Page:Air Service Boys Flying for France.djvu/141

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HOW NEAL WON

told. "Plenty of room here on this seat Just chuck your stuff inside, and we'll be off. As luck has it, I know where the American fliers have their roost far back of the lines. To tell you the honest truth it's against rules, but I'll take you in and, more than that, sheer a bit out of my way just to drive you over toward Bar-le-Duc. It sounds mighty fine to hear good old United States spoken after all this foreign chatter."

This was good news to the chums. It certainly seemed that they were playing in great luck to run across first of all an old acquaintance in such a remarkable fashion, and then learn that he could drop them at the camp of the Lafayette Escadrille without any particular trouble.

They could not make fast time of it, such was the choked condition of the road. There was always a multitude of vehicles going and coming, together with marching troops, and even batteries on the move to the front to take their turn at engaging the foe.

The sounds beyond gradually increased in volume as the ambulance crept gradually closer to the region where French and German big guns answered each other, though many miles apart.

"We'll be there in time for supper, boys,"