The Brighton Boys with the Flying Corps

t of the Brighton boys

e was taken as a passenger. One of the pilots was trying a machine new

other plane do. I suppose these chasers have little habits of their own, but it would take my a

to answer. "You have been up in her.

would help her," su

how she climbs with two up. From the little I tried her out, I think she

or sent word he wanted to see me at once. If I don't ge

said the pilot, turn

ver there by the shed." Bob Haines was the ballast indicated. He was putting the fin

" queried

boy, quite a bit lately, and if they are all as good at locating engine trouble as he is they will go far in this game before they are old men. Ask the tall youngster. He wi

is so long as he weighs up to averag

ou are needed here for

ns

over to the

u at?" asked

replied Bob. "

She is the finest thing we have seen here, and he wants to

requency of minor accidents made the officers at the camp chary about any unnecessary risks. Consequently, the Brighton boys had decided that their best plan was to

eat undergoing an experience whose like he had never dreamed of. His youthful imagination had often tried to picture what it would be like to

st game of all. This is what one d

thusiasm of youth rushed through him and his pulses beat faster as he pictured himself, a knight of the air, starting forth on a quest that migh

of the engines was as rhythmical to experienced ears as the regular swing and

miles and miles, until they had soared to a height that made blurred lines of roads and hedges far under them, and caused even houses and outbuildings to grow in

the question than his common sense had answered it. The pilot had shut off the engine, of course. Already the powerful plane was head

e that?" asked L

e him restless until he, too, had mastered one of those marvelous steeds of the air, and was free to soar at will wherever he chose to direct his m

ad felt. His memory took him back to his own first flight. How long ago it seemed! How impressed he had b

trying the stability of the plane by wide spirals, banking it just enough to be delightful

n astonishing rate. Surely this was not quite right! They must be dropping like a stone. Up, up, came the ground. Bob unconsciously braced himself for the impact. They were going to come down with a mighty smash. He held his breath and set his teeth. At the very moment

d: "That was the biggest experience of my life." Again that similarity of temperament between the two told Fauver something of the depth of Bob's feeling, and he said quietly: "I am glad to have given you a chance to

siasm still held him close. The days would drag, no

s who had recently arrived, wanted a hand to help him tune up a new school machine that was fitted with dual control, i.e., that had a double set of levers so that the novice could guide the machine while the instructor had a restraining

do is to explain just what you want done. He is dependable. Try

day and the next on t

it was

a runaround in her," said Adams to Jimmy. The instructor had been highly pl

e controls, though he was careful to put no pressure on them. Next day Adams s

Three times in the following week Adams took the boy out for a lesson; and the practical experience, though limited, gave Jimmy a very g

is hands from his control levers and leaving the job to Jimmy. It was a simple enough little flight, but Jimmy had th

xperienced flier, loop the loop and nose-dive on one of the fast chasers. The whirling, darting plane seemed so completely at the mercy of

d hope to equal or excel the cool, modest young aviator who came down so graceful

were sitting in a hangar one Sunday afternoon, chatting a

bus," said Joe, "i

n. What is the good of trying to fly on a plane that won't rise more than a couple of dozen feet? I have never had a chance to fly anything else. I get to thinking,

to my mind that sort of thing is out of date. I have got the idea of lateral control as well on that school bus that Parks let me out on, as I could have got it from any of the

know you won't, for that matter. You are one of the careful ones, al

chine of my own,"

won't get

by one of these cheerful student chaps, and still has some good stuff

ane is worth fixing up the chief wants the rest of the use of it. If it is

young fellow the broken leg the last time it smashed? There is plenty of life left in that old girl. I wo

ne is out of he

lve hangar, covered

nd have a l

they found under a pile of canvas, just where it had been b

type of engine either. It might have more power, but it is reliable enough. Wh

hout there being a reason, Louis. Maybe she needs a bit of fixing that she has never had. It would be fun i

he can. I don't see, if he does not intend to repair the 'bad bus,' why he wouldn't let us do it in our spare time, I kno

h frames lately. For that matter, I guess all the lot would help. We could come in early and get some time on her before work starts, stay a bit later at night, and most Sunday afternoons we could hammer away at her without interruption

ench boy. "But will the co

before many da

broached the project to him. "I don't thin

t it set there waiting till I made up my mind. I can't recommend scrapping a plane merely because it has the reputation of being unlucky. That is about all the bad name of the '

o the colonel about the proposal the Brighton boys had made to repair the "bad bus" in their own time, and obtain, as a special reward for good work, permission to do a little flying on t

e than once had to apply to Parks for help and advice. These he gave cheerfully. Louis and Macpherson overhauled the engine, and pronounced it in A-1 condition when it left

f the repairs. Adams was chosen to make the trial trip, which went off without incident. He flew the big biplane six or seven hundr

rang from the seat and the biplane

ne. He thought he would have no difficulty in flying it, for the controls were very familiar to him, and a straight flight, or even a wide circle of the flying ground prop

r rolling until he was quite sure of himself, he raised the elevator s

ed to gently turn to the left, commencing a wide circle that would land him, should he choose to come down

and Joe felt increasingly at his ease. When he had made the first circuit he decided to continue, ris

ked so slightly that he had no need to fear side-slip. He concentrated all his powers on making a fine landing. When he was ready to come down he s

fingers itched to start the engine again and raise the elevator just enough to arrest the downward swoop, and transform it into a soft glide, nicely calculated so that i

ecided that the right moment had come, lifted his elevator slightly, star

had

d to glide gracefully to rest. The biplane hung a moment in the air, as if undecided what to do. Fortunately Joe had shut off the engine when his intuition told him all was not

one the worse for it physically. He stepped out of his seat before the boys could run to the wrecked biplane. They were all sympathy and eagerness to see if Joe was hurt. He had not dropped

letely wrecked again, and I did it." Joe felt that it would be a relief to get away from the scene of the smash, and had to do

to learn. I will bet that you don't pu

aving had the temerity to try the flight. What hurt most was the knowledge that the plane the Brighton boys had so looked forward to having

lence, searching their minds for a word that would give a crumb of comfort to th

arker came up with Major Phelps. They had not been far away when Joe had starte

until you landed," said

ld have s

was not the preface to serious condemnation of Joe. Colonel Marker had often been heard to treat the sub

ep feeling of shame came over him and his eyes f

ndhearted man, for all his gruff exterior, and he had, too, a great interest in the Brighton boys and their progress.

ur inexperience. Those things show keenness, enthusiasm, and pluck. A flying man has to possess nerve. He has to take chances sometimes. You did the best you could do. The fact that you were inexperienced was against you, but i

a chance to learn to fly on the old bus. Now that is all knocked into a cocked hat. I feel that I have robbed them of someth

other along that line. You Brighton boys have worked hard and studied hard. I have watched you. I am pleased with y

erve to be taken into the service these surely do. They may be a bit on the

ears. That casual sentence quickened every pulse. To Fra

it?" asked the colone

th that idea in view. We all hoped some day to join up, and we think we could be of more use in the Flying Corps than anywhe

look into the individual work that each of these boys has been doing lately, and se

ke up Bob. "Benson,

to be mightily usef

hangars. You can tell me what you find about these Brighton boys when you have finished your in

ll right now. The old man knows well enough you boys have been doing well. Th

ane moved into the shed. That night they went home in high spirits. They were boys no longer; they had become men. They pict

, who was very much excited. "It all came out of your smash, Joe," said Harry. "The colonel might not have

He smiled. "I am glad it has taken the minds o

omise were quite prepared for it. All thought the boys might be taken in some day, but it had seemed a long way off. Bob Haines' uncle was ver

of all fighting. Mr. Mann took Dicky by the hand, however, and said, "God bless you, son," in a way that

ld give a lot to be as young as you are and have your chance, Jimmy. You will have to represent the family, though, I guess. They won't take men of my age, at least yet."

e dinner table Harry was struck with the familiarity with which they all spoke of the possibility that the boys would be taken into the service at once. They had not discussed the matter in such detail before in his presence. Grace mentione

it will be a long time before you boys see France," said Mr. Fox.

a bigger piece of news from h

enjoy it while you could do so. You are French, my son, and thank God you are becoming old enough to take a hand in the war. When we get home I will see what can be

all, a French boy and had a French boy's heart. More, he had a French moth

rmination that the war must be won, whatever the cost--all that went to make the magnificent French women of to-day the splendid heroines they have shown themselves to be, was deeply rooted in Mrs. Deschamps. Her husb

d of them, and to be enrolled in his own army, by the side of which h

the days of the short Spanish-American war. Joe's father, impulsive, had joined the colors at the first call and gone to Cuba. Mrs. Little's only brother, very dear to her, had volunteered, too, and was in the First Expedition to the Philippines. Neither had come back. War had taken so m

influence him to stay and care for her. There were many others who could be sent, who did not, could not, mean so much to those

her boy to her country and humanity. It cost her dear, but she set her teeth and placed her offering on the altar of wha

enthusiasm she could put into her wo

l sort of an inspiration I can't explain. It is all so big. It seems so necessary that I should go, and I felt that I should be so utterly out of it if I did not go one day. When the colonel spoke that way it seemed like a sort of fulfillment of some

moist, but her courage never faltered. "Joe, such boys as you

h to want to do my duty, and I will not forget it when the strain come