I almost think I must be asleep and
dreaming."

"No, it's real enough. We may never know who the writer of this note is;
but we can heed the warning just the same, and go over to examine our
planes minutely. Whoever it was, spelled your name correctly. I've
studied the writing, but it seems to be assumed, and clumsy. There was a
reason for that too, as well as the writer failing to sign a name."

"What sort of reason?" queried Jack.

"Fear that in some way the message, and the balloon, might fall into
German hands and lead to unpleasant results," Tom continued. "We know
about how those Huns would serve any one who tried to spoil their plans.
They believe in frightfulness every time, and it might mean death to the
writer. This she evidently knew full well."

"Just why do you say 'she' when you speak of the writer?"

"Oh, I have an idea that Mrs. Neumann may be the mysterious friend who
is taking such desperate chances to send you a warning. Anyway,
something about it seems to say it isn't a man's handwriting. Besides,
neither of you may have noticed it, but there's a faint odor, as of
perfume, adheres to that bit of paper, though the dampness has taken it
almost all out."

Jack looked astonished at such shrewd reasoning.

"Well, you are certainly a wonder at seeing through things, Tom," he
hastened to say. "And so of course that settles it in my mind. Mrs.
Neumann sent this message to me; though how she could have learned that
there was anything treacherous going on beats my powers of reasoning."

"But don't you think it would pay to learn if there's any truth about it
all?" asked the other pilot, whose curiosity had been stirred up by such
a strange happening.

"Yes, let's all go over to the hangars and have the planes out for a
regular inspection," said Tom. "If mischief has been done the chances
are it would be in a part not usually examined by the mechanician before
a flight. Then again the damage, if there is any, might be so covered up
by the shrewd schemer that it would not be noticeable."

There were always cars going to and fro, for pilots came and went from
time to time; so the trio quickly found themselves being whirled along
over the road so often traveled in their daily work.

"How about that fellow they chased late yesterday afternoon, who was
loitering about the hangars and acting in a suspicious way?" asked the
friendly pilot, as they rode along. "More than a few of the fellows say
he must ha