"I am sorry to say that we cannot take you today, but I will try to make a reservation for you tomorrow. Come here after four this afternoon," said the officer. "Now for the aviation field," said Alfred. They were detained for more than an hour watching several newly arrived regiments embark on a train, which slowly pulled out to the south, and it was nearly noon when the grounds were reached. There seemed to be a change in the place. The hangars were empty, and no machines visible. A score of men were taking down the temporary hangars and from them it was learned that the entire corps had started at eight o'clock for the southern station. "That's too bad!" said Ralph regretfully. "I wish we had started back earlier." "Then we might go to the hospital," suggested Alfred. The head surgeon remembered the boys. "It's too bad," he said. "Lieutenant Winston has been removed to the hospital at Dunkirk, and will leave for England tomorrow; but his sister is still here,--ah, here she comes." "Oh, I am so glad to see you. Brother asked for you before he left. If you are going to England, you must go to see him. He is at Hempstead." "We expect to go to Paris tomorrow, and we are sorry not to be able to see him," Alfred told her. They at once returned to Dunkirk, and awaited anxiously until four o'clock. Before they had an opportunity to speak to the officer in charge, he shook his head, to indicate that there was no room. They lingered about, but it appeared to be a hopeless task. Four tracks ran by the station office, and these were constantly filled with empty cars, then loaded up, and drawn out. They watched the proceedings until the sun went down, when tired and hungry, they crossed the street, entered a coffee house, and ate a hurried supper. As they were moving out the doorway, Ralph stopped. Turning to Alfred, he said: "We are chumps; that's about the size of it." "Why so?" asked Alfred. "We have the permits, haven't we? Why are we waiting for that fellow at the station to get us an assignment?" replied Ralph. "That's a fact; let's make our own assignment; come on," answered Alfred. "Is this train going south?" he asked, addressing a soldier who was about to enter a half-filled compartment. "Aw! I dare say it is," was the jolly response. "Get aboard," said Alfred. Unabashed, they swung themselves up on the running board, and entered the compartment. The occupants glanced at them for a moment, and seeing the trim uniforms, at once became inquisitive. "How did you happen to be directed to this train?" asked one of them. "Oh, we attended to that ourselves," said Alfred. "Our permit's all right, but we couldn't wait for them to make up their minds when we ought to go; so here we are," said Ralph, with a laugh.