cle Sam's uniform. There was some correspondence about
smuggling dental rubber out of the United States to make gas masks in
Germany. There were requests for money. There was one letter giving
information, in considerable detail, about aeroplane manufacture.

Another letter in the same handwriting interested Tom particularly,
because of his interest in gas engines--the result of his many tussles
with the obstreperous motor of the troop's cabin launch, _Good Turn_.
Skimming hastily over some matter about the receipt of money through
some intermediary, his interest was riveted by the following:

"... I told you about having plans of high pressure motor. That's
for battle planes at high altitudes. I've got the drawings of the
other now--the low pressure one I told you about at S----'s. That's
for seaplanes, submarine spotting, and all that. Develops 400 H.P.
They're not putting those in the planes that are going over now,
but all planes going over next year will have them. B---- told me
what you said about me going across, but that's the only reason I
suggested it--because the information won't be of any particular
use to them after they bring down a plane. They'll see the whole
thing before their eyes then. But suit yourself. There's a lot of
new wrinkles on this motor. I'll tell you that, but there's no use
telling you about it when you don't know a gas engine from a
meat-chopper.

"Sure, I could tend to the other matter too--it's the same idea as
a periscope. That's a cinch. I knew a chap worked on the
_Christopher Colon_. She used to run to Central America. Maybe I
could swing it that way. Anyway, I'll see you.

"If you have to leave in a hurry, leave money and any directions at
S----'s.

"I'm going to be laid off here, anyway, on account of my eardrums.

"Hope B---- will give you this all right. Guess that's all now."

Tom read this twice and out of its scrappiness and incompleteness he
gathered this much! that somebody who was about to be dismissed from an
aeroplane factory for the very usual reason that he could not stand the
terrific noise, had succeeded in either making or procuring plans of
Uncle Sam's new aeroplane engine, the Liberty Motor.

He understood the letter to mean that it was very important that these
drawings reach Germany before the motors were in service, since then it
would be too late