r prune!" he addressed himself. "You never did have enough sense
to know when you were well off."

CHAPTER IX

Lady Luck Deserts

1

There followed three days of maddening inactivity, during which time the
squadron fretted and became as edgy as so many caged tigers. McGee made
use of the time by securing a trim fitting uniform, the very sight of
which threw Larkin into new outbursts of rage concerning the
disappearance of his English uniform. A joke was a joke, when not
carried too far, he argued, and admitted that he was exceedingly weary
with the comments made concerning the fit of the issue uniform that he
was compelled to wear. Every man professed innocence, but Larkin did not
believe a word of their stout denials. The manner in which he took the
joke was evidence of the irritability caused by the days of inaction.
Every member of the squadron was looking for something over which they
could quarrel.

Then one night, about nine o'clock, orders came down for a dawn patrol
of two flights of five ships each.

Cowan summoned McGee and Larkin to his headquarters and gave them
leadership of the flights. McGee protested, pointing out that he did not
want to gain the honor at Yancey's expense, and particularly since he
considered Yancey worthy of the command. But Cowan was sure of the
wisdom of the move, and made his own selection of the men who were to go
on this first patrol.

The posting of those names on the bulletin board brought shouts of
delight from the lucky ones and growls of disgust from those who were
not selected.

Even Nathan Rodd, still wearing bandages on his head and right hand,
broke his silence and wolfed loudly over the fact that he had been left
out.

"Aw, dry up!" some other unfortunate pilot growled at him. "You're still
seein' stars from that last crack you got on the head. What do you
want--all the luck?"

It was an expression peculiarly fitting to the situation. Some of the
names on that bulletin board might next appear in the casualty reports,
yet every man wanted his name on the board, firm in the belief that
death would somehow pass him by.

In McGee's flight appeared the names of Tex Yancey, Hank Porter,
Randolph Hampden, and of all luck--Siddons!

McGee started to make protest, thought better of it, and biting his lips
savagely left the group around the board and went to his quarters. Of
all the good men in the squadron, why should that traitorous scoundrel
be included