or Snodgrass
went on ahead, promising to meet the three chums in Hoboken, and
Mollie, Alice and Helen departed for Cresville, their good-byes to the
boys being rather tearful, it must be admitted.

As for Andy Rush, he disappeared on the day when the young soldiers
were to take the train for the North, and no one seemed to know what
had become of him.

"Guess he found he couldn't get in the army, and he went back home,"
remarked Ned.

Finally the three chums were on their way for the fighting front with
thousands of fellow soldiers, some being volunteers and others of the
selective service.

Many and varied were the thoughts of our heroes as the train bore them
northward. What would be their fate in France? Would they ever see
home again, or would they be left across the water with the others who
died that civilization might live? And mingled with these thoughts
were others as to the mission of Professor Snodgrass.

"It surely is some commission--trying to find two girls with just
their photographs and nothing much else to go by," commented Ned.

"But we have done harder things," added Jerry.

The journey North was rather tiresome, but the boys and their
companions enlivened it as much as possible by singing, telling
stories, and general activities.

Once, when the train was delayed at a junction the three Cresville
friends got out, as did hundreds of others, to "stretch their legs."
There was another train-load of young soldiers on a siding, having
come from another camp, and lads from this were also walking up and
down.

As Ned, Bob and Jerry stood together, looking at a group of recruits
who had been trained in Texas, they heard a voice saying:

"This drafting business makes me sick! I don't like it at all!"

"Maybe you'd rather have been passed over," suggested some one.

"Naw, you get me wrong!" was the answer. "I want to fight all right,
but I want to do it my own way. I'd have enlisted in the air service
if they'd given me time enough. I was thinking of it when the draft
law went into effect, and then I couldn't. I know a lot about
airships. I used to run one, and I invented one, too."

"Did it fly?" some one wanted to know.

"It would have if it hadn't been for some mean fellows in my town who
didn't want me to beat them," was the announcement. "You wait until I
get on the other side! I'll show 'em what flying is, if they give me
the chance, and Jerry Hopkins and his pals sha'n't stop me, eithe