n the lone Nieuport do. It might
be worth trying. Acting on the impulse he rolled, straightened out, then
dipped twice. One more shell came screaming aloft and then the batteries
became abruptly silent.

Well, that was that! There could be no question now as to the movement
being a prearranged signal. Archie gunners would not ordinarily leave
off firing at any such stupid performance--they would chuckle while they
locked the breach on another shell, and forthwith blow that fellow into
Kingdom Come.

McGee was in high fettle as he streaked across the lines south of
Belleau and laid a course for home. He had a great deal to report, and
someone, flying a lone Nieuport, was going to have a great deal of
explaining to do.

3

When McGee swooped low over his own hangar, preparatory to a landing, he
was surprised to see Siddons' Nieuport resting on the tarmac. So he was
back so soon!

Larkin was the first to greet McGee when he crawled from his plane.

"Where've you been?" he demanded.

"Oh, just up for a little test," McGee replied, assuming an air of
indifference.

Larkin pointed to the jagged hole through the fabric of the left wing.

"Don't kid me!" he said. "Where'd you pick up that little souvenir?"

"I'll tell you later," McGee answered and started toward the Major's
headquarters.

Larkin seized his arm and spun him around. "You'll tell me one thing
right now, little feller! What's so funny about hiding my uniform so
I'll get bawled out again by Old Fuss Budget for wearing this misfit?"

McGee looked at him blankly.

"What do you mean?"

"Mean? I mean you got up so early a respectable milkman wouldn't think
of being up, and with your brain a bit foggy you thought what a clever
idea it would be to hide my English uniform and give this gang of
Indians another day of pleasure. What's the big idea?"

McGee shook his head. "I never touched your uniform, Buzz. Come to think
of it, though, I don't remember seeing it this morning while I was
dressing. Did you see it last night?"

"See it last night!" Larkin snorted. "How could I? We couldn't find the
candle and it was so blasted dark that I hung my shoes on a chair and my
pants on the floor. Quit foolin', Red. Where's that uniform?"

"I don't know, I tell you. But if I were you I'd go ask Yancey that
question."

Larkin's eyes snapped. "That's the bozo! That Texas longhorn is just
before meeting up with a real cyclone."

"Better go easy," Red warned.