"Hi there! what is it?" he asked in French
of a fellow aviator.
"What is it? You ask me what? Ah, joy of my life! It is you who
ought to know first! It is you who should give thanks! Ah!"
"Yes, that's all right, old man," returned Jack in English. "We'll
give thanks right as soon as we know what it is; but we aren't
mind readers, you know, and there are so many things to guess at
that there's no use in wasting the time. Tell us, like a good
chap!" he begged in French, for he saw the puzzled look on the face
of the aviator Tom had addressed.
"It is the best news ever!" was the answer. "The first of your
brave countrymen have arrived to help us drive the Boche from
France! The first American Expeditionary Force, to serve under your
brave General Pershing, has reached the shores of France safely, in
spite of the U-boats, and are even now marching to show themselves
in Paris! Ah, is it any wonder that we rejoice? How is it you say
in your own delightful country? Two cheers and a lion! Ah!"
"Tiger, my dear boy! Tiger!" laughed Jack. "And, while you're
about it, you might as well make it three cheers and done with it.
Not that it makes any great amount of difference in this case, but
it's just the custom, my stuffed olive!"
And then he and Tom were fairly carried off their feet by the rush
of enthusiastic Frenchmen to congratulate them on the good news, and
to share it with them.
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