“I guess I do,” laughed Jack, in his relief at finding that instead of falling again into the enemy’s hands, he had met an old friend; “but I’m lucky that there’s nobody to say ‘how natural he looks’——”
“Pardon, I don’t understand,” said de Garros in a puzzled tone.
Jack plunged into a recital of his adventures, interrupted frequently by a hail of “Sacres,” “Nom d’un noms,” and “Chiens,” from the Frenchman.
“And now it’s up to you to explain how I find you here in the heart of a Belgian wood with a war machine,” said Jack as he concluded.
“Zat is eezee to explain,” said the Frenchman. “After you leave me in New York I get passage on a French liner for Havre. We arrive and I am at once placed in command of zee air forces of Belgium. Since zat time, pardon my conceit, monsieur, I think zat wizout bragging I can say I ’ave cause zee Germans very much trouble. Last night I fly over zee country and where I see Germans I drop a little souvenir,—but what is zee matter, monsieur, you look excited.”
“No, no, go on,” said Jack; “I was just thinking that it’s possible the day of miracles has come back.”
De Garros stared at him but went on:
“In zee course of my journey I see a farmhouse where Gerrman cavalry horses and stacked arms show in zee moonlight,” said the Frenchman.
“How did you know they were Germans?” asked Jack.
“Did you not know all zis territory is now overrun by zem? Yesterday they advance. They are now near Louvain. But nevaire fear, someway we drive zem back. But to continue. I drop one, two bomb wiz my compliments and——”