"Perhaps we won't leave -- yet." Avella smiled enigmatically. "Papa is willing for us to stay. At first I was going with him; but he says Andra and I would need each other to keep from getting homesick." "Look, look!" Andra was gazing through Buck's glasses at the approaching planes, which had a strange look as they flew at tremendous speed in V formation. "What if they should not be friendly?" Just then Blaine closed his own glass for he saw flyers coming on the run. "Are you two all right?" he called to the boys. "All our best men are off on the daily run over the Boche trenches. I cannot think how these fellows got by. Get down to the hangars, if you feel strong enough. I may have to go up myself . They're making straight for us." The girls were looking on in wonder, whereat Byers turned to them. "You better get into the bomb-proofs," he said. "Your father's yonder." The Senator was seen hurrying from one of the buildings towards them. Both the aviators, seeing, Erwin and Brodno on the run, joined them and hastened on down to where mechanics were trundling out a number of machines upon the smooth level that was the starting point nearest. With a word to the Senator, Byers followed, while the girls both waved their handkerchiefs. Said Andra to her sister: "Let us go on down. I want to see them start. Do you think Mr. Bangs is strong enough? Look at him run!" "I guess he is as strong as Mr. Blaine. But they both really ought to have a few days' leave, don't you think?" Arrived on the driveway, half a dozen men, all in the leather uniforms with caps and goggles to match, were mounting the machines nearest. Blaine, having donned his rig on the run, as it were, was already in a triplane much like the one he had last used. Turning to the mechanic, he asked: "It cannot be my own machine, is it?" "Sure thing!" the man replied. "It was sent to us the day after you got in. We fixed her up, thinking you might need it. Glad you are out so soon, Ensign." "Thanks for that! I reckon we'll need all we got by the looks of that squad that's coming. They're dropping bombs already." "Yes, sir," said another mechanic, using his glass. "And right over where you and Sergeant Bangs came down." CHAPTER XI THE BATTLES IN THE AIR In a trice Blaine was rising in the air. The feeling that he had again his old machine was reassuring. It put new life into his nearly restored vitality. With Buck Bangs a close second and Orris Erwin right behind him, the leading planes spiraled into the air, with the advancing Boches hardly two miles away, their bombs dropping as they flew. Byers himself was getting into his own plane, a two-seated affair equipped with two machine guns. With him was his own observer, an excellent photographer and airman. The two opposing squadrons were about equal. Dividing into two columns, with Blaine heading one and Captain Byers the other, they bore directly off toward the enemy.