The Boy Volunteers with the French Airmen

the battle of the Marne. Every airplane in and about Paris was at the front, on the line somewhere, and the

to his father of their plans, in the hope that he would consider i

mination to go there was firmly fixed in their minds, but they could see no way to accomplish the purpose. A visit

alph, as they emerged fr

it?" aske

ss some way, and that would be sure t

as to get in with the flyi

too, but I can't

prise they found a letter from Alfred's father with a check for their personal expenses. While reading the

any point near the firing line, but we might go

book at once," sai

at's the right tip. Let's f

It is about a hundred and

far from Verdun,

west, I should jud

ve any trouble in reachin

y not adhere to the regular schedule. The line run

ice as fast as they could walk. It was impossible at this time to get a conveyance as only the underground railways and a few

e trains, so they were at the eastern railway station before one o'clock, in the hope that the regular through train at two that day would be able to acco

men and children who were departing for the southeast, most of them bound for Chaumont. Within an hour the

xcitement of the people all along the line; the passing of trains; the crying out of the latest news; and the bustle of the new arrivals

most of the crowd. As they passed out the end of the station

e that place is

btained. It was twent

's twenty miles toward Verdun, a

thing to eat fir

the others being filled with soldiers. The town, which was reached shortly before noon, had the appearance of an armed c

rdun, Toul and Nancy were still intact, and t

ned that one of the most famous stations belonging to the flyers was located north of the place. A conveyance was readily obtained,

oys noticed the two men whose conversation had been overheard in the Continental

an instant. Ralph approached them and said,

they did not understand Ralph's greeting, and said: "We are under obli

understand," sa

e wanted to get to the front without knowing just how

rican boys," said on

e are," sa

e service?" a

Ralph,-"that is, w

nch?" aske

d trench service with the English, and Red

e part of both men, and one of them responded: "Tha

ou from?" as

Ralph. "Why, you look

e same place,"

e newspaper men,"

was the reply. "But how

as we walked across the

e replied. "Are you

ion service," answered Ralph, wi

the final reply, as t

e any American flags at th

d slowly bringing it out of the hangar. Without a word the boys sprang forward and assisted in the operation, an act which brought

or, at least, must have had some acquaintance with them. This seemed to interest him, and he began a conver

be aviators, e

o anything to get

Government it will be necessary to tak

alph. "We can help out now, even if

en up bolts, examine, and stretch the stay

the engine and over

y good job; do you think y

something about i

dy fellows; but I'm afraid you'll have a

we want to be doing something; t

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

sed 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 limited that they could not be raised from the ground except for very short glides. These the boy

ities. During a trial flight with sub-lieutenant Guyon, while at an altitude of five thousand feet, Ralph noticed

ip to an even keel. Alfred saw the motion, and followed Ralph. Together they succeeded in drawing the pilot to one side, thus ena

and occasionally gasped, as though trying to recover his breath. It was not until the machine was nearing the earth that

he machine ceased to move Alfred jumped fro

ith the lieutenant!" he cr

ked the surgeon, as he moved out of th

while we were in th

en to get down safely

of the machine,"

e we?"

self; we were

ved. Restoratives were at once applied, and within a half hour the at

quiet nap, and raising his hand approvingly said: "Th

u mean?" as

own all right, I

that," was the

idn't get rattled; that's the m

ok particular occasion to commend them for their performance, and it was a long step in their favor wh