al instructions. "This is Hill's first time over," said the
officer to Parker. "He can fly, though. I think for the first time
he had better guard and watch." Then, turning to Jimmy: "Watch
Parker, and fly about eight hundred feet behind him and the same
distance above him when he straightens out. Parker will attack when
he sees a Boche. Your job will still be to sit tight and watch until
you can see how things are going. A second Boche or maybe more
than one other will be pretty sure to show up, and it will be your
job to attack whatever comes along and drive it off so that it can't
interfere with Parker while he is finishing off his man.

"If anything should happen to Parker, be sure what you take on before
you go after the plane he first tackled, for usually you will find more
than one plane about over there on their side. Don't forget one
thing. If you find that you are surrounded run for it. That machine
you are to fly will give them a chase, no matter how they are
mounted. Remember, we haven't many of those, yet, and cannot afford to
lose any." As he said this, the officer laughed.

Jimmy felt he should have smiled, too, but his head was too full of
his job. He said "Yes, sir," quite seriously, and turned to give
his machine a final tuning up.

Jimmy jumped into the driving seat with a very determined feeling. He
must give a good account of himself, come what might. He fixed his
head-gear a bit tighter, pulled on his gloves, and tried the position
of his machine-gun. There it sat, just above the hood, a bit to the
right, almost in front of Jimmy. He felt a sudden affection for it.
How it would make some Boche sit up if he came into range!

The wheels were blocked with shaped pieces of wood, and Jimmy nodded
to his mechanics to start the engine. One whirl of the shining
blades, and the engine started, to roar away in deafening exuberance
of power as it warmed to its work. Something was not quite right.
The rhythm was not just perfect. Jimmy stopped the engine, ordered
a plug changed, and then, the order executed in a jiffy, nodded to
his men to once more start the motor. This time the engine droned
out a perfect series of explosions.

The flight sub-commander stepped beside the fuselage as Jimmy shut
off the engine, and said: "I have given detailed instructions to
Parker. You are to watch him and stay with him. If you by any
chance lose him, come back. Are your maps and instruments all