The Boy Volunteers with the French Airmen — John Shaqi
The Boy Volunteers with the French AirmenWard, Kenneth
History
The Boy Volunteers with the French Airmen
Ward, Kenneth
Airmen -- France -- Juvenile fiction; War stories; World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations -- Juvenile fiction
Arriving at the hospital they learned that Tom was asleep, and that no
one would be permitted to see him, so they wandered around without the
slightest idea what course to pursue. They even discussed the
feasibility of walking to Verdun, but that idea was soon abandoned.
"I wonder where the aviation grounds are?" remarked Ralph.
They soon learned that several corps were located at the great race
course in the Bois de Boulogne, and they were soon on the underground
railway speeding to the nearest station in that vicinity. Arriving at
the grounds they approached the entrance, and their hearts sank as they
saw a great crowd gathered, and one after the other turned away.
"Chances of getting in seem to be pretty slim," said Alfred.
"Well, we might try it, anyhow," said Ralph, as he pushed forward.
They marched up to the gate, and passed through without the least
objection on the part of the guards. This was the greatest surprise to
both. They had forgotten that the uniforms they wore gave them
admittance without question. Evidently they were taken for army
messengers.
"See that American flag?" shouted Ralph.
"That's the place for us," replied Alfred.
Accordingly, they lost no time in making for the hangar on which the
emblem appeared. They saw a Farman machine partly outside of the hangar,
and in the body of it was seated a ruddy-faced chap.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Came over to help you out," said Alfred.
He looked down, and slowly said: "You did, eh?"
"Well, we've seen a little active service at the front, so far,"
explained Ralph, "been in battle several times, have been captured by
the Germans, helped to build trenches, worked with the Red Cross people,
and had a few flights in an airplane, and as we like aviation business
best of all, we thought we'd come over and go to work."
The airman raised himself, sat down on the side of the car body, and
commenced to laugh, although Ralph's remark was said without the least
tinge of pride or boasting. Several from the adjoining hangars came in
to learn the cause of the boisterous mirth.
"Well, that's fresh enough to come from real American boys," he said,
after he had sobered down a little.
"That's right; we're from the United States; we came here because we saw
the flag on the outside; what shall we do the first thing?" said Alfred.
"From America?" said the man, climbing down from the machine. "And you
are regular Yankees? Well, well; that's too good! I'm something of an
American myself. By jingo, you're the kind of fellows to have around.
Want a job? Where did you get your uniforms? They look all right."
"Oh, these are Belgian uniforms. We were with them, you know, and had a
pretty hot time, too," said Ralph.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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