The Boy Volunteers with the French Airmen

marched up from the quay with the Belgian troops, and ru

eppelin!" crie

directly west, they caught the first glimpse of one of the monsters which appeared t

er than a trip in a flying

t be fine?" r

w the idea so impressed itself on their minds that they almost felt it a

d escaped from the Germans, and had now reached Antwerp, with the retreating Belgian army, where Ral

arring countries, the boys found themselves stranded in a strange city. Fortunately, their connection with the a

tten one thing

hat?" inqu

t to the Post Offi

as was the case with thousands of Americans, and that it would be impossible for him to reach Antwerp. Instead,

ey now, what shall

"Father supposes that Pierre is still with

he great movement of German troops designed to attack the forts. If they surround

at today," said Ralph. "I am go

o?" aske

he said: "We migh

med: "That's a good idea. We have about ten

n go north to Eeckeren, and from that place to Capel

way leading to Holland. Reaching the outskirts of the city, they were surprised to see great masses of Belgian troops encamped close t

said Alfred, with a shade of bitterness. "The Germans seem to be in o

't another way to go on this side of the river

ere undecided as to the best course to follow, w

Alfred, who was the fir

asked Alfred. "We thought th

the same night. But where ar

to Holland,"

o south of the Scheldt to get t

t him in Paris," said Alfred. "You know we don't want to be

ther way out. You know you are still in the army, in the messenger service

that part of it had be

paid us for work at the

kipping out the next day,

ink there is due us

here must be a full month's pay due, and that woul

thirty-five is seventy,-about fourteen d

join us. We intend to cross the river. It w

suit me,"

reaching the dock below Antwerp at ten o'clock, where they had a long wait before the crowded boats left the pier. On landing, the march wa

heavy booming notes of cannon, and the occasional rattle and crash of small g

see how regularly the s

licher guns have an awfully snappy way of talking. Do you hear it

during the entire day, principally on the southern and eastern sides of the city. The stru

nced two of the forts,

troops, and before noon the camp w

ere we are goin

oing to leave Antwerp, and try t

orthern end of Belgium in order to reach the sea, and se

at we intended going thr

be able to reach France, after pas

ty miles more. How the brave little army finally reached its destination, avoiding the large German force

ance," said Pierre. "Now you can get t

st, and saw the immense fleet of warships and transports, which the British had in the harbor. It seemed that every spot

re in service. It seemed that there were thousands of automobiles in line, and every one was anxious to get away. They even saw thou

econd day. "I am glad to tell you that the roll has been signed, and y

imes," said Ralph, "but it was a great e

to join the flying m

ect with Alfred sufficiently to enable them to call it a plan that they really intended to follow out. It was mor

to start for Paris this

matter with us. You see he hasn't heard from us for six weeks, an

u are on the way? It will relieve his anxiety. Tell him to answer you

ays?" quer

occupy all the cars

fore starting. But no answer came that night or the next day. In the meantime, the boys wandered from place to pla

ey saw a dozen or more airplanes flying around over the broad fields to the east. Nothing more was needed to give the boys an inspiration. They moved toward the great

n startled them, and they looked at

irectly above us," shouted

ppened; it's on f

ne, although falling, was still some hundreds of feet from the earth. One of the operators could be seen frantically

struck the ground with a crashing noise, not a hundred feet from where they stood. Terrorized at the sight, they stood still for a few m

under the machi

oke; it's afire

sand!" almost s

of burning oil than water, if properly applied. Handsful of sand were sc

. "There he is!" he shouted. Ralph crawled over t

said. "Here he is; come on this

which well might i

ures, and it seemed cruel that such a fate should over

on that side,

e aviator, the man quickly drawn out from his p

other one,"

face of the other flyer, as they cr

live, I am sur

g," replied Alfred, as the inj

ang toward the remains of the machine. "I have it," he cried, as he leaped over the wrecked piec

" said Alfred, as he raised up t

d. Then, as he gazed at the boys, he seemed to smil

he struggled to raise himself. "I feel bette

eyes, and quietly looked a

thing for you

hurt?"

is all right,

ck, as he slightly turned, and mov

oys doing here?" as

to Paris,"

get the uniforms?

ian army, and were in severa

ling suddenness, for the boys had been too busy to notice that the watchers at the hangars had signaled for assistance. The me

oys to come a