member the
test flight card he had filled out.

"Climbed to 20,000 feet in six minutes. Performed two barrel rolls,
three loops. Checked all controls in neutral. Fired all guns and checked
temperatures of gun-warming units. Did a series of sharp dives with
steady pull-outs." As Stan's thoughts wandered back he grinned into
Allison's face. He had put a number of Spitfires through their paces and
knew that they were mud hens compared to the new babies which would soon
be coming over from the United States.

"You'll soon get one with 2,000 horses up ahead and then you'll junk
your Spitfires and Hurricanes," he said.

Allison cocked an eye at him and grinned widely. "Do you suppose you and
I will be hitting the glory trail then?"

"I figure I'll be around doing something," Stan answered and matched the
Lieutenant's grin.

A mess corporal was standing near by hopefully fussing with Stan's chit
book which had just been issued to him. Stan gave the corporal a nod.

"Black coffee," he ordered.

At that moment Tommy Lane strolled over and flopped into a chair. He
winked at Stan as he elevated his lank legs to the top of the table,
almost upsetting Allison's coffee.

"If the notch don't get you the Messerschmitts must," he hummed softly.
He seemed to be trying to tease Allison. When the Flight Lieutenant
failed to show any interest, Tommy said, "Your treat, Allison. I'll have
black coffee with a big jug of cream on the side."

Allison ordered Tommy's drink and watched the corporal mark it up in his
chit book. He rolled an eye lazily toward the lanky youth.

"Stan Wilson from Canada," he drawled.

Stan grinned at Tommy Lane. His eyes bit into Allison. He did not like
the way Allison was acting about his past record. If he was to have his
chance to get a whack at the Jerries in this war, it was important that
he be considered a subject of the British Empire, and he had come a lot
of miles to get that chance.

All his plans would be ruined if the truth about him came out. Posing as
a Canadian he had a good chance to get by, but there would be
embarrassing questions about his past if his true nationality was found
out. Questions that Stan Wilson couldn't answer without having his new
officer's commission stripped from him. He waited breathlessly to see if
Tommy would notice the challenge in Allison's voice, but the tall youth
merely grinned cheerfully and said:

"We get darn good men from Canada."

Suddenly the inte