the monoplane being now headed for the camp.

"It nearly always happens that way, you remember," said Bud, who had
been through frequent campaigns with his leader and could look back
to many experiences that come the way of but few Boy Scouts.

Bud was probably much more excited than either of the others. This
was natural, since he had the "flying bee" largely developed and was
wild over everything that had to do with aviation.

To him, this accidental meeting with the bold members of Uncle Sam's
Flying Squadron was the happiest event of his whole life. If he had
been granted one wish, it would have covered just this same ground.

Consequently his eyes fairly devoured the approaching war monoplane,
as it swept down from dizzy heights, and prepared to land in the open
field. He watched how skilfully the air pilot handled the levers, and
how gracefully the whole affair glided along on the bicycle wheels
attached under its body, when once the ground was touched.

The scouts were soon being introduced to Lieutenant Green by the
officer whose acquaintance they had already made. The associate of
Fosdick proved to be an older man, but the boys believed that after
all their first friend must be the controlling influence of the team.
They afterwards learned that Lieutenant Fosdick was really without a
peer among army aviators; and that even abroad, where so much
attention is given to this subject, in France, Germany and England,
he was said to have no superior in his line.

As both officers expressed considerable interest in the clumsy model
of a monoplane which Bud had made, he readily consented to fly it
and to show just how his stability device worked.

This he set about doing, while the army men stood close together
and observed all his movements, now and then exchanging low words.
Of course both of them recognized the fact that poor Bud had really
hit upon the exact idea that was already being used by the Wright
firm. Bud may never have read any description of this "fool-proof"
device emanating from the brains of the Wright brothers; he had only
been unfortunate enough to think along the same lines, with the
result that he had finally reached the same conclusion.

"Break it to Bud by slow degrees that he's arrived much too late,"
said Lieutenant Fosdick to Hugh, after the exhibition had about
concluded. The young inventor was flushed with success, for his model
had worked splendidly, now that he had had more e