hman tells him."

It happened they were near enough, because O'Malley bawled out what he
had to say so loudly it could have been heard out on the field. Garret
had halted and was smilingly giving O'Malley the glad hand. He stepped
back a pace and his face flushed as the Irisher cut loose.

"Sure, an' ye can save yer blarney!" O'Malley roared. "I'd as soon hang
one on that hooked beak of yours as to be after lookin' at ye!"

Garret backed up a step and lifted one hand. Stan and Allison could not
hear what he said, but the officers near the pair were openly grinning.
O'Malley loosed one more blast and his words brought chill, brittle
silence to the room.

"I'm a thinkin' you'd best head the Moon Flight in the right direction
when the spalpeens come over again."

The clicking of Garret's heels was the only sound in the room. He
marched out without a word. Everyone looked about uneasily. Such talk to
a Squadron Leader was unheard of. Any other commander would have had
O'Malley's hide off in a minute and draped all over the place. The very
fact that the Irishman had gotten away with it had a depressing effect
upon the fliers. Allison broke the spell. He barged over to O'Malley and
shoved out his hand.

"Shake, Irisher," he said.

Judd, McCumber, and Kelley, all men who had belonged to the first spread
Stan had been with, strolled over and a little group formed around
O'Malley. Judd squinted up at the lank Irishman. He was a short,
chubby-faced youngster of nineteen. His face was beaming happily.

"I'd never had the courage to talk like that to a Squadron Leader. I
just went into a funk when he soaped me."

O'Malley squinted down at Judd. "'Tis with me own eyes I saw you cut the
fire of three Messers, me bye. Don't you be blatherin' me about
courage."

Judd flushed. He was all right when he was up there by himself, but he
was bashful in a crowd. McCumber looked across at Allison.

"Red Flight should get a break after this," he said meaningly.

Allison grinned wolfishly. "Really, now, Mac, Garret knows every boy in
Moon Flight loves him."

Kelley had not spoken nor had he laughed with the others. "He'd better
stay out of my circle. I have folks living out beyond Kensington
Gardens."

No one said anything more about the raids. They all knew Kelley's home
had been smashed that night and that his father had been injured.
Allison changed the subject.

"We certainly should get rid of Garret for the good of the se