"Shoot!" directed Archie.

And Jimmy told the great news to the astonished and delighted boy.

"Gosh whillikens!" yelled Archie. "A real live hangar in staid old
Brighton! Can you beat it? My vote says the 'buddies' should get
together and become fliers. Eh, what? The Brighton Escadrille! Oh,
boy!"

Further down the street Dicky Mann and Joe Little, both in Jimmy's
class at the Academy, and then Henry Benson, known to all and sundry
as "Fat" Benson from his unusual size, joined the boys and heard for
the first time the stirring news.

It was truly an exciting morning at the Academy. The tidings of great
things in store at no far distant future spread like wildfire. Of all
the boys, only two of those who lived in the town, Jimmy Hill and Bob
Haines, had heard of the project, and none of the regular boarders at
the school had heard the slightest suggestion of it. Bob Haines
lived with his uncle in the largest residence in the town. What Bob's
uncle did not know of what was going on was little. Beside, Bob was
the envied recipient of a letter now and again from his father, the
senator, which frequently contained some real news of prospective
happenings.

Bob held forth at length that memorable morning, and at noon time was
still the center of an admiring group, who listened to his comments
on all subjects with great respect and invariable attention. Bob was
tall and well built; taller than any of the rest of his fellows except