"All ready to go back?" he inquired cheerily.
"Yes," said Leon. "Did you deliver your dispatches all right?"
"Yes, indeed, and now we have nothing to think about except getting back home to the douzième once more."
"I'd hardly call it home," laughed Earl. "I hope there aren't as many bullets and shells flying around our homes as there are around the douzième. Home wouldn't be very comfortable under those circumstances."
"Well we'd better start anyway," said Jacques. "All aboard!"
The boys quickly scrambled back to their places. The little group of soldiers they were leaving wished them the best of luck and then the machine started.
"Do you suppose we'll have as easy a trip home as we did coming?" asked Earl as they began to soar higher and higher.
"We can go the long way if you want to," said Jacques.
"What do you think, Leon?" demanded Earl. "Don't you think we might as well take the longer but the safer route on the return trip?"
"I don't see why not," exclaimed Leon. "We can fly just behind the battle-line all the way back. I'd like to see what it looks like."