joy and envy all at the
same time. He felt that he _must_ fly.

Frank was really mastering the control of a plane in a remarkable
manner. The instructors said that he was a born birdman. He seemed to
know by instinct what to do and when to do it.

Bill and Lee, on the sidelines by the hangars, did not find all this
very exciting. Bill grew more and more crazy to go up, and Lee, who was
an artilleryman and had no use for flying, was sorry to see the craze
for the dangerous sport grow in his favorite.

Finally the lesson was over, and Frank and Horace, both much inclined to
crow, rejoined Bill and Lee to talk it over. They wandered over to the
Andersons' quarters, where Lee left them to go to the men's mess for his
luncheon. Mrs. Anderson was out attending a bridge luncheon, and the
Major did not come home at noon, so the boys had the table to
themselves.

"Well, I have decided to be an aviator," declared Jardin. "There will
be another war sometime perhaps, and there is nothing like being ready.
I suppose I will have to go to school this winter because I agreed to.
Gee, I hate the thought of it! Perhaps there will be some way of getting
out of it, I can almost always work dad one way or another. He is crazy
for me to go through college."

"So is my father," said Frank. "But I am going to be an aviator too, and
I don't see any need of college."

"My father is set on college, too," said Bill, "or at least a good
training school."

"Well, he is only your stepfather, so I suppose you will do just as you
like about it," said Jardin.

"I don't see it that way," replied Bill, flushing, "Of course he is my
stepfather, but he is the kindest and best man I ever knew or heard of
and I will say right now I am perfectly crazy over him. If I hadn't
been, I would never have let mother marry him."

"Much she would have cared what you wanted!" chuckled Jardin.

"She would have done exactly as I said," Bill insisted. "We always talk
things over together and never decide any really _big_ things without a
good old consultation."

"Nobody ever consults me," grumbled Frank.

"None of the women consult me," said Jardin. "They know I won't be
bothered with them. Dad and I usually go over things together."

How Horace Jardin's father would have laughed if he could have heard his
son and heir make that remark! Horace was Mr. Jardin's greatest care and
problem. He often said that his son caused him more trouble than it gave
him to