ropriately
fitting than "the flying fool," for he was anything but a fool and his
mounting victories proved that he had something more than luck.

Nathan Rodd, his nerve unshattered by his first unfortunate encounter
with the enemy, was still as taciturn as ever, preferring to let his
deeds speak for him.

As for Siddons, McGee could get no information out of Larkin save that
everyone thought that Siddons had some pull. A good flyer, yes, Larkin
admitted, but forever cutting formation, flying off where he pleased,
absenting himself for two or three days, and returning with the thinnest
of excuses. But he got by, somehow, and Cowan was the only one who
appeared friendly toward him. For the past twenty-four hours, Larkin
told McGee, Siddons had been working on a two-seater and had made two
test flights. No one seemed to know what was back of it, but rather
believed Siddons was to be transferred to Observation, at least during
the coming battle.

To this information McGee made no reply, but secretly hoped that Siddons
was in fact being transferred to Observation, where his activities would
be more easily accounted for due to the fact that he would be carrying
an observer.

3

Late that afternoon rain began falling, and at mess time the mess hall
became the stage for exceptionally spirited banter and wild conjecture
as to what would happen on the morrow. Confidential battle orders
carried the information that artillery preparation would begin at
midnight, continuing with great concentration until 5:30 a.m., zero
hour, when the attacking forces of nine American divisions would storm
over the top in the beginning of a titanic struggle to carry the famous
Hindenburg Line and sweep the Germans back through the Argonne and
beyond the Meuse.

Every fighting unit had been given comprehensive plans of the objectives
and of the ground over which they were to advance. The air units were
especially drilled in the battle plans, for Great Headquarters would
look to the Observation section and to the pursuit planes for a full
measure of information as to how the battle went.

Major Cowan's pursuit group was only one of the many ready to begin
operations on this new front, but none could have shown more enthusiasm
and eager expectancy than did this group of young men who wolfed down
their evening meal and jested in a strained, light-hearted manner that
betrayed the nerve tension under which they were laboring. To-morrow
mornin