indicators showed an altitude of approximately three thousand feet. At
a speed approximating forty miles per hour the great bird-like machine
winged its way with its burden of adventurers.

"Tell you what, boys," Jack said presently, growing weary of trying to
discover features in the obscurity below that covered the landscape,
"this makes me feel just like I imagine that old guy must have felt
when he went out after the Golden Fleece or something or other."

"Who was that?" asked Harry as he reached for the binoculars for the
purpose of scanning their position in the hope of discerning some
indication of their whereabouts. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, I guess it was Jason," answered Jack. "Remember the stories Ned
was reading to us about those old Greeks and others?"

"Oh, yes, now I do remember. But where do we resemble him?"

"Well, he went out after a great prize, and we are after the same sort
of thing, only with us we want live game. We are after the prize of
Jimmie's freedom and safety."

"Good thought!" cried Ned. "And, like the chap in the story, I am sure
we'll go after the prize with the same determination and resolve to win
out at all costs."

"You're right, we will!" exclaimed Harry with vigor. "We won't rest
content until we have Jimmie away from those German Uhlans!"

"And Dave, too!" put in Jack. "We can't forget the fact that he wants
to get back as well as Jimmie. And he's done us pretty good service,
while we're speaking about him."

"That he has," declared Ned. "I wonder just where those two young
rascals may be at this minute. I hope we're not running ahead of them
and missing them in the running."

"They were going west by train unless Jimmie was greatly mistaken when
he gave us those signals from the hilltop," said Jack. "Now, if they
got going soon after we dropped Dave into their camp, we ought to be
able to see their train soon."

"Are we anywhere near the line of railroad?" asked Harry, peering
through the glasses in an effort to sweep the surrounding country.

"We are not a great distance away, at any rate," answered Ned as he
gave a touch to the levers to straighten the Eagle from a dip due to
running into an air pocket. "It should be near here, I think."

"I think I can see an illumination away to the southward that looks
like it might be a locomotive," announced Harry.

"Let me have the glasses a moment," requested Jack. "Maybe I can pick
up somethin