Air Service Boys in the Big Battle | Page 8

only come back!" sighed Nellie. "But there! I mustn't complain. Harry wouldn't let me if he were here. We both have to do our duty. Now I'm going to see what I can do to help, and not be silly and do any more fainting. I hope you'll pardon me," and she smiled at the two boys.
"Of course!" exclaimed Tom, with great emphasis, and again Miss Leroy blushed.
"Then, is to wait the only thing we can do?" she asked.
"That's all," assented Tom. "We may get a message from the clouds any day."
"And, oh! I shall pray that it may be favorable!" murmured the girl. "Perhaps I may question this Mr. Du Boise, and learn from him just what happened?" she interrogated.
"Yes, we want to talk to him ourselves, as soon as he's able to sit up," said Jack. "We want to get a shot at the Boche who downed Harry."
"So you are as fond of Harry as all that! I am glad!" exclaimed his sister. "Have you known him long?"
"We knew him slightly before we went to the flying school in Virginia with him," said Tom. "But down there, when we started in at 'grass-cutting,' and worked our way up, we grew to know him better. Then Jack and I got our chance to come over. But Harry had a smash, and he had to wait a year."
"Yes, I know. It almost broke his heart," said Miss Leroy. "I was away at school at the time, which accounts for my not knowing more of you boys, since Harry always wrote me, or told me, about his chums. Then, when I came back after my graduation, I found that he had sailed for France."
"And maybe we weren't glad to see him!" exclaimed Tom. "It was like getting letters from home."
"Yes, I recall, now, his mentioning that he had met over here some students from the Virginia school," said Miss Leroy. "Well, after Harry sailed I was wild to go, but father and mother would not hear of it at first. Then, when the war grew worse, and I showed them that I could do hard work for the Red Cross, they consented. So I sailed, but I never expected to get like this."
"Oh, well, everything may come out all right," said Tom, as cheerfully as he could. But, in very truth, he was not very hopeful in his heart.
For once an aviator succumbs to the hail of bullets from the German machine guns in an aircraft, and his own creature of steel and wings goes hurtling down, there is only a scant chance that the disabled airman will land alive.
Of course some have done it, and, even with their machines out of control and on fire, they have lived through the awful experience. But the chances were and are against them.
Harry Leroy had been seen to go down, apparently with his machine out of control, after a fusillade of Boche bullets. This much Du Boise had said before his collapse. As to what the fallen aviator's real fate was, time alone could disclose.
"I can only wait!" sighed Nellie, as the boys took their leave. "The days will be anxious ones--days of waiting. I shall help here all I can. You'll let me know the moment there is any news--good or bad--won't you?" she begged; and her eyes filled with tears.
"We'll bring you the news at once--night or day!" exclaimed Tom, vigorously.
As he and Jack walked out of the hospital, the latter remarked:
"You seem to be a favorite there, all right, Tom, my boy. If we weren't such good chums I might be a bit jealous."
"If you feel that way I'll drop Bessie Gleason a note!" suggested Tom, quickly.
"Don't!" begged Jack. "I'll be good!"
CHAPTER IV
TRANSFERRED
One glance at the bulletin board, erected just outside their quarters at the aerodrome, told Tom and Jack what they were detailed for that day. It was the day following the arrival of Nellie Leroy at that particular place in France, only to find that her brother was missing--either dead, or alive and a prisoner behind the German lines.
"Sergeant Thomas Raymond will report to headquarters at eight o'clock, to do patrol work."
"Sergeant Jack Parmly will report to headquarters at eight o'clock for reconnaissance with a photographer, who will be detailed."
Thus read the bulletin board, and Tom and Jack, looking at it, nodded to one another, while Tom remarked:
"Got our work cut out for us all right."
"Yes," agreed Jack. "Only I wish I could change places with you. I don't like those big, heavy machines."
But orders are orders, nowhere more so than in the aviation squad, and soon the two lads, after a hearty if hasty breakfast, were ready for the day's work. They each realized that when the sun set they might either be dead, wounded or prisoners.