I wish I knew what was happening." "There comes one of those men in the air.

He is going to drop down by us.

Maybe you can learn something from him." John felt a sudden wild hope that it was Lannes, but his luck did not hold good enough for it.

The plane was of another shape than the _Arrow_, and, when it descended to the ground, a man older than Lannes stepped out upon the grass.

He glanced around as if he were looking for some general of division for whom he had an order, and John, unable to restrain himself, rushed to him and exclaimed: "News! News! For Heaven's sake, give us news! Surely you've seen from above!" The man smiled and John knew that a bearer of bad news would not smile.
"I'm the friend and comrade of Philip Lannes," continued John, feeling that all the flying men of France knew the name of Lannes, and that it would be a password to this man's good graces.
"I know him well," said the air scout.