ank several cups of coffee with startling rapidity,
draining each at a breath, and between times he whistled softly a
pleasing little refrain.

The march must be going well. Undoubtedly General Vaugirard had received
satisfactory messages in the night, while his young American aide, and
other Frenchmen as young, slept.

"Well, my children," he said, rubbing his hands after his last cup of
coffee had gone to its fate, "the day dawns and behold the sun of France
is rising. It's not the sun of Austerlitz, but a modest republican sun
that can grow and grow. Behold we are at the appointed place, set forth
in the message that came to us from the commander-in-chief through
Paris, and then by way of the air! And, look, my children, the bird
from the blue descends once more among us!"

There were flying machines of many kinds in the air, but John promptly
picked out one which seemed to be coming with the flight of an eagle out
of its uppermost heights. He seemed to know its slim, lithe shape, and
the rapidity and decision of its approach. His heart thrilled, as it had
thrilled when he saw the _Arrow_ coming for the first time on that spur
of the Alps near Salzburg.

"It's for me," said General Vaugirard, as he looked upward. "This flying
demon, this man without fear, was told to report directly to me, and he
conies at the appointed hour."

Something of the mystery that belongs to the gulf of the infinite was
reflected in the general's eyes. He, too, felt that man's flight in the
heavens yet had in it a touch of the supernatural. Lannes' plane had
seemed to shoot from white clouds, out of unknown spaces, and the
general ceased to whistle or breathe gustily. His chest rose and fell
more violently than usual, but the breath came softly.

The plane descended rapidly and settled down on the grass very near
them. Lannes saluted and presented a note to General Vaugirard, who
started and then expelled the breath from his lungs in two or three
prodigious puffs.

"Good, my son, good!" he exclaimed, patting Lannes repeatedly on the
shoulder; "and now a cup of coffee for you at once! Hurry with it, some
of you idle children! Can't you see that he needs it!"

John was first with the coffee, which Lannes drank eagerly, although it
was steaming hot. John saw that he needed it very much indeed, as he was
white and shaky. He noticed, too, that there were spots of blood on
Lannes' left sleeve.

"What is it, Philip?" he whispered. "You'