t to some place where I can exchange this uniform
for some real clothes!" stated Jack, vehemently.

"And I want a real feed!" protested Jimmie. "I haven't eaten in weeks.
All I could do was to lunch along on this awful grub!"

"All right, boys, I guess you're right," Ned agreed with a laugh.
"We'll load up and be on our way even if it is daylight."

"Won't the Germans see us rise out of here and take a shot at us?"

"What if they do?" scorned Jimmie. "They'll be so busy with all this
fighting they won't have time to chase us very far. Hear those cannons
going all the time?" he went on. "They're wasting a lot of good powder
shooting at the Frenchmen and the allies!"

As the aeroplane rose above the tree tops, two other planes were
sighted high overhead.

CHAPTER XXIV

A STERN CHASE

"Gee! I'm mighty glad Otto and Fritz came along just as they did to
bring us these spark plugs and rifles!" Jimmie announced as the Eagle
soared over the surrounding woods.

"It was rather kind of them," answered Jack. "It looks like we might
need them, too, if those are German planes up there."

"Wouldn't it be a good idea to rise as high as we can, Ned?" asked
Harry. "If we get well up, we'll be able to see where we are and can
have some idea where we are going."

"Up we go," agreed Ned at the levers, as he tilted the planes for an
ascent. "I'm sure we need to get some idea of our location."

"They see us!" cried Harry, who had been using the binoculars. "I
think they're both heading toward us now! They're coming fast, too!"

"Let them come!" declared Dave. "If the Eagle lives up to the
reputation Jimmie has given her, we'll be able to outdistance them."

"Maybe we would on a straight-away run," agreed Harry, "but we are one
to their two, and they probably have guns aboard."

"What's the chances of landing and meeting them on a more equal
footing?" inquired Jack. "Is that at all possible?"

"It's possible to land," replied Ned, "but I don't think we'd have as
good a chance as we have up here. Look down there and see."

"Where are all the soldiers?" asked Harry, presently. "I can't see a
single soldier anywhere. But," he added, "the guns are fired."

"They are all in bomb-proof trenches or else back of the hilltops,"
said Ned. "I believe that those aeroplanes are scouting around to give
word to the gunners whether their aim has been correct or not."

"Well, if this is war," observed Dave, "I'm goin