listening with smiles to this
conversation, and it embarrassed her.

"Over at the hospital. We'll possibly meet them there," replied Jack.
"But I'll tell you all about it while on the way, Bessie."

CHAPTER XI

THE PROWLERS

THE officer must have thought there was a great attraction over at the
field hospital for certain members of his air squadron, considering the
frequency of the calls upon him for permission to visit there.

However, he granted the request without hesitation, though Jack thought
there was a quizzical gleam in his eyes as he turned and took a good
look at the younger of the "friends" whom the lad said he wished to
pilot to her temporary quarters.

Besides, the two Air Service boys happened to be prime favorites of his,
and consequently he was in a humor to go far out of his way to grant any
reasonable request either of them might make.

So presently they were seated once more in the ambulance along with the
nurses and heading for the spot where the humble sheds and tents stood
which constituted the American field hospital in that sector of the
Argonne.

"Now tell me all that's happened since I saw you last, Jack," demanded
Bessie, with a little show of authority that amused, yes, and also
pleased the other; for boys like to be domineered over at times by a
pretty tyrant.

"Couldn't begin to do it in this little ride, Bessie," he assured her.
"But I'll take the first chance I can find to spin the whole yarn."

"I'm certain you boys have been carrying on up here with your usual
rashness," she told him. "I've had my heart in my throat, so to speak,
every day, when the news would filter in from our front, together with a
partial list of the lost, for fear I'd see one of your names there. And
when some particularly daring feat of a Yankee air pilot was mentioned I
could just picture you or Tom as the hero."

At that Jack laughed, although feeling highly complimented.

"Thank you, Bessie, for being such a fine little champion!" he
exclaimed. "But we don't claim to be the equal of a lot of the clever
aces now strafing the Boche along our American sector. Of course we meet
with our little adventures in the course of our daily work; but they've
been mere trifles beside some of the fine things others of the boys have
done."

"Well," Bessie told him, "knowing you as I do, Jack, I wouldn't accept
your judgment in the matter. Your friends are better able to decide
that."

"Here we are a