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TOM SLADE WITH THE FLYING CORPS
TOM DOWNED THE ENEMY FLYER.
PART ONE—THE SECRET OF THE SCUPPERS
CHAPTER I
Tells briefly of theextraordinary episode which ended his service in the Flying Corps, and givesalso a glimpse of his adventurous career.
The reports in the American newspapers of the loss of Tom Slade, aviator,were read by his many admirers and friends with a sense of shock and withfeelings of personal bereavement.
Notwithstanding that his former comrades on this side of the water had notseen him for more than two years and knew that the character of his service, aswell as his temperament, would be sure to take him where danger was greatest,the accounts of his dramatic end, set forth in cold type, seemed hardlybelievable.
It is the one familiar name in the casualty lists which brings the war hometo one more forcibly than does the loss of a whole division.
But for all that, we received the news pretty calmly and made little fuss untilafter the great metropolitan dailies had mentioned poor Tom as a national hero.Then we sat up and