“I’ve got all the charts necessary,” he assured them, after they had about exhausted the subject, with Jack more enthusiastic than ever.  “And while you boys are waiting to receive your official notifications, which ought surely to come to-morrow, since there was a hurry mark on them, I noticed, I’ll rush over to the coast and see that additional supplies of fuel and food are put aboard.”

“Don’t stint the gas, above everything,” urged Jack.  “We’d be in a pretty pickle to run out while still five hundred miles from shore.  If it was only a big seaplane now, such as we hear they’re building over in America, we might drop down on a smooth sea and wait to be picked up by some ship; but with a bomber, it would mean going under in a hurry.”

“Make your mind easy on that score, Jack,” came the lieutenant’s reply.  “I’ll figure to the limit, and then if the plane can carry another fifty gallons it’ll go aboard in the reserve reservoir.  I’m taking no chances that can be avoided.  There’ll be enough to bother us, most likely.  And, for one, I’m not calculating on committing suicide.  I hope to live to come back here aboard some ship, and see the finish of this big, exciting scrap.”

Tom liked to hear him talk in that serene way.  It showed that Lieutenant Colin Beverly, while a daring aviator was not to be reckoned a reckless one; and there is a vast difference between the two.  Tom was of very much the same temperament himself, as was proved in past stirring incidents in his career, known to all those who have followed the fortunes of the Air Service Boys in previous books of this series.

“Is there anything else to confer about?” asked Tom.  “Because I can see you’re itching to get away, Colin.”

“Not a thing, as far as I know,” came the reply.  “If any fresh idea happens to strike me I’ll have it on tap when you arrive.  Are you sure you’ve got the directions how to get to Dunkirk, and then how to find my secret hangar on the coast beyond the town, Tom?”

“We’ll be ready to skip out just as soon as our official notice comes to hand,” the other assured him.

“That’s the only thing bothering me just now,” observed Jack.  “Any delay there might ruin our plans at the last minute.  As it is, we’re not apt to have any too much time to beat the steamer to New York.”

“I expect you to show up to-morrow night, and then we can slip away unnoticed in the dark,” said the lieutenant.  “I’ve kept tabs on the weather conditions, as it’s always been a fad with me; and I’m happy to say there seems to be no storm in prospect, while the winds are apt to be favorable, coming from the east, a rare thing these fall days.  So-long, boys, and here’s success to our jolly little flight!”

After he had left them Jack turned on his comrade to say: 

“It seems to be our only chance, and not a long one at that; but I’m bent on trying it out.  Anything to beat Randolph to the tape, Tom!”