s."

"Do you think this machine is faster than the German ones?" asked Earl.

"Faster than most of them," replied Jacques. "Probably not as speedy
as those new _fokkers_ though; they go like the wind, but they are too
light and I doubt if one of them could do us a great deal of harm."

They passed over many towns and hamlets; the green fields of France lay
spread out beneath them like some soft green carpet. It all appeared
very beautiful and peaceful now that they were some miles back of the
firing line. An occasional puff of smoke around them, however, showed
that they still traversed hostile territory; at least it was land held
by the invader.

Once a German machine rose from its hangar far below and set out in
pursuit of the speeding monoplane; it was quickly out-distanced,
however, and soon abandoned the chase. Without any special incident
the three young friends progressed until far ahead of them they could
make out the faint outlines of the Vosges.

"There are the mountains," cried Jacques.

"Sure enough," exclaimed Earl. "Well we've had a pretty easy trip of
it, haven't we? It has been a regular pleasure jaunt."

"We're not there yet," warned Leon.

CHAPTER XX

AT FLAMBEAU

Closer and closer they came to the mountains. Presently it was
possible to make out the different summits, all of them wrapped in a
blue haze.

"Do you know where Flambeau is, Jacques?" queried Earl.

"I do."

"We'll have to cross the firing line again, won't we?"

"Yes; pretty soon now too, I think."

"Do you know where it runs here?" asked Leon. "If it should follow the
top of some of these mountains we'd have to ascend much higher than we
are now to be out of range, wouldn't we?"

"We certainly would. Keep your eyes open and see if you can see any
signs of trenches; we ought to be pretty close now."

The foothills were below them now. The wooded slopes were cut and
gashed by gullies and ravines and now and then a fertile valley
appeared. The hills grew in size rapidly, however, and it was not long
before the mountains themselves were underneath them. Once or twice a
cloud wrapped them in its damp folds and it was with a feeling of
relief when they emerged into the sunlight again.

"Whew, it's cold," exclaimed Leon slapping his hands together.

"My hands are cold too," said Jacques. "You have the best of me though
for I can't warm them the way you are doing."

"Please don't try," laughed Earl. "