“That is not fair, father,” said Grace Corwin, who saw that Harry was rather hurt at the joke.  “The Brighton boys are very much interested in aviation, and some time ago seven or eight of them banded together and have studied the subject as hard and as thoroughly as they could.  See this “—–­and she reached for the book Harry had been reading—–­“This is what they have been doing instead of something much less useful.  There is not one of them who is not hoping one day to be a flyer at the front, and they have waited for the starting of flying at the new grounds with the greatest expectations.  I don’t think it is fair to make fun of them.  If everyone in the country was as eager to do his duty in this war it would be a splendid thing.”

Grace was a fine-looking girl, with a handsome, intelligent face.  When she talked like that, she made a picture good to look upon.  Harry was surprised.  Usually his sister took but little account of his activities.  But this was different.  With her own brother Will fighting in France, and another girl’s brother Will a doctor in the American Hospital at Neuilly, near Paris, Grace was heart and soul with the Allies.  Harry might have done much in other lines without attracting her attention, but his keenness to become a flier at the front had appealed to her pride, and she felt deeply any attempt to belittle the spirit that animated the boys, however remote might be the possibility of their hopes being fulfilled.

Major Phelps listened to the enthusiastic, splendid, wholesome girl with frank admiration in his eyes.  Harry could not have had a better champion.  First the major took the book.  Glancing at it, he raised his brows.  “Do you understand this?” he asked.

“I think so, sir,” answered Harry.

“It is well worth reading,” said the major as he laid it down.  Then he stepped toward Harry and took his hand again.  “Your sister is perfectly right, if your father will not mind my saying so.  I have been attached to the British Flying Corps in France for a time, and I saw mere boys there who were pastmasters of scout work in the air.  The game is one that cannot be begun too young, one almost might say.  At least, the younger a boy begins to take an interest in it and really study it, the better grasp he is likely to have of it.  I am thoroughly in agreement with your sister that no one should discourage your studies of flying, and if I can do anything to help while I happen to be in this part of the world, please let me know.  You look like your brother Will, and if you one day get to be the flier that he is, as there is no reason in the world you should not do, you will be worth having in any flying unit.”

Harry was struck dumb for the moment.  This was the first tangible evidence that the plans of the boys were really to bear fruit, after all.  He stammered a sort of husky “Thank you,” and was relieved to find that Major Phelps mention of Will had drawn the attention from everything else for the moment.  The Corwins had to hear all about the older boy, whose letters contained little except the most interesting commonplaces.