ains. But hadn't we better be
thinking of getting out of this soft marshy tract?"

"As quickly as we possibly can," Jack told him. "We'll try to run across
some Virginia farmer, black or white, who will have a horse and agree to
take us to the nearest railroad station. Once we hit civilization, the
rest will be easy."

"What about the plane, Colin?" asked Tom.

"It can stay here for the time being," the other answered him. "Later
on I'll hire some one to have it hauled out and stored against my
coming back--after we've been a while in Berlin and got Heine to
behaving himself."

They secured such things as it was desirable they should keep. Acting on
Tom's advice everything that might testify to their identity was also
removed, lest the bogged plane be accidentally discovered and betray
them. Afterwards they set out to find a way beyond the borders of the
marsh and scrub oaks, to some place where possibly they might get
assistance.

CHAPTER XXIV

SURPRISING BRIDGETON

"Here's the end of the marshy tract," Tom said, after they had been
floundering around for some little time.

"How fine it feels to be on solid ground again," Jack observed, stamping
his feet as though he really enjoyed the sensation.

Indeed, after being for such a long time, weary hours after hours,
confined in the big bombing plane, the relief was greatly appreciated by
both Tom Raymond and Lieutenant Beverly, as well as by Jack Parmly.

"Now for the home town!" the last mentioned told his companions. "And as
near as I can figure it out there's not a ghost of a chance that Cousin
Randolph could have arrived before me."

"For that matter I'm sure the French steamer must be still far out at
sea, with a day or two's journey ahead of her," Colin assured him.

"Then it's my game, provided we don't run across some U. S. army
authorities who'd want to know our names and hold us for investigation,
which would knock everything flat."

"We're going to try to avoid all that bother," Beverly assured him. "It
isn't going to make us feel very proud of our achievement, since we have
to hide our light under a bushel; but for one I don't regret it. No
matter if we have to be punished for desertion, our motive was honorable;
and they never will be able to deny us the credit of having made the
longest flight on record in a heavier-than-air machine."

"All the same," urged Tom, "I'd rather keep quiet about that stunt, for
the present at least. I wa