heir beloved plane. "Let's have your searchlight."

"Here it is," said Ned, producing the desired article. "Lucky for us
that I brought it along. Better start the engine with the muffler on.
We don't want the remaining villagers to come storming up here."

Ned handed the searchlight to Jack and then prepared to make ready for
the anticipated flight by buttoning his coat tightly at the throat. He
knew that the damp chilliness of night would be uncomfortable. Just as
Ned and Harry were preparing to assist their chum they were startled to
hear him cry out in surprise:

"This isn't the Eagle, boys! This is a strange machine!"

"What?" gasped the two boys on the ground. "A strange machine?"

"Certainly. Look here! Why," Jack continued, "I actually believe it's
a German aeroplane! Now, what do you think of that!"

"Then in that case there are Germans near," decided Ned instantly.

"Say, boys, I have an idea!" was Harry's excited statement.

"All right, let's have it," requested Jack. "Such rare occurrences
should deserve special mention. We'll mention you in the log of the
trip. Perhaps you'll have a medal struck off just for that."

Although the lads were in a situation that was anything but pleasant,
Jack could not resist the temptation to have a little fun.

"Let's take the German gasoline and put it into our tanks," went on
Harry, without giving attention to the attempted joke.

"Good idea!" declared Ned in lower tones. "But where's the Eagle?"

"I think I can see it right over there," said Harry, pointing.

It was even as the lad said. Their own machine lay not far from the
one they were examining. Working quickly, the lads produced a bucket
from the Eagle and in a short time had located the drain cock at the
bottom of the German plane's fuel tank.

They had successfully transferred several loads of the precious fluid
to the tank of the Eagle, working with extreme caution, when Jack gave
a warning hiss from his post at the hedge screening the field.

"They're coming!" he cried in a whisper as he hurried up.

CHAPTER XV

A BIT OF SCIENCE

As Jimmie announced the willingness of the two lads to accompany the
German forces he was looking straight at Dave. The lad from the
Northwest thought he caught the slightest tremor of Jimmie's eyelid,
but was not positive. However, acting on the assumption that he was
correct and that Jimmie had some purpose in declaring in so positive a
manne