him, and he began a conversation with them. He soon learned their history, and bestowed words of praise on them for what they had done.

"So you want to be aviators, eh?" he inquired.

"Yes, and we'll do anything to get in," said Alfred.

"To be aviators in the service of the Government it will be necessary to take the Regulation course," said the man.

"There isn't time for that," said Ralph. "We can help out now, even if we don't do any flying, can't we?"

The man chuckled. "I suppose you can tighten up bolts, examine, and stretch the stay wires, and things like that?" he remarked.

"As well as take out the engine and overhaul it," added Ralph.

"Well, yes; that's a pretty good job; do you think you could do that?" he asked.

"Why, yes; we know something about it," replied Ralph.

"Well, stay around here; we want some handy fellows; but I'm afraid you'll have a hard job to get on the pay roll," he added.

"Never mind about that end of it; we want to be doing something; that's the main thing," said Alfred.

It would not be interesting to go through the[Pg 91] long details of work that the boys entered into under those circumstances. Each day for more than two months the boys found plenty of work to do. They became general favorites at the camp, and while their services were not recognized in an official way, as the regulations did not permit of the employment of minors, still, in view of the fact that they had such an interesting history, and had entered into the work with such zest the commandant at the station permitted them to remain, and eventually provided them with rations and quarters, to which was added a small pay, such as attached to those in the messenger service.

[Pg 91]

During this period the boys had many opportunities to go aloft on practice drills, and on more than one occasion they had the privilege of operating the machines while in flight, accompanied, of course, by the regular pilots. Attached to the station were a half-dozen machines used for the purpose of teaching control, and to enable pupils to become familiar with the handling of the machines. They were designed merely to skim the ground, the power being so 

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