At that, Bud turned fiery red, but with pleasure more than embarrassment.  It was a crowning triumph in his career to find himself an object of interest in the eyes of so famous an aviator as Lieutenant Fosdick, of whom he remembered reading quite frequently as the most fearless air pilot in the Flying Squadron of Uncle Sam.

Encouraged by the winning smile on the bronzed face of the army officer, Bud only too gladly started to explain what his hopes were.

“I’d like to see this wonderful little model of yours in action, son,” the experienced air pilot remarked afterwards.  “Suppose all of you come over to our headquarters, which happen to be not more than half a mile away from here.  We have a fine open spot where we can ascend and alight with ease, day or night.  You will be welcome, I assure you.  We have a dozen men there besides those connected with the war aviation corps, simply to guard against any spies giving us trouble.  If you can go now, I’d be pleased to wait for you, so as to pass you through the lines.”

“How long will it take you to get your little machine dismantled, so we can handle it, Bud?” asked Hugh.

“Oh!  I can do it in a jiffy, because, you see, it’s fixed for taking apart,” the inventor of the party hastened to declare.

So Lieutenant Fosdick accompanied them to the shack.  While Bud busied himself with his model, Ralph and Hugh chatted with the army officer.  He asked more questions concerning Bud and the idea he had been trying out.

“It would seem as though your friend might have a touch of genius about him somewhere,” the aviator said with a smile, “though I’m afraid that he’s too late with that wonderful stability device, because it is very similar to one the Wright Brothers got out some time ago.  That’s the way it often happens, and many a man has studied some clever thing out only to find that he has been anticipated by some earlier inventor.  But say nothing about this for the present.  Your friend surely deserves to have a little glory out of the game before the blow falls.  And I shall be curious to see how he manages with this model of his, for it looks good to me.”

Evidently Bud had found favor with the army man.  Even though doomed to disappointment with regard to his wonderful invention, the boy might derive satisfaction in knowing that his work had not been entirely in vain.

When half an hour had passed, Bud declared everything in readiness for the change of base; and soon the boys were accompanying the skilled aviator through the woods headed for the camp of the Flying Squadron.

CHAPTER IX

FRIENDS IN KHAKI

While they were pushing laboriously onward through the woods, overcoming all manner of obstacles, Lieutenant Fosdick gave the scouts a pleasant surprise.

“One reason why I asked you to visit our camp,” he remarked, “was because I fancied all of you might be glad of a chance to take a spin aloft in an aeroplane.  You may like that, if it happens that you’ve never enjoyed the experience up to now.”