“Have they tried to injure your plane, Colin?” asked the major.

“I understand that once my men discovered a fire had been started in a mysterious way, which they succeeded in putting out.  Only for prompt work it would have at least disabled the bomber so that its usefulness for the present would be nil.”

“The ways of those German spies are past finding out,” complained Major Denning.  “They seem to take a page from Indian tactics, and resort to all species of savage warfare.  It wouldn’t surprise me if you found they had shot an arrow with a blazing wad of saturated cotton fastened to its head, and used your hangar as a target.  History tells us your redskins used to do something like that in the days of the early colonies.”

Shortly afterwards the monster bombing plane was wheeled out of its hangar, and became an object of vast interest to the two Air Service Boys.

Tom and Jack were of course familiar with its working, but needed a few hints from Lieutenant Beverly with respect to certain new features that it possessed.

“What do you think of it, boys?” was the natural question asked by the intrepid flight commander, who of course meant to do his share of the handling of the giant plane during its long flight.

“A jim-dandy!  That’s what!” exclaimed the delighted Jack, almost awed by the tremendous size of the up-to-date machine, with its wonderful expanse of planes and its monster body in which the vast amount of stores, as well as surplus gasoline, could be stowed.

“I’m confident we’ll have more than a fighting chance to reach the objective we have in view,” Tom in his turn remarked; and even though the men standing near must have heard what he said they could not possibly suspect the truth that lay back of his words.

“Everything has been looked after, and right now there’s not a single item lacking,” Lieutenant Beverly assured them.  “Mention what you please, and I defy you to find I’ve overlooked it.  I notice that you have brought your glasses along, Jack.  I have a fine pair with me, but we can doubtless use both.”

“And on my part,” added Tom, “I thought it wise to carry a few small knickknacks that I’ve become attached to.  They ought to share my fortunes.  If I cash in, my reliable old compass here, for instance, wouldn’t be valued highly by any one else; but it’s saved my life more than a few times.”

“And may again,” said Jack softly; “for those fogs are simply dreadful, if half that’s said about them turns out to be true.”

Tom was stooping down and feeling the firm sandy beach.

“A splendid place to make our start, Lieutenant,” he remarked.

“I selected it with that idea in view,” explained the other.  “Besides, in a long trip, like the run to Berlin, this would be as desirable a station as any.  What do you think of the plane, Tom?”

“As well as I can see it, I am satisfied it will be all you told us,” Tom answered him, while Jack added: