Air Service Boys in the Big Bat

iers, as was proper, were brigaded with the French and British, to enable our troops, who were unused to Europea

oned veterans, which, in plain language, meant a mingling of the two fo

t and the supplies that had come over with them in the transports were such as might be

d Jack, as he and Tom made their way toward

hem!" said Tom. "This is the beginning o

sn't licked yet by any means; but those, are the boys that can bring the thing to a finish," and he poi

not familiar with war a belief that hopeless confusion existed. Wagons, carts, mule teams and motor trucks-"lorries," the English call them-were dashing to and fro. Men were marching, countermarching, unloading some vehicles, loading oth

order was coming. There was a system, thou

where we're at," sugge

uit!" agreed Jack with a lau

officer who was directing a squad of men in the unloading of a

es Black

n, faultlessly attired, who looked "every inch a soldier," and whose square jaw

asked Tom, in a low voice of

Come on there now, you with the red hair. This isn't a croquet game. Lay into those cases, and g

he American commander, who, with his staff officers, wa

find out if we suit him," remarked

alive!" exclaimed Jack, for the mom

k made their inquiries, learned where they were to report, and went on their way

Jack, drawing themselves up as straight as they could, saluted when he looked over their papers and their log books. These last are the personal records of aviat

o report to you

ed some experienced fliers, and I'm glad you're going to be with us. Of course I have a number who have made good records

ted Jack, mod

hat as a start I guess we can build up an air service that will make Fritz step lively. But we've got to go slow. One thing I'm sorry for is that we

h or British plan

ir service boys had had experience

"One came down back of our lines last month,

of that practice," said the co

d there won't be much fighting for you at first-that is strictly as Americans. I understand our ai

ong as we get the right

e Lafayette Escadrille, they had been obliged to swear allegiance to France. But this was a matter of routine where the Allies were

fliers from the various aviation camps of the United States. Few of these youths had had much practice

and some even more experienced from the French, Italian and British cam

willing, however, and among them they discovered some excellent material. As the commanding officer of the new American air forces had said, the planes used we

birdmen were sent to a certain section of the front held largely by

not even yet as wholly American as it was destined to be later, for the aviators were, as regards veterans,

re on the side of the former. There had been one or two combats in the air, in which Tom and Jack had taken part, when one day word came from a

e Allied machines to get ready. Two veteran French aces were to be in command, with Tom and Jack as

ammunition dumps behind our lines,"' said one officer,

"We owe the Huns something we ha

tly or through the German aviators, as to whether he was dead or a prisoner. Letters had passed

was none t

e and his chum hurried toward the hangars wher

at makes you think w

two who'd know something about poor Harr

d Jack. "Well, here's

had spread, and not a flier of Pershing's forces but was eager to get into his plane and go aloft to give bat

d the double craft, each one of which carried a pilot and an observer. In the latter cases t

glad to find that, assigned to each of them, was the very man he would have picked had he had

n thousand feet, there was seen, over the German lines, a flock of the Hun planes led by two or three machines painted a bright red. These were some of the machines that had belonged to the celebrated "flying circus," organized by a daring Hun aviator and ace

the red craft. Whether the green man Tom was taking up relished this or not, know

there began a battle of the clouds-a conflict de