a gigantic rush on Paris. Our spies report that
their most frequent boast is: 'Ten days to France and twenty days to
Paris.' Well, the first part of it is more than fulfilled."

Silence and sadness fell over the group of brave young men. John's heart
was filled with sympathy for them. His nature was one that invariably
took the part of invaded against invaders, and the invaders had already
struck a mighty blow. But it was he, as yet a stranger among them, who
restored cheerfulness.

"I've been with one Frenchman through adventures and dangers, of which I
never dreamed," he said. "Never once did his hand or eye waver. I know
that there are hundreds of thousands of Frenchmen like him, and such men
can't fail."

"Thank you," one of them said simply. "We Frenchmen of the Third
Republic shall try to fight as well as the Frenchmen of the First
Republic, and we'll pray that our allies, the English, may come soon."

John was silent. He knew even better than they how necessary was the
arrival of the English. He had been in Germany and he had seen something
of the mobilization. He knew that the planet had never before borne
anything comparable to the German war machine which was already rolling
forward upon France and Belgium. Would the invaded, even with the help
of England, be able to stop it?

The breakfast finished, he lay down in one of the tents on a blanket,
and, despite the noises of the camp, soon slept. But he was awakened by
Lannes two or three hours later.

"I've found a way for you to send telegrams through Switzerland, and
then to Munich, telling your people where you are and what you are going
to do," he said, "and now I'm going to leave you for a while. I'm going
on another scout in the Arrow, but I go alone. You, I take it, will do
your fighting now on land. But, John Scott, I've been proud to know you
and to have had such a flight with you. I don't suppose that any other
beginner has ever had such a lively start as yours, but you've gone
through it like a veteran. I want to shake your hand."

He pulled off his aviator's glove, and the two hands met in a powerful
clasp. Then his dramatic instinct keenly alive he turned and sprang into
the waiting Arrow. The young officers gave it a long push, and, rising
lightly and gracefully, it soared over the army, far up into the blazing
sunlight. Its strange navigator waved one hand to those below, and then
the Arrow, true to its name, shot away toward the north.