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Rh the observation plane was moving majestically onward as before, and just as steadily.

As the afternoon waned the battle gradually ceased. The Germans had found out that their foes were of a mind to hold on to their recent gains with a death-grip that nothing could shake off. The French had taken their second wind, so to speak and were once more "in the running."

Then Jack and his companion came down again, making a safe landing. Tom was on hand to greet his chum as the latter rather unsteadily alighted; for being up in a rocking plane for hours is apt to make any one feel a bit "groggy."

"Well, how did you like it?" was Tom's first question.

There was hardly any need of it, for with the removal of the muffler and the goggles that adorned the close-fitting aviator's hood, worn when making an ascent near the clouds, it could be seen that Jack's face was radiant, while his eyes fairly sparkled with enthusiasm.

"Oh, it was great!" he exclaimed, as he fell upon Tom, and almost hugged him.

Having made their way from the camp of the hangars to the villa and changed their working clothes for something better suited to lounging about, the two chums went on to compare notes.