young man sprang forward, held out his hand and said: "And here's United States, too."[Pg 27]

[Pg 27]

"We are not with the army now," said Alfred, recovering; "we hope to go to Paris, if it is possible to get there."

"The chances for that are not very good at present," observed the Commandant, "but in the meantime, if you are not attached, you must put up with us."

"Thank you for the offer," said Ralph eagerly. "We want to get into the flying service; that will just suit us."

"I am afraid that the army provisions would not permit you to join," said the officer, and all noted the expressions of disappointment that indicated the boys' feelings at this announcement.

"Then I suppose we'll have to force our way in, just as we did in Belgium," said Alfred.

This was greeted with a sally of laughter. The boys had made a hit with the corps, and they accepted the offer of quarters for their accommodation in the firm belief that something would turn up to assist them in their desires.

Boys are really at a disadvantage sometimes. This story, as well as many others, shows that they are capable of doing things as well as men, and that they can do some things better than most men; but in military matters the service seems to have been made for grown-up people on the principle that war is too barbarous a thing for young men until they are twenty years of age.

The boys, who were now in their glory, had a portion of a small room in a wooden building assigned to them. At this time there were fifty machines[Pg 28] of various types on the ground, the particular makes being the Bristol, the B. E., several Farman machines, and a half dozen Sopworth tractors.

[Pg 28]

Tom Walton, the young American who greeted them at the hospital, was accorded the privilege of escorting the boys and introducing them. That they had been in the first battles of the war was sufficient to give them a coveted place in that company of enthusiastic men, for there was some glory in having been on a battlefield,—a thing which could have been said of only a few of those who entertained them that day.

"I suppose you want to see the machines," said Tom.

"Indeed, we do," said Alfred. "What is that big machine over there?"

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