in
fliers to an enormous extent, did they try to do much from our
top-side. Nowadays we do our observing daily from well over the
enemy's lines; and the Germans do most of theirs from well on their
own side. It's a different way of looking at it."

"Surely our way must be more efficient," said Joe Little.

"We think so," assented the aviator. "We know more of their lines
than they can possibly know of ours. For the rest of this war I
guess we will have to do so. We are going forward from now on, and
the Teutons are going back, and don't you forget it. We have to know
their lines well, and lots of other things, such as their routes of
supply and reinforcement, and their gun positions and munition dumps.
Our guns look to us, too, in a way they did not look to us a year ago,
even. It's a big game."

The Brighton boys walked on slowly, without comment. Yes, it was a
big game, in very truth. The closer they came to it the bigger it
became.

"Hello! There is a monoplane. I thought there were no monoplanes
in use now," said Bob Haines as they passed a round-bodied fleet-looking
machine with a single pair of wings. It was a single-seater. They
walked up to it and round it, gazing admiringly at its neat lines.
"What sort of a plane is this?" asked Bob of a mechanic who was
standing beside the machine.

"An absolute hummer," was the reply. "Want to try her? You have to
be an Ace to get into her driving seat, son."

Bob flushed, and was inclined to answer sharply, but Joe Little stepped
forward and said quietly: "We have just got here from the States.
Came last night. This is our first look-around, and we want to
learn all we can. We did not know monoplanes were being used now.
The only aeroplanes we have flown have been biplanes. Won't you tell
us something about this type?"

"Certainly," said the mechanic. "I was only joking. No one can
fly this sort of machine except the most experienced and best pilots.
It is the fastest machine in the world. It is a Morane, and they
call it a 'Monocoque.' Someone told me that the latest type German
Fokker was modeled on this machine. It is a corker, but the trickiest
thing to fly that was ever made. We have only got one here. I heard
a French flyer say the other day that the Spad biplane was faster
than this machine, but I don't believe it."

"What is an Ace?" queried Jimmy Hill.

"That term started with the French," answered the mechanic. "We
use it here