"Well, I thought it was singular that when they gave us the certificates they should give us these slips," said Alfred, pulling out the document. "Of course, you are still in the service, and that is merely an order for the last month's pay." "I know that, but they didn't say anything about keeping on," said Ralph. "They don't have to. You are in and the only way to get out is to be invalided, or to get a discharge in a regular way, and then you are free. Of course, we know how you feel about the death of your friend, and no one blames you for your aversion to re-entering the aviation service; but if you really want to get out, the matter can be easily arranged by applying to the American Ambassador, on the ground that you are Americans, and are minors," said the doctor. The boys looked at each other in silence, and finally Ralph spoke: "I think it would be well to do that; would you mind taking the steps for us?" "I certainly shall be glad to do so; you have earned an honorable discharge, if any one has," said the doctor. It thus turned out that three days after leaving the hospital, they received a document at their hotel from the American Embassy. On opening it they found two documents, reciting that Alfred Elton and Ralph Cottrell, native Americans, in the aviation service, were entitled to honorable discharges. Somehow the news was not enthusiastically received. They glanced at each other for a few moments in silence. "Does that suit you?" asked Ralph. "Not in the least," said Alfred with a mournful shake of the head. "I don't think the doctor had any business to get us out of the service." "But we told him that is what we wanted." They walked down the rue Rivoli, passed through the place de la Concorde, and reached the Champs Elysees in a half daze. Soldiers were moving hither and thither, vehicles of every description, Red Cross vans, and even cavalry squads were in the procession, but none of them seemed to attract their attention, so completely were they absorbed in the last episode of their lives, and, besides, they had seen so many of the trappings of war that a few more or less did not seem to cause much of a ripple. But as they slowly moved along the street they stopped, as by a common impulse, to witness a procession of machine guns mounted on smart little autos, followed by two full batteries of field guns. The artillery pieces were mounted on specially made auto trucks, and trailing behind each truck was the caisson. "Now, that looks like business," said Ralph. "It would have taken from eight to twelve horses to pull the gun and ammunition around. Gee! how soon those fellows could get into action and pull out when the command is given!" "That would suit me about as well as the flyers, but I suppose we haven't an earthly chance to get in on that," said Alfred ruefully. "Why not? We can get there if we try hard enough," responded Ralph.