clean-cut features. And in -striking contrast to him was Sid Marlow, cowpuncher of Montana, deck -hand on a Mississippi steamboat, longshoreman, and, lastly, fighter in -the Foreign Legion. In fact, the majority of the American _lves_ had -seen service in that famous branch of the French army, which had -recruited its members from all parts of the world. No embarrassing -questions were asked; an applicant's antecedents mattered little; he was -given a chance to retrieve whatever mistakes he may have made, and, -perhaps, through the fiery ordeal of battle, come out a vastly superior -man. - -Several of the students particularly attracted Don Hale's attention, one -of them being T. Singleton Albert, referred to by his companions as -"Drugstore"; for he had at one time been a drugstore clerk and -soda-water dispenser in Syracuse. Albert was a rather effeminate looking -little chap, who seemed wholly out of place in an aviation school. He -appeared diffident to the point of shyness, and his voice, delicate and -refined, was seldom heard. Don Hale wondered if he would ever make a -flyer, a profession in which courage and daring are such prime -requisites. - -Another boy who interested the new student greatly was Bobby Dunlap, who -had had the singular cognomen of "Peur Jamais" thrust upon him. Tom -Dorsey airily explained that on one occasion a student had demanded in -French of Bobby if he experienced fear during a certain offensive in -which the Foreign Legion took part, whereupon Bobby had blurted out the -words "Peur?--Jamais!--Fear?--Never!" in such a strenuous and convincing -tone as to create a big laugh--also a new title for himself, and one -that persistently stuck. - -There was a certain reserve and hauteur in the manner of a third young -chap named Victor Gilbert which somehow appealed to Don Hale, suggesting -to his imaginative mind that Gilbert's sphere in life was, or rather had -been, a little different from that of most of his fellow students. - -Conversation was going on briskly when a rumble of wheels outside made -Don hurry to the window. - -"It's the camion bringing in some of the real birds from the _grande -piste_, or principal flying field, which is a good long way from here," -volunteered Peur Jarnais. "Those chaps are the stuff--yes, sir. By Jove, -they'd make an eagle jealous! Eagles can't fly upside down, can they? Of -course not; but some of our boys can." - -"It's a great life if you don't weaken," put in Tom Dorsey. - -"Ever feel any symptoms of it?" asked Don, smilingly. - -"Sure!--a hundred times." - -"I never did," put in Drugstore, in his mild, weak voice. "To-morrow," -he cleared his throat and paused impressively, his manner indicating -that some information of vast importance was about to be -communicated--"to-morrow "--another instant of hesitation, and he began -again--"to-morrow I'm going to make my first flight in the air." - -"That means flying at an altitude of twenty-five feet at most," giggled -Mittengale. - -"I reckon it also means a machine smashed to bits in landing," chirped -Peur Jamais. "They say it costs the French government an average of five -thousand dollars to train its aviators. I'll bet in your case, -Drugstore, they'll get off cheap at ten thousand." - -Don Hale, his head thrust out of the window, now saw the returning -aviators tumbling off the big camion which had halted before the door. - -In another moment they bustled into the barracks, and the yellowish rays -of the oil lamps fell with strange and picturesque effect across their -forms. Each was encased in a great leather coat and trousers and wore a -helmet made from the same heavy material. Several, too, still had on -their grotesque-looking goggles. - -"They make me think of Arctic explorers," declared Don, with a delighted -little laugh. - -Don was experiencing a pleasurable sensation, not unmixed with a certain -sense of awe. Here, right before him, were actually some of the men who -but a short time before had been piloting their machines at dizzy -heights in the sky. The fascination of it all seemed to grip him -strangely--to make him impatient and anxious to begin his initiation -into the art of flying. - -"Another little eaglet, sir, ready to carry terror into the heart of the -Kaiser." - -In these words Tom Dorsey was introducing him to one of the "real -birds." - -The aviator was only a young chap, not many years older than Don, but, -like many of the Americans and Frenchmen present, he had allowed his -face to remain unshaven, and the resulting growth of beard gave him -quite an appearance of maturity. - -"There's a big lot of difference between the way flying schools are -conducted over here and in America and Canada," volunteered the aviator, -whose name, Don learned, was Hampton Coles. "On our side of the big pool -discipline is probably as strict as in any other branch of the army. We -go in for drills and all that sort of thing, while in France, at least -at present, the schools are only semi-military in character. The object -is to turn out flyers as quickly as possible, which means casting a -whole lot of theories, red tape and non-essentials into the junk heap. -Flyers are needed--badly needed. The 'eyes of the army,' they call -them." - -"At what time does work begin?" asked Don. - -"We're in our planes shortly after dawn. At nine o'clock the first -session is over; then it's back to the barracks. Dinner is served at one -o'clock, and after that the boys are free to do what they please until -five. On our return to the _piste_, or flying field, we usually keep -steadily at it until nearly dark." - -"How does it happen that so many are here at this hour?" - -"Oh, this crowd only represents a small portion of the students who, for -one reason or another, stopped work a bit early," replied Hampton. "In -all, we have about one hundred and twenty-five men, and among them are -several Russians--daring chaps they are, too, but rather poor flyers." - -"But the Americans seem pretty good at it, eh?" - -Hampton Coles laughed. - -"The moniteurs are always bawling out some of the best _lves_ for -doing unnecessary and risky stunts," he declared. "I imagine they think -we're a reckless, hair-brained lot. However"--his tone suddenly sobered; -his eyes were turned thoughtfully off into the distance--"it doesn't do -to take many chances in the air. It's mighty tricky; and so are the -machines. Some of our boys have already paid the penalty. Yes, it's a -dangerous game, son." - -"Which only makes it a lot more interesting," put in Drugstore, quietly. - -"To be sure!" laughed Coles. "But, as this rig o' mine is getting to -feel prominent, I'll skip." - -Jack Norworth presently sauntered over to tell Don that in order to get -a bed he would have to go to the commissary depot, about a half mile -distant. - -"I'll hoof it with you," he volunteered. - -"Good!" said Don. - -George and Drugstore elected to accompany them; so the four immediately -left the Hotel d'Amerique, and, through the slowly-gathering shades of -night, started off. - -"By the way, where are you staying?" asked Jack, turning to George -Glenn. - -"At a hotel in the little village of tainville," replied the young -member of the Lafayette Squadron. - -"Why, it's at tainville that we have our club!" cried Jack. - -"A club?" queried Don, interestedly. - -"Sure thing!" - -"I don't like clubs," commented Drugstore. - -"Why not?" demanded Jack. - -"Oh, the fellows are always calling upon a chap to tell a story, make a -speech or do something else to amuse 'em," returned Drugstore, rather -hesitatingly. - -"Well, what of it?" - -"Some can do that sort of thing, but not I." The former dispenser of -soda-water spoke in plaintive tones. "Half the time I can't think of the -words I want and when I do think of 'em they're not the right ones." - -"Oh, what you need is a correspondence school course in the art of -self-expression--'think on your feet; latent power aroused; trial lesson -free; send no money,'" chuckled Jack. - -"Let's hear about the club," said Don. - -"It meets in a typical little inn called the Caf Rochambeau. The floor -is of sanded brick; there are cobwebs everywhere; cats and dogs wander -in and out. It's all rustic, dusty and charming. Say, George, have -supper at our mess to-night, then, afterward, you and Don can travel -over with the bunch." - -"Thanks! I'll be delighted," said George. - -The four soon reached the commissary depot. Attendants dragged from its -generous supply of stores the necessary portions of the bed and -delivered them to the boys. Quite naturally, the march back, hampered as -they were by the cumbersome articles, did not prove to be agreeable. -Finally, however, rather hot and tired, they reached the Hotel -d'Amerique. - -It took but a few minutes to put the rude contrivance called a bed -together in its place alongside the wall, and by this time the crowd was -being considerably augmented by the students returning from the _piste_. - -"Come along, you chaps! I'll pilot you to the grub department," -exclaimed Peur Jamais. "It won't make you think of the Waldorf Astoria." - -"Never mind! They've got things on the menu the Waldorf hasn't," -chuckled Gene Shannon. - -"For instance?" asked Don. - -"Horse-meat." - -"I'm game," laughed the new student. - -Less than five minutes later Don and George, at the head of the -advance-guard, reached the dining-hall. They found it a crude, -unpretentious structure exteriorally, and equally crude and -unpretentious in regard to its interior arrangements. The tables were of -rough boards, and tabourets, or stools, took the place of chairs. - -The mess-hall was soon filled with a noisy, jolly crowd. Clearly, the -hazardous nature of the work had no distressing effects on the minds of -the _lves_. To judge by the manner of those present, theirs might -have been the least dangerous of professions; yet, nevertheless, the -talk often reverted to the accidents or near-accidents which had -occurred on the flying field. But it was the keen enthusiasm of all that -especially appealed to Don Hale. Probably none among the gathering -enjoyed the meal more than he. The dim, fantastic light cast by the oil -lamps, the sombre ever-changing shadows on faces and forms, the -grotesque and larger shadows that sported themselves on the four walls, -the shrouded, obscured corners, all added their share to the charm and -novelty. - -A particularly fastidious person could very easily have found fault with -the meal, which consisted of soup, meat, mashed potatoes, lentils, war -bread and coffee. The horse-meat was tough, the lentils rather gritty, -as though some of the soil in which they were planted had determinedly -resolved to stand by them to the end. But to hungry men, whose lives in -the open meant healthy, vigorous appetites, such little -unconventionalities in the art of cooking were of but trifling -importance. - -As the students were filing out, not in the most orderly fashion, into -the clear, moonlit night, Jack Norworth joined Don and George. - -"All ready, boys, for the Caf Rochambeau?" he asked. - -"You bet we are!" cried Don. - - - - - CHAPTER III--SPIES - - -To reach the peaceful village of tainville, which, more fortunate than -many another in France, had never known the horror and tragedy of war, -it was necessary to pass through several little patches of woods. That -walk with a number of his compatriots proved to be a very delightful one -to Don Hale. Nature, in the soft, greenish moonlight, which filtered in -between the foliage and ran in straggling lines and patches on the -underbrush or fell in splotches on the trunks and branches, presented a -very poetic--a very idyllic appearance. Here and there, amid the pines -and firs, gnarled, rugged oaks, ages old, reared their spreading -branches against a cloudless sky. A fragrant, delightful odor, like -incense, nature's own, filled the air; and the gentle sighing of leaves -and grasses swayed to and fro by a capricious breeze joined with the -ever constant chant of the insect world of the woods. - -tainville possessed only one main street, a cobbled, winding highway, -lined on either hand with picturesque and sometimes dilapidated houses. -Near the centre of the village rose the ancient church, the tall and -graceful spire of which could be seen over the countryside for many -miles. The twentieth century is a busy and a bustling age. Progress, -ever on the alert, fairly leaps ahead, but it seemed to have carefully -avoided tainville in its rapid march. - -Of all its inhabitants, none was better known or liked than old Pre -Goubain, proprietor, as was his father and grandfather before him, of -the Caf Rochambeau. Pre Goubain was very fat--so fat, indeed, that he -sat practically all day long in a big armchair. During the winter it was -generally in the main room of the caf, before the big round stove near -the centre; but the summer days generally found him comfortably -installed in the garden which enclosed the old stuccoed building. - -Pre Goubain appeared to be the very personification of contentment, -except, however, when the Germans happened to be mentioned within his -hearing. Then, his rubicund face became redder, his mild, blue eyes -fairly blazed with a fierce, vindictive light, and, altogether, he -looked quite ferocious indeed. - -Such, then, was the Caf Rochambeau and the man who greeted the crowd of -Americans. To Don and George he was especially gracious. He asked many -questions, and delightedly informed them that only the day before he had -actually seen a detachment of American soldiers marching through the -village street. - -"Ah! and how grand they looked, mes amis!" he cried. "With their -help--'On les aura'--we shall get them! Ah, les Boches!" - -The placid look on his face was gone, and, rising in his chair, he began -to sing in a deep bass voice: - - "'Ye sons of freedom, wake to glory! - Hark, hark, what myriads bid you rise! - Your children, wives and grandsires hoary, - Behold their tears and hear their cries! - Behold their tears and hear their cries! - Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding, - With hireling hosts, a ruffian band, - Affright and desolate the land, - When peace and liberty lie bleeding? - To arms--to arms, ye brave! - Th' avenging sword unsheathe, - March on, march on, all hearts resolved - On liberty or death.'" - -Vigorous indeed was the chorus which accompanied Per Goubain's -rendition of the first stanza of the "Marseillaise," and vigorous indeed -were the plaudits that resounded throughout the room when the old -Frenchman sank back in his armchair. - -"Yes, the Yanks are the boys to do it," exclaimed Peur Jamais. "Now, mes -garons--for the council chamber!" - -The "Council Chamber" was an apartment adjoining the main room of the -caf. An oblong table stood in the centre, smaller ones by the walls; -and there were plenty of chairs and tabourets for the use of the -Americans, for the room practically belonged to them. Very often old -Pre Goubain honored the gathering by his presence, and on this occasion -he raised his ponderous form, and, with lumbering tread, followed his -guests inside. - -For their benefit Pre Goubain, a veteran of the Franco-Prussian war, -told several interesting reminiscences about that memorable conflict; -then, abruptly, he branched off into a subject which brought the old -fiery look back into his usually placid blue eyes. - -"Ah, what a wonderful system of espionage the Boches have!" he -exclaimed. "Its sinister ramifications extend to every corner of our -great land and far beyond the seas." - -"Know anything about it?" queried Peur Jamais, with interest. - -"Listen, mes amis"--old Pre Goubain spoke gravely: "Many officers are -among my acquaintances. One of them belongs to the French Flying Corps, -and he, poor fellow, while in a scouting plane far over the enemy's -lines, had the great misfortune to be obliged to descend in hostile -territory." - -"Captured?" asked Peur Jamais, quite breathlessly. - -"He was. But"--a grim smile played about the Frenchman's -mouth--"somehow, he managed to make his escape, and, after the most -nerve-racking ordeals, succeeded in reaching the Swiss frontier, and -from thence returned to France. In this very room, Messieurs, he told me -his experiences." - -Immediately, to Don Hale, and probably also to a number of the others, -that modest interior became invested with a singular interest--with a -strange and subtle charm. How wonderful to think that a man who had -passed through such harrowing adventures should have actually been in -that very place! - -"And do you know," continued Pre Goubain, with vehemence, "that when -the German officers learned the aviator's name, astounding as it may -seem, they told him many facts concerning his own history." - -"But how in the world did the Boches ever learn them?" demanded Peur -Jamais. - -"As I said before, spies are everywhere; one cannot know whom to trust. -Listen, my friends: not a hundred years ago, one of the officers -belonging to a training school was actually discovered to be a spy." - -"Whew! That's going some!" declared Sid Marlow to Don, while Peur -Jamais, eagerness expressed in his eyes, began to look curiously about -him, as though vaguely suspicious that perhaps some among those gathered -together were not all they pretended to be. - -Before Pre Goubain could resume, several newcomers, also Americans, -bustled past the door. - -General interest was immediately aroused by the discovery that one -carried a bundle of Parisian dailies. - -But the old innkeeper had started to say something, and he intended to -finish. - -"Yes, Messieurs, the Boches possess many ways of obtaining information. -For instance, I learned from another officer that spies have even boldly -descended into the French or British lines, flying in airplanes captured -from the Allies. Naturally, some of these pilots spoke excellent French; -others the English tongue equally well. Naturally, also, having all the -appearance of belonging to the cause of freedom and justice, they -escaped suspicion at the time, and were thus enabled to pick up much -valuable information." - -"Very interesting!" drawled one of the late comers. "But what's all that -got to do with Captain Baron Von Richtofen?" - -"Captain Baron Von Richtofen?" cried Peur Jamais, interrogatively. - -"Never hear of him?" - -"No, Monsieur Carrol Gordon." - -"I have," said George, in an undertone to Don. - -"Then I'll read something for your special benefit, Mr. Peur Jamais." - -Thereupon, Carrol Gordon, the owner of the prized bundle, having opened -one of the papers and allowed the yellowish glow of the lamplight to -fall across the page, began: - -"'Advices recently received from the western theatre of battle state -that the famous Red Squadron of Death, commanded by Captain Baron Von -Richtofen, has again made its appearance in several places along the -front.'" - -"'The Red Squadron of Death!'" echoed Peur Jamais, something akin to awe -in his tone. - -"'The Red Squadron of Death!'" repeated Don. - -"Quite an impressive title, I'll admit," remarked Carrol, smiling at the -great interest which the article had evidently aroused. He resumed: - -"'The Albatross planes belonging to this feared and death-dealing -squadron are painted a brilliant scarlet from nose to tail. All are -manned by pilots of the greatest skill and daring; and only the most -experienced air fighters of the Allies can expect to cope with these -crafty and dangerous enemies. The bizarre idea of the red planes is no -doubt an attempt on the part of Captain Baron Von Richtofen to instil -fear into the hearts of the Allied Flying Corps. At any rate, the -reappearance of this squadron, which claims to have destroyed more than -sixty allied planes, heralds the near approach of many bitter battles in -the air.'" - -As Carrol Gordon ceased reading he looked around and remarked: - -"Some news, eh? Now how many of you are going to pack your trunks and -slide for home?" - -"And to think of T. Singleton Albert, the great soda-water clerk of -Syracuse, going up against such a game as that!" put in Tom Dorsey, -irrelevantly. "Poor Drugstore!" - -"One thing to remember always is this, mes garons," exclaimed old Pre -Goubain, nodding his head sagely: "Imagination is a very wonderful -thing, and the Boche Baron must realize the hold it has on certain -natures. Imagination, mes amis, can have the effect of glorifying the -most ordinary and commonplace of objects and detracting from the most -sublime. It can rob the heart of determination and destroy hope, and, -equally well, it can raise a man's courage to such heights as to place -him on the pinnacle of fame. Bah, I say, for the Baron's red birds!" The -innkeeper snapped his fingers derisively. "I cannot believe that any air -fighters of the Allies would be frightened by a few cans of paint." - -"Well spoken, Pre Goubain!" laughed Hampton Coles. "Yours are the words -of a wise man; which proves that an innkeeper can be a philosopher as -well as a server to the material needs of humanity." - -"How would you like to be a combat pilot and meet the Baron, yourself?" -asked Jack Norworth, quizzically. - -"It would be quite impossible, mon garon," sighed Pre Goubain. "My -weight, alas I would sink the ship." - -"Shall I give him a message from you if we should happen to meet?" -laughed George Glenn. - -"Yes, and let it be accompanied by a fusillade of machine gun bullets." - -Don Hale thoroughly enjoyed his evening at the club. Instinctively he -felt that it was a sort of dividing line between ease and comfort and a -strenuous existence, with dangers and perils ever present from the -moment he became in actuality an _lve_ pilot of the cole Militaire -d'Aviation de Beaumont. - -Finally good-byes were said to Pre Goubain, and the crowd filed into -the great outdoors. The village street was enveloped in the soft light -of the moon, and but for the bark of a distant dog would have been -silent. The stuccoed buildings rose pale and ghostlike, or in sombre, -mysterious tones, against the sky, and deep shadows crossed the cobbled -highway. A few beams of light to cheer those who might be astir came -from the windows of the ancient, time-worn hostelry, the Hotel Lion -d'Or, where George Glenn was staying. - -At the entrance, Don and the others bid the combat pilot of the -Lafayette Squadron good-night, and then the march back to the flying -field was begun. It was rather late when they arrived at the barracks. -The excitement, the great desire to begin his schooling and the new -surroundings all tended to drive sleepy feelings away from Don Hale. But -Mittengale very solemnly assured him that unless he "hit the pillow" at -once he would be liable to have regretful feelings in the morning. - -"I know, because I know," he declared. - -"Then I'll 'hit the pillow,'" laughed Don. - -The sound of laughter and voices was gradually ceasing as Don Hale -climbed into his bed. - -Several of the lamps had been extinguished and the interior of the big -barracks certainly appeared very sombre--very gloomy indeed. Here and -there details made a valiant effort to reveal their presence, but, for -the most part, shadows, grotesque in shape, deep and grim in tone, held -the mastery. - -Presently Don Hale's impressions became a little confused, and, within a -very few minutes, he was sleeping that sound and dreamless slumber which -is another of the glorious possessions of youth. - - - - - CHAPTER IV--"PENGUINS" - - -"I say, boy, wake up! Didn't you hear the bugle sound? The reveill! -Wake up, for goodness' sake! You'll be late. It's almost three-thirty -now. You have that early morning feeling, eh?--a pippin of a feeling, -too! I know, because I know!" - -The sense of this string of words, jerked out with extraordinary -rapidity by Roy Mittengale, was quite lost on Don Hale's mental -faculties, but, nevertheless, they had exactly the effect the speaker -intended. With a start and a half-stifled gasp, the new student sat up. - -Morning! Was it possible that morning had already come? Of course not! -He hadn't before suspected Mittengale of being a practical joker. -Morning, indeed! He felt quite vexed--quite exasperated, in fact. - -The effects his eyes took in were precisely similar to those he had seen -on retiring--the same glimmering yellowish lights, the same lurking -shadows, the long row of windows framing in the palish moonlight of the -outside world. - -He was about to protest. But before he had time the big room, all at -once, became filled with noise and commotion--with the sounds of men -jumping out of bed, of men talking, of men hurrying and bustling about -as though their very lives depended upon the swiftness of their -movements. - -So, after all, Roy wasn't a practical joker. - -"All right! All right!" mumbled Don. "I'll get right up." - -"You'd better," continued Mittengale, laughingly. - -Don Hale certainly had that early morning feeling, besides being cold -and shivery; but, though he devoutly wished that he might enjoy a few -minutes more of repose, he slipped off the mattress and fairly jumped -into his clothes. By the time Don had finished dressing he was alone. - -A swift dash for the door and a brisk run after leaving the barracks -enabled him, however, to overtake speedily the more tardy students. - -It was still a calm, serene moonlight night, with the stars dimmed by -the greater lustre of the earth's satellite, and no hint, no trace of -color in the eastern sky to herald the approach of another day. - -The destination of the hurrying crowd Don found was the wash-house -situated not far away; and on arriving there he discovered that -certainly "all the comforts of home" appeared to be lacking. - -A dash of cold water over his face and arms made the boy feel the need -of brisk exercise to counteract the effects of the damp, penetrating -chilliness of that early matinal hour. Moisture glistened and sparkled -on the tufts of grass, and low over the earth stretched long ghostly -streamers of mist. High up in the heavens a flock of unseen crows, -flying swiftly past, sent their cries far over the crisp, fresh air, -but, rapidly, distance softened and then stifled the unmusical chorus. - -A rush back to the barracks with the rest of the students put warmth -into Don Hale's shivery frame. - -"Get in line, son, for the roll call," commanded Tom Dorsey. - -In an orderly double column the students ranged themselves alongside the -barracks, an officer appeared and the formality began. - -Proudly, the new student answered "present" as he heard his name -pronounced by the officer. - -"Now I suppose we'll get a bite to eat," he remarked to Mittengale, when -the men broke ranks. - -"Your 'suppose' is all wrong," chuckled the other. "Now you'll learn -what you're up against." - -"I suspect I'm up against a joker," laughed Don. - -But, again, his suspicion proved to be quite unfounded. The men were -forming in line, and a few minutes later the march for the flying field -began. The day for which Don Hale had looked forward so long--so -expectantly--actually had come. His nerves, responding to the emotions -aroused within him, were tingling, but tingling in a most delightful -fashion. - -The very faintest trace of delicate color, announcing the coming of day, -now slowly began to suffuse itself in the eastern sky. It was a -cheerless and a gloomy hour, not an hour, surely, for drooping spirits -to be abroad; but, fortunately, there appeared to be no drooping spirits -among that semi-military line of marching men. - -Gradually the long row of curved-roofed hangars, partially hidden by the -veils of mists, loomed forth more clearly. Before the head of the line -had reached the first of the immense flying fields--there were -three--numerous mechanics were rolling rather battered-looking little -monoplanes from beneath the protecting shelter of the canvas coverings -and placing them side by side in long lines. - -"I say, my young knight of the air, cast your optics upon the -'penguins,'" called Mittengale, who happened to be marching just ahead. - -Don Hale, however, required no such invitation. He was already studying -the machines with the most intense--the most eager interest. "Penguins," -he knew, are Bleriot monoplanes, the wings of which have been so -shortened as to render the machines powerless to lift themselves from -the ground; hence the rather curious appellation of "penguins," birds of -that name not being able to fly. - -Certainly the "penguins" had an extraordinary fascination for the new -candidate. To his active mind they suggested huge dragon-flies--all -ready to wing their way lightly to other parts. - -A few moments later the boy was standing before the nearest machine. Now -every semblance to a military line had vanished. Students, moniteurs, -mechanics and laborers were all mingling together before the hangars. - -Some time later, while he was still regarding the machines with an -absorbing degree of interest, the voice of the head instructor broke -sharply in upon his thoughts. - -In loud tones he was calling out the names of various students and -designating the numbers of the machine they were to use. Immediately the -future airmen began jumping into their places, and before many moments -had passed every "penguin" in the long line had an occupant. - -"Goodness! I certainly feel like an outsider," murmured Don. "I reckon -I'd better hunt up the sergeant and----" - -At that second the air became surcharged with a series of startling -staccato explosions, with roars, great crashes and bangs, quite -ear-splitting in their intensity--the motors were being tested. -Gradually the rising crescendo, suggestive of some strange, wild -symphony, reached its greatest climax, and then as slowly began to -subside. And presently, in its place, came the soft, pleasant drone and -hum of many smoothly-working motors and propellers. - -Now the highly interested Don Hale saw the assistants removing the -blocks from beneath the wheels of the "penguins" and heard the moniteurs -giving their pupils a few final words of advice. - -"By Jove, don't I wish I were in one of 'em!" he muttered. "Ah!" - -The assistants were giving the propellers of some of the nearer machines -a swift turn; and as the whirling blades became but misty circles the -strange "birds" got into action. - -"By Jove!" - -This time Don Hale uttered the exclamation aloud. - -A number of "penguins" had begun to "taxi" across the field, and were -soon traveling at a most tremendous speed. Some twisted and staggered -about, as though, every instant, they must topple over sideways and -smash their wings against the turf. Others exhibited every indication of -halting their onward rush and spinning around and around like a top, -while still others, as straight and true as a swift breeze tearing its -way across the countryside, kept rapidly growing smaller and fainter in -the distance. - -Yes, it truly was a remarkable spectacle that Don Hale had before his -eyes. In the semi-darkness of that chill and early hour, the rushing -"penguins" seemed to resemble a flock of huge birds, full of life, full -of keen intelligence, rather than man-made machines. - -There was a thrill and spice about the scene, too, which caused -involuntary gasps to frequently come from the mouth of the student. Now -and again, "penguins," while traveling at a headlong pace, seemed about -to smash into one another. The boy almost held his breath. - -"Ah!" - -One was down. Another, hustling past the fallen "bird," just graced its -broken wing. The game, even in the beginner's class, was clearly not -without its dangers. - -Now the most skilfully handled machines had reached their -destination--the flag at the other end of the field--and were returning -as though borne on the blasts of a hurricane. From faint, insignificant -whitish specks they became huge winged creatures in a moment of time, -seemingly intent upon crashing their tempestuous way into the groups of -moniteurs, mechanics and assistants and even through the hangars -themselves. - -The tense-faced pilots, however, stopped the engines in time, and, one -after another, the "penguins" docilely came to a halt. - -"Grand sport, sure enough!" cried Don, delightedly. He would have -imparted this thought to others, too, but for the fact that not one -among those all around him was paying the slightest attention to his -presence. It gave Don a rather unpleasant feeling, as though he was of -very little importance. It also served to make him decide to report to -the sergeant of the first class at once. - -Accordingly, he began walking toward the nearest group; and then, for -the first time, he caught a glimpse of several of the Annamites attached -to the aviation camp. Picturesque-looking little chaps they were, and -unmistakably of the Orient from their yellow complexion and slanting, -beady eyes to their small and stocky stature. They were about to cross -the field. What was the meaning of that intrusion? - -All at once Don Hale understood; and, instinctively, his eyes were -turned toward the fallen "penguin," which, like a wounded bird brought -low by the huntsman's bullet, lay where misfortune had overtaken it. A -little crowd was collecting, and soon he discovered three distant -figures moving slowly toward the hangars, the one in the centre -supported by those on either side. - -"The pilot must have been injured," thought Don, commiseratingly. - -In what seemed to be a very short time to him the sun was almost on the -horizon, and eagerness to begin his task was gripping him with a strange -intensity; no small boy with a lively and joyous anticipation of a visit -to the "greatest show on earth" could have experienced more pleasurable -sensations, and a glance toward the flying fields beyond served to even -further increase them. Above the one adjoining, Bleriot monoplanes were -flying at low altitudes; still further in the distance he could see -airplanes piloted by more advanced members of the third and fourth class -momentarily mounting in the air. The flying fields were beginning to -show a pleasant warmth of color, and the Farnum and Caudron machines, -high aloft, catching the sun's reflections, sent them constantly -flashing earthward. These planes possessed a certain grace, but they -were heavy and clumsy craft indeed compared to several -single-seaters--Nieuport or Spad machines. These far outclassing the -swiftest of the feathered tribe in their flight, darted in and out, -swooped downward from dizzy heights or climbed upward until their wings -appeared as the faintest gossamer lines against the soft, purplish tones -of the sky. - -As Don set off in his quest for the sergeant the majority of the -"penguins" were racing and tearing about the field in the most -extraordinarily erratic fashion. - -Sergeant Girodet was easily found, but, to Don Hale's intense -disappointment, the officer informed him that he would have to wait -until the afternoon session, adding rather dryly: - -"Monsieur will be safe and sound for several hours longer." - -Don laughed, rejoining: - -"And for a good many hours after that, I hope." - -The Annamites were now bringing in the wrecked and battered plane, -headed for the repair shops, vast structures employing hundreds and -hundreds of skilled mechanics and helpers. As they were near by and the -night shift still at work, Don concluded to pay them a brief visit -before journeying to the field where the third class, of which T. -Singleton Albert was a member, flew in real airplanes to a height of no -less than twenty-five feet. - -And just at this time the boy was overjoyed to hear a familiar, cheery -voice shouting: - -"Hello, Don! Hello, old chap!" - -Turning quickly, he spied his chum approaching. - -"My, but I'm jolly glad to see you, George!" he called. "Playing the -part of a wallflower isn't a pleasant outdoor sport." - -"Well, it's good you don't get up in the air about it," replied George, -laughingly. "That's right--always keep your feet on the ground." - -"I'll try to, even when I'm a few miles high," chirped Don. - -George agreeing to Don's plan, the two began traveling after the -guttural-speaking Annamites. - -"It strikes me 'penguins' ought to be easily managed," declared Don, -reflectively. "One just has to drive them in a straight line across the -_piste_." - -"Yes, that's all," replied George. A twinkling light shone in his eyes. -"But----" - -"Difficult, eh, old chap?" - -And though George nodded emphatically, Don, nevertheless, felt strongly -inclined to think that when once in the pilot's seat he would surprise -not only his chum but a few others as well. - -Shortly afterward the two reached the machine and repair shops. - - - - - CHAPTER V--TRAINING - - -Americans, of course, enjoyed a great popularity all over France, and, -therefore, Don and George were welcome guests at the shops, which -resembled huge manufacturing plants. They immediately found themselves -surrounded by another kind of activity. The din and hum of machinery, -the clanging of hammers, the explosive reports of motors vibrated over -the air, all symbolizing, as it were, by means of sound, progress and -labor. - -"They build airplanes here as well as repair them," explained George. - -As the two walked from one point to another Don Hale marveled at what he -saw. The framework of hulls and of main planes, the latter with their -strong but slender supporting spars, stood in long rows. Everywhere -skilled artisans, ordinary mechanics, and helpers worked on various -parts of the planes. In the assemblage department Don and George stopped -to watch the winged creations, one of the latest products of man's -inventive genius, being put together. A foreman greeted them pleasantly. - -"And what do the young Americans think of all this?" he inquired. - -"Simply wonderful!" responded Don, enthusiastically. - -"Very true!" agreed the men. "Ah! the art of airplane construction has -advanced amazingly since the great world war began, mes Americaines. It -is now a very exact science, where the laws bearing upon lateral and -longitudinal balance, as well as many other things, have to be -rigorously observed." - -"I believe that before 1914 the German equipment in the way of airplanes -and dirigible balloons was greatly superior to either that of the French -or English," commented George. - -"Yes, the Boches had been doing everything in their power to encourage -the development of both types of machines, while the other nations, -unmindful of the peril which menaced them, were satisfied to let the -course of events in that particular direction merely drift along." - -"The Germans are said to have had, in addition to a fleet of huge -Zeppelins, almost a thousand airplanes of the finest construction, while -their aeronautical factories were rushing work on others," put in -George. "France possessed only about three hundred machines and England -still less, probably as few as two hundred and fifty." - -"The Germans at that time held the world's record for height and -sustained flying," declared Don Hale. - -"Correct," admitted the artisan. "They thought, too, that with the -supremacy of their navy of the air, the supremacy of Great Britain's -fleet on the sea could be more than overcome and England invaded. -But"--the Frenchman clenched his fists--"our enemies--your enemies--the -enemies of the entire world realize at last their error. They failed! -They failed! The supremacy of the air now rests with the Allies." - -"And yet, for a while, the Germans had the best scouting and fighting -planes," commented George. - -"Yes; the Fokkers. But La France replied to that challenge by -constructing the famous Nieuport, the swiftest, the most easily -maneuvered airplane that flies. Come! Let me show you a sample." - -Don and George, smiling a little at the tremendous earnestness exhibited -by the Frenchman, followed him to another part of the great shop, where -the most skilled workers were putting the finishing touches to several -Nieuports of the latest model. They were delicate but staunch little -machines--their lines as graceful as those of any yacht; and each was -finished with a degree of care and attention to detail which scarcely -seemed warranted when the perilous nature of the career they were so -soon to embark upon was considered. - -"What perfect beauties!" cried Don. "Crickets, George! Don't I wish all -my training period were over, so that I could sail sky-high in one of -these little rockets!" - -"The speed of a rocket, Don, wouldn't do you very much good while flying -over the fighting front," replied his chum, rather grimly. - -Don, too impatient, too restless to remain much longer indoors, soon -started off with the other at his side. And all the while the obliging -artisan kept imparting interesting bits of information. He told them -something about the giant bi-motored Caudron, the Handley-Page and the -Caproni, each type of machine representing the highest achievement in -airplane building by the respective countries of France, England and -Italy. - -"The Boches," he added, with a scowl, "have the Gothas." - -"I remember reading that some of the Gothas which bombed London had a -wing-spread of seventy-eight feet, with motors of two hundred and sixty -horse power, and carried, besides three men, hundreds of pounds of -explosives," remarked Don. - -"Seventy-eight feet is nothing these days," commented the Frenchman, -musingly. "A hundred and fifty is more like it. You and I, mes -Americaines, will live to see the time when huge flyers, with -comfortable accommodations for passengers, can cross the Atlantic, -linking still closer the old world and the new." - -Their volunteer guide now conducted the boys to another department, -where they saw many women engaged in sewing together breadths of fine -linen cloth destined to be stretched over the skeleton frames. - -"Billions have been spent and are being expended in the airplane -industry," continued the man. "Even piano and furniture factories and -many others have turned their attention to the fabrication of airplane -parts, such as struts, ribs and propellers. And all this, in connection -with aeronautic machinery, means work for thousands of mechanics. Vast -quantities of raw material are required. Airplanes must be housed: -therefore the erection of hangars and other types of buildings will -employ thousands more. Then, the training of aviators, too, is a pretty -expensive operation." - -"I suppose so," laughed Don. "However, I'll try to let 'em down as -easily as I can. Coming, George?" - -After heartily thanking the obliging artisan for his courtesy the two -left the busy shops. - -By this time the slowly-rising sun was casting its first pale and -delicate tints over the earth. And with these rays the gloom which had -taken possession of nature for so many hours began to lift. The dull and -lifeless landscape, freed from the embracing mists, took on an aspect of -quiet beauty and charm, and drops of dew shone and sparkled like "many a -gem of purest ray serene." - -At a brisk walk Don and George set out for the distant aviation field, -and before very long the ever moving "penguins" were left far to the -rear. Now Don and his chum had an excellent view of the real flying -machines, as they winged their way in straight flights from one end of -the _piste_ to the other, or taxied over the ground to rise in the air -with amazing ease and lightness. - -Another crowd of moniteurs, students and mechanicians stood around, the -moniteurs following the movements of the planes with the most critical -attention. - -One after another the flyers alighted, some with ease and precision; -some striking the earth sufficiently hard to have thrown the pilot out -had he not been buckled to his seat. - -"Whew! I'll bet lots of planes are smashed!" cried Don. - -"You win," said George, dryly. "Hello! Look at the machine which just -made that bully landing. Whom do you see on the pilot's seat?" - -"Goodness gracious! As I live, it's Drugstore!" burst out Don. - -But as Don, unmindful of the moniteurs or the crowd, left George's side -and rushed up to congratulate him on his success, T. Singleton Albert's -face didn't have at all its usual half shy and modest look. Instead, it -rather suggested the expression worn by some mighty hero on the occasion -of his greatest triumph. - -"Did you see me?" cried Drugstore, breathlessly. - -"I should say so!" exclaimed Don. - -"Flying!--Why, there's nothing to it, son. Oh, boy! Only a perfect boob -couldn't handle these ships." Drugstore almost stuttered in his elation -and excitement. "But, take it from me, son, some of these chaps here -couldn't learn to drive an ash cart. Hello! I say, Rogers"--he raised -his voice--"did you see me that time? I brought her down so easily I -didn't even rumple the grass." - -"You're up in the air right now, Singleton," chortled Rogers. - -Albert, who had a pretty good command of French, swelled up with even -greater pride as he listened to the moniteur's "C'est bien fait, mon -ami--it was well done, my friend." - -"I'll soon be bumping into the clouds," he declared, a confident grin on -his face. - -The machine was quickly turned around by several Annamites, and then -Drugstore, yelling loudly for every one to get out of the way, started -his motor full blast; whereupon the monoplane began to glide swiftly -ahead. As the machine attained a speed of about forty miles an hour it -gracefully left the terrestrial globe several yards behind, and, like an -arrow shot from the archer's bow, cut through the still, silent air -toward its distant goal. - -"Some flyer, that baby!" laughed Rogers. - -And, indeed, his comments were just. Very few of the other students were -approaching Albert's performance. Their landings were generally -faulty--so faulty, in fact, as to endanger the safety of plane and flyer -alike. - -It was only a very short time before Drugstore's plane was seen -returning. Don Hale watched the machine rapidly growing larger with -breathless interest, fearful that Albert's great flush of enthusiasm -might have engendered so great a confidence in his ability as to -threaten his efforts with disaster. Exactly at the proper moment, -however, exactly in the proper way, the Bleriot dipped; and then, -exactly in the proper manner, it struck the earth, and, after rolling a -certain distance, came to a halt. - -"Well, who said I couldn't learn to fly!" shouted Drugstore, -hilariously. "Whoop! It's easier than slopping soda-water over a shiny -counter. Oh, boy, I'll soon be able to give an eagle lessons!" - -It was now another pupil's turn to take the machine, and Albert, -releasing the restraining straps about his body, jumped stiffly to the -ground. His gait for several moments became so noticeably uncertain as -to bring forth a volley of humorous observations. - -"Success has gone to his head!" cried one. - -"To his feet, you mean!" chuckled a second. - -"If that grin of his grows any wider his face may be seriously injured!" -chirped another. - -"Speech, Drugstore, speech!" howled a fourth. - -If Albert had been his usual self all this attention and good-natured -raillery would probably have brought a flush to his cheeks. At that -moment, however, Albert wasn't quite himself. He forgot to stammer and -look embarrassed as he declared importantly: - -"Let's see some of you chaps beat it. Oh, boy, just a little while, and -I'll be shooting up to hit the blue!" - -Naturally Albert's very excellent work fired Don Hale with an even -greater desire to begin his apprenticeship at the fascinating game of -flying. The sun had never seemed to ascend so slowly. Hours and hours -must pass before he could make his start. Really, it was quite a strain -on his nerves. - -At nine o'clock work was over for the morning, and the students trailed -back to the barracks, where they were privileged to remain until five. -The particular crowd which occupied the Hotel d'Amerique found a -newcomer awaiting them. He was a very rosy-cheeked young chap; and from -his uniform, still showing plentiful traces of mud and hard usage, it -was seen that he, too, had once been a soldier in the famous Foreign -Legion. - -"My name is Dan Hagen," he announced, pleasantly. "I'm from Dublin." - -"Ah ha, boys, we now have with us Dublin Dan!" chortled Roy Mittengale. - -And that was the way in which Dan Hagen received a new christening, and -one that he accepted with a boisterous, rollicking laugh. - -"Call me anything; but don't call me down," he said. "I say, how's -flying to-day?" - -"As usual, up in the air," laughed Tom Dorsey. - -"Next to me, who's the newest greeny?" - -A half dozen or so fingers were pointed toward Don Hale; a half dozen or -so voices gave the desired information. - -"Shake, old man!" exclaimed Dublin Dan, extending a big rough hand. -"It's a race between us to see which shall be the first to feel the -caressing touches of the wind-blown clouds on our cheeks." - -"I'm on!" laughed Don. - -"I say, did you see me land on my last trip?" - -T. Singleton Albert voiced this query. It was addressed to no one in -particular; and as no one in particular paid the slightest attention to -it Drugstore became quite peeved. - -"Jealous, eh?" he jeered, with unexpected bravado. "Jealous! Oh, boy! -but my cheeks'll soon feel the caressing touches of these wind-blown -clouds. Some joyous expression that, eh?" - -"It doesn't beat yours at the present moment," declared big Sid Marlow, -with a hearty laugh. - -Don Hale soon discovered that there was little military discipline about -the camp. The students were perfectly free to amuse themselves in any -way their fancy dictated, though Cal Cummings informed him that on -lecture days absence from the classes was considered a pretty serious -offense. - -"I'd never want to play hooky," declared Don, smilingly. - -The day, wearing on, brought with it plenty of heat; therefore the -shelter of the barracks was soon sought by the majority. Little comfort -could be found inside, however. Swarms of flies--"of every known -size--of every known species"--so Dublin Dan declared, also used it as a -hotel; and, not being of a bashful disposition, they made themselves -unpleasantly conspicuous. At one o'clock the little pests were sole -masters of the situation, while the crowd joined other crowds in the -spacious mess-hall. - -During the meal T. Singleton Albert, having been heard to remark: "I -say, did you see that last landing I made?" was loudly and insistently -called upon to make a speech. Thereupon, he suddenly grew red in the -face, and when forced to his feet by strong-arm methods stammered and -stuttered to such a degree that the boys, perceiving that he had once -more become the old, timid, shy Drugstore, mercifully let him alone. - -Following lunch a game of baseball was played between two well-matched -teams, one of them being captained by Victor Gilbert. Gilbert's team -won, which Cal Cummings declared was not strange at all, considering the -fact that Victor had at one time been a crack player on a college -baseball club. - -After the game was over, Don, George and Dublin Dan set out for the -aviation field together. - - - - - CHAPTER VI--DUBLIN DAN - - -Don Hale, standing before a much battered and bespattered "penguin," -experienced a delightful thrill, which ran through his entire being. -Brimming over with ambition, equally full of confidence, he could see -nothing ahead of him but success. - -The moniteur in whose charge Don and several others were placed was a -rather youthful and pleasant-spoken Frenchman. In a quick, incisive -fashion, he began to give a little lecture on the airplane. - -"The body is known as the fuselage," he explained. "At the front and -just beneath the wings, as you see, is the engine and propeller. This -particular type of plane, and in fact the majority, are drawn and not -pushed through the air. The pilot is seated in the cockpit immediately -behind the motor. Two rudders and two ailerons are placed at the rear of -the fuselage. The former, vertical, and used for steering the plane -horizontally, are operated by a cross-piece of wood upon which the pilot -rests his feet. The ailerons are horizontal, connected with a control -stick by means of wires, and, of course, tilt the plane either up or -down. The control stick is an upright lever in front of the pilot's -seat. These are details, however, that you need not bother with now. -Monsieur Hale, take your place in number thirty-five. Monsieur Hagen may -use number twelve." - -Both boys immediately followed instructions, and, after each had -securely fastened the belt designed to prevent an unceremonious exit -from the plane, the moniteur explained, first to one and then the other, -the proper handling of the engine and rudders. - -"The two most important things to remember," he said, "are to keep the -tail off the ground and the engine going at full speed." - -With his nerves at the keenest tension, Don Hale waited for the command -to start. Out of the corner of his eye he could see groups standing by -the machine, watching him, it seemed, in deadly silence. The familiar -figure of George Glenn among them nerved the boy to do his utmost. - -"Ready, sir?" asked the mechanician standing by the propeller. - -"Ready!" answered Don. - -"Throw on the switch!" - -With a hand that trembled in spite of all his efforts to control it, Don -Hale obeyed. - -The mechanician whirled the propeller, and in another moment the motor -was emitting a deafening roar; and in still another the "penguin," as -though suddenly endowed with life, began a headlong flight over the -rather uneven ground. - -With all his senses keenly alert, Don Hale felt the rushing wind fanning -his cheeks; and a sort of wild exhilaration took possession of him as -the "penguin," like a runaway locomotive, sent the ground speeding -behind at a rate which fairly dazzled his eyes. - -But why did the "penguin" wobble and stagger in such an extraordinary -manner? - -The more desperately Don strove to assert his authority over the -man-made bird the more he seemed to lose his control. Now he felt it -swinging to the left; then, a too hasty push with his foot on the -steering apparatus threatened to send it wildly careening off to the -right. Above the roar of the motor he could faintly hear the shouts and -yells of the crowd which he was leaving so far behind. - -The confidence which Don had felt before jumping into the machine was -given a rude and unpleasant jolt; and, besides this, the speed and -erratic movements of the "penguin" were so bewildering as to make the -boy lose, for a moment, his usual coolness. The sudden thought, too, -that George Glenn was witnessing the almost absurd capering of the -"penguin" served only to add to his discomfiture and apprehension. - -In his tremendous eagerness to conquer the difficulties, Don made a -sudden movement with the control stick, lifting the tail high off the -ground, and at the same time he added to his mistake by pushing the -rudder too far around. The result was almost terrifying. The "bird," as -though roused to sudden fury by his action, began to whirl around and -around, its speed seeming to increase with each passing second. - -Dazed and dizzy the pilot had just sufficient presence of mind left to -shut off the power. But the "penguin" had already begun to somersault. - -Don Hale experienced a chilling and sickening fear. So suddenly that he -could scarcely realize what had happened, the airplane tumbled over. He -heard the sound of breaking supports and felt the impact of a blow. Then -he found himself pinned to the ground amidst a mass of wreckage. - -Several seconds elapsed before he could think coherently enough to -decide that beyond a few bruises and scratches he had not been injured. -And, although the "penguin" was as motionless as though it had never -made a movement in the whole of its checkered career, the ground still -seemed to be whirling rapidly before his eyes. But the dizziness, the -pains and aches he was experiencing were as nothing compared to his -disillusionment. He had fully expected to make a grand and triumphal -trip straight across the flying _piste_ to the flag which marked the end -of the course and to hear the plaudits of George, the praise of the -moniteur and the comments of the admiring crowd. And here he was--in an -undignified heap, with the breath almost knocked out of his body, and -responsible for the ending of the tempestuous career of what had been -but a few moments before a staunch and sturdy "penguin." - -Oh yes, he must have surprised his chum George Glenn--of that there -couldn't be the slightest doubt! - -As Don began painfully to extricate himself, with grim forebodings of -what the consequences of the disaster might be, he became conscious of -the fact that from almost every point people were running in his -direction. He felt the hot blood rushing to his face; he experienced a -feeling, too, somewhat akin to anger--for his sharp ears had caught what -sounded suspiciously like bursts of hilarious laughter. - -And, to add to the boy's discomfiture, he caught sight of a "penguin," -wobbling and shaking like a ship in a raging sea, approaching. He had -one brief, instantaneous glimpse of a tremendously grinning face--that -of Dublin Dan's--as the machine lurched swiftly past. A short time later -the foremost of the crowd bore down upon him. - -"Are you hurt, Don? Are you hurt?" cried George Glenn, breathlessly. - -"No--no!" jerked out Don. - -And, as though these words were a signal for a jollification to begin, -roars of laughter and howls of merriment broke loose on every side. The -students were not averse, it seemed, to enjoying the humor of the -situation. - -"We have seen the human spinning-top!" guffawed one. - -"What a wonderful merry-go-round!" gurgled another. "Sixty miles an hour -without budging an inch!" - -"Say, boy, wasn't that enough to make you remember it?" chirped a third. - -"You were chasing your tail so fast you nearly caught up with it," -chimed in a fourth. "At any rate, it's certainly a case for the Society -for the Prevention of Cruelty to Birds, even though it was a tough old -rooster." - -Now Don Hale, quite unsteady on his feet, having a jumping throb in his -forehead, and being, besides, in a very disgusted state of mind, could -not, of course, enter into the spirit of jollification, yet, -nevertheless, by a strong effort of the will, he managed to control his -tongue and temper. - -"I'm glad you enjoyed the impromptu performance, boys," he said, -pleasantly. "I don't believe I'll ever be able to equal it again. -Ah----" - -This "ah!" uttered with the most peculiar intonation, was brought from -his lips by the mere fact of his eyes having caught those of the -moniteur. - -But instead of the angry, steely expression he had expected to see the -boy was amazed to observe that the Frenchman appeared as unconcerned as -though the incident was of the most trivial character. Yet even this did -not take away the fear that he was in for a neat little "bawling out." - -"Monsieur Hale, one sometimes learns more by his mistakes than by his -triumphs," were the words he heard, however. The instructor spoke in -genial tones. "Let us hope that it will be true in this case! Come!--now -for another trial!" - -Like a flash, Don Hale's mood was changed; his usual buoyancy reasserted -itself, and he was now as well able to laugh over his adventure as any -of the others. He also had very grateful feelings toward the moniteur -for his forbearance. - -"Dublin Dan's ahead in the race so far!" he exclaimed, laughingly, to -his chum George Glenn. - -"Never mind! The day isn't over yet," said George, with a smile. - -Full of ardor, full of determination to retrieve himself, the _lve_ -pilot took the lead in marching back to the starting point. - -There were always two things on the practice field which well testified -to the hazardous nature of the work; a fleet of extra "penguins" and an -ambulance. One of the former was very quickly rolled into place by the -assistants. And Don, his ears assailed by a multitude of suggestions and -words of advice, climbed at once to his seat. - -By this time numerous other "penguins," at widely separated points, were -traveling over the field. Number twelve, Dan's machine, could actually -be seen racing toward them on the home stretch; and in an incredibly -short space of time the dull gray wings loomed up strongly against the -turf. Following a few extraordinary movements, the machine stopped -abruptly, and from the occupant of the pilot's seat there immediately -came a series of loud and boisterous hurrahs. - -"Maybe I didn't have a bully trip!" he shouted. "Thought at first, -though, I couldn't stop the engine, and that I'd have to go clean around -the whole earth and come back again. But say, old stay-in-one-place, I -can almost feel, even now, the caressing touches of those wind-blown -clouds on my cheeks." - -"Well, that's a great deal better than feeling the caresses of the hard -earth, as I did a few moments ago," laughed Don. - -"_Allez, allez! En route!_"[2] commanded the moniteur. - -Don, experiencing the same measure of confidence he had had before, -though it was now tempered by a much greater respect for the -difficulties of the task, waited expectantly. - -"Now!" he breathed. - -The blades were revolving; the engine began its deafening roar--and, -once more, Don was flying over the turf as though hurled from the mouth -of a catapult. The new pilot had learned his lesson well. He realized -that a firm though delicate movement of the controls is necessary to -assure safety and success. - -Faster, still faster, the "penguin" tore ahead; and though its movements -were far from being smooth it kept to a comparatively straight course, -only occasionally displaying an alarming tendency to turn over on its -face. - -Almost breathless from the effects of the violent wind which continually -beat against his face, and as jubilant as a few moments before he had -been in despair, Don Hale kept his eyes fixed intently on the flag -ahead; and there grew in him a curious feeling that he was being carried -along by some wild, unruly runaway. One moment the flag had appeared dim -and small in the distance; the next it rose large and sharply defined. - -The young pilot switched off the power, the "penguin" began to diminish -speed and after running many yards beyond the goal stopped its headlong -flight. - -That was certainly a proud moment to the new candidate. The stain of his -former defeat was now entirely wiped away. He was convinced that, after -all, he had made an auspicious beginning. - -"Much good!" exclaimed one of the Annamites, who was stationed in the -field to turn the machines around. "One grand fly!" - -"Thanks!" laughed Don. "And I'll do better next time." - -He was, however, to have his confidence a little shaken on the return -trip; for the "bird," apparently without any reason at all, showed an -almost irresistible tendency to fly off at a tangent, first in one -direction and then another. And when this was finally overcome it seemed -to display an equally ardent desire again to bury its nose in the turf. -Several times Don had alarming visions of another inglorious smash. - -It was, therefore, with the greatest feelings of relief that he again -brought the machine to a stop. - -And before this had been accomplished he heard George Glenn shout: - -"Great--great! Well done, old chap!" - -"Surprised, George?" asked Don, gleefully, when he could catch his -breath. - -"No; there are never any surprises on an aviation field," laughingly -rejoined the other. - -"_Vous avez fait de progres, mon ami_,"[3] commended the moniteur. -"Better take a few moments' rest before starting in again." - -Don Hale thought so, too. Naturally, he hadn't quite recovered from the -effects of his exhilarating experience. His pulse was beating a trifle -hard, and, unaccustomed to the rushing wind which had beaten so -relentlessly upon him, there still remained some of its effects. - -"I'm in a better position now to appreciate the feelings of Drugstore," -laughed Don to a little knot gathered about him. "Honestly, I think -flying must be the greatest sport in the world." - -"It's certainly the highest," chirped Tom Dorsey. - -"You've got the right idea, son," chimed in Gene Shannon. "Treat the old -birds gently, and you'll soon be in a position to treat the Boches -rough." - -For a while Don was content to watch the antics of the "penguins," which -were now swarming over the field in great numbers, and, as on every -previous occasion, he found plenty of thrills in the sight--collisions -narrowly averted and machines performing the "chevaux de bois," as the -French say, which, freely translated, means acting like a -merry-go-round. - -Some time later on he was off in the airplane again, and shot forth and -back across the field a number of times, with generally fair success, -before taking another welcome rest. - -Equally pleased over the afternoon's work was Dublin Dan; and he -proclaimed his satisfaction in a loud and boisterous manner. - -"You won't find me encouraging the scrap heap industry," he chuckled. -"I'm going to tear right through this course and hit the next before I'm -many days older." - -"Well, so long as you don't hit me I'm satisfied," said Don, with a -laugh. - -"Never mind. Don't crow too soon," interjected the pessimistic Ben Holt. -"You chaps are a long way from the sky yet. It's pretty blue up there; -and I've seen a few fellows just as blue when they couldn't make it." - -"I'll see red if I don't make it," chirped Dan. - -A few minutes later Dublin Dan was taxiing across the field, while Don -leisurely prepared to follow his example--in fact, so leisurely that it -was not until number twelve was seen returning that he opened the -throttle and sent the "penguin" at full speed ahead. - -Ever mindful of the danger of collision, the boy was particularly -careful to give the oncoming machine plenty of room, for, owing to the -tremendously high rate of speed at which they were traveling, it would -be only a few moments before the machines were abreast of one another. - -Don Hale noticed that number twelve had suddenly begun to act in the -most wildly erratic manner--so much so, indeed, as to suggest that the -pilot must have gone all to pieces. - -What was the matter? How did it happen that the unusually promising -pupil should have lost control of his machine? - -And while these thoughts were flashing through his mind he suddenly -became filled with a chilling sense of dismay and fear; for number -twelve had deviated from its course and was bearing down upon him in a -zigzagging line with almost the speed of a lightning express. - ------ - -Footnote 2: - -"Go--on your way!" - -Footnote 3: - -"You have made progress, my friend." - - - - - CHAPTER VII--THE VRILLE - - -Uttering a half-inarticulate cry, the pilot of number thirty-five made a -supreme effort to avert a catastrophe. - -But, even as he did so, he realized, with a sickening sensation of -terror, that it would be futile--that nothing he could do would be of -the slightest avail. With eyes staring wildly, he had a quick vision of -number twelve, as though its sole purpose on earth was to run him down, -fairly hurling itself upon him. - -Don Hale gave a loud yell, though the roar of the motor drowned the -sound. In a wild panic, he attempted to rise. But the restraining strap -jerked him back to his seat. Then he saw the frightened face of Dublin -Dan right before his eyes. - -And that was the last thing they took in for a moment. He found himself -jerked high in the air, then hurled violently forward. - -The next instant his head struck the ground with heavy force. A light -seemed to flash before his eyes, and, with the dull consciousness that -was still left to him, he heard supports, struts and planes of both -machines smashing under the heavy blow. Blackness followed. - -And then came a moment when he was neither quite conscious of where he -was or what had happened. And when he presently opened his eyes it was -with the feelings of one who has just awakened from a troubled, uneasy -slumber. The sound of excited voices was ringing in his ears; he heard -George Glenn loudly calling his name, but he neither answered nor -stirred. - -The latter was, of course, impossible. He was pinned to the earth on -every side by the debris of the "penguin." - -As the boy's faculties began to reassert themselves a shudder ran -through his frame, and, for the first time, he became conscious of the -fact that every joint, every portion of his body was racked with -shooting pains. Had he been seriously injured? In his apprehension, he -began to aid the rescuers in their efforts to release both him and -Dublin Dan. - -The vigorous workers soon completed their task, and Don felt strong arms -on either side dragging him to his feet. Some one was feeling his pulse; -some one was feeling his joints; and some one laid a hand across his -brow. - -"Badly shaken up; suffering from shock; not much injured, though," he -heard a voice exclaim. - -An instant before Don Hale's vision had seemed blurred--his -consciousness strangely dulled, but, somehow or other, the words -"suffering from shock" seemed to revive him in an astonishing degree. - -"'Suffering from shock!' Well, who wouldn't be?" he blurted out, almost -angrily. He gently pushed aside the supporting hands. "I reckon, -fellows, I don't need any props to support me. But say, how is Dublin -Dan?" - -The young Irishman, surrounded by a crowd, was lying in a half-reclining -position upon the turf, his usually florid face pale and drawn. But as -Don's query reached his ears he began to struggle up. It was a mighty -hard effort, however, bringing many an exclamation of pain from his -lips. - -"Dublin Dan's all right!" he exclaimed, in a voice quite unlike his own. -"But don't let me hear any one say I'm suffering from shock, or I'll -paste 'em. Hey, boy, why didn't you get out of my way?" - -"A comet couldn't have gotten out of your way," retorted Don, smiling -faintly. "But why did you try to butt me off the earth?" - -"I didn't do it. It was the 'penguin,'" said Dan. "I think I must have -hurt the old bird's feelings by running over a bad place in the ground; -or else it got tired of life and decided to quit. And that's where it -isn't like the Hagens. What train are you going home on to-night?" - -"I'll have to get a few more caressing touches from the earth before I -do that," said Don. - -The boy was feeling very shaky; his strength seemed to have so far -deserted him that it was with difficulty that he managed to stand erect. -The pains and aches he was experiencing were so great as to still make -him wonder if, after all, he had not sustained some injury which might -keep him out of the game for days--that was the only thought bothering -him now. Yet he was deeply thankful that the terrific smash-up had had -no worse consequences. - -Although it was a very important matter to the two principals, the -incident was so trivial in the eyes of the older students of the flying -field that as soon as it was discovered that neither of the boys was -seriously injured they began to retrace their steps. - -The moniteur rather sternly demanded from Dan Hagen an explanation of -the cause of the mishap. - -"Tell him there isn't any explanation," said Dan, when Don had -translated the instructor's remarks. "It just happened--that's all. I -reckon one of the great joys in this game is that it keeps a chap so -perpetually thankful that he's still alive that it makes up for -everything else. Say, Don, where do you feel the worst?" - -"All over," replied Don. - -"Hadn't both of you better get back to the barracks?" asked George -Glenn, solicitously. - -Don almost indignantly declined the suggestion. - -"No, indeed!" he declared. "I'm going to hang around here and watch the -other smash-ups." - -"And I'm not suffering from shock so much that I can't do the same," -said Dan, with a grin. - -Both Don and Dan soon found, however, that they had been too much shaken -up to enter very thoroughly into the spirit of the occasion. -Nevertheless, they were of that age when the very idea of retiring from -the field would have seemed like a deplorable surrender; so they -remained until the majority of the pilots began their homeward march. - -The boys were glad indeed to reach the Hotel d'Amerique. They removed -the dirt and dust from their clothing and enjoyed a refreshing wash; and -their feelings were then so far improved that each readily agreed to -accompany the crowd, after supper, to tainville and the club. - -Thus the end of Don's second day was passed very much as the first. They -found Pre Goubain, as usual, bubbling over with good-nature, and -listened to the bits of philosophy which he expounded and to his tales -of spies with the same interest as on the night before. - -But there was something else which made their visit to the Caf -Rochambeau far more memorable than they had expected. While the rattle -of tongues was in progress every one became aware of the fact that -something was going on in the village street. The air was filled with -the sounds of wheels jarring and rumbling over the cobbled highway, the -steady tramping of horses' hoofs and the voices of men. - -Don and George were the first to rush outside. And what they saw gave -them a thrill of pleasure and of exultation. - -Yes, yes! The Yanks were not only coming but they had come. -Actually!--an American battery was making its way over the lone street -toward the front. - -It was certainly a warlike scene over which the magic rays of the -brilliant moon were playing. At the head of the procession rode the -captain, mounted on a big bay horse. Close behind him followed the -battery standard bearer carrying the red guidon, which lazily swayed to -and fro. Silent and grim, the two horsemen suggested knights of old -going forth to battle. Gun carriages and caissons drawn by long teams of -mettlesome horses rattled and banged steadily past. - -Now and again glinting lights flashed from horses' trappings, or from -the sinister, wicked-looking guns. - -Often, from the wooden-shoed inhabitants of the village--men, women and -children, who had flocked out into the street to view the interesting -spectacle, there came the cries of, "Vive l'Amerique!" And to these -salutations officers, cannoneers and postilion drivers sometimes -responded with a "Vive la France!" - -"What a glorious sight!" exclaimed Pre Goubain, who, having managed to -lift his ponderous frame from the rocking-chair, had joined the -Americans outside. - -"I reckon the Germans might as well fire all their spies and give them -respectable jobs--eh, Pre Goubain?" laughed Peur Jamais. - -The old innkeeper shook his head. - -"As long as there are Germans there will be spies," he said, solemnly. - -The crowd waited outside until the last gun carriage had become lost to -view and only the faint sound of horses' hoofs and grinding wheels came -over the silent air. - -Then, as the hour was getting late, the boys bade good-bye to Pre -Goubain and began their tramp toward the barracks. - -Arriving at the aviation field, the students witnessed a spectacle -which, to Don and Dublin Dan at least, possessed a singular interest and -novelty. It was a dance executed by Annamites and dark-skinned Arabian -Zouaves before several huge bonfires built in front of their quarters. -With the firelight playing over the forms of the fantastically-moving -dancers and the weird, monotonous notes of the native music, the scene -was suggestive of some far-off, uncivilized quarter of the globe. - -"Those chaps are certainly working hard for their fun," remarked Dan -Hagen. - -"Wait till you see them get to fighting, which they sometimes do," -laughed Cal Cummings. - -"Excuse me the night the scrap comes off," chirped Don. "A little of -that sort of thing is much too much." - -"Like our smash-up to-day!" chuckled Dublin Dan. - -All the boys were pretty tired when they reached the barracks; for -training in the flying school often produces a strain on the nerves more -fatiguing than hard work. No time, therefore, was lost in turning in. - -But Don Hale passed a most uncomfortable and restless night. The pains -and aches, partially forgotten while in the midst of lively scenes, now -became violent enough to prevent the boy from falling into the slumber -which nature craved--in fact he had not slept at all when, after what -seemed to be an interminable length of time, the clear, musical notes of -the bugle, sounding the reveille, broke in upon his ears. - -It was a relief. But, at the same time, Don, blinking-eyed and yawning, -scarcely felt in the mood to enjoy the work as he had done on the day -before. Out in the open air, however, he soon felt more like himself, -and his natural enthusiasm soon overcame all bodily fatigue. - -The new _lve_ imagined that he had conquered the "penguin," but the -result of the day's performance, to his great surprise, and equally -great disgust, showed him that this was merely an illusion. Both he and -Dublin Dan figured in several mishaps, the most serious of which caused -Dan's "penguin" to be towed to the repair shop. Both boys, too, received -a varied assortment of bruises. And at night, when summing up the result -of the work, Don grimly declared that it certainly was the end of an -imperfect day. - -A week passed, and then another, with Don and Dan still struggling to -obtain a complete mastery over the unruly "birds." There were several -interruptions in the work due to thunder-storms. And after the artillery -of the clouds had ceased the rain continued for hours. On such occasions -the students amused themselves by getting up impromptu concerts; and -sometimes, while the wind and rain beat relentlessly against the Hotel -d'Amerique, the notes of such pleasing compositions as Schumann's -"Traumerei," Schubert's "Am Meer" and Mendelssohn's "Spring Song," -played on the piano by a former motion picture artist, mingled with the -ominous blasts outside. - -On certain days lectures were given; the students were taught the -theories of aeronautics and the design and construction of various types -of flying machines. They were obliged, too, to take motors apart and put -them together again. Then, there were courses in map reading--a very -important subject indeed for the aviators must learn to keep track of -their aerial travels by such means. - -About the middle of the third week Don and Dan were delighted to be -informed by the instructor that their progress had been sufficient to -entitle them to enter the second class. This did not mean that they were -to be allowed to fly. It did mean, however, that they became pilots of -real airplanes, though it was not possible to turn on sufficient power -for the motors to take the machine off the ground. - -The boys found the sensation very different from that experienced while -trying to tame the "penguins." There was a delightful lightness and -buoyancy about these monoplanes, as they skimmed over the ground, -exhilarating in the highest degree. They continually seemed about to -defy the limitations set upon them and leave the terrestrial globe for -the firmament above. - -And during all the time that Don and Dan were wrestling with the new -problems, T. Singleton Albert, the former drugstore clerk of Syracuse, -was making the most astonishing progress. Many in the beginning had been -accustomed to laugh at the thought of the pale, anemic-looking chap ever -attaining his ambition of becoming an airman, but, as Peur Jamais put -it, he was "leaving every one of them far behind." - -One evening, when the sun had long disappeared beneath the horizon and -the advance-guards of approaching dusk were drawing a veil over the -distance and little by little driving the color from objects near at -hand, a crowd of boys of the first and second classes journeyed to the -third flying field to watch the machines circling around in the sky. - -"Won't I be glad when I get to the real work!" sighed Don. - -Dave Cornwells, who was standing by, remarked: - -"Boys, do you see that highest machine? Well, the pilot is a certain -daring young aviator named T. Singleton Albert." - -"Goodness gracious!" exclaimed Dan Hagen. "Why, that chap is certainly a -bird!" - -"You've said something," drawled Roy Mittengale. "And he'll never be -satisfied until he gets so high that the earth looks like a rubber ball -to him." - -As the shadows slowly deepened over the earth the flyers, one by one, -returned to the _grande piste_. - -There still remained one airplane high aloft--so insignificant in the -vast field of graying sky that it seemed to lose all resemblance to a -flying machine and become but a tiny, shapeless speck, so faint at times -that the naked eye could no longer follow its varied evolutions. And -every one on the _grande piste_ seemed to know to whom that machine -belonged--it was Albert's. - -"My, shan't I be glad when I get into his class!" commented Don Hale, -whose face was turned toward the sky. - -And then, all of a sudden, he gave voice to a loud exclamation. Others -did the same; for the faint speck in the sky had suddenly begun to -behave in the most extraordinary fashion. First it dove, then soared -upward again, not in the orderly fashion which one might expect of a -machine piloted by a skilled aviator, but in a way which suggested that -something was amiss. - -And this impression was strengthened a few moments later when the -machine began to volplane at terrific speed, at the same time swinging -around and around as though on a pivot. - -"The vrille![4] The vrille!" came from dozens of excited students. - -"The vrille!" echoed Don Hale, huskily. - ------ - -Footnote 4: - -"Vrille"--French for "falling leaf." - - - - - CHAPTER VIII--THE HERO - - -The boy had heard about the "vrille," and he knew that it is one of the -most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent -many to their death. - -For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept -their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a -wounded bird, was tumbling through space. - -A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators. The -airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation. - -Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale -could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall. -He stood as motionless as though fastened to the turf by means of -invisible chains. - -Nearer and nearer came the still-revolving plane. Now the machine was so -clearly silhouetted against the sky that even the supports could be -faintly distinguished. - -Don had seen many a terrible sight during his stay in the war zone, but -perhaps none had ever affected him so acutely as this. He could not help -picturing in his mind the awful fate of poor Drugstore. - -Not a voice--not an exclamation was heard. That most awesome silence -which sometimes holds sway over spectators when they are witnesses to a -catastrophe which they are powerless to avert had settled upon the -crowd. - -Faces were beginning to be turned aside, and though Don Hale felt an -almost irresistible impulse to do the same, an impulse still stronger -kept his wide, staring eyes fixed upon the airplane. - -But a few moments more, and the tragedy would be over. His nerves were -quivering violently. The strain of those few terrible seconds was almost -too hard to bear. - -And then, just as he was preparing to steel himself for the sound of a -sickening crash--for the sight of a machine, smashed and battered to -pieces, bursting into flames--a wild, half-stifled cry escaped his lips. - -What was the reason? - -Because of an almost unbelievable, impossible happening. - -The airplane had suddenly stopped its whirling evolutions, and was -soaring majestically through the air not a hundred feet above their -heads. Its engine had started and was sending a deep droning hum through -the air. - -It took a few seconds for the strange and oppressive silence to be -broken. It was as though the enthralled witnesses of the scene could not -at first comprehend the evidences of their vision. Then frantic shouts -and wild cheers rang forth over and over again. - -Actually!--Drugstore was safe. What did it mean? Had he become such a -master aviator that he had been simply giving an exhibition of his -skill? It looked that way. - -In their joy, the students slapped each other on the shoulder and yelled -themselves hoarse. - -Around and around the _-piste_ flew the airplane, and it was not until a -certain calmness had been restored among the students that it volplaned -swiftly toward the earth, and, as easily as a bird alighting, struck the -ground and presently came to a halt. - -And the moment it had done so an excited crowd began rushing toward it -from different parts of the field. - -No conquering hero was ever acclaimed with greater fervor--with greater -enthusiasm than T. Singleton Albert. Hands were thrust forward to shake -that of the returned aviator. - -The moniteurs praised and chided him at the same time. It was almost -unbelievable, one of them declared, that a student with so little -experience should have possessed sufficient courage to execute such a -dangerous and daring maneuver. - -And throughout it all Albert remained quite silent. The demonstration, -indeed, seemed to embarrass him--to bring his natural modesty and -reserve all the more to the front. - -"Simply splendid, T. Singleton!" cried Don, enthusiastically. "Only, I -wish to goodness you had notified us beforehand what was coming off. -Honestly, my nerves are jumping like a jack-in-the-box. But didn't the -vrille make you dizzy?" - -"Yes," admitted Drugstore--"so much so that just now I wouldn't be able -to look in a mirror and see myself twice in the same place." - -"I don't think you'll have any occasion to fear Captain Baron Von -Richtofen and his Red Squadron of Death," chuckled Marlow. "If they ever -get after you, son, just pull off the same trick, and it'll mean a safe -getaway." - -Albert clambered out of the machine, and, as though wishing to escape -further attention, hurried rather unsteadily toward a camion standing by -the side of the field. But such a sensational and unexpected event was -not to be dismissed in so unceremonious a fashion. All the way to the -waiting vehicle the former soda-water dispenser was obliged to listen to -enthusiastic comments and reply to numerous queries. - -And so it continued all the way to the Hotel d'Amerique, and even at the -supper table later on. - -Then it was that Sid Marlow started other demonstration, by exclaiming, -in his big, booming voice: - -"Sometimes a chap has no right to be modest. I've traveled over some -pretty rough trails, fellows, and early discovered that modesty is one -of the biggest stumbling blocks in the path of success. That's the -reason I haven't any." - -"We've noticed it," chirped Roy Mittengale. - -"You'll notice it some more, too, when I equal Albert's record. Now, -boys, I call upon our young friend for a speech. Who seconds the -motion?" - -Everybody did, and with an enthusiasm which brought warm flushes to the -face of the embarrassed Albert. - -He tried to resist, too, when those nearest at hand forced him to his -feet. This time, however, the crowd was determined. They brushed aside -the boy's protestations, and presently Drugstore, finding that there was -absolutely no chance to escape the trying ordeal, began to make a few -stammering remarks. - -For a moment the eyes of all in the room fixed intently upon him -threatened to stop altogether his halting words. And then, suddenly, to -the surprise of all, he collected his scattered wits and pulled himself -together. It was as if a new spirit had entered into him. The flush left -his cheeks and the tremolo in his voice was replaced by a firm and even -tone. - -But the first words he uttered when this changed condition had taken -possession of him fairly astounded his hearers. - -"Boys, I'm through with flying forever." - -"Through with flying forever!" cried Don. - -Then came an almost riotous demand for explanations. The boys weren't -going to stand for any "joshing." But, as cool and collected as before -he had been the reverse, Albert voiced his declaration a second time. - -"True as I'm standing here, boys, I mean it," he declared. "I'm no hero. -That wasn't a joy ride to show what I could do in the way of handling -the plane--oh, no! It was nearer to being a real tragedy. And I'm -through with the game for all time." - -Drugstore's assertions created another sensation. A babel of tongues -prevented his next words from being heard. - -Big Sid Marlow quickly restored silence. - -"Now tell us all about it, Albert," he commanded. - -"It's a mighty short story," replied Drugstore. "I made up my mind to do -the vrille, but somehow or other, at the very last moment, the idea of -actually starting it had such an effect upon my nerves that I decided to -leave it for another time. Even the thought, high up there in the air, -was enough to send cold chills creeping through me and make me perform -some bungling movements with the controls. Before I could regain the -mastery over myself, almost before I could realize it, my plane was -thrown into the vrille and I was shooting through space, with the -machine absolutely out of control." Albert's voice faltered. An intense -agitation seemed to grip him. "It was terrible--frightful!" He almost -gasped. "Never had I the least expectation of coming through it alive. -Never shall I forget those terrifying moments--the agony I suffered. -That one experience, fellows, has taken away all the fascination of the -game. Call it a yellow streak if you want; call it a case of downright -cowardice--I can't help that. I'm going to quit the flying school for -good." - -And having uttered these words with a conviction which permitted no one -to doubt his absolute sincerity, T. Singleton Albert abruptly turned -away and made for the door. - -"Well," exclaimed Don Hale, "that chap may not think he's a hero, but, -all the same, I believe he is." - -And to this sentiment every one heartily agreed. - - - - - CHAPTER IX--THE ACE - - -Many of the students confidently believed that by the time another day -had rolled around Albert would have so far recovered from the effects of -his thrilling experience as to reconsider his determination. This, -however, was not the case. - -A few privately expressed the opinion that Drugstore was a quitter, but, -somehow or other, the boy's frank avowal had raised him in the opinion -of the majority, who sincerely regretted that so promising a pupil -should be lost to the school. - -During the late afternoon another American arrived. Of course this was -not a very important event. Students were always going and coming, some -leaving for the _cole de Perfectionment_[5] others being sent back to -their regiments when it was found that they were not fitted by nature to -become successful airmen. - -But a little incident in connection with the appearance of the newcomer -profoundly interested those of an observant or inquisitive nature. It -was a rather dramatic meeting between him and the former college -student, Victor Gilbert. - -The latter, who was now in the third class and gave promise of being one -of the best of the _lve_ pilots, upon entering the room and coming -face to face with the other halted as though almost petrified with -astonishment, and exclaimed: - -"Hello! You here, Jason Hamlin!" Whereupon the other answered, in a tone -which showed no trace of friendliness: - -"Yes, I am here, Gilbert. And one of the reasons I am here is because -you are here. Does that disturb you?" - -"Not enough for me to notice it," returned Victor Gilbert, coolly. - -"Flying is a dangerous game, eh?" - -"There are other games just as dangerous." - -[Illustration: "There are other games just as dangerous"] - -At this remark Jason Hamlin's face flushed perceptibly; his fingers -twitched; a steely glare which plainly told of a spirit moved to anger -came into his eyes. - -But the interesting colloquy ended there. - -"I say, wasn't that mighty curious about Gilbert and Hamlin?" exclaimed -Bobby Dunlap, otherwise Peur Jamais, to Don Hale, after the evening meal -was over. "I wonder what Gilbert meant by saying: 'There are other games -just as dangerous.'" - -"It's too much of a riddle for me." - -"I tried to pump this Jason person a little," declared Peur Jamais, "but -he was as dry as an old well gone out of business. Strikes me there's a -little mystery which I'll have to unravel." - -"I'll let you have all the fun of the unraveling," chortled Don. "Go to -it, Mr. Sherlock Holmes the second." - -"All right!" chirped Bobby. "I hope I shan't get a punch in the eye -while I'm sherlocking. Our friend Jason looks as though he wouldn't have -much trouble in finding his temper." - -"Or losing it," said Don, with a laugh. "But say, Bobby, I got a letter -to-day from George Glenn. And what do you think he's seen?" - -"Break it to me gently." - -Thereupon Don Hale drew from his pocket the missive, and began to read: - -"'To-day I had a mighty exciting experience. It was during my two hours' -patrol over the enemy's line, and the "Archies" were following my plane -thick and fast.'" - -"The 'Archies'! What does he mean by 'Archies'?" interrupted Bobby. - -"It's a name the flying fighters have given to the anti-aircraft guns," -replied Don. "Though I reckon no one knows exactly the reason why." - -He resumed: - -"'Don, I must confess that this afternoon I got a pretty big scare. I -was just about to return to the encampment of the squadron when I saw -something that made my pulse throb as it hasn't throbbed even when I was -engaged in a duel in the air. It was the sight of two crimson planes -swooping down upon me from above--a part of Captain Baron Von -Richtofen's Red Squadron!'" - -"Great Caesar's bald-headed nanny-goat!" ejaculated Bobby. "Where's my -suit-case? I think I'll go home with Drugstore." - -"I shouldn't blame you," laughed Don. - -"'By the time I made this startling discovery the foremost had opened -fire with his machine gun. And the first thing I knew bullets were -ripping through my plane.'" - -"I don't think I'll wait for my suitcase, after all!" exclaimed Peur -Jamais. "Whew! What did George do to them for that?" - -"The next chapter is as follows," said Don: - -"'I threw my plane into the vrille, and the next shots sped over my -head. That might not have saved me, either, had it not been that some of -the boys, seeing my predicament, literally sailed into the Germans.'" - -"Poor child!" cried Bobby. "By this time I really ought to be half-way -to the station." - -Don continued: - -"'From now on I expect things to be more dangerous than usual, which is -saying a good bit. I will write again soon if--though I will say au -revoir.'" - -"I can't say the prospect looks so very enchanting," confessed Bobby. -"But, as the French say, 'C'est la guerre!' And that means it isn't any -pink tea affair, eh?" - -"I guess not; though I never drank any pink tea," laughed Don. - -Some time later T. Singleton Albert approached the two. - -"I thought I'd say good-bye, fellows," he announced. "I'm leaving during -the forenoon to-morrow, and you chaps might not happen to be around." - -"It's too bad!" said Don. "I suppose it's no use of our saying a word, -eh?" - -"Not a bit," declared the other, very emphatically. "That tumble in the -air certainly did the business for me. Why, do you know, even the very -sight of an airplane going aloft gives me the queerest kind of feelings. -Take my advice--be a bit slow in making haste. Then you won't have to -pack your suit-cases and get out, as I'm doing." - -Albert spoke in the tone of one who felt that his ambitions had been -rudely shattered--that the future held no hope. - -The daring young airman who had astonished the students by his rapid -progress had become once more the drugstore clerk, the very antithesis -of what an airman might be expected to appear. - -Drugstore solemnly wished them the best luck in the world, hoped they -might win fame and glory in the sky, and then, after shaking hands very -heartily, wandered away to say his adieus to the others. - -"I think, after all, the soda-water counter is his proper sphere in -life," remarked Dunlap, presently. "He's more fitted to be reading about -the exploits of other chaps than trying to do them himself." - -"I hope the weather is all right to-morrow," broke in Don. "It was -looking a bit threatening when we came in--all clouded over. Let's take -a look outside, 'Fear Never.'" - -"All right," chirped Bobby. "Goodness, how I hate rainy days! I think I -know, now, how a chicken in a coop must feel." - -The two walked outside the crowded barracks, and both at once gave voice -to expressions indicative of disappointment. - -The entire heavens was covered with a thick canopy of clouds. - -"I don't think Druggy need have said good-bye to-night," remarked Peur -Jamais, disconsolately. "If I issued a Weather Communique it would sound -something like this: High and steady winds; heavy rains, with no -intermissions between; lightning and thunder in equal proportions; -life-boats and rafts in demand.'" - -"Never mind," sighed Don. "There are other days ahead of us." - -"If I didn't think there were I'd never be standing here as calmly as -this," returned Bobby, laughingly. "Let's go back to the smell of -kerosene and dismal light." - -It was rather late when the crowd turned in; and the last one hadn't -been asleep very long before pattering drops of rain were heard falling -upon the roof, while the wind, in soft and musical cadences, kept -steadily blowing. - -About two A. M. there came a veritable downpour and big, booming -reverberations of thunder. Vivid flashes of bluish lightning filled each -window with a dazzling glare and cast a weird and uncanny light -throughout the room. - -"It's a wild night, all right," exclaimed Dublin Dan, half sitting up. - -"It means no flying to-morrow," grumbled Mittengale. - -"Such little trials have their usefulness." It was Victor Gilbert who -spoke. "It teaches, or rather, should teach one to be philosophical and -accept the inevitable with resignation." - -"I don't want to be philosophical," complained Peur Jamais. "And I won't -be philosophical, either. Whew! Some big waste of electric light, that!" - -No one made any reply, or if they did it was unheard; for the most -appalling detonation shook and rattled the barracks. It seemed as if the -structure must be shaken from its very foundations. - -And thus the storm continued until the boys were routed from their beds -by the musical notes of the bugle. - -It was pitch dark and gloomy. The wind tore past with no soft and -musical cadences mingled in with its angry whistling, and now and again -a flurry of raindrops splattered noisily down. - -The usual roll call was held, and then the boys were free to do as they -pleased. Don Hale concluded to take a nap in his former place between -the sheets. - -When he once more opened his eyes the morning was well advanced. - -Jumping out of his berth, with an exclamation of surprise, the boy -hastily slipped on his clothes and walked outside. - -Scarcely a hint of color could be seen in the landscape. Here and there -pools had formed, reflecting the dull, leaden gray of the wind-driven -clouds, the air was filled with moisture, and the dull and heavy-looking -earth seemed to have absorbed all it could possibly hold. - -Gazing at the landscape was not a particularly enjoyable pastime; so the -boy reentered the barracks. - -An hour passed, during which the crowd amused itself in various ways. -Then a shout outside was heard. Although the words themselves were not -understood, it was a call so clearly intended to bring the boys that a -general stampede for the door was made. - -And when they reached it, they perceived a biplane which, in utter -defiance of the treacherous wind buffeting it about, was approaching the -aviation grounds at tremendous speed, its graceful, rocking form -outlined in lightish tones against the sinister-looking storm-clouds. - -"I believe he's going to land!" cried Don. - -"Of course. Did you think he was condemned to fly forever!" chirped -Dublin Dan. - -Now the loud, droning hum of the motors and propellers, which had been -filling the air, suddenly ceased, and the object darting swiftly through -the sky began to volplane in graceful spirals toward the earth. - -Realizing that the biplane, which all now recognized as a Nieuport -machine, an _avion de chasse_, as the French call them, would alight -some distance away, the crowd started running over the muddy field -toward it. - -And while they were on the way the pilot made the most perfect -_atterrissage_[6] any of them had ever seen. - -T. Singleton Albert, who had not yet left, was enthusiastic in his -praise. - -"Oh, boy, wasn't that jolly fine!" he cried. "And----" - -He got no further; for just then some one bawled out with much gusto and -boisterousness: - -"It's a machine belonging to the Lafayette Squadron!" - -"The Lafayette Squadron!" echoed a number of others, the rather shrill -and falsetto voice of Drugstore being plainly heard. - -Sure enough, the insignia of the famous flying squadron--the face of an -Indian warrior, now faded and worn by the rains and snows which had -beaten upon it, could be clearly distinguished on the body of the -rakish-looking plane. - -Don Hale forgot all about the dreary prospect ahead of him for the day -in his absorbed contemplation of the visiting biplane. Then his glances -fell upon the aviator just on the point of stepping from the nacelle, or -cockpit. - -"Hello!" - -He uttered the word aloud and excitedly. - -The appearance of the aviator was thoroughly familiar. He had seen -pictures of him many a time. A curious thrill shot through the boy; for -suddenly he realized that he was looking upon William Thaw, the famous -American Ace, one of the most commanding figures of the Franco-American -Flying Corps. - -Others, too, among the crowd had recognized the renowned aviator, and a -burst of enthusiastic cheering ending in a "Rah, rah, for Thaw!" rang -out. - -The famous ace smilingly bowed his acknowledgments, remarking: - -"Many thanks, fellows! I thought I would just take a flyer over here to -pay a brief visit to my old friend, the commandant." - -"But--but--you didn't actually come all the way from the front, -Lieutenant Thaw, did you?" almost stuttered T. Singleton Albert, whose -eyes were fixed with strange intensity on the trim, though -mud-bespattered little Nieuport. - -"Oh, yes! Had quite a scrap, too, just before leaving. Did I get the -Boche?" Lieutenant Thaw smiled genially. "No. I think that particular -Teuton must have had faith in the old adage that 'He who fights and runs -away may live to fight another day.' Now, boys, I suppose it's quite -safe for me to leave the machine here until I return?" - -Being assured that it was, the aviator, with a wave of his hand, started -trudging through the soggy field toward the commandant's office. - -By this time Don Hale and Albert were making a close examination of the -Nieuport. Both took a look at the cockpit, beautifully finished in hard -wood, and at the upholstered pilot's seat, and studied the -brightly-shining nickel-plated instruments which tell the pilot -practically everything he needs to know while in the air. - -There was something else, too,--an ominous-looking something else--which -attracted and held their interest--a Vickers machine gun, the firing of -which is so perfectly timed that the bullets fly between the whirling -propeller blades. - -To Don Hale, and, doubtless, to many others, that weapon, catching and -reflecting numerous gleams of light, was almost awe-inspiring. And, to -add to these feelings, they presently discovered several bullet holes in -both the upper and lower planes, silent and eloquent testimonials of the -perils which always face the intrepid and courageous fighters of the -air. - -At first Albert had been quite talkative--that is for him; then, as he -walked around the machine, studying every detail with the same interest -that a connoisseur might have displayed in the contemplation of a rare -and priceless piece of statuary, he suddenly became silent. Finally his -mild, unassuming air deserted him, and, straightening up, he exclaimed, -loudly: - -"Fellows, I've changed my mind. Nobody is ever going to call me a -quitter. I'm not going to leave the school after all. No, sir! I'll keep -at the flying game; and, by George, I'll get to the front, too." - -Following his sudden and almost vehement outburst, there came a silence. - -But it was quickly broken. And as loud as had been the cheering for the -visiting aviator it distinctly held second place to that which greeted -T. Singleton Albert's unexpected declaration. - -The boys shook his hand and slapped him delightedly on the shoulder. - -"Julius Csar! The Germans are going to pay dearly on account of this -unexpected visit of Lieutenant William Thaw," cried Roy Mittengale. - -"Poor Baron Von Richtofen and his Red Squadron of Death!" laughed Bobby -Dunlap. "Just think of all those gallons of red paint gone to waste! -Drugstore, your nerve is simply grand!" - -A little later, when the American lieutenant returned, the students told -him about the incident, whereupon he, too, heartily congratulated -Albert. - -"We need young chaps like you at the front," he declared. "The air -service is of the greatest importance. It has been called the 'Eyes of -the Army.' The game, too, is wonderfully thrilling--wonderfully -interesting. Let me wish you much glory, success--and safety." - -As he spoke, he climbed into the cockpit. - -Don Hale gave the propeller a whirl and, presently, amid a chorus of -good-byes, the Nieuport started off. Faster and faster it moved over the -field, sending streams of mud and water flying in every direction, and, -at last, gaining sufficient momentum, it glided into the air. - -The crowd watched the biplane until it had disappeared in the murky, -moisture-laden air. - -"Boys, I'll never forget this day," declared Drugstore. "It's strange -how little things may alter the whole course of a person's life!" - -And every one, quite as solemnly, agreed with him that it was. - ------ - -Footnote 5: - -School for advanced students. - -Footnote 6: - -Atterrissage--landing. - - - - - CHAPTER X--CORPORAL DON - - -Not long after this there came another very interesting day in Don -Hale's life. He had graduated from the first and second classes and was -to make his first flight in the air. - -Only those who have gone through a similar experience can understand Don -Hale's feelings when he seated himself in the cockpit of a much-used -though sturdy little plane and laid hold of the controls. No veteran -airman or famous "ace"[7] could possibly have felt more exultant or -proud. - -The school by this time had become very full, and many of the _lves_ -were obliged to await their turn; so there were always plenty of -spectators on the field; and these generally paid particular attention -to the boys who were making their first trial spin in the air. This all -added to Don Hale's tremendous desire to make a good showing; for he -still had vivid recollections of his preliminary experiences with the -"penguins." - -"Now, remember, make no attempt to turn in the air," commanded the -moniteur in charge. "Perfectly straight flights only; fly no higher than -thirty feet above the ground." - -"Get out your tape-measure, Donny," giggled Roy Mittengale. "Remember, -every foot adds to the jolt of the fall at the bottom." - -"Don't try to imitate Lieutenant Thaw so much that you'll hurt -yourself," advised Ben Holt. - -"Safety first in airplanes means not to go up at all," chimed in -another. - -Don, however, wasn't paying the slightest attention to these jocular -remarks, for the mechanic had his hand on the propeller. - -It certainly was a wonderful sensation to the young airman when he felt -the machine suddenly begin to move, slowly at first, but rapidly -gathering momentum, until, like a high power motor car, it was racing at -a speed which made him almost gasp for breath. - -Presently the boy gritted his teeth together, and, with a peculiar -feeling suggestive of I-wonder-what-is-going-to-happen-next state of -mind, pulled back gently on the control stick. - -And then, abruptly, he realized that the monoplane was traveling ahead -with a most wonderful smoothness. The wind rushed past, lashing and -stinging his face with its terrific force, but the heavy goggles -prevented his eyes from being affected. - -Don Hale glanced over the side of the cockpit, and, a little to his -dismay, discovered that he was just skimming a few feet above the -surface of the earth. - -A quick pull on the control stick sent the monoplane racing aloft, and -before the boy, trembling with excitement, could bring it to an even -keel he was far above the height limit set by the instructor. - -At first Don Hale had been acutely nervous--even fearful and -apprehensive. To him it was a very marvelous thing to be actually off -the earth, the pilot of a real flying machine. And it scarcely seemed -possible that the machine should require so little attention. Like a -flash, all the unpleasant feelings that had disturbed him vanished. - -Jubilant, exultant, almost ready to shout with the sheer joy of the -exhilarating sensations he was experiencing, Don Hale once more looked -earthward. How strange the ground looked flying beneath him at -incredible speed! How high above it he appeared to be! If anything -should happen to his machine a fall from that height might produce most -serious results. - -With one swift, comprehensive glance, his eyes took in the boys at -various points on the field and the planes which, for one reason or -another, were resting here and there on the turf. Then his greatest -desire and ambition in the world was to descend--to return to that haven -of safety. - -Yes, flying was easy enough; but when it came to making a landing--that -was where the difficulty began. - -Nervously, Don switched off the current and pushed the control stick -forward. - -And, to his utter dismay, the plane seemed to be falling headlong at an -acute angle--the ground to be fairly shooting up toward him. - -For one brief instant he had a terrible vision of a fatal smash-up. -Then, a pull of the lever in the opposite direction brought the nose of -the machine upward again. And following this, to the boy's intense -surprise and relief, the monoplane dropped in the most gentle fashion to -terra firma, taxi-ing across the field, its speed rapidly diminishing. - -When it had come to a stop Don found his face bathed in perspiration and -his pulse throbbing in a way that it had seldom done before. - -"By George! Am I actually here!" he muttered. - -Notwithstanding the fact that the boy had made a mighty good landing and -could hear shouts of approval coming from the distance he was too honest -with himself to be gratified with the achievement. He knew that it was -simply a case of good luck. - -"But just wait till next time!" he muttered, grimly. "By George, the -earth never seemed so fine before!" - -A number of Annamites presently appeared and turned the machine around. - -It was not for some time, however, that Don's nerves quieted down -sufficiently for him to put his airplane into motion. With a fervent -hope that fate would be as kind to him as it had been before, he -switched on the ignition and once again faced the blasts of wind. - -Then came the delicious moment of soaring upward--the ecstasy of feeling -himself borne through the air as swiftly as the arrow from an archer's -bow and that sense of wonderful freedom which the airman alone can -enjoy. - -As before, he glanced downward, and a humorous thought came into his -mind. - -"Certainly I'm the biggest thirty feet that was ever known above the -ground," he murmured. "I hope I don't fly to the moon." - -With astonishing rapidity the distant hangars, from hazy, indistinct -objects, became strong and clear. He could see the students and -instructors, watching, it seemed to him, with an interest and close -attention that fired his spirit with the keenest determination to make a -landing that would surprise them. - -He did. - -But the machine was not badly wrecked, nor was he himself injured by the -fall of fifteen feet. - -It was merely a case, Mittengale genially explained, in which the earth -happened to be that many feet lower than it should have been. - -Don said very little. It rather jarred his sensibilities to hear the -mirthful laughter and bantering remarks and to see the Annamites towing -an extraordinarily wobbling machine toward the repair shop. And, besides -this, to add to his disturbed state of mind, the moniteur, a boyish chap -named Boulanger, very loudly called attention to the error which had -caused the accident, between times roundly scolding him. - -"Quite a neat little bawling out!" chirped Dublin Dan, soothingly. "It's -a great life if you don't weaken." - -"I don't include that word in my vocabulary," exclaimed Don, with a half -smile. - -But though Don Hale's start in the third class had not been particularly -auspicious, nevertheless, by the end of the day he managed to gain -sufficient mastery over the plane to receive a "_Pas mal_, Hale!"--"Not -bad!" from the same moniteur who had chided him. - -That evening, while lying in his bunk, he summed up the situation in -regard to himself. There were other pupils who had made faster progress, -but the boy felt sure that what he had learned he had thoroughly -learned. He knew, however, that there was a tremendous amount of work -ahead of him before he could possibly hope to equal the skill of the -most humble flyer of the Lafayette Squadron--a squadron which he -devoutly hoped to join. - -Difficulties have the effect on some natures of spurring them to greater -zeal and determination; so it was in the case of Don Hale. Each failure, -each "bawling out," each chorus of laughter only acted as a stimulus. - -In a little less than a week he had acquired sufficient skill in driving -the machine in straight courses across the field to be promoted another -step--that is to the _tour de piste_, or tour of the aviation field at a -height of about three hundred feet. - -This was, of course, designed to teach the airmen how to make their -turns in the air, an operation requiring the greatest accuracy and care. -Up to this time Don thought he had enjoyed about all the thrills that it -was possible to have, but the first _tour de piste_ undeceived him. All -the other experiences faded into insignificance when compared to this. -In his splendid isolation from all mankind, he was filled with a certain -sense of awe a little unnerving at first. He was in a situation where no -power save his own could be of any avail, and on the first two or three -occasions involuntary tremors shook his frame as the Bleriot monoplane -banked, or swung around at an angle. - -Happily, however, there was no tragedy to record. With increasing -confidence, Don dared to rise higher, and within a few hours had reached -the required altitude. From this elevation he viewed with absorbed -attention the wonderful panorama, which, like a colored map, was -outspread before him, revealing fields of various forms, shapes and -colors, and patches of woods and hills. And dividing the landscape were -light lines--the roads--running in all directions. - -His first tour was satisfactory to himself and his instructors. The -turns held no terror for him. - -Following this several days of bad weather put a stop to the work of the -school. During the enforced inactivity Bobby Dunlap had his curiosity -and interest in Victor Gilbert and Jason Hamlin still further heightened -by a violent altercation between the two, although neither he nor any -one else was near enough to overhear the conversation. The fact, too, -that the young chaps had evidently been just on the point of indulging -in a physical encounter made the "Gilbert-Hamlin affair," as Bobby -termed it, decidedly interesting. - -"I'm going to find out all about it some day," he laughed, nodding his -head emphatically. - -"Bully boy!" chuckled Sid Marlow. - -When the period of dull weather was over Don Hale started in with -greater zeal than ever. He was doing his best to equal the record of T. -Singleton Albert, who had so far recovered his nerve that he had no -hesitancy at all in executing the vrille. - -By gradual degrees, Don took his machine to greater altitudes, until, at -length, he was making the _tour de piste_ at a height of three thousand -five hundred feet. Now feeling somewhat like a veteran, he was fully -prepared when the order came for him to perform some of the simpler -evolutions in the air. One of these consisted in spiraling down to the -earth with the engine shut off and landing almost directly beneath the -point at which he started. Another was to volplane swiftly downward, and -then, while still several hundred feet in the air, bring the machine to -a horizontal position and swing around either to the right or left. - -These exercises proved to be a pretty severe test on his nerves, and at -first affected his head and stomach in a truly distressing manner; but -constant practice, combined with a determined will, finally enabled him -to gain the mastery over them, and he began keenly to enjoy the great -and thrilling swoops through space. - -At length there came a time to which he had been looking forward most -anxiously, and that was the beginning of his training in a big Caudron -biplane, a rather slow but safe machine. This meant that Don Hale's stay -at the cole Militaire de Beaumont was nearly at an end. - -There were now but two tests before him, one known as the _petit voyage_ -and the other the _grande voyage_. The first was a sixty mile trip and -return; the second a triangular journey, each side being about seventy -miles in length. - -By the time Don had passed these successfully T. Singleton Albert and -Victor Gilbert had gone to the great finishing school located at Pau, in -the southern part of France. - -It was indeed a happy moment to Don when he received his "_Brevet -d'Aviateur Militaire_" from the War Department, which made him a -corporal in the French army. This merely meant, however, that he had -graduated from the school at Beaumont, and, like the two who had -preceded him, was sent to take a course in "acrobatics" at Pau. - -Pau, he found, was very delightfully situated, and within sight of the -snow-capped Pyrenees. - -With even added zest, Don Hale entered into the work before him. It was -more dangerous than anything he had attempted in the school at Beaumont; -but the tactics he learned were of extreme importance, being precisely -those used in air fighting on the front. - -About the middle of his course Don Hale was ordered to report to the -Mitrailleuse school at Casso, on the shore of a lake, where soldiers in -all branches of the army are trained in the use of machine guns. In a -two-seater, piloted by another airman, Don Hale practiced firing at -captive balloons and moving targets on the lake. - -At first it proved very difficult, but constant work soon enabled him to -meet the requirements of his instructors. - -After the completion of this training he returned to Pau for a short -period. Following this he went to Plessis Belleville to add a few final -touches before being assigned to combat duty in one of the escadrilles. - -The boy's greatest ambition was to join the Lafayette, where he might be -near his chum George Glenn, and he passed through a period of much -anxiety before the matter was finally settled in the affirmative by the -military authorities. - -Proud and happy indeed, in his neatly-fitting uniform, with the -corporal's stripes on his sleeve and the golden wings and star insignia -on his collar, Don Hale set out on his journey to join the escadrille, -then encamped not far from Bar-le-Duc, near the Verdun front. - ------ - -Footnote 7: - -Ace--a pilot who has brought down five or more enemy planes. - - - - - CHAPTER XI--THE LAFAYETTE - - -Of all the flying corps in France none performed more valiant deeds or -became more renowned than the Lafayette, composed of Americans who -journeyed across the sea to help the French in their struggle against -the invading hosts. Whether it was in answer to the call of adventure -due to the love of thrills and excitement, or to the fascination of a -new and wonderful sport, or simply from a sense of duty, are questions -of no particular moment--the members of the flying corps are to be -judged solely by the remarkable work they accomplished. - -The fame of such combat pilots as Rockwell, Prince, Chadwick, MCConnell, -Lufbery, Hall, Walcott and numbers of others is of the kind which will -last as long as history itself. Never again, perhaps, will men be called -upon to repeat their triumphs. - -The day Don Hale arrived was an epochal one in his life. George Glenn -and T. Singleton Albert met him at the station in a little village -crowded with soldiers and permissionnaires. - -"I can't tell you, Don, how glad I am to see you; and yet I'm almost -sorry to see you," exclaimed Albert, enigmatically. "You're in for -excitement that will make your days as an ambulance driver with the Red -Cross seem tame by comparison." - -"And they were plenty thrilling enough to suit me," laughed Don. "What's -the latest news?" - -"That this little village was recently bombed." - -George Glenn pointed to a sign painted on the side of a building. - -"'Cave Vot,'" read Don, aloud. - -These caves, he knew, were underground retreats, where the soldiers or -inhabitants could find a refuge in case of a bombardment or a -bomb-dropping expedition of the enemy. - -"One good thing--our camp is outside the range of the guns," said -George. - -As the boys walked through the little village, which, during the earlier -stages of the war, had been the scene of many an exciting event, Don -Hale could not help but remarking on the changed appearance of T. -Singleton Albert. There was a gravity and sedateness about him which he -judged to be caused by the dangers to which the airmen are constantly -exposed. - -"Had any exciting adventures yet, Drugstore?" he asked. - -"Plenty of them," responded Albert. And then a light which Don Hale had -never seen before flashed into the young chap's eyes. "Yet, in spite of -that, I wouldn't have missed this experience for all the world. Flying -has all the joys, the thrills and excitement of every other sport beaten -a thousand miles. I certainly owe a whole lot of thanks to Lieutenant -William Thaw." - -The three found plenty to talk about, though they were often obliged to -let their lively tongues slow down on account of the lines of marching -troops and the almost endless procession of motor trucks passing in both -directions. - -In about three-quarters of an hour they reached their destination--the -headquarters of the famous Lafayette Escadrille, which happened to be, -at this time, in a beautiful little villa, situated in the midst of -spacious grounds. - -A number of the American pilots cordially greeted him, and Don was very -glad to see among them Victor Gilbert. - -After meeting the courteous French captain of the escadrille the boy was -shown to a room on the second floor, which he was to share with several -others. - -Outside of the hazardous nature of their occupation, the members of the -American Squadron, unlike the "doughboys" and poilus, lived a life of -ease and comfort. They had orderlies who attended to their needs, -comfortable feather beds to sleep upon, and their meals, prepared by a -French chef, were eaten in a dining-room which delighted the eye by its -most artistic furnishings and decorations. - -It would have been very hard to analyze Don Hale's feelings on this -particular occasion. Expectation, eagerness, happiness and impatience, -all seemed to hold sway over his thoughts, and though the reality was -before him he could scarcely believe that he actually had become a -member of the famous American Squadron. - -After a substantial lunch, still in the company of George Glenn and -Albert, Don journeyed to the aviation field not very far away. - -With the utmost eagerness, he gazed about him. He saw numerous hangars, -rest tents and various wooden structures. And, besides these, parked at -one side, were ponderous motor trucks, trailers and several automobiles. - -Attached to the great encampment were mechanicians, chauffeurs, -telephone operators, Red Cross attendants and motor-cyclists--for the -business of flying has its prosaic side as well as its thrills. Somehow -or other it reminded Don of a country fair on a large scale, and it -would have seemed to him very natural indeed had his eyes alighted on a -barker, mounted upon a rostrum, exhorting a crowd of spectators to -enter. There was a certain air of grimness and sternness, however, about -the men whom they encountered that soon removed this impression. From -the east came the sullen rumble of countless guns. Sometimes it was low, -like the mutterings of distant thunder; sometimes it swelled into a -volume, as if a storm was about to burst, and then, like the sighing of -the wind, almost faded away. - -A patrol was just about to leave for the front, and Don watched the -Nieuports taxi across the ground, rise one after another in the air, -and, after gaining a high altitude, soar in a V-shaped formation toward -the battle front. - -The boy thrilled at the sight, and his eyes followed the fast-flying -planes until they were lost to sight behind a thin veil of whitish -clouds. - -"Of course, I'm pretty sure you know just what kind of work we are doing -here," said George Glenn, "but, notwithstanding, I am going to tell you -a few things. Our squadron belongs to what is known as the group de -combat, and it has a definite sector to cover. - -"A patrol is always kept over the enemy's lines, not only to prevent the -German pilots from entering ours but to make their lives as full of -spice and adventure as we possibly can." - -"Still, we have a lot to do besides fighting," put in Albert. "Sometimes -our duty is to protect the two or three-seater bombardment planes, the -_avions de rglage_, or airplanes used by those who regulate the -artillery fire, and the observation and photographic planes. The mission -of the big 'birds,' although they are armed with two guns, and sometimes -three, is a purely defensive one." - -"Quite often," chimed in George, "escorting bombardment and photographic -planes, we travel quite a long distance into 'Germany,' as we call the -other side of the barbed wire entanglements." - -"It must be wonderful!" cried Don. - -"Some of our experiences are, I can assure you," returned George, with a -half smile. "Now, Don, here is something the captain is going to tell -you, and if you value your life and my piece of mind you will implicitly -obey his instructions." - -"Fire away!" said Don. - -"It is to stick by the formation--always! The Germans have a habit of -pouncing down upon stragglers, and unless the pilot combines skill, -resourcefulness and courage in equal proportions, or sheer good luck -intervenes, it is apt to be good-night." - -"You can trust me not to get lost," said Don, with a serious look in his -eyes. "But, boys, I want to see my plane--I must see my plane, and, as -the captain is right here on the field, I reckon he'll show it to me." - -In this view Don was not mistaken; and presently a mechanic rolled out -of one of the hangars a small machine, slender of fuselage and beautiful -in its proportions. On the tapering body was painted an Indian's head -similar to the one on Lieutenant Thaw's machine. - -"As you see, all of the planes are numbered," remarked the captain, -"and, in addition, each of the pilots has some special mark on the -fuselage to distinguish his from the others." - -"Yes, Monsieur le Capitaine," said Don, with a grin of delight. - -"This machine has a motor of two hundred horse power and can travel at a -speed of about one hundred and forty miles an hour," continued the -commander. "And at times you will need it all," he added, dryly. "When -may you go up? This afternoon. I will detail Sergeant Reynolds to -accompany you in his plane. The German lines must not be crossed, under -any consideration, for several days at least." - -[Illustration: "The German lines must not be crossed"] - -"Oh!" murmured Don. - -This was a great disappointment to the boy; for he possessed that daring -which youth is prone to indulge--a daring which may often lead to -disaster, and, as often, be a means to safety. - -The captain, after introducing him to the mechanic who was to look after -the Nieuport, walked away. - -The next half hour was one of unalloyed delight to Don Hale. He spent it -in examining the plane, the various nickel plated instruments with which -the cockpit was furnished and the Vickers gun, with its belts of -cartridges. - -To fire this stationary weapon the pilot would have no need to remove -his hand from the controls. The instruments consisted of a compass, an -altimetre to register the height, a speed indicator and several others. -Then there was a map in a roller case. - -The top of the plane was camouflaged by means of spots of a greenish and -brownish color; and besides the concentric circles of blue, white, brown -and red on the wings the end of the tail had been painted with the -tricolor of France. - -Though Don Hale, as a rule, was a pretty calm lad, he found it hard to -conceal his nervous tension. - -His preliminary flight that afternoon, however, was really nothing more -than a repetition of those he had taken while in the training schools. A -green pilot was not to be fed to the hungry Boches, and he stood in no -more danger from that source than if he had been hundreds of miles away. - -On the following days the sergeant led him a little further toward the -fighting front. And then, having received all the protection which wise -counsel and advice could afford, the young airman was pronounced ready -to begin his career as a combat pilot. - - - - - CHAPTER XII--ABOVE THE CLOUDS - - -On a certain morning, just after sunrise, Don Hale, in his fur-lined -combination suit, leather aviation helmet, and provided with heavy -goggles and gloves, was strapped in his machine. It was one of a row of -six, which, in almost perfect alignment, were ready to go aloft. - -There was the greatest activity and noise about the flying field. The -air was filled with the roar, the drone and the hum of many motors; and -in this sea of sound the reverberations of the distant guns were, for -the time being, completely lost. - -Don had received his instructions to fly at the rear of a formation of -six machines, following one another at a distance of fifty metres. This -_vol de groupe_ would patrol the German lines for a period of several -hours. - -Don Hale found himself murmuring over and over again: "At last!" And -though he tried his best to still the rapid pulsations of his heart--to -control a hand that had an extraordinary tendency to tremble, it was -without avail. He was going up to face peril of the gravest sort. - -Was anything going to happen? - -Just then he felt almost afraid to think of what the fates might hold in -store for him. - -Presently he saw the captain wave his hand as a signal, and a moment -later the leader of the patrol rose in the air. The others followed. - -There was just an instant more of waiting for Don Hale, and then he, -too, was rolling over the ground. - -As readily as a leaf borne aloft by a gust of wind the Nieuport answered -to the controls and began spiraling upward. - -The six machines rose directly over the field, and at a height of about -two thousand feet the leader headed toward the east, the others taking -up their respective places in the formation. - -Higher and higher the fleet of wonderful little machines ascended, and -Don Hale glancing over the side of the cockpit, saw a wonderful panorama -of the rapidly-receding earth, which the early morning sun was tinting -with a soft and poetic glow. The most delicate tints of brown and green -were broken here and there by darker notes of a purplish hue, indicating -patches of woods. Crisscrossing the earth in all directions were the -roads--thread-like lines of palish gray, and, as though some giant hand -had scattered them carelessly about at widely distant points, were -clusters of little glistening dots--villages, or what remained of -villages. Now and again the boy's eyes caught sight of pools, mirroring -on their surfaces the delicate tones of the sky or the clouds above, and -presently the river Meuse came into view--a faint and hazy line. - -His practice in the school at Pau had taught Don how to preserve his -place in the _vol de groupe_, which, when the tremendous speed of the -Nieuport is considered, is far from easy, and he had never made a better -effort than at the present time. The new member of the Lafayette -Squadron remembered vividly the stories he had heard concerning the fate -of youthful and venturesome pilots who had disobeyed the commander's -orders. - -Eagerly, he kept his eyes open for enemy planes. He could not see any, -but he did perceive, far below him, on both sides of the line, numbers -of grotesque-looking observation balloons, or sausages, as they have -been jocularly christened. - -Now the altimetre registered a height of over ten thousand feet--they -were approaching the battle-front. Don Hale was about to get his first -view of "Germany." - -The boy, however, was too excited--too absorbed in the contemplation of -the singular scene below him, and, at the same time, so occupied in -handling his plane that he did not feel any tingling sensation of fear. - -The battle-ground was covered with a thin veil of purplish smoke, and -where the delicate shadows lay thickest on the earth he could -occasionally distinguish the flashing lights of the guns or of exploding -shells. But it all seemed very distant--very remote. The clouds of smoke -from the bursting projectiles and innumerable batteries were but tiny -spots amid the surrounding haze. Don realized that a vigorous -bombardment from both sides was going on and that a devastating hail of -missiles was creating havoc and destruction in the opposing trenches and -far to their rear. Then he had a swift glimpse of that irregular -brownish stretch of land running between the hostile forces--"No Man's -Land," the most sinister, the most barren, the most mutilated strip of -earth that has ever existed since the world began. - -The patrol leader was now mounting higher, and the reason became almost -instantly apparent. The air straight ahead had become filled with round -puffs of viciously-spurting black smoke. The "Archies" were according -the early morning visitors their usual warm reception. - -A second more, and not so many yards away there suddenly appeared the -largest and wickedest-looking puff of all, and, above the roar of the -motor, the startled Don Hale could hear the explosion of the shrapnel -shell launched by the German gunners. - -The next instant he felt a terrifying thrill. His airplane was falling -through space. - -Almost stifled by the air rushing past, with a horrifying vision of -impending catastrophe, the boy, nevertheless, managed to keep his wits -about him. But escape seemed impossible. A perfect hail of "Archies" -popped up in the air to the rear, to the side and to the front of the -falling machine, the control of which he was desperately trying to -regain. - -Though his agony of suspense seemed long drawn out it was but a moment -when the terrifying descent was over and the machine again flying -parallel to the earth. - -It was almost miraculous that it had not been riddled with the fragments -of the bursting shrapnel shells. The din of their almost continuous -explosions was ringing in the aviator's ears, and in the -violently-disturbed air the Nieuport was rocking and plunging like a -boat in a heavy sea. - -"Never fly in a straight line" was the advice which had been given to -Don before setting out on the expedition, and after the first few -moments of suspense had passed Don Hale managed to sufficiently calm his -jumping nerves and follow this instruction. He turned the nose of his -machine upward, and, in a zigzagging flight, shot like a rocket into the -blue depths above. - -A little later he found an infinite relief in seeing the black -thunderbolts exploding hundreds of yards below. - -But where was the rest of the patrol? They seemed to have utterly -vanished. A strange sense of loneliness such as he had never known -before took possession of him. And then, like a flash, he recalled -George Glenn's words: "The Germans have a habit of pouncing down upon -any stragglers they may happen to see." - -Were there any enemy scouts about? - -He cast a swift, comprehensive glance over the vast expanse of sky. - -A number of planes were to be seen far to the rear of the German lines, -but whether friends or enemies the new combat pilot could not possibly -determine. At any rate, he was sure his companions must have ascended to -the cloud level, now close overhead. - -Still thrilled at the thought of his narrow escape, he sent the biplane -climbing higher aloft. Nothing in his school days could be compared to -this flight, a flight in which danger threatened every moment - -Plunging into a cloud, the machine became enveloped in soft and fleecy -masses of vapor. Not a thing could Don see in any direction. It was a -most weird and curious sensation, he found, to be sailing so far above -the earth, in the midst of the fog; and though he experienced a certain -sense of freedom from danger he had an unpleasant feeling of half -suffocation, which impelled him to escape as soon as possible from their -enfolding embrace. - -Now, through a jagged opening he caught a glimpse of the earth, and just -a moment afterward something happened which gave him the greatest scare -he had yet had in his brief flying career. - -A shadowy object--so faint as to be scarcely discernible--flashed into -view to his right, and, while he gazed toward it as though fascinated, -in a second of time it had grown into an object of seemingly gigantic -proportions, though still so faint in outline that he could scarcely -take in its exact form. - -Another instant and the phantom-like plane had swept past with lightning -speed, leaving in its wake powerful currents o wildly swirling vapor, -while the airplane, caught in the eddy, staggered and shook. - -"Whew! That was another close call!" breathed Don. "Sure enough!--this -isn't a game for weak nerves. Hello--goodness gracious!" - -The Nieuport had shot above the strata of clouds. - -Even though his nerves were still tingling, his pulse throbbing -violently, the combat pilot could not repress a gasp of admiration as he -gazed out over the immense expanse of billowy forms that stretched in -every direction in a vast circle against the soft blue field of sky. - -It was still early, the sun had not risen high, and its rays, falling -upon the clouds, tinted them with the most delicate of rosy hues. - -"I almost seem out of the world," murmured Don, a trifle awesomely. - -"And how perfectly safe it looks I--just as though one could float about -on the clouds and be in no danger of taking a header to the earth. But -where am I in this curious world above? And, more important than all, -where are the other planes? I'd be in a nice position, shouldn't I, if -some of Captain Richtofen's Red Squadron should happen to come along! -What shall I do?" - -The boy found that skimming close to the fleecy, ever-changing billows, -sometimes dipping into them, was a fascinating sport. Up there -everything was peace, loneliness and quietude. It seemed almost -incredible that only a few miles below, on the earth he had just left, a -terrible war was being waged and that every moment tragedies and horrors -were taking place. - -But the time for decisive action had come. - -Boldly, though not without some trepidation, he plunged back into the -clouds. Then came a brief period of dense obscurity, followed by a -weird, spectral illumination, as the daylight struggled to pierce the -masses of moisture-laden air; and presently the Nieuport was again in -full view of the shell-torn, battle-scarred earth, far over a hostile -country. - -Many planes could now be seen, some below, some faint and hazy in the -distance, others comparatively near - -And while Don was scanning each in turn, hoping to recognize the -familiar Indian's head on the fuselage, he suddenly became conscious of -the fact that not very far away a fight in the air had begun. Probably -half a dozen or more combat pilots were engaged; and, almost forgetting, -in his interest and excitement, the danger of his position, Don Hale -watched the wonderful spectacle, with his nerves at the keenest tension. - -Every acrobatic performance which he himself had learned at the advanced -school at Pau was being used by the rival airmen. - -Now and again one or another went down in a spinning nose dive, as -though the machine were totally out of control; but instead of crashing -to the earth it would right itself, and, with almost incredible speed, -rise again to the attack. Fairly leaping over one another, flashing this -way and that, narrowly avoiding collisions, they soared upward or -swooped down, as a flock of enraged birds fighting among themselves -might have done, and, faintly, the enthralled Don Hale could hear the -vicious crackling of the machine guns, steadily spurting forth their -messenger of death, and see the faint smoking lines left by the tracer -ballets. - -Were any members of the Lafayette Squadron engaged in the conflict? - -The boy mentally voiced this query over and over again as he flew around -in a sweeping circle, keeping far above the contenders. - -He felt an almost irresistible impulse to join in the fray, and but for -the fact that the squadron commander had explicitly ordered him to act -only on the defensive probably would have done so. He had seen many a -fight from the ground, but then the thrills were of a decidedly -different nature from those which came while he was in the pilot's seat -of an airplane. - -A moment more, and, just as suddenly as the battle had begun, it ended. -One of the combat planes began to fall, turning over and over in the -air, now and then the dull gray wings with the Maltese crosses clearly -outlined against the floating masses of smoke below. - -Into these it plunged and disappeared from view. - -Thankful that neither his compatriots no any of the Allied airmen had -been the victim, yet shuddering at the thought of the human life which -had been sacrificed to the greed of the God of War, Don Hale headed for -the west, having satisfied himself that the Allied planes, now rapidly -retreating, belonged to a French air squadron. - -The black, sputtering "Archies" were beginning to burst beneath him -again, one coming so dangerously near that once more a sort of -consternation gripped him. - -"This won't do at all!" he muttered. "A little bit nearer the ceiling -for me!" - -He was approaching the lines and "No Man's Land" and following its -tortuous course with his eyes he observed in many places the sudden -bursts of smoke which told of the explosions of high-calibre shells. All -about him the atmosphere was hazy and the distance entirely obscured. - -Now rapidly becoming familiar with the new game, Don began to feel more -like himself. For the first time he could understand how it was that the -experienced pilots learned to treat with comparative indifference the -angry shrieks of the attacking "Archies." - -At length Don Hale discovered the patrol of Lafayette machines flying in -a perfect formation just over the enemy's line. - -After facing the dangers of the sky alone the sense of relief and -pleasure that the sight of friends near at hand afforded him was -delightful indeed. He felt like uttering a whoop of joy. - -"Considering all such experiences as I've just had once is too much!" he -muttered to himself. "And this time you can just bet I'll not get -separated." - -Nor did he. The patrol, which was only policing the air, led him into no -further danger, and, consequently, when the two hours was over and they -headed for the aviation field, nothing had occurred to add more thrills -to those he had already received. - -Don Hale, however, was thoroughly glad to see the great encampment -coming into view; and equally glad when he had spiraled down to the -earth and made an almost perfect _atterrissage_. - -Waiting machinists helped him out of the cockpit; and as he answered the -questions fired toward him the boy felt as proud and happy as any of the -"aces" whose fame has spread throughout the world. - -His first reconnaissance over the enemy's line was something he could -never forget - - - - - CHAPTER XIII--THE FARMER - - -Several weeks passed, during which Don Hale became thoroughly familiar -with and accustomed to the work of the escadrille. The boy was surprised -to find how soon the unpleasant feelings which had assailed him on his -first day's sortie over the lines had worn off. True, he did pass -through some harrowing moments--terrible moments, in which it seemed as -though he was doomed to destruction. But, in general, familiarity with -the dangers brought that indifference which a seasoned veteran in any of -life's great games usually acquires. - -By this time the young aviator had engaged in practically every kind of -work done by the squadron. He, in company with other pilots, had acted -as escorts to the big Caudron bombarding machines, the artillery -regulating planes, and those whose duty it was to travel over the -enemy's country, observing and taking photographs. - -During several of these trips he had been introduced to what the boys -pleasantly termed "flaming onions." These are balls of fire sent in a -stream from a special gun, and they travel with tremendous speed. -Fortunately, however, these sportive attempts of the Germans did no -damage to either him or his machine. - -During a vigorous attack when the French had succeeded in capturing and -holding several of the German trenches he learned a great deal about -contact patrol. This consisted of working in conjunction with the -infantry, keeping them informed of everything that was taking place on -the other side of "No Man's Land," guarding them in every way from -surprises and doing all that was possible to facilitate their "Going -over the top" by flying low over the ground and vigorously attacking the -enemy's troops. - -Contact patrol was the most dangerous work of all; for the pilots ran -not only the risk of being struck down by the shells from the east but -also by those sent by their own batteries in the rear. - -Occasionally, too, he joined expeditions which set out to destroy the -big observation balloons which hung constantly in the sky, and on one of -these trips he had seen an unwieldy monster, somewhat suggestive of an -elephant with its trunk cut off, sent flaming to the ground. - -But there was a sad, a tragic side connected with all the splendid and -courageous work accomplished by the combat pilots. There were some who -never returned, and who were listed in the official "_communique_"[8] as -being among the missing. There were others, too, whose planes, riddled -by the enemy's bullets, were sent crashing earthward, to be smashed and -splintered and torn apart by the terrific impact. - -Those were days of gloom and sorrow; but the inevitable had to be -accepted. - -Two events which interested Don Hale and T. Singleton Albert were the -arrivals, at different times, of Bobby Dunlap and Jason Hamlin. The -meeting between the latter and Victor Gilbert was of a nature no more -cordial than that at the training school. - -Gilbert glared at the other, demanding gruffly: - -"You seem to find it hard to keep away from my company. There are other -Franco-American Squadrons." - -"Thank you for your charming and subtle intimation," rejoined Hamlin, -dryly. "Let me say, however, that I pulled every wire I could so that I -might have the pleasure of joining this squadron." - -"Frightfully agreeable, I'm sure!" muttered Gilbert, turning away. - -"I say, Peur Jamais," exclaimed Don Hale, some time later, "how is the -Sherlock Holmes business getting on?" - -Bobby wagged his head mysteriously. - -"Maybe I'm on the trail of something, and maybe I'm not," he responded. -"What do I think it is? To quote a classical remark: 'I have nothing to -say at this time.' Bombs aren't the only things that make explosions. -Now let us drop the mystery." - -"That's better than dropping a bomb," laughed Don. - -"That depends upon where you drop it," chirped Bobby. "But, believe me, -Donny, that Hamlin person is some flyer. He'd make an eagle so ashamed -of himself that he'd swear off flying and stay on the ground forever. I -believe he could almost fly by waving his arms in the air." - -"Wish I could!" sighed Don. "It would come in mighty handy if a fellow's -plane were shot away from him while he was five miles in the air." - -Often pilots when off duty gathered in the bureau, or office, where -reports were turned in and other necessary routine work of the squadron -transacted. Hanging on the wall was a very large map of the sector, -amazingly complete, showing the location of German aviation centres and -even the points where their observation balloons were anchored. -Naturally, from time to time, there were changes in the map, and the -members of the squadron often found great interest in studying it and -speculating as to its appearance a few months hence. - -As days succeeded days Don, George Glenn, T. Singleton Albert and Bobby -Dunlap frequently met in the bureau, and it was on one of these -occasions that Bobby took Don Hale aside, and, in a very impressive -manner, remarked: - -"Do you remember those nights at the Caf Rochambeau when old Pre -Goubain told us a whole lot about German spies?" - -"Yes," answered Don. - -"Well, I don't think he was so very far wrong. I'm brighter than the -next person, and it looks to me as if the trail were getting warm." - -"What do you mean?" - -Don spoke in a mystified tone. - -"Spies--spies!" chuckled Bobby. - -"But where are they? Maybe you think I'm a spy?" - -"If you are you'd better be careful of little Sherlock," chirped Peur -Jamais. - -Some time later, the pilots were rather surprised and amused to see an -old French peasant standing out front and gazing in evident wonder at -the aviation fields. He was a typical son of the soil, wearing wooden -sabots, or shoes; and his faded blue garments showed many traces of his -labor in the fields. Almost primitive in appearance, and suggesting the -uncouth, illiterate peasants which the French painter Millet loved to -depict, he seemed so out of place amidst that most modern of all -scenes--an aviation centre--that many of the boys found it rather hard -to stifle an inclination to laugh. - -"Hello, what's the news from your section of the universe?" asked Bobby -Dunlap, waggishly. - -The peasant glanced at him rather stupidly for a moment and then -drawled: - -"There aren't enough people left in the place where I come from to be -any news. There's an awful big war going on, isn't there?" - -"Goodness! So you've discovered it, too!" laughed Bobby. "Where do you -live?" - -"Not so very far away." - -"Are you thinking of changing your vocation and becoming an aviator?" - -The stolid-looking peasant, evidently seeing no humor in the remark, -shook his head and mumbled: - -"No." Then, in a half-embarrassed manner, he inquired: "May I take a -glance inside the house?" - -"To be sure!" exclaimed Jason Hamlin. - -"The world owes everything to the farmer. He is the foundation upon -which the world leans. Without him----" - -"We'd have to become farmers ourselves," giggled Bobby. - -The peasant, evidently feeling awed by his surroundings, entered the -bureau. - -Once inside he gazed about him with a sort of abstracted air, uttered a -few observations which caused titters of laughter to run around the -room, and, presently, remarked to Jason Hamlin: - -"This war hasn't done any good to farming. Pretty big map on the wall. -What's it there for?" - -Repressing a smile, T. Singleton Albert attempted to explain, in his own -peculiar style of French, whereupon the visiting farmer exclaimed: - -"Too bad! But I don't speak any language except that of my own country." - -A loud laugh went up at the expense of the furiously-blushing Drugstore. - -And then Don took it upon himself to impart the information. - -"I see!" exclaimed the peasant, musingly. - -He walked over to the map and began to examine it, his expression, -however, indicating an utter lack of comprehension. - -Victor Gilbert, who happened to be among the crowd, remarked in English: - -"It's too bad that the laboring classes should be so uneducated. And the -lack of training dwarfs what intelligence they have, so that their minds -fail to grasp even simple things." - -The others agreed with him. - -But, at any rate, they found the visit of the farmer a pleasant -diversion, and all were really sorry when he said good-bye and started -for the door. - -"That old chap is about the limit," growled T. Singleton Albert. "Talk -about ignorance! It's a positive wonder he has enough sense to find his -way home." - -"And just think!--the poor fellow understands only French," chirped -Bobby Dunlap. - -Drugstore was about to retort, when the entrance of several pilots -stopped him. - -The newcomers had something to tell, too, which aroused a great deal of -interest--several of them had had thrilling encounters with Captain -Baron Von Richtofen's Red Squadron of Death. - -"I feel sure the Baron was there himself," declared one. "The way those -planes were handled was simply marvelous. I thought I had certainly -winged a Boche when he went into the vrille; and I swooped down after -him for about two thousand feet, intending to make sure of it. But, in -some extraordinary manner, he got his plane under control, and before I -could realize it I was shooting below him and his bullets were humming a -tune past my ears." - -"Oh, boy, that is music I don't like to hear!" said Bobby, with a -perceptible shiver. - -"I reckon all of us prefer symphonies of a less dangerous kind," -remarked Gilbert, adding, rather reflectively: "I haven't had the -pleasure yet of meeting that Baron and his pirate crew. Perhaps some day -I shall." - -"Then let us hope it will be a red letter day for you," cried Don. - -That night the escadrille was once more saddened by the disappearance of -one of its members, and all telephone queries to the observation posts -failed to reveal what had come of him. It was feared, however, that he -had fallen behind the German lines and been either killed or captured by -the enemy. - -Many of the pilots remained late in the bureau discussing their fellow -aviator's possible fate, and while they were busily talking the sound of -an anti-aircraft gun brought all who were sitting to their feet. - -"I wonder if that means a Boche bombing raid!" cried Don Hale, -excitedly. - -The next instant a frightful din of crashing guns rent the air. - -With a common impulse, a rush was made for the door. - ------ - -Footnote 8: - -Communique--Bulletin. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV--THE BOMBARDMENT - - -By the time the excited crowd had piled outside powerful search-lights -were reaching up into the starlit heavens, lifting out of the gloom with -strange and fantastic effect the thin veil of clouds which here and -there stretched across it. - -Even amid the booming of the anti-aircraft batteries and the sharper -staccato reports of the machine guns from various parts of the field, -all blending into an unearthly din, the droning of the motors high in -the air could be distinctly heard. Like a pyrotechnic display, luminous -bullets, searching for the invaders, shot up into the sky, often -piercing the low-hanging clouds; and mingling in with them were vicious -little spurts of fire which told of the explosion of shrapnel shells. - -The majority of the pilots, familiar with the dreadful danger which -menaced them, made a wild dash for the underground shelters. But Don -Hale and a few others, fascinated by the awe-inspiring scene and -situation, remained. - -"Isn't this awful!" cried Bobby Dunlap, with a distinct tremolo in his -voice. "Great Scott!" - -At that instant a loud, though dull boom from the explosion of a bomb -had added its quota of noise to the raging inferno of sound. - -It hadn't landed so far away, either, and, as Don Hale, in the grip of -fear and excitement which he found impossible to control, strove to -pierce the gloom, three reports, even louder, followed one another in -quick succession. - -"Great Csar!" cried Bobby Dunlap. "It seems as though they are going to -wipe the aviation camp off the map. It's time for us to run for our -lives." - -And with these words, jerked out so fast that they were scarcely -intelligible, he started off on a headlong sprint to join those who had -sought a haven of safety. - -But even then neither Don, George nor Albert could tear themselves away -from the singular scene that was passing before their eyes. Every -search-light--every gun was being used. Dazzling streams of whitish -light crossed and criss-crossed or swept in wide circles over the -sky--the darkness of night seemed to be rent asunder. Flaming bullets -were rising by the thousand. - -Notwithstanding the terrific defense of the French batteries the German -bombs continued to fall. Their appalling detonations seemed fairly to -shake the ground. - -It was a situation wherein the tragic and the terrible held full sway. -No man alive could have stood it without fear and trembling; for, at any -instant, one of the bombs might have fallen into their very midst. - -And then, while they stood there, motionless, silent, their pulses -quickened by the emotions within, they saw something which brought husky -exclamations from their lips. - -It was the sight of a German plane, spectral and ghostlike, sailing -serenely along in a dazzling sea of light. Flying this way and that, it -now and then almost disappeared in the obscurity beyond, but, -inexorably, it was pulled back into the field of vision by the -ever-moving rays. And then a second and a third plane sprang into view, -all appearing as pale, ethereal and ghostlike as the other. - -And as the pilots kept their eyes fixed upon this wonderful and singular -spectacle, which seemed to combine the elements of the supernatural and -unreal, they became witnesses to a scene which is given to but few in -this world to see. - -Suddenly, just beneath the foremost machine, now in the full glare of -light, there appeared a tiny flash of fire, a tiny burst of smoke--the -circling flight was ended. Almost simultaneously with the explosion of -the shrapnel shell the battleplane began to fall, at first slowly, as -though the airmen near the clouds were desperately seeking to regain -control. - -What was going to happen? A few seconds would tell. - -They were thrilling seconds, too, to the little shivering knot of -spectators by the bureau. - -"Ah--ah!" - -A long-drawn, shrill exclamation came from Don Hale. - -The plane, after wobbling and staggering for the briefest instant, began -a spinning dive toward the earth; and before it had gone many hundred -feet a portion of one of its wings was seen to become detached. Almost -instantly came a little burst of ruddy flame, rapidly increasing in -intensity, until, at last, the airplane was blazing from end to end. -Like a flaming meteorite, the doomed machine, still bathed in the -dazzling white glare, continued its frightful plunge. - -Down, down, it came, whirling and spinning, growing larger and more -distinct with each passing second, and leaving behind it a long sinuous -trail of sparks and inky smoke. - -Absorbed--enthralled by the terrible spectacle, Don Hale almost forgot -the danger that ever menaced them. - -But before the plane had reached the ground the peril of their exposed -position was brought forcibly to his mind by another loud report from a -bursting bomb. It seemed to have fallen nearer at hand than any of the -others; and he was just about to urge his companions to leave when, -without warning, there came a frightful and appalling explosion, so -terrible in its power that he found himself jerked off his feet and -thrown violently forward. - -Shocked, dazed and bewildered, he struck the turf at full length, where -he lay as motionless as if the end had come. - -He was brought to his senses, however, as suddenly as though ice-water -had been dashed into his face. The explosion had hurled aloft great -masses of earth and debris; and now, like a descending avalanche, they -began beating upon the ground close about him with thuds and bangs and -crashes. - -With a startled cry, the boy staggered up. A clump of earth struck him -on the back with almost stunning force; a piece of board crashed down at -his feet, and in wild haste, he began the retreat that should have been -made before. - -And, to add to the danger, spent bullets from the shrapnel shells came -pelting down. - -The distance to the nearest underground shelter was very short, but it -seemed like a mighty long way to the frightened runners. Could they -reach it? - -Panting, perspiring, almost desperate, they crossed the last lap of the -intervening space and fairly threw themselves into the crowded -bomb-proof shelter. - -Their wild and unceremonious entrance brought exclamations from the -crowd. But no effort was made to speak, however, for, amid the mighty, -crashing chorus of the guns, voices could scarcely have been heard. - -Huddled together in the shelter, which was dimly lighted by a single oil -lamp, feeling the earth trembling beneath their feet, the pilots -listened with awe to the sound of the explosions. It was mighty -unpleasant to be cooped up--mighty unpleasant to think of what might be -happening to the hangars and the little fighting Nieuports, and when, -after what seemed to be an interminably long time, the din of the -anti-aircraft guns and bursting bombs began to slacken, Don Hale gave a -big sigh of relief. - -"I guess it's all over, boys," he shouted. - -"I'm going to make the Germans sorry for this," cried Bobby Dunlap. - -As the crowd, headed by Don, made for the door the firing had ceased, -and, in contrast to the terrific racket of a few moments before, the -comparative silence seemed almost strange and unnatural. The giant -search-lights were still sweeping the sky, but the enemy had evidently -been driven away. - -Intent upon finding out as quickly as possible what damage had been -done, Don Hale and George Glenn hurried toward the point where the bombs -seemed to have fallen most thickly. Men were hurrying this way and that, -and officers could be heard shouting their orders. It quickly developed, -however, that the camp, very fortunately, had sustained but little -damage. Great pits had been dug in the ground by the force of the -explosions, the end of a hangar demolished, and two machines and a -little storehouse destroyed. - -"Now I feel very much better," declared Don. "Honestly, I never expected -to see that Nieuport of mine again." - -"From the amount of noise they made, one might have thought the whole -camp was going skyward," declared George. "Before the Boches have a -chance to pay us another visit, Don, let's beat it for the villa." - -"Done as soon as said," exclaimed Don. - -Long accustomed to the terrors and scares of the war zone, the boys had -now entirely recovered from the effects of the bombardment from the sky. - -With a number of others, they climbed into a big camion and were driven -to their headquarters. On the way they saw encampments of soldiers in -the fields, their tents, with lights inside, showing as faintly luminous -spots in the darkness. Now and again a long convoy lumbered along the -road; batteries were moving up nearer the front; reserves, too, passed -them, marching steadily and silently, the rhythmic sound of their -steadily-tramping feet sounding weirdly in the night. - -And though no particular incident marked the journey, Don and George -were thoroughly glad when they reached their comfortable room in the -ancient villa. - -Tired, after the many hours of work and excitement, they immediately -turned in. - -And thus ended another day. - - - - - CHAPTER XV--A BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS - - -During the following afternoon Don Hale and T. Singleton Albert were -detailed, with eight other pilots, to act as an escort to a big Caudron -photographic machine, which was to make a trip to a point many miles -inside the German lines in order to take photographs of a railroad -centre. - -Don Hale's machine on this occasion was armed with eight rockets, with -dart-like heads, four on either side of the fuselage. These are designed -for the purpose of destroying observation balloons, bullets from the -machine guns not being sufficiently large for the purpose. The rockets -are projected into space at terrific speed by means of powerful spiral -springs, and ignite at the instant of departure. - -The art of photography has been a great factor in the world war, driving -secrecy from its cover and enabling the opposing forces to make an -almost complete record of what was taking place on the other side of the -line. - -The two-seater Caudron machine which the combat pilots were designated -to protect was armed with only one swivel gun. The cameras, pointing -downward, were attached to the sides of the fuselage, and in order to -take a photograph it was necessary only to pull a string. - -It was rather late when the commanding officer gave the signal for the -departure. In a spiraling flight, the Nieuports rose in the air, and, at -an altitude of about six thousand feet, waited for the photographic -machine to meet them at their airy rendezvous. - -Immediately arranging themselves in a V-shaped formation, with the big -Caudron at the apex, the fleet of planes headed for "Germany." Very soon -some of the fighting Nieuports dropped below the machine they were -escorting, while others soared a thousand feet above. - -The weather was hot and sultry, and frequently the swiftly-speeding -planes cut through patches of lazily-floating clouds, which left shining -drops of moisture clinging to spars and struts. They sailed high above a -long line of French observation balloons, and could see others belonging -to the enemy--faint yellowish dots in the distance. But Don Hale was -paying very little attention to them, for the famous town of Verdun, -responsible for some of the most desperate battles ever fought in the -history of the world, appeared before his eyes. Here and there were -great gaps among the red-roofed houses, showing where the high-explosive -shells of the Germans had shattered and torn and blown everything to -pieces. Faintly, he could see those mighty forts--Vaux and Douaumont -and, in another direction, the famous Mort-Homme, so valiantly defended -by the French. - -And the same scenes which he had witnessed on all his trips over the -front were again before him--the haze of smoke floating high above the -battle-field, the batteries in action, the flashes of the exploding -shells, and the airplanes either hovering like flocks of birds or -patrolling the lines. - -As they passed over the trenches the Caudron and its escorting Nieuports -rose to an altitude of fifteen thousand feet; for the air beneath them -was filled with the little balls of black smoke which told that the -"Archies" would have liked nothing better than to bring them crashing to -the earth. The pigmy and futile efforts of the gunners, however, only -served to amuse Don Hale. How harmless the exploding shells appeared! -Yet how terrible they were when viewed at closer range! - -At various points, silhouetted against the blue of the sky or the -scintillating white of the clouds, he could make out hostile airplanes -which, as was often the case, were keeping well to the rear of their own -lines. - -Would they be attacked? - -Don Hale scarcely thought so, or, at least, not so long as the formation -kept together. - -Thus, with his mind at comparative ease, he thoroughly enjoyed the swift -flight through the cool air high above the earth. Gazing over the side -of the little cockpit, he studied the territory occupied by the Germans -with an interest which familiarity never seemed to lessen. Occasionally -Don's view of the network of roads, the tiny villages and the farms, -surrounded by their vari-colored fields, was blotted from view by the -constantly increasing layers of fleecy white clouds. Their shadows were -chasing each other over the warmly-tinted earth. - -The wind was blowing straight into "Germany," and, to Don Hale, the -weather conditions seemed to be fast becoming ominous and threatening. -This thought at length became a little disquieting. If anything should -happen to their planes while over the enemy's country it might mean a -descent; and a descent would undoubtedly mean capture--an inglorious end -to a flying career--a fate particularly dreaded by the airmen. - -"I won't be sorry when this trip is over," muttered Don to himself. -"This kind of life certainly gives a chap fifty-seven different kinds of -feelings." - -Owing to the great velocity of the flying flotilla, their destination, a -town of considerable size, soon afterward came into view, and the whole -formation volplaned to a lower level. Now they plunged through the -clouds. And on emerging Don could see many evidences of life and -activity going on below. Here and there were aviation fields bordered by -gray hangars. Almost directly beneath a column of troops on the march -suggested so many tiny ants creeping slowly over the ground. A long line -of moving dots on a white road indicated a convoy going up nearer the -line, while on a railroad leading into the town the eager and interested -young combat pilot espied a train traveling, apparently, with a strange -and sloth-like motion. - -And now the peaceful character of the voyage came to an end. The -"Archies" were at work again, and on every side, and dangerously near. -Don Hale saw the wicked, lashing little balls of black smoke, though the -explosions of the shells could scarcely be heard. Nor were the flying -men threatened by the anti-aircraft batteries alone: Albatross and -Fokker machines were approaching. And, in order that the enemy planes -might not gain too great an altitude and be in a position to dive down -upon them, the leader of the flotilla gave a prearranged signal; -whereupon several of the convoys began following him to a higher level. - -Don Hale, however, had been instructed to remain below, while the -photographs were being taken, and the prospect was not altogether a -pleasant one. He well knew that the Caudron would take all sorts of -risks in order to obtain the desired pictures; and the protecting -Nieuports, to fulfil the duties imposed upon them, must all expect to -run a fiery gauntlet of shrapnel. - -Down--still further down, as though unmindful of their spiteful -presence, the big Caudron flew in a circling flight directly over the -town. - -Now in light, now in shadow, the collection of buildings made a pleasant -picture. The golden cross surmounting the spire of the lone church -occasionally reflected the mellow rays of the sun, and, like a jet of -fire, sent its light into the sky. - -But these were things to which Don Hale paid not the slightest -attention: his mind was wholly wrapped up in the work ahead of him. He -was playing a game in which life and liberty were at stake, and, as the -Nieuport rocked and shook in the currents of the air disturbed by the -almost continual explosions of the shrapnel shells, he warily watched -the movements of the enemy planes. - -Somehow or other, now that the perilous moment had come, he felt neither -excited, apprehensive nor alarmed. An almost unnatural calmness seemed -to have a hold upon him; and even when he saw a hole suddenly appear on -the left-hand side of the upper plane, which meant that a piece of -flying lead had pierced it, he did not lose his steadiness of hand or -presence of mind. - -He seemed to be fairly surrounded by the bursting shells. In every -direction he turned they were there to meet him. The "flaming onions," -too, were beginning to cut their fiery passage through the air; and as -they traveled with terrible swiftness the danger from them was even -greater than that from the anti-aircraft guns. - -Around and around soared the photographic machine; and around and around -soared the Nieuports, both above and below. It was a veritable ride of -death, with a chance that some of the combat pilots would pay the -penalty for their daring, and be recorded in the brief official -communique as among the missing or the dead. - -Suddenly the photographic machine darted downward. Don Hale, with his -eyes fixed upon it, almost held his breath with suspense and -apprehension. It seemed scarcely possible that the pilot could rise -again. - -However, just as this gloomy thought was becoming fixed in his mind, the -airplane began to ascend. - -Intuitively, the boy realized that the dangerous mission of the -photographer and his pilot was over; for, like a captive bird escaping -from its imprisoning cage, the Caudron shot steadily upward, and was -soon far beyond the reach of the guns below. - -The lower escorting planes, which many times had come close to -destruction, immediately followed. - -And then Don Hale, strange to say, began to feel the effects of a -reaction. The hand, so steady in the midst of terrible peril, now -trembled slightly. He found it hard to shake off a curious foreboding--a -foreboding that sometimes sent chills along his spine--that much might -happen in that perilous return journey over a hostile land. - -To show that his fears were entirely justified, when once again the boy -gazed aloft he discovered that some of the bolder enemy scouts, now -assembled in a formation as formidable as their own, were hot on the -trail of the fast retreating Americans. - -"Looks like a scrap," murmured Don. - -The pilot cast a look at his machine gun and belt of cartridges, all -ready on the instant. - -Should he have to use them? He hoped not; yet it looked that way. - -And all the time the wind was steadily increasing in force, making -necessary the closest attention and most extreme care in handling the -biplane. Thus, with the elements against him and surrounded by the -gravest danger, Don Hale decided that by the time he reached the -aviation field, if he ever did, he should be able to recount a tale as -interesting as any of those he had often heard. - -Occasionally he glanced over the side of the fuselage, to see the big -Caudron, now considerably below him, sometimes skimming close above the -clouds and sometimes enveloped in masses of vapor. He very well knew -that if an attack were made the photographic machine would be the -principal object sought for, owing to the value of the records it was -carrying. - -And while Don was busily reflecting upon this he suddenly realized that -action both above and below him had begun. He could see several planes -whirling and darting about, and though the rapid reports of the machine -guns were unheard amid the roar of his motor he caught sight of narrow -lines of smoke left by the passing tracer bullets. - -"Great Julius Csar!" he muttered. "I am in for it. I wonder when my -part in the show begins!" - -It came much sooner than he had expected. While several of the Lafayette -machines below and to the rear of the Caudron were engaged in deadly -combat by the enemy a fighting plane with the ominous Maltese crosses on -its wing flashed past Don Hale, diving vertically toward the tail of the -Caudron. - -The crucial moment had arrived. Don Hale's heart was throbbing fast -again; his lips were compressed; his eyes flashing. Then, without a -second's indecision--without a thought of the consequences--he, in turn, -began a headlong swoop through space. - -In a moment or two he shut off the motor; for he was about to execute -that evolution taught in the acrobatic school at Pau known as the -"Russian Mountain." Although he had performed it many times under -different circumstances, the terrific downward rush never failed to make -him gasp for breath. It was the same on this occasion, and his ears -seemed to be almost bursting. The rushing wind beat fiercely against -him, its whistling notes, ominous and threatening, ringing out loudly. -Like a plummet dropped from the clouds, he still plunged in a vertical -descent. Now he dashed past, dangerously close to some of the fighting -machines, and through an air filled with tracer and flaming bullets. - -By this time the Caudron was desperately trying to avoid the enemy in -the rear. But it seemed impossible that it could escape from the -marvelously swift and brilliantly maneuvered German plane. This machine -had just succeeded in gaining an advantageous position when Don Hale -swept by. - -Now he pushed the control stick away from him, which, raising the -ailerons, caused the machine, with startling abruptness, to end its fall -and come out on an even keel. - -Though jarred and dizzy, the combat pilot lost not a second in starting -the engine. Another movement with the control lever, and the Nieuport -was shooting upward directly toward the tail of the German plane. Its -pilot was already busily engaged in pouring a hail of bullets in the -direction of the Caudron. - -Don had gone through some thrilling experiences in the war zone, but -there had been nothing like this. He realized that the fates had decreed -that through his efforts alone the safety of the photographic machine -depended. Never before had he fired a Vickers gun in actual combat, and -for the briefest interval of time an overwhelming sense of agitation--of -excitement gained a hold upon him; and before it had passed, and while -the perspiration stood out on his face, he took aim, operating the gun -with his left hand, and fired. - -He could hear the spitefully-crackling reports; he saw the bursts of -smoke spreading outward and upward. Then his machine swept past, in an -ascending flight, at a distance of not more than fifty yards. - -It was a strange sensation to be gazing upon an enemy's machine so close -at hand, and, in his instantaneous glance, the details seemed to be -indelibly impressed upon his mind. He saw the helmeted pilot turn; and -for the fraction of a second the two gazed into each other's faces. - -Before Don Hale could maneuver his plane, in order to renew the attack, -he passed through some instants of terrible suspense. - -Had his shots taken effect? Or was the photographic machine doomed, -after all? - -But what the boy saw when he looked again made him feel like uttering a -shout of joy. The machine with the black crosses on its wings was -descending abruptly, with erratic movements. - -"I got him!" breathed the boy. - -Triumphant, with his fighting blood aroused to the highest pitch, the -young combat pilot, yielding to the now irresistible call of battle, -shot toward another _avion de chasse_ which bore the enemy's markings. -He had not gone very far, however, when he was startled by a fusillade -of flaming bullets, passing close to his wings on the right. - -A German pilot had stolen upon him from the rear, and Don was in the -worst possible position to defend himself. - -Instantly he sent the nose of the Nieuport upward, gave the control -lever a swift jerk forth and back, and, like a flash, the machine -described a complete backward somersault, while its pursuer shot past -beneath. - -The almost breathless Don Hale realized that his escape had been of the -narrowest sort--that he was still in the gravest peril. Other machines -were speeding toward him. The odds were entirely too great for an -inexperienced combat pilot. Moreover, he had caught a glimpse of three -new French planes coming to the rescue. Don's own safety lay in the -clouds just above, and he flew toward them with all the speed of which -his Nieuport was capable. - -And in that upward journey, brief though it was, he sensed rather than -saw that the air close about him was filled with fiercely contesting -planes, darting, swirling, almost tumbling over one another. The -atmosphere, too, was literally criss-crossed by the multitude of faint -bluish lines left by tracer bullets. - -When the clouds closed about Don Hale and he found the view completely -obscured, he experienced a wonderful sensation of relief. Yet his nerves -were pretty badly shaken. Like the game hunter who has momentarily -escaped the lion's claws yet knows that the mighty animal is lurking -near to renew the attack, his thoughts of what the immediate future -might have in store for him sent renewed tremors through his frame. - -War is a cruel and pitiless thing, in which compassion and the kindlier -impulses of the human heart have no place. He himself could give no -quarter, nor could he expect any. - -And now there was something else besides the relentless foe which began -to cause him anxiety--even alarm. The weather conditions had been -becoming steadily worse, and the force of the wind, still blowing -steadily into "Germany," made the movements of the Nieuport like that of -a boat wallowing in the trough of a heavy sea. Sometimes, without an -instant's warning, he found himself dropping like a shot, and the next -moment, as though raised on the crest of a mighty billow, sent shooting -upward. - -The clouds were growing thicker; the curious, half luminous light was -being replaced by a deep and forbidding gloom, not like that of night or -of anything else he had ever seen. And through this weird and seemingly -unnatural darkness there occasionally came gleams of spectral bluish -light which told him that the greatest artillery in the world was -rapidly getting ready for action, and that before long it might be -expected to break loose in all its majestic power. - -Where was he?--far over the German territory? He could not tell; yet it -seemed very likely that such was the case. At any rate, he must make for -home. How?--below the clouds? No. There are limits to which one's nerves -can be subjected. He must climb through them and fly above. -Single-handed it would not do to face those lying in wait below. He felt -terribly alone--terribly friendless. - -The darkness was suddenly torn asunder by a brighter flash and, for the -first time, he heard a sullen rumble, which, beginning like the roll of -muffled drums, rapidly increased until it was sounding in a crashing -crescendo. - -"Great Scott! This is about the worst ever!" muttered Don. "Yes, I -certainly shall have something to talk about--only, it will be too much! -I never expected that I'd be witnessing a storm from a balcony seat." - -He tried to impart a little jocularity to his tone, but the attempt was -unsuccessful. - -It was a pretty awesome thing to be amid the storm-clouds, with the -coppery colored and bluish gleams now playing almost constantly about -him; and this singular situation conjured up all sorts of strange -fancies. - -Now the wind was buffeting the Nieuport wildly about, tearing against -the fuselage and planes in heavy gusts. - -But at last Don Hale's heart was gladdened by the sight of a circular -patch of misty light; and presently shooting through a ragged opening in -the clouds he saw the illumination spreading out on every side and -caught a glimpse of blue in the great expanse above. Probably the most -inspiring thing he had ever seen, it lifted a load from his mind. As the -shadows produced a depressing effect, so the light seemed to radiate -optimism and cheer. - -Presently the flying Nieuport carried him to another world equally as -strange as the one through which he had just passed. Just below him, to -the limits of vision, there extended, like a soft and moving blanket, -the billowing forms of the wind-swept clouds. - -And skimming across their surface was the grotesquely-shaped shadow of -the speeding aeroplane. - -Then it suddenly occurred to Don that his situation wasn't so very much -improved after all. During the mle and his subsequent experiences he -had totally lost track of his bearings. In which direction was the -aviation camp? That was a question he could not begin to answer. One -thing alone cheered him--he was, at least, headed for the French lines. - -And while debating in his mind how soon he might dare to make a plunge -through the vapor he happened to glance behind him. And that single -glance was the means of causing him to make a discovery--a discovery -that was so startling, so terrifying that the blood seemed to almost -freeze in his veins. - -Bearing down upon him, and almost within firing range, were two great -Albatross planes--both of a scarlet hue. - -There could be no doubt about it--they belonged to Captain Baron Von -Richtofen's Red Squadron of Death. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI--THE EMPTY HOUSE - - -During the afternoon of the same day that Don Hale was destined to have -his great adventures George Glenn and Bobby Dunlap, off duty, decided to -take a little jaunt about the surrounding country. - -Leaving the main highway the boys struck off toward the southeast. - -The road sometimes took them past stuccoed walls, gray, chipped and -broken by the ravages of time; and here and there, rising high above the -faded red coping, were the tall and graceful poplars so characteristic -of the landscapes. Once in a while, the two, their youthful curiosity -aroused, peeped between the bars of the entrance gates to get a look, if -they could, at the mansion so secluded from public gaze. - -Presently the boys were descending a steep road which led down to a -little village at the base. Occasionally, between the trees, they caught -glimpses of red-roofed houses, and the spire of an ancient church, all -serenely beautiful in the midst of a peaceful landscape. - -Now George and Bobby came across _poilus_ resting on either side of the -highway. And then, to bring the grimness of warfare once more to their -minds, a Red Cross ambulance, leaving behind it a long trail of -yellowish dust, rumbled up the hill, carrying its load of wounded to the -base hospital further to the rear. - -Arriving at the bottom of the incline the two found themselves on a road -which turned abruptly. Soldiers were billeted in the village; and in the -courtyards and out on the streets were rolling kitchens, while parked at -various points they saw huge camions awaiting their turn to carry -supplies toward the front. Evidently but few of the inhabitants -remained; and the reason was at once apparent--there was scarcely a -house which did not show some evidence of scorching shell fire or the -devastation caused by bombs dropped from the air. - -George and Bobby soon passed the quaint old church, no longer a place of -worship but a hospital, and continued on, soon leaving behind them the -village, with its soldiers, camions and other paraphernalia of war. - -"Now let's take a rest," suggested Bobby, at length. - -"You'll not hear any objections from me," said George. He turned his -gaze toward the east, adding: "I hope to goodness Don doesn't run into -trouble over the front to-day." - -"I'm with you there, Georgie," said Peur Jamais, gravely. "I never saw -such impolite fellows as those Boches. Just the other day one of them -chased me for miles, and all I did was to empty a belt of cartridges in -his direction. Honestly, I believe he wanted to hurt me." - -"I guess you're about right," laughed George. - -"Hello! just cast your eyes along the road. But do it gently, though, so -as not to hurt them. Do you see that chap yonder--about to cross?" - -"My vision being extremely good, I can." - -"Don't you see anything familiar about him?" - -George, after taking a long and earnest look at the blue bloused figure, -nodded his head. - -"Yes; to be sure. It's the peasant who's been visiting our escadrille." - -"Correct, old chap. And say, did you ever notice how chummy he's gotten -to be with Jason Hamlin? Funny combination, that--a college highbrow and -an humble, downtrodden tiller of the soil. By the way, Vicky Gilbert -certainly has said some funny things to Jasy." - -"Have you found out yet what the scrap is all about?" - -Peur Jamais pondered an instant before replying, and then said, slowly: - -"From what Vicky said it looks as if he thought Hamlin was, or rather -wasn't---- No, that he was, I should say----" And here the young combat -pilot broke off abruptly, to further remark, after a few moments of -earnest reflection: "No--I reckon I'd better wait until further -developments. One day I happened to say a few words to one of the chaps -about it when along waltzed the captain, who had overheard; and he said -to me: 'What do you mean?' Crickets! It was awful!" Bobby began to grin -broadly. "It reminded me of the time I used to get hauled up in the -principal's room to explain certain things that had happened in the -classroom. But, I say; let's skip after the old boy, and interview him." - -"What's the good?" asked George. - -"None at all. But what's the good of staying here? Coming?" - -"First tell me what the captain said." - -"'No!--a thousand times no!' as the persecuted heroine in the play has -it. Later on--perhaps. Just now my sole desire in life is to inflict -some of my French upon the humble plodder." - -Without further ado, Peur Jamais started off and George, with a -good-humored smile, followed. - -It took the boys but a few moments to reach the road where the peasant -had been observed; but although he had been walking very slowly the man -was not in sight. The road was as deserted as a road could be. - -"Hello! That's rather odd!" cried Peur Jamais. "A shabby way to treat a -couple of would-be interviewers, I call it. In classic language, I -wonder where he's at!" - -"That oughtn't to be a hard job for Sherlock Holmes the Second to find -out," suggested George. - -Bobby laughed and began studying the surroundings with keen attention. - -In the fields were growing crops, all bathed in bright, clear sunshine. -Little clumps of trees and patches of woods dotted the landscape, while, -far off, the irregular contour of the hills limned itself with hazy -indistinctness against the brilliant sky. To the left a touch of blue, -like a bold splash of paint upon canvas, indicated a pond, and nearer at -hand rose three sturdy oaks, majestic specimens of their kind. Just -behind these Peur Jamais espied a house. - -"I shouldn't wonder a bit if that's the peasant's castle," he remarked. -"Suppose we journey over there, Georgie, and see! I declare! I won't be -satisfied until I learn a bit more about him. It's a little odd that -such an uncouth specimen should take so much interest in an aviation -camp." - -"Mild adventures, after our strenuous ones, have a sort of appeal to -me," confessed George. "So I'm quite willing." - -Following the road for a short distance the boys found a narrow path -leading across the field; so they headed for the ancient oaks and the -house behind them. - -They had expected to see some evidences of farming, some indications of -laborers in the fields beyond, but on arriving at the structure, a -typical old farmhouse, everything wore a mournful and deserted air, as -though all human activity and endeavor had long ago departed, leaving -the building to crumble and decay. - -"It seems that we've had all our pleasure for nothing," grumbled Peur -Jamais. "Nobody can be living in this old shack. But as a deserted house -is anybody's home, I'm going in." - -"I'll share the danger with you," laughed George. - -The door stood invitingly ajar, and one vigorous push sent it creaking -back on a pair of rusty hinges. - -All the dreary and forlorn appearance which marked the exterior of the -ancient farmhouse was to be met with in the interior. Dust lay thick on -the floors, and a few pieces of broken-down furniture added their quota -to the depressing atmosphere. - -"This place is enough to give a fellow the creeps!" declared Bobby. -"Just imagine how nice it would be strolling around here on a stormy -midnight, with lightning the only illumination. Hello!--goodness -gracious!" - -A very unexpected interruption had caused Peur Jamais to utter the -exclamation. - -Quick footsteps had sounded. And, as both boys, a little startled, but -more surprised, hastily glanced at an open doorway leading to another -room, they saw a blue-bloused figure suddenly appear. - -It was the peasant for whom they had been seeking. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII--A MYSTERY - - -At another place and under different circumstances this meeting would -have been a most ordinary and commonplace event, but, somehow, in the -shadowed and deserted farmhouse it seemed to have imparted to it a -curiously dramatic effect. - -It was Peur Jamais who broke a rather intense and awkward silence. - -"Hello! You are here after all!" he cried. - -"Ah! So it is some of my young friends, the aviateurs Americaines!" -exclaimed the peasant. His manner was that of a man who had been -startled by an unlooked-for intrusion, and, in consequence, felt -considerably displeased. "In France, mes amis, before entering a -dwelling one usually knocks." - -"So we do when we enter a dwelling," said Peur Jamais, airily. "But what -in the world are you doing here?" - -"And, may I inquire, what in the world are you doing here?" - -"We came to see you." - -"You came to see me! How did you get here?" - -Thereupon George Glenn, who had a more fluent command of French than -Bobby, smilingly explained. - -"But, you must remember, people cannot go everywhere they please without -knowing that they have the right," said the peasant, chidingly. - -"Well, since we're here we're here," said Peur Jamais. "However, -Monsieur, you certainly can't be staying in a place like this?" - -"I believe I have not as yet given any information as to my place of -residence." The Frenchman's tone clearly conveyed a hint that he was -annoyed at the curiosity which Bobby displayed. "Houses are like men, -mon ami: they live their allotted time, and then their days are done." - -"Well, come on, Georgie, let us take a look at the old place," cried -Peur Jamais. - -And Bobby, with a merry laugh, started for the adjoining room. - -But his passage was unexpectedly blocked. - -[Illustration: His passage was unexpectedly blocked] - -The peasant had stepped in front of him, saying in a firm tone: - -"Must I remind you, my young friend, of what I said just a few moments -ago?" - -Bobby was surprised--so much surprised, indeed, that for an instant he -stared at the peasant without speaking; and his scrutiny was so -searching, so earnest, that the man, as though finding it either -annoying or disconcerting, moved toward a shadowy corner of the room. - -"But what have you got to say about it?" blurted out Peur Jamais, at -length. "It isn't your house; so I'd like to know why we mayn't go -up-stairs?" - -"Like good soldiers, we must sometimes obey commands without knowing the -reasons for their being given," said the peasant, gravely. "So I am sure -you will consider me neither impolite nor unobliging if I refrain from -speaking further on the subject." - -"Certainly, Monsieur," put in George, quickly. "We have no wish to -intrude. Come on, Bobby." - -Peur Jamais, however, his face wearing a rather curious expression, -began to interrogate the Frenchman, beginning with this rather unusual -question: - -"What's the best time to plant potatoes?" - -The peasant smiled genially. - -"Are you thinking of starting a farm?" he queried. - -"No; I am merely a seeker after information." - -"Then I would advise you to buy a copy of some agricultural paper which -treats such questions exhaustively. And now, if you will pardon me, I -will say _au revoir_!" - -"No objections, I'm sure!" grumbled Bobby. "I hope your farm prospers. -It's quite a hard life, isn't it?" - -"That depends upon a man's health, strength and temperament," countered -the peasant, in an unruffled tone. "Goodbye!" - -He laid just enough emphasis on the last words to cause the boys to nod -and then walk slowly outside. - -They had progressed but a few yards when Bobby began to laugh and -chuckle in a most peculiar manner. Then his face suddenly became grave -and stern. - -"Georgie, I think I've made a discovery--quite an astonishing discovery, -too," he exclaimed. "That man is as much a peasant as either you or I. -He's merely a bit of human camouflage; he's masquerading--do you get -me?--masquerading! And what's the answer?" - -Peur Jamais' brow was knit. His hands were clenched. - -"I am willing to admit that just now he did not either speak or act -exactly like a peasant," said George. - -"You've said something, Georgie," declared Bobby, very earnestly. -"Listen!" As they walked slowly, side by side, he gripped George Glenn's -arm. "Ever since that night old Pre Goubain talked to us about spies -I've been keeping my eyes and ears open. Well, do you want to know what -I think the answer is?--that mysterious peasant is a spy--yes sir, a -confounded spy. Why has he been nosing around the aviation camp? Why -didn't he want us to go up-stairs? Oh yes, it's all as clear as day. Who -knows--it may even have been he who was the means of sending those -bombing machines to spill a little fireworks on the camp!" - -By this time the two had reached the road, and Bobby stopped and leaned -against the fence. - -"It strikes me that this hasn't been such a mild adventure, after all," -he continued, with increasing vehemence. "And through it we may be the -means of ridding France of a dangerous enemy; just think of it--you and -I, Georgie! I can almost hear the commander saying: 'My brave and loyal -friends, in the name of my countrymen, I thank you!'" - -"Can you also see the medals pinned to our manly breasts?" asked the -other, quizzically. - -"I'm not joking, Georgie." - -"I'm sure you're not. You look just as earnest as if Captain Von -Richtofen and his red planes had come over to pay us their respects." - -Peur Jamais sniffed. - -"At any rate it isn't going to be a laughing matter for some one," he -asserted, grimly. "Pretty smart old chap, that! 'Buy a copy of some -agricultural paper,' eh! No doubt he's chuckling now at the way he -pulled off those evasive answers. But evasions don't go with court -martials." - -"You are certainly correct there," acquiesced his companion. - -"By George, Georgie, you're an aggravating chap!" exploded Bobby. "By -the way you act one might think that this great discovery was of no more -importance than reading an agricultural paper. Wake up! You're right -here on earth, and not up among the clouds!" - -"I'm trying to do a little discreet thinking before indulging in any -indiscreet remarks," said George. "You know, as Longfellow says: 'Things -are not always what they seem.'" - -"Well, I declare! Indiscreet talking, indeed!" almost shouted Peur -Jamais. "I suppose your idea is to let the old bird alone, eh?" - -"As yet, I haven't a very clear idea of what my idea on the subject is," -returned George, with a smile. - -"And I have such a clear idea of what my idea is that it fairly dazzles -me. Great Julius Csar!----" - -Peur Jarnais blurted out this exclamation with considerable force, and -as he certainly could have neither seen nor heard anything to justify -its utterance George very naturally demanded an explanation. - -"Oh, it's nothing that would be likely to interest you," returned Bobby, -sarcastically. "Some rather odd thoughts about Jason Hamlin just -happened to pop into my mind." And then, as though ruminating to -himself, he added: "Oh, yes, I'm mighty glad we took this walk. It may -have an astonishing sequel." - -George pressed him for an explanation, but Bobby merely replied: - -"One of these days you'll find out." - -"But just think of all the suspense I'll have to endure," said George, -lightly. - -Thereupon the march was resumed. - -And notwithstanding the fact that both boys were in the uniform of the -flying corps they were occasionally obliged by the ever-vigilant -sentries to show their credentials. - -It was after one of these experiences that Bobby thoughtfully remarked: - -"I can't understand how, with all their care, that old would-be peasant -was able to pull off the trick." - -"What trick?" asked George, innocently. - -"Trying to kid me, eh?" jeered Peur Jarnais. "But I'm the original kid -that can't be kidded." - -Toward late afternoon, seeing that a storm was approaching, the two took -counsel and decided that it might be better to retrace their steps. - -"I prefer my shower baths taken in the regular way," remarked Bobby. "By -the looks of it, I should say the weather is going from bad to worse." - -"And we'll have to move quickly if we expect to escape it," commented -the other. - -During the entire trip George had many times felt twinges of anxiety in -regard to his chum Don Hale, which he found quite impossible to cast -aside. Acting as an escort over a hostile territory was a very dangerous -thing for a new pilot to undertake. He could recall many men who had -failed to return from such journeys, some of whom were probably -languishing in a German detention camp. - -Quite a number of the Lafayette Escadrille were at the villa when the -boys arrived. But George Glenn found that he was unable to join in the -general fun and jollity. - -The storm was very severe indeed; and during its height George, unable -to bear the suspense any longer, went to the telephone and called up the -bureau on the aviation grounds. - -"Hello! Is Don Hale there?" he asked. - -A pang shot through him as the answer came back: - -"No; neither he nor Albert returned with the rest of the escort." - -"Did not return with the rest of the escort!" gasped George. He felt a -peculiar dryness come into his throat and into his heart a sinking -feeling. "Were the escorting machines attacked?" he asked. - -"Yes; there was a lively scrimmage." - -"Great Scott! This is terrible!" murmured George. Then, speaking into -the transmitter again, he asked, weakly: "Have you no news of them at -all?" - -"None whatever," came the response. "We have telephoned to the -observation post at the front, but they can tell us nothing. Hale, -however, has been given credit for preventing the destruction of the -Caudron machine." - -By this time several others were crowding around. All had become -accustomed to tragic happenings and the occasional disappearance of some -of their members; yet every fresh event of the kind brought with it the -same distressing pangs. - -"This is bad news, indeed!" exclaimed Victor Gilbert. "Poor Don Hale! -Poor Albert! I wonder--I do wonder what could have happened to them!" - -"I hope it will not be the official communique that tells us," said -George, gloomily, as he replaced the telephone on the hook. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII--THE RED SQUADRON - - -When Don Hale saw the red planes of Captain Baron Von Richtofen behind -him he certainly received the shock of his life. The oncoming storm, the -sense of solitude and the great expanse above the clouds had all lulled -him into a sense of security. - -A moment's indecision nearly finished his career as a combat pilot. -Streams of bullets were flashing past, and one of them, crashing through -the little curved wind shield in front of his head, brought him to a -realization that only the quickest possible action could save his life. - -He did then what many a flying fighter had done before him. A quick -movement of the control lever dipped the rear ailerons, sending the -plane almost vertically downward toward the earth. With the engine -stopped, he tipped to one side, and the machine entered the vrille, or -spinning nose dive. - -With frightful velocity, turning on its axis, the Nieuport dove through -the agitated storm-clouds. The wind roared past him as it had never -roared before, singing and moaning, like the strains of some wild, weird -symphony as it beat against the plane's wires and supports. Gasping for -breath, almost dazed by the fearful whirling motion, the boy, -nevertheless, felt the joy of triumph surging within him. He had cheated -the birds of ill-omen of their prey. He could laugh at their efforts. -They would never catch him now that he knew of their presence in the -sky. - -Down, down shot the little biplane through an obscurity so dense that -nothing could be seen in any direction. And soon, while still surrounded -by the heavy vapors, it straightened out parallel to the earth, and, -shaken and rocked by the wind, sailed swiftly ahead. - -But at that instant, just as all danger seemed to be passed, Don Hale -made another most alarming discovery--something had happened to his -motor, and though he strove with the utmost desperation to get it -started it persistently refused to work. - -"Tough luck!" he burst out, aloud. "This is the worst ever! Here I am -miles over German territory." - -Filled with apprehension, with all sorts of dreadful fancies running -through his mind, and the dread and uncertainty of it all making his -nerves tremble and twitch, the young combat pilot volplaned through the -clouds. - -Presently he skimmed through the thinner mists, and saw the darkened and -sombre-looking earth beneath him. His head was still aching from the -effects of the headlong plunge. His breath, too, came in short and -painful gasps. But all these physical manifestations were almost -unnoticed in the pilot's excited state of mind. - -Was there nothing that he could do to avert the fate for which he seemed -destined? - -There must be. Surely his career as a combat pilot was not going to come -to such an inglorious end! - -Feverishly--energetically, Don Hale continued to manipulate the levers -that controlled his motor. But there was no sign of it awakening into -life. And all the while he was gliding nearer and nearer the earth. - -Now the vague, indefinite blurs of color were becoming definite forms -and shapes, and the meaningless patches of light and dark houses and -trees. - -Sick at heart, feeling that everything was lost, with the direst fear of -an impending tragedy uppermost in his mind, the boy at length sat back -in his seat, and, for the first time, paid close attention to the ground -that seemed to be rapidly rising to meet him. - -He had concluded that in the all-pervading gloom the Germans had not -discovered his presence, but almost immediately the anti-aircraft -batteries got into action and the surrounding air became suddenly filled -with exploding shrapnel shells. - -Now he could hear their viciously-sounding detonations, and the steady -crackling of the guns which had sent them aloft. - -Though faint and weak, the instinct of self-preservation asserted -itself, enabling him to turn the machine this way and that, in an effort -to dodge the hail of missiles. The Nieuport was wildly careening from -side to side or dropping short distances at lightning speed; and, to add -to his dismay, streams of "flaming onions," like rockets of a greenish -hue, darted toward the helpless airplane, sparkling brightly in the -darkened atmosphere. - -Yet, despite the terrible reality of the situation, it seemed to Don -that he was going through some strange, weird dream. Dumbly, he wondered -how soon the end would come. Only a miracle, it seemed, had saved him -thus far. He could not expect such good-fortune to continue. He seemed -to stand on the dividing line between life and eternity. - -And when a strange, inexplicable calmness had taken possession of him -and he felt resigned to the impending fate, the resounding din of the -batteries below and the ear-splitting, appalling detonations of the -shells suddenly ceased, and he was gliding through the smoke-filled air -as unmolested as though on his own side of the line. - -What did it mean? - -The explanation was simple. The Germans below had at last realized the -truth. They were merely waiting for the machine to drop into their -midst. It was a galling thought. Not three hundred feet below he could -see them. And that picture of men gathering together in groups, of men -running and gesticulating, made a curious impression upon his -overwrought brain. - -Many a time he had heard the boys jocosely referring to the words -"Kamerad, kamerad," and for the first time he was in a position to -realize fully what that cry must have meant to some of those who uttered -it. And after the glorious, boundless freedom of the air--of the vast -spaces--how could he stand the horrors of a detention camp, where men, -penned in like sheep, were guarded and fed almost as if they were so -many captured animals! - -Now he was one hundred feet nearer the earth--one hundred feet nearer -the clutch of his enemies--and, with the smoothness of a toboggan, the -machine was still gliding downward. Yes, the journey would soon be over! -He began to think of what the boys of the escadrille would say. In his -mind he pictured them sitting around the supper table, speculating as to -his unhappy fate. - -How strange--how remarkable it seemed to be right there among the enemy! -Still held in the grip of an unnatural calmness, he gazed indifferently -at those gray-clad figures whose upturned eyes were fastened upon the -descending machine. - -Now only seventy-five feet separated him from the ground. He would be -glad when all was over. - -"There won't even be any chance to set fire to the machine," he groaned, -aloud. "The Germans will capture it intact. And who knows to what use -the crafty Boches may put it! But they'll hear no 'Kamerad, kamerad!' -from me." - -Suddenly a revulsion of feeling swept over the boy. The sight of the -Germans crowding around seemed to fill him with an anger he could not -repress. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in impotent wrath. -And with this fierce rebellion against the cruel fate that awaited him -his thoughts flashed back to Captain Baron Von Richtofen and his scarlet -planes. How little he had thought when hearing about them in the Caf -Rochambeau that that selfsame Squadron of Death was destined to play a -part in his own career! - -For hardly a moment had Don ceased his efforts to get the engine -running, and though it seemed useless--a futile task--he renewed them -once again. And just as he was about concluding that nothing remained to -be done but make a landing on a field toward which he had been heading, -his ears caught a sound which fairly electrified him. - -"At last!" he gasped. - -With a preliminary cough, one of the cylinders of the motor started to -work. Could it actually be possible? - -A fierce, wild hope, painful in its intensity, seized upon Don Hale. It -was an agonizing moment--a moment in which he suffered all the torture -of a mind agitated by the most violent conflict between hope and fear. - -And while the combat pilot was vaguely wondering if he had received just -another cruel stab the old familiar, deafening roar, with startling -abruptness, began to resound. - -Uttering a shrill whoop of joy, Don Hale sent the Nieuport upward. - -No music composed by the world's greatest masters could have sounded -more sweet to him than the steady reverberations of the engine. It still -seemed unbelievable--something that could not be. All the joys of a man -who, having given up hope, is unexpectedly granted a reprieve were his, -as the airplane buffeted its way against the teeth of the -ever-freshening wind. - -The disappointed Germans immediately sprang to the attack, and the -little Nieuport was running the gauntlet of rifle and revolver fire. -Fast as it flew, the bullets sped faster, and though the combat pilot -could not hear their wicked hum and zip he knew that leaden missiles -were flashing all about him, for several holes again appeared in the -upper plane. - -"Can I make it! Can I make it!" he kept repeating. - -Sometimes that wild race against such heavy odds seemed hopeless. He -dared not rise too high, for that would give the antiaircraft gunners a -chance of bringing him crashing down to the earth. True it was, that -many of the infantrymen seemed so paralyzed with astonishment at the -sight of a wildly-speeding Nieuport right over their heads as to forget -to fire. - -As moment succeeded moment, and Don Hale remained unscathed, he peered -cautiously over the side of the cockpit. Now he was flying above a -little village fairly swarming with the troops of the Kaiser. He could -see the heavy camions rumbling through the streets and all the sights -typical of military operations which he had observed on the opposite -side of the trenches. - -The thumping of his heart having in a measure subsided, and the chilling -tremors almost disappeared, he found this flying over the enemy's -country, in spite of the bullets that continually sped toward him, a -strangely fascinating game. - -The little village was presently left far to the rear, and the speeding -plane was again over the open country, with its whitish roads and green -fields dotted here and there with farms and houses. - -All at once he saw something in the distance which caused him to turn -his plane in a northwesterly direction. It was a faintish, elongated -yellowish spot suggestive of a giant caterpillar, lying close to the -ground. - -"A balloon--an observation balloon which has just been pulled down!" -cried Don Hale to himself. "I'll get a closer look at it. Great Scott!" - -From some totally unexpected quarter he was once again being fired at, -and a sharp metallic ring told him that some portion of his engine had -been struck by one of the marksmen below. - -Once more he passed through an instant of overwhelming anxiety. - -But the steady droning roar of the powerful engine brought cheer to his -heart. - -"No--no; not yet!" he muttered. "I still have a chance to cheat the -Boches." - -The thrilling adventures and narrow escapes through which Don Hale had -passed instead of lessening his courage and determination had increased -them, though he fully realized how strangely the elements of chance had -favored him. That sharp ping of the bullet striking the engine acted on -his nature like a spark applied to gunpowder, arousing all his -combativeness. - -As the plane neared the giant observation balloon a sudden and daring -idea flashed into the young combat pilot's mind, and then, almost for -the first time, he thought of the part he had played in preventing the -destruction of the photographic machine. Why couldn't he add another -feat to his credit? - -"By George, I'll make a good try!" he cried, his pulse beginning to -tingle anew. - -The Nieuport was now almost upon the huge, unwieldy monster, and Don -could plainly see the details on its smooth and shining surface. - -The balloon, anchored to a heavy motor tractor, swayed gently from side -to side as the cable to which it was attached was drawn down by a -windlass. Dozens of men, too, were aiding in its descent by pulling on -smaller ropes. - -A touch on the control stick sent the Nieuport climbing upward. Then, -precisely at the proper moment, Don Hale put an end to the ascending -flight, and turning the nose of the machine downward, he shut off the -engine and dove straight for the great gas bag. - -He had a vision of soldiers scattering in every direction--and they ran -like men who were seized with all the mad and unreasoning panic of -animals fleeing before a forest fire. There was something -ludicrous--almost absurd--in the picture they made which, even in that -intensely dramatic moment, involuntarily brought a half smile to the -face of the stern, grim-visaged boy in the pilot's seat. - -Don Hale knew that he was running a most appalling risk--indeed tempting -fate in a way he had never done before, and staking his life upon his -ability to make a success of his daring venture. - -The instant for action had come. His machine was pointed directly toward -the slick, rounded surface of the balloon. - -It made a most alluring target. - -Don pushed a button, and by this action fired the eight rockets fastened -to the sides of the fuselage. - -Instantly there came a resounding, awesome roar, and eight fiery trails, -each headed by a brilliant greenish light, were flashing toward the -balloon. - -Before the pilot could come out of his dive several of the rockets -pierced the silken envelope, and from as many points there came vivid -bursts of flame--the days of usefulness of that particular "sausage" -were certainly over. - -Elation was in Don Hale's heart. And then, just as he redressed[9] the -machine, he caught a quick glimpse of a mighty burst of flame, which, -enveloping the balloon from end to end, rose in ruddy viciously-curling -and leaping tongues high in the air. In a moment the Nieuport had passed -far beyond. - -Casting a look over his shoulder Don saw an extraordinary -spectacle--masses of flaming gas swept off by the breeze and -illuminating the surrounding gloom. - -Triumphant--proud indeed, the boy decided to take no more risks, but -make straight for the aviation ground, and, if good fortune still held -sway, perhaps reach it before the rapidly gathering storm had burst in -all its fury. - -Notwithstanding the whirl of excitement, the young pilot had vaguely -impressed upon his mind the disturbing truth that the lightning was -steadily growing brighter--the reverberations of thunder heavier. To -handle the Nieuport successfully in the wind and rain he knew would be a -most difficult task. - -The boy began to feel, now, the inevitable reaction. - -He was seized with a consuming anxiety to be away from the midst of -danger. But the rushing currents of air being dead against the Nieuport -it seemed to be just crawling along. - -For the first time the pilot dared to rise higher. He was passing over -one of those desolate stretches which told most eloquently of the -terrible conflicts which had taken place. Everywhere great shell-holes, -in places overlapping one another, pitted the earth, and the bottoms of -many were partly filled with muddy water left by recent rains. Of all -the desolate, depressing sights which the eyes of man could look upon -this seemed one of the worst. It was as though a blight had descended -upon the earth, to wither and destroy everything which lay in its -sinister path. Not a village--not a house remained; all were in -crumbling ruins. Even the streets themselves could not be traced; and of -the trees and patches of woods there remained but grotesque, gaunt -trunks, entirely stripped of branches and leaves. - -Of course this was not a new sight to the boy, and, under the -circumstances, he paid but little attention to it. Thoughts of the -trenches over which he must pass, and of the flying "Archies" the plane -would be sure to encounter were in his mind. He must ascend still -higher. - -"This has been a trip, sure enough!" muttered Don. "But if I get through -safely I'll never regret it. To-day, I feel that I have done my bit for -the Allied cause." - -Continually, he glanced in all directions. Vigilance was the price of -life. Many an airman had been stealthily approached from behind and -brought down without ever knowing what had struck him, and in the gloomy -shadows cast by the heavy storm-clouds it was doubly necessary to search -the heavens for every sign of the foe. - -But, in spite of all the pilot's extreme care, he was destined to make -presently another discovery--a discovery which once more set the blood -throbbing in his temples. It was the sudden appearance, at about his own -altitude, of another of Captain Baron Von Richtofen's planes. It had -approached dangerously near, too, before he was aware of its presence. - -It took Don Hale an instant to recover his wits. One moment he had -seemed to be alone in the vast expanse, and in the next he was -confronted by one of the scarlet enemy. - -With lightning velocity the Boche bore down upon the Nieuport, and -before Don Hale could make a move to alter his course luminous bullets -were cutting a fiery trail through the gloom about him. - ------ - -Footnote 9: - -Redressed--Straightened out. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX--THE PERILOUS GAME - - -At times, when the gravest dangers threaten, the human faculties, in -some mysterious way, gain a strength and mastery which completely banish -terror. Such was the case with Don Hale. As quickly as it was humanly -possible to do so, he turned his plane so that the engine was between -him and the showers of bullets. Then, obeying the injunction that -self-preservation is the first law of nature, he set the Vickers machine -gun into action. - -And thus began a terrible duel in the air just beneath the tossing edges -of heavy and turbulent masses of vapor. It seemed almost certain that -one of the machines must be quickly sent crashing and hurtling downward. - -The German pilot was evidently a master of his machine, and his -evolutions were performed with the greatest brilliancy. Don Hale had a -confused vision of a scarlet object flashing around, above and below him -with inconceivable rapidity. And he himself, in order to avoid the -enemy, was obliged to execute the most thrilling and daring maneuvers. - -And at every favorable opportunity the wicked crackling of the machine -guns rang out. Each pilot was fighting with that desperation which -characterizes a hunted animal, brought to bay. To Don Hale it seemed -more like some thrilling, wonderful sport than an actual combat in which -defeat might mean the end of all things earthly. Scores of -tracer-bullets, leaving for an instant their long, thin trails of smoke, -sped by him whichever way he turned, some passing close to his seat -between the planes. - -The fight was so fast and furiously contested that Don felt sure it must -come to a speedy termination. Every instant he expected to see the -bullets from his Vickers put an end to the battling career of that lone -member of Captain Baron Von Richtofen's Red Squadron of Death. Yet, -extraordinary as it seemed, the enemy plane continued to flash and -circle about him with dazzling speed,--so fast indeed that only a -confused and blurred vision of its movements was registered on Don -Hale's brain. Waves of dizziness swept over him; his face was smarting -and stinging from the terrific rush of air, while a touch of -air-sickness, a malady which sometimes affects even seasoned flyers, was -beginning to threaten him. - -But, notwithstanding, he managed to keep a firm grip upon all his -faculties. One instant of panic--one instant of relaxation he knew would -be enough to bring this strange air duel to a dramatic and tragic -conclusion. His main effort was to keep zigzagging behind the enemy's -tail, and thus make him waste his bullets on the empty air. - -In this he was not always successful. Often he found himself facing the -sinister-looking scarlet Albatross, to get instantaneous glimpses of its -hooded pilot glaring toward him. - -And even in those terrible moments, when the machines threatened to -crash into one another, Don Hale could not help thinking what an amazing -thing it was that he and this man, whom he had never met, whom he had -nothing against, and who, equally, had nothing against him, should be -fighting desperately, with all the ferocity of maddened tigers. - -The combat, which seemed to be long-drawn-out but which in reality -occupied only a very short time, was brought to an end by Don Hale. As -the German plane, momentarily occupying an advantageous position, dove -toward him, firing as it came, the combat pilot of the Lafayette -Escadrille performed an evolution known as the renversement. He sent the -Nieuport with meteor-like swiftness upward, and, while making a partial -loop, flying head downward, the red Albatross flashed beneath him. - -Still defying the laws of gravity, Don Hale straightened the course of -his plane, so that it was flying horizontally in a direction exactly -opposite to its line of flight at the beginning of the evolution. He -then cut off the motor and operated the ailerons at the sides of the -planes, which caused the machine to turn over sideways in a semicircle, -and thus bring it back to a natural position. - -The renversement was made with such remarkable swiftness that before the -red Albatross could swing around to renew the attack Don was shooting in -an upward drive straight for the shelter of the clouds. - -Almost like a bullet from a machine gun he entered the lower strata and -continued to climb, safe at last from the enemy who had sought to -destroy him. But the lightning glared brighter than ever; the thunder -rolled more ominously. He felt sure that only a short distance away the -rain was falling in torrents. - -Quite naturally, the boy's brain was in a whirl, but a feeling of -thankfulness that after encountering so many perils he had escaped -unscathed predominated. - -Finally emerging from the murky darkness into the light above, Don, -scanning the heavens with the most earnest attention, could see no signs -of other planes. - -"Well, I have had all the adventures I wish for one day!" he -soliloquized. "Whew! It was certainly a series of nightmares! Now I'll -just stay up here, wait until the storm is over, and after that beat it -so fast for the airdrome that a marmite wouldn't stand any chance in the -race. How wonderful it is to be up here in this bright sunshine! It -seems as though I must have drifted into the arctic regions by mistake. -This is certainly great!" - -It was, indeed, a singular scene upon which the combat pilot gazed. The -upper surfaces of the ever-rolling and tossing clouds, of the purest and -most dazzling white, like a vast field of snow and ice, stretched off to -the limits of vision. It seemed like a glimpse of another world--a world -of wonderful and impressive solitude. Not a sign of life could be seen -in all that great circle. There was nothing to link one's thoughts with -the world below. - -As before, Don saw the shadow of the wind-buffeted plane fantastically -skimming over the crests of vapor. Very soon vivid lightning was -flashing from cloud to cloud and the rolling, booming reverberations of -thunder were beginning to fill the upper region with solemn and -awe-inspiring volumes of sound. - -Don felt that he must rise still higher. Every gleam filled him with a -strange foreboding; it seemed as though, no matter which way he -traveled, there was no possibility of escaping the gravest danger. The -pilot was having difficulty, too, in navigating the Nieuport in the -sweeping gusts of wind. Sometimes it was carried rapidly aloft like a -chip on a rising wave, to drop, a moment later, with a suddenness that -almost took away his breath. - -His altimeter began to register an increasing height, and at length the -boy, in an icy region, was looking down upon far-off masses of clouds. - -If the young combat pilot of the Lafayette Escadrille had not been so -intensely lonely or so worn out with excitement and fatigue, he would -positively have enjoyed the strange and unique experience. But now he -most ardently hoped that the fury of the tempest would soon abate. - -Over what part of the country was he? Perhaps he had gone miles and -miles out of his course. There was no way to tell. - -And what if anything should happen to his engine, as it had done before? - -Now and again his thoughts involuntarily became fixed upon such an -eventuality, causing, anew, chilling tremors to sweep through his frame. -As important, now, as the beating of his heart were the pulsations of -the motor. It filled him with a sense of awe, and his keenly-listening -ears were attuned to catch the slightest change in the never-ceasing -roar of the engine. - -"By this time the boys must think I'm a goner," he communed to himself, -aloud. "Poor George Glenn! I'll bet no one dreams that I'm away up here, -condemned to sail around in great circles until warring nature gets over -its tempestuous fury. And, oh boy, but it's cold! Even with these heavy -gloves, my hands are becoming numb. I'm beginning to realize now just -how an icicle feels. I don't know where I am, but I certainly wish I -were somewhere else!" - -Time began to drag out interminably. Anxiously, he kept glancing down -upon that glorious, shimmering, white expanse in the hope that he might -discover signs of the clouds beginning to break away--of some little -ragged opening through which he might get a glimpse of the earth. But it -always presented the same monotonous expanse. - -"Not yet! Not yet!" he sighed. - -Like a rider driving a fractious steed, he was obliged to pay the -closest attention to the navigation of the speedy Nieuport; and as the -unruly horse may sometimes take the bit in its mouth, defying the will -of its master, so the airplane, aided and abetted by the gale of wind, -often gave him cause for the greatest anxiety. - -Between the blue heaven above and white clouds below, he kept on flying -in great circles, having in his ears the never-ceasing reverberations of -the rolling and booming thunder. Would it never end! How long was he -condemned to remain so high aloft? - -The sun, at length, was descending in the west and before very long must -disappear behind the distant masses of vapor. More than once Don -considered tempting fate by a descent through the clouds, and each time -the peril deterred him. How would it be possible for the Nieuport to -live amidst such a raging storm! - -"No, no! I can't risk it," muttered Don. "By George! Was a human being -ever placed in such a position before? Just now I can't say that I want -to enjoy the caressing touches of those wind-blown clouds on my cheek." - -Bravely, the boy tried to divert his mind, but the physical discomforts, -besides the increasing sense of being out of the world, made it quite -impossible. The storm had now reached its height. Forked tongues of -lightning were flashing incessantly in the clouds, illuminating the -interior of their swiftly-flying masses with a weird and spectral bluish -glare. - -"Not yet! Not yet!" sighed Don, again. "Great Scott! I can't stay up -here forever. This is certainly a case where a fellow needs a friend. -Hello! Something besides clouds and blue sky at last!" - -Far below, just tiny specks, the pilot had observed a flock of birds, -skimming close to the ragged, tossing edges of vapor--so close, indeed, -that at times they became lost to view as it closed about them. - -That sight was, indeed, a grateful one to the lone occupant of the upper -air. He turned his machine to watch them, until at length they grew -faint in the distance, then became lost to sight, leaving him to feel -more alone than ever. - -As the sun crept still lower toward the horizon, the effects began to -change; the arctic whiteness was being replaced by softer and more -mellow tints; delicate purplish shadows filled the hollows of the -clouds, and the deep blue of the sky above was slowly fading. The scene -constantly grew more wonderful and impressive. The rays of the great -coppery-colored ball, at last partly submerged in the clouds, were -tipping the masses of flying vapor with an orange glow. Sometimes their -varying forms suggested mountain peaks or stretches of rolling hills; -sometimes the keenly imaginative Don Hale could see in them suggestions -of fairy-like cities, with minarets sparkling like spots of golden -flame. - -The knowledge that the day was coming to a close made him more and more -eager to begin his homeward journey. But, with a persistency that was -exasperating--alarming--the storm continued to expend its fury. Still -there was not a rift--not a sign to give him either cheer or hope. - -And now a new worry--a new apprehension--began to attack him; the -gasoline was giving out. He could not hope to keep up his flight much -longer. The thought made the blood fairly pound in his temples. - -Thrilling as all his adventures had been, was fate going to crown them -all with one infinitely more thrilling--infinitely more dangerous? - -The combat pilot shuddered as he pondered over the situation. Captain -Baron Von Richtofen's dreaded Squadron of Death seemed indeed puny and -insignificant when compared with the tremendous forces of nature which -he must eventually face. - -A short reprieve from the terrible danger remained. He could not yet -bring himself to make that great plunge--a plunge where all the elements -of chance were dead against him--where he could expect no mercy--where -no human power save his own could be availing. - -Five minutes passed; then ten. He dared not delay much longer. With a -tense and drawn face, Don Hale again peered over the side of the cockpit -in an effort to discover some point where the storm had spent its force. - -There was none. - -"It's as bad as staking one's life on the flip of a coin," he groaned. -"Well, here goes!" - -The boy firmly pursed his lips, operated the ailerons by means of the -control lever, and, next instant, the plane was speeding downward. He -could see the golden lights and purple shadows apparently flashing up to -meet him; he could feel the plane, in the grip of the stronger currents -of air, shivering and trembling. - -And then a saying of the French pilots came into his mind: "The plane -fell like a dead leaf to the ground." Was his Nieuport, too, destined to -"fall like a dead leaf to the ground"? - -That question must soon be answered. - -For one brief instant he pulled up the machine. During that interval of -time, short as it was, he had a terrifying vision of a quivering, -glimmering light which filled the whole surrounding air. The appalling -boom and crash of thunder overwhelmed the sound of the motor. He seemed -to be sailing just above some frightful inferno resembling nothing he -had ever before encountered. - -With a sinking feeling at his heart and a muttered: "Now!" the pilot -once more turned the nose of his machine downward. - -The dreaded plunge was made. - -In a second's time he had left the gold and purple of the upper world -and was immersed in the storm-clouds. As though dipped in an icy bath, -he felt cold chills running through him and running through him again. -Flash after flash of lightning, blinding in its bluish glare, -momentarily tore asunder the darkness, and he had instantaneous glimpses -of phantom-like masses of vapor and portions of the moisture-laden -machine gleaming with a sharp, metallic light. - -Electricity seemed to be forming all about him. He could not rid himself -of a terrible fear that the machine might get into the path of one of -those zigzag streaks of flame chasing each other in every direction. The -thunder was cracking like pistol shots multiplied a thousand fold. It -came, too, in wild, gurgling notes, or in mighty, deafening detonations -that dazed and bewildered the pilot. - -In the anguish of his soul, he cried out, not once but many times: - -"I am lost! I am lost!" - -And so it really seemed; for the bravely-battling plane, almost shaken -to pieces by the onrushing wind, was driven first one way and then -another, or beaten back, threatening at every instant to topple over on -its back and complete the rest of its journey in an uncontrollable -spinning dive. - -Don Hale was fairly gasping for breath. Every bone in his body ached. -His brain was dizzy and reeling. But that powerful instinct of -self-preservation implanted in every one prevented him from giving up in -utter despair, though he fully expected that the airy caverns of the -clouds would be the last thing his eyes were ever destined to look upon. - -With teeth gritted together, he fought on, matching his wits and brains -with the seething, shrieking vortex that toyed with the plane and seemed -bent upon his destruction. And each hard-won victory brought a little -more hope to his heart and lessened the strain on his overwrought -nerves. Yet it all appeared unreal, unnatural and unearthly--like a -chaos--nature itself in the grip of anarchy. - -But how thick were the clouds? He could not understand why he should be -so long immersed in their humid depths. - -However, when torrents of rain presently began thudding and splashing -against him he realized that he must be approaching the lower surfaces. -How earnestly he longed for the moment to come! Each blinding glare of -lightning, each mighty peal of thunder still had a terrifying effect. He -could not rid himself of an awful dread that the fates would, at last, -decide against him. - -Thus, when the Nieuport actually staggered through the last strata, the -boy almost felt as if it was something scarcely to be believed. He could -not realize that the most terrible part of the voyage was over and that -as he had cheated the Germans in their prey so had he cheated the Storm -King. - -But dangers were not yet ended. All around him extended a curious -expanse almost as obscure, almost as gloomy and murky as that through -which he had just passed. And where was he to land? In what direction -lay the encampment of the Lafayette Escadrille? Don was even in doubt as -to whether he had gone beyond that devastated strip of territory--"No -Man's Land." - -"I reckon there's nothing to do but trust to blind luck," he murmured to -himself. "Ah, old earth--good old earth--I never appreciated you so much -before!" - -Down, still further down glided the Nieuport, while the boy strove to -pierce the enshrouding darkness. - -At last the very faintest of blurs brought an exclamation of joy to his -lips. But as the utmost caution was necessary in approaching the earth, -he began to volplane at an angle less steep. It would be the easiest -thing in the world, he knew, to smash the biplane in landing, and thus -bring disaster at the journey's end. - -But still everything was too indistinguishable, too hidden by the rain -and shadows for him to gain any idea of the nature of the terrain. All -he could make out were faint and mottled grayish patches merging -insensibly into one another. - -A decision must soon be made. The gasoline was running dangerously low. - -Still nearer the earth, like a storm-tossed gull, the Nieuport -descended. - -It was only a few hundred feet in the air when Don Hale made a discovery -that brought a hoarse cry from his lips. - -He had seen the faintest possible gleams of ruddy color tingeing the -gray gloom to the west. - -What was that light? What did it mean? - -With joy surging through his heart, Don Hale thought he knew the answer. -The light came from flares, lighted on the aviation grounds, to act as a -beacon of safety to belated airmen. - -"As sure as I live, that's what it must be!" he cried. "But----" A -sudden doubt entered his mind. "Does it come from 'Germany' or France?" - -The boy felt, however, that to hesitate any longer would be foolhardy in -the extreme. He guided his plane toward the faint light, watching it -slowly growing stronger with an inexpressible feeling of thankfulness -and relief. - -Very soon he could faintly trace the lines of a gigantic letter T, -formed by a number of fiercely-blazing fires. - -There could be no further doubt; it was certainly an aviation field. - -Only the knowledge that he must keep all his faculties alert in order to -guide the plane prevented the pilot from uttering a series of jubilant -shouts. - -Now the blazing flares were becoming clear and distinct. He could make -out the tongues of flame, and the illumination spreading out on all -sides, to cast a faint, delicate glow for a short distance on the -water-soaked ground. Then he began to detect the presence of human -beings gathered in little knots or running in the direction of the -plane. - -Steadying his overtaxed nerves, Don Hale skilfully maneuvered his plane, -with the rain and the wind still beating fiercely against him. - -A bright flash of lightning--the brightest he had seen since leaving the -clouds--suddenly bathed the earth in its vivid glare. And that swift -transition from almost the darkness of night to the brilliancy of -noonday brought peace of mind to the young combat pilot of the Lafayette -Escadrille. What cared he now for Captain Baron Von Richtofen and his -Red Squadron of Death or the loud and angry rumbling of his other -enemy--the Storm King! For there, right below him, were the familiar -hangars, the familiar fields--the headquarters of the escadrille itself. - -And, only fifty feet above the ground, he could hear, above the wind, -which still played its wild symphony on the wires of the machine, the -welcoming shouts and hurrahs of his fellow pilots of the squadron. - -Twenty-five feet--then ten! And presently the rubber-tired wheels jarred -against the ground, and the Nieuport, traveling a short distance, was -brought to a stop by the gusts of wind that bore down upon it. - -And that had no sooner happened than Don Hale, the happiest boy in the -world, was lifted out of the machine by his loudly felicitating and -joyous friends. - -The perilous game had been played and won. - - - - - CHAPTER XX--HAMLIN - - -Don Hale was certainly given a tremendous reception; and a short time -later, while comfortably seated in a chair at the villa recounting his -memorable adventures, was highly gratified to hear T. Singleton Albert -verify his statement concerning the destruction of the observation -balloon. - -"This is the way it came about," explained Drugstore: "During that -scrimmage with the Boches I happened to see Don's machine, hotly -pursued, enter the clouds. And Don being rather new at the game, I -thought I'd try to hang around a bit, so as to keep an eye on him if I -could." - -"Bully for you!" cried Don. "Albert, you're a brick!" - -"I had a pretty fierce time of it, too, with tracer bullets cutting -holes through the air all about me, but, after a while, I managed to -slip away from the attacking planes. By that time the scrap was over and -the photographic machine and its escort were on their way home. - -"Somehow or other, I don't know why, I had a pretty strong suspicion, -Don, that your Nieuport wasn't among them. So, instead of making for the -airdrome, I flew back over the lines, incidentally saying -'how-do-you-do' to a number of 'Archies' and a bushel or two of -'onions.' I shot up pretty high to avoid being shot up myself, and after -traveling quite a considerable distance began cutting big spirals in the -air. The clouds were looking mighty ominous and threatening, and several -times yours truly was tempted to beat it, but, fortunately, something -restrained me. - -"My Nieuport was away up near the ceiling when, on looking down, I -suddenly discovered a plane which appeared exactly as though it was -crawling along the ground. Through a pair of binoculars I could see the -circles of red, white and blue on the wing tips. Then I volplaned a bit, -hoping to make out whether it was your machine or not." Albert began to -laugh. "Yes, I saw the whole shooting match, Don; and the way that big -sausage began to blaze after your little interview certainly tickled my -fancy." - -"Oh, boy, but wouldn't I have enjoyed the sight!" giggled Bobby Dunlap. - -"Of course it wasn't possible for me to tell whether it was your plane -or not, Don, but after seeing the Nieuport begin to climb to a higher -altitude I concluded to say good-bye to 'Germany' and streak for the -home plate. - -"Very soon it began to rain--rain like the dickens, too, and before I -got within miles of the airdrome my bus was doing everything but turning -somersaults. Anyway, Don, you've got a witness to prove that you turned -the trick." - -"That's simply great!" chuckled Don. "Some afternoon, eh?" - -"You bet!" agreed Drugstore. "But it certainly was a jolly rude jolt to -me when I got back and found that after all you had not returned." - -"Anyway, he'll have something to talk about for the rest of his life," -said George Glenn. - -"There's no doubt about that," laughed Don. - -The young pilot had by no means recovered from the effects of his -turbulent experiences. Some of the dizziness still remained. His nerves -occasionally twitched and he experienced a feeling of physical -exhaustion, all the more unpleasant because of his boyish fear that the -others might observe it. - -It had required a considerable effort for him to tell his story, and a -still greater to enter into the general conversation. - -Finally the thunder began to roll less frequently; the storm was -breaking away. - -Soon afterward one of the mechanics stepped into the room to inform Don -that his machine had been found full of holes. - -"Just a little bit more, and it would have made a capital piece of -mosquito netting, Monsieur l'Aviateur," he declared. - -"If I should happen to see any mosquitoes around here so big that they -couldn't get through such holes I'd sure take that next train for home," -guffawed Bobby Dunlap. - -"And if I'd had a piece of mosquito netting manufactured for me by -German bullets, I wouldn't even wait for the train; I'd start running," -laughed the mechanic. He turned to Don. - -"It's a great wonder to me, Monsieur, that your nose and ears weren't -clipped off." - -"I expected more than that to happen," returned Don, with a faint smile. - -At length Bobby Dunlap began to tell the hero of the afternoon about the -mysterious peasant. - -"He's a German spy, sure as shooting," he whispered. "But don't say -anything to the boys about it, Donny. George Glenn promised me he -wouldn't." - -"Why not explain the matter to the lieutenant?" asked Don, quite -breathlessly. - -Peur Jamais reflected an instant, then shook his head. - -"I intended to at first," he declared, "but, thinking it over, concluded -to wait until I could arrest the old bird myself and march him over here -at the point of a pistol. And, oh boy, that is going to make a bigger -sensation than your cooking the big sausage." - -"But he may slip away," suggested Don. - -"That idea struck me, too," commented Peur Jamais, in a troubled tone. -"But"--he brightened up--"it will only mean that somebody else is going -to do the point-of-the-pistol act. Wouldn't it make a dandy movie drama, -eh? And, just to think, Donny, if it hadn't been for old Pre Goubain I -might never have known what was going on." Bobby laughed joyously. -"Crickets! I can hardly wait for the fireworks to begin." - -In the interest aroused by the story of the mysterious peasant, Don -almost forgot his fatigue. He could not remember ever having enjoyed a -supper more than he did that evening; and the sense of security and -freedom from all danger as they sat around after the meal proved most -pleasant and welcome. - -On the following day Don Hale was in his Nieuport again, and performed -the usual two patrols of two hours each over the lines without meeting -with adventures. - -Several weeks passed, and it was a time filled with enough narrow -escapes and thrilling incidents to last even an aviator a lifetime. - -At length Don Hale's day off arrived. Late in the afternoon he seated -himself comfortably by the window and spent the time in reading a book -and occasionally joining in the conversation about him. The -irrepressible Bobby Dunlap was in the room, as was also Jason Hamlin. - -Finally the latter rose to his feet and began walking toward the door, -whereupon Bobby blurted out: - -"I say, Jasy, have you seen the old peasant lately?" - -Hamlin, who was one of those individuals who apparently dislike the -slightest familiarity, frowned, remarking briefly: - -"Yes; just the other day." - -"I must say, this particular specimen is rather a dull looking old chap -until one gets to talking to him. Ever been over to his place, Hammy?" - -"Yes," answered Jason. - -"So have I," laughed Peur Jamais. "And there's everything there but what -a farm ought to have. He must be using some method of growing vegetables -by wireless. By the way, Jason, ever go through that old ramshackle -house?" - -"Only the first floor," responded the other, adding abruptly: "Bobby, -several times I've overheard you making mysterious observations in -regard to that particular 'specimen,' who is a rather dull looking old -chap until one gets to talking to him. How would you like to offer an -explanation?" - -Bobby's expression swiftly changed. The laughing light left his eyes, -and, for an instant, he looked not only surprised but displeased. - -"So you were in the house?" he cried. "Well, what did you find?" - -"That the peasant was not altogether what he seemed. I heard you also -mention Sherlock Holmes, which would naturally suggest that you thought -of doing a little investigating. How about it?" - -Bobby scowled quite fiercely. - -"Really, Jasy, I'm quite surprised at you," he declared. "Did you learn -how to eavesdrop in a correspondence school or did it just come -naturally?" - -"One doesn't have to eavesdrop when you're around, Bobby," returned -Hamlin. "You don't know how to whisper." - -"Thanks, frightfully," growled Bobby. - -"Some people have ears so keen that they can even hear what isn't -intended for them. Run outside and play. When I want to tell you -anything about the old peasant you'll get it first hand. And as I notice -you seem to appreciate his company so much I won't be impolite enough to -make any disparaging remarks about him." - -"Some people's eyes are so sharp they can even see what isn't intended -for them," laughed Hamlin. "However, I won't avail myself of your kind -permission to run out and play, but will take a walk instead." - -"Where?" asked Bobby. - -"It's a secret, but I'll tell you. I'm going in the direction of my -destination. So-long, Messieurs. I'll see you later." - -And, with a half mocking laugh and a wave of his hand, Hamlin -disappeared outside. - -"I declare, that chap's about the limit!" exclaimed Peur Jamais to Don -Hale. He lowered his voice. "You noticed, Donny, that he didn't want to -tell us where he is going. I wonder if----" Bobby paused, looked -thoughtfully out of the window, scratched the back of his head, then -resumed: "Yes, I'll bet that's just it!" - -"What is?" asked Don. - -"That Jasy's going over to see the old boy now. Say, Don, put up that -book, and see how near my deduction comes to the truth." - -"Which means, I suppose, that you're going over there yourself?" asked -Don. - -"You guessed it the first time. Coming?" - -"Having aroused my curiosity so much about the mysterious peasant, I -think I will," responded Don. "It adds a touch of activity to a day -otherwise full of perfect repose." - - - - - CHAPTER XXI--THE ARREST - - -The cheerful glow was fading from the sky when Don and Bobby Dunlap -started out in quest of mild adventure. - -The boys walked leisurely--in fact so leisurely that when Don Hale had -his first glimpse of the three majestic oaks which concealed the old -farmhouse from view, Venus, the evening star, was making its sparkling -presence known in the bluish-gray firmament. - -"See here, Donny," almost whispered Bobby, "I don't think we ought to -make this a conventional visit. In our present capacity as detectives I -feel that we're justified in using any means at all to trap this old -codger. Let's steal up and do a little spying ourselves." - -"Just the scheme," approved Don. - -The two started ahead. - -The dreary, deserted aspect of the surroundings, the distant booming of -the guns and the nature of the expedition all combined to produce a -tingling sensation in Don Hale's nerves. - -Now they were approaching the great trees, and the boy caught his first -glimpse of the old dilapidated dwelling. In the dim shadows of the end -of day, with a mystery hovering over it, it assumed in his eyes a weird -and sinister appearance. The gables and chimneys were silhouetted -crisply against the translucent tones of the ever-darkening sky. Don's -eyes roved over the windows, each a dull and lifeless patch of dark. -Everything gave the impression of utter desolation. - -"I don't believe the mysterious peasant can be around just now," he -murmured. "And I reckon Bobby's idea in regard to Jason Hamlin is -altogether wrong." - -Skirting around the old oaks, the two reached an open stretch. However, -there were masses of shrubbery beyond, affording excellent places of -concealment; so, after a moment's reflection, Don and Bobby continued -straight along, and presently found themselves in the midst of the dense -shadows not far from the entrance to the house. - -A few minutes passed, and Don began to feel that such a vigil around a -deserted house had in it something of the absurd and ridiculous. - -"Bobby----" he began. - -"Sh-h-h-h!" whispered Bobby. - -Then silence between the two ensued. - -And in all probability it would have remained unbroken for some time but -for the sound of human voices suddenly coming from the house. They were -raised, as though the speakers had become engaged in a heated argument. - -The watchers were fairly electrified. - -"Aha! What did I tell you!" blurted out Bobby, forgetting caution in his -eagerness and excitement. "I know those voices. They belong to Hamlin -and the spy." - -The altercation grew louder and more turbulent, then quieted down, -until, finally, the quietude was as complete as before. - -"I wonder what it all means!" murmured Don. "The mystery deepens. Ah! -Things seem to be developing fast." - -Cautiously, he stepped over to Peur Jamais' side. "What's the next move -in the game, Bobby?" he inquired, sotto voce--"the point-of-the-pistol -act?" - -"Keep still!" commanded Bobby, fiercely. "I'm trying to hear what they -have to say. Did you catch any of the words?" - -"Not one," answered Don. Then, with a muttered exclamation indicative of -extreme surprise and annoyance, he faced about, nudged Bobby in the -ribs, and exclaimed in a low, suppressed tone: "As I live, some one is -coming along the road. It won't do to stay here. We'll be seen." - -"And if we get around on the other side we'll most likely be observed by -the chaps in the house," burst out Peur Jamais. "Who in the world could -have expected anything like this? By George! It must be a veritable -spies' retreat." - -Somewhat precipitously, Bobby began to move around the vegetation, and -Don joined him a moment later on the opposite side. - -Peering between the leaves, the latter could soon make out a shadowy -form approaching. But the light was too dim for him to see whether the -man was civilian or soldier. The boy's interest was aroused to the -highest pitch. - -What could this man's errand be? Evidently he must know the mysterious -peasant and be familiar with the grounds. - -"Curious! Curious!" muttered Don. - -Expectantly--anxiously, he waited until the man had passed, then began -retracing his steps, with Bobby close at his heels. - -When he had resumed his former position, the boy, gazing over the top of -the branches and leaves, was just in time to observe the man disappear -in the dense shadows of the old farmhouse. - -"Now what do you think of all this?" almost stuttered Bobby. "Oh, boy, -but I feel kind of sorry for Jasy, though. This night's work may get him -into a whole pile of trouble." - -He was evidently going to add something more, but the sound of voices -again stopped him. They were no longer raised as if in anger, yet, -nevertheless, the conversation was evidently being carried on with the -greatest seriousness. - -And just about this time the two disciples of Sherlock Holmes saw a very -dim light appear in one of the windows of the first floor, which, -flashing in an erratic fashion, rapidly grew stronger, as though some -one were bringing a lamp into the room. - -Very soon the last vestige of day had disappeared, and overhead the -stars and constellations were shining and twinkling with that wonderful -brilliancy which they only possess when viewed far from smoke-filled -towns. The boys no longer feared discovery. Night, with all its mystery, -all its weirdness and majesty, was upon them, and though his fellow -pilot was only a few yards away Don could no longer distinguish his -form. - -Easy in mind, therefore, they were able to give their undivided -attention to the house. Now and again the light was blotted out, as -figures momentarily passed in front. It was all very interesting, -invoking in the mind thoughts of plots, of mysteries and of the -machinations of spies. - -"If we could only hear what they are saying," groaned Bobby. - -"I know a way," declared Don. - -"How?" - -"I'm going to crawl right up beneath the window and listen." - -"Bravo, Donny! I'm with you there." - -Carefully as the two proceeded, it was impossible, in the darkness, to -avoid making some noise; and each time both involuntarily halted in -their tracks, half expecting to hear some one come rushing out of the -house to investigate. - -"Great Scott!" - -The young combat pilot could not repress this exclamation, and, at the -same instant, he heard a low whistle coming from the unseen Bobby close -at hand. - -Both had been caused by a peculiar action of one of the occupants of the -room. Lamp in hand, he had approached the window, and, thrusting the -feeble light outside, moved it up and down and sideways several times. - -Mystified--puzzled, Don Hale felt that any further advance under the -peculiar circumstances would be entirely too risky, and he was about to -whisper this opinion to Bobby when a very faint sound from the rear -caused him to turn quickly. A peculiar tingling sensation shot through -him. Yet he could not quite explain the reason why. What was it he had -heard?--a footfall? Or, in the excitement, had his imagination been -tricked by the rustling of the vegetation? - -In the darkness and mystery of the night the unseen often assumes in the -imagination formidable proportions, carrying with it curious, -undefinable fears. - -And while Don Hale stood there, irresolute, his ears distinctly caught -the sound of footsteps. Then followed a sharp, metallic click. - -A stream of whitish light was fantastically streaking across the ground -toward the boys. - -An involuntary exclamation escaped Don's lips. He felt himself almost -shivering. - -But a few paces away stood a man. And, clearly, the electric torch which -he carried was seeking them out. What was the meaning of it all? How had -they been so unerringly tracked? - -Nearer and nearer came the brilliant white rays; then leaving the ground -they shot upward, wavered forth and back erratically and presently fell -squarely upon his face. - -"Make no move, Messieurs!" exclaimed a strong, firm voice. "You are -under arrest!" - -"Under arrest!" gasped Don, literally astounded. "Who--who are you?" - -"I don't--I don't understand!" quavered Bobby Dunlap. Rather feebly, -sepulchrally he echoed Don Hale's query: "Who are you?" - -The white light suddenly described a circle in the air, and flashed for -one brief, solitary instant, upon a silver shield. The man was holding -his coat open, thus allowing it to be seen. - -"What--what does this mean?" stuttered Peur Jamais, while Don Hale, more -surprised, more nonplused than he had ever been in his life, vainly -strove to see the features of the mysterious person before them. - -"It means that, as a member of the French secret service, I am carrying -out my orders," came the astonishing rejoinder. "Let me repeat: you are -under arrest." - -"But why? What for?" almost exploded Bobby, who had found his voice and -nerve. "You have made some extraordinary mistake. Aha! Now I think I -know what it means--you've got the wrong people, that's it. Those you -are seeking are in that house,--in that house, do you understand! Quick, -now, before they get away." - -To further increase Bobby's agitated and disturbed state of mind the man -uttered a gruff laugh, following this with a loud whistle. - -Almost instantly, as if in answer, footsteps sounded, and, on turning -quickly, Don and Bobby saw three men just leaving the house; the beams -from a swinging lantern carried by the foremost now and then throwing -weird splotches of light upon their forms, one instant bringing them out -in sharp relief, the next allowing the darkness to again gather them in -its folds. - -"It's all utterly beyond me," muttered Don Hale, as he viewed the -strange little procession approaching. - -The man with the lantern was the mysterious peasant. And, strangely -enough, he showed no more surprise at finding the two American aviators -so close to his door than if such a visit were the most ordinary and -commonplace thing in the world. One of those accompanying him was Jason -Hamlin; the other the boys had never seen before. - -Jason Hamlin was the first to speak. - -"And so we meet under rather peculiar circumstances!" he remarked, -harshly. "Let me say, Peur Jamais, that----" - -"Let me say something first," interrupted Bobby, savagely. "Do you know -what he tells us?"--he jerked his finger in the direction of the man -with the electric torch--"that we are under arrest." - -"So am I," exclaimed Hamlin, in a voice which shook with suppressed -anger. - -"You, too, under arrest!" gasped Don. "By Jove, this is certainly a -weird night!" - -"And how about that chap parading around in a peasant's blouse and -wooden shoes?" cried Peur Jamais. "If any one ought to be arrested he's -the one." He turned to the secret service man. "I demand that you take -him into custody. He's an impostor--a--a----" - -"Softly--softly, my young friend," broke in the mysterious peasant. "I -deeply regret that an unpleasant duty had fallen to my lot, particularly -as our country has every reason to be grateful to America." - -He threw open his thin blue blouse, at the same instant raising his -lantern. And as the yellow light shone on another shield precisely -similar to the one which adorned the breast of the other man, both Don -Hale and Bobby Dunlap gave voice to exclamations of the greatest -surprise and wonderment. - -"So you, too, belong to the secret service!" cried Don. - -"Can--can you beat it!" came from Bobby, weakly. - -"I think it would be a rather hard job," broke in Jason Hamlin. -"And----" - -He was interrupted by the third man, who had been a silent witness to -the proceeding. - -"Let me put in a word," he exclaimed, authoritatively. "I also belong to -the secret service; and I wish to say to you young Americans that you -are at liberty to return to the villa--the headquarters of the Lafayette -Escadrille. Under no circumstances, however, are you to leave it until -this affair has been entirely cleared up. I and my camarades are not -here to answer questions. Your captain has already been notified. -Remember, you are technically prisoners. This may seem harsh, -ungrateful, and unappreciative perhaps of the work you have done for -France, but the law knows no sentiment; it is cold and pitiless. Now you -may go." Addressing his compatriots, he added: "Come, Messieurs." - -Thereupon the three secret service men, with words of adieu, turned -toward the house. - -"I never was so angry, so wilted with surprise and disgust in the whole -course of my life!" fumed Bobby Dunlap. "Not here to answer questions, -eh! Never even had the politeness to say why we were pinched. It's an -outrage--that's what it is!" - -"Prisoners, eh!" remarked Don, with a dry laugh. - -"And the comedy has to have still another act!" broke in Jason Hamlin, -ironically. "You are right, Bobby: it is an outrage. But what you mean -is not exactly what I mean." - -And, with this enigmatic remark, the aviator started to make his way -toward the road. The two other "prisoners" followed. - - - - - CHAPTER XXII--THE TRIAL - - -The Hale-Hamlin-Dunlap case certainly created a sensation among the -pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille--indeed it created a great deal more -talk than the fact that the Germans had begun to paint their -battleplanes in colors of the most extraordinary and brilliant hue. - -No one could understand the affair; it appeared a most unfathomable -mystery, and especially so when the captain of the squadron politely -informed Victor Gilbert that he, too, was technically a prisoner. - -"Oh, chains and dungeons! I suppose, the next thing, they'll be -arresting the whole squadron!" cried Bobby Dunlap when apprised of this -new and singular development in the _cause celebre_. "Goodness gracious, -but I wish that last act would begin!" - -The patience of the "prisoners" was not to be severely taxed, however; -for, on the following morning, they received a summons to appear in the -reception hall of the villa. - -Entering, they found what appeared to be a court about to open its -session. Seated on one side of a long table was the captain of the -squadron and a gray-haired military man, a lieutenant, as was revealed -by his uniform. Opposite to them sat the secret service men, the former -"peasant" scarcely recognizable in his civilian's clothes. Numerous -papers of an official character were strewn about the table, greatly -heightening the appearance of a court procedure. - -"Messieurs," exclaimed the military man, looking up gravely, "kindly -take seats at the table." - -He looked like a stern old judge as he spoke. His eyes were cold and -hard, the lines on his face grim and set and his closely cropped whitish -moustache revealed a mouth indicating determination and strength of -character. - -Bobby Dunlap as a rule was not disposed to take things seriously, but -under the present circumstances the silence in the big room, the frigid -atmosphere, the formality and the gravity expressed upon the faces of -the military men had its effect, making him feel ill at ease, -uncomfortable and nervous. - -"Messieurs, we are now ready to proceed," announced the lieutenant at -the head of the table. "Let me affirm in the beginning that we have no -doubt of your loyalty or devotion to the cause which you espouse. At the -same time I must explain that the military authorities as well as the -secret service officials never allow the most trivial circumstance to -pass without the most thorough investigation. In numerous cases -everything is, of course, found to be entirely right, but it may happen -that the hundredth will turn out otherwise, and perhaps that which -appeared futile--a waste of time--may be revealed, under the searching -light of truth, as a dangerous intrigue of our enemies." - -"Indeed, most extraordinary cases have come to our attention," put in -the captain. - -"We will hear Monsieur Robert Dunlap first," continued the officer in -charge of the proceedings. "Monsieur Dunlap, kindly stand up." - -At this, Peur Jamais, whose general appearance and manner belied the -name bestowed upon him by his friends, obeyed. - -The interrogation began. - -"Is it true," asked the officer, "that on several occasions you made use -of this expression in reference to Jason Hamlin: 'other games are just -as dangerous'?" - -"Yes, Monsieur the Lieutenant," gulped Bobby, red and confused. - -"In using that expression what did you infer?" - -"Well, I--I--you see----" Peur Jamais, finding his tongue getting -tangled, abruptly paused. Then, having mastered in a measure his -uncomfortable feelings, he resumed: "I heard Monsieur Victor Gilbert -make this observation, as well as several others to Monsieur Hamlin, all -seeming to indicate----" - -Bobby halted again; the flush on his cheek deepened. - -"Continuez, Monsieur," commanded the lieutenant. - -"That--that he might be a German spy," exclaimed Bobby, desperately. "I -heard so many stories about the espionage system from old Pre Goubain, -of the Caf Rochambeau, near our training camp, that perhaps I became -unduly suspicious." - -The man whom the boys had formerly called the "mysterious peasant" -looked up with a smile. - -"With Monsieur the Lieutenant's permission," he exclaimed, "I will -explain, though I do not wish the fact to be generally known, that -Monsieur Goubain is affiliated with the secret service and has given us -much valuable information." - -"Oh--oh!" gasped Bobby, while all the other Americans in the room -uttered suppressed exclamations. - -"His object in speaking so freely was not only to show you the dangers -that existed but to get you to keep your eyes open." The man smiled. "In -one case, at least, he evidently succeeded." - -"You have no evidence against Monsieur Hamlin?" continued the -lieutenant, addressing Bobby. - -"No, Monsieur the Lieutenant," responded Peur Jamais. - -"That will do. You may sit down. Monsieur Gilbert." - -When the former college student rose to his feet he showed none of the -perturbation which had affected Bobby. - -"Monsieur Gilbert," began the lieutenant, "it will be necessary for you -to explain your entire connection with this affair, which, as our report -indicates, began long before you came to France and joined the Lafayette -Escadrille." - -"Yes, Monsieur the Lieutenant," returned Gilbert. In an easy, -conversational tone he began: "Before hostilities broke out in 1914 my -father and Jason Hamlin's were firm friends, as well as business -partners. Mrs. Hamlin was born in Germany, and her husband himself had -distant relatives living there. The war had not continued very long -before disputes began to arise between my father and his partner on -account of the latter's ardent championship of the cause of Germany." -Gilbert glanced in the direction of Jason Hamlin. "His son, too, was -equally disposed to favor that country. And as our fathers had heated -arguments so did we. Both of us, I may say, were at work for the firm. -Finally the differences became so acute that after a particularly -violent altercation, Mr. Hamlin, Senior, announced his intention of -withdrawing from the firm, which he shortly did. His son, too, went with -him; and, from the closest of friends, we became so estranged as to be -considered enemies." - -"After the entrance of America into the war did the Hamlins still remain -pro-German?" queried the officer. - -Victor Gilbert smiled. - -"I have never had any conversation with the Mr. Hamlin, Senior, since -that time," he replied, "and I do not know what his opinions are. -Frankly, I must say that in regard to the son it seemed incomprehensible -to me that one with such strong German proclivities could so change his -opinions as to come over here and fight for the Allied cause." - -"May I speak?" interjected Hamlin, somewhat heatedly. - -"Your turn will come in a few minutes, Monsieur," said the presiding -officer. "Continuez, Monsieur Gilbert." - -"I was astounded when Hamlin came to the aviation school. And, judging -from many things he had said, I feared that perhaps he might actually be -a spy. And in some of our altercations--altercations that interested -Monsieur Dunlap--I intimated just as much." - -"You certainly did," jeered Jason Hamlin, with an angry glare. "And if -you'd only had sense enough to----" - -"Silence--silence!" interrupted the lieutenant. - -"Naturally, words may be said in the heat of anger which would not be -uttered when cooler judgment prevails," continued Victor, doggedly. -"Why, I ask, shouldn't I have been suspicious? And when I remarked to -Hamlin that 'other games are just as dangerous' it was meant as a -warning for him to go a bit slow." - -"Has your opinion been altered?" asked the lieutenant. - -Victor Gilbert nodded. - -"Yes, Monsieur the Lieutenant," he replied. "And the reason is because -of Hamlin's very excellent record since he joined the squadron." - -Jason Hamlin now had the opportunity to explain his side of the case. As -he began speaking his manner was decidedly different from that of the -other two witnesses. He was clearly angry--aggressive, and his voice, -raised high, rang through the room. - -"I am very willing to admit that I was pro-German, as Monsieur Gilbert -told you," he declared. "But, as events change so can one's opinions -change with them. Before America became involved in hostilities I had a -perfect right to favor Germany; but to have done so afterward would have -been disloyal--indeed a traitorous act. No one has the right to go -against his own country. And when I learned that Victor Gilbert had -joined an aviation school in France I determined to show him, as well as -any others who might have doubted my patriotism, that they were entirely -mistaken. And as words without action count for little, I decided to -follow his example and become an aviator." - -At this point Jason Hamlin's stern expression deepened. He clenched his -fists; and when he spoke again it was in even louder tones than before. - -"My friend Monsieur Dunlap may think that he alone pierced the disguise -of the peasant, but, if so, he is in error; and, surmising that I might -be under suspicion, I made it a point to cultivate the man's -acquaintance. At last the feelings which injustice always arouse caused -me to decide that it was time to make an end of the farce--hence my -visit to the farmhouse. I boldly told the secret service man that I knew -what was going on; I said he could strip off his peasant's disguise and -work to better advantage elsewhere. I declared that I was receiving a -very poor reward for daily risking my life for the Allied cause. We had -some words, which were brought to an end by the appearance of that -secret service man sitting there." With a wave of his hand, Jason Hamlin -continued: "The rights of an individual are as sacred as the rights of -the government." He drew himself erect. "I ask--I demand to know if you -have the slightest evidence against me?" - -His flashing eyes, the fearlessness of his manner, the righteous -indignation expressed in his voice brought a strong and dramatic touch -to the situation. - -Following his words there came a silence, curious and impressive. - -Bobby Dunlap, fearing that in the judicial atmosphere this outburst -might bring a stern rebuke, stared almost open-mouthed at the -lieutenant. The latter, however, showing neither surprise nor -displeasure, remarked, calmly: - -"We have no evidence against you, Monsieur Hamlin. And I may say that -reports received from our agents in America are thoroughly satisfactory. -Kindly take your seat while we listen for a few moments to Monsieur -Castel of the secret service." - -Smilingly, the ex-peasant stood up. - -"It won't take very much time," he announced. "I am glad indeed that -everything has terminated so satisfactorily for all concerned. This -case, I may say, was all brought about by remarks being overheard. -Sometimes a whisper is enough to set the secret service in action. My -confreres and I immediately began an investigation, and all of you young -Messieurs have been under surveillance for some time." - -"Oh--oh! Can you beat it!" muttered Peur Jamais. - -"Messieurs Glenn and Dunlap's actions on the occasion of their visit to -the house were rather peculiar, especially that of this young Monsieur -here." He pointed to Bobby. "It could be readily seen that his curiosity -was not merely the expression of a youthful desire to see the house, -and, when he, in the company of Monsieur Hale, started off on their walk -yesterday afternoon they were shadowed by my fellow detectives here. And -their actions, of course, were so suspicious--a fact which they -themselves must admit--that there was nothing to do but place them under -arrest. While Monsieur Boulanger came into the house to inform me that -the boys were in the garden, Monsieur Brion, who knew where they were -concealed, kept track of their movements, and, at a signal which I gave -by means of the lamp, he brought the matter to a climax. I believe there -is nothing more for me to add." - -Bobby Dunlap and Don Hale were now called upon for an explanation, which -they gave to the entire satisfaction of those conducting the -examination. - -At its conclusion the stern-faced lieutenant, with a suspicion of a -smile, exclaimed: - -"You have all been found not guilty, and, in accordance with that fact, -Messieurs Gilbert and Hamlin, I sentence you to shake hands and forget -whatever differences may have existed between you. Human nature is -fallible, and, had the case been reversed, you, Monsieur Hamlin, would -have acted in a precisely similar manner to that of Monsieur Gilbert. -Let me take this occasion to thank and compliment you for the noble work -which you have been doing in the cause of humanity and justice." - -The two young aviators nodded, in recognition, and each, in turn, -thanked the lieutenant. - -Then, without a remaining trace of animosity, they clasped each other's -hands. - -And in this happy fashion ended the case of Hamlin and the peasant, -which was a nine-days' wonder in the escadrille. - -But, though it was ended, the conversation about it by no means came to -such an abrupt termination. The principals came in for many bantering -remarks, and had to stand a great deal of good-natured chaffing. Of -course Bobby Dunlap was the principal victim. - -"I say, Peur Jamais," laughed George, "can you now almost hear the -commander saying 'My brave and loyal friends, in the name of my -countrymen, I thank you'?" - -"Joke if you like," grinned Bobby, good-naturedly. "Anyway, I made a few -truthful predictions." - -"How?" - -"I said it wasn't going to be a laughing matter to some one." - -"Correct, old chap." - -"And, after all, it certainly did mean an astonishing sequel." - -And so speaking, Bobby chuckled mirthfully. - -Several weeks later, in the spacious grounds of a chateau occupied by -the military authorities, a lively and spectacular scene was being -enacted. Soldiers were drawn up in a hollow square. And there, where -danger did not exist, could be seen all the pomp and pageantry of -warfare, so lacking in the actual operations. The warm, clear sunshine -shone on generals' uniforms, on military motor-cars and on high-spirited -horses, champing at their bits. - -And besides the military there were present a few men in civilian dress, -the most prominent among them being an extremely ponderous man with a -most beaming face whom all the former students at the cole Militaire de -Beaumont recognized as old Pre Goubain, the proprietor of the Caf -Rochambeau. - -What was the occasion of all this festivity? - -It was because a number of airmen, Red Cross ambulance drivers and -soldiers had so distinguished themselves as to earn the gratitude of the -French Republic that they were to be awarded the Croix de Guerre and -other decorations. - -Among those who were recipients of the War Cross were Don Hale and T. -Singleton Albert. It was Don Hale's feat in saving the Caudron -photographic machine and his subsequent destruction of the observation -balloon which had brought him the coveted honor. - -And after a general had pinned the Croix de Guerre to his breast and the -proceedings were over the first to shake his hand was old Pre Goubain. - -"Ah! La France can never lose with such young men as you enlisted in her -cause," he exclaimed. "And now, mon ami, what are your plans?" - -"I hope to be transferred to the American air service as soon as -possible," returned the smiling Don Hale. - -"I knew that would be the answer," cried old Pre Goubain. "And I am -very certain that Monsieur Don Hale with the Yanks will be as successful -as he was with the Lafayette Squadron, and make a name for himself that -will carry beyond the seas." - - - - - The Stories in this Series are: - DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE - DON HALE OVER THERE - DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON - DON HALE WITH THE YANKS (in press) - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Don Hale with the Flying Squadron, by -W. 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Bodine - -Release Date: July 28, 2013 [EBook #43344] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON *** - - - - -Produced by Roger Frank and Sue Clark - - - - - -</pre> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43344 ***</div> <div class='lgc'> <p class='line' style='margin-top:2em;font-size:1.6em;'>DON HALE</p> @@ -9244,379 +9209,6 @@ will carry beyond the seas.”</p> <p class='line'>DON HALE WITH THE YANKS (in press)</p> </div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Don Hale with the Flying Squadron, by -W. 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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: Don Hale with the Flying Squadron - -Author: W. Crispin Sheppard - -Illustrator: H. A. Bodine - -Release Date: July 28, 2013 [EBook #43344] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON *** - - - - -Produced by Roger Frank and Sue Clark - - - - - DON HALE - WITH THE - FLYING SQUADRON - - By W. CRISPIN SHEPPARD - - _Author of_ - "DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE" - "DON HALE OVER THERE" - "THE RAMBLER CLUB SERIES," ETC. - - Illustrated by H. A. BODINE - - THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY - PHILADELPHIA - 1919 - - - - - COPYRIGHT - 1919 BY - THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY - - Don Hale with the Flying Squadron - - - - -[Illustration: He shut off the engine and dove] - - - - - Introduction - - "Don Hale with the Flying Squadron" is the third of the "Don - Hale Stories." It follows "Don Hale in the War Zone," and "Don - Hale Over There," and tells what happens to Don after he - relinquishes his dangerous post as an ambulance driver for the - Red Cross on the western front. - - But Don's new duties are of a far more dangerous nature; and - during his training in the aviation school and after he finally - becomes a full-fledged member of that most famous of all flying - squadrons, the Lafayette Escadrille, he has interesting - experiences and enough exciting adventures to last even the most - spirited youngster an entire lifetime. - - It may be safely said, however, that the account is not - overdrawn; indeed, in the air service, in which most valiant - deeds have been performed, it would be hard to exaggerate the - perils which beset the "cavalry of the clouds" on every side. - - To add to the interest of Don's experiences with the escadrille - there is a certain mystery connected with several characters - which is not solved until the end of the story. - - In the next book of the series, "Don Hale with the Yanks," is - told the further adventures of the young combat pilot after he - has been transferred to the American air service. He sees much - of that memorable conflict--one of the turning points of the - great war--when, at Chateau Thierry, the German drive for Paris - was halted by the victorious Americans. - - W. Crispin Sheppard. - - - - - CONTENTS - - I--THE GREENHORN - II--NEW COMRADES - III--SPIES - IV--"PENGUINS" - V--TRAINING - VI--DUBLIN DAN - VII--THE VRILLE - VIII--THE HERO - IX--THE ACE - X--CORPORAL DON - XI--THE LAFAYETTE - XII--ABOVE THE CLOUDS - XIII--THE FARMER - XIV--THE BOMBARDMENT - XV--A BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS - XVI--THE EMPTY HOUSE - XVII--A MYSTERY - XVIII--THE RED SQUADRON - XIX--THE PERILOUS GAME - XX--HAMLIN - XXI--THE ARREST - XXII--THE TRIAL - - - - - Illustrations - - He Shut Off the Engine And Dove - "Spies Are Everywhere" - "There Are Other Games Just As Dangerous" - "The German Lines Must Not Be Crossed" - His Passage Was Unexpectedly Blocked - - - - - Don Hale With the Flying Squadron - - - - - CHAPTER I--THE GREENHORN - - -A rickety-looking cab, containing two passengers and much luggage, and -driven by a gray-haired _cocher_, drew slowly up to a high iron gate and -came to a halt. And the wheels had scarcely stopped before two young -chaps, with exclamations of deep satisfaction and relief, literally -tumbled out of the ancient vehicle and stared about them. - -"Well, Don, here we are at last!" cried the elder. - -"Yes, George. And this is certainly one of the greatest moments of my -life. Tomorrow I start my training to become a pilot," exclaimed the -other, such a degree of enthusiasm expressed in his tone as to make the -wrinkled cab driver turn, survey him with a curious grin, and comment in -the French tongue: - -"I guess that's the way most of them act until something happens." - -But the boys scarcely heard him. - -Surmounting the iron gate, inside of which an armed sentry was slowly -pacing, this inscription in large, bold letters, stood out against the -sky: - -"ECOLE D'AVIATION MILITAIRE DE BEAUMONT." - -"I certainly hope the Boches won't get you, young monsieur," continued -the driver. "But, if you don't mind, I'd be glad if you'd will your life -insurance to me." - -"I'll think about it," laughed the boy. He deposited several pieces of -silver in the palm of the hand held toward him, then began the task of -getting his luggage off the vehicle. By the time this was done the -sentry had opened the great iron gate. - -With a hasty good-bye, the boys turned toward the soldier and producing -several important-looking papers handed them to him. - -And while the proceeding was underway this series of comments passed -between five young men, attired in the horizon blue uniform of the -French poilu, who were strolling inside the great enclosure not far -away: - -"Well, well! What have we here?" - -"No doubt a couple more pilots." - -"But, if I'm not mistaken, one of them is actually wearing the stars and -wings insignia of the air service on his uniform. He's a corporal." - -"So he is! Such a young chap, too!--looks, for all the world, like a -high-school boy on his way home from the place of demerit marks and -ciphers." - -"Let's give 'em the grand quiz." - -It took the sentry only an instant to scan the papers and nod his head -in approval, and another instant for the newcomers to gather up their -possessions and head for the group of five. - -"Step up and give your names, boys." The speaker was a tall, angular -youth with bushy red hair and twinkling blue eyes. - -"Don Hale," answered one of the newcomers. - -"George Glenn," replied the other. - -"Of the Lafayette Squadron?" - -"Exactly! And on a couple of days' furlough." - -And one of the natural but not very agreeable ways of the world was -exemplified then and there; for Don Hale, the prospective student of the -great military flying school, immediately found his presence totally -ignored, while his companion, member of the most famous escadrille of -the aviation service, began to receive the homage and admiration due to -one who had attained such an exalted position in life. To be a member of -the Lafayette Flying Corps was indeed a signal honor--an honor coveted -above all things by the majority of the American aviation students. - -Don Hale, smiling a little to himself, thereupon seized the opportunity -to examine the view outspread before him. - -And what the boy saw made him draw a deep, long breath, like one who has -just experienced a feeling of vast satisfaction and pleasure. It was an -immense level field, or rather a series of fields. Far in the distance -long rows of low canvas hangars and tents stood out in faint gray tones -against the background of earth and sky. Nearer at hand were lines of -rather dingy-looking wooden structures--the barracks--and isolated -buildings used for various purposes, while dominating all rose a tall -and graceful wireless mast. - -Far more interesting to the American lad, however, was the sight of -several airplanes performing evolutions in the distant sky. The sun had -descended in the west and its cheerful rays no longer touched the earth, -but every now and again one or another of the graceful flying machines -caught the glow, and, as if touched by a fairy's wand, became -transformed for the moment into a flashing object of silver and gold. - -Don Hale felt his pulse quicken. How wonderful it was to be up in the -heavens, soaring with all the ease, the grace, the certainty of a huge -bird of the air! It made him long for the time to come when he, too, -would have his ambition fulfilled! Presently a deep gruff voice broke in -upon his meditations. - -"Better come down to earth, son." - -The red-headed chap had spoken. - -"Sure thing!" laughed the new student. "What's that, sir--my last job, -you ask? Oh, driving a Red Cross ambulance near the Verdun front." - -"I must say we seem to have met a couple of real heroes," chuckled the -other. "And now, to show you that I haven't forgotten my Fifth Avenue -manners, I'll introduce these would-be flyers, most of whom as yet -haven't risen above the grasshopper stage of the game." - -Thereupon, with many chuckles, he presented Gene Shannon, Cal Cummings, -Ben Holt and Roy Mittengale, adding that his own name was Tom Dorsey. - -"Glad to know you all!" declared Don Hale, heartily. - -"So am I," exclaimed George. - -"Very gratifying indeed, I'm sure!" laughed Dorsey. "We all hope that -later on some people about whom we are hearing a whole lot won't be so -glad to meet us." - -"Oh, you coming aces!" grinned Ben Holt. - -"Hooray, hooray, for the future cannon-flying express!" chuckled -Mittengale. Then, turning toward Don, he said: "I suppose that the day -you didn't run into at least a half dozen or so hair-breadth escapes -must have seemed like a pretty dull one?" - -"I had all the close calls I wanted," confessed the former ambulance -driver. - -"And yet you are now going in for something which at times ought to make -that Red Cross work look like little rides of joy. Ever take a spin in a -plane?" - -"No, sir." - -"Oh, boy! There's some job ahead of you, then." Mittengale laughed. -"You'll have to get right down to business." - -"You can just better believe I will!" declared Don, enthusiastically. -"I'm mighty anxious for the time to arrive when I can go up to -business." - -"It may never come," suggested Ben Holt. "'Tisn't everybody who is -fitted to be an airman. One or two bad spills--an airplane ready for the -scrap pile, or a student now and then killed on the training field, and -it's all off with some!" - -"If you don't look out, Holt, we'll elect you chairman and sole member -of our committee on pessimism," laughed Dorsey. "Say, son,"--he -addressed Don--"I suppose you have all your papers?" - -"Yes, and owing to my father having been a member of a Franco-American -aviation corps I didn't have much trouble in getting them," returned -Don. "He's now an instructor in an American aviation school." - -"What did they do to you? I'd like to know if your experiences were like -my own." - -"Well, here's the story," laughed the new _eleve_[1] pilot. "I hoofed it -to the recruiting office, which is located in the Invalides at Paris, -filled out a questionnaire, signed a document requiring me to obey the -military laws of France and be governed and punished thereby; then, -after that agony was over, the medical man took me in charge. I just had -to show him that I was able to balance myself on one foot with eyes -closed, jump straight up from a kneeling position, and also walk a -straight line after having been whirled around and around on a revolving -stool until all the joy in life seemed to have gone." - -[Illustration: "Spies are Everywhere"] - -"Ugh!" grunted Dorsey. "The very recollection of that ordeal makes me -wish to recollect something else." - -"The kind of air-sickness you get by the unearthly dips and twists of an -airplane has sea-sickness beaten to a frazzle," commented Ben Holt, -pleasantly. - -"Then I'm not anxious to make its acquaintance," grinned Don. "I had a -few nerve tests, too, made in a pitch-dark room, which weren't -altogether pleasant. Among other things, a revolver was unexpectedly -fired several times close beside me." - -"It's tough, how they treat a perfectly respectable chap," chirped Cal -Cummings. - -"My, what a relief it was to receive a service order requiring me to -report to the headquarters of the Flying Corps of Dijon!" - -"That's an old story with us," drawled Mittengale. "Once there, you had -to answer a lot more questions. Then you paid a visit to the 'Vestiare,' -where the soldiers are outfitted. A uniform, shoes, socks, overcoat, hat -and knapsack were passed out, and thereby, and also perforce, another -chapter added to your brief but eventful history." - -"Besides all that, I received a railroad pass to come here, and also -three sous, representing that many days' pay," chuckled the new -candidate. "The salary I've already squandered," he confessed, with a -grin. - -"Awful! The French Government should be told about it," exclaimed Gene -Shannon, laughingly. "But now, son, perhaps you would like to begin a -new chapter by paying the captain a very necessary call?" - -"To be sure!" said Don. - -He stooped over, preparatory to gathering up his belongings, when -Shannon stopped him. - -"Leave the department store there, Don," he remarked. "We'll send some -of the Annamites over to wrestle with 'em. Now come along." - -The "Annamites," both Don and George knew, were the little -yellow-skinned Indo-Chinese, who had journeyed from far-off Asia to give -their services to the French Government. - -Led by Tom Dorsey, the crowd began to pilot the new student and his chum -toward headquarters. To Don Hale it was all wonderfully interesting. The -boy was filled with that eager curiosity and anticipation which is one -of the glorious possessions of youth. A new life--indeed a startlingly -strange life, would soon be opening out before him--one that held vast -possibilities, and also terrifying dangers. Whither would it lead him? - -"I say, young chap"--Ben Holt's voice broke in upon his -thoughts--"you've got to mind your eye in this place. No talking back to -officers; no overstaying your leave, eh, Monsieur Nightingale?" - -"Oh, cut it out!" snapped Mittengale. - -"Yes, there's a chap who knows!" Holt chuckled. "One day Roy thought -he'd enjoy a few extra hours in Paree--result: a nice little chamber two -stories underground; a rattling good wooden bench, but uncommonly hard, -as a bed; a bottle of water for company and eight days of delightful -idleness, to meditate upon the inconsiderate ways of military men." - -"It was well worth it," growled Mittengale. "Some tender-hearted chaps -smuggled in paper and I wrote sixty-four pages of my book entitled 'Life -and Adventures of an Airman in France!'" - -"An airman in France!" snickered Ben. "There's nerve for you! Why, he -hasn't even been above the three hundred foot level yet." - -"Well, that's just about two hundred and seventy-five feet higher than -your best record," retorted Mittengale, witheringly. "Don't talk, you -poor little grasshop." - -Don Hale paid no attention to these pleasantries, for, at that moment, -one of the distant machines circling aloft, now dusky, gray objects, -sometimes but faintly visible in the darkening sky, began to volplane. -Down, down, came the biplane, in wide and graceful spirals, toward the -earth. A few more turns and the wings were silhouetted faintly for the -last time against the sky; another instant and they cut across the turf -in still swiftly moving lines of grayish white. - -"Good work, that!" cried Don, breathlessly. - -"Fine!" agreed George. - -"Won't I be jolly glad when I can manage a machine like that!" Don -happened to glance at his chum's face, and was surprised to see a swift, -subtle change come across it, an almost sad expression taking the place -of his usual buoyant look. "What's the matter, old chap?" - -"I was thinking what a dangerous life you are about to begin, Don. As -some of the boys in the squadron say: 'Death is often carried as a -passenger by the airman.'" - -"And you engaged in the very same work yourself!" laughed Don. "There's -consistency for you! I understand, though, just how you feel about it, -George. Honestly, at times, I've worried a whole lot about you. But"--a -determined light flashed into his eyes--"we must 'carry on' the big job -before us." - -"That's the way to look at it," acquiesced George, heartily. "You have a -cool head and steady nerves, Don; and you'll be called upon to use all -your wits, all your courage and resourcefulness, as never before in the -whole course of your life. Great adventures are ahead!" - -"Better wait until he gets out of the ground-class before talking that -way," grinned Ben Holt, dryly. - -"Don't discourage the infant class, Holt," put in Dorsey. "Now, boys -"--he turned to face Don and George--"that good-sized building you spy -just across the field is the headquarters of the captain and -moniteurs--teachers we call 'em in the good old lingo of the United -States. By the way, know much French?" - -"Oh, yes," replied Don. - -"Good! Frankly speaking, some of these chaps here do not." Dorsey -chuckled mirthfully. "Their efforts sound weird and wild. And sometimes -it has the effect of making the moniteurs act wildly and weirdly." - -"The idea of Dorsey talking about French!" scoffed Ben Holt. "Why, he -can't even speak English. An Englishman's the authority for that." - -"One's shortcomings should never be mentioned in polite society," -grinned Tom. "And now, Don, while you're over there parleying the -parlez-vous we'll get a bunch of the Oriental Wrecking Crew, the -Annamites, to lift your traps." - -"As a rule, I rather object to having my things lifted," laughed Don. -"But this time it's all right." - -"You'll find our crowd, with a few additions equally handsome, in the -big barracks--the third from the end. Now scoot." - -While Don and George didn't exactly "scoot," they nevertheless -immediately left the group and made good time toward the building -indicated. Within a few minutes they entered and were conducted by an -orderly to the captain's sanctum. - -If Don had expected any effusive greeting or words of commendation for -his willingness to give his services to aid the cause of France he would -have been greatly disappointed. The captain, very alert and -authoritative in manner, greeted the two boys in a casual, disinterested -sort of way, and examined Don's papers. - -Then came the usual number of formalities and an order to report to the -sergeant on the aviation field on the following morning. - -Don Hale was now duly enrolled as an _eleve_, or student pilot, in one -of the most important of the great Bleriot flying schools in France. - ------ - -Footnote 1: - -Eleve--pupil. - - - - - CHAPTER II--NEW COMRADES - - -A pleasant refreshing breeze was springing up as Don Hale, with his -chum, left headquarters and hastened toward the barracks which was to be -his temporary home. - -There were plenty of signs of life about the great plateau, and -occasionally voices came over the air from the distance with peculiar -distinctness. By this time all nature had become gray and sombre, and -the slowly advancing shadows which heralded the approach of dusk were -enveloping the distant hangars and tents and merging the vast, sweeping -line of the horizon almost imperceptibly into the coldish tones of the -sky. - -Here and there lights were beginning to flash into view. From barrack -windows, from tents and outbuildings, they shone--each little sparkling, -star-like beam carrying with it a message of good cheer and welcome. - -Just before Don and George reached the barracks designated by Tom -Dorsey, over the door of which was painted in very large black letters -"Hotel d'Amerique," a loud and lusty chorus, composed of French and -American voices, accompanied by a piano, started up, singing with -ludicrous effect: - -"The Yanks are Coming." - -Then, as the last words were carried off on the breeze, the momentary -silence that ensued was broken by a loud-voiced student standing by the -window, who bawled: - -"True enough, boys!--the Yanks are not only coming, but they're here." - -The aviators immediately crowded to the window, and even before Don and -George entered the building, which was to the accompaniment of that -well-known classic: "Hail, hail! The gang's all here!" they had received -a noisy and good-natured welcome. - -A smiling and dapper little Frenchman was the first to shake them by the -hand; and having performed this act with much gravity he immediately -struck an attitude and began to recite, in the manner of a schoolboy who -has memorized a piece: - -"Gentlemens, excuse the bleatings of a little chump who should remain -silent before he speaks. Permit me to say, however, that you may use me -as a doormat when it is your will and I shall be overwhelmed with joy. -And now having bored you to tears I will desist." - -He ended the oration, which some of the fun-loving, mischievous -Americans had taught him, with a low bow, evidently much surprised at -the chuckles and gurgles of mirth which ran through the room. - -Don Hale laughingly made a speech in reply, quite astonishing the -Frenchmen present by his ready command of their tongue. - -And during it all he had been observing his new home with keen curiosity -and lively interest. The interior of the long but rather low wooden -structure was whitewashed, and ranged alongside each wall were rows of -beds. They were makeshift affairs, however, consisting of a couple of -sawhorses with a plank thrown across. Over the top had been placed a -mattress, looking as though it had done long and valiant service. - -"Clearly, the _eleves_ are expected to rough it a bit," thought Don. - -It would be a strange boy indeed, however, who objected to roughing -it--Don Hale, at least, was not one of that kind. - -The lad was glad to discover that the room was evidently occupied by -Frenchmen, as well as by his own compatriots. At one end large posters -made by some of the best known artists of France adorned the wall, while -at the other were pictures clearly of American origin. - -Tom Dorsey made the introductions, adding a word or two, in a jocular -fashion, about the characteristics of each. Very naturally, the new -student took a decided interest in studying the Americans with whom he -would be so closely associated during the weeks to come. - -"Among those present" were men of striking dissimilarities in -appearance--of widely different stations in life--of various degrees of -wealth; but the call of adventure, having brought them all together, had -also served to unite them in a common spirit of comradeship perhaps -impossible under other circumstances. There was, for instance, Dave -Cornwell, of New York, of the beau monde of Fifth Avenue, with -aristocracy imprinted unmistakably on his clean-cut features. And in -striking contrast to him was Sid Marlow, cowpuncher of Montana, deck -hand on a Mississippi steamboat, longshoreman, and, lastly, fighter in -the Foreign Legion. In fact, the majority of the American _eleves_ had -seen service in that famous branch of the French army, which had -recruited its members from all parts of the world. No embarrassing -questions were asked; an applicant's antecedents mattered little; he was -given a chance to retrieve whatever mistakes he may have made, and, -perhaps, through the fiery ordeal of battle, come out a vastly superior -man. - -Several of the students particularly attracted Don Hale's attention, one -of them being T. Singleton Albert, referred to by his companions as -"Drugstore"; for he had at one time been a drugstore clerk and -soda-water dispenser in Syracuse. Albert was a rather effeminate looking -little chap, who seemed wholly out of place in an aviation school. He -appeared diffident to the point of shyness, and his voice, delicate and -refined, was seldom heard. Don Hale wondered if he would ever make a -flyer, a profession in which courage and daring are such prime -requisites. - -Another boy who interested the new student greatly was Bobby Dunlap, who -had had the singular cognomen of "Peur Jamais" thrust upon him. Tom -Dorsey airily explained that on one occasion a student had demanded in -French of Bobby if he experienced fear during a certain offensive in -which the Foreign Legion took part, whereupon Bobby had blurted out the -words "Peur?--Jamais!--Fear?--Never!" in such a strenuous and convincing -tone as to create a big laugh--also a new title for himself, and one -that persistently stuck. - -There was a certain reserve and hauteur in the manner of a third young -chap named Victor Gilbert which somehow appealed to Don Hale, suggesting -to his imaginative mind that Gilbert's sphere in life was, or rather had -been, a little different from that of most of his fellow students. - -Conversation was going on briskly when a rumble of wheels outside made -Don hurry to the window. - -"It's the camion bringing in some of the real birds from the _grande -piste_, or principal flying field, which is a good long way from here," -volunteered Peur Jarnais. "Those chaps are the stuff--yes, sir. By Jove, -they'd make an eagle jealous! Eagles can't fly upside down, can they? Of -course not; but some of our boys can." - -"It's a great life if you don't weaken," put in Tom Dorsey. - -"Ever feel any symptoms of it?" asked Don, smilingly. - -"Sure!--a hundred times." - -"I never did," put in Drugstore, in his mild, weak voice. "To-morrow," -he cleared his throat and paused impressively, his manner indicating -that some information of vast importance was about to be -communicated--"to-morrow "--another instant of hesitation, and he began -again--"to-morrow I'm going to make my first flight in the air." - -"That means flying at an altitude of twenty-five feet at most," giggled -Mittengale. - -"I reckon it also means a machine smashed to bits in landing," chirped -Peur Jamais. "They say it costs the French government an average of five -thousand dollars to train its aviators. I'll bet in your case, -Drugstore, they'll get off cheap at ten thousand." - -Don Hale, his head thrust out of the window, now saw the returning -aviators tumbling off the big camion which had halted before the door. - -In another moment they bustled into the barracks, and the yellowish rays -of the oil lamps fell with strange and picturesque effect across their -forms. Each was encased in a great leather coat and trousers and wore a -helmet made from the same heavy material. Several, too, still had on -their grotesque-looking goggles. - -"They make me think of Arctic explorers," declared Don, with a delighted -little laugh. - -Don was experiencing a pleasurable sensation, not unmixed with a certain -sense of awe. Here, right before him, were actually some of the men who -but a short time before had been piloting their machines at dizzy -heights in the sky. The fascination of it all seemed to grip him -strangely--to make him impatient and anxious to begin his initiation -into the art of flying. - -"Another little eaglet, sir, ready to carry terror into the heart of the -Kaiser." - -In these words Tom Dorsey was introducing him to one of the "real -birds." - -The aviator was only a young chap, not many years older than Don, but, -like many of the Americans and Frenchmen present, he had allowed his -face to remain unshaven, and the resulting growth of beard gave him -quite an appearance of maturity. - -"There's a big lot of difference between the way flying schools are -conducted over here and in America and Canada," volunteered the aviator, -whose name, Don learned, was Hampton Coles. "On our side of the big pool -discipline is probably as strict as in any other branch of the army. We -go in for drills and all that sort of thing, while in France, at least -at present, the schools are only semi-military in character. The object -is to turn out flyers as quickly as possible, which means casting a -whole lot of theories, red tape and non-essentials into the junk heap. -Flyers are needed--badly needed. The 'eyes of the army,' they call -them." - -"At what time does work begin?" asked Don. - -"We're in our planes shortly after dawn. At nine o'clock the first -session is over; then it's back to the barracks. Dinner is served at one -o'clock, and after that the boys are free to do what they please until -five. On our return to the _piste_, or flying field, we usually keep -steadily at it until nearly dark." - -"How does it happen that so many are here at this hour?" - -"Oh, this crowd only represents a small portion of the students who, for -one reason or another, stopped work a bit early," replied Hampton. "In -all, we have about one hundred and twenty-five men, and among them are -several Russians--daring chaps they are, too, but rather poor flyers." - -"But the Americans seem pretty good at it, eh?" - -Hampton Coles laughed. - -"The moniteurs are always bawling out some of the best _eleves_ for -doing unnecessary and risky stunts," he declared. "I imagine they think -we're a reckless, hair-brained lot. However"--his tone suddenly sobered; -his eyes were turned thoughtfully off into the distance--"it doesn't do -to take many chances in the air. It's mighty tricky; and so are the -machines. Some of our boys have already paid the penalty. Yes, it's a -dangerous game, son." - -"Which only makes it a lot more interesting," put in Drugstore, quietly. - -"To be sure!" laughed Coles. "But, as this rig o' mine is getting to -feel prominent, I'll skip." - -Jack Norworth presently sauntered over to tell Don that in order to get -a bed he would have to go to the commissary depot, about a half mile -distant. - -"I'll hoof it with you," he volunteered. - -"Good!" said Don. - -George and Drugstore elected to accompany them; so the four immediately -left the Hotel d'Amerique, and, through the slowly-gathering shades of -night, started off. - -"By the way, where are you staying?" asked Jack, turning to George -Glenn. - -"At a hotel in the little village of Etainville," replied the young -member of the Lafayette Squadron. - -"Why, it's at Etainville that we have our club!" cried Jack. - -"A club?" queried Don, interestedly. - -"Sure thing!" - -"I don't like clubs," commented Drugstore. - -"Why not?" demanded Jack. - -"Oh, the fellows are always calling upon a chap to tell a story, make a -speech or do something else to amuse 'em," returned Drugstore, rather -hesitatingly. - -"Well, what of it?" - -"Some can do that sort of thing, but not I." The former dispenser of -soda-water spoke in plaintive tones. "Half the time I can't think of the -words I want and when I do think of 'em they're not the right ones." - -"Oh, what you need is a correspondence school course in the art of -self-expression--'think on your feet; latent power aroused; trial lesson -free; send no money,'" chuckled Jack. - -"Let's hear about the club," said Don. - -"It meets in a typical little inn called the Cafe Rochambeau. The floor -is of sanded brick; there are cobwebs everywhere; cats and dogs wander -in and out. It's all rustic, dusty and charming. Say, George, have -supper at our mess to-night, then, afterward, you and Don can travel -over with the bunch." - -"Thanks! I'll be delighted," said George. - -The four soon reached the commissary depot. Attendants dragged from its -generous supply of stores the necessary portions of the bed and -delivered them to the boys. Quite naturally, the march back, hampered as -they were by the cumbersome articles, did not prove to be agreeable. -Finally, however, rather hot and tired, they reached the Hotel -d'Amerique. - -It took but a few minutes to put the rude contrivance called a bed -together in its place alongside the wall, and by this time the crowd was -being considerably augmented by the students returning from the _piste_. - -"Come along, you chaps! I'll pilot you to the grub department," -exclaimed Peur Jamais. "It won't make you think of the Waldorf Astoria." - -"Never mind! They've got things on the menu the Waldorf hasn't," -chuckled Gene Shannon. - -"For instance?" asked Don. - -"Horse-meat." - -"I'm game," laughed the new student. - -Less than five minutes later Don and George, at the head of the -advance-guard, reached the dining-hall. They found it a crude, -unpretentious structure exteriorally, and equally crude and -unpretentious in regard to its interior arrangements. The tables were of -rough boards, and tabourets, or stools, took the place of chairs. - -The mess-hall was soon filled with a noisy, jolly crowd. Clearly, the -hazardous nature of the work had no distressing effects on the minds of -the _eleves_. To judge by the manner of those present, theirs might -have been the least dangerous of professions; yet, nevertheless, the -talk often reverted to the accidents or near-accidents which had -occurred on the flying field. But it was the keen enthusiasm of all that -especially appealed to Don Hale. Probably none among the gathering -enjoyed the meal more than he. The dim, fantastic light cast by the oil -lamps, the sombre ever-changing shadows on faces and forms, the -grotesque and larger shadows that sported themselves on the four walls, -the shrouded, obscured corners, all added their share to the charm and -novelty. - -A particularly fastidious person could very easily have found fault with -the meal, which consisted of soup, meat, mashed potatoes, lentils, war -bread and coffee. The horse-meat was tough, the lentils rather gritty, -as though some of the soil in which they were planted had determinedly -resolved to stand by them to the end. But to hungry men, whose lives in -the open meant healthy, vigorous appetites, such little -unconventionalities in the art of cooking were of but trifling -importance. - -As the students were filing out, not in the most orderly fashion, into -the clear, moonlit night, Jack Norworth joined Don and George. - -"All ready, boys, for the Cafe Rochambeau?" he asked. - -"You bet we are!" cried Don. - - - - - CHAPTER III--SPIES - - -To reach the peaceful village of Etainville, which, more fortunate than -many another in France, had never known the horror and tragedy of war, -it was necessary to pass through several little patches of woods. That -walk with a number of his compatriots proved to be a very delightful one -to Don Hale. Nature, in the soft, greenish moonlight, which filtered in -between the foliage and ran in straggling lines and patches on the -underbrush or fell in splotches on the trunks and branches, presented a -very poetic--a very idyllic appearance. Here and there, amid the pines -and firs, gnarled, rugged oaks, ages old, reared their spreading -branches against a cloudless sky. A fragrant, delightful odor, like -incense, nature's own, filled the air; and the gentle sighing of leaves -and grasses swayed to and fro by a capricious breeze joined with the -ever constant chant of the insect world of the woods. - -Etainville possessed only one main street, a cobbled, winding highway, -lined on either hand with picturesque and sometimes dilapidated houses. -Near the centre of the village rose the ancient church, the tall and -graceful spire of which could be seen over the countryside for many -miles. The twentieth century is a busy and a bustling age. Progress, -ever on the alert, fairly leaps ahead, but it seemed to have carefully -avoided Etainville in its rapid march. - -Of all its inhabitants, none was better known or liked than old Pere -Goubain, proprietor, as was his father and grandfather before him, of -the Cafe Rochambeau. Pere Goubain was very fat--so fat, indeed, that he -sat practically all day long in a big armchair. During the winter it was -generally in the main room of the cafe, before the big round stove near -the centre; but the summer days generally found him comfortably -installed in the garden which enclosed the old stuccoed building. - -Pere Goubain appeared to be the very personification of contentment, -except, however, when the Germans happened to be mentioned within his -hearing. Then, his rubicund face became redder, his mild, blue eyes -fairly blazed with a fierce, vindictive light, and, altogether, he -looked quite ferocious indeed. - -Such, then, was the Cafe Rochambeau and the man who greeted the crowd of -Americans. To Don and George he was especially gracious. He asked many -questions, and delightedly informed them that only the day before he had -actually seen a detachment of American soldiers marching through the -village street. - -"Ah! and how grand they looked, mes amis!" he cried. "With their -help--'On les aura'--we shall get them! Ah, les Boches!" - -The placid look on his face was gone, and, rising in his chair, he began -to sing in a deep bass voice: - - "'Ye sons of freedom, wake to glory! - Hark, hark, what myriads bid you rise! - Your children, wives and grandsires hoary, - Behold their tears and hear their cries! - Behold their tears and hear their cries! - Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding, - With hireling hosts, a ruffian band, - Affright and desolate the land, - When peace and liberty lie bleeding? - To arms--to arms, ye brave! - Th' avenging sword unsheathe, - March on, march on, all hearts resolved - On liberty or death.'" - -Vigorous indeed was the chorus which accompanied Pere Goubain's -rendition of the first stanza of the "Marseillaise," and vigorous indeed -were the plaudits that resounded throughout the room when the old -Frenchman sank back in his armchair. - -"Yes, the Yanks are the boys to do it," exclaimed Peur Jamais. "Now, mes -garcons--for the council chamber!" - -The "Council Chamber" was an apartment adjoining the main room of the -cafe. An oblong table stood in the centre, smaller ones by the walls; -and there were plenty of chairs and tabourets for the use of the -Americans, for the room practically belonged to them. Very often old -Pere Goubain honored the gathering by his presence, and on this occasion -he raised his ponderous form, and, with lumbering tread, followed his -guests inside. - -For their benefit Pere Goubain, a veteran of the Franco-Prussian war, -told several interesting reminiscences about that memorable conflict; -then, abruptly, he branched off into a subject which brought the old -fiery look back into his usually placid blue eyes. - -"Ah, what a wonderful system of espionage the Boches have!" he -exclaimed. "Its sinister ramifications extend to every corner of our -great land and far beyond the seas." - -"Know anything about it?" queried Peur Jamais, with interest. - -"Listen, mes amis"--old Pere Goubain spoke gravely: "Many officers are -among my acquaintances. One of them belongs to the French Flying Corps, -and he, poor fellow, while in a scouting plane far over the enemy's -lines, had the great misfortune to be obliged to descend in hostile -territory." - -"Captured?" asked Peur Jamais, quite breathlessly. - -"He was. But"--a grim smile played about the Frenchman's -mouth--"somehow, he managed to make his escape, and, after the most -nerve-racking ordeals, succeeded in reaching the Swiss frontier, and -from thence returned to France. In this very room, Messieurs, he told me -his experiences." - -Immediately, to Don Hale, and probably also to a number of the others, -that modest interior became invested with a singular interest--with a -strange and subtle charm. How wonderful to think that a man who had -passed through such harrowing adventures should have actually been in -that very place! - -"And do you know," continued Pere Goubain, with vehemence, "that when -the German officers learned the aviator's name, astounding as it may -seem, they told him many facts concerning his own history." - -"But how in the world did the Boches ever learn them?" demanded Peur -Jamais. - -"As I said before, spies are everywhere; one cannot know whom to trust. -Listen, my friends: not a hundred years ago, one of the officers -belonging to a training school was actually discovered to be a spy." - -"Whew! That's going some!" declared Sid Marlow to Don, while Peur -Jamais, eagerness expressed in his eyes, began to look curiously about -him, as though vaguely suspicious that perhaps some among those gathered -together were not all they pretended to be. - -Before Pere Goubain could resume, several newcomers, also Americans, -bustled past the door. - -General interest was immediately aroused by the discovery that one -carried a bundle of Parisian dailies. - -But the old innkeeper had started to say something, and he intended to -finish. - -"Yes, Messieurs, the Boches possess many ways of obtaining information. -For instance, I learned from another officer that spies have even boldly -descended into the French or British lines, flying in airplanes captured -from the Allies. Naturally, some of these pilots spoke excellent French; -others the English tongue equally well. Naturally, also, having all the -appearance of belonging to the cause of freedom and justice, they -escaped suspicion at the time, and were thus enabled to pick up much -valuable information." - -"Very interesting!" drawled one of the late comers. "But what's all that -got to do with Captain Baron Von Richtofen?" - -"Captain Baron Von Richtofen?" cried Peur Jamais, interrogatively. - -"Never hear of him?" - -"No, Monsieur Carrol Gordon." - -"I have," said George, in an undertone to Don. - -"Then I'll read something for your special benefit, Mr. Peur Jamais." - -Thereupon, Carrol Gordon, the owner of the prized bundle, having opened -one of the papers and allowed the yellowish glow of the lamplight to -fall across the page, began: - -"'Advices recently received from the western theatre of battle state -that the famous Red Squadron of Death, commanded by Captain Baron Von -Richtofen, has again made its appearance in several places along the -front.'" - -"'The Red Squadron of Death!'" echoed Peur Jamais, something akin to awe -in his tone. - -"'The Red Squadron of Death!'" repeated Don. - -"Quite an impressive title, I'll admit," remarked Carrol, smiling at the -great interest which the article had evidently aroused. He resumed: - -"'The Albatross planes belonging to this feared and death-dealing -squadron are painted a brilliant scarlet from nose to tail. All are -manned by pilots of the greatest skill and daring; and only the most -experienced air fighters of the Allies can expect to cope with these -crafty and dangerous enemies. The bizarre idea of the red planes is no -doubt an attempt on the part of Captain Baron Von Richtofen to instil -fear into the hearts of the Allied Flying Corps. At any rate, the -reappearance of this squadron, which claims to have destroyed more than -sixty allied planes, heralds the near approach of many bitter battles in -the air.'" - -As Carrol Gordon ceased reading he looked around and remarked: - -"Some news, eh? Now how many of you are going to pack your trunks and -slide for home?" - -"And to think of T. Singleton Albert, the great soda-water clerk of -Syracuse, going up against such a game as that!" put in Tom Dorsey, -irrelevantly. "Poor Drugstore!" - -"One thing to remember always is this, mes garcons," exclaimed old Pere -Goubain, nodding his head sagely: "Imagination is a very wonderful -thing, and the Boche Baron must realize the hold it has on certain -natures. Imagination, mes amis, can have the effect of glorifying the -most ordinary and commonplace of objects and detracting from the most -sublime. It can rob the heart of determination and destroy hope, and, -equally well, it can raise a man's courage to such heights as to place -him on the pinnacle of fame. Bah, I say, for the Baron's red birds!" The -innkeeper snapped his fingers derisively. "I cannot believe that any air -fighters of the Allies would be frightened by a few cans of paint." - -"Well spoken, Pere Goubain!" laughed Hampton Coles. "Yours are the words -of a wise man; which proves that an innkeeper can be a philosopher as -well as a server to the material needs of humanity." - -"How would you like to be a combat pilot and meet the Baron, yourself?" -asked Jack Norworth, quizzically. - -"It would be quite impossible, mon garcon," sighed Pere Goubain. "My -weight, alas I would sink the ship." - -"Shall I give him a message from you if we should happen to meet?" -laughed George Glenn. - -"Yes, and let it be accompanied by a fusillade of machine gun bullets." - -Don Hale thoroughly enjoyed his evening at the club. Instinctively he -felt that it was a sort of dividing line between ease and comfort and a -strenuous existence, with dangers and perils ever present from the -moment he became in actuality an _eleve_ pilot of the Ecole Militaire -d'Aviation de Beaumont. - -Finally good-byes were said to Pere Goubain, and the crowd filed into -the great outdoors. The village street was enveloped in the soft light -of the moon, and but for the bark of a distant dog would have been -silent. The stuccoed buildings rose pale and ghostlike, or in sombre, -mysterious tones, against the sky, and deep shadows crossed the cobbled -highway. A few beams of light to cheer those who might be astir came -from the windows of the ancient, time-worn hostelry, the Hotel Lion -d'Or, where George Glenn was staying. - -At the entrance, Don and the others bid the combat pilot of the -Lafayette Squadron good-night, and then the march back to the flying -field was begun. It was rather late when they arrived at the barracks. -The excitement, the great desire to begin his schooling and the new -surroundings all tended to drive sleepy feelings away from Don Hale. But -Mittengale very solemnly assured him that unless he "hit the pillow" at -once he would be liable to have regretful feelings in the morning. - -"I know, because I know," he declared. - -"Then I'll 'hit the pillow,'" laughed Don. - -The sound of laughter and voices was gradually ceasing as Don Hale -climbed into his bed. - -Several of the lamps had been extinguished and the interior of the big -barracks certainly appeared very sombre--very gloomy indeed. Here and -there details made a valiant effort to reveal their presence, but, for -the most part, shadows, grotesque in shape, deep and grim in tone, held -the mastery. - -Presently Don Hale's impressions became a little confused, and, within a -very few minutes, he was sleeping that sound and dreamless slumber which -is another of the glorious possessions of youth. - - - - - CHAPTER IV--"PENGUINS" - - -"I say, boy, wake up! Didn't you hear the bugle sound? The reveille! -Wake up, for goodness' sake! You'll be late. It's almost three-thirty -now. You have that early morning feeling, eh?--a pippin of a feeling, -too! I know, because I know!" - -The sense of this string of words, jerked out with extraordinary -rapidity by Roy Mittengale, was quite lost on Don Hale's mental -faculties, but, nevertheless, they had exactly the effect the speaker -intended. With a start and a half-stifled gasp, the new student sat up. - -Morning! Was it possible that morning had already come? Of course not! -He hadn't before suspected Mittengale of being a practical joker. -Morning, indeed! He felt quite vexed--quite exasperated, in fact. - -The effects his eyes took in were precisely similar to those he had seen -on retiring--the same glimmering yellowish lights, the same lurking -shadows, the long row of windows framing in the palish moonlight of the -outside world. - -He was about to protest. But before he had time the big room, all at -once, became filled with noise and commotion--with the sounds of men -jumping out of bed, of men talking, of men hurrying and bustling about -as though their very lives depended upon the swiftness of their -movements. - -So, after all, Roy wasn't a practical joker. - -"All right! All right!" mumbled Don. "I'll get right up." - -"You'd better," continued Mittengale, laughingly. - -Don Hale certainly had that early morning feeling, besides being cold -and shivery; but, though he devoutly wished that he might enjoy a few -minutes more of repose, he slipped off the mattress and fairly jumped -into his clothes. By the time Don had finished dressing he was alone. - -A swift dash for the door and a brisk run after leaving the barracks -enabled him, however, to overtake speedily the more tardy students. - -It was still a calm, serene moonlight night, with the stars dimmed by -the greater lustre of the earth's satellite, and no hint, no trace of -color in the eastern sky to herald the approach of another day. - -The destination of the hurrying crowd Don found was the wash-house -situated not far away; and on arriving there he discovered that -certainly "all the comforts of home" appeared to be lacking. - -A dash of cold water over his face and arms made the boy feel the need -of brisk exercise to counteract the effects of the damp, penetrating -chilliness of that early matinal hour. Moisture glistened and sparkled -on the tufts of grass, and low over the earth stretched long ghostly -streamers of mist. High up in the heavens a flock of unseen crows, -flying swiftly past, sent their cries far over the crisp, fresh air, -but, rapidly, distance softened and then stifled the unmusical chorus. - -A rush back to the barracks with the rest of the students put warmth -into Don Hale's shivery frame. - -"Get in line, son, for the roll call," commanded Tom Dorsey. - -In an orderly double column the students ranged themselves alongside the -barracks, an officer appeared and the formality began. - -Proudly, the new student answered "present" as he heard his name -pronounced by the officer. - -"Now I suppose we'll get a bite to eat," he remarked to Mittengale, when -the men broke ranks. - -"Your 'suppose' is all wrong," chuckled the other. "Now you'll learn -what you're up against." - -"I suspect I'm up against a joker," laughed Don. - -But, again, his suspicion proved to be quite unfounded. The men were -forming in line, and a few minutes later the march for the flying field -began. The day for which Don Hale had looked forward so long--so -expectantly--actually had come. His nerves, responding to the emotions -aroused within him, were tingling, but tingling in a most delightful -fashion. - -The very faintest trace of delicate color, announcing the coming of day, -now slowly began to suffuse itself in the eastern sky. It was a -cheerless and a gloomy hour, not an hour, surely, for drooping spirits -to be abroad; but, fortunately, there appeared to be no drooping spirits -among that semi-military line of marching men. - -Gradually the long row of curved-roofed hangars, partially hidden by the -veils of mists, loomed forth more clearly. Before the head of the line -had reached the first of the immense flying fields--there were -three--numerous mechanics were rolling rather battered-looking little -monoplanes from beneath the protecting shelter of the canvas coverings -and placing them side by side in long lines. - -"I say, my young knight of the air, cast your optics upon the -'penguins,'" called Mittengale, who happened to be marching just ahead. - -Don Hale, however, required no such invitation. He was already studying -the machines with the most intense--the most eager interest. "Penguins," -he knew, are Bleriot monoplanes, the wings of which have been so -shortened as to render the machines powerless to lift themselves from -the ground; hence the rather curious appellation of "penguins," birds of -that name not being able to fly. - -Certainly the "penguins" had an extraordinary fascination for the new -candidate. To his active mind they suggested huge dragon-flies--all -ready to wing their way lightly to other parts. - -A few moments later the boy was standing before the nearest machine. Now -every semblance to a military line had vanished. Students, moniteurs, -mechanics and laborers were all mingling together before the hangars. - -Some time later, while he was still regarding the machines with an -absorbing degree of interest, the voice of the head instructor broke -sharply in upon his thoughts. - -In loud tones he was calling out the names of various students and -designating the numbers of the machine they were to use. Immediately the -future airmen began jumping into their places, and before many moments -had passed every "penguin" in the long line had an occupant. - -"Goodness! I certainly feel like an outsider," murmured Don. "I reckon -I'd better hunt up the sergeant and----" - -At that second the air became surcharged with a series of startling -staccato explosions, with roars, great crashes and bangs, quite -ear-splitting in their intensity--the motors were being tested. -Gradually the rising crescendo, suggestive of some strange, wild -symphony, reached its greatest climax, and then as slowly began to -subside. And presently, in its place, came the soft, pleasant drone and -hum of many smoothly-working motors and propellers. - -Now the highly interested Don Hale saw the assistants removing the -blocks from beneath the wheels of the "penguins" and heard the moniteurs -giving their pupils a few final words of advice. - -"By Jove, don't I wish I were in one of 'em!" he muttered. "Ah!" - -The assistants were giving the propellers of some of the nearer machines -a swift turn; and as the whirling blades became but misty circles the -strange "birds" got into action. - -"By Jove!" - -This time Don Hale uttered the exclamation aloud. - -A number of "penguins" had begun to "taxi" across the field, and were -soon traveling at a most tremendous speed. Some twisted and staggered -about, as though, every instant, they must topple over sideways and -smash their wings against the turf. Others exhibited every indication of -halting their onward rush and spinning around and around like a top, -while still others, as straight and true as a swift breeze tearing its -way across the countryside, kept rapidly growing smaller and fainter in -the distance. - -Yes, it truly was a remarkable spectacle that Don Hale had before his -eyes. In the semi-darkness of that chill and early hour, the rushing -"penguins" seemed to resemble a flock of huge birds, full of life, full -of keen intelligence, rather than man-made machines. - -There was a thrill and spice about the scene, too, which caused -involuntary gasps to frequently come from the mouth of the student. Now -and again, "penguins," while traveling at a headlong pace, seemed about -to smash into one another. The boy almost held his breath. - -"Ah!" - -One was down. Another, hustling past the fallen "bird," just graced its -broken wing. The game, even in the beginner's class, was clearly not -without its dangers. - -Now the most skilfully handled machines had reached their -destination--the flag at the other end of the field--and were returning -as though borne on the blasts of a hurricane. From faint, insignificant -whitish specks they became huge winged creatures in a moment of time, -seemingly intent upon crashing their tempestuous way into the groups of -moniteurs, mechanics and assistants and even through the hangars -themselves. - -The tense-faced pilots, however, stopped the engines in time, and, one -after another, the "penguins" docilely came to a halt. - -"Grand sport, sure enough!" cried Don, delightedly. He would have -imparted this thought to others, too, but for the fact that not one -among those all around him was paying the slightest attention to his -presence. It gave Don a rather unpleasant feeling, as though he was of -very little importance. It also served to make him decide to report to -the sergeant of the first class at once. - -Accordingly, he began walking toward the nearest group; and then, for -the first time, he caught a glimpse of several of the Annamites attached -to the aviation camp. Picturesque-looking little chaps they were, and -unmistakably of the Orient from their yellow complexion and slanting, -beady eyes to their small and stocky stature. They were about to cross -the field. What was the meaning of that intrusion? - -All at once Don Hale understood; and, instinctively, his eyes were -turned toward the fallen "penguin," which, like a wounded bird brought -low by the huntsman's bullet, lay where misfortune had overtaken it. A -little crowd was collecting, and soon he discovered three distant -figures moving slowly toward the hangars, the one in the centre -supported by those on either side. - -"The pilot must have been injured," thought Don, commiseratingly. - -In what seemed to be a very short time to him the sun was almost on the -horizon, and eagerness to begin his task was gripping him with a strange -intensity; no small boy with a lively and joyous anticipation of a visit -to the "greatest show on earth" could have experienced more pleasurable -sensations, and a glance toward the flying fields beyond served to even -further increase them. Above the one adjoining, Bleriot monoplanes were -flying at low altitudes; still further in the distance he could see -airplanes piloted by more advanced members of the third and fourth class -momentarily mounting in the air. The flying fields were beginning to -show a pleasant warmth of color, and the Farnum and Caudron machines, -high aloft, catching the sun's reflections, sent them constantly -flashing earthward. These planes possessed a certain grace, but they -were heavy and clumsy craft indeed compared to several -single-seaters--Nieuport or Spad machines. These far outclassing the -swiftest of the feathered tribe in their flight, darted in and out, -swooped downward from dizzy heights or climbed upward until their wings -appeared as the faintest gossamer lines against the soft, purplish tones -of the sky. - -As Don set off in his quest for the sergeant the majority of the -"penguins" were racing and tearing about the field in the most -extraordinarily erratic fashion. - -Sergeant Girodet was easily found, but, to Don Hale's intense -disappointment, the officer informed him that he would have to wait -until the afternoon session, adding rather dryly: - -"Monsieur will be safe and sound for several hours longer." - -Don laughed, rejoining: - -"And for a good many hours after that, I hope." - -The Annamites were now bringing in the wrecked and battered plane, -headed for the repair shops, vast structures employing hundreds and -hundreds of skilled mechanics and helpers. As they were near by and the -night shift still at work, Don concluded to pay them a brief visit -before journeying to the field where the third class, of which T. -Singleton Albert was a member, flew in real airplanes to a height of no -less than twenty-five feet. - -And just at this time the boy was overjoyed to hear a familiar, cheery -voice shouting: - -"Hello, Don! Hello, old chap!" - -Turning quickly, he spied his chum approaching. - -"My, but I'm jolly glad to see you, George!" he called. "Playing the -part of a wallflower isn't a pleasant outdoor sport." - -"Well, it's good you don't get up in the air about it," replied George, -laughingly. "That's right--always keep your feet on the ground." - -"I'll try to, even when I'm a few miles high," chirped Don. - -George agreeing to Don's plan, the two began traveling after the -guttural-speaking Annamites. - -"It strikes me 'penguins' ought to be easily managed," declared Don, -reflectively. "One just has to drive them in a straight line across the -_piste_." - -"Yes, that's all," replied George. A twinkling light shone in his eyes. -"But----" - -"Difficult, eh, old chap?" - -And though George nodded emphatically, Don, nevertheless, felt strongly -inclined to think that when once in the pilot's seat he would surprise -not only his chum but a few others as well. - -Shortly afterward the two reached the machine and repair shops. - - - - - CHAPTER V--TRAINING - - -Americans, of course, enjoyed a great popularity all over France, and, -therefore, Don and George were welcome guests at the shops, which -resembled huge manufacturing plants. They immediately found themselves -surrounded by another kind of activity. The din and hum of machinery, -the clanging of hammers, the explosive reports of motors vibrated over -the air, all symbolizing, as it were, by means of sound, progress and -labor. - -"They build airplanes here as well as repair them," explained George. - -As the two walked from one point to another Don Hale marveled at what he -saw. The framework of hulls and of main planes, the latter with their -strong but slender supporting spars, stood in long rows. Everywhere -skilled artisans, ordinary mechanics, and helpers worked on various -parts of the planes. In the assemblage department Don and George stopped -to watch the winged creations, one of the latest products of man's -inventive genius, being put together. A foreman greeted them pleasantly. - -"And what do the young Americans think of all this?" he inquired. - -"Simply wonderful!" responded Don, enthusiastically. - -"Very true!" agreed the men. "Ah! the art of airplane construction has -advanced amazingly since the great world war began, mes Americaines. It -is now a very exact science, where the laws bearing upon lateral and -longitudinal balance, as well as many other things, have to be -rigorously observed." - -"I believe that before 1914 the German equipment in the way of airplanes -and dirigible balloons was greatly superior to either that of the French -or English," commented George. - -"Yes, the Boches had been doing everything in their power to encourage -the development of both types of machines, while the other nations, -unmindful of the peril which menaced them, were satisfied to let the -course of events in that particular direction merely drift along." - -"The Germans are said to have had, in addition to a fleet of huge -Zeppelins, almost a thousand airplanes of the finest construction, while -their aeronautical factories were rushing work on others," put in -George. "France possessed only about three hundred machines and England -still less, probably as few as two hundred and fifty." - -"The Germans at that time held the world's record for height and -sustained flying," declared Don Hale. - -"Correct," admitted the artisan. "They thought, too, that with the -supremacy of their navy of the air, the supremacy of Great Britain's -fleet on the sea could be more than overcome and England invaded. -But"--the Frenchman clenched his fists--"our enemies--your enemies--the -enemies of the entire world realize at last their error. They failed! -They failed! The supremacy of the air now rests with the Allies." - -"And yet, for a while, the Germans had the best scouting and fighting -planes," commented George. - -"Yes; the Fokkers. But La France replied to that challenge by -constructing the famous Nieuport, the swiftest, the most easily -maneuvered airplane that flies. Come! Let me show you a sample." - -Don and George, smiling a little at the tremendous earnestness exhibited -by the Frenchman, followed him to another part of the great shop, where -the most skilled workers were putting the finishing touches to several -Nieuports of the latest model. They were delicate but staunch little -machines--their lines as graceful as those of any yacht; and each was -finished with a degree of care and attention to detail which scarcely -seemed warranted when the perilous nature of the career they were so -soon to embark upon was considered. - -"What perfect beauties!" cried Don. "Crickets, George! Don't I wish all -my training period were over, so that I could sail sky-high in one of -these little rockets!" - -"The speed of a rocket, Don, wouldn't do you very much good while flying -over the fighting front," replied his chum, rather grimly. - -Don, too impatient, too restless to remain much longer indoors, soon -started off with the other at his side. And all the while the obliging -artisan kept imparting interesting bits of information. He told them -something about the giant bi-motored Caudron, the Handley-Page and the -Caproni, each type of machine representing the highest achievement in -airplane building by the respective countries of France, England and -Italy. - -"The Boches," he added, with a scowl, "have the Gothas." - -"I remember reading that some of the Gothas which bombed London had a -wing-spread of seventy-eight feet, with motors of two hundred and sixty -horse power, and carried, besides three men, hundreds of pounds of -explosives," remarked Don. - -"Seventy-eight feet is nothing these days," commented the Frenchman, -musingly. "A hundred and fifty is more like it. You and I, mes -Americaines, will live to see the time when huge flyers, with -comfortable accommodations for passengers, can cross the Atlantic, -linking still closer the old world and the new." - -Their volunteer guide now conducted the boys to another department, -where they saw many women engaged in sewing together breadths of fine -linen cloth destined to be stretched over the skeleton frames. - -"Billions have been spent and are being expended in the airplane -industry," continued the man. "Even piano and furniture factories and -many others have turned their attention to the fabrication of airplane -parts, such as struts, ribs and propellers. And all this, in connection -with aeronautic machinery, means work for thousands of mechanics. Vast -quantities of raw material are required. Airplanes must be housed: -therefore the erection of hangars and other types of buildings will -employ thousands more. Then, the training of aviators, too, is a pretty -expensive operation." - -"I suppose so," laughed Don. "However, I'll try to let 'em down as -easily as I can. Coming, George?" - -After heartily thanking the obliging artisan for his courtesy the two -left the busy shops. - -By this time the slowly-rising sun was casting its first pale and -delicate tints over the earth. And with these rays the gloom which had -taken possession of nature for so many hours began to lift. The dull and -lifeless landscape, freed from the embracing mists, took on an aspect of -quiet beauty and charm, and drops of dew shone and sparkled like "many a -gem of purest ray serene." - -At a brisk walk Don and George set out for the distant aviation field, -and before very long the ever moving "penguins" were left far to the -rear. Now Don and his chum had an excellent view of the real flying -machines, as they winged their way in straight flights from one end of -the _piste_ to the other, or taxied over the ground to rise in the air -with amazing ease and lightness. - -Another crowd of moniteurs, students and mechanicians stood around, the -moniteurs following the movements of the planes with the most critical -attention. - -One after another the flyers alighted, some with ease and precision; -some striking the earth sufficiently hard to have thrown the pilot out -had he not been buckled to his seat. - -"Whew! I'll bet lots of planes are smashed!" cried Don. - -"You win," said George, dryly. "Hello! Look at the machine which just -made that bully landing. Whom do you see on the pilot's seat?" - -"Goodness gracious! As I live, it's Drugstore!" burst out Don. - -But as Don, unmindful of the moniteurs or the crowd, left George's side -and rushed up to congratulate him on his success, T. Singleton Albert's -face didn't have at all its usual half shy and modest look. Instead, it -rather suggested the expression worn by some mighty hero on the occasion -of his greatest triumph. - -"Did you see me?" cried Drugstore, breathlessly. - -"I should say so!" exclaimed Don. - -"Flying!--Why, there's nothing to it, son. Oh, boy! Only a perfect boob -couldn't handle these ships." Drugstore almost stuttered in his elation -and excitement. "But, take it from me, son, some of these chaps here -couldn't learn to drive an ash cart. Hello! I say, Rogers"--he raised -his voice--"did you see me that time? I brought her down so easily I -didn't even rumple the grass." - -"You're up in the air right now, Singleton," chortled Rogers. - -Albert, who had a pretty good command of French, swelled up with even -greater pride as he listened to the moniteur's "C'est bien fait, mon -ami--it was well done, my friend." - -"I'll soon be bumping into the clouds," he declared, a confident grin on -his face. - -The machine was quickly turned around by several Annamites, and then -Drugstore, yelling loudly for every one to get out of the way, started -his motor full blast; whereupon the monoplane began to glide swiftly -ahead. As the machine attained a speed of about forty miles an hour it -gracefully left the terrestrial globe several yards behind, and, like an -arrow shot from the archer's bow, cut through the still, silent air -toward its distant goal. - -"Some flyer, that baby!" laughed Rogers. - -And, indeed, his comments were just. Very few of the other students were -approaching Albert's performance. Their landings were generally -faulty--so faulty, in fact, as to endanger the safety of plane and flyer -alike. - -It was only a very short time before Drugstore's plane was seen -returning. Don Hale watched the machine rapidly growing larger with -breathless interest, fearful that Albert's great flush of enthusiasm -might have engendered so great a confidence in his ability as to -threaten his efforts with disaster. Exactly at the proper moment, -however, exactly in the proper way, the Bleriot dipped; and then, -exactly in the proper manner, it struck the earth, and, after rolling a -certain distance, came to a halt. - -"Well, who said I couldn't learn to fly!" shouted Drugstore, -hilariously. "Whoop! It's easier than slopping soda-water over a shiny -counter. Oh, boy, I'll soon be able to give an eagle lessons!" - -It was now another pupil's turn to take the machine, and Albert, -releasing the restraining straps about his body, jumped stiffly to the -ground. His gait for several moments became so noticeably uncertain as -to bring forth a volley of humorous observations. - -"Success has gone to his head!" cried one. - -"To his feet, you mean!" chuckled a second. - -"If that grin of his grows any wider his face may be seriously injured!" -chirped another. - -"Speech, Drugstore, speech!" howled a fourth. - -If Albert had been his usual self all this attention and good-natured -raillery would probably have brought a flush to his cheeks. At that -moment, however, Albert wasn't quite himself. He forgot to stammer and -look embarrassed as he declared importantly: - -"Let's see some of you chaps beat it. Oh, boy, just a little while, and -I'll be shooting up to hit the blue!" - -Naturally Albert's very excellent work fired Don Hale with an even -greater desire to begin his apprenticeship at the fascinating game of -flying. The sun had never seemed to ascend so slowly. Hours and hours -must pass before he could make his start. Really, it was quite a strain -on his nerves. - -At nine o'clock work was over for the morning, and the students trailed -back to the barracks, where they were privileged to remain until five. -The particular crowd which occupied the Hotel d'Amerique found a -newcomer awaiting them. He was a very rosy-cheeked young chap; and from -his uniform, still showing plentiful traces of mud and hard usage, it -was seen that he, too, had once been a soldier in the famous Foreign -Legion. - -"My name is Dan Hagen," he announced, pleasantly. "I'm from Dublin." - -"Ah ha, boys, we now have with us Dublin Dan!" chortled Roy Mittengale. - -And that was the way in which Dan Hagen received a new christening, and -one that he accepted with a boisterous, rollicking laugh. - -"Call me anything; but don't call me down," he said. "I say, how's -flying to-day?" - -"As usual, up in the air," laughed Tom Dorsey. - -"Next to me, who's the newest greeny?" - -A half dozen or so fingers were pointed toward Don Hale; a half dozen or -so voices gave the desired information. - -"Shake, old man!" exclaimed Dublin Dan, extending a big rough hand. -"It's a race between us to see which shall be the first to feel the -caressing touches of the wind-blown clouds on our cheeks." - -"I'm on!" laughed Don. - -"I say, did you see me land on my last trip?" - -T. Singleton Albert voiced this query. It was addressed to no one in -particular; and as no one in particular paid the slightest attention to -it Drugstore became quite peeved. - -"Jealous, eh?" he jeered, with unexpected bravado. "Jealous! Oh, boy! -but my cheeks'll soon feel the caressing touches of these wind-blown -clouds. Some joyous expression that, eh?" - -"It doesn't beat yours at the present moment," declared big Sid Marlow, -with a hearty laugh. - -Don Hale soon discovered that there was little military discipline about -the camp. The students were perfectly free to amuse themselves in any -way their fancy dictated, though Cal Cummings informed him that on -lecture days absence from the classes was considered a pretty serious -offense. - -"I'd never want to play hooky," declared Don, smilingly. - -The day, wearing on, brought with it plenty of heat; therefore the -shelter of the barracks was soon sought by the majority. Little comfort -could be found inside, however. Swarms of flies--"of every known -size--of every known species"--so Dublin Dan declared, also used it as a -hotel; and, not being of a bashful disposition, they made themselves -unpleasantly conspicuous. At one o'clock the little pests were sole -masters of the situation, while the crowd joined other crowds in the -spacious mess-hall. - -During the meal T. Singleton Albert, having been heard to remark: "I -say, did you see that last landing I made?" was loudly and insistently -called upon to make a speech. Thereupon, he suddenly grew red in the -face, and when forced to his feet by strong-arm methods stammered and -stuttered to such a degree that the boys, perceiving that he had once -more become the old, timid, shy Drugstore, mercifully let him alone. - -Following lunch a game of baseball was played between two well-matched -teams, one of them being captained by Victor Gilbert. Gilbert's team -won, which Cal Cummings declared was not strange at all, considering the -fact that Victor had at one time been a crack player on a college -baseball club. - -After the game was over, Don, George and Dublin Dan set out for the -aviation field together. - - - - - CHAPTER VI--DUBLIN DAN - - -Don Hale, standing before a much battered and bespattered "penguin," -experienced a delightful thrill, which ran through his entire being. -Brimming over with ambition, equally full of confidence, he could see -nothing ahead of him but success. - -The moniteur in whose charge Don and several others were placed was a -rather youthful and pleasant-spoken Frenchman. In a quick, incisive -fashion, he began to give a little lecture on the airplane. - -"The body is known as the fuselage," he explained. "At the front and -just beneath the wings, as you see, is the engine and propeller. This -particular type of plane, and in fact the majority, are drawn and not -pushed through the air. The pilot is seated in the cockpit immediately -behind the motor. Two rudders and two ailerons are placed at the rear of -the fuselage. The former, vertical, and used for steering the plane -horizontally, are operated by a cross-piece of wood upon which the pilot -rests his feet. The ailerons are horizontal, connected with a control -stick by means of wires, and, of course, tilt the plane either up or -down. The control stick is an upright lever in front of the pilot's -seat. These are details, however, that you need not bother with now. -Monsieur Hale, take your place in number thirty-five. Monsieur Hagen may -use number twelve." - -Both boys immediately followed instructions, and, after each had -securely fastened the belt designed to prevent an unceremonious exit -from the plane, the moniteur explained, first to one and then the other, -the proper handling of the engine and rudders. - -"The two most important things to remember," he said, "are to keep the -tail off the ground and the engine going at full speed." - -With his nerves at the keenest tension, Don Hale waited for the command -to start. Out of the corner of his eye he could see groups standing by -the machine, watching him, it seemed, in deadly silence. The familiar -figure of George Glenn among them nerved the boy to do his utmost. - -"Ready, sir?" asked the mechanician standing by the propeller. - -"Ready!" answered Don. - -"Throw on the switch!" - -With a hand that trembled in spite of all his efforts to control it, Don -Hale obeyed. - -The mechanician whirled the propeller, and in another moment the motor -was emitting a deafening roar; and in still another the "penguin," as -though suddenly endowed with life, began a headlong flight over the -rather uneven ground. - -With all his senses keenly alert, Don Hale felt the rushing wind fanning -his cheeks; and a sort of wild exhilaration took possession of him as -the "penguin," like a runaway locomotive, sent the ground speeding -behind at a rate which fairly dazzled his eyes. - -But why did the "penguin" wobble and stagger in such an extraordinary -manner? - -The more desperately Don strove to assert his authority over the -man-made bird the more he seemed to lose his control. Now he felt it -swinging to the left; then, a too hasty push with his foot on the -steering apparatus threatened to send it wildly careening off to the -right. Above the roar of the motor he could faintly hear the shouts and -yells of the crowd which he was leaving so far behind. - -The confidence which Don had felt before jumping into the machine was -given a rude and unpleasant jolt; and, besides this, the speed and -erratic movements of the "penguin" were so bewildering as to make the -boy lose, for a moment, his usual coolness. The sudden thought, too, -that George Glenn was witnessing the almost absurd capering of the -"penguin" served only to add to his discomfiture and apprehension. - -In his tremendous eagerness to conquer the difficulties, Don made a -sudden movement with the control stick, lifting the tail high off the -ground, and at the same time he added to his mistake by pushing the -rudder too far around. The result was almost terrifying. The "bird," as -though roused to sudden fury by his action, began to whirl around and -around, its speed seeming to increase with each passing second. - -Dazed and dizzy the pilot had just sufficient presence of mind left to -shut off the power. But the "penguin" had already begun to somersault. - -Don Hale experienced a chilling and sickening fear. So suddenly that he -could scarcely realize what had happened, the airplane tumbled over. He -heard the sound of breaking supports and felt the impact of a blow. Then -he found himself pinned to the ground amidst a mass of wreckage. - -Several seconds elapsed before he could think coherently enough to -decide that beyond a few bruises and scratches he had not been injured. -And, although the "penguin" was as motionless as though it had never -made a movement in the whole of its checkered career, the ground still -seemed to be whirling rapidly before his eyes. But the dizziness, the -pains and aches he was experiencing were as nothing compared to his -disillusionment. He had fully expected to make a grand and triumphal -trip straight across the flying _piste_ to the flag which marked the end -of the course and to hear the plaudits of George, the praise of the -moniteur and the comments of the admiring crowd. And here he was--in an -undignified heap, with the breath almost knocked out of his body, and -responsible for the ending of the tempestuous career of what had been -but a few moments before a staunch and sturdy "penguin." - -Oh yes, he must have surprised his chum George Glenn--of that there -couldn't be the slightest doubt! - -As Don began painfully to extricate himself, with grim forebodings of -what the consequences of the disaster might be, he became conscious of -the fact that from almost every point people were running in his -direction. He felt the hot blood rushing to his face; he experienced a -feeling, too, somewhat akin to anger--for his sharp ears had caught what -sounded suspiciously like bursts of hilarious laughter. - -And, to add to the boy's discomfiture, he caught sight of a "penguin," -wobbling and shaking like a ship in a raging sea, approaching. He had -one brief, instantaneous glimpse of a tremendously grinning face--that -of Dublin Dan's--as the machine lurched swiftly past. A short time later -the foremost of the crowd bore down upon him. - -"Are you hurt, Don? Are you hurt?" cried George Glenn, breathlessly. - -"No--no!" jerked out Don. - -And, as though these words were a signal for a jollification to begin, -roars of laughter and howls of merriment broke loose on every side. The -students were not averse, it seemed, to enjoying the humor of the -situation. - -"We have seen the human spinning-top!" guffawed one. - -"What a wonderful merry-go-round!" gurgled another. "Sixty miles an hour -without budging an inch!" - -"Say, boy, wasn't that enough to make you remember it?" chirped a third. - -"You were chasing your tail so fast you nearly caught up with it," -chimed in a fourth. "At any rate, it's certainly a case for the Society -for the Prevention of Cruelty to Birds, even though it was a tough old -rooster." - -Now Don Hale, quite unsteady on his feet, having a jumping throb in his -forehead, and being, besides, in a very disgusted state of mind, could -not, of course, enter into the spirit of jollification, yet, -nevertheless, by a strong effort of the will, he managed to control his -tongue and temper. - -"I'm glad you enjoyed the impromptu performance, boys," he said, -pleasantly. "I don't believe I'll ever be able to equal it again. -Ah----" - -This "ah!" uttered with the most peculiar intonation, was brought from -his lips by the mere fact of his eyes having caught those of the -moniteur. - -But instead of the angry, steely expression he had expected to see the -boy was amazed to observe that the Frenchman appeared as unconcerned as -though the incident was of the most trivial character. Yet even this did -not take away the fear that he was in for a neat little "bawling out." - -"Monsieur Hale, one sometimes learns more by his mistakes than by his -triumphs," were the words he heard, however. The instructor spoke in -genial tones. "Let us hope that it will be true in this case! Come!--now -for another trial!" - -Like a flash, Don Hale's mood was changed; his usual buoyancy reasserted -itself, and he was now as well able to laugh over his adventure as any -of the others. He also had very grateful feelings toward the moniteur -for his forbearance. - -"Dublin Dan's ahead in the race so far!" he exclaimed, laughingly, to -his chum George Glenn. - -"Never mind! The day isn't over yet," said George, with a smile. - -Full of ardor, full of determination to retrieve himself, the _eleve_ -pilot took the lead in marching back to the starting point. - -There were always two things on the practice field which well testified -to the hazardous nature of the work; a fleet of extra "penguins" and an -ambulance. One of the former was very quickly rolled into place by the -assistants. And Don, his ears assailed by a multitude of suggestions and -words of advice, climbed at once to his seat. - -By this time numerous other "penguins," at widely separated points, were -traveling over the field. Number twelve, Dan's machine, could actually -be seen racing toward them on the home stretch; and in an incredibly -short space of time the dull gray wings loomed up strongly against the -turf. Following a few extraordinary movements, the machine stopped -abruptly, and from the occupant of the pilot's seat there immediately -came a series of loud and boisterous hurrahs. - -"Maybe I didn't have a bully trip!" he shouted. "Thought at first, -though, I couldn't stop the engine, and that I'd have to go clean around -the whole earth and come back again. But say, old stay-in-one-place, I -can almost feel, even now, the caressing touches of those wind-blown -clouds on my cheeks." - -"Well, that's a great deal better than feeling the caresses of the hard -earth, as I did a few moments ago," laughed Don. - -"_Allez, allez! En route!_"[2] commanded the moniteur. - -Don, experiencing the same measure of confidence he had had before, -though it was now tempered by a much greater respect for the -difficulties of the task, waited expectantly. - -"Now!" he breathed. - -The blades were revolving; the engine began its deafening roar--and, -once more, Don was flying over the turf as though hurled from the mouth -of a catapult. The new pilot had learned his lesson well. He realized -that a firm though delicate movement of the controls is necessary to -assure safety and success. - -Faster, still faster, the "penguin" tore ahead; and though its movements -were far from being smooth it kept to a comparatively straight course, -only occasionally displaying an alarming tendency to turn over on its -face. - -Almost breathless from the effects of the violent wind which continually -beat against his face, and as jubilant as a few moments before he had -been in despair, Don Hale kept his eyes fixed intently on the flag -ahead; and there grew in him a curious feeling that he was being carried -along by some wild, unruly runaway. One moment the flag had appeared dim -and small in the distance; the next it rose large and sharply defined. - -The young pilot switched off the power, the "penguin" began to diminish -speed and after running many yards beyond the goal stopped its headlong -flight. - -That was certainly a proud moment to the new candidate. The stain of his -former defeat was now entirely wiped away. He was convinced that, after -all, he had made an auspicious beginning. - -"Much good!" exclaimed one of the Annamites, who was stationed in the -field to turn the machines around. "One grand fly!" - -"Thanks!" laughed Don. "And I'll do better next time." - -He was, however, to have his confidence a little shaken on the return -trip; for the "bird," apparently without any reason at all, showed an -almost irresistible tendency to fly off at a tangent, first in one -direction and then another. And when this was finally overcome it seemed -to display an equally ardent desire again to bury its nose in the turf. -Several times Don had alarming visions of another inglorious smash. - -It was, therefore, with the greatest feelings of relief that he again -brought the machine to a stop. - -And before this had been accomplished he heard George Glenn shout: - -"Great--great! Well done, old chap!" - -"Surprised, George?" asked Don, gleefully, when he could catch his -breath. - -"No; there are never any surprises on an aviation field," laughingly -rejoined the other. - -"_Vous avez fait de progres, mon ami_,"[3] commended the moniteur. -"Better take a few moments' rest before starting in again." - -Don Hale thought so, too. Naturally, he hadn't quite recovered from the -effects of his exhilarating experience. His pulse was beating a trifle -hard, and, unaccustomed to the rushing wind which had beaten so -relentlessly upon him, there still remained some of its effects. - -"I'm in a better position now to appreciate the feelings of Drugstore," -laughed Don to a little knot gathered about him. "Honestly, I think -flying must be the greatest sport in the world." - -"It's certainly the highest," chirped Tom Dorsey. - -"You've got the right idea, son," chimed in Gene Shannon. "Treat the old -birds gently, and you'll soon be in a position to treat the Boches -rough." - -For a while Don was content to watch the antics of the "penguins," which -were now swarming over the field in great numbers, and, as on every -previous occasion, he found plenty of thrills in the sight--collisions -narrowly averted and machines performing the "chevaux de bois," as the -French say, which, freely translated, means acting like a -merry-go-round. - -Some time later on he was off in the airplane again, and shot forth and -back across the field a number of times, with generally fair success, -before taking another welcome rest. - -Equally pleased over the afternoon's work was Dublin Dan; and he -proclaimed his satisfaction in a loud and boisterous manner. - -"You won't find me encouraging the scrap heap industry," he chuckled. -"I'm going to tear right through this course and hit the next before I'm -many days older." - -"Well, so long as you don't hit me I'm satisfied," said Don, with a -laugh. - -"Never mind. Don't crow too soon," interjected the pessimistic Ben Holt. -"You chaps are a long way from the sky yet. It's pretty blue up there; -and I've seen a few fellows just as blue when they couldn't make it." - -"I'll see red if I don't make it," chirped Dan. - -A few minutes later Dublin Dan was taxiing across the field, while Don -leisurely prepared to follow his example--in fact, so leisurely that it -was not until number twelve was seen returning that he opened the -throttle and sent the "penguin" at full speed ahead. - -Ever mindful of the danger of collision, the boy was particularly -careful to give the oncoming machine plenty of room, for, owing to the -tremendously high rate of speed at which they were traveling, it would -be only a few moments before the machines were abreast of one another. - -Don Hale noticed that number twelve had suddenly begun to act in the -most wildly erratic manner--so much so, indeed, as to suggest that the -pilot must have gone all to pieces. - -What was the matter? How did it happen that the unusually promising -pupil should have lost control of his machine? - -And while these thoughts were flashing through his mind he suddenly -became filled with a chilling sense of dismay and fear; for number -twelve had deviated from its course and was bearing down upon him in a -zigzagging line with almost the speed of a lightning express. - ------ - -Footnote 2: - -"Go--on your way!" - -Footnote 3: - -"You have made progress, my friend." - - - - - CHAPTER VII--THE VRILLE - - -Uttering a half-inarticulate cry, the pilot of number thirty-five made a -supreme effort to avert a catastrophe. - -But, even as he did so, he realized, with a sickening sensation of -terror, that it would be futile--that nothing he could do would be of -the slightest avail. With eyes staring wildly, he had a quick vision of -number twelve, as though its sole purpose on earth was to run him down, -fairly hurling itself upon him. - -Don Hale gave a loud yell, though the roar of the motor drowned the -sound. In a wild panic, he attempted to rise. But the restraining strap -jerked him back to his seat. Then he saw the frightened face of Dublin -Dan right before his eyes. - -And that was the last thing they took in for a moment. He found himself -jerked high in the air, then hurled violently forward. - -The next instant his head struck the ground with heavy force. A light -seemed to flash before his eyes, and, with the dull consciousness that -was still left to him, he heard supports, struts and planes of both -machines smashing under the heavy blow. Blackness followed. - -And then came a moment when he was neither quite conscious of where he -was or what had happened. And when he presently opened his eyes it was -with the feelings of one who has just awakened from a troubled, uneasy -slumber. The sound of excited voices was ringing in his ears; he heard -George Glenn loudly calling his name, but he neither answered nor -stirred. - -The latter was, of course, impossible. He was pinned to the earth on -every side by the debris of the "penguin." - -As the boy's faculties began to reassert themselves a shudder ran -through his frame, and, for the first time, he became conscious of the -fact that every joint, every portion of his body was racked with -shooting pains. Had he been seriously injured? In his apprehension, he -began to aid the rescuers in their efforts to release both him and -Dublin Dan. - -The vigorous workers soon completed their task, and Don felt strong arms -on either side dragging him to his feet. Some one was feeling his pulse; -some one was feeling his joints; and some one laid a hand across his -brow. - -"Badly shaken up; suffering from shock; not much injured, though," he -heard a voice exclaim. - -An instant before Don Hale's vision had seemed blurred--his -consciousness strangely dulled, but, somehow or other, the words -"suffering from shock" seemed to revive him in an astonishing degree. - -"'Suffering from shock!' Well, who wouldn't be?" he blurted out, almost -angrily. He gently pushed aside the supporting hands. "I reckon, -fellows, I don't need any props to support me. But say, how is Dublin -Dan?" - -The young Irishman, surrounded by a crowd, was lying in a half-reclining -position upon the turf, his usually florid face pale and drawn. But as -Don's query reached his ears he began to struggle up. It was a mighty -hard effort, however, bringing many an exclamation of pain from his -lips. - -"Dublin Dan's all right!" he exclaimed, in a voice quite unlike his own. -"But don't let me hear any one say I'm suffering from shock, or I'll -paste 'em. Hey, boy, why didn't you get out of my way?" - -"A comet couldn't have gotten out of your way," retorted Don, smiling -faintly. "But why did you try to butt me off the earth?" - -"I didn't do it. It was the 'penguin,'" said Dan. "I think I must have -hurt the old bird's feelings by running over a bad place in the ground; -or else it got tired of life and decided to quit. And that's where it -isn't like the Hagens. What train are you going home on to-night?" - -"I'll have to get a few more caressing touches from the earth before I -do that," said Don. - -The boy was feeling very shaky; his strength seemed to have so far -deserted him that it was with difficulty that he managed to stand erect. -The pains and aches he was experiencing were so great as to still make -him wonder if, after all, he had not sustained some injury which might -keep him out of the game for days--that was the only thought bothering -him now. Yet he was deeply thankful that the terrific smash-up had had -no worse consequences. - -Although it was a very important matter to the two principals, the -incident was so trivial in the eyes of the older students of the flying -field that as soon as it was discovered that neither of the boys was -seriously injured they began to retrace their steps. - -The moniteur rather sternly demanded from Dan Hagen an explanation of -the cause of the mishap. - -"Tell him there isn't any explanation," said Dan, when Don had -translated the instructor's remarks. "It just happened--that's all. I -reckon one of the great joys in this game is that it keeps a chap so -perpetually thankful that he's still alive that it makes up for -everything else. Say, Don, where do you feel the worst?" - -"All over," replied Don. - -"Hadn't both of you better get back to the barracks?" asked George -Glenn, solicitously. - -Don almost indignantly declined the suggestion. - -"No, indeed!" he declared. "I'm going to hang around here and watch the -other smash-ups." - -"And I'm not suffering from shock so much that I can't do the same," -said Dan, with a grin. - -Both Don and Dan soon found, however, that they had been too much shaken -up to enter very thoroughly into the spirit of the occasion. -Nevertheless, they were of that age when the very idea of retiring from -the field would have seemed like a deplorable surrender; so they -remained until the majority of the pilots began their homeward march. - -The boys were glad indeed to reach the Hotel d'Amerique. They removed -the dirt and dust from their clothing and enjoyed a refreshing wash; and -their feelings were then so far improved that each readily agreed to -accompany the crowd, after supper, to Etainville and the club. - -Thus the end of Don's second day was passed very much as the first. They -found Pere Goubain, as usual, bubbling over with good-nature, and -listened to the bits of philosophy which he expounded and to his tales -of spies with the same interest as on the night before. - -But there was something else which made their visit to the Cafe -Rochambeau far more memorable than they had expected. While the rattle -of tongues was in progress every one became aware of the fact that -something was going on in the village street. The air was filled with -the sounds of wheels jarring and rumbling over the cobbled highway, the -steady tramping of horses' hoofs and the voices of men. - -Don and George were the first to rush outside. And what they saw gave -them a thrill of pleasure and of exultation. - -Yes, yes! The Yanks were not only coming but they had come. -Actually!--an American battery was making its way over the lone street -toward the front. - -It was certainly a warlike scene over which the magic rays of the -brilliant moon were playing. At the head of the procession rode the -captain, mounted on a big bay horse. Close behind him followed the -battery standard bearer carrying the red guidon, which lazily swayed to -and fro. Silent and grim, the two horsemen suggested knights of old -going forth to battle. Gun carriages and caissons drawn by long teams of -mettlesome horses rattled and banged steadily past. - -Now and again glinting lights flashed from horses' trappings, or from -the sinister, wicked-looking guns. - -Often, from the wooden-shoed inhabitants of the village--men, women and -children, who had flocked out into the street to view the interesting -spectacle, there came the cries of, "Vive l'Amerique!" And to these -salutations officers, cannoneers and postilion drivers sometimes -responded with a "Vive la France!" - -"What a glorious sight!" exclaimed Pere Goubain, who, having managed to -lift his ponderous frame from the rocking-chair, had joined the -Americans outside. - -"I reckon the Germans might as well fire all their spies and give them -respectable jobs--eh, Pere Goubain?" laughed Peur Jamais. - -The old innkeeper shook his head. - -"As long as there are Germans there will be spies," he said, solemnly. - -The crowd waited outside until the last gun carriage had become lost to -view and only the faint sound of horses' hoofs and grinding wheels came -over the silent air. - -Then, as the hour was getting late, the boys bade good-bye to Pere -Goubain and began their tramp toward the barracks. - -Arriving at the aviation field, the students witnessed a spectacle -which, to Don and Dublin Dan at least, possessed a singular interest and -novelty. It was a dance executed by Annamites and dark-skinned Arabian -Zouaves before several huge bonfires built in front of their quarters. -With the firelight playing over the forms of the fantastically-moving -dancers and the weird, monotonous notes of the native music, the scene -was suggestive of some far-off, uncivilized quarter of the globe. - -"Those chaps are certainly working hard for their fun," remarked Dan -Hagen. - -"Wait till you see them get to fighting, which they sometimes do," -laughed Cal Cummings. - -"Excuse me the night the scrap comes off," chirped Don. "A little of -that sort of thing is much too much." - -"Like our smash-up to-day!" chuckled Dublin Dan. - -All the boys were pretty tired when they reached the barracks; for -training in the flying school often produces a strain on the nerves more -fatiguing than hard work. No time, therefore, was lost in turning in. - -But Don Hale passed a most uncomfortable and restless night. The pains -and aches, partially forgotten while in the midst of lively scenes, now -became violent enough to prevent the boy from falling into the slumber -which nature craved--in fact he had not slept at all when, after what -seemed to be an interminable length of time, the clear, musical notes of -the bugle, sounding the reveille, broke in upon his ears. - -It was a relief. But, at the same time, Don, blinking-eyed and yawning, -scarcely felt in the mood to enjoy the work as he had done on the day -before. Out in the open air, however, he soon felt more like himself, -and his natural enthusiasm soon overcame all bodily fatigue. - -The new _eleve_ imagined that he had conquered the "penguin," but the -result of the day's performance, to his great surprise, and equally -great disgust, showed him that this was merely an illusion. Both he and -Dublin Dan figured in several mishaps, the most serious of which caused -Dan's "penguin" to be towed to the repair shop. Both boys, too, received -a varied assortment of bruises. And at night, when summing up the result -of the work, Don grimly declared that it certainly was the end of an -imperfect day. - -A week passed, and then another, with Don and Dan still struggling to -obtain a complete mastery over the unruly "birds." There were several -interruptions in the work due to thunder-storms. And after the artillery -of the clouds had ceased the rain continued for hours. On such occasions -the students amused themselves by getting up impromptu concerts; and -sometimes, while the wind and rain beat relentlessly against the Hotel -d'Amerique, the notes of such pleasing compositions as Schumann's -"Traumerei," Schubert's "Am Meer" and Mendelssohn's "Spring Song," -played on the piano by a former motion picture artist, mingled with the -ominous blasts outside. - -On certain days lectures were given; the students were taught the -theories of aeronautics and the design and construction of various types -of flying machines. They were obliged, too, to take motors apart and put -them together again. Then, there were courses in map reading--a very -important subject indeed for the aviators must learn to keep track of -their aerial travels by such means. - -About the middle of the third week Don and Dan were delighted to be -informed by the instructor that their progress had been sufficient to -entitle them to enter the second class. This did not mean that they were -to be allowed to fly. It did mean, however, that they became pilots of -real airplanes, though it was not possible to turn on sufficient power -for the motors to take the machine off the ground. - -The boys found the sensation very different from that experienced while -trying to tame the "penguins." There was a delightful lightness and -buoyancy about these monoplanes, as they skimmed over the ground, -exhilarating in the highest degree. They continually seemed about to -defy the limitations set upon them and leave the terrestrial globe for -the firmament above. - -And during all the time that Don and Dan were wrestling with the new -problems, T. Singleton Albert, the former drugstore clerk of Syracuse, -was making the most astonishing progress. Many in the beginning had been -accustomed to laugh at the thought of the pale, anemic-looking chap ever -attaining his ambition of becoming an airman, but, as Peur Jamais put -it, he was "leaving every one of them far behind." - -One evening, when the sun had long disappeared beneath the horizon and -the advance-guards of approaching dusk were drawing a veil over the -distance and little by little driving the color from objects near at -hand, a crowd of boys of the first and second classes journeyed to the -third flying field to watch the machines circling around in the sky. - -"Won't I be glad when I get to the real work!" sighed Don. - -Dave Cornwells, who was standing by, remarked: - -"Boys, do you see that highest machine? Well, the pilot is a certain -daring young aviator named T. Singleton Albert." - -"Goodness gracious!" exclaimed Dan Hagen. "Why, that chap is certainly a -bird!" - -"You've said something," drawled Roy Mittengale. "And he'll never be -satisfied until he gets so high that the earth looks like a rubber ball -to him." - -As the shadows slowly deepened over the earth the flyers, one by one, -returned to the _grande piste_. - -There still remained one airplane high aloft--so insignificant in the -vast field of graying sky that it seemed to lose all resemblance to a -flying machine and become but a tiny, shapeless speck, so faint at times -that the naked eye could no longer follow its varied evolutions. And -every one on the _grande piste_ seemed to know to whom that machine -belonged--it was Albert's. - -"My, shan't I be glad when I get into his class!" commented Don Hale, -whose face was turned toward the sky. - -And then, all of a sudden, he gave voice to a loud exclamation. Others -did the same; for the faint speck in the sky had suddenly begun to -behave in the most extraordinary fashion. First it dove, then soared -upward again, not in the orderly fashion which one might expect of a -machine piloted by a skilled aviator, but in a way which suggested that -something was amiss. - -And this impression was strengthened a few moments later when the -machine began to volplane at terrific speed, at the same time swinging -around and around as though on a pivot. - -"The vrille![4] The vrille!" came from dozens of excited students. - -"The vrille!" echoed Don Hale, huskily. - ------ - -Footnote 4: - -"Vrille"--French for "falling leaf." - - - - - CHAPTER VIII--THE HERO - - -The boy had heard about the "vrille," and he knew that it is one of the -most difficult evolutions an airman can perform, and that it had sent -many to their death. - -For a few moments of tense and awe-stricken silence the onlookers kept -their gaze fixed with agonized intentness upon the object which, like a -wounded bird, was tumbling through space. - -A sickening sensation of horror and despair gripped the spectators. The -airplane and its pilot seemed doomed to utter annihilation. - -Pale, trembling with apprehension, his throat dry and husky, Don Hale -could not keep his eyes away from the spectacle of that frightful fall. -He stood as motionless as though fastened to the turf by means of -invisible chains. - -Nearer and nearer came the still-revolving plane. Now the machine was so -clearly silhouetted against the sky that even the supports could be -faintly distinguished. - -Don had seen many a terrible sight during his stay in the war zone, but -perhaps none had ever affected him so acutely as this. He could not help -picturing in his mind the awful fate of poor Drugstore. - -Not a voice--not an exclamation was heard. That most awesome silence -which sometimes holds sway over spectators when they are witnesses to a -catastrophe which they are powerless to avert had settled upon the -crowd. - -Faces were beginning to be turned aside, and though Don Hale felt an -almost irresistible impulse to do the same, an impulse still stronger -kept his wide, staring eyes fixed upon the airplane. - -But a few moments more, and the tragedy would be over. His nerves were -quivering violently. The strain of those few terrible seconds was almost -too hard to bear. - -And then, just as he was preparing to steel himself for the sound of a -sickening crash--for the sight of a machine, smashed and battered to -pieces, bursting into flames--a wild, half-stifled cry escaped his lips. - -What was the reason? - -Because of an almost unbelievable, impossible happening. - -The airplane had suddenly stopped its whirling evolutions, and was -soaring majestically through the air not a hundred feet above their -heads. Its engine had started and was sending a deep droning hum through -the air. - -It took a few seconds for the strange and oppressive silence to be -broken. It was as though the enthralled witnesses of the scene could not -at first comprehend the evidences of their vision. Then frantic shouts -and wild cheers rang forth over and over again. - -Actually!--Drugstore was safe. What did it mean? Had he become such a -master aviator that he had been simply giving an exhibition of his -skill? It looked that way. - -In their joy, the students slapped each other on the shoulder and yelled -themselves hoarse. - -Around and around the _-piste_ flew the airplane, and it was not until a -certain calmness had been restored among the students that it volplaned -swiftly toward the earth, and, as easily as a bird alighting, struck the -ground and presently came to a halt. - -And the moment it had done so an excited crowd began rushing toward it -from different parts of the field. - -No conquering hero was ever acclaimed with greater fervor--with greater -enthusiasm than T. Singleton Albert. Hands were thrust forward to shake -that of the returned aviator. - -The moniteurs praised and chided him at the same time. It was almost -unbelievable, one of them declared, that a student with so little -experience should have possessed sufficient courage to execute such a -dangerous and daring maneuver. - -And throughout it all Albert remained quite silent. The demonstration, -indeed, seemed to embarrass him--to bring his natural modesty and -reserve all the more to the front. - -"Simply splendid, T. Singleton!" cried Don, enthusiastically. "Only, I -wish to goodness you had notified us beforehand what was coming off. -Honestly, my nerves are jumping like a jack-in-the-box. But didn't the -vrille make you dizzy?" - -"Yes," admitted Drugstore--"so much so that just now I wouldn't be able -to look in a mirror and see myself twice in the same place." - -"I don't think you'll have any occasion to fear Captain Baron Von -Richtofen and his Red Squadron of Death," chuckled Marlow. "If they ever -get after you, son, just pull off the same trick, and it'll mean a safe -getaway." - -Albert clambered out of the machine, and, as though wishing to escape -further attention, hurried rather unsteadily toward a camion standing by -the side of the field. But such a sensational and unexpected event was -not to be dismissed in so unceremonious a fashion. All the way to the -waiting vehicle the former soda-water dispenser was obliged to listen to -enthusiastic comments and reply to numerous queries. - -And so it continued all the way to the Hotel d'Amerique, and even at the -supper table later on. - -Then it was that Sid Marlow started other demonstration, by exclaiming, -in his big, booming voice: - -"Sometimes a chap has no right to be modest. I've traveled over some -pretty rough trails, fellows, and early discovered that modesty is one -of the biggest stumbling blocks in the path of success. That's the -reason I haven't any." - -"We've noticed it," chirped Roy Mittengale. - -"You'll notice it some more, too, when I equal Albert's record. Now, -boys, I call upon our young friend for a speech. Who seconds the -motion?" - -Everybody did, and with an enthusiasm which brought warm flushes to the -face of the embarrassed Albert. - -He tried to resist, too, when those nearest at hand forced him to his -feet. This time, however, the crowd was determined. They brushed aside -the boy's protestations, and presently Drugstore, finding that there was -absolutely no chance to escape the trying ordeal, began to make a few -stammering remarks. - -For a moment the eyes of all in the room fixed intently upon him -threatened to stop altogether his halting words. And then, suddenly, to -the surprise of all, he collected his scattered wits and pulled himself -together. It was as if a new spirit had entered into him. The flush left -his cheeks and the tremolo in his voice was replaced by a firm and even -tone. - -But the first words he uttered when this changed condition had taken -possession of him fairly astounded his hearers. - -"Boys, I'm through with flying forever." - -"Through with flying forever!" cried Don. - -Then came an almost riotous demand for explanations. The boys weren't -going to stand for any "joshing." But, as cool and collected as before -he had been the reverse, Albert voiced his declaration a second time. - -"True as I'm standing here, boys, I mean it," he declared. "I'm no hero. -That wasn't a joy ride to show what I could do in the way of handling -the plane--oh, no! It was nearer to being a real tragedy. And I'm -through with the game for all time." - -Drugstore's assertions created another sensation. A babel of tongues -prevented his next words from being heard. - -Big Sid Marlow quickly restored silence. - -"Now tell us all about it, Albert," he commanded. - -"It's a mighty short story," replied Drugstore. "I made up my mind to do -the vrille, but somehow or other, at the very last moment, the idea of -actually starting it had such an effect upon my nerves that I decided to -leave it for another time. Even the thought, high up there in the air, -was enough to send cold chills creeping through me and make me perform -some bungling movements with the controls. Before I could regain the -mastery over myself, almost before I could realize it, my plane was -thrown into the vrille and I was shooting through space, with the -machine absolutely out of control." Albert's voice faltered. An intense -agitation seemed to grip him. "It was terrible--frightful!" He almost -gasped. "Never had I the least expectation of coming through it alive. -Never shall I forget those terrifying moments--the agony I suffered. -That one experience, fellows, has taken away all the fascination of the -game. Call it a yellow streak if you want; call it a case of downright -cowardice--I can't help that. I'm going to quit the flying school for -good." - -And having uttered these words with a conviction which permitted no one -to doubt his absolute sincerity, T. Singleton Albert abruptly turned -away and made for the door. - -"Well," exclaimed Don Hale, "that chap may not think he's a hero, but, -all the same, I believe he is." - -And to this sentiment every one heartily agreed. - - - - - CHAPTER IX--THE ACE - - -Many of the students confidently believed that by the time another day -had rolled around Albert would have so far recovered from the effects of -his thrilling experience as to reconsider his determination. This, -however, was not the case. - -A few privately expressed the opinion that Drugstore was a quitter, but, -somehow or other, the boy's frank avowal had raised him in the opinion -of the majority, who sincerely regretted that so promising a pupil -should be lost to the school. - -During the late afternoon another American arrived. Of course this was -not a very important event. Students were always going and coming, some -leaving for the _Ecole de Perfectionment_[5] others being sent back to -their regiments when it was found that they were not fitted by nature to -become successful airmen. - -But a little incident in connection with the appearance of the newcomer -profoundly interested those of an observant or inquisitive nature. It -was a rather dramatic meeting between him and the former college -student, Victor Gilbert. - -The latter, who was now in the third class and gave promise of being one -of the best of the _eleve_ pilots, upon entering the room and coming -face to face with the other halted as though almost petrified with -astonishment, and exclaimed: - -"Hello! You here, Jason Hamlin!" Whereupon the other answered, in a tone -which showed no trace of friendliness: - -"Yes, I am here, Gilbert. And one of the reasons I am here is because -you are here. Does that disturb you?" - -"Not enough for me to notice it," returned Victor Gilbert, coolly. - -"Flying is a dangerous game, eh?" - -"There are other games just as dangerous." - -[Illustration: "There are other games just as dangerous"] - -At this remark Jason Hamlin's face flushed perceptibly; his fingers -twitched; a steely glare which plainly told of a spirit moved to anger -came into his eyes. - -But the interesting colloquy ended there. - -"I say, wasn't that mighty curious about Gilbert and Hamlin?" exclaimed -Bobby Dunlap, otherwise Peur Jamais, to Don Hale, after the evening meal -was over. "I wonder what Gilbert meant by saying: 'There are other games -just as dangerous.'" - -"It's too much of a riddle for me." - -"I tried to pump this Jason person a little," declared Peur Jamais, "but -he was as dry as an old well gone out of business. Strikes me there's a -little mystery which I'll have to unravel." - -"I'll let you have all the fun of the unraveling," chortled Don. "Go to -it, Mr. Sherlock Holmes the second." - -"All right!" chirped Bobby. "I hope I shan't get a punch in the eye -while I'm sherlocking. Our friend Jason looks as though he wouldn't have -much trouble in finding his temper." - -"Or losing it," said Don, with a laugh. "But say, Bobby, I got a letter -to-day from George Glenn. And what do you think he's seen?" - -"Break it to me gently." - -Thereupon Don Hale drew from his pocket the missive, and began to read: - -"'To-day I had a mighty exciting experience. It was during my two hours' -patrol over the enemy's line, and the "Archies" were following my plane -thick and fast.'" - -"The 'Archies'! What does he mean by 'Archies'?" interrupted Bobby. - -"It's a name the flying fighters have given to the anti-aircraft guns," -replied Don. "Though I reckon no one knows exactly the reason why." - -He resumed: - -"'Don, I must confess that this afternoon I got a pretty big scare. I -was just about to return to the encampment of the squadron when I saw -something that made my pulse throb as it hasn't throbbed even when I was -engaged in a duel in the air. It was the sight of two crimson planes -swooping down upon me from above--a part of Captain Baron Von -Richtofen's Red Squadron!'" - -"Great Caesar's bald-headed nanny-goat!" ejaculated Bobby. "Where's my -suit-case? I think I'll go home with Drugstore." - -"I shouldn't blame you," laughed Don. - -"'By the time I made this startling discovery the foremost had opened -fire with his machine gun. And the first thing I knew bullets were -ripping through my plane.'" - -"I don't think I'll wait for my suitcase, after all!" exclaimed Peur -Jamais. "Whew! What did George do to them for that?" - -"The next chapter is as follows," said Don: - -"'I threw my plane into the vrille, and the next shots sped over my -head. That might not have saved me, either, had it not been that some of -the boys, seeing my predicament, literally sailed into the Germans.'" - -"Poor child!" cried Bobby. "By this time I really ought to be half-way -to the station." - -Don continued: - -"'From now on I expect things to be more dangerous than usual, which is -saying a good bit. I will write again soon if--though I will say au -revoir.'" - -"I can't say the prospect looks so very enchanting," confessed Bobby. -"But, as the French say, 'C'est la guerre!' And that means it isn't any -pink tea affair, eh?" - -"I guess not; though I never drank any pink tea," laughed Don. - -Some time later T. Singleton Albert approached the two. - -"I thought I'd say good-bye, fellows," he announced. "I'm leaving during -the forenoon to-morrow, and you chaps might not happen to be around." - -"It's too bad!" said Don. "I suppose it's no use of our saying a word, -eh?" - -"Not a bit," declared the other, very emphatically. "That tumble in the -air certainly did the business for me. Why, do you know, even the very -sight of an airplane going aloft gives me the queerest kind of feelings. -Take my advice--be a bit slow in making haste. Then you won't have to -pack your suit-cases and get out, as I'm doing." - -Albert spoke in the tone of one who felt that his ambitions had been -rudely shattered--that the future held no hope. - -The daring young airman who had astonished the students by his rapid -progress had become once more the drugstore clerk, the very antithesis -of what an airman might be expected to appear. - -Drugstore solemnly wished them the best luck in the world, hoped they -might win fame and glory in the sky, and then, after shaking hands very -heartily, wandered away to say his adieus to the others. - -"I think, after all, the soda-water counter is his proper sphere in -life," remarked Dunlap, presently. "He's more fitted to be reading about -the exploits of other chaps than trying to do them himself." - -"I hope the weather is all right to-morrow," broke in Don. "It was -looking a bit threatening when we came in--all clouded over. Let's take -a look outside, 'Fear Never.'" - -"All right," chirped Bobby. "Goodness, how I hate rainy days! I think I -know, now, how a chicken in a coop must feel." - -The two walked outside the crowded barracks, and both at once gave voice -to expressions indicative of disappointment. - -The entire heavens was covered with a thick canopy of clouds. - -"I don't think Druggy need have said good-bye to-night," remarked Peur -Jamais, disconsolately. "If I issued a Weather Communique it would sound -something like this: High and steady winds; heavy rains, with no -intermissions between; lightning and thunder in equal proportions; -life-boats and rafts in demand.'" - -"Never mind," sighed Don. "There are other days ahead of us." - -"If I didn't think there were I'd never be standing here as calmly as -this," returned Bobby, laughingly. "Let's go back to the smell of -kerosene and dismal light." - -It was rather late when the crowd turned in; and the last one hadn't -been asleep very long before pattering drops of rain were heard falling -upon the roof, while the wind, in soft and musical cadences, kept -steadily blowing. - -About two A. M. there came a veritable downpour and big, booming -reverberations of thunder. Vivid flashes of bluish lightning filled each -window with a dazzling glare and cast a weird and uncanny light -throughout the room. - -"It's a wild night, all right," exclaimed Dublin Dan, half sitting up. - -"It means no flying to-morrow," grumbled Mittengale. - -"Such little trials have their usefulness." It was Victor Gilbert who -spoke. "It teaches, or rather, should teach one to be philosophical and -accept the inevitable with resignation." - -"I don't want to be philosophical," complained Peur Jamais. "And I won't -be philosophical, either. Whew! Some big waste of electric light, that!" - -No one made any reply, or if they did it was unheard; for the most -appalling detonation shook and rattled the barracks. It seemed as if the -structure must be shaken from its very foundations. - -And thus the storm continued until the boys were routed from their beds -by the musical notes of the bugle. - -It was pitch dark and gloomy. The wind tore past with no soft and -musical cadences mingled in with its angry whistling, and now and again -a flurry of raindrops splattered noisily down. - -The usual roll call was held, and then the boys were free to do as they -pleased. Don Hale concluded to take a nap in his former place between -the sheets. - -When he once more opened his eyes the morning was well advanced. - -Jumping out of his berth, with an exclamation of surprise, the boy -hastily slipped on his clothes and walked outside. - -Scarcely a hint of color could be seen in the landscape. Here and there -pools had formed, reflecting the dull, leaden gray of the wind-driven -clouds, the air was filled with moisture, and the dull and heavy-looking -earth seemed to have absorbed all it could possibly hold. - -Gazing at the landscape was not a particularly enjoyable pastime; so the -boy reentered the barracks. - -An hour passed, during which the crowd amused itself in various ways. -Then a shout outside was heard. Although the words themselves were not -understood, it was a call so clearly intended to bring the boys that a -general stampede for the door was made. - -And when they reached it, they perceived a biplane which, in utter -defiance of the treacherous wind buffeting it about, was approaching the -aviation grounds at tremendous speed, its graceful, rocking form -outlined in lightish tones against the sinister-looking storm-clouds. - -"I believe he's going to land!" cried Don. - -"Of course. Did you think he was condemned to fly forever!" chirped -Dublin Dan. - -Now the loud, droning hum of the motors and propellers, which had been -filling the air, suddenly ceased, and the object darting swiftly through -the sky began to volplane in graceful spirals toward the earth. - -Realizing that the biplane, which all now recognized as a Nieuport -machine, an _avion de chasse_, as the French call them, would alight -some distance away, the crowd started running over the muddy field -toward it. - -And while they were on the way the pilot made the most perfect -_atterrissage_[6] any of them had ever seen. - -T. Singleton Albert, who had not yet left, was enthusiastic in his -praise. - -"Oh, boy, wasn't that jolly fine!" he cried. "And----" - -He got no further; for just then some one bawled out with much gusto and -boisterousness: - -"It's a machine belonging to the Lafayette Squadron!" - -"The Lafayette Squadron!" echoed a number of others, the rather shrill -and falsetto voice of Drugstore being plainly heard. - -Sure enough, the insignia of the famous flying squadron--the face of an -Indian warrior, now faded and worn by the rains and snows which had -beaten upon it, could be clearly distinguished on the body of the -rakish-looking plane. - -Don Hale forgot all about the dreary prospect ahead of him for the day -in his absorbed contemplation of the visiting biplane. Then his glances -fell upon the aviator just on the point of stepping from the nacelle, or -cockpit. - -"Hello!" - -He uttered the word aloud and excitedly. - -The appearance of the aviator was thoroughly familiar. He had seen -pictures of him many a time. A curious thrill shot through the boy; for -suddenly he realized that he was looking upon William Thaw, the famous -American Ace, one of the most commanding figures of the Franco-American -Flying Corps. - -Others, too, among the crowd had recognized the renowned aviator, and a -burst of enthusiastic cheering ending in a "Rah, rah, for Thaw!" rang -out. - -The famous ace smilingly bowed his acknowledgments, remarking: - -"Many thanks, fellows! I thought I would just take a flyer over here to -pay a brief visit to my old friend, the commandant." - -"But--but--you didn't actually come all the way from the front, -Lieutenant Thaw, did you?" almost stuttered T. Singleton Albert, whose -eyes were fixed with strange intensity on the trim, though -mud-bespattered little Nieuport. - -"Oh, yes! Had quite a scrap, too, just before leaving. Did I get the -Boche?" Lieutenant Thaw smiled genially. "No. I think that particular -Teuton must have had faith in the old adage that 'He who fights and runs -away may live to fight another day.' Now, boys, I suppose it's quite -safe for me to leave the machine here until I return?" - -Being assured that it was, the aviator, with a wave of his hand, started -trudging through the soggy field toward the commandant's office. - -By this time Don Hale and Albert were making a close examination of the -Nieuport. Both took a look at the cockpit, beautifully finished in hard -wood, and at the upholstered pilot's seat, and studied the -brightly-shining nickel-plated instruments which tell the pilot -practically everything he needs to know while in the air. - -There was something else, too,--an ominous-looking something else--which -attracted and held their interest--a Vickers machine gun, the firing of -which is so perfectly timed that the bullets fly between the whirling -propeller blades. - -To Don Hale, and, doubtless, to many others, that weapon, catching and -reflecting numerous gleams of light, was almost awe-inspiring. And, to -add to these feelings, they presently discovered several bullet holes in -both the upper and lower planes, silent and eloquent testimonials of the -perils which always face the intrepid and courageous fighters of the -air. - -At first Albert had been quite talkative--that is for him; then, as he -walked around the machine, studying every detail with the same interest -that a connoisseur might have displayed in the contemplation of a rare -and priceless piece of statuary, he suddenly became silent. Finally his -mild, unassuming air deserted him, and, straightening up, he exclaimed, -loudly: - -"Fellows, I've changed my mind. Nobody is ever going to call me a -quitter. I'm not going to leave the school after all. No, sir! I'll keep -at the flying game; and, by George, I'll get to the front, too." - -Following his sudden and almost vehement outburst, there came a silence. - -But it was quickly broken. And as loud as had been the cheering for the -visiting aviator it distinctly held second place to that which greeted -T. Singleton Albert's unexpected declaration. - -The boys shook his hand and slapped him delightedly on the shoulder. - -"Julius Caesar! The Germans are going to pay dearly on account of this -unexpected visit of Lieutenant William Thaw," cried Roy Mittengale. - -"Poor Baron Von Richtofen and his Red Squadron of Death!" laughed Bobby -Dunlap. "Just think of all those gallons of red paint gone to waste! -Drugstore, your nerve is simply grand!" - -A little later, when the American lieutenant returned, the students told -him about the incident, whereupon he, too, heartily congratulated -Albert. - -"We need young chaps like you at the front," he declared. "The air -service is of the greatest importance. It has been called the 'Eyes of -the Army.' The game, too, is wonderfully thrilling--wonderfully -interesting. Let me wish you much glory, success--and safety." - -As he spoke, he climbed into the cockpit. - -Don Hale gave the propeller a whirl and, presently, amid a chorus of -good-byes, the Nieuport started off. Faster and faster it moved over the -field, sending streams of mud and water flying in every direction, and, -at last, gaining sufficient momentum, it glided into the air. - -The crowd watched the biplane until it had disappeared in the murky, -moisture-laden air. - -"Boys, I'll never forget this day," declared Drugstore. "It's strange -how little things may alter the whole course of a person's life!" - -And every one, quite as solemnly, agreed with him that it was. - ------ - -Footnote 5: - -School for advanced students. - -Footnote 6: - -Atterrissage--landing. - - - - - CHAPTER X--CORPORAL DON - - -Not long after this there came another very interesting day in Don -Hale's life. He had graduated from the first and second classes and was -to make his first flight in the air. - -Only those who have gone through a similar experience can understand Don -Hale's feelings when he seated himself in the cockpit of a much-used -though sturdy little plane and laid hold of the controls. No veteran -airman or famous "ace"[7] could possibly have felt more exultant or -proud. - -The school by this time had become very full, and many of the _eleves_ -were obliged to await their turn; so there were always plenty of -spectators on the field; and these generally paid particular attention -to the boys who were making their first trial spin in the air. This all -added to Don Hale's tremendous desire to make a good showing; for he -still had vivid recollections of his preliminary experiences with the -"penguins." - -"Now, remember, make no attempt to turn in the air," commanded the -moniteur in charge. "Perfectly straight flights only; fly no higher than -thirty feet above the ground." - -"Get out your tape-measure, Donny," giggled Roy Mittengale. "Remember, -every foot adds to the jolt of the fall at the bottom." - -"Don't try to imitate Lieutenant Thaw so much that you'll hurt -yourself," advised Ben Holt. - -"Safety first in airplanes means not to go up at all," chimed in -another. - -Don, however, wasn't paying the slightest attention to these jocular -remarks, for the mechanic had his hand on the propeller. - -It certainly was a wonderful sensation to the young airman when he felt -the machine suddenly begin to move, slowly at first, but rapidly -gathering momentum, until, like a high power motor car, it was racing at -a speed which made him almost gasp for breath. - -Presently the boy gritted his teeth together, and, with a peculiar -feeling suggestive of I-wonder-what-is-going-to-happen-next state of -mind, pulled back gently on the control stick. - -And then, abruptly, he realized that the monoplane was traveling ahead -with a most wonderful smoothness. The wind rushed past, lashing and -stinging his face with its terrific force, but the heavy goggles -prevented his eyes from being affected. - -Don Hale glanced over the side of the cockpit, and, a little to his -dismay, discovered that he was just skimming a few feet above the -surface of the earth. - -A quick pull on the control stick sent the monoplane racing aloft, and -before the boy, trembling with excitement, could bring it to an even -keel he was far above the height limit set by the instructor. - -At first Don Hale had been acutely nervous--even fearful and -apprehensive. To him it was a very marvelous thing to be actually off -the earth, the pilot of a real flying machine. And it scarcely seemed -possible that the machine should require so little attention. Like a -flash, all the unpleasant feelings that had disturbed him vanished. - -Jubilant, exultant, almost ready to shout with the sheer joy of the -exhilarating sensations he was experiencing, Don Hale once more looked -earthward. How strange the ground looked flying beneath him at -incredible speed! How high above it he appeared to be! If anything -should happen to his machine a fall from that height might produce most -serious results. - -With one swift, comprehensive glance, his eyes took in the boys at -various points on the field and the planes which, for one reason or -another, were resting here and there on the turf. Then his greatest -desire and ambition in the world was to descend--to return to that haven -of safety. - -Yes, flying was easy enough; but when it came to making a landing--that -was where the difficulty began. - -Nervously, Don switched off the current and pushed the control stick -forward. - -And, to his utter dismay, the plane seemed to be falling headlong at an -acute angle--the ground to be fairly shooting up toward him. - -For one brief instant he had a terrible vision of a fatal smash-up. -Then, a pull of the lever in the opposite direction brought the nose of -the machine upward again. And following this, to the boy's intense -surprise and relief, the monoplane dropped in the most gentle fashion to -terra firma, taxi-ing across the field, its speed rapidly diminishing. - -When it had come to a stop Don found his face bathed in perspiration and -his pulse throbbing in a way that it had seldom done before. - -"By George! Am I actually here!" he muttered. - -Notwithstanding the fact that the boy had made a mighty good landing and -could hear shouts of approval coming from the distance he was too honest -with himself to be gratified with the achievement. He knew that it was -simply a case of good luck. - -"But just wait till next time!" he muttered, grimly. "By George, the -earth never seemed so fine before!" - -A number of Annamites presently appeared and turned the machine around. - -It was not for some time, however, that Don's nerves quieted down -sufficiently for him to put his airplane into motion. With a fervent -hope that fate would be as kind to him as it had been before, he -switched on the ignition and once again faced the blasts of wind. - -Then came the delicious moment of soaring upward--the ecstasy of feeling -himself borne through the air as swiftly as the arrow from an archer's -bow and that sense of wonderful freedom which the airman alone can -enjoy. - -As before, he glanced downward, and a humorous thought came into his -mind. - -"Certainly I'm the biggest thirty feet that was ever known above the -ground," he murmured. "I hope I don't fly to the moon." - -With astonishing rapidity the distant hangars, from hazy, indistinct -objects, became strong and clear. He could see the students and -instructors, watching, it seemed to him, with an interest and close -attention that fired his spirit with the keenest determination to make a -landing that would surprise them. - -He did. - -But the machine was not badly wrecked, nor was he himself injured by the -fall of fifteen feet. - -It was merely a case, Mittengale genially explained, in which the earth -happened to be that many feet lower than it should have been. - -Don said very little. It rather jarred his sensibilities to hear the -mirthful laughter and bantering remarks and to see the Annamites towing -an extraordinarily wobbling machine toward the repair shop. And, besides -this, to add to his disturbed state of mind, the moniteur, a boyish chap -named Boulanger, very loudly called attention to the error which had -caused the accident, between times roundly scolding him. - -"Quite a neat little bawling out!" chirped Dublin Dan, soothingly. "It's -a great life if you don't weaken." - -"I don't include that word in my vocabulary," exclaimed Don, with a half -smile. - -But though Don Hale's start in the third class had not been particularly -auspicious, nevertheless, by the end of the day he managed to gain -sufficient mastery over the plane to receive a "_Pas mal_, Hale!"--"Not -bad!" from the same moniteur who had chided him. - -That evening, while lying in his bunk, he summed up the situation in -regard to himself. There were other pupils who had made faster progress, -but the boy felt sure that what he had learned he had thoroughly -learned. He knew, however, that there was a tremendous amount of work -ahead of him before he could possibly hope to equal the skill of the -most humble flyer of the Lafayette Squadron--a squadron which he -devoutly hoped to join. - -Difficulties have the effect on some natures of spurring them to greater -zeal and determination; so it was in the case of Don Hale. Each failure, -each "bawling out," each chorus of laughter only acted as a stimulus. - -In a little less than a week he had acquired sufficient skill in driving -the machine in straight courses across the field to be promoted another -step--that is to the _tour de piste_, or tour of the aviation field at a -height of about three hundred feet. - -This was, of course, designed to teach the airmen how to make their -turns in the air, an operation requiring the greatest accuracy and care. -Up to this time Don thought he had enjoyed about all the thrills that it -was possible to have, but the first _tour de piste_ undeceived him. All -the other experiences faded into insignificance when compared to this. -In his splendid isolation from all mankind, he was filled with a certain -sense of awe a little unnerving at first. He was in a situation where no -power save his own could be of any avail, and on the first two or three -occasions involuntary tremors shook his frame as the Bleriot monoplane -banked, or swung around at an angle. - -Happily, however, there was no tragedy to record. With increasing -confidence, Don dared to rise higher, and within a few hours had reached -the required altitude. From this elevation he viewed with absorbed -attention the wonderful panorama, which, like a colored map, was -outspread before him, revealing fields of various forms, shapes and -colors, and patches of woods and hills. And dividing the landscape were -light lines--the roads--running in all directions. - -His first tour was satisfactory to himself and his instructors. The -turns held no terror for him. - -Following this several days of bad weather put a stop to the work of the -school. During the enforced inactivity Bobby Dunlap had his curiosity -and interest in Victor Gilbert and Jason Hamlin still further heightened -by a violent altercation between the two, although neither he nor any -one else was near enough to overhear the conversation. The fact, too, -that the young chaps had evidently been just on the point of indulging -in a physical encounter made the "Gilbert-Hamlin affair," as Bobby -termed it, decidedly interesting. - -"I'm going to find out all about it some day," he laughed, nodding his -head emphatically. - -"Bully boy!" chuckled Sid Marlow. - -When the period of dull weather was over Don Hale started in with -greater zeal than ever. He was doing his best to equal the record of T. -Singleton Albert, who had so far recovered his nerve that he had no -hesitancy at all in executing the vrille. - -By gradual degrees, Don took his machine to greater altitudes, until, at -length, he was making the _tour de piste_ at a height of three thousand -five hundred feet. Now feeling somewhat like a veteran, he was fully -prepared when the order came for him to perform some of the simpler -evolutions in the air. One of these consisted in spiraling down to the -earth with the engine shut off and landing almost directly beneath the -point at which he started. Another was to volplane swiftly downward, and -then, while still several hundred feet in the air, bring the machine to -a horizontal position and swing around either to the right or left. - -These exercises proved to be a pretty severe test on his nerves, and at -first affected his head and stomach in a truly distressing manner; but -constant practice, combined with a determined will, finally enabled him -to gain the mastery over them, and he began keenly to enjoy the great -and thrilling swoops through space. - -At length there came a time to which he had been looking forward most -anxiously, and that was the beginning of his training in a big Caudron -biplane, a rather slow but safe machine. This meant that Don Hale's stay -at the Ecole Militaire de Beaumont was nearly at an end. - -There were now but two tests before him, one known as the _petit voyage_ -and the other the _grande voyage_. The first was a sixty mile trip and -return; the second a triangular journey, each side being about seventy -miles in length. - -By the time Don had passed these successfully T. Singleton Albert and -Victor Gilbert had gone to the great finishing school located at Pau, in -the southern part of France. - -It was indeed a happy moment to Don when he received his "_Brevet -d'Aviateur Militaire_" from the War Department, which made him a -corporal in the French army. This merely meant, however, that he had -graduated from the school at Beaumont, and, like the two who had -preceded him, was sent to take a course in "acrobatics" at Pau. - -Pau, he found, was very delightfully situated, and within sight of the -snow-capped Pyrenees. - -With even added zest, Don Hale entered into the work before him. It was -more dangerous than anything he had attempted in the school at Beaumont; -but the tactics he learned were of extreme importance, being precisely -those used in air fighting on the front. - -About the middle of his course Don Hale was ordered to report to the -Mitrailleuse school at Casso, on the shore of a lake, where soldiers in -all branches of the army are trained in the use of machine guns. In a -two-seater, piloted by another airman, Don Hale practiced firing at -captive balloons and moving targets on the lake. - -At first it proved very difficult, but constant work soon enabled him to -meet the requirements of his instructors. - -After the completion of this training he returned to Pau for a short -period. Following this he went to Plessis Belleville to add a few final -touches before being assigned to combat duty in one of the escadrilles. - -The boy's greatest ambition was to join the Lafayette, where he might be -near his chum George Glenn, and he passed through a period of much -anxiety before the matter was finally settled in the affirmative by the -military authorities. - -Proud and happy indeed, in his neatly-fitting uniform, with the -corporal's stripes on his sleeve and the golden wings and star insignia -on his collar, Don Hale set out on his journey to join the escadrille, -then encamped not far from Bar-le-Duc, near the Verdun front. - ------ - -Footnote 7: - -Ace--a pilot who has brought down five or more enemy planes. - - - - - CHAPTER XI--THE LAFAYETTE - - -Of all the flying corps in France none performed more valiant deeds or -became more renowned than the Lafayette, composed of Americans who -journeyed across the sea to help the French in their struggle against -the invading hosts. Whether it was in answer to the call of adventure -due to the love of thrills and excitement, or to the fascination of a -new and wonderful sport, or simply from a sense of duty, are questions -of no particular moment--the members of the flying corps are to be -judged solely by the remarkable work they accomplished. - -The fame of such combat pilots as Rockwell, Prince, Chadwick, MCConnell, -Lufbery, Hall, Walcott and numbers of others is of the kind which will -last as long as history itself. Never again, perhaps, will men be called -upon to repeat their triumphs. - -The day Don Hale arrived was an epochal one in his life. George Glenn -and T. Singleton Albert met him at the station in a little village -crowded with soldiers and permissionnaires. - -"I can't tell you, Don, how glad I am to see you; and yet I'm almost -sorry to see you," exclaimed Albert, enigmatically. "You're in for -excitement that will make your days as an ambulance driver with the Red -Cross seem tame by comparison." - -"And they were plenty thrilling enough to suit me," laughed Don. "What's -the latest news?" - -"That this little village was recently bombed." - -George Glenn pointed to a sign painted on the side of a building. - -"'Cave Voute,'" read Don, aloud. - -These caves, he knew, were underground retreats, where the soldiers or -inhabitants could find a refuge in case of a bombardment or a -bomb-dropping expedition of the enemy. - -"One good thing--our camp is outside the range of the guns," said -George. - -As the boys walked through the little village, which, during the earlier -stages of the war, had been the scene of many an exciting event, Don -Hale could not help but remarking on the changed appearance of T. -Singleton Albert. There was a gravity and sedateness about him which he -judged to be caused by the dangers to which the airmen are constantly -exposed. - -"Had any exciting adventures yet, Drugstore?" he asked. - -"Plenty of them," responded Albert. And then a light which Don Hale had -never seen before flashed into the young chap's eyes. "Yet, in spite of -that, I wouldn't have missed this experience for all the world. Flying -has all the joys, the thrills and excitement of every other sport beaten -a thousand miles. I certainly owe a whole lot of thanks to Lieutenant -William Thaw." - -The three found plenty to talk about, though they were often obliged to -let their lively tongues slow down on account of the lines of marching -troops and the almost endless procession of motor trucks passing in both -directions. - -In about three-quarters of an hour they reached their destination--the -headquarters of the famous Lafayette Escadrille, which happened to be, -at this time, in a beautiful little villa, situated in the midst of -spacious grounds. - -A number of the American pilots cordially greeted him, and Don was very -glad to see among them Victor Gilbert. - -After meeting the courteous French captain of the escadrille the boy was -shown to a room on the second floor, which he was to share with several -others. - -Outside of the hazardous nature of their occupation, the members of the -American Squadron, unlike the "doughboys" and poilus, lived a life of -ease and comfort. They had orderlies who attended to their needs, -comfortable feather beds to sleep upon, and their meals, prepared by a -French chef, were eaten in a dining-room which delighted the eye by its -most artistic furnishings and decorations. - -It would have been very hard to analyze Don Hale's feelings on this -particular occasion. Expectation, eagerness, happiness and impatience, -all seemed to hold sway over his thoughts, and though the reality was -before him he could scarcely believe that he actually had become a -member of the famous American Squadron. - -After a substantial lunch, still in the company of George Glenn and -Albert, Don journeyed to the aviation field not very far away. - -With the utmost eagerness, he gazed about him. He saw numerous hangars, -rest tents and various wooden structures. And, besides these, parked at -one side, were ponderous motor trucks, trailers and several automobiles. - -Attached to the great encampment were mechanicians, chauffeurs, -telephone operators, Red Cross attendants and motor-cyclists--for the -business of flying has its prosaic side as well as its thrills. Somehow -or other it reminded Don of a country fair on a large scale, and it -would have seemed to him very natural indeed had his eyes alighted on a -barker, mounted upon a rostrum, exhorting a crowd of spectators to -enter. There was a certain air of grimness and sternness, however, about -the men whom they encountered that soon removed this impression. From -the east came the sullen rumble of countless guns. Sometimes it was low, -like the mutterings of distant thunder; sometimes it swelled into a -volume, as if a storm was about to burst, and then, like the sighing of -the wind, almost faded away. - -A patrol was just about to leave for the front, and Don watched the -Nieuports taxi across the ground, rise one after another in the air, -and, after gaining a high altitude, soar in a V-shaped formation toward -the battle front. - -The boy thrilled at the sight, and his eyes followed the fast-flying -planes until they were lost to sight behind a thin veil of whitish -clouds. - -"Of course, I'm pretty sure you know just what kind of work we are doing -here," said George Glenn, "but, notwithstanding, I am going to tell you -a few things. Our squadron belongs to what is known as the group de -combat, and it has a definite sector to cover. - -"A patrol is always kept over the enemy's lines, not only to prevent the -German pilots from entering ours but to make their lives as full of -spice and adventure as we possibly can." - -"Still, we have a lot to do besides fighting," put in Albert. "Sometimes -our duty is to protect the two or three-seater bombardment planes, the -_avions de reglage_, or airplanes used by those who regulate the -artillery fire, and the observation and photographic planes. The mission -of the big 'birds,' although they are armed with two guns, and sometimes -three, is a purely defensive one." - -"Quite often," chimed in George, "escorting bombardment and photographic -planes, we travel quite a long distance into 'Germany,' as we call the -other side of the barbed wire entanglements." - -"It must be wonderful!" cried Don. - -"Some of our experiences are, I can assure you," returned George, with a -half smile. "Now, Don, here is something the captain is going to tell -you, and if you value your life and my piece of mind you will implicitly -obey his instructions." - -"Fire away!" said Don. - -"It is to stick by the formation--always! The Germans have a habit of -pouncing down upon stragglers, and unless the pilot combines skill, -resourcefulness and courage in equal proportions, or sheer good luck -intervenes, it is apt to be good-night." - -"You can trust me not to get lost," said Don, with a serious look in his -eyes. "But, boys, I want to see my plane--I must see my plane, and, as -the captain is right here on the field, I reckon he'll show it to me." - -In this view Don was not mistaken; and presently a mechanic rolled out -of one of the hangars a small machine, slender of fuselage and beautiful -in its proportions. On the tapering body was painted an Indian's head -similar to the one on Lieutenant Thaw's machine. - -"As you see, all of the planes are numbered," remarked the captain, -"and, in addition, each of the pilots has some special mark on the -fuselage to distinguish his from the others." - -"Yes, Monsieur le Capitaine," said Don, with a grin of delight. - -"This machine has a motor of two hundred horse power and can travel at a -speed of about one hundred and forty miles an hour," continued the -commander. "And at times you will need it all," he added, dryly. "When -may you go up? This afternoon. I will detail Sergeant Reynolds to -accompany you in his plane. The German lines must not be crossed, under -any consideration, for several days at least." - -[Illustration: "The German lines must not be crossed"] - -"Oh!" murmured Don. - -This was a great disappointment to the boy; for he possessed that daring -which youth is prone to indulge--a daring which may often lead to -disaster, and, as often, be a means to safety. - -The captain, after introducing him to the mechanic who was to look after -the Nieuport, walked away. - -The next half hour was one of unalloyed delight to Don Hale. He spent it -in examining the plane, the various nickel plated instruments with which -the cockpit was furnished and the Vickers gun, with its belts of -cartridges. - -To fire this stationary weapon the pilot would have no need to remove -his hand from the controls. The instruments consisted of a compass, an -altimetre to register the height, a speed indicator and several others. -Then there was a map in a roller case. - -The top of the plane was camouflaged by means of spots of a greenish and -brownish color; and besides the concentric circles of blue, white, brown -and red on the wings the end of the tail had been painted with the -tricolor of France. - -Though Don Hale, as a rule, was a pretty calm lad, he found it hard to -conceal his nervous tension. - -His preliminary flight that afternoon, however, was really nothing more -than a repetition of those he had taken while in the training schools. A -green pilot was not to be fed to the hungry Boches, and he stood in no -more danger from that source than if he had been hundreds of miles away. - -On the following days the sergeant led him a little further toward the -fighting front. And then, having received all the protection which wise -counsel and advice could afford, the young airman was pronounced ready -to begin his career as a combat pilot. - - - - - CHAPTER XII--ABOVE THE CLOUDS - - -On a certain morning, just after sunrise, Don Hale, in his fur-lined -combination suit, leather aviation helmet, and provided with heavy -goggles and gloves, was strapped in his machine. It was one of a row of -six, which, in almost perfect alignment, were ready to go aloft. - -There was the greatest activity and noise about the flying field. The -air was filled with the roar, the drone and the hum of many motors; and -in this sea of sound the reverberations of the distant guns were, for -the time being, completely lost. - -Don had received his instructions to fly at the rear of a formation of -six machines, following one another at a distance of fifty metres. This -_vol de groupe_ would patrol the German lines for a period of several -hours. - -Don Hale found himself murmuring over and over again: "At last!" And -though he tried his best to still the rapid pulsations of his heart--to -control a hand that had an extraordinary tendency to tremble, it was -without avail. He was going up to face peril of the gravest sort. - -Was anything going to happen? - -Just then he felt almost afraid to think of what the fates might hold in -store for him. - -Presently he saw the captain wave his hand as a signal, and a moment -later the leader of the patrol rose in the air. The others followed. - -There was just an instant more of waiting for Don Hale, and then he, -too, was rolling over the ground. - -As readily as a leaf borne aloft by a gust of wind the Nieuport answered -to the controls and began spiraling upward. - -The six machines rose directly over the field, and at a height of about -two thousand feet the leader headed toward the east, the others taking -up their respective places in the formation. - -Higher and higher the fleet of wonderful little machines ascended, and -Don Hale glancing over the side of the cockpit, saw a wonderful panorama -of the rapidly-receding earth, which the early morning sun was tinting -with a soft and poetic glow. The most delicate tints of brown and green -were broken here and there by darker notes of a purplish hue, indicating -patches of woods. Crisscrossing the earth in all directions were the -roads--thread-like lines of palish gray, and, as though some giant hand -had scattered them carelessly about at widely distant points, were -clusters of little glistening dots--villages, or what remained of -villages. Now and again the boy's eyes caught sight of pools, mirroring -on their surfaces the delicate tones of the sky or the clouds above, and -presently the river Meuse came into view--a faint and hazy line. - -His practice in the school at Pau had taught Don how to preserve his -place in the _vol de groupe_, which, when the tremendous speed of the -Nieuport is considered, is far from easy, and he had never made a better -effort than at the present time. The new member of the Lafayette -Squadron remembered vividly the stories he had heard concerning the fate -of youthful and venturesome pilots who had disobeyed the commander's -orders. - -Eagerly, he kept his eyes open for enemy planes. He could not see any, -but he did perceive, far below him, on both sides of the line, numbers -of grotesque-looking observation balloons, or sausages, as they have -been jocularly christened. - -Now the altimetre registered a height of over ten thousand feet--they -were approaching the battle-front. Don Hale was about to get his first -view of "Germany." - -The boy, however, was too excited--too absorbed in the contemplation of -the singular scene below him, and, at the same time, so occupied in -handling his plane that he did not feel any tingling sensation of fear. - -The battle-ground was covered with a thin veil of purplish smoke, and -where the delicate shadows lay thickest on the earth he could -occasionally distinguish the flashing lights of the guns or of exploding -shells. But it all seemed very distant--very remote. The clouds of smoke -from the bursting projectiles and innumerable batteries were but tiny -spots amid the surrounding haze. Don realized that a vigorous -bombardment from both sides was going on and that a devastating hail of -missiles was creating havoc and destruction in the opposing trenches and -far to their rear. Then he had a swift glimpse of that irregular -brownish stretch of land running between the hostile forces--"No Man's -Land," the most sinister, the most barren, the most mutilated strip of -earth that has ever existed since the world began. - -The patrol leader was now mounting higher, and the reason became almost -instantly apparent. The air straight ahead had become filled with round -puffs of viciously-spurting black smoke. The "Archies" were according -the early morning visitors their usual warm reception. - -A second more, and not so many yards away there suddenly appeared the -largest and wickedest-looking puff of all, and, above the roar of the -motor, the startled Don Hale could hear the explosion of the shrapnel -shell launched by the German gunners. - -The next instant he felt a terrifying thrill. His airplane was falling -through space. - -Almost stifled by the air rushing past, with a horrifying vision of -impending catastrophe, the boy, nevertheless, managed to keep his wits -about him. But escape seemed impossible. A perfect hail of "Archies" -popped up in the air to the rear, to the side and to the front of the -falling machine, the control of which he was desperately trying to -regain. - -Though his agony of suspense seemed long drawn out it was but a moment -when the terrifying descent was over and the machine again flying -parallel to the earth. - -It was almost miraculous that it had not been riddled with the fragments -of the bursting shrapnel shells. The din of their almost continuous -explosions was ringing in the aviator's ears, and in the -violently-disturbed air the Nieuport was rocking and plunging like a -boat in a heavy sea. - -"Never fly in a straight line" was the advice which had been given to -Don before setting out on the expedition, and after the first few -moments of suspense had passed Don Hale managed to sufficiently calm his -jumping nerves and follow this instruction. He turned the nose of his -machine upward, and, in a zigzagging flight, shot like a rocket into the -blue depths above. - -A little later he found an infinite relief in seeing the black -thunderbolts exploding hundreds of yards below. - -But where was the rest of the patrol? They seemed to have utterly -vanished. A strange sense of loneliness such as he had never known -before took possession of him. And then, like a flash, he recalled -George Glenn's words: "The Germans have a habit of pouncing down upon -any stragglers they may happen to see." - -Were there any enemy scouts about? - -He cast a swift, comprehensive glance over the vast expanse of sky. - -A number of planes were to be seen far to the rear of the German lines, -but whether friends or enemies the new combat pilot could not possibly -determine. At any rate, he was sure his companions must have ascended to -the cloud level, now close overhead. - -Still thrilled at the thought of his narrow escape, he sent the biplane -climbing higher aloft. Nothing in his school days could be compared to -this flight, a flight in which danger threatened every moment - -Plunging into a cloud, the machine became enveloped in soft and fleecy -masses of vapor. Not a thing could Don see in any direction. It was a -most weird and curious sensation, he found, to be sailing so far above -the earth, in the midst of the fog; and though he experienced a certain -sense of freedom from danger he had an unpleasant feeling of half -suffocation, which impelled him to escape as soon as possible from their -enfolding embrace. - -Now, through a jagged opening he caught a glimpse of the earth, and just -a moment afterward something happened which gave him the greatest scare -he had yet had in his brief flying career. - -A shadowy object--so faint as to be scarcely discernible--flashed into -view to his right, and, while he gazed toward it as though fascinated, -in a second of time it had grown into an object of seemingly gigantic -proportions, though still so faint in outline that he could scarcely -take in its exact form. - -Another instant and the phantom-like plane had swept past with lightning -speed, leaving in its wake powerful currents o wildly swirling vapor, -while the airplane, caught in the eddy, staggered and shook. - -"Whew! That was another close call!" breathed Don. "Sure enough!--this -isn't a game for weak nerves. Hello--goodness gracious!" - -The Nieuport had shot above the strata of clouds. - -Even though his nerves were still tingling, his pulse throbbing -violently, the combat pilot could not repress a gasp of admiration as he -gazed out over the immense expanse of billowy forms that stretched in -every direction in a vast circle against the soft blue field of sky. - -It was still early, the sun had not risen high, and its rays, falling -upon the clouds, tinted them with the most delicate of rosy hues. - -"I almost seem out of the world," murmured Don, a trifle awesomely. - -"And how perfectly safe it looks I--just as though one could float about -on the clouds and be in no danger of taking a header to the earth. But -where am I in this curious world above? And, more important than all, -where are the other planes? I'd be in a nice position, shouldn't I, if -some of Captain Richtofen's Red Squadron should happen to come along! -What shall I do?" - -The boy found that skimming close to the fleecy, ever-changing billows, -sometimes dipping into them, was a fascinating sport. Up there -everything was peace, loneliness and quietude. It seemed almost -incredible that only a few miles below, on the earth he had just left, a -terrible war was being waged and that every moment tragedies and horrors -were taking place. - -But the time for decisive action had come. - -Boldly, though not without some trepidation, he plunged back into the -clouds. Then came a brief period of dense obscurity, followed by a -weird, spectral illumination, as the daylight struggled to pierce the -masses of moisture-laden air; and presently the Nieuport was again in -full view of the shell-torn, battle-scarred earth, far over a hostile -country. - -Many planes could now be seen, some below, some faint and hazy in the -distance, others comparatively near - -And while Don was scanning each in turn, hoping to recognize the -familiar Indian's head on the fuselage, he suddenly became conscious of -the fact that not very far away a fight in the air had begun. Probably -half a dozen or more combat pilots were engaged; and, almost forgetting, -in his interest and excitement, the danger of his position, Don Hale -watched the wonderful spectacle, with his nerves at the keenest tension. - -Every acrobatic performance which he himself had learned at the advanced -school at Pau was being used by the rival airmen. - -Now and again one or another went down in a spinning nose dive, as -though the machine were totally out of control; but instead of crashing -to the earth it would right itself, and, with almost incredible speed, -rise again to the attack. Fairly leaping over one another, flashing this -way and that, narrowly avoiding collisions, they soared upward or -swooped down, as a flock of enraged birds fighting among themselves -might have done, and, faintly, the enthralled Don Hale could hear the -vicious crackling of the machine guns, steadily spurting forth their -messenger of death, and see the faint smoking lines left by the tracer -ballets. - -Were any members of the Lafayette Squadron engaged in the conflict? - -The boy mentally voiced this query over and over again as he flew around -in a sweeping circle, keeping far above the contenders. - -He felt an almost irresistible impulse to join in the fray, and but for -the fact that the squadron commander had explicitly ordered him to act -only on the defensive probably would have done so. He had seen many a -fight from the ground, but then the thrills were of a decidedly -different nature from those which came while he was in the pilot's seat -of an airplane. - -A moment more, and, just as suddenly as the battle had begun, it ended. -One of the combat planes began to fall, turning over and over in the -air, now and then the dull gray wings with the Maltese crosses clearly -outlined against the floating masses of smoke below. - -Into these it plunged and disappeared from view. - -Thankful that neither his compatriots no any of the Allied airmen had -been the victim, yet shuddering at the thought of the human life which -had been sacrificed to the greed of the God of War, Don Hale headed for -the west, having satisfied himself that the Allied planes, now rapidly -retreating, belonged to a French air squadron. - -The black, sputtering "Archies" were beginning to burst beneath him -again, one coming so dangerously near that once more a sort of -consternation gripped him. - -"This won't do at all!" he muttered. "A little bit nearer the ceiling -for me!" - -He was approaching the lines and "No Man's Land" and following its -tortuous course with his eyes he observed in many places the sudden -bursts of smoke which told of the explosions of high-calibre shells. All -about him the atmosphere was hazy and the distance entirely obscured. - -Now rapidly becoming familiar with the new game, Don began to feel more -like himself. For the first time he could understand how it was that the -experienced pilots learned to treat with comparative indifference the -angry shrieks of the attacking "Archies." - -At length Don Hale discovered the patrol of Lafayette machines flying in -a perfect formation just over the enemy's line. - -After facing the dangers of the sky alone the sense of relief and -pleasure that the sight of friends near at hand afforded him was -delightful indeed. He felt like uttering a whoop of joy. - -"Considering all such experiences as I've just had once is too much!" he -muttered to himself. "And this time you can just bet I'll not get -separated." - -Nor did he. The patrol, which was only policing the air, led him into no -further danger, and, consequently, when the two hours was over and they -headed for the aviation field, nothing had occurred to add more thrills -to those he had already received. - -Don Hale, however, was thoroughly glad to see the great encampment -coming into view; and equally glad when he had spiraled down to the -earth and made an almost perfect _atterrissage_. - -Waiting machinists helped him out of the cockpit; and as he answered the -questions fired toward him the boy felt as proud and happy as any of the -"aces" whose fame has spread throughout the world. - -His first reconnaissance over the enemy's line was something he could -never forget - - - - - CHAPTER XIII--THE FARMER - - -Several weeks passed, during which Don Hale became thoroughly familiar -with and accustomed to the work of the escadrille. The boy was surprised -to find how soon the unpleasant feelings which had assailed him on his -first day's sortie over the lines had worn off. True, he did pass -through some harrowing moments--terrible moments, in which it seemed as -though he was doomed to destruction. But, in general, familiarity with -the dangers brought that indifference which a seasoned veteran in any of -life's great games usually acquires. - -By this time the young aviator had engaged in practically every kind of -work done by the squadron. He, in company with other pilots, had acted -as escorts to the big Caudron bombarding machines, the artillery -regulating planes, and those whose duty it was to travel over the -enemy's country, observing and taking photographs. - -During several of these trips he had been introduced to what the boys -pleasantly termed "flaming onions." These are balls of fire sent in a -stream from a special gun, and they travel with tremendous speed. -Fortunately, however, these sportive attempts of the Germans did no -damage to either him or his machine. - -During a vigorous attack when the French had succeeded in capturing and -holding several of the German trenches he learned a great deal about -contact patrol. This consisted of working in conjunction with the -infantry, keeping them informed of everything that was taking place on -the other side of "No Man's Land," guarding them in every way from -surprises and doing all that was possible to facilitate their "Going -over the top" by flying low over the ground and vigorously attacking the -enemy's troops. - -Contact patrol was the most dangerous work of all; for the pilots ran -not only the risk of being struck down by the shells from the east but -also by those sent by their own batteries in the rear. - -Occasionally, too, he joined expeditions which set out to destroy the -big observation balloons which hung constantly in the sky, and on one of -these trips he had seen an unwieldy monster, somewhat suggestive of an -elephant with its trunk cut off, sent flaming to the ground. - -But there was a sad, a tragic side connected with all the splendid and -courageous work accomplished by the combat pilots. There were some who -never returned, and who were listed in the official "_communique_"[8] as -being among the missing. There were others, too, whose planes, riddled -by the enemy's bullets, were sent crashing earthward, to be smashed and -splintered and torn apart by the terrific impact. - -Those were days of gloom and sorrow; but the inevitable had to be -accepted. - -Two events which interested Don Hale and T. Singleton Albert were the -arrivals, at different times, of Bobby Dunlap and Jason Hamlin. The -meeting between the latter and Victor Gilbert was of a nature no more -cordial than that at the training school. - -Gilbert glared at the other, demanding gruffly: - -"You seem to find it hard to keep away from my company. There are other -Franco-American Squadrons." - -"Thank you for your charming and subtle intimation," rejoined Hamlin, -dryly. "Let me say, however, that I pulled every wire I could so that I -might have the pleasure of joining this squadron." - -"Frightfully agreeable, I'm sure!" muttered Gilbert, turning away. - -"I say, Peur Jamais," exclaimed Don Hale, some time later, "how is the -Sherlock Holmes business getting on?" - -Bobby wagged his head mysteriously. - -"Maybe I'm on the trail of something, and maybe I'm not," he responded. -"What do I think it is? To quote a classical remark: 'I have nothing to -say at this time.' Bombs aren't the only things that make explosions. -Now let us drop the mystery." - -"That's better than dropping a bomb," laughed Don. - -"That depends upon where you drop it," chirped Bobby. "But, believe me, -Donny, that Hamlin person is some flyer. He'd make an eagle so ashamed -of himself that he'd swear off flying and stay on the ground forever. I -believe he could almost fly by waving his arms in the air." - -"Wish I could!" sighed Don. "It would come in mighty handy if a fellow's -plane were shot away from him while he was five miles in the air." - -Often pilots when off duty gathered in the bureau, or office, where -reports were turned in and other necessary routine work of the squadron -transacted. Hanging on the wall was a very large map of the sector, -amazingly complete, showing the location of German aviation centres and -even the points where their observation balloons were anchored. -Naturally, from time to time, there were changes in the map, and the -members of the squadron often found great interest in studying it and -speculating as to its appearance a few months hence. - -As days succeeded days Don, George Glenn, T. Singleton Albert and Bobby -Dunlap frequently met in the bureau, and it was on one of these -occasions that Bobby took Don Hale aside, and, in a very impressive -manner, remarked: - -"Do you remember those nights at the Cafe Rochambeau when old Pere -Goubain told us a whole lot about German spies?" - -"Yes," answered Don. - -"Well, I don't think he was so very far wrong. I'm brighter than the -next person, and it looks to me as if the trail were getting warm." - -"What do you mean?" - -Don spoke in a mystified tone. - -"Spies--spies!" chuckled Bobby. - -"But where are they? Maybe you think I'm a spy?" - -"If you are you'd better be careful of little Sherlock," chirped Peur -Jamais. - -Some time later, the pilots were rather surprised and amused to see an -old French peasant standing out front and gazing in evident wonder at -the aviation fields. He was a typical son of the soil, wearing wooden -sabots, or shoes; and his faded blue garments showed many traces of his -labor in the fields. Almost primitive in appearance, and suggesting the -uncouth, illiterate peasants which the French painter Millet loved to -depict, he seemed so out of place amidst that most modern of all -scenes--an aviation centre--that many of the boys found it rather hard -to stifle an inclination to laugh. - -"Hello, what's the news from your section of the universe?" asked Bobby -Dunlap, waggishly. - -The peasant glanced at him rather stupidly for a moment and then -drawled: - -"There aren't enough people left in the place where I come from to be -any news. There's an awful big war going on, isn't there?" - -"Goodness! So you've discovered it, too!" laughed Bobby. "Where do you -live?" - -"Not so very far away." - -"Are you thinking of changing your vocation and becoming an aviator?" - -The stolid-looking peasant, evidently seeing no humor in the remark, -shook his head and mumbled: - -"No." Then, in a half-embarrassed manner, he inquired: "May I take a -glance inside the house?" - -"To be sure!" exclaimed Jason Hamlin. - -"The world owes everything to the farmer. He is the foundation upon -which the world leans. Without him----" - -"We'd have to become farmers ourselves," giggled Bobby. - -The peasant, evidently feeling awed by his surroundings, entered the -bureau. - -Once inside he gazed about him with a sort of abstracted air, uttered a -few observations which caused titters of laughter to run around the -room, and, presently, remarked to Jason Hamlin: - -"This war hasn't done any good to farming. Pretty big map on the wall. -What's it there for?" - -Repressing a smile, T. Singleton Albert attempted to explain, in his own -peculiar style of French, whereupon the visiting farmer exclaimed: - -"Too bad! But I don't speak any language except that of my own country." - -A loud laugh went up at the expense of the furiously-blushing Drugstore. - -And then Don took it upon himself to impart the information. - -"I see!" exclaimed the peasant, musingly. - -He walked over to the map and began to examine it, his expression, -however, indicating an utter lack of comprehension. - -Victor Gilbert, who happened to be among the crowd, remarked in English: - -"It's too bad that the laboring classes should be so uneducated. And the -lack of training dwarfs what intelligence they have, so that their minds -fail to grasp even simple things." - -The others agreed with him. - -But, at any rate, they found the visit of the farmer a pleasant -diversion, and all were really sorry when he said good-bye and started -for the door. - -"That old chap is about the limit," growled T. Singleton Albert. "Talk -about ignorance! It's a positive wonder he has enough sense to find his -way home." - -"And just think!--the poor fellow understands only French," chirped -Bobby Dunlap. - -Drugstore was about to retort, when the entrance of several pilots -stopped him. - -The newcomers had something to tell, too, which aroused a great deal of -interest--several of them had had thrilling encounters with Captain -Baron Von Richtofen's Red Squadron of Death. - -"I feel sure the Baron was there himself," declared one. "The way those -planes were handled was simply marvelous. I thought I had certainly -winged a Boche when he went into the vrille; and I swooped down after -him for about two thousand feet, intending to make sure of it. But, in -some extraordinary manner, he got his plane under control, and before I -could realize it I was shooting below him and his bullets were humming a -tune past my ears." - -"Oh, boy, that is music I don't like to hear!" said Bobby, with a -perceptible shiver. - -"I reckon all of us prefer symphonies of a less dangerous kind," -remarked Gilbert, adding, rather reflectively: "I haven't had the -pleasure yet of meeting that Baron and his pirate crew. Perhaps some day -I shall." - -"Then let us hope it will be a red letter day for you," cried Don. - -That night the escadrille was once more saddened by the disappearance of -one of its members, and all telephone queries to the observation posts -failed to reveal what had come of him. It was feared, however, that he -had fallen behind the German lines and been either killed or captured by -the enemy. - -Many of the pilots remained late in the bureau discussing their fellow -aviator's possible fate, and while they were busily talking the sound of -an anti-aircraft gun brought all who were sitting to their feet. - -"I wonder if that means a Boche bombing raid!" cried Don Hale, -excitedly. - -The next instant a frightful din of crashing guns rent the air. - -With a common impulse, a rush was made for the door. - ------ - -Footnote 8: - -Communique--Bulletin. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV--THE BOMBARDMENT - - -By the time the excited crowd had piled outside powerful search-lights -were reaching up into the starlit heavens, lifting out of the gloom with -strange and fantastic effect the thin veil of clouds which here and -there stretched across it. - -Even amid the booming of the anti-aircraft batteries and the sharper -staccato reports of the machine guns from various parts of the field, -all blending into an unearthly din, the droning of the motors high in -the air could be distinctly heard. Like a pyrotechnic display, luminous -bullets, searching for the invaders, shot up into the sky, often -piercing the low-hanging clouds; and mingling in with them were vicious -little spurts of fire which told of the explosion of shrapnel shells. - -The majority of the pilots, familiar with the dreadful danger which -menaced them, made a wild dash for the underground shelters. But Don -Hale and a few others, fascinated by the awe-inspiring scene and -situation, remained. - -"Isn't this awful!" cried Bobby Dunlap, with a distinct tremolo in his -voice. "Great Scott!" - -At that instant a loud, though dull boom from the explosion of a bomb -had added its quota of noise to the raging inferno of sound. - -It hadn't landed so far away, either, and, as Don Hale, in the grip of -fear and excitement which he found impossible to control, strove to -pierce the gloom, three reports, even louder, followed one another in -quick succession. - -"Great Caesar!" cried Bobby Dunlap. "It seems as though they are going to -wipe the aviation camp off the map. It's time for us to run for our -lives." - -And with these words, jerked out so fast that they were scarcely -intelligible, he started off on a headlong sprint to join those who had -sought a haven of safety. - -But even then neither Don, George nor Albert could tear themselves away -from the singular scene that was passing before their eyes. Every -search-light--every gun was being used. Dazzling streams of whitish -light crossed and criss-crossed or swept in wide circles over the -sky--the darkness of night seemed to be rent asunder. Flaming bullets -were rising by the thousand. - -Notwithstanding the terrific defense of the French batteries the German -bombs continued to fall. Their appalling detonations seemed fairly to -shake the ground. - -It was a situation wherein the tragic and the terrible held full sway. -No man alive could have stood it without fear and trembling; for, at any -instant, one of the bombs might have fallen into their very midst. - -And then, while they stood there, motionless, silent, their pulses -quickened by the emotions within, they saw something which brought husky -exclamations from their lips. - -It was the sight of a German plane, spectral and ghostlike, sailing -serenely along in a dazzling sea of light. Flying this way and that, it -now and then almost disappeared in the obscurity beyond, but, -inexorably, it was pulled back into the field of vision by the -ever-moving rays. And then a second and a third plane sprang into view, -all appearing as pale, ethereal and ghostlike as the other. - -And as the pilots kept their eyes fixed upon this wonderful and singular -spectacle, which seemed to combine the elements of the supernatural and -unreal, they became witnesses to a scene which is given to but few in -this world to see. - -Suddenly, just beneath the foremost machine, now in the full glare of -light, there appeared a tiny flash of fire, a tiny burst of smoke--the -circling flight was ended. Almost simultaneously with the explosion of -the shrapnel shell the battleplane began to fall, at first slowly, as -though the airmen near the clouds were desperately seeking to regain -control. - -What was going to happen? A few seconds would tell. - -They were thrilling seconds, too, to the little shivering knot of -spectators by the bureau. - -"Ah--ah!" - -A long-drawn, shrill exclamation came from Don Hale. - -The plane, after wobbling and staggering for the briefest instant, began -a spinning dive toward the earth; and before it had gone many hundred -feet a portion of one of its wings was seen to become detached. Almost -instantly came a little burst of ruddy flame, rapidly increasing in -intensity, until, at last, the airplane was blazing from end to end. -Like a flaming meteorite, the doomed machine, still bathed in the -dazzling white glare, continued its frightful plunge. - -Down, down, it came, whirling and spinning, growing larger and more -distinct with each passing second, and leaving behind it a long sinuous -trail of sparks and inky smoke. - -Absorbed--enthralled by the terrible spectacle, Don Hale almost forgot -the danger that ever menaced them. - -But before the plane had reached the ground the peril of their exposed -position was brought forcibly to his mind by another loud report from a -bursting bomb. It seemed to have fallen nearer at hand than any of the -others; and he was just about to urge his companions to leave when, -without warning, there came a frightful and appalling explosion, so -terrible in its power that he found himself jerked off his feet and -thrown violently forward. - -Shocked, dazed and bewildered, he struck the turf at full length, where -he lay as motionless as if the end had come. - -He was brought to his senses, however, as suddenly as though ice-water -had been dashed into his face. The explosion had hurled aloft great -masses of earth and debris; and now, like a descending avalanche, they -began beating upon the ground close about him with thuds and bangs and -crashes. - -With a startled cry, the boy staggered up. A clump of earth struck him -on the back with almost stunning force; a piece of board crashed down at -his feet, and in wild haste, he began the retreat that should have been -made before. - -And, to add to the danger, spent bullets from the shrapnel shells came -pelting down. - -The distance to the nearest underground shelter was very short, but it -seemed like a mighty long way to the frightened runners. Could they -reach it? - -Panting, perspiring, almost desperate, they crossed the last lap of the -intervening space and fairly threw themselves into the crowded -bomb-proof shelter. - -Their wild and unceremonious entrance brought exclamations from the -crowd. But no effort was made to speak, however, for, amid the mighty, -crashing chorus of the guns, voices could scarcely have been heard. - -Huddled together in the shelter, which was dimly lighted by a single oil -lamp, feeling the earth trembling beneath their feet, the pilots -listened with awe to the sound of the explosions. It was mighty -unpleasant to be cooped up--mighty unpleasant to think of what might be -happening to the hangars and the little fighting Nieuports, and when, -after what seemed to be an interminably long time, the din of the -anti-aircraft guns and bursting bombs began to slacken, Don Hale gave a -big sigh of relief. - -"I guess it's all over, boys," he shouted. - -"I'm going to make the Germans sorry for this," cried Bobby Dunlap. - -As the crowd, headed by Don, made for the door the firing had ceased, -and, in contrast to the terrific racket of a few moments before, the -comparative silence seemed almost strange and unnatural. The giant -search-lights were still sweeping the sky, but the enemy had evidently -been driven away. - -Intent upon finding out as quickly as possible what damage had been -done, Don Hale and George Glenn hurried toward the point where the bombs -seemed to have fallen most thickly. Men were hurrying this way and that, -and officers could be heard shouting their orders. It quickly developed, -however, that the camp, very fortunately, had sustained but little -damage. Great pits had been dug in the ground by the force of the -explosions, the end of a hangar demolished, and two machines and a -little storehouse destroyed. - -"Now I feel very much better," declared Don. "Honestly, I never expected -to see that Nieuport of mine again." - -"From the amount of noise they made, one might have thought the whole -camp was going skyward," declared George. "Before the Boches have a -chance to pay us another visit, Don, let's beat it for the villa." - -"Done as soon as said," exclaimed Don. - -Long accustomed to the terrors and scares of the war zone, the boys had -now entirely recovered from the effects of the bombardment from the sky. - -With a number of others, they climbed into a big camion and were driven -to their headquarters. On the way they saw encampments of soldiers in -the fields, their tents, with lights inside, showing as faintly luminous -spots in the darkness. Now and again a long convoy lumbered along the -road; batteries were moving up nearer the front; reserves, too, passed -them, marching steadily and silently, the rhythmic sound of their -steadily-tramping feet sounding weirdly in the night. - -And though no particular incident marked the journey, Don and George -were thoroughly glad when they reached their comfortable room in the -ancient villa. - -Tired, after the many hours of work and excitement, they immediately -turned in. - -And thus ended another day. - - - - - CHAPTER XV--A BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS - - -During the following afternoon Don Hale and T. Singleton Albert were -detailed, with eight other pilots, to act as an escort to a big Caudron -photographic machine, which was to make a trip to a point many miles -inside the German lines in order to take photographs of a railroad -centre. - -Don Hale's machine on this occasion was armed with eight rockets, with -dart-like heads, four on either side of the fuselage. These are designed -for the purpose of destroying observation balloons, bullets from the -machine guns not being sufficiently large for the purpose. The rockets -are projected into space at terrific speed by means of powerful spiral -springs, and ignite at the instant of departure. - -The art of photography has been a great factor in the world war, driving -secrecy from its cover and enabling the opposing forces to make an -almost complete record of what was taking place on the other side of the -line. - -The two-seater Caudron machine which the combat pilots were designated -to protect was armed with only one swivel gun. The cameras, pointing -downward, were attached to the sides of the fuselage, and in order to -take a photograph it was necessary only to pull a string. - -It was rather late when the commanding officer gave the signal for the -departure. In a spiraling flight, the Nieuports rose in the air, and, at -an altitude of about six thousand feet, waited for the photographic -machine to meet them at their airy rendezvous. - -Immediately arranging themselves in a V-shaped formation, with the big -Caudron at the apex, the fleet of planes headed for "Germany." Very soon -some of the fighting Nieuports dropped below the machine they were -escorting, while others soared a thousand feet above. - -The weather was hot and sultry, and frequently the swiftly-speeding -planes cut through patches of lazily-floating clouds, which left shining -drops of moisture clinging to spars and struts. They sailed high above a -long line of French observation balloons, and could see others belonging -to the enemy--faint yellowish dots in the distance. But Don Hale was -paying very little attention to them, for the famous town of Verdun, -responsible for some of the most desperate battles ever fought in the -history of the world, appeared before his eyes. Here and there were -great gaps among the red-roofed houses, showing where the high-explosive -shells of the Germans had shattered and torn and blown everything to -pieces. Faintly, he could see those mighty forts--Vaux and Douaumont -and, in another direction, the famous Mort-Homme, so valiantly defended -by the French. - -And the same scenes which he had witnessed on all his trips over the -front were again before him--the haze of smoke floating high above the -battle-field, the batteries in action, the flashes of the exploding -shells, and the airplanes either hovering like flocks of birds or -patrolling the lines. - -As they passed over the trenches the Caudron and its escorting Nieuports -rose to an altitude of fifteen thousand feet; for the air beneath them -was filled with the little balls of black smoke which told that the -"Archies" would have liked nothing better than to bring them crashing to -the earth. The pigmy and futile efforts of the gunners, however, only -served to amuse Don Hale. How harmless the exploding shells appeared! -Yet how terrible they were when viewed at closer range! - -At various points, silhouetted against the blue of the sky or the -scintillating white of the clouds, he could make out hostile airplanes -which, as was often the case, were keeping well to the rear of their own -lines. - -Would they be attacked? - -Don Hale scarcely thought so, or, at least, not so long as the formation -kept together. - -Thus, with his mind at comparative ease, he thoroughly enjoyed the swift -flight through the cool air high above the earth. Gazing over the side -of the little cockpit, he studied the territory occupied by the Germans -with an interest which familiarity never seemed to lessen. Occasionally -Don's view of the network of roads, the tiny villages and the farms, -surrounded by their vari-colored fields, was blotted from view by the -constantly increasing layers of fleecy white clouds. Their shadows were -chasing each other over the warmly-tinted earth. - -The wind was blowing straight into "Germany," and, to Don Hale, the -weather conditions seemed to be fast becoming ominous and threatening. -This thought at length became a little disquieting. If anything should -happen to their planes while over the enemy's country it might mean a -descent; and a descent would undoubtedly mean capture--an inglorious end -to a flying career--a fate particularly dreaded by the airmen. - -"I won't be sorry when this trip is over," muttered Don to himself. -"This kind of life certainly gives a chap fifty-seven different kinds of -feelings." - -Owing to the great velocity of the flying flotilla, their destination, a -town of considerable size, soon afterward came into view, and the whole -formation volplaned to a lower level. Now they plunged through the -clouds. And on emerging Don could see many evidences of life and -activity going on below. Here and there were aviation fields bordered by -gray hangars. Almost directly beneath a column of troops on the march -suggested so many tiny ants creeping slowly over the ground. A long line -of moving dots on a white road indicated a convoy going up nearer the -line, while on a railroad leading into the town the eager and interested -young combat pilot espied a train traveling, apparently, with a strange -and sloth-like motion. - -And now the peaceful character of the voyage came to an end. The -"Archies" were at work again, and on every side, and dangerously near. -Don Hale saw the wicked, lashing little balls of black smoke, though the -explosions of the shells could scarcely be heard. Nor were the flying -men threatened by the anti-aircraft batteries alone: Albatross and -Fokker machines were approaching. And, in order that the enemy planes -might not gain too great an altitude and be in a position to dive down -upon them, the leader of the flotilla gave a prearranged signal; -whereupon several of the convoys began following him to a higher level. - -Don Hale, however, had been instructed to remain below, while the -photographs were being taken, and the prospect was not altogether a -pleasant one. He well knew that the Caudron would take all sorts of -risks in order to obtain the desired pictures; and the protecting -Nieuports, to fulfil the duties imposed upon them, must all expect to -run a fiery gauntlet of shrapnel. - -Down--still further down, as though unmindful of their spiteful -presence, the big Caudron flew in a circling flight directly over the -town. - -Now in light, now in shadow, the collection of buildings made a pleasant -picture. The golden cross surmounting the spire of the lone church -occasionally reflected the mellow rays of the sun, and, like a jet of -fire, sent its light into the sky. - -But these were things to which Don Hale paid not the slightest -attention: his mind was wholly wrapped up in the work ahead of him. He -was playing a game in which life and liberty were at stake, and, as the -Nieuport rocked and shook in the currents of the air disturbed by the -almost continual explosions of the shrapnel shells, he warily watched -the movements of the enemy planes. - -Somehow or other, now that the perilous moment had come, he felt neither -excited, apprehensive nor alarmed. An almost unnatural calmness seemed -to have a hold upon him; and even when he saw a hole suddenly appear on -the left-hand side of the upper plane, which meant that a piece of -flying lead had pierced it, he did not lose his steadiness of hand or -presence of mind. - -He seemed to be fairly surrounded by the bursting shells. In every -direction he turned they were there to meet him. The "flaming onions," -too, were beginning to cut their fiery passage through the air; and as -they traveled with terrible swiftness the danger from them was even -greater than that from the anti-aircraft guns. - -Around and around soared the photographic machine; and around and around -soared the Nieuports, both above and below. It was a veritable ride of -death, with a chance that some of the combat pilots would pay the -penalty for their daring, and be recorded in the brief official -communique as among the missing or the dead. - -Suddenly the photographic machine darted downward. Don Hale, with his -eyes fixed upon it, almost held his breath with suspense and -apprehension. It seemed scarcely possible that the pilot could rise -again. - -However, just as this gloomy thought was becoming fixed in his mind, the -airplane began to ascend. - -Intuitively, the boy realized that the dangerous mission of the -photographer and his pilot was over; for, like a captive bird escaping -from its imprisoning cage, the Caudron shot steadily upward, and was -soon far beyond the reach of the guns below. - -The lower escorting planes, which many times had come close to -destruction, immediately followed. - -And then Don Hale, strange to say, began to feel the effects of a -reaction. The hand, so steady in the midst of terrible peril, now -trembled slightly. He found it hard to shake off a curious foreboding--a -foreboding that sometimes sent chills along his spine--that much might -happen in that perilous return journey over a hostile land. - -To show that his fears were entirely justified, when once again the boy -gazed aloft he discovered that some of the bolder enemy scouts, now -assembled in a formation as formidable as their own, were hot on the -trail of the fast retreating Americans. - -"Looks like a scrap," murmured Don. - -The pilot cast a look at his machine gun and belt of cartridges, all -ready on the instant. - -Should he have to use them? He hoped not; yet it looked that way. - -And all the time the wind was steadily increasing in force, making -necessary the closest attention and most extreme care in handling the -biplane. Thus, with the elements against him and surrounded by the -gravest danger, Don Hale decided that by the time he reached the -aviation field, if he ever did, he should be able to recount a tale as -interesting as any of those he had often heard. - -Occasionally he glanced over the side of the fuselage, to see the big -Caudron, now considerably below him, sometimes skimming close above the -clouds and sometimes enveloped in masses of vapor. He very well knew -that if an attack were made the photographic machine would be the -principal object sought for, owing to the value of the records it was -carrying. - -And while Don was busily reflecting upon this he suddenly realized that -action both above and below him had begun. He could see several planes -whirling and darting about, and though the rapid reports of the machine -guns were unheard amid the roar of his motor he caught sight of narrow -lines of smoke left by the passing tracer bullets. - -"Great Julius Caesar!" he muttered. "I am in for it. I wonder when my -part in the show begins!" - -It came much sooner than he had expected. While several of the Lafayette -machines below and to the rear of the Caudron were engaged in deadly -combat by the enemy a fighting plane with the ominous Maltese crosses on -its wing flashed past Don Hale, diving vertically toward the tail of the -Caudron. - -The crucial moment had arrived. Don Hale's heart was throbbing fast -again; his lips were compressed; his eyes flashing. Then, without a -second's indecision--without a thought of the consequences--he, in turn, -began a headlong swoop through space. - -In a moment or two he shut off the motor; for he was about to execute -that evolution taught in the acrobatic school at Pau known as the -"Russian Mountain." Although he had performed it many times under -different circumstances, the terrific downward rush never failed to make -him gasp for breath. It was the same on this occasion, and his ears -seemed to be almost bursting. The rushing wind beat fiercely against -him, its whistling notes, ominous and threatening, ringing out loudly. -Like a plummet dropped from the clouds, he still plunged in a vertical -descent. Now he dashed past, dangerously close to some of the fighting -machines, and through an air filled with tracer and flaming bullets. - -By this time the Caudron was desperately trying to avoid the enemy in -the rear. But it seemed impossible that it could escape from the -marvelously swift and brilliantly maneuvered German plane. This machine -had just succeeded in gaining an advantageous position when Don Hale -swept by. - -Now he pushed the control stick away from him, which, raising the -ailerons, caused the machine, with startling abruptness, to end its fall -and come out on an even keel. - -Though jarred and dizzy, the combat pilot lost not a second in starting -the engine. Another movement with the control lever, and the Nieuport -was shooting upward directly toward the tail of the German plane. Its -pilot was already busily engaged in pouring a hail of bullets in the -direction of the Caudron. - -Don had gone through some thrilling experiences in the war zone, but -there had been nothing like this. He realized that the fates had decreed -that through his efforts alone the safety of the photographic machine -depended. Never before had he fired a Vickers gun in actual combat, and -for the briefest interval of time an overwhelming sense of agitation--of -excitement gained a hold upon him; and before it had passed, and while -the perspiration stood out on his face, he took aim, operating the gun -with his left hand, and fired. - -He could hear the spitefully-crackling reports; he saw the bursts of -smoke spreading outward and upward. Then his machine swept past, in an -ascending flight, at a distance of not more than fifty yards. - -It was a strange sensation to be gazing upon an enemy's machine so close -at hand, and, in his instantaneous glance, the details seemed to be -indelibly impressed upon his mind. He saw the helmeted pilot turn; and -for the fraction of a second the two gazed into each other's faces. - -Before Don Hale could maneuver his plane, in order to renew the attack, -he passed through some instants of terrible suspense. - -Had his shots taken effect? Or was the photographic machine doomed, -after all? - -But what the boy saw when he looked again made him feel like uttering a -shout of joy. The machine with the black crosses on its wings was -descending abruptly, with erratic movements. - -"I got him!" breathed the boy. - -Triumphant, with his fighting blood aroused to the highest pitch, the -young combat pilot, yielding to the now irresistible call of battle, -shot toward another _avion de chasse_ which bore the enemy's markings. -He had not gone very far, however, when he was startled by a fusillade -of flaming bullets, passing close to his wings on the right. - -A German pilot had stolen upon him from the rear, and Don was in the -worst possible position to defend himself. - -Instantly he sent the nose of the Nieuport upward, gave the control -lever a swift jerk forth and back, and, like a flash, the machine -described a complete backward somersault, while its pursuer shot past -beneath. - -The almost breathless Don Hale realized that his escape had been of the -narrowest sort--that he was still in the gravest peril. Other machines -were speeding toward him. The odds were entirely too great for an -inexperienced combat pilot. Moreover, he had caught a glimpse of three -new French planes coming to the rescue. Don's own safety lay in the -clouds just above, and he flew toward them with all the speed of which -his Nieuport was capable. - -And in that upward journey, brief though it was, he sensed rather than -saw that the air close about him was filled with fiercely contesting -planes, darting, swirling, almost tumbling over one another. The -atmosphere, too, was literally criss-crossed by the multitude of faint -bluish lines left by tracer bullets. - -When the clouds closed about Don Hale and he found the view completely -obscured, he experienced a wonderful sensation of relief. Yet his nerves -were pretty badly shaken. Like the game hunter who has momentarily -escaped the lion's claws yet knows that the mighty animal is lurking -near to renew the attack, his thoughts of what the immediate future -might have in store for him sent renewed tremors through his frame. - -War is a cruel and pitiless thing, in which compassion and the kindlier -impulses of the human heart have no place. He himself could give no -quarter, nor could he expect any. - -And now there was something else besides the relentless foe which began -to cause him anxiety--even alarm. The weather conditions had been -becoming steadily worse, and the force of the wind, still blowing -steadily into "Germany," made the movements of the Nieuport like that of -a boat wallowing in the trough of a heavy sea. Sometimes, without an -instant's warning, he found himself dropping like a shot, and the next -moment, as though raised on the crest of a mighty billow, sent shooting -upward. - -The clouds were growing thicker; the curious, half luminous light was -being replaced by a deep and forbidding gloom, not like that of night or -of anything else he had ever seen. And through this weird and seemingly -unnatural darkness there occasionally came gleams of spectral bluish -light which told him that the greatest artillery in the world was -rapidly getting ready for action, and that before long it might be -expected to break loose in all its majestic power. - -Where was he?--far over the German territory? He could not tell; yet it -seemed very likely that such was the case. At any rate, he must make for -home. How?--below the clouds? No. There are limits to which one's nerves -can be subjected. He must climb through them and fly above. -Single-handed it would not do to face those lying in wait below. He felt -terribly alone--terribly friendless. - -The darkness was suddenly torn asunder by a brighter flash and, for the -first time, he heard a sullen rumble, which, beginning like the roll of -muffled drums, rapidly increased until it was sounding in a crashing -crescendo. - -"Great Scott! This is about the worst ever!" muttered Don. "Yes, I -certainly shall have something to talk about--only, it will be too much! -I never expected that I'd be witnessing a storm from a balcony seat." - -He tried to impart a little jocularity to his tone, but the attempt was -unsuccessful. - -It was a pretty awesome thing to be amid the storm-clouds, with the -coppery colored and bluish gleams now playing almost constantly about -him; and this singular situation conjured up all sorts of strange -fancies. - -Now the wind was buffeting the Nieuport wildly about, tearing against -the fuselage and planes in heavy gusts. - -But at last Don Hale's heart was gladdened by the sight of a circular -patch of misty light; and presently shooting through a ragged opening in -the clouds he saw the illumination spreading out on every side and -caught a glimpse of blue in the great expanse above. Probably the most -inspiring thing he had ever seen, it lifted a load from his mind. As the -shadows produced a depressing effect, so the light seemed to radiate -optimism and cheer. - -Presently the flying Nieuport carried him to another world equally as -strange as the one through which he had just passed. Just below him, to -the limits of vision, there extended, like a soft and moving blanket, -the billowing forms of the wind-swept clouds. - -And skimming across their surface was the grotesquely-shaped shadow of -the speeding aeroplane. - -Then it suddenly occurred to Don that his situation wasn't so very much -improved after all. During the melee and his subsequent experiences he -had totally lost track of his bearings. In which direction was the -aviation camp? That was a question he could not begin to answer. One -thing alone cheered him--he was, at least, headed for the French lines. - -And while debating in his mind how soon he might dare to make a plunge -through the vapor he happened to glance behind him. And that single -glance was the means of causing him to make a discovery--a discovery -that was so startling, so terrifying that the blood seemed to almost -freeze in his veins. - -Bearing down upon him, and almost within firing range, were two great -Albatross planes--both of a scarlet hue. - -There could be no doubt about it--they belonged to Captain Baron Von -Richtofen's Red Squadron of Death. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI--THE EMPTY HOUSE - - -During the afternoon of the same day that Don Hale was destined to have -his great adventures George Glenn and Bobby Dunlap, off duty, decided to -take a little jaunt about the surrounding country. - -Leaving the main highway the boys struck off toward the southeast. - -The road sometimes took them past stuccoed walls, gray, chipped and -broken by the ravages of time; and here and there, rising high above the -faded red coping, were the tall and graceful poplars so characteristic -of the landscapes. Once in a while, the two, their youthful curiosity -aroused, peeped between the bars of the entrance gates to get a look, if -they could, at the mansion so secluded from public gaze. - -Presently the boys were descending a steep road which led down to a -little village at the base. Occasionally, between the trees, they caught -glimpses of red-roofed houses, and the spire of an ancient church, all -serenely beautiful in the midst of a peaceful landscape. - -Now George and Bobby came across _poilus_ resting on either side of the -highway. And then, to bring the grimness of warfare once more to their -minds, a Red Cross ambulance, leaving behind it a long trail of -yellowish dust, rumbled up the hill, carrying its load of wounded to the -base hospital further to the rear. - -Arriving at the bottom of the incline the two found themselves on a road -which turned abruptly. Soldiers were billeted in the village; and in the -courtyards and out on the streets were rolling kitchens, while parked at -various points they saw huge camions awaiting their turn to carry -supplies toward the front. Evidently but few of the inhabitants -remained; and the reason was at once apparent--there was scarcely a -house which did not show some evidence of scorching shell fire or the -devastation caused by bombs dropped from the air. - -George and Bobby soon passed the quaint old church, no longer a place of -worship but a hospital, and continued on, soon leaving behind them the -village, with its soldiers, camions and other paraphernalia of war. - -"Now let's take a rest," suggested Bobby, at length. - -"You'll not hear any objections from me," said George. He turned his -gaze toward the east, adding: "I hope to goodness Don doesn't run into -trouble over the front to-day." - -"I'm with you there, Georgie," said Peur Jamais, gravely. "I never saw -such impolite fellows as those Boches. Just the other day one of them -chased me for miles, and all I did was to empty a belt of cartridges in -his direction. Honestly, I believe he wanted to hurt me." - -"I guess you're about right," laughed George. - -"Hello! just cast your eyes along the road. But do it gently, though, so -as not to hurt them. Do you see that chap yonder--about to cross?" - -"My vision being extremely good, I can." - -"Don't you see anything familiar about him?" - -George, after taking a long and earnest look at the blue bloused figure, -nodded his head. - -"Yes; to be sure. It's the peasant who's been visiting our escadrille." - -"Correct, old chap. And say, did you ever notice how chummy he's gotten -to be with Jason Hamlin? Funny combination, that--a college highbrow and -an humble, downtrodden tiller of the soil. By the way, Vicky Gilbert -certainly has said some funny things to Jasy." - -"Have you found out yet what the scrap is all about?" - -Peur Jamais pondered an instant before replying, and then said, slowly: - -"From what Vicky said it looks as if he thought Hamlin was, or rather -wasn't---- No, that he was, I should say----" And here the young combat -pilot broke off abruptly, to further remark, after a few moments of -earnest reflection: "No--I reckon I'd better wait until further -developments. One day I happened to say a few words to one of the chaps -about it when along waltzed the captain, who had overheard; and he said -to me: 'What do you mean?' Crickets! It was awful!" Bobby began to grin -broadly. "It reminded me of the time I used to get hauled up in the -principal's room to explain certain things that had happened in the -classroom. But, I say; let's skip after the old boy, and interview him." - -"What's the good?" asked George. - -"None at all. But what's the good of staying here? Coming?" - -"First tell me what the captain said." - -"'No!--a thousand times no!' as the persecuted heroine in the play has -it. Later on--perhaps. Just now my sole desire in life is to inflict -some of my French upon the humble plodder." - -Without further ado, Peur Jamais started off and George, with a -good-humored smile, followed. - -It took the boys but a few moments to reach the road where the peasant -had been observed; but although he had been walking very slowly the man -was not in sight. The road was as deserted as a road could be. - -"Hello! That's rather odd!" cried Peur Jamais. "A shabby way to treat a -couple of would-be interviewers, I call it. In classic language, I -wonder where he's at!" - -"That oughtn't to be a hard job for Sherlock Holmes the Second to find -out," suggested George. - -Bobby laughed and began studying the surroundings with keen attention. - -In the fields were growing crops, all bathed in bright, clear sunshine. -Little clumps of trees and patches of woods dotted the landscape, while, -far off, the irregular contour of the hills limned itself with hazy -indistinctness against the brilliant sky. To the left a touch of blue, -like a bold splash of paint upon canvas, indicated a pond, and nearer at -hand rose three sturdy oaks, majestic specimens of their kind. Just -behind these Peur Jamais espied a house. - -"I shouldn't wonder a bit if that's the peasant's castle," he remarked. -"Suppose we journey over there, Georgie, and see! I declare! I won't be -satisfied until I learn a bit more about him. It's a little odd that -such an uncouth specimen should take so much interest in an aviation -camp." - -"Mild adventures, after our strenuous ones, have a sort of appeal to -me," confessed George. "So I'm quite willing." - -Following the road for a short distance the boys found a narrow path -leading across the field; so they headed for the ancient oaks and the -house behind them. - -They had expected to see some evidences of farming, some indications of -laborers in the fields beyond, but on arriving at the structure, a -typical old farmhouse, everything wore a mournful and deserted air, as -though all human activity and endeavor had long ago departed, leaving -the building to crumble and decay. - -"It seems that we've had all our pleasure for nothing," grumbled Peur -Jamais. "Nobody can be living in this old shack. But as a deserted house -is anybody's home, I'm going in." - -"I'll share the danger with you," laughed George. - -The door stood invitingly ajar, and one vigorous push sent it creaking -back on a pair of rusty hinges. - -All the dreary and forlorn appearance which marked the exterior of the -ancient farmhouse was to be met with in the interior. Dust lay thick on -the floors, and a few pieces of broken-down furniture added their quota -to the depressing atmosphere. - -"This place is enough to give a fellow the creeps!" declared Bobby. -"Just imagine how nice it would be strolling around here on a stormy -midnight, with lightning the only illumination. Hello!--goodness -gracious!" - -A very unexpected interruption had caused Peur Jamais to utter the -exclamation. - -Quick footsteps had sounded. And, as both boys, a little startled, but -more surprised, hastily glanced at an open doorway leading to another -room, they saw a blue-bloused figure suddenly appear. - -It was the peasant for whom they had been seeking. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII--A MYSTERY - - -At another place and under different circumstances this meeting would -have been a most ordinary and commonplace event, but, somehow, in the -shadowed and deserted farmhouse it seemed to have imparted to it a -curiously dramatic effect. - -It was Peur Jamais who broke a rather intense and awkward silence. - -"Hello! You are here after all!" he cried. - -"Ah! So it is some of my young friends, the aviateurs Americaines!" -exclaimed the peasant. His manner was that of a man who had been -startled by an unlooked-for intrusion, and, in consequence, felt -considerably displeased. "In France, mes amis, before entering a -dwelling one usually knocks." - -"So we do when we enter a dwelling," said Peur Jamais, airily. "But what -in the world are you doing here?" - -"And, may I inquire, what in the world are you doing here?" - -"We came to see you." - -"You came to see me! How did you get here?" - -Thereupon George Glenn, who had a more fluent command of French than -Bobby, smilingly explained. - -"But, you must remember, people cannot go everywhere they please without -knowing that they have the right," said the peasant, chidingly. - -"Well, since we're here we're here," said Peur Jamais. "However, -Monsieur, you certainly can't be staying in a place like this?" - -"I believe I have not as yet given any information as to my place of -residence." The Frenchman's tone clearly conveyed a hint that he was -annoyed at the curiosity which Bobby displayed. "Houses are like men, -mon ami: they live their allotted time, and then their days are done." - -"Well, come on, Georgie, let us take a look at the old place," cried -Peur Jamais. - -And Bobby, with a merry laugh, started for the adjoining room. - -But his passage was unexpectedly blocked. - -[Illustration: His passage was unexpectedly blocked] - -The peasant had stepped in front of him, saying in a firm tone: - -"Must I remind you, my young friend, of what I said just a few moments -ago?" - -Bobby was surprised--so much surprised, indeed, that for an instant he -stared at the peasant without speaking; and his scrutiny was so -searching, so earnest, that the man, as though finding it either -annoying or disconcerting, moved toward a shadowy corner of the room. - -"But what have you got to say about it?" blurted out Peur Jamais, at -length. "It isn't your house; so I'd like to know why we mayn't go -up-stairs?" - -"Like good soldiers, we must sometimes obey commands without knowing the -reasons for their being given," said the peasant, gravely. "So I am sure -you will consider me neither impolite nor unobliging if I refrain from -speaking further on the subject." - -"Certainly, Monsieur," put in George, quickly. "We have no wish to -intrude. Come on, Bobby." - -Peur Jamais, however, his face wearing a rather curious expression, -began to interrogate the Frenchman, beginning with this rather unusual -question: - -"What's the best time to plant potatoes?" - -The peasant smiled genially. - -"Are you thinking of starting a farm?" he queried. - -"No; I am merely a seeker after information." - -"Then I would advise you to buy a copy of some agricultural paper which -treats such questions exhaustively. And now, if you will pardon me, I -will say _au revoir_!" - -"No objections, I'm sure!" grumbled Bobby. "I hope your farm prospers. -It's quite a hard life, isn't it?" - -"That depends upon a man's health, strength and temperament," countered -the peasant, in an unruffled tone. "Goodbye!" - -He laid just enough emphasis on the last words to cause the boys to nod -and then walk slowly outside. - -They had progressed but a few yards when Bobby began to laugh and -chuckle in a most peculiar manner. Then his face suddenly became grave -and stern. - -"Georgie, I think I've made a discovery--quite an astonishing discovery, -too," he exclaimed. "That man is as much a peasant as either you or I. -He's merely a bit of human camouflage; he's masquerading--do you get -me?--masquerading! And what's the answer?" - -Peur Jamais' brow was knit. His hands were clenched. - -"I am willing to admit that just now he did not either speak or act -exactly like a peasant," said George. - -"You've said something, Georgie," declared Bobby, very earnestly. -"Listen!" As they walked slowly, side by side, he gripped George Glenn's -arm. "Ever since that night old Pere Goubain talked to us about spies -I've been keeping my eyes and ears open. Well, do you want to know what -I think the answer is?--that mysterious peasant is a spy--yes sir, a -confounded spy. Why has he been nosing around the aviation camp? Why -didn't he want us to go up-stairs? Oh yes, it's all as clear as day. Who -knows--it may even have been he who was the means of sending those -bombing machines to spill a little fireworks on the camp!" - -By this time the two had reached the road, and Bobby stopped and leaned -against the fence. - -"It strikes me that this hasn't been such a mild adventure, after all," -he continued, with increasing vehemence. "And through it we may be the -means of ridding France of a dangerous enemy; just think of it--you and -I, Georgie! I can almost hear the commander saying: 'My brave and loyal -friends, in the name of my countrymen, I thank you!'" - -"Can you also see the medals pinned to our manly breasts?" asked the -other, quizzically. - -"I'm not joking, Georgie." - -"I'm sure you're not. You look just as earnest as if Captain Von -Richtofen and his red planes had come over to pay us their respects." - -Peur Jamais sniffed. - -"At any rate it isn't going to be a laughing matter for some one," he -asserted, grimly. "Pretty smart old chap, that! 'Buy a copy of some -agricultural paper,' eh! No doubt he's chuckling now at the way he -pulled off those evasive answers. But evasions don't go with court -martials." - -"You are certainly correct there," acquiesced his companion. - -"By George, Georgie, you're an aggravating chap!" exploded Bobby. "By -the way you act one might think that this great discovery was of no more -importance than reading an agricultural paper. Wake up! You're right -here on earth, and not up among the clouds!" - -"I'm trying to do a little discreet thinking before indulging in any -indiscreet remarks," said George. "You know, as Longfellow says: 'Things -are not always what they seem.'" - -"Well, I declare! Indiscreet talking, indeed!" almost shouted Peur -Jamais. "I suppose your idea is to let the old bird alone, eh?" - -"As yet, I haven't a very clear idea of what my idea on the subject is," -returned George, with a smile. - -"And I have such a clear idea of what my idea is that it fairly dazzles -me. Great Julius Caesar!----" - -Peur Jarnais blurted out this exclamation with considerable force, and -as he certainly could have neither seen nor heard anything to justify -its utterance George very naturally demanded an explanation. - -"Oh, it's nothing that would be likely to interest you," returned Bobby, -sarcastically. "Some rather odd thoughts about Jason Hamlin just -happened to pop into my mind." And then, as though ruminating to -himself, he added: "Oh, yes, I'm mighty glad we took this walk. It may -have an astonishing sequel." - -George pressed him for an explanation, but Bobby merely replied: - -"One of these days you'll find out." - -"But just think of all the suspense I'll have to endure," said George, -lightly. - -Thereupon the march was resumed. - -And notwithstanding the fact that both boys were in the uniform of the -flying corps they were occasionally obliged by the ever-vigilant -sentries to show their credentials. - -It was after one of these experiences that Bobby thoughtfully remarked: - -"I can't understand how, with all their care, that old would-be peasant -was able to pull off the trick." - -"What trick?" asked George, innocently. - -"Trying to kid me, eh?" jeered Peur Jarnais. "But I'm the original kid -that can't be kidded." - -Toward late afternoon, seeing that a storm was approaching, the two took -counsel and decided that it might be better to retrace their steps. - -"I prefer my shower baths taken in the regular way," remarked Bobby. "By -the looks of it, I should say the weather is going from bad to worse." - -"And we'll have to move quickly if we expect to escape it," commented -the other. - -During the entire trip George had many times felt twinges of anxiety in -regard to his chum Don Hale, which he found quite impossible to cast -aside. Acting as an escort over a hostile territory was a very dangerous -thing for a new pilot to undertake. He could recall many men who had -failed to return from such journeys, some of whom were probably -languishing in a German detention camp. - -Quite a number of the Lafayette Escadrille were at the villa when the -boys arrived. But George Glenn found that he was unable to join in the -general fun and jollity. - -The storm was very severe indeed; and during its height George, unable -to bear the suspense any longer, went to the telephone and called up the -bureau on the aviation grounds. - -"Hello! Is Don Hale there?" he asked. - -A pang shot through him as the answer came back: - -"No; neither he nor Albert returned with the rest of the escort." - -"Did not return with the rest of the escort!" gasped George. He felt a -peculiar dryness come into his throat and into his heart a sinking -feeling. "Were the escorting machines attacked?" he asked. - -"Yes; there was a lively scrimmage." - -"Great Scott! This is terrible!" murmured George. Then, speaking into -the transmitter again, he asked, weakly: "Have you no news of them at -all?" - -"None whatever," came the response. "We have telephoned to the -observation post at the front, but they can tell us nothing. Hale, -however, has been given credit for preventing the destruction of the -Caudron machine." - -By this time several others were crowding around. All had become -accustomed to tragic happenings and the occasional disappearance of some -of their members; yet every fresh event of the kind brought with it the -same distressing pangs. - -"This is bad news, indeed!" exclaimed Victor Gilbert. "Poor Don Hale! -Poor Albert! I wonder--I do wonder what could have happened to them!" - -"I hope it will not be the official communique that tells us," said -George, gloomily, as he replaced the telephone on the hook. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII--THE RED SQUADRON - - -When Don Hale saw the red planes of Captain Baron Von Richtofen behind -him he certainly received the shock of his life. The oncoming storm, the -sense of solitude and the great expanse above the clouds had all lulled -him into a sense of security. - -A moment's indecision nearly finished his career as a combat pilot. -Streams of bullets were flashing past, and one of them, crashing through -the little curved wind shield in front of his head, brought him to a -realization that only the quickest possible action could save his life. - -He did then what many a flying fighter had done before him. A quick -movement of the control lever dipped the rear ailerons, sending the -plane almost vertically downward toward the earth. With the engine -stopped, he tipped to one side, and the machine entered the vrille, or -spinning nose dive. - -With frightful velocity, turning on its axis, the Nieuport dove through -the agitated storm-clouds. The wind roared past him as it had never -roared before, singing and moaning, like the strains of some wild, weird -symphony as it beat against the plane's wires and supports. Gasping for -breath, almost dazed by the fearful whirling motion, the boy, -nevertheless, felt the joy of triumph surging within him. He had cheated -the birds of ill-omen of their prey. He could laugh at their efforts. -They would never catch him now that he knew of their presence in the -sky. - -Down, down shot the little biplane through an obscurity so dense that -nothing could be seen in any direction. And soon, while still surrounded -by the heavy vapors, it straightened out parallel to the earth, and, -shaken and rocked by the wind, sailed swiftly ahead. - -But at that instant, just as all danger seemed to be passed, Don Hale -made another most alarming discovery--something had happened to his -motor, and though he strove with the utmost desperation to get it -started it persistently refused to work. - -"Tough luck!" he burst out, aloud. "This is the worst ever! Here I am -miles over German territory." - -Filled with apprehension, with all sorts of dreadful fancies running -through his mind, and the dread and uncertainty of it all making his -nerves tremble and twitch, the young combat pilot volplaned through the -clouds. - -Presently he skimmed through the thinner mists, and saw the darkened and -sombre-looking earth beneath him. His head was still aching from the -effects of the headlong plunge. His breath, too, came in short and -painful gasps. But all these physical manifestations were almost -unnoticed in the pilot's excited state of mind. - -Was there nothing that he could do to avert the fate for which he seemed -destined? - -There must be. Surely his career as a combat pilot was not going to come -to such an inglorious end! - -Feverishly--energetically, Don Hale continued to manipulate the levers -that controlled his motor. But there was no sign of it awakening into -life. And all the while he was gliding nearer and nearer the earth. - -Now the vague, indefinite blurs of color were becoming definite forms -and shapes, and the meaningless patches of light and dark houses and -trees. - -Sick at heart, feeling that everything was lost, with the direst fear of -an impending tragedy uppermost in his mind, the boy at length sat back -in his seat, and, for the first time, paid close attention to the ground -that seemed to be rapidly rising to meet him. - -He had concluded that in the all-pervading gloom the Germans had not -discovered his presence, but almost immediately the anti-aircraft -batteries got into action and the surrounding air became suddenly filled -with exploding shrapnel shells. - -Now he could hear their viciously-sounding detonations, and the steady -crackling of the guns which had sent them aloft. - -Though faint and weak, the instinct of self-preservation asserted -itself, enabling him to turn the machine this way and that, in an effort -to dodge the hail of missiles. The Nieuport was wildly careening from -side to side or dropping short distances at lightning speed; and, to add -to his dismay, streams of "flaming onions," like rockets of a greenish -hue, darted toward the helpless airplane, sparkling brightly in the -darkened atmosphere. - -Yet, despite the terrible reality of the situation, it seemed to Don -that he was going through some strange, weird dream. Dumbly, he wondered -how soon the end would come. Only a miracle, it seemed, had saved him -thus far. He could not expect such good-fortune to continue. He seemed -to stand on the dividing line between life and eternity. - -And when a strange, inexplicable calmness had taken possession of him -and he felt resigned to the impending fate, the resounding din of the -batteries below and the ear-splitting, appalling detonations of the -shells suddenly ceased, and he was gliding through the smoke-filled air -as unmolested as though on his own side of the line. - -What did it mean? - -The explanation was simple. The Germans below had at last realized the -truth. They were merely waiting for the machine to drop into their -midst. It was a galling thought. Not three hundred feet below he could -see them. And that picture of men gathering together in groups, of men -running and gesticulating, made a curious impression upon his -overwrought brain. - -Many a time he had heard the boys jocosely referring to the words -"Kamerad, kamerad," and for the first time he was in a position to -realize fully what that cry must have meant to some of those who uttered -it. And after the glorious, boundless freedom of the air--of the vast -spaces--how could he stand the horrors of a detention camp, where men, -penned in like sheep, were guarded and fed almost as if they were so -many captured animals! - -Now he was one hundred feet nearer the earth--one hundred feet nearer -the clutch of his enemies--and, with the smoothness of a toboggan, the -machine was still gliding downward. Yes, the journey would soon be over! -He began to think of what the boys of the escadrille would say. In his -mind he pictured them sitting around the supper table, speculating as to -his unhappy fate. - -How strange--how remarkable it seemed to be right there among the enemy! -Still held in the grip of an unnatural calmness, he gazed indifferently -at those gray-clad figures whose upturned eyes were fastened upon the -descending machine. - -Now only seventy-five feet separated him from the ground. He would be -glad when all was over. - -"There won't even be any chance to set fire to the machine," he groaned, -aloud. "The Germans will capture it intact. And who knows to what use -the crafty Boches may put it! But they'll hear no 'Kamerad, kamerad!' -from me." - -Suddenly a revulsion of feeling swept over the boy. The sight of the -Germans crowding around seemed to fill him with an anger he could not -repress. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in impotent wrath. -And with this fierce rebellion against the cruel fate that awaited him -his thoughts flashed back to Captain Baron Von Richtofen and his scarlet -planes. How little he had thought when hearing about them in the Cafe -Rochambeau that that selfsame Squadron of Death was destined to play a -part in his own career! - -For hardly a moment had Don ceased his efforts to get the engine -running, and though it seemed useless--a futile task--he renewed them -once again. And just as he was about concluding that nothing remained to -be done but make a landing on a field toward which he had been heading, -his ears caught a sound which fairly electrified him. - -"At last!" he gasped. - -With a preliminary cough, one of the cylinders of the motor started to -work. Could it actually be possible? - -A fierce, wild hope, painful in its intensity, seized upon Don Hale. It -was an agonizing moment--a moment in which he suffered all the torture -of a mind agitated by the most violent conflict between hope and fear. - -And while the combat pilot was vaguely wondering if he had received just -another cruel stab the old familiar, deafening roar, with startling -abruptness, began to resound. - -Uttering a shrill whoop of joy, Don Hale sent the Nieuport upward. - -No music composed by the world's greatest masters could have sounded -more sweet to him than the steady reverberations of the engine. It still -seemed unbelievable--something that could not be. All the joys of a man -who, having given up hope, is unexpectedly granted a reprieve were his, -as the airplane buffeted its way against the teeth of the -ever-freshening wind. - -The disappointed Germans immediately sprang to the attack, and the -little Nieuport was running the gauntlet of rifle and revolver fire. -Fast as it flew, the bullets sped faster, and though the combat pilot -could not hear their wicked hum and zip he knew that leaden missiles -were flashing all about him, for several holes again appeared in the -upper plane. - -"Can I make it! Can I make it!" he kept repeating. - -Sometimes that wild race against such heavy odds seemed hopeless. He -dared not rise too high, for that would give the antiaircraft gunners a -chance of bringing him crashing down to the earth. True it was, that -many of the infantrymen seemed so paralyzed with astonishment at the -sight of a wildly-speeding Nieuport right over their heads as to forget -to fire. - -As moment succeeded moment, and Don Hale remained unscathed, he peered -cautiously over the side of the cockpit. Now he was flying above a -little village fairly swarming with the troops of the Kaiser. He could -see the heavy camions rumbling through the streets and all the sights -typical of military operations which he had observed on the opposite -side of the trenches. - -The thumping of his heart having in a measure subsided, and the chilling -tremors almost disappeared, he found this flying over the enemy's -country, in spite of the bullets that continually sped toward him, a -strangely fascinating game. - -The little village was presently left far to the rear, and the speeding -plane was again over the open country, with its whitish roads and green -fields dotted here and there with farms and houses. - -All at once he saw something in the distance which caused him to turn -his plane in a northwesterly direction. It was a faintish, elongated -yellowish spot suggestive of a giant caterpillar, lying close to the -ground. - -"A balloon--an observation balloon which has just been pulled down!" -cried Don Hale to himself. "I'll get a closer look at it. Great Scott!" - -From some totally unexpected quarter he was once again being fired at, -and a sharp metallic ring told him that some portion of his engine had -been struck by one of the marksmen below. - -Once more he passed through an instant of overwhelming anxiety. - -But the steady droning roar of the powerful engine brought cheer to his -heart. - -"No--no; not yet!" he muttered. "I still have a chance to cheat the -Boches." - -The thrilling adventures and narrow escapes through which Don Hale had -passed instead of lessening his courage and determination had increased -them, though he fully realized how strangely the elements of chance had -favored him. That sharp ping of the bullet striking the engine acted on -his nature like a spark applied to gunpowder, arousing all his -combativeness. - -As the plane neared the giant observation balloon a sudden and daring -idea flashed into the young combat pilot's mind, and then, almost for -the first time, he thought of the part he had played in preventing the -destruction of the photographic machine. Why couldn't he add another -feat to his credit? - -"By George, I'll make a good try!" he cried, his pulse beginning to -tingle anew. - -The Nieuport was now almost upon the huge, unwieldy monster, and Don -could plainly see the details on its smooth and shining surface. - -The balloon, anchored to a heavy motor tractor, swayed gently from side -to side as the cable to which it was attached was drawn down by a -windlass. Dozens of men, too, were aiding in its descent by pulling on -smaller ropes. - -A touch on the control stick sent the Nieuport climbing upward. Then, -precisely at the proper moment, Don Hale put an end to the ascending -flight, and turning the nose of the machine downward, he shut off the -engine and dove straight for the great gas bag. - -He had a vision of soldiers scattering in every direction--and they ran -like men who were seized with all the mad and unreasoning panic of -animals fleeing before a forest fire. There was something -ludicrous--almost absurd--in the picture they made which, even in that -intensely dramatic moment, involuntarily brought a half smile to the -face of the stern, grim-visaged boy in the pilot's seat. - -Don Hale knew that he was running a most appalling risk--indeed tempting -fate in a way he had never done before, and staking his life upon his -ability to make a success of his daring venture. - -The instant for action had come. His machine was pointed directly toward -the slick, rounded surface of the balloon. - -It made a most alluring target. - -Don pushed a button, and by this action fired the eight rockets fastened -to the sides of the fuselage. - -Instantly there came a resounding, awesome roar, and eight fiery trails, -each headed by a brilliant greenish light, were flashing toward the -balloon. - -Before the pilot could come out of his dive several of the rockets -pierced the silken envelope, and from as many points there came vivid -bursts of flame--the days of usefulness of that particular "sausage" -were certainly over. - -Elation was in Don Hale's heart. And then, just as he redressed[9] the -machine, he caught a quick glimpse of a mighty burst of flame, which, -enveloping the balloon from end to end, rose in ruddy viciously-curling -and leaping tongues high in the air. In a moment the Nieuport had passed -far beyond. - -Casting a look over his shoulder Don saw an extraordinary -spectacle--masses of flaming gas swept off by the breeze and -illuminating the surrounding gloom. - -Triumphant--proud indeed, the boy decided to take no more risks, but -make straight for the aviation ground, and, if good fortune still held -sway, perhaps reach it before the rapidly gathering storm had burst in -all its fury. - -Notwithstanding the whirl of excitement, the young pilot had vaguely -impressed upon his mind the disturbing truth that the lightning was -steadily growing brighter--the reverberations of thunder heavier. To -handle the Nieuport successfully in the wind and rain he knew would be a -most difficult task. - -The boy began to feel, now, the inevitable reaction. - -He was seized with a consuming anxiety to be away from the midst of -danger. But the rushing currents of air being dead against the Nieuport -it seemed to be just crawling along. - -For the first time the pilot dared to rise higher. He was passing over -one of those desolate stretches which told most eloquently of the -terrible conflicts which had taken place. Everywhere great shell-holes, -in places overlapping one another, pitted the earth, and the bottoms of -many were partly filled with muddy water left by recent rains. Of all -the desolate, depressing sights which the eyes of man could look upon -this seemed one of the worst. It was as though a blight had descended -upon the earth, to wither and destroy everything which lay in its -sinister path. Not a village--not a house remained; all were in -crumbling ruins. Even the streets themselves could not be traced; and of -the trees and patches of woods there remained but grotesque, gaunt -trunks, entirely stripped of branches and leaves. - -Of course this was not a new sight to the boy, and, under the -circumstances, he paid but little attention to it. Thoughts of the -trenches over which he must pass, and of the flying "Archies" the plane -would be sure to encounter were in his mind. He must ascend still -higher. - -"This has been a trip, sure enough!" muttered Don. "But if I get through -safely I'll never regret it. To-day, I feel that I have done my bit for -the Allied cause." - -Continually, he glanced in all directions. Vigilance was the price of -life. Many an airman had been stealthily approached from behind and -brought down without ever knowing what had struck him, and in the gloomy -shadows cast by the heavy storm-clouds it was doubly necessary to search -the heavens for every sign of the foe. - -But, in spite of all the pilot's extreme care, he was destined to make -presently another discovery--a discovery which once more set the blood -throbbing in his temples. It was the sudden appearance, at about his own -altitude, of another of Captain Baron Von Richtofen's planes. It had -approached dangerously near, too, before he was aware of its presence. - -It took Don Hale an instant to recover his wits. One moment he had -seemed to be alone in the vast expanse, and in the next he was -confronted by one of the scarlet enemy. - -With lightning velocity the Boche bore down upon the Nieuport, and -before Don Hale could make a move to alter his course luminous bullets -were cutting a fiery trail through the gloom about him. - ------ - -Footnote 9: - -Redressed--Straightened out. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX--THE PERILOUS GAME - - -At times, when the gravest dangers threaten, the human faculties, in -some mysterious way, gain a strength and mastery which completely banish -terror. Such was the case with Don Hale. As quickly as it was humanly -possible to do so, he turned his plane so that the engine was between -him and the showers of bullets. Then, obeying the injunction that -self-preservation is the first law of nature, he set the Vickers machine -gun into action. - -And thus began a terrible duel in the air just beneath the tossing edges -of heavy and turbulent masses of vapor. It seemed almost certain that -one of the machines must be quickly sent crashing and hurtling downward. - -The German pilot was evidently a master of his machine, and his -evolutions were performed with the greatest brilliancy. Don Hale had a -confused vision of a scarlet object flashing around, above and below him -with inconceivable rapidity. And he himself, in order to avoid the -enemy, was obliged to execute the most thrilling and daring maneuvers. - -And at every favorable opportunity the wicked crackling of the machine -guns rang out. Each pilot was fighting with that desperation which -characterizes a hunted animal, brought to bay. To Don Hale it seemed -more like some thrilling, wonderful sport than an actual combat in which -defeat might mean the end of all things earthly. Scores of -tracer-bullets, leaving for an instant their long, thin trails of smoke, -sped by him whichever way he turned, some passing close to his seat -between the planes. - -The fight was so fast and furiously contested that Don felt sure it must -come to a speedy termination. Every instant he expected to see the -bullets from his Vickers put an end to the battling career of that lone -member of Captain Baron Von Richtofen's Red Squadron of Death. Yet, -extraordinary as it seemed, the enemy plane continued to flash and -circle about him with dazzling speed,--so fast indeed that only a -confused and blurred vision of its movements was registered on Don -Hale's brain. Waves of dizziness swept over him; his face was smarting -and stinging from the terrific rush of air, while a touch of -air-sickness, a malady which sometimes affects even seasoned flyers, was -beginning to threaten him. - -But, notwithstanding, he managed to keep a firm grip upon all his -faculties. One instant of panic--one instant of relaxation he knew would -be enough to bring this strange air duel to a dramatic and tragic -conclusion. His main effort was to keep zigzagging behind the enemy's -tail, and thus make him waste his bullets on the empty air. - -In this he was not always successful. Often he found himself facing the -sinister-looking scarlet Albatross, to get instantaneous glimpses of its -hooded pilot glaring toward him. - -And even in those terrible moments, when the machines threatened to -crash into one another, Don Hale could not help thinking what an amazing -thing it was that he and this man, whom he had never met, whom he had -nothing against, and who, equally, had nothing against him, should be -fighting desperately, with all the ferocity of maddened tigers. - -The combat, which seemed to be long-drawn-out but which in reality -occupied only a very short time, was brought to an end by Don Hale. As -the German plane, momentarily occupying an advantageous position, dove -toward him, firing as it came, the combat pilot of the Lafayette -Escadrille performed an evolution known as the renversement. He sent the -Nieuport with meteor-like swiftness upward, and, while making a partial -loop, flying head downward, the red Albatross flashed beneath him. - -Still defying the laws of gravity, Don Hale straightened the course of -his plane, so that it was flying horizontally in a direction exactly -opposite to its line of flight at the beginning of the evolution. He -then cut off the motor and operated the ailerons at the sides of the -planes, which caused the machine to turn over sideways in a semicircle, -and thus bring it back to a natural position. - -The renversement was made with such remarkable swiftness that before the -red Albatross could swing around to renew the attack Don was shooting in -an upward drive straight for the shelter of the clouds. - -Almost like a bullet from a machine gun he entered the lower strata and -continued to climb, safe at last from the enemy who had sought to -destroy him. But the lightning glared brighter than ever; the thunder -rolled more ominously. He felt sure that only a short distance away the -rain was falling in torrents. - -Quite naturally, the boy's brain was in a whirl, but a feeling of -thankfulness that after encountering so many perils he had escaped -unscathed predominated. - -Finally emerging from the murky darkness into the light above, Don, -scanning the heavens with the most earnest attention, could see no signs -of other planes. - -"Well, I have had all the adventures I wish for one day!" he -soliloquized. "Whew! It was certainly a series of nightmares! Now I'll -just stay up here, wait until the storm is over, and after that beat it -so fast for the airdrome that a marmite wouldn't stand any chance in the -race. How wonderful it is to be up here in this bright sunshine! It -seems as though I must have drifted into the arctic regions by mistake. -This is certainly great!" - -It was, indeed, a singular scene upon which the combat pilot gazed. The -upper surfaces of the ever-rolling and tossing clouds, of the purest and -most dazzling white, like a vast field of snow and ice, stretched off to -the limits of vision. It seemed like a glimpse of another world--a world -of wonderful and impressive solitude. Not a sign of life could be seen -in all that great circle. There was nothing to link one's thoughts with -the world below. - -As before, Don saw the shadow of the wind-buffeted plane fantastically -skimming over the crests of vapor. Very soon vivid lightning was -flashing from cloud to cloud and the rolling, booming reverberations of -thunder were beginning to fill the upper region with solemn and -awe-inspiring volumes of sound. - -Don felt that he must rise still higher. Every gleam filled him with a -strange foreboding; it seemed as though, no matter which way he -traveled, there was no possibility of escaping the gravest danger. The -pilot was having difficulty, too, in navigating the Nieuport in the -sweeping gusts of wind. Sometimes it was carried rapidly aloft like a -chip on a rising wave, to drop, a moment later, with a suddenness that -almost took away his breath. - -His altimeter began to register an increasing height, and at length the -boy, in an icy region, was looking down upon far-off masses of clouds. - -If the young combat pilot of the Lafayette Escadrille had not been so -intensely lonely or so worn out with excitement and fatigue, he would -positively have enjoyed the strange and unique experience. But now he -most ardently hoped that the fury of the tempest would soon abate. - -Over what part of the country was he? Perhaps he had gone miles and -miles out of his course. There was no way to tell. - -And what if anything should happen to his engine, as it had done before? - -Now and again his thoughts involuntarily became fixed upon such an -eventuality, causing, anew, chilling tremors to sweep through his frame. -As important, now, as the beating of his heart were the pulsations of -the motor. It filled him with a sense of awe, and his keenly-listening -ears were attuned to catch the slightest change in the never-ceasing -roar of the engine. - -"By this time the boys must think I'm a goner," he communed to himself, -aloud. "Poor George Glenn! I'll bet no one dreams that I'm away up here, -condemned to sail around in great circles until warring nature gets over -its tempestuous fury. And, oh boy, but it's cold! Even with these heavy -gloves, my hands are becoming numb. I'm beginning to realize now just -how an icicle feels. I don't know where I am, but I certainly wish I -were somewhere else!" - -Time began to drag out interminably. Anxiously, he kept glancing down -upon that glorious, shimmering, white expanse in the hope that he might -discover signs of the clouds beginning to break away--of some little -ragged opening through which he might get a glimpse of the earth. But it -always presented the same monotonous expanse. - -"Not yet! Not yet!" he sighed. - -Like a rider driving a fractious steed, he was obliged to pay the -closest attention to the navigation of the speedy Nieuport; and as the -unruly horse may sometimes take the bit in its mouth, defying the will -of its master, so the airplane, aided and abetted by the gale of wind, -often gave him cause for the greatest anxiety. - -Between the blue heaven above and white clouds below, he kept on flying -in great circles, having in his ears the never-ceasing reverberations of -the rolling and booming thunder. Would it never end! How long was he -condemned to remain so high aloft? - -The sun, at length, was descending in the west and before very long must -disappear behind the distant masses of vapor. More than once Don -considered tempting fate by a descent through the clouds, and each time -the peril deterred him. How would it be possible for the Nieuport to -live amidst such a raging storm! - -"No, no! I can't risk it," muttered Don. "By George! Was a human being -ever placed in such a position before? Just now I can't say that I want -to enjoy the caressing touches of those wind-blown clouds on my cheek." - -Bravely, the boy tried to divert his mind, but the physical discomforts, -besides the increasing sense of being out of the world, made it quite -impossible. The storm had now reached its height. Forked tongues of -lightning were flashing incessantly in the clouds, illuminating the -interior of their swiftly-flying masses with a weird and spectral bluish -glare. - -"Not yet! Not yet!" sighed Don, again. "Great Scott! I can't stay up -here forever. This is certainly a case where a fellow needs a friend. -Hello! Something besides clouds and blue sky at last!" - -Far below, just tiny specks, the pilot had observed a flock of birds, -skimming close to the ragged, tossing edges of vapor--so close, indeed, -that at times they became lost to view as it closed about them. - -That sight was, indeed, a grateful one to the lone occupant of the upper -air. He turned his machine to watch them, until at length they grew -faint in the distance, then became lost to sight, leaving him to feel -more alone than ever. - -As the sun crept still lower toward the horizon, the effects began to -change; the arctic whiteness was being replaced by softer and more -mellow tints; delicate purplish shadows filled the hollows of the -clouds, and the deep blue of the sky above was slowly fading. The scene -constantly grew more wonderful and impressive. The rays of the great -coppery-colored ball, at last partly submerged in the clouds, were -tipping the masses of flying vapor with an orange glow. Sometimes their -varying forms suggested mountain peaks or stretches of rolling hills; -sometimes the keenly imaginative Don Hale could see in them suggestions -of fairy-like cities, with minarets sparkling like spots of golden -flame. - -The knowledge that the day was coming to a close made him more and more -eager to begin his homeward journey. But, with a persistency that was -exasperating--alarming--the storm continued to expend its fury. Still -there was not a rift--not a sign to give him either cheer or hope. - -And now a new worry--a new apprehension--began to attack him; the -gasoline was giving out. He could not hope to keep up his flight much -longer. The thought made the blood fairly pound in his temples. - -Thrilling as all his adventures had been, was fate going to crown them -all with one infinitely more thrilling--infinitely more dangerous? - -The combat pilot shuddered as he pondered over the situation. Captain -Baron Von Richtofen's dreaded Squadron of Death seemed indeed puny and -insignificant when compared with the tremendous forces of nature which -he must eventually face. - -A short reprieve from the terrible danger remained. He could not yet -bring himself to make that great plunge--a plunge where all the elements -of chance were dead against him--where he could expect no mercy--where -no human power save his own could be availing. - -Five minutes passed; then ten. He dared not delay much longer. With a -tense and drawn face, Don Hale again peered over the side of the cockpit -in an effort to discover some point where the storm had spent its force. - -There was none. - -"It's as bad as staking one's life on the flip of a coin," he groaned. -"Well, here goes!" - -The boy firmly pursed his lips, operated the ailerons by means of the -control lever, and, next instant, the plane was speeding downward. He -could see the golden lights and purple shadows apparently flashing up to -meet him; he could feel the plane, in the grip of the stronger currents -of air, shivering and trembling. - -And then a saying of the French pilots came into his mind: "The plane -fell like a dead leaf to the ground." Was his Nieuport, too, destined to -"fall like a dead leaf to the ground"? - -That question must soon be answered. - -For one brief instant he pulled up the machine. During that interval of -time, short as it was, he had a terrifying vision of a quivering, -glimmering light which filled the whole surrounding air. The appalling -boom and crash of thunder overwhelmed the sound of the motor. He seemed -to be sailing just above some frightful inferno resembling nothing he -had ever before encountered. - -With a sinking feeling at his heart and a muttered: "Now!" the pilot -once more turned the nose of his machine downward. - -The dreaded plunge was made. - -In a second's time he had left the gold and purple of the upper world -and was immersed in the storm-clouds. As though dipped in an icy bath, -he felt cold chills running through him and running through him again. -Flash after flash of lightning, blinding in its bluish glare, -momentarily tore asunder the darkness, and he had instantaneous glimpses -of phantom-like masses of vapor and portions of the moisture-laden -machine gleaming with a sharp, metallic light. - -Electricity seemed to be forming all about him. He could not rid himself -of a terrible fear that the machine might get into the path of one of -those zigzag streaks of flame chasing each other in every direction. The -thunder was cracking like pistol shots multiplied a thousand fold. It -came, too, in wild, gurgling notes, or in mighty, deafening detonations -that dazed and bewildered the pilot. - -In the anguish of his soul, he cried out, not once but many times: - -"I am lost! I am lost!" - -And so it really seemed; for the bravely-battling plane, almost shaken -to pieces by the onrushing wind, was driven first one way and then -another, or beaten back, threatening at every instant to topple over on -its back and complete the rest of its journey in an uncontrollable -spinning dive. - -Don Hale was fairly gasping for breath. Every bone in his body ached. -His brain was dizzy and reeling. But that powerful instinct of -self-preservation implanted in every one prevented him from giving up in -utter despair, though he fully expected that the airy caverns of the -clouds would be the last thing his eyes were ever destined to look upon. - -With teeth gritted together, he fought on, matching his wits and brains -with the seething, shrieking vortex that toyed with the plane and seemed -bent upon his destruction. And each hard-won victory brought a little -more hope to his heart and lessened the strain on his overwrought -nerves. Yet it all appeared unreal, unnatural and unearthly--like a -chaos--nature itself in the grip of anarchy. - -But how thick were the clouds? He could not understand why he should be -so long immersed in their humid depths. - -However, when torrents of rain presently began thudding and splashing -against him he realized that he must be approaching the lower surfaces. -How earnestly he longed for the moment to come! Each blinding glare of -lightning, each mighty peal of thunder still had a terrifying effect. He -could not rid himself of an awful dread that the fates would, at last, -decide against him. - -Thus, when the Nieuport actually staggered through the last strata, the -boy almost felt as if it was something scarcely to be believed. He could -not realize that the most terrible part of the voyage was over and that -as he had cheated the Germans in their prey so had he cheated the Storm -King. - -But dangers were not yet ended. All around him extended a curious -expanse almost as obscure, almost as gloomy and murky as that through -which he had just passed. And where was he to land? In what direction -lay the encampment of the Lafayette Escadrille? Don was even in doubt as -to whether he had gone beyond that devastated strip of territory--"No -Man's Land." - -"I reckon there's nothing to do but trust to blind luck," he murmured to -himself. "Ah, old earth--good old earth--I never appreciated you so much -before!" - -Down, still further down glided the Nieuport, while the boy strove to -pierce the enshrouding darkness. - -At last the very faintest of blurs brought an exclamation of joy to his -lips. But as the utmost caution was necessary in approaching the earth, -he began to volplane at an angle less steep. It would be the easiest -thing in the world, he knew, to smash the biplane in landing, and thus -bring disaster at the journey's end. - -But still everything was too indistinguishable, too hidden by the rain -and shadows for him to gain any idea of the nature of the terrain. All -he could make out were faint and mottled grayish patches merging -insensibly into one another. - -A decision must soon be made. The gasoline was running dangerously low. - -Still nearer the earth, like a storm-tossed gull, the Nieuport -descended. - -It was only a few hundred feet in the air when Don Hale made a discovery -that brought a hoarse cry from his lips. - -He had seen the faintest possible gleams of ruddy color tingeing the -gray gloom to the west. - -What was that light? What did it mean? - -With joy surging through his heart, Don Hale thought he knew the answer. -The light came from flares, lighted on the aviation grounds, to act as a -beacon of safety to belated airmen. - -"As sure as I live, that's what it must be!" he cried. "But----" A -sudden doubt entered his mind. "Does it come from 'Germany' or France?" - -The boy felt, however, that to hesitate any longer would be foolhardy in -the extreme. He guided his plane toward the faint light, watching it -slowly growing stronger with an inexpressible feeling of thankfulness -and relief. - -Very soon he could faintly trace the lines of a gigantic letter T, -formed by a number of fiercely-blazing fires. - -There could be no further doubt; it was certainly an aviation field. - -Only the knowledge that he must keep all his faculties alert in order to -guide the plane prevented the pilot from uttering a series of jubilant -shouts. - -Now the blazing flares were becoming clear and distinct. He could make -out the tongues of flame, and the illumination spreading out on all -sides, to cast a faint, delicate glow for a short distance on the -water-soaked ground. Then he began to detect the presence of human -beings gathered in little knots or running in the direction of the -plane. - -Steadying his overtaxed nerves, Don Hale skilfully maneuvered his plane, -with the rain and the wind still beating fiercely against him. - -A bright flash of lightning--the brightest he had seen since leaving the -clouds--suddenly bathed the earth in its vivid glare. And that swift -transition from almost the darkness of night to the brilliancy of -noonday brought peace of mind to the young combat pilot of the Lafayette -Escadrille. What cared he now for Captain Baron Von Richtofen and his -Red Squadron of Death or the loud and angry rumbling of his other -enemy--the Storm King! For there, right below him, were the familiar -hangars, the familiar fields--the headquarters of the escadrille itself. - -And, only fifty feet above the ground, he could hear, above the wind, -which still played its wild symphony on the wires of the machine, the -welcoming shouts and hurrahs of his fellow pilots of the squadron. - -Twenty-five feet--then ten! And presently the rubber-tired wheels jarred -against the ground, and the Nieuport, traveling a short distance, was -brought to a stop by the gusts of wind that bore down upon it. - -And that had no sooner happened than Don Hale, the happiest boy in the -world, was lifted out of the machine by his loudly felicitating and -joyous friends. - -The perilous game had been played and won. - - - - - CHAPTER XX--HAMLIN - - -Don Hale was certainly given a tremendous reception; and a short time -later, while comfortably seated in a chair at the villa recounting his -memorable adventures, was highly gratified to hear T. Singleton Albert -verify his statement concerning the destruction of the observation -balloon. - -"This is the way it came about," explained Drugstore: "During that -scrimmage with the Boches I happened to see Don's machine, hotly -pursued, enter the clouds. And Don being rather new at the game, I -thought I'd try to hang around a bit, so as to keep an eye on him if I -could." - -"Bully for you!" cried Don. "Albert, you're a brick!" - -"I had a pretty fierce time of it, too, with tracer bullets cutting -holes through the air all about me, but, after a while, I managed to -slip away from the attacking planes. By that time the scrap was over and -the photographic machine and its escort were on their way home. - -"Somehow or other, I don't know why, I had a pretty strong suspicion, -Don, that your Nieuport wasn't among them. So, instead of making for the -airdrome, I flew back over the lines, incidentally saying -'how-do-you-do' to a number of 'Archies' and a bushel or two of -'onions.' I shot up pretty high to avoid being shot up myself, and after -traveling quite a considerable distance began cutting big spirals in the -air. The clouds were looking mighty ominous and threatening, and several -times yours truly was tempted to beat it, but, fortunately, something -restrained me. - -"My Nieuport was away up near the ceiling when, on looking down, I -suddenly discovered a plane which appeared exactly as though it was -crawling along the ground. Through a pair of binoculars I could see the -circles of red, white and blue on the wing tips. Then I volplaned a bit, -hoping to make out whether it was your machine or not." Albert began to -laugh. "Yes, I saw the whole shooting match, Don; and the way that big -sausage began to blaze after your little interview certainly tickled my -fancy." - -"Oh, boy, but wouldn't I have enjoyed the sight!" giggled Bobby Dunlap. - -"Of course it wasn't possible for me to tell whether it was your plane -or not, Don, but after seeing the Nieuport begin to climb to a higher -altitude I concluded to say good-bye to 'Germany' and streak for the -home plate. - -"Very soon it began to rain--rain like the dickens, too, and before I -got within miles of the airdrome my bus was doing everything but turning -somersaults. Anyway, Don, you've got a witness to prove that you turned -the trick." - -"That's simply great!" chuckled Don. "Some afternoon, eh?" - -"You bet!" agreed Drugstore. "But it certainly was a jolly rude jolt to -me when I got back and found that after all you had not returned." - -"Anyway, he'll have something to talk about for the rest of his life," -said George Glenn. - -"There's no doubt about that," laughed Don. - -The young pilot had by no means recovered from the effects of his -turbulent experiences. Some of the dizziness still remained. His nerves -occasionally twitched and he experienced a feeling of physical -exhaustion, all the more unpleasant because of his boyish fear that the -others might observe it. - -It had required a considerable effort for him to tell his story, and a -still greater to enter into the general conversation. - -Finally the thunder began to roll less frequently; the storm was -breaking away. - -Soon afterward one of the mechanics stepped into the room to inform Don -that his machine had been found full of holes. - -"Just a little bit more, and it would have made a capital piece of -mosquito netting, Monsieur l'Aviateur," he declared. - -"If I should happen to see any mosquitoes around here so big that they -couldn't get through such holes I'd sure take that next train for home," -guffawed Bobby Dunlap. - -"And if I'd had a piece of mosquito netting manufactured for me by -German bullets, I wouldn't even wait for the train; I'd start running," -laughed the mechanic. He turned to Don. - -"It's a great wonder to me, Monsieur, that your nose and ears weren't -clipped off." - -"I expected more than that to happen," returned Don, with a faint smile. - -At length Bobby Dunlap began to tell the hero of the afternoon about the -mysterious peasant. - -"He's a German spy, sure as shooting," he whispered. "But don't say -anything to the boys about it, Donny. George Glenn promised me he -wouldn't." - -"Why not explain the matter to the lieutenant?" asked Don, quite -breathlessly. - -Peur Jamais reflected an instant, then shook his head. - -"I intended to at first," he declared, "but, thinking it over, concluded -to wait until I could arrest the old bird myself and march him over here -at the point of a pistol. And, oh boy, that is going to make a bigger -sensation than your cooking the big sausage." - -"But he may slip away," suggested Don. - -"That idea struck me, too," commented Peur Jamais, in a troubled tone. -"But"--he brightened up--"it will only mean that somebody else is going -to do the point-of-the-pistol act. Wouldn't it make a dandy movie drama, -eh? And, just to think, Donny, if it hadn't been for old Pere Goubain I -might never have known what was going on." Bobby laughed joyously. -"Crickets! I can hardly wait for the fireworks to begin." - -In the interest aroused by the story of the mysterious peasant, Don -almost forgot his fatigue. He could not remember ever having enjoyed a -supper more than he did that evening; and the sense of security and -freedom from all danger as they sat around after the meal proved most -pleasant and welcome. - -On the following day Don Hale was in his Nieuport again, and performed -the usual two patrols of two hours each over the lines without meeting -with adventures. - -Several weeks passed, and it was a time filled with enough narrow -escapes and thrilling incidents to last even an aviator a lifetime. - -At length Don Hale's day off arrived. Late in the afternoon he seated -himself comfortably by the window and spent the time in reading a book -and occasionally joining in the conversation about him. The -irrepressible Bobby Dunlap was in the room, as was also Jason Hamlin. - -Finally the latter rose to his feet and began walking toward the door, -whereupon Bobby blurted out: - -"I say, Jasy, have you seen the old peasant lately?" - -Hamlin, who was one of those individuals who apparently dislike the -slightest familiarity, frowned, remarking briefly: - -"Yes; just the other day." - -"I must say, this particular specimen is rather a dull looking old chap -until one gets to talking to him. Ever been over to his place, Hammy?" - -"Yes," answered Jason. - -"So have I," laughed Peur Jamais. "And there's everything there but what -a farm ought to have. He must be using some method of growing vegetables -by wireless. By the way, Jason, ever go through that old ramshackle -house?" - -"Only the first floor," responded the other, adding abruptly: "Bobby, -several times I've overheard you making mysterious observations in -regard to that particular 'specimen,' who is a rather dull looking old -chap until one gets to talking to him. How would you like to offer an -explanation?" - -Bobby's expression swiftly changed. The laughing light left his eyes, -and, for an instant, he looked not only surprised but displeased. - -"So you were in the house?" he cried. "Well, what did you find?" - -"That the peasant was not altogether what he seemed. I heard you also -mention Sherlock Holmes, which would naturally suggest that you thought -of doing a little investigating. How about it?" - -Bobby scowled quite fiercely. - -"Really, Jasy, I'm quite surprised at you," he declared. "Did you learn -how to eavesdrop in a correspondence school or did it just come -naturally?" - -"One doesn't have to eavesdrop when you're around, Bobby," returned -Hamlin. "You don't know how to whisper." - -"Thanks, frightfully," growled Bobby. - -"Some people have ears so keen that they can even hear what isn't -intended for them. Run outside and play. When I want to tell you -anything about the old peasant you'll get it first hand. And as I notice -you seem to appreciate his company so much I won't be impolite enough to -make any disparaging remarks about him." - -"Some people's eyes are so sharp they can even see what isn't intended -for them," laughed Hamlin. "However, I won't avail myself of your kind -permission to run out and play, but will take a walk instead." - -"Where?" asked Bobby. - -"It's a secret, but I'll tell you. I'm going in the direction of my -destination. So-long, Messieurs. I'll see you later." - -And, with a half mocking laugh and a wave of his hand, Hamlin -disappeared outside. - -"I declare, that chap's about the limit!" exclaimed Peur Jamais to Don -Hale. He lowered his voice. "You noticed, Donny, that he didn't want to -tell us where he is going. I wonder if----" Bobby paused, looked -thoughtfully out of the window, scratched the back of his head, then -resumed: "Yes, I'll bet that's just it!" - -"What is?" asked Don. - -"That Jasy's going over to see the old boy now. Say, Don, put up that -book, and see how near my deduction comes to the truth." - -"Which means, I suppose, that you're going over there yourself?" asked -Don. - -"You guessed it the first time. Coming?" - -"Having aroused my curiosity so much about the mysterious peasant, I -think I will," responded Don. "It adds a touch of activity to a day -otherwise full of perfect repose." - - - - - CHAPTER XXI--THE ARREST - - -The cheerful glow was fading from the sky when Don and Bobby Dunlap -started out in quest of mild adventure. - -The boys walked leisurely--in fact so leisurely that when Don Hale had -his first glimpse of the three majestic oaks which concealed the old -farmhouse from view, Venus, the evening star, was making its sparkling -presence known in the bluish-gray firmament. - -"See here, Donny," almost whispered Bobby, "I don't think we ought to -make this a conventional visit. In our present capacity as detectives I -feel that we're justified in using any means at all to trap this old -codger. Let's steal up and do a little spying ourselves." - -"Just the scheme," approved Don. - -The two started ahead. - -The dreary, deserted aspect of the surroundings, the distant booming of -the guns and the nature of the expedition all combined to produce a -tingling sensation in Don Hale's nerves. - -Now they were approaching the great trees, and the boy caught his first -glimpse of the old dilapidated dwelling. In the dim shadows of the end -of day, with a mystery hovering over it, it assumed in his eyes a weird -and sinister appearance. The gables and chimneys were silhouetted -crisply against the translucent tones of the ever-darkening sky. Don's -eyes roved over the windows, each a dull and lifeless patch of dark. -Everything gave the impression of utter desolation. - -"I don't believe the mysterious peasant can be around just now," he -murmured. "And I reckon Bobby's idea in regard to Jason Hamlin is -altogether wrong." - -Skirting around the old oaks, the two reached an open stretch. However, -there were masses of shrubbery beyond, affording excellent places of -concealment; so, after a moment's reflection, Don and Bobby continued -straight along, and presently found themselves in the midst of the dense -shadows not far from the entrance to the house. - -A few minutes passed, and Don began to feel that such a vigil around a -deserted house had in it something of the absurd and ridiculous. - -"Bobby----" he began. - -"Sh-h-h-h!" whispered Bobby. - -Then silence between the two ensued. - -And in all probability it would have remained unbroken for some time but -for the sound of human voices suddenly coming from the house. They were -raised, as though the speakers had become engaged in a heated argument. - -The watchers were fairly electrified. - -"Aha! What did I tell you!" blurted out Bobby, forgetting caution in his -eagerness and excitement. "I know those voices. They belong to Hamlin -and the spy." - -The altercation grew louder and more turbulent, then quieted down, -until, finally, the quietude was as complete as before. - -"I wonder what it all means!" murmured Don. "The mystery deepens. Ah! -Things seem to be developing fast." - -Cautiously, he stepped over to Peur Jamais' side. "What's the next move -in the game, Bobby?" he inquired, sotto voce--"the point-of-the-pistol -act?" - -"Keep still!" commanded Bobby, fiercely. "I'm trying to hear what they -have to say. Did you catch any of the words?" - -"Not one," answered Don. Then, with a muttered exclamation indicative of -extreme surprise and annoyance, he faced about, nudged Bobby in the -ribs, and exclaimed in a low, suppressed tone: "As I live, some one is -coming along the road. It won't do to stay here. We'll be seen." - -"And if we get around on the other side we'll most likely be observed by -the chaps in the house," burst out Peur Jamais. "Who in the world could -have expected anything like this? By George! It must be a veritable -spies' retreat." - -Somewhat precipitously, Bobby began to move around the vegetation, and -Don joined him a moment later on the opposite side. - -Peering between the leaves, the latter could soon make out a shadowy -form approaching. But the light was too dim for him to see whether the -man was civilian or soldier. The boy's interest was aroused to the -highest pitch. - -What could this man's errand be? Evidently he must know the mysterious -peasant and be familiar with the grounds. - -"Curious! Curious!" muttered Don. - -Expectantly--anxiously, he waited until the man had passed, then began -retracing his steps, with Bobby close at his heels. - -When he had resumed his former position, the boy, gazing over the top of -the branches and leaves, was just in time to observe the man disappear -in the dense shadows of the old farmhouse. - -"Now what do you think of all this?" almost stuttered Bobby. "Oh, boy, -but I feel kind of sorry for Jasy, though. This night's work may get him -into a whole pile of trouble." - -He was evidently going to add something more, but the sound of voices -again stopped him. They were no longer raised as if in anger, yet, -nevertheless, the conversation was evidently being carried on with the -greatest seriousness. - -And just about this time the two disciples of Sherlock Holmes saw a very -dim light appear in one of the windows of the first floor, which, -flashing in an erratic fashion, rapidly grew stronger, as though some -one were bringing a lamp into the room. - -Very soon the last vestige of day had disappeared, and overhead the -stars and constellations were shining and twinkling with that wonderful -brilliancy which they only possess when viewed far from smoke-filled -towns. The boys no longer feared discovery. Night, with all its mystery, -all its weirdness and majesty, was upon them, and though his fellow -pilot was only a few yards away Don could no longer distinguish his -form. - -Easy in mind, therefore, they were able to give their undivided -attention to the house. Now and again the light was blotted out, as -figures momentarily passed in front. It was all very interesting, -invoking in the mind thoughts of plots, of mysteries and of the -machinations of spies. - -"If we could only hear what they are saying," groaned Bobby. - -"I know a way," declared Don. - -"How?" - -"I'm going to crawl right up beneath the window and listen." - -"Bravo, Donny! I'm with you there." - -Carefully as the two proceeded, it was impossible, in the darkness, to -avoid making some noise; and each time both involuntarily halted in -their tracks, half expecting to hear some one come rushing out of the -house to investigate. - -"Great Scott!" - -The young combat pilot could not repress this exclamation, and, at the -same instant, he heard a low whistle coming from the unseen Bobby close -at hand. - -Both had been caused by a peculiar action of one of the occupants of the -room. Lamp in hand, he had approached the window, and, thrusting the -feeble light outside, moved it up and down and sideways several times. - -Mystified--puzzled, Don Hale felt that any further advance under the -peculiar circumstances would be entirely too risky, and he was about to -whisper this opinion to Bobby when a very faint sound from the rear -caused him to turn quickly. A peculiar tingling sensation shot through -him. Yet he could not quite explain the reason why. What was it he had -heard?--a footfall? Or, in the excitement, had his imagination been -tricked by the rustling of the vegetation? - -In the darkness and mystery of the night the unseen often assumes in the -imagination formidable proportions, carrying with it curious, -undefinable fears. - -And while Don Hale stood there, irresolute, his ears distinctly caught -the sound of footsteps. Then followed a sharp, metallic click. - -A stream of whitish light was fantastically streaking across the ground -toward the boys. - -An involuntary exclamation escaped Don's lips. He felt himself almost -shivering. - -But a few paces away stood a man. And, clearly, the electric torch which -he carried was seeking them out. What was the meaning of it all? How had -they been so unerringly tracked? - -Nearer and nearer came the brilliant white rays; then leaving the ground -they shot upward, wavered forth and back erratically and presently fell -squarely upon his face. - -"Make no move, Messieurs!" exclaimed a strong, firm voice. "You are -under arrest!" - -"Under arrest!" gasped Don, literally astounded. "Who--who are you?" - -"I don't--I don't understand!" quavered Bobby Dunlap. Rather feebly, -sepulchrally he echoed Don Hale's query: "Who are you?" - -The white light suddenly described a circle in the air, and flashed for -one brief, solitary instant, upon a silver shield. The man was holding -his coat open, thus allowing it to be seen. - -"What--what does this mean?" stuttered Peur Jamais, while Don Hale, more -surprised, more nonplused than he had ever been in his life, vainly -strove to see the features of the mysterious person before them. - -"It means that, as a member of the French secret service, I am carrying -out my orders," came the astonishing rejoinder. "Let me repeat: you are -under arrest." - -"But why? What for?" almost exploded Bobby, who had found his voice and -nerve. "You have made some extraordinary mistake. Aha! Now I think I -know what it means--you've got the wrong people, that's it. Those you -are seeking are in that house,--in that house, do you understand! Quick, -now, before they get away." - -To further increase Bobby's agitated and disturbed state of mind the man -uttered a gruff laugh, following this with a loud whistle. - -Almost instantly, as if in answer, footsteps sounded, and, on turning -quickly, Don and Bobby saw three men just leaving the house; the beams -from a swinging lantern carried by the foremost now and then throwing -weird splotches of light upon their forms, one instant bringing them out -in sharp relief, the next allowing the darkness to again gather them in -its folds. - -"It's all utterly beyond me," muttered Don Hale, as he viewed the -strange little procession approaching. - -The man with the lantern was the mysterious peasant. And, strangely -enough, he showed no more surprise at finding the two American aviators -so close to his door than if such a visit were the most ordinary and -commonplace thing in the world. One of those accompanying him was Jason -Hamlin; the other the boys had never seen before. - -Jason Hamlin was the first to speak. - -"And so we meet under rather peculiar circumstances!" he remarked, -harshly. "Let me say, Peur Jamais, that----" - -"Let me say something first," interrupted Bobby, savagely. "Do you know -what he tells us?"--he jerked his finger in the direction of the man -with the electric torch--"that we are under arrest." - -"So am I," exclaimed Hamlin, in a voice which shook with suppressed -anger. - -"You, too, under arrest!" gasped Don. "By Jove, this is certainly a -weird night!" - -"And how about that chap parading around in a peasant's blouse and -wooden shoes?" cried Peur Jamais. "If any one ought to be arrested he's -the one." He turned to the secret service man. "I demand that you take -him into custody. He's an impostor--a--a----" - -"Softly--softly, my young friend," broke in the mysterious peasant. "I -deeply regret that an unpleasant duty had fallen to my lot, particularly -as our country has every reason to be grateful to America." - -He threw open his thin blue blouse, at the same instant raising his -lantern. And as the yellow light shone on another shield precisely -similar to the one which adorned the breast of the other man, both Don -Hale and Bobby Dunlap gave voice to exclamations of the greatest -surprise and wonderment. - -"So you, too, belong to the secret service!" cried Don. - -"Can--can you beat it!" came from Bobby, weakly. - -"I think it would be a rather hard job," broke in Jason Hamlin. -"And----" - -He was interrupted by the third man, who had been a silent witness to -the proceeding. - -"Let me put in a word," he exclaimed, authoritatively. "I also belong to -the secret service; and I wish to say to you young Americans that you -are at liberty to return to the villa--the headquarters of the Lafayette -Escadrille. Under no circumstances, however, are you to leave it until -this affair has been entirely cleared up. I and my camarades are not -here to answer questions. Your captain has already been notified. -Remember, you are technically prisoners. This may seem harsh, -ungrateful, and unappreciative perhaps of the work you have done for -France, but the law knows no sentiment; it is cold and pitiless. Now you -may go." Addressing his compatriots, he added: "Come, Messieurs." - -Thereupon the three secret service men, with words of adieu, turned -toward the house. - -"I never was so angry, so wilted with surprise and disgust in the whole -course of my life!" fumed Bobby Dunlap. "Not here to answer questions, -eh! Never even had the politeness to say why we were pinched. It's an -outrage--that's what it is!" - -"Prisoners, eh!" remarked Don, with a dry laugh. - -"And the comedy has to have still another act!" broke in Jason Hamlin, -ironically. "You are right, Bobby: it is an outrage. But what you mean -is not exactly what I mean." - -And, with this enigmatic remark, the aviator started to make his way -toward the road. The two other "prisoners" followed. - - - - - CHAPTER XXII--THE TRIAL - - -The Hale-Hamlin-Dunlap case certainly created a sensation among the -pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille--indeed it created a great deal more -talk than the fact that the Germans had begun to paint their -battleplanes in colors of the most extraordinary and brilliant hue. - -No one could understand the affair; it appeared a most unfathomable -mystery, and especially so when the captain of the squadron politely -informed Victor Gilbert that he, too, was technically a prisoner. - -"Oh, chains and dungeons! I suppose, the next thing, they'll be -arresting the whole squadron!" cried Bobby Dunlap when apprised of this -new and singular development in the _cause celebre_. "Goodness gracious, -but I wish that last act would begin!" - -The patience of the "prisoners" was not to be severely taxed, however; -for, on the following morning, they received a summons to appear in the -reception hall of the villa. - -Entering, they found what appeared to be a court about to open its -session. Seated on one side of a long table was the captain of the -squadron and a gray-haired military man, a lieutenant, as was revealed -by his uniform. Opposite to them sat the secret service men, the former -"peasant" scarcely recognizable in his civilian's clothes. Numerous -papers of an official character were strewn about the table, greatly -heightening the appearance of a court procedure. - -"Messieurs," exclaimed the military man, looking up gravely, "kindly -take seats at the table." - -He looked like a stern old judge as he spoke. His eyes were cold and -hard, the lines on his face grim and set and his closely cropped whitish -moustache revealed a mouth indicating determination and strength of -character. - -Bobby Dunlap as a rule was not disposed to take things seriously, but -under the present circumstances the silence in the big room, the frigid -atmosphere, the formality and the gravity expressed upon the faces of -the military men had its effect, making him feel ill at ease, -uncomfortable and nervous. - -"Messieurs, we are now ready to proceed," announced the lieutenant at -the head of the table. "Let me affirm in the beginning that we have no -doubt of your loyalty or devotion to the cause which you espouse. At the -same time I must explain that the military authorities as well as the -secret service officials never allow the most trivial circumstance to -pass without the most thorough investigation. In numerous cases -everything is, of course, found to be entirely right, but it may happen -that the hundredth will turn out otherwise, and perhaps that which -appeared futile--a waste of time--may be revealed, under the searching -light of truth, as a dangerous intrigue of our enemies." - -"Indeed, most extraordinary cases have come to our attention," put in -the captain. - -"We will hear Monsieur Robert Dunlap first," continued the officer in -charge of the proceedings. "Monsieur Dunlap, kindly stand up." - -At this, Peur Jamais, whose general appearance and manner belied the -name bestowed upon him by his friends, obeyed. - -The interrogation began. - -"Is it true," asked the officer, "that on several occasions you made use -of this expression in reference to Jason Hamlin: 'other games are just -as dangerous'?" - -"Yes, Monsieur the Lieutenant," gulped Bobby, red and confused. - -"In using that expression what did you infer?" - -"Well, I--I--you see----" Peur Jamais, finding his tongue getting -tangled, abruptly paused. Then, having mastered in a measure his -uncomfortable feelings, he resumed: "I heard Monsieur Victor Gilbert -make this observation, as well as several others to Monsieur Hamlin, all -seeming to indicate----" - -Bobby halted again; the flush on his cheek deepened. - -"Continuez, Monsieur," commanded the lieutenant. - -"That--that he might be a German spy," exclaimed Bobby, desperately. "I -heard so many stories about the espionage system from old Pere Goubain, -of the Cafe Rochambeau, near our training camp, that perhaps I became -unduly suspicious." - -The man whom the boys had formerly called the "mysterious peasant" -looked up with a smile. - -"With Monsieur the Lieutenant's permission," he exclaimed, "I will -explain, though I do not wish the fact to be generally known, that -Monsieur Goubain is affiliated with the secret service and has given us -much valuable information." - -"Oh--oh!" gasped Bobby, while all the other Americans in the room -uttered suppressed exclamations. - -"His object in speaking so freely was not only to show you the dangers -that existed but to get you to keep your eyes open." The man smiled. "In -one case, at least, he evidently succeeded." - -"You have no evidence against Monsieur Hamlin?" continued the -lieutenant, addressing Bobby. - -"No, Monsieur the Lieutenant," responded Peur Jamais. - -"That will do. You may sit down. Monsieur Gilbert." - -When the former college student rose to his feet he showed none of the -perturbation which had affected Bobby. - -"Monsieur Gilbert," began the lieutenant, "it will be necessary for you -to explain your entire connection with this affair, which, as our report -indicates, began long before you came to France and joined the Lafayette -Escadrille." - -"Yes, Monsieur the Lieutenant," returned Gilbert. In an easy, -conversational tone he began: "Before hostilities broke out in 1914 my -father and Jason Hamlin's were firm friends, as well as business -partners. Mrs. Hamlin was born in Germany, and her husband himself had -distant relatives living there. The war had not continued very long -before disputes began to arise between my father and his partner on -account of the latter's ardent championship of the cause of Germany." -Gilbert glanced in the direction of Jason Hamlin. "His son, too, was -equally disposed to favor that country. And as our fathers had heated -arguments so did we. Both of us, I may say, were at work for the firm. -Finally the differences became so acute that after a particularly -violent altercation, Mr. Hamlin, Senior, announced his intention of -withdrawing from the firm, which he shortly did. His son, too, went with -him; and, from the closest of friends, we became so estranged as to be -considered enemies." - -"After the entrance of America into the war did the Hamlins still remain -pro-German?" queried the officer. - -Victor Gilbert smiled. - -"I have never had any conversation with the Mr. Hamlin, Senior, since -that time," he replied, "and I do not know what his opinions are. -Frankly, I must say that in regard to the son it seemed incomprehensible -to me that one with such strong German proclivities could so change his -opinions as to come over here and fight for the Allied cause." - -"May I speak?" interjected Hamlin, somewhat heatedly. - -"Your turn will come in a few minutes, Monsieur," said the presiding -officer. "Continuez, Monsieur Gilbert." - -"I was astounded when Hamlin came to the aviation school. And, judging -from many things he had said, I feared that perhaps he might actually be -a spy. And in some of our altercations--altercations that interested -Monsieur Dunlap--I intimated just as much." - -"You certainly did," jeered Jason Hamlin, with an angry glare. "And if -you'd only had sense enough to----" - -"Silence--silence!" interrupted the lieutenant. - -"Naturally, words may be said in the heat of anger which would not be -uttered when cooler judgment prevails," continued Victor, doggedly. -"Why, I ask, shouldn't I have been suspicious? And when I remarked to -Hamlin that 'other games are just as dangerous' it was meant as a -warning for him to go a bit slow." - -"Has your opinion been altered?" asked the lieutenant. - -Victor Gilbert nodded. - -"Yes, Monsieur the Lieutenant," he replied. "And the reason is because -of Hamlin's very excellent record since he joined the squadron." - -Jason Hamlin now had the opportunity to explain his side of the case. As -he began speaking his manner was decidedly different from that of the -other two witnesses. He was clearly angry--aggressive, and his voice, -raised high, rang through the room. - -"I am very willing to admit that I was pro-German, as Monsieur Gilbert -told you," he declared. "But, as events change so can one's opinions -change with them. Before America became involved in hostilities I had a -perfect right to favor Germany; but to have done so afterward would have -been disloyal--indeed a traitorous act. No one has the right to go -against his own country. And when I learned that Victor Gilbert had -joined an aviation school in France I determined to show him, as well as -any others who might have doubted my patriotism, that they were entirely -mistaken. And as words without action count for little, I decided to -follow his example and become an aviator." - -At this point Jason Hamlin's stern expression deepened. He clenched his -fists; and when he spoke again it was in even louder tones than before. - -"My friend Monsieur Dunlap may think that he alone pierced the disguise -of the peasant, but, if so, he is in error; and, surmising that I might -be under suspicion, I made it a point to cultivate the man's -acquaintance. At last the feelings which injustice always arouse caused -me to decide that it was time to make an end of the farce--hence my -visit to the farmhouse. I boldly told the secret service man that I knew -what was going on; I said he could strip off his peasant's disguise and -work to better advantage elsewhere. I declared that I was receiving a -very poor reward for daily risking my life for the Allied cause. We had -some words, which were brought to an end by the appearance of that -secret service man sitting there." With a wave of his hand, Jason Hamlin -continued: "The rights of an individual are as sacred as the rights of -the government." He drew himself erect. "I ask--I demand to know if you -have the slightest evidence against me?" - -His flashing eyes, the fearlessness of his manner, the righteous -indignation expressed in his voice brought a strong and dramatic touch -to the situation. - -Following his words there came a silence, curious and impressive. - -Bobby Dunlap, fearing that in the judicial atmosphere this outburst -might bring a stern rebuke, stared almost open-mouthed at the -lieutenant. The latter, however, showing neither surprise nor -displeasure, remarked, calmly: - -"We have no evidence against you, Monsieur Hamlin. And I may say that -reports received from our agents in America are thoroughly satisfactory. -Kindly take your seat while we listen for a few moments to Monsieur -Castel of the secret service." - -Smilingly, the ex-peasant stood up. - -"It won't take very much time," he announced. "I am glad indeed that -everything has terminated so satisfactorily for all concerned. This -case, I may say, was all brought about by remarks being overheard. -Sometimes a whisper is enough to set the secret service in action. My -confreres and I immediately began an investigation, and all of you young -Messieurs have been under surveillance for some time." - -"Oh--oh! Can you beat it!" muttered Peur Jamais. - -"Messieurs Glenn and Dunlap's actions on the occasion of their visit to -the house were rather peculiar, especially that of this young Monsieur -here." He pointed to Bobby. "It could be readily seen that his curiosity -was not merely the expression of a youthful desire to see the house, -and, when he, in the company of Monsieur Hale, started off on their walk -yesterday afternoon they were shadowed by my fellow detectives here. And -their actions, of course, were so suspicious--a fact which they -themselves must admit--that there was nothing to do but place them under -arrest. While Monsieur Boulanger came into the house to inform me that -the boys were in the garden, Monsieur Brion, who knew where they were -concealed, kept track of their movements, and, at a signal which I gave -by means of the lamp, he brought the matter to a climax. I believe there -is nothing more for me to add." - -Bobby Dunlap and Don Hale were now called upon for an explanation, which -they gave to the entire satisfaction of those conducting the -examination. - -At its conclusion the stern-faced lieutenant, with a suspicion of a -smile, exclaimed: - -"You have all been found not guilty, and, in accordance with that fact, -Messieurs Gilbert and Hamlin, I sentence you to shake hands and forget -whatever differences may have existed between you. Human nature is -fallible, and, had the case been reversed, you, Monsieur Hamlin, would -have acted in a precisely similar manner to that of Monsieur Gilbert. -Let me take this occasion to thank and compliment you for the noble work -which you have been doing in the cause of humanity and justice." - -The two young aviators nodded, in recognition, and each, in turn, -thanked the lieutenant. - -Then, without a remaining trace of animosity, they clasped each other's -hands. - -And in this happy fashion ended the case of Hamlin and the peasant, -which was a nine-days' wonder in the escadrille. - -But, though it was ended, the conversation about it by no means came to -such an abrupt termination. The principals came in for many bantering -remarks, and had to stand a great deal of good-natured chaffing. Of -course Bobby Dunlap was the principal victim. - -"I say, Peur Jamais," laughed George, "can you now almost hear the -commander saying 'My brave and loyal friends, in the name of my -countrymen, I thank you'?" - -"Joke if you like," grinned Bobby, good-naturedly. "Anyway, I made a few -truthful predictions." - -"How?" - -"I said it wasn't going to be a laughing matter to some one." - -"Correct, old chap." - -"And, after all, it certainly did mean an astonishing sequel." - -And so speaking, Bobby chuckled mirthfully. - -Several weeks later, in the spacious grounds of a chateau occupied by -the military authorities, a lively and spectacular scene was being -enacted. Soldiers were drawn up in a hollow square. And there, where -danger did not exist, could be seen all the pomp and pageantry of -warfare, so lacking in the actual operations. The warm, clear sunshine -shone on generals' uniforms, on military motor-cars and on high-spirited -horses, champing at their bits. - -And besides the military there were present a few men in civilian dress, -the most prominent among them being an extremely ponderous man with a -most beaming face whom all the former students at the Ecole Militaire de -Beaumont recognized as old Pere Goubain, the proprietor of the Cafe -Rochambeau. - -What was the occasion of all this festivity? - -It was because a number of airmen, Red Cross ambulance drivers and -soldiers had so distinguished themselves as to earn the gratitude of the -French Republic that they were to be awarded the Croix de Guerre and -other decorations. - -Among those who were recipients of the War Cross were Don Hale and T. -Singleton Albert. It was Don Hale's feat in saving the Caudron -photographic machine and his subsequent destruction of the observation -balloon which had brought him the coveted honor. - -And after a general had pinned the Croix de Guerre to his breast and the -proceedings were over the first to shake his hand was old Pere Goubain. - -"Ah! La France can never lose with such young men as you enlisted in her -cause," he exclaimed. "And now, mon ami, what are your plans?" - -"I hope to be transferred to the American air service as soon as -possible," returned the smiling Don Hale. - -"I knew that would be the answer," cried old Pere Goubain. "And I am -very certain that Monsieur Don Hale with the Yanks will be as successful -as he was with the Lafayette Squadron, and make a name for himself that -will carry beyond the seas." - - - - - The Stories in this Series are: - DON HALE IN THE WAR ZONE - DON HALE OVER THERE - DON HALE WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON - DON HALE WITH THE YANKS (in press) - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Don Hale with the Flying Squadron, by -W. 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