to one of my
friends--an old friend with whom I went through college--to help him
over a hard place. But he has not got over his troubles; in fact, his
affairs are growing worse, and it looks as if I would never get my
money back. And that will cripple me, cripple me badly, boys. Yes, I
need the money that Professor Petersen was good enough to leave me."

"Well, let's hope that you find those girls quickly, Professor, and
get that inheritance very soon," said Ned.

"But I am afraid I shall have to wait until you boys capture Germany,
and then I can go in and search."

"Us boys--with help," chuckled Jerry.

"Well, if it keeps up the way we've started we'll soon have the Hun on
the run!" declared Ned, and he spoke with some truth, for soon was to
be the beginning of the successful American advance.

Greatly to their relief the boys saw little of Noddy Nixon, for he was
housed in barracks at the opposite end of the camp from those in which
they were billeted. But they met him occasionally, and listened with
ill-concealed disgust to his boasts, and his talk of having tried in
vain to enlist before he was drafted.

"If they'd give me an aeroplane I'd go over the German lines and make
'em sit up and take notice!" boasted the bully.

"Why don't you send home for what's left of your '_Tin Fly_'?" asked
Ned, with a wink at his chums.

"Aw, you dry up!" commanded Noddy, for this airship, which he had once
built to compete in an exhibition, was a sore point with him, as it
had not justified its name.

Meanwhile, all along the line in the sector where the American troops
were stationed hard fighting was going on. On either flank were French
and English forces, but the boys of Uncle Sam were holding up their
end of the work exceedingly well.

"When can we get into it?" sighed Ned one evening, when reports came
in of heavy fighting, during which certain American units had won
distinction.

"Very soon, so I hear," returned Jerry. "Our intensive training is
nearly over. We may be moved up to the front any day now."

"The sooner the quicker," cried Bob. "Maybe the eats won't be so good
farther front, but we'll see some action!"

Of course, there had been "action" in plenty at camp, but it was of
the safe variety, and this did not appeal to the boys.

Then their chance came. One morning after drill emotion, like
electricity, seemed to run through the camp.

"What's up?" came the queries from all sides.

"We're ordere