t? What do you mean?" asked Jack.

"I mean that Uncle Sam has at last stepped over the line! He's sure
enough on the side of the Allies now, and no mistake."

"You mean--" cried Tom.

"I mean," answered Ralph Nelson, another American aviator, "that the
United States has made a big success of the Liberty Bonds loan and is
going to send a million soldiers over here as soon as possible! Say,
isn't that great?"

"Great? I should say so!" fairly yelled Tom. "Shake!" he cried, and he
and his chum and everybody else shook hands with every one whose palm
they could reach. And there were resounding claps on the back, and wild
dances around the green grass, even the French joining in. No not that
word "even," for the French, with their exuberance of spirit, really
started the joy-making.

To the brave men, who, with the British, had so long endured the brunt
of the terrible blows of the Huns alone, the efforts of the United
States of America meant much, though it was realized that it would be
some time before Uncle Sam could make his blows really tell, even though
an Expeditionary Force was already in the field.

"Say, this is the best news ever!" said Jack to Tom, when quiet, in a
measure, had been restored. "It's immense!"

"You said something, old man! It's almost as good news as if you had
come in and told me that you had downed a whole squadron of German
aircraft."

"I wish I could, Tom. But we'll do our share. Shouldn't wonder, before
the day is out, but what we'd get orders to go up and see what we can
spot. But I'm almost forgetting. You had some news of your own."

"Yes, I have. And now I have a chance to finish reading dad's letter."

"But first you can tell me what the special news is, can't you?" asked
Jack. "That is, unless you think it will be too much for me to stand
all in one day--your news and that about Uncle Sam's success in raising
funds and troops."

"Oh, I guess you can stand it," said Tom with a smile. "It's this. Dad
is coming over!"

"He is? To fight?"

"Well, no, not actively. He's a little too old for that, I'm afraid,
though he's anxious enough. But he left for Paris the day he wrote this.
He ought to be here now, for he would, most likely, get off ahead of the
mail, which, sometimes, seems slower than molasses."

"That's right!" exclaimed Jack, with such energy that Tom asked:

"What's the matter? Haven't you heard from Bessie lately?"

"Oh--that!" murmured Jack, but Tom noticed t