Tom had finished his work for the day, and, as Jack was also through, the two walked away in company, to change their clothes at the hangar where they kept their street garments. A mechanician took charge of the airplane, and would see that it was properly cleaned, as well as restored to its shed until needed again. These men took the place of hostlers at the training camp, doing all the ordinary repairing, and fetching the planes out for the fliers when needed.
Later on the two young fellows left the field and proceeded toward the station where they could take a car for town, where they had a room.
“Please don’t forget,” remarked Jack, as they were riding toward the town they called home in those days, “that you promised to let me know what your bad news was. I saw you get the letter, and at first hoped you’d heard something from that steamship company you wrote to. Was it really from home, and did it contain something that hit you hard? I hope it won’t interfere with the plans we’ve been making for going across to France.”
“On the contrary,” said Tom, soberly, “it may hasten my departure. You see, it gives me fresh reason to hate the cause of the Kaiser. But wait until we get to our room and I’ll tell you all about the disaster that has given my father the worst blow of his whole life.”
Jack felt more eager than ever to hear what his comrade had to say. His interest in everything that concerned Tom was almost as keen as though it had to do with his own fortunes. So as soon as they were comfortably seated in their room at a private house in the Virginia town, he turned an expectant face toward the other. His eager expression influenced Tom to keep his promise without delay.
“It concerns a certain invention on which father has been working night and day for nearly a year now,” Tom began.
“Oh! That airplane stabilizer you once told me about?” quickly demanded the other.
“Yes, Jack. It baffled his utmost skill for a long time, but lately he believed he had found the great secret that would make airplanes almost as safe to use as motor cars on the public highways.”
“You always said he was bound to get it if he lived,” Jack went on. “But how was it your father turned to airplane experimentation, when he was never up in one in his life?”
“I suppose my wildness to fly had something to do with it; but there was a stronger motive. Father always looks far into the future; and, like many other people since this terrible war has started and airplanes are taking such a big share in the fighting, he believes that the nation able to muster the most efficient fleet of monster fliers capable of carrying tons and tons of destructive explosives, will win.”