The soldiers were laughing and talking loudly in the dining hall.
The boys crawled along, carefully avoiding the light that streamed from the windows of the hall. A moment later they nimbly climbed into the car. Henri took the wheel and gently eased the big machine away into the shadowy background. Then he stopped the car and intently listened for any sound of alarm. The soldiers were singing some war song in the dining hall, keeping time with knives and forks.
It was a good time for the boys to make a start in earnest, and they started with no intention of stopping this side of the ridge, behind which their friends were anxiously watching and waiting for them.
Henri drove cautiously until he felt sure that they were out of the principal avenues of travel, and then he made things hum. He guided straight toward a clump of trees showing black against the moon just appearing above the crest of the hill. The riding grew rough, but the speed never slackened. At last the goal was reached. The car bumped and bounced up, and bounced and bumped down the hill.
Leaping from the machine, Billy fairly rolled to the feet of the startled crew of the sea-plane.
“So help me,” exclaimed Captain Johnson, “if I didn’t think it was a section of the Fourth Corps after our scalps!”
“Hurry!” gasped Billy. “Get anything that will hold oil, and get it quick!”
For the moment confused, Johnson and Freeman seemed tied fast to the ground.
Henri rolled into the circle and added his gasp: