CHAPTER XII
GRIPPED IN SUSPENSE
From that hour on Jack continued in a fever of suspense. His one thoughtwas of the coming of the official notification connected with theirhoped-for leave.
Tom fancied that his chum did not get much sleep on the following night,the last both of them hoped they would have to spend in the dugout usedas a billet back of the American front.
So another day found them. Jack took special delight in casting upfigures connected with the case. These he would show to his chum, andmake various comments. Tom, realizing how the other was endeavoring tosuck consolation from this proceeding, encouraged him in it.
"By to-night," Jack said, more than once, "it will be three whole dayssince the steamer sailed from Havre. I've tried to find out how fastshe is, and then figured that they'd have to slow down when passingthrough the barred zone. I reckon it will take her eight or nine daysto get across."
"Oh, all of that," Tom assured him; "and it might be as many as twelve.You see, the few passenger steamers still in use haven't been in dry dockfor the longest time, and their hulls must be covered with barnacles,which cuts off considerable from their speed."
Jack gave him a thankful look.
"You're the best sort of jollier, Tom," he observed. "You know how totalk to a fellow who's quivering all over with eagerness and dread. Whatif something happens to hold up those notices until it's too late foreven Colin's big bomber to catch up with the steamer?"
"You're only borrowing trouble when you allow yourself to fear that," wasthe reply. "But all the same, I mean to do everything I can to get thingshurried along. I'll see the general, and with your permission explain tohim that there's great need of our getting word to-day."
"But, surely, you wouldn't dare hint anything about the big trip we wantto take, Tom?" asked Jack, looking alarmed.
"I should say not!" came the immediate response. "If we did that, thegeneral would consider it his duty to put his foot down on the mad schemeright away. Trust me to let him know we stand to lose out in somethingthat concerns your whole future if the notifications are delayed beyondearly this afternoon, and I'm sure he'll start the wires going to getthem here."
"What can I be doing in the meanwhile?"
"You might see to making arrangements for crossing to the coast on thefirst train that goes out," answered Tom.
"But that's going to be slow traveling, even if we're lucky enough to getaboard," protested the other. "Tom, do you think the general would permitus to take our machine, and fly to Dunkirk?"
"Good! That's a clever idea you've hit on, Jack!" exclaimed the other."I'll take it up with the general when I see him. He might find it_convenient_, you know, to have some message sent across the country tothe coast; and it would save us hours of time, perhaps win the race forus. A splendid thought, Jack!"
"Then let's hope it can be carried through," returned the other.
Tom did not lose any more time but hurried away to try to get anopportunity to talk with the kindly old general. He had always shown aninterest in the fortunes of the two Air Service Boys, and they hadalready received favors from him on several occasions.
The minutes dragged while he was gone. Jack could not keep still, sonervous did he feel, but continued walking up and down, "like a tigerin its cage," he told himself. He ran through the entire gamut ofpossible troubles and triumphs in his mind, as he tried to picture thewhole thing.
"What great luck to have Colin Beverly break in on us just at thetime when my fortunes had reached their lowest ebb," Jack kept sayingto himself.
At last Tom came back. Jack could read success in his looks, even beforethe other had had a chance to open his mouth and say a single word.
"It's all right then, I take it, Tom?" he exclaimed impulsively.
"Didn't have any trouble at all in interesting the general," replied themessenger joyfully. "He said he'd see to having an urgent call go out tohurry the notifications along, and almost promised they'd get here by twothis afternoon."
"And how about the plane business?"
"That's all settled in the bargain. I have written permission to make useof our plane, turning it over to a certain agent in Dunkirk after we'vearrived there. The general will send a message over to us which we're todeliver at the same time we give up the machine."
"Great work, Tom! I've always said you'd make a mighty fine diplomaticagent, if ever you tried, and now I know it."
"No soft-soap business, please. If it had been anybody but the generalI'd have surely fallen down on my job. But you know he's always had aninterest in us, Jack."
"Do you think he suspected anything?" asked the other.
"Sure he did, but not _the_ thing, for nobody in the wide world wouldever dream we were planning such an unheard of thing as a non-stop flightacross the Atlantic."
Tom dropped his voice to a whisper when he said this; not that thereseemed to be any particular need of caution, but simply on generalprinciples. They could not afford to take any chance of having theirgreat plan discovered in these early stages of the game.
"Well, I don't know how I'm going to hold out much longer," complainedJack. "I can't keep still five minutes, but have to jump up and walk itoff. Let's see--two o'clock you said, didn't you? That'll be nearly threelong hours more. It's simply terrible, Tom! Sixty minutes in each hour!"
"But then we'll have to eat our regular midday meal, remember," Tom triedto cheer his companion up by saying. "If you prefer it, we might walkover to the field-hospital, which, by the way, I hear is to be movedahead to-night, to keep in closer touch with the wounded straggling backfrom the front. The Y hut's close by, too, and we'd enjoy an hour or sowith the girls. Nellie told me she expected her brother, Harry, to beback on our sector any day now, and if he should come before we clear outwe'd be mighty glad to see him."
Jack hesitated.
"Gee! you do tempt a fellow, Tom," he finally remarked, as though comingto a conclusion. "Nothing I'd like better than to chat with Bessie andhave a few of those Salvation Army girls' doughnuts to munch. But I guessit would be foolish in our laying off just now."
"You mean the notifications might arrive while we were gone?" remarkedTom, nodding his head, pleased because the other took such a sensibleview of the matter.
"Yes. We might lose a whole hour, perhaps two, by being away,"explained Jack. "That would be too bad; it might even turn out acatastrophe, if in the end that hour would save us from being beaten inthe race against time."
"All right, then, we'll hang around and watch for something to come fromHeadquarters. The general promised me he'd have the notificationssent over without any delay just as soon as they came."
"Let's go over to the flying field and watch some of the boys come in,"suggested Jack, and to this the other readily assented.
Even when an airman is off-duty his special delight lies in "hanging out"at the aviation field, seeing his fellow workers go forth, watching theirreturn, and listening to the many thrilling accounts of battles fought,as well as perils endured.
The fascination of the sport, once it has fairly gripped a man, makes himits slave; he can think of little else; and doubtless even in dreams hefancies himself performing unusual hazards and earning the applause ofthe multitude.
However this proved to be a very good panacea for Jack's nervousnessand they managed to put in a full hour there. Business was unusuallybrisk in the way of engagements; and Tom more than once secretlyregretted that circumstances beyond their control caused them to miss a"whole lot of fun."
The enemy was up in the air in more ways than one on that day.Desperation on account of the blowing up of the bridge caused the Germanplane scouts to meet the challenges offered by the exultant Yankees, andnews of many an encounter kept coming in about the time the two boysthought of leaving the field and going for their dinner.
Word had also been received of several accidents to American pilots, andit looked as though the history of that eventful day would set a newhigh-water m
ark in the way of losses.
Jack even began to fear they might be ordered to go up, which would bringabout a fresh delay while communication was being established withHeadquarters to verify their story. So he was really glad when Tom drewhim away by suggesting that it was time they dined.
At one o'clock they were at their headquarters, killing time and waiting.Jack's nerves once more began showing signs of being frayed, or "ragged,"as he called it. He jumped at the least unusual sound, and alternatelylooked expectant and despairing.
It was now close to two o'clock, and as yet there was no sign of relief.Jack jumped up for the twentieth time and started to walk back and forth,while others among the airmen were gathering their belongings together,preparatory to a change of base.
Then a messenger was seen hurrying toward them. Jack became almost wildwith excitement, until he knew for a fact the notifications had arrived.
"And now," said Tom, "let's put for the field and get away withoutany further loss of time. It's a long way to Dunkirk, remember, evenby way of the air line, as a bee would take it. And we must get therebefore dark!"
They ran part of the way, and thus presented themselves before thehangar. Ample preparations had already been made. The petrol tank hadbeen filled, and, everything being in readiness, they would have nothingto do but jump aboard and make a quick start.
But Tom was too old a pilot to take things for granted. After that recentexperience with treachery he meant to be doubly careful before riskingtheir lives in the air. Dunkirk on the Channel was a considerabledistance off; and a drop when several thousand feet above French soilwould go just as hard with them as if it were German territory.
Accordingly he took a survey of the plane from tip to tip of the wings;looked over the motor, tested every strut and stay, leaving nothing toJack, who was fairly quivering with the intensity of his feelings.
Even the longest day must come to an end, and Tom's examination wasfinally completed.
"Get aboard!" he told Jack. "We're in great trim to make a record flightof it. And even the breeze favors us, you notice."
"Let's hope it keeps on as it is," said Jack, quickly; "because aneasterly wind will help carry us on our way to-night!"
"We'll be in luck to have such help," Tom replied. "As a rule, thepassage from Europe to America meets with head winds most of the way. Howare you fixed, Jack?"
"All ready here, Tom."
"Half a minute more, and I'll be the same. Take your last look for sometime, Jack, at the American fighting front. We'll never forget what we'vemet with here, and that's a fact."
"But, Tom, we expect to come back again, if all goes well,"expostulated Jack. "In fact, we've just got to, or be accused ofrunning away. We arranged all that, you remember, and how we'd manageto get across in such a way that no one will be any the wiser for ourhaving been out of France."
"Don't let's worry about that yet," said Tom. "The first big job is toget across the Atlantic. Ready, back there? Here goes!"
Another minute, and with a rush and a roar the plane sped along thefield, took an upward slant, and set out for the coast. The first leg ofthe great flight had actually been started!