wheels and we taxied graceful up
towards the hangars.

It was just gettin' dusk as we piles out, and the first few yards I
walked I felt like I was dressed in a divin' suit with a pair of lead
boots on my feet. I saw Allen salute an officer, hand over the map, and
heard him say something about Observer Martin wantin' to report sick.
Then he steers me off toward the barracks, circles past' em, and leads
me through a back gate.

"I think we've put it over, old man," says he, givin' me the cordial
grip. "I can't tell you what a good turn you've done me."

"It's fifty-fifty," says I. "Where do I hit a station?"

"You take this trolley that's coming," says he. "That junk you have on
you can send back to-morrow, in my care. And I--I trust you'll find
things all right at home."

"Thanks," says I. "Hope you'll have the same luck yourself some day."

"Oh, perhaps," says he, shakin' his head doubtful. "If I ever get back.
But not until I'm past thirty, anyway."

"Why so late?" asks I.

"What would get my goat," says he, "would be the risk of breakin' into
the grandfather class before I got ready."

"Gee!" I gasps. "I hadn't thought of that."

So, with this new idea, and the cheerin' views Barnes had pumped into
me, I has plenty to chew over durin' the next hour or so that I'm
speedin' towards home. I expect that accounts some for the long face I
must have been wearin' when I finally dashes through the front gate of
the Lilacs and am let into the house by Leon Battou, the little old
Frenchman who cooks and buttles for us.

"Ah, _mon Dieu!_" says Leon, throwin' up his hands and starin' at me
bug-eyed. "Monsieur!"

"Go on," says I. "Tell me the worst. What is it?"

"But no, M'sieur," says he. "It is only that M'sieur appears in so
strange attire."

"Oh! These?" says I. "Never mind my costume, Leon. What about Vee?"

"Ah!" says he, his eyes beamin' once more and his hands washin' each
other. "Madame is excellent. She herself will tell you. Come!"

Upstairs I went, two steps at a time.

"S-s-sh!" says the nurse, meetin' me at the door.

But I brushes past her, and the next minute I'm over by the bed and Vee
is smilin' up at me. It's only the ghost of a smile, but it means a lot
to me. She slips one of her hands into mine.

"Torchy," she whispers, "did you drop down out of--of the air?"

"That was about it," says I. "I got here, though. Are you all right,
girlie?"

She nods and gives me another of them sketc