Page:Air Service Boys Flying for France.djvu/147

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CHAPTER XVII


WITH THE LAFAYETTE ESCADRILLE


"At last, Jack!"

With what gratification did Tom Raymond utter those word. The one dream of months past was about to be turned into reality. He was on the point of being received into the famous Lafayette Escadrille of fliers, composed of gallant young Americans who had volunteered to serve France in the name of liberty and democracy.

"It doesn't seem possible that we're looking on the camp of all those brilliant birdmen whose names have been in the dispatches from the fighting front these many months!" Jack murmured, half to himself, as he stared at the villa in which the Americans had taken up their quarters, and where they lived when not on duty.

"Let's move on, and introduce ourselves," suggested Tom.

They were naturally a little worried as to what their reception would be. They found however, that word had been sent to the head-

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