wishing we could do something to make up for the loss of Harry
Leroy, and this may give it to us. You haven't heard anything of
him, have you?" he asked.

The commander shook his head.

"I fear we shall never hear from him," he said. "Though only
yesterday we received back some of the effects of one of our men who
was shot down behind their lines. I can not understand in Leroy's
case."

"Well, we'll make 'em pay a price all right!" declared Tom. "And
now what about this machine gun nest?"

The commander gave them such information as he had. It was not
unusual, such work as Tom and Jack were about to undertake. As the
officer had said, they were practically exempt now that they were
about to be transferred. But they had volunteered, as he probably
knew they would.

Two speedy Spad machines were run out for the use of Tom and Jack,
each one to have his own, for the work they were to do was dangerous
and they would have need of speed.

They looked over the machine guns to see that they were in shape for
quick work, and as the one on the machine Tom selected had congealed
oil on the mechanism, having lately returned from a high flight,
another weapon was quickly attached. Nothing receives more care and
attention at an aerodrome than the motor of the plane and the
mechanism of the machine gun. The latter are constructed so as to