Consequently his eyes fairly devoured the approaching war monoplane, as it swept down from dizzy heights, and prepared to land in the open field.  He watched how skilfully the air pilot handled the levers, and how gracefully the whole affair glided along on the bicycle wheels attached under its body, when once the ground was touched.

The scouts were soon being introduced to Lieutenant Green by the officer whose acquaintance they had already made.  The associate of Fosdick proved to be an older man, but the boys believed that after all their first friend must be the controlling influence of the team.  They afterwards learned that Lieutenant Fosdick was really without a peer among army aviators; and that even abroad, where so much attention is given to this subject, in France, Germany and England, he was said to have no superior in his line.

As both officers expressed considerable interest in the clumsy model of a monoplane which Bud had made, he readily consented to fly it and to show just how his stability device worked.

This he set about doing, while the army men stood close together and observed all his movements, now and then exchanging low words.  Of course both of them recognized the fact that poor Bud had really hit upon the exact idea that was already being used by the Wright firm.  Bud may never have read any description of this “fool-proof” device emanating from the brains of the Wright brothers; he had only been unfortunate enough to think along the same lines, with the result that he had finally reached the same conclusion.

“Break it to Bud by slow degrees that he’s arrived much too late,” said Lieutenant Fosdick to Hugh, after the exhibition had about concluded.  The young inventor was flushed with success, for his model had worked splendidly, now that he had had more experience in handling it.

“I feared as much when I heard about it,” his colleague admitted.  “But the boy certainly deserves encouragement.  He has done wonders in making that model, and it is built on right lines.  Tell him to keep at it and not get discouraged.  If he does, he will surely arrive some day.”

“I’ll do all I can to encourage him,” the patrol leader of the Wolves said in reply, though at the same time he felt sorry for Bud, who would take his disappointment very much to heart.  He might throw up the whole business under the impression that there was no use in a boy trying to pit his wits against those of veterans and expecting to win out.

When Bud heard that he might accompany Lieutenant Fosdick on a short flight in the upper air, he looked so happy that Hugh concluded to postpone his discouraging disclosure until another time.

Bud was an animated interrogation point, when once seated in the monoplane, which, having been built for hard service, was easily capable of carrying even two passengers when necessary.

He wanted to know all about the various parts, which he examined with trembling fingers.  It seemed almost too good to be true that he was actually going to be taken up in a Government war plane, and by so skilful an aviator as Lieutenant Fosdick.