Part 26 (1/2)

”Will I? Say, I'll come if I have to hitch on behind, like a can to a dog's tail!” cried Leroy, and, weak and ill-nourished as he was, it was evident that the sight of his former comrades had already done him much good.

So now that the position was well won by the Americans and the Allies, Tom and Jack turned their machine about, wheeled it to a good taking off place, and with Harry Leroy as a pa.s.senger, though it made the place rather crowded, they flew back over the recent battleground, and to their own aerodrome, where Harry and some other prisoners, brought through the air by other birdmen, were well taken care of.

The great battle was not yet over, for there was fighting up and down the line, and in distant sectors. But it was going well for Pers.h.i.+ng's forces.

”And now,” remarked Harry, when he had had food and had washed and had begun to smoke, ”tell me all about it.” He was in the quarters a.s.signed to Tom Raymond and Jack Parmly, being their guest.

”Well, there isn't an awful lot to tell,” Tom said, modestly enough. ”We heard you were in trouble, and came after you; that's all. How did you like your German boarding house?”

”It was fierce! Terrible! I can't tell you what it means to be free.

But I'd like to send word to my folks that I'm all right. I suppose they have heard I was a prisoner.”

”Yes,” answered Tom. ”In fact, you can talk to one of the family soon.

That is, as soon as you can go to Paris.”

”Talk to a member of the family? Go to Paris? What do you mean?” Harry fairly shouted the words.

”Your sister Nellie is staying with friends of ours,” said Tom. ”We'll take you to her.”

”Nellie here? Great Scott! She said she was coming to the front, but I didn't believe her! Say, she is some sister!”

”You said it!” exclaimed Tom, with as great fervor as Harry used.

”Didn't you get the bundles we dropped?” asked Jack. ”The notes and the packages of chocolate?”

”Not a one,” 'replied Harry. ”I was looking for some word, but none came, after one of the airmen told me he had dropped my glove. But I knew how it was--you didn't get a chance to send any word.”

”Oh, but we did!” cried Tom, and then he told of the dropping of the packages.

But, as Leroy related, he had been transferred from that camp a few days before.