Tam o' the Scoots

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Tam o' the Scoots (1919)
by Edgar Wallace, illustrated by L. A. Shafer

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The "Scoots" are not people who scoot at the slightest sign of trouble, but rather what our hero, the not-so-dour Scotchman Tam, calls the flying Scouts, the fighters of the Royal Flying Corps. (In 1918, they were to merge with the Royal Naval Air Service, forming the Royal Air Force). A story of World War I.

Edgar WallaceL. A. Shafer2662911Tam o' the Scoots1919

Tam o' the Scoots

Tam's two guns flamed for four seconds and then the German dropped straight for earth
See page 187

TAM O' THE SCOOTS

BY EDGAR WALLACE

Author of "The Clue of the Twisted Candle," "Kate Plus
10," "The Man Who Knew," etc

ILLUSTRATED BY
L. A. SHAFER

BOSTON
SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1919
By SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY
(incorporated)

To

QUENTIN ROOSEVELT

and all airmen, friend and foe
alike, who have fallen in clean fighting

The world was a puddle of gloom and of shadowy things,
He sped till the red and the gold of invisible day
Was burnish and flames to the undermost spread of his wings,
So he outlighted the stars as he poised in the grey.

Nearer was he to the knowledge and splendour of God,
Mysteries sealed from the ken of the ancient and wise—
Beauties forbidden to those who are one with the clod—
All that there was of the Truth was revealed to his eyes.

Flickers of fire from the void and the whistle of death,
Clouds that snapped blackly beneath him, above and beside,
Watch him, serene and uncaring—holding your breath,
Fearing his peril and all that may come of his pride.

Now he was swooped to the world like a bird to his nest,
Now is the drone of his coming the roaring of hell,
Now with a splutter and crash are the engines at rest—
All's well!

E. W.

Contents

		page
I	The Case of Lasky	1
II	Puppies of the Pack	21
III	The Coming of Müller	40
IV	The Strafing of Müller	58
V	Annie—the Gun	76
VI	The Law-Breaker and Frightfulness	100
VII	The Man Behind the Circus	130
VIII	A Question of Rank	157
IX	A Reprisal Raid	191
X	The Last Load	220

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1932, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 91 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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