Once, when Dave sighted moving persons in the distance, Bowers drove the craft up to three thousand feet above the earth.

But soon, under the glass, these suspects turned out to be a party of wretched refugees, hurrying, ragged, barefooted, starving, gaunt and cactus-torn, to safety within the American lines at Vera Cruz.
For many miles Bowers's craft flew inland, and much valuable information was picked up, besides the data from which any naval draughtsman could construct a very good map of that part of the country.
At last Lieutenant Bowers turned back.
Suddenly Dave exclaimed, "Hullo! There are two men coming out of the adobe house ahead." The house in question was out about four miles beyond Trent's station.
Dave kept his glass turned on the two men on the ground, at the same the trying to conceal the glass from their view.
"They haven't rifles," he told Lieutenant Bowers.

Then, as the aircraft passed and left the adobe house to the rear, Darrin bent over and whispered something in Bowers's ear that the signalman behind them could not hear..