[Illustration: Blowing up the German munition factory.]
AIR SERVICE BOYS
FLYING FOR FRANCE
OR
THE YOUNG HEROES OF THE
LAFAYETTE ESCADRILLE
BY
CHARLES AMORY BEACH
AUTHOR OF
“AIR SERVICE BOYS OVER THE ENEMY’S LINES”
ILLUSTRATED BY
ROBERT GASTON HERBERT
NEW YORK
GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
BOOKS FOR BOYS
AIR SERVICE BOYS SERIES
By CHARLES AMORY BEACH
12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume,
50 cents, net
AIR SERVICE BOYS FLYING FOR FRANCE
Or The Young Heroes of the Lafayette Escadrille
AIR SERVICE BOYS OVER THE ENEMY’S LINES
Or The German Spy’s Secret
GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY
GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY
_Air Service Boys Flying for France_
PRINTED IN U. S. A.
AIR SERVICE BOYS FLYING FOR FRANCE
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I--The Airplane Chums 1
II--Looking Forward to Action 14
III--Good-bye to the Aviation School 22
IV--Starting for France 28
V--The Secret Sailing 38
VI--Nearing the Barred Zone 46
VII--Secret Enemies Aboard 54
VIII--Perils Within and Without 63
IX--What Happened to Jack 72
X--The Attack on the High Seas 80
XI--One Submarine Less 87
XII--Safely Landed 96
XIII--The Zeppelin Raid on London 107
XIV--At the French Flying School 119
XV--A Lucky Meeting on the Road 127
XVI--How Neal Won His Decoration 134
XVII--With the Lafayette Escadrille 142
XVIII--Hovering Over Verdun 150
XIX--The Battle Below 158
XX--Behind the French Lines 169
XXI--Off with a Bombing Unit 177
XXII--Wrecking a Munition Plant 185
XXIII--Lost in a Sea of Clouds 193
XXIV--In Great Luck 201
XXV--Mentioned for Promotion--Conclusion 209
AIR SERVICE BOYS FLYING FOR FRANCE
CHAPTER I
THE AIRPLANE CHUMS
“Now then, good luck to you, Tom! Tell me how it feels to look down on
the world from the clouds.”
“Oh, I expect to have a high old time, Jack--three thousand feet of it,
in fact. And my nerves seem to be as steady as ever.”
“You’re a lucky boy, all right, to get this chance to try for altitude
after being in the harness at the aviation field for only two months.”
“But my instructor tells me I was born for the life of a birdman, Jack.”
“I know you’ve talked, read, and dreamed of little else these two years
back. And now, Tom, at last the germ has caught me almost as fiercely
in its grip.”
“Yes, old boy, it means the pair of us working tooth and nail now,
learning to fly, so when the time comes, we can take our places for
Uncle Sam in the great game. And it isn’t going to be so very far off
now, with that fearful war raging across the sea.”
“Well, look out for yourself, Tom. I’m going to keep you in focus with
my binoculars every minute of the time. Whenever you take a dip my
heart will jump right up into my throat, I know. Lieutenant Carson gave
you a limit, of course?”
“I’m to keep one eye on my recording barometer, and when it registers
a full three thousand feet in height I’m to commence to volplane down.
And my instructor is a man whose orders you’ve got to obey to the
letter.”
“No trouble for you to do the trick, Tom, because you come of a family
of inventors and dabblers in mechanics. It’s different with me, for I
have to pound things into this dull head of mine. I’ll wait around till
you drop down again.”
“Wish you would, Jack, for I’ve got something to tell you; news that
has been giving me something to worry about.”
“I knew that letter you had must have contained bad news, Tom; and I’ve
been waiting to hear you say something about it. There! Lieutenant
Carson is waving his hand for you to get a move on. I envy you, that’s
a fact. So-long, Tom.”
Another minute, and the airplane in which Tom Raymond sat was trundling
along over the even surface of the aviation field, gaining speed as its
engine warmed to the work.
Jack Parmly stood and watched with keen interest. Not that he
entertained the slightest doubt concerning the ability of Tom Raymond
to accomplish this new test which the flying-master had imposed on the
aspiring students. Jack believed Tom equal to anything that any other
aviator could carry out, given a little time for practice.
They were great friends, and had been ever since childhood. They lived
in the town of Bridgeton, Virginia. As Jack had hinted, Tom’s father
was an inventor, and several successful labor-saving devices were
associated with his name. He had also perfected more than one apparatus
useful in the saving of life at sea and in time of accident.
Since the great World War had broken out in Europe Mr. Raymond
was devoting his talents to an altogether different task--that of
discovering means for bringing the conflict to a speedy close by giving
the advantage to the side whose cause he favored.
Tom, usually a quiet, reserved lad, had always been deeply interested
in aeronautics. From childhood he had read every book or article he
could get hold of that contained accounts of balloon voyages, and later
on records of the progress made in airplane building and manipulation.
When the Wrights were starting on their wonderful experiments with
a heavier-than-air flying-machine Tom began to lose interest in his
school studies, for his brain was filled with the amazing possibilities
that awaited a successful termination of their work and that of the
French experimenters who were working along similar lines.
Time passed on, and with the breaking out of the European conflict the
race to utilize this discovery led to rapid rivalry in the field of
aviation. Things were becoming of everyday occurrence that but three
years back would have been considered utterly impossible.
The fever continued to burn with ever-increasing strength in Tom
Raymond’s veins until he could be restrained no longer. His father,
realizing that it was of no use to try to deny him his one consuming
wish, made arrangements for him to go to the nearest Government
aviation field where a school for novices who aspired to learn how to
fly was being organized. This was located in Virginia.
Jack Parmly had anticipated this action, and somehow had managed to
influence his widowed mother to allow him to accompany his chum. Mrs.
Parmly was of long American lineage and intensely patriotic. Though
it grieved her sorely to give up her only son, she believed that his
country had the first claim upon his services.
Her husband had been a volunteer officer during the Spanish war; though
retiring again to private life at its close; and from away back to the
Revolution the Parmly family, as well as her own, had always taken
their parts in the wars of their country.
It will be seen, therefore, that these two comrades although quiet and
studious came honestly by their adventurous spirit, and also the desire
to be of service to their country.
Of course, like all beginners both of the boys had passed through a
number of rather thrilling experiences while learning how to manipulate
the motors of their airplanes alone. At first an instructor had always
accompanied them. They also flew at a low altitude, and by slow degrees
advanced along the path of knowledge until finally each was allowed to
go up alone.
Once Jack landed with such force that his plane was badly damaged, and
he himself had to lay off from work several days because of sundry
bruises and contusions received in the tumble.
Then, on another occasion, something happened to Tom’s engine when he
was trying his first ascent to a height of a thousand feet or more.
When he found that it suddenly refused to obey his bidding Tom felt a
spasm of alarm, but he did not lose his head, fortunately.
He started to volplane down, though afraid that his landing would be of
a nature to bring about a terrible smash. However, nothing so serious
as that occurred, for when two-thirds of the way to the ground his
engine began to work again, in response to his eager appeal; and after
all he was able to continue his flight.
At present they had both reached a stage in their education that
allowed considerable latitude in further ventures. And Tom was now
about to undertake a feat that would stamp him as being a genuine
aviator capable of attempting extended flights.
Tom had now commenced to fly upward. The little airplane had its nose
pointed toward the fleecy clouds floating high in the air above him.
Up, and still up the airplane mounted in dizzying spirals. The machine
was a good one of modern build, suited for the general work of a
novice, still learning how to control his craft alone.
Later on, Tom would discover that the necessities of modern warfare
have compelled the cunning artificers of France and Germany and Great
Britain to invent a variety of airplanes, each intended for a special
purpose. But that was a page in the young fellow’s career not yet
turned.
Presently the airplane was almost like a dot in the heavens. Indeed,
with the naked eye it was hard to distinguish it from a flying bird.
Now and again it temporarily disappeared entirely amidst the white
clouds that lay scattered across the sky, to Jack’s eyes resembling
marching battalions hurrying to get in battle formation.
Jack, equipped with his powerful glasses, could easily follow the
course of his chum. Just as he had said, he did not leave the spot for
a minute, but kept faithful watch and ward. He was as deeply interested
in the carrying out of Tom’s latest venture as though he himself were
the one to profit through its successful issue.
They had been at the aviation school--the first the United States
Government really established before breaking into the great war--just
two months. Every day that the weather conditions allowed both of the
ambitious young fliers kept hard at work under the able army officer
connected with the Signal Corps, who had become the instructor in the
school.
Tom had advanced so rapidly and shown such evident signs of proving
a marvel in the work of flying, that his progress had been much
swifter than Jack’s. Already he had been allowed to go up unaccompanied
and practice various evolutions that were in line with his steady
advancement.
This altitude test was one of the last, just as it is possibly the
most nerve-trying. Objects look so very strange when seen from a great
distance up in the air; and the conditions surrounding the novice
are so greatly in contrast with those closer to the earth, that the
first trial trip is always watched with considerable solicitude by the
instructor.
Jack heaved a sigh of relief when he discovered that his chum was
finally coming down from the dizzy height. Both of them had become
proficient in the highly important operation of shutting off the
engine, pointing the nose of the airplane toward the earth, and
volplaning swiftly downward.
It was one of the very first things they had learned, since it is
hardly possible to make a safe landing without a perfect knowledge of
this necessary art. Tom came rushing down with increased speed. The
wind was whistling in his ears, and without his goggles he would have
found it impossible to see on account of the tears the cold atmosphere
would have forced into his eyes.
Adroitly, when the proper time came, he changed the line of flight
of his airplane to that of the horizontal and the broad wings soon
caught the air. Eventually the machine touched the ground with tail and
wings at the same time, bumped along for a certain distance, its speed
becoming slower and slower until it stopped directly in front of Jack.
“Splendidly done!” exclaimed Jack Parmly, his face beaming with
pleasure and pride in his chum. “Tom, you’re surely a wizard when it
comes to air work! But all the same I’m glad to see you safe back on
the earth again. Here comes Lieutenant Carson to congratulate his most
promising pupil.”
The army officer hurried up, hand extended.
“You have fulfilled my expectations fully, Tom,” he said, in his quiet
fashion. “Another time you must strive to reach the six-thousand-feet
altitude, but there are some other things I’d like to have you become
proficient in first. You still have a few faults, common to all
beginners. Perhaps they are not very serious in themselves; but even
trifles may imperil an aviator’s life, and these should be corrected in
the beginning.”
That was all he said, then turned away to give his attention to others
among his pupils, for there were a number practicing daily at the new
school of aviation. Indeed, the desire to learn to fly was rapidly
becoming a fever in the veins of a multitude of daring young Americans;
and when the time came for Uncle Sam to need a host of skilled aviators
thousands would eagerly avail themselves of the opportunity to serve
their country in that fascinating if dangerous way.
Tom had finished his work for the day, and, as Jack was also through,
the two walked away in company, to change their clothes at the hangar
where they kept their street garments. A mechanician took charge of
the airplane, and would see that it was properly cleaned, as well as
restored to its shed until needed again. These men took the place of
hostlers at the training camp, doing all the ordinary repairing, and
fetching the planes out for the fliers when needed.
Later on the two young fellows left the field and proceeded toward the
station where they could take a car for town, where they had a room.
“Please don’t forget,” remarked Jack, as they were riding toward the
town they called home in those days, “that you promised to let me know
what your bad news was. I saw you get the letter, and at first hoped
you’d heard something from that steamship company you wrote to. Was
it really from home, and did it contain something that hit you hard?
I hope it won’t interfere with the plans we’ve been making for going
across to France.”
“On the contrary,” said Tom, soberly, “it may hasten my departure. You
see, it gives me fresh reason to hate the cause of the Kaiser. But wait
until we get to our room and I’ll tell you all about the disaster that
has given my father the worst blow of his whole life.”
Jack felt more eager than ever to hear what his comrade had to say. His
interest in everything that concerned Tom was almost as keen as though
it had to do with his own fortunes. So as soon as they were comfortably
seated in their room at a private house in the Virginia town, he turned
an expectant face toward the other. His eager expression influenced Tom
to keep his promise without delay.
“It concerns a certain invention on which father has been working night
and day for nearly a year now,” Tom began.
“Oh! That airplane stabilizer you once told me about?” quickly demanded
the other.
“Yes, Jack. It baffled his utmost skill for a long time, but lately he
believed he had found the great secret that would make airplanes almost
as safe to use as motor cars on the public highways.”
“You always said he was bound to get it if he lived,” Jack went on.
“But how was it your father turned to airplane experimentation, when he
was never up in one in his life?”
“I suppose my wildness to fly had something to do with it; but there
was a stronger motive. Father always looks far into the future;
and, like many other people since this terrible war has started and
airplanes are taking such a big share in the fighting, he believes that
the nation able to muster the most efficient fleet of monster fliers
capable of carrying tons and tons of destructive explosives, will win.”
“I see now where you got that idea, Tom; for I’ve heard you speak of it
more than once. Yes, and I believe the same thing. That is one reason
I’m here at the aviation school learning to serve my country and the
cause of democracy in the world. But go on. Tell me more about it.”
“Just when father felt absolutely certain that he had solved the
problem,” continued Tom dejectedly, “a terrible disaster came upon him
as suddenly as a bolt from the blue.”
“Was it a fire that destroyed his papers and set him back in his
calculations?” demanded Jack.
“Oh, much worse than that!” came the answer. “A part of the design was
stolen. He says he will in time probably be able to make it good, so
that isn’t the worst of it. He fears the stolen paper may get into
the hands of the German high authorities on aeronautics and prove of
priceless value to them in their further conduct of the war!”