to take, Tom?" asked Jack, looking alarmed.

"I should say not!" came the immediate response. "If we did that, the
general would consider it his duty to put his foot down on the mad scheme
right away. Trust me to let him know we stand to lose out in something
that concerns your whole future if the notifications are delayed beyond
early this afternoon, and I'm sure he'll start the wires going to get
them here."

"What can I be doing in the meanwhile?"

"You might see to making arrangements for crossing to the coast on the
first train that goes out," answered Tom.

"But that's going to be slow traveling, even if we're lucky enough to get
aboard," protested the other. "Tom, do you think the general would permit
us to take our machine, and fly to Dunkirk?"

"Good! That's a clever idea you've hit on, Jack!" exclaimed the other.
"I'll take it up with the general when I see him. He might find it
_convenient_, you know, to have some message sent across the country to
the coast; and it would save us hours of time, perhaps win the race for
us. A splendid thought, Jack!"

"Then let's hope it can be carried through," returned the other.

Tom did not lose any more time but hurried away to try to get an
opportunity to talk with the kindly old general. He had always shown an
interest in the fortunes of the two Air Service Boys, and they had
already received favors from him on several occasions.

The minutes dragged while he was gone. Jack could not keep still, so
nervous did he feel, but continued walking up and down, "like a tiger
in its cage," he told himself. He ran through the entire gamut of
possible troubles and triumphs in his mind, as he tried to picture the
whole thing.

"What great luck to have Colin Beverly break in on us just at the
time when my fortunes had reached their lowest ebb," Jack kept saying
to himself.

At last Tom came back. Jack could read success in his looks, even before
the other had had a chance to open his mouth and say a single word.

"It's all right then, I take it, Tom?" he exclaimed impulsively.

"Didn't have any trouble at all in interesting the general," replied the
messenger joyfully. "He said he'd see to having an urgent call go out to
hurry the notifications along, and almost promised they'd get here by two
this afternoon."

"And how about the plane business?"

"That's all settled in the bargain. I have written permission to make use
of our plane, turning it over to a certain a