Air Service Boys over the Atlantic; Or, The Longest Flight on Record

mond remarked several hours later, as he came i

n officers. Wretched though these quarters were, they at least afforded security from the bursting shells

n a group, had been carrying on high. Sitting there with his head resting on his hand he had allowed himsel

y brought back to a realization of the fact that he was still in France, where the ba

ntinued, lowering his voice to a whisper, since it was suppo

ut the chances are they'll not be acted upon immediately, although we asked for speed. And nothing would please me mo

ause I'm feeling particularly keen my

rt?" demanded t

he low reply. "All that's been figured

pilots was trying to sing a song, being in jovial mood after receiving a letter that he admitted was from his "girl in the States" and

ing about the job we

he party," came the cautious reply. "Of course just before the flight they'll be given full p

about twenty miles back of th

d night the retreating Boche armies are passing. There's hardly a minut

ime; but Fritz keeps such a vigilant watch we never could succeed in getting close enough to do a

g bombing machines in the bunch, guarded by eight battleplanes; and we've the

not received that letter from our lawyer, asking me to hurry back home if I could possib

ut your cousin?" dema

a race between us to see which one can get to America first, so as to win the prize my foolish uncle left in such a haphazard way, th

a nice little surprise for you, Jack. I suppose you kno

act is, I've temporarily lost my taste for those doughnuts and the girls who give their time to jollying

ughnut mightn't go so badly now if the girl who of

e interest. A gleam came into his sadde

he exclaimed. "Do you really mean that Bess

ll tell you that Nellie is there too. Seems that she's attached to a field hospital staff that's keeping us close company, and, meeting the Gleas

you to look me up?"

o it even if I had to take you by the collar and hustle you ther

e Gleasons again caused him to forget, temporarily at least, all about his fresh troubles. They were soon hu

has been described at length in one of the earlier books of this series, Tom and Jack had been mainly instrumental in releasing the mother

German dugout, which had been hurriedly arranged as a sort of makeshift headquarters, where th

the boys feel closer to home than almost anything else, and even a sprinkling of Red

C., which was also well patronized; indeed there seemed to be a friendly rivalry betwe

urned or covered with blushes. This was of course the Bessie mentioned by Tom. Others who

eeing so much suffering at close quarters as came to the share of all the women and girls who devoted their very lives to such a calling. In Tom's eyes she was the prettiest girl in all France. It could also be seen

essie noticed that Jack occasionally looked grave, and questioned him concerning it. In answer he t

. Tom was very particular about this, bei

rk all the evening carrying out her customary duties, and proving indeed a "good angel"

g Nellie a warm look that caused her eyes to dr

g her little hand at separating. "But then you never know what's going to happen these days. A

. He seemed much more cheerful than earlier in the evening, Tom thought; and as that had b

ng, with a frequent bursting shell giving them light to see an

e German High Command suspected that the Americans were ready to make a more stupendous push than had as yet been undertaken, with the idea

ent to leave all such matters to those in command. They had their orders

to their limited sleeping quarters simply to rest, neithe

his individual work, their departure caused not the faintest ripple. In fact, there were two other airmen who also came out and joine

mechanics by the score getting planes ready for ascension. The hum of motor

efforts to accomplish great things in their chosen profession. When, however, they reached the

e asked the man who wa

reply; "for we're replacing several wire stays that look as if they'd b