to illuminate to a
limited extent since bombing planes no longer came raiding at night, nor
did that unseen monster Krupp cannon deliver its regular messages of
bursting shells.

Below them lay the English Channel, and Lieutenant Beverly had so shaped
the course that as they rose higher and higher they were heading directly
across, with the eastern shore of England close enough to have afforded
them a view of the land had it not been night-time.

They had discussed all this many times, and settled on what seemed the
most feasible route. Of course, it might have been a much shorter
distance had they decided to head almost south-west-by-south, making for
the Azores, and stopping there to prepare for another flight across to
Newfoundland. Going that way, they would have had the benefit of the
general easterly winds. But this did not appeal to Tom and Jack for
several good reasons. In the first place, it meant that a landing at the
Azores would be reckoned of such importance that it must be heralded far
and near. This was apt to get them into trouble with the military
authorities, since they had received no _bona fide_ permission to leave
the soil of France; at least, to return to America.

Then again Jack was opposed to the plan for the reason that if they
should land at the extreme point of Newfoundland considerable delay must
be caused by the difficulty of getting transportation to the States. All
the while Randolph Carringford would be steadily moving on, and, landing
at New York, have an advantage over Jack.

There was also a third reason that influenced the young navigators in
deciding to take the longer course across the Atlantic. This concerned
the fogs such as can always be met with off the Newfoundland Banks, and
which are often so dense that vessels flounder through them for several
days at a stretch.

By taking the southern course, and steering direct for the Virginia shore
they would be likely to miss much of this trouble, even though it was a
time of year when heavy mists hang along the entire Atlantic seaboard.

All of them were silent for some little time, only the roar of the motor
and the propellers beating in their ears. Beverly had established a
method of communication when in flight without unduly straining the
voice. It was very similar to a wireless telephone outfit which Tom and
Jack had employed not long back, and by the use of which they could
actually talk with an operator similarly equippe