t, a beautiful curve that left the ground behind, and another air
pilot was off for the post of duty.

Jack Parmly's blood bounded joyously in his veins when he thus rose like
a speeding swallow. His new plane, one of the first of the latest type
built entirely in the United States, had already filled his heart with
delight, and its wonderful Liberty engine seemed to fulfill a dream that
Jack, like all other American fliers, had long cherished.

As he rose higher and higher, circling as he went, the scene quickly
began to take on a most impressive appearance. Below him lay the forest
in all its grim aspect, with openings here and there, now given up to
batteries of artillery that were pounding the foe with constant energy.

Clouds of smoke arising in many places told of bursting shells, the
destruction of munition dumps, or it might even be some little burning
hamlet that had served the Huns at bay for a fortress, but which had
been blown almost entirely off the face of the earth by the red
hurricane the expert Yankee gunners set loose.

It was easy for Jack to tell where the German battleline lay. He had
been up so recently that he knew to a fraction just how far back the
enemy force had staggered after the engagement of the preceding day.

And it was straight toward that line he now headed, for his work awaited
him in that quarter. Hun planes were soaring like great hawks, swooping
down from time to time, and engaging some of the machines bearing the
American eagle as their totem.

As usual, Jack made mental note of the fact that seldom were the Huns
willing to join in battle unless they outnumbered their foes. That was a
compliment to the fighting qualities of the Americans, for it showed
that they had already won the respect of their adversaries.

Jack was out for business. He tried to lure one of the enemy fliers into
a "scrap" as he always called an engagement, but found the Boche wary.
Some of those opposed to the Americans were well known aces who had
gained a great reputation, having brought down scores of British and
French planes. Yet to-day they seemed loath to enter into combat with
this new type of fighter.

Now and then the young airman managed to glimpse Tom's well known
machine, for the two chums had decorated their planes with
distinguishing marks that they could recognize even when a great
distance away. The other was fighting with two of the foe, and was
having a serious time of it, spinning