"D. V. Passes") that the blow
fell.

"Angus," said Tam to his batman, "while A'm bravin' the terrors of the
foorth dimension in the morn--"

"Is that the new scoutin' machine, Sergeant?" demanded the interested
batman.

"The foorth dimension, ma puir frien', is a tairm applied by
philosophers of the Royal Flyin' Coop to the space between France an'
heaven."

"Oh, you mean the hair!" said the disappointed servant.

"A' mean the hair," replied Tam gravely, "not the hair that stands up
when yeer petrol tank goes dry nor the hare yeer poachin' ancestors
stole from the laird o' the manor, but the hair ye breathe when ye're
no' smokin'. An' while A'm away in the morn A' want ye to go to Mr.
Brandspeth's servant an' get ma new tunic. A'm going to a pairty at
Amiens on Friday, an' A'm no' anxious to be walkin' doon the palm court
of the Cafe St. Pierre in ma auld tunic."

"Anyway," said the batman, busily brushing that same "auld" tunic, "you
wouldn't be walkin' into the Cafe St. Pierre."

"And why not?"

"Because," said the batman triumphantly, "that's one of the cafes
reserved for officers only."

There was a silence, then: "Are ye sure o' that, Angus?"

"Sure, Sergeant--I was in Amiens for three months."

Tam said nothing and presently began whistling softly.

He walked to his book-shelf, took down a thin, paper-covered volume and
sank back on the bed.

"That will do, Angus," he said presently; "ca' me at five."

The barriers were up all around--they had been erected in the course of
a short week. They penned him to his class, confined him to certain
narrow roads from whence he might see all that was desirable but
forbidden.

* * * * *

He was so silent the next morning, when he joined the big squadron that
was assembling on the flying field, that Blackie did not know he was
there.

"Where's Tam? Oh, here you are. You know your position in the formation?
Right point to cover the right of the American bombing squad. Mr. Sutton
before you and Mr. Benson behind. You will get turning signals from me.
Altitude twelve thousand--that will be two thousand feet above the
bombers--no need to tell you anything. The objective is Bapaume and
Achiet junctions--"

Tam answered shortly and climbed into his fuselage.

The squadron went up in twos, the fighting machines first, the heavier
bombing airplanes last. For twenty minutes they maneuvered for position,
and presently the leader