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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6082.txt b/6082.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..795cd31 --- /dev/null +++ b/6082.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6276 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Pilots in the Air, by Captain William B. Perry + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Our Pilots in the Air + +Author: Captain William B. Perry + +Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6082] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on November 3, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, OUR PILOTS IN THE AIR *** + + + + +Prepared by Sean Pobuda + + + +OUR PILOTS IN THE AIR + +BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. PERRY + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A BOMBING AIR RAID + +The scene in the valley was striking in one respect. Low ranges of +gently sloping hills had widened out, enclosing broad levels with what +in America would be termed a creek but was here poetically named a +river. By here I mean eastern France, not so many miles from +No-Man's-Land. The "striking" feature was the "Flying Camp" spread out +over a dead level of much trampled greensward, enclosed by high board +walls, irregularly oval in shape, with a large clump of trees in the +center and a multiplicity of large, small, mostly queer-shaped +buildings scattered about. + +There were a few wide roadways, with smaller avenues intersecting them, +and larger open spaces, bordered by hangars, at either end of the oval. + +On a bulletin board in one of these open spaces a placard was tacked, +at which several young men in khaki and wearing the aviator cap were +gazing, commenting humorously or otherwise. All that this plainly open +placard published, apparently for all eyes to see, was as follows: + +"Members of Bombing Squadron No. - will be on the qui vive at 7 p.m. +tonight. Specific orders will be issued to each at that time." + +Not much in that, an outsider might think. But wait! Listen! + +"Say, Orry," remarked an athletic youth, throwing an arm casually over +the shoulder of a smaller companion beside him and tweaking the other's +ear, "does this mean that you and me go up together in that crazy old +biplane they foisted on us before?" + +"How should I know?" replied the smaller lad, a nervous, sprightly +youngster, dark-eyed, curly-headed, thin-faced. "Did she get your +nerve last time?" + +"Not by a long shot! But when we made that last dive to get away from +Fritzy in his Fokker, I noticed your hands on the crank were shaking. +Say, if that Tommy in the monoplane hadn't helped us, where'd we been?" + +"Right here, you goose! We'd have got out somehow, but it was squally +for about five minutes." + +The two strolled off together as others, also in khaki but with +different fittings or insignia, gathered about to read, comment and +then turn their several ways. + +"We are in that bombing squad all right, I guess remarked Lafe Blaine, +the athletic youngster. "But I am tired of this everlasting bombing +that goes on, mostly by night. We're chums, Orry; we work together all +right. There is no one in this camp can handle a fighting machine +better than I; nor do I want a better, truer backer at the Lewis than +you." + +The Lewis gun was the one then most in use at this aerodrome station, +which was somewhere on that section near where the British and French +sectors meet. + +"You always were a bully boy, Lafe, in spite of your two big handles. +Say, how'd they come to call you Lafayette when you already had such a +whopper of a surname?" + +"Oh, dry up, Orry! Those names often make me tired. I'm only an +ordinary chap, but with those names every noodle thinks I ought to be +something real big. Catch on?" + +Orris Erwin nodded and pinched the other's massive fore-arm, as he +replied: + +"So you are big! Bet you weigh one-eighty if you weigh a pound." + +But Lafe was thinking. Finally he announced decidedly: + +"I'm going to get after our Sergeant this afternoon. If he knows +what's what, he'll let you and me take out that neat little Bleriot. +We'll do our share of bombing of course; but if the Boches come up +after us, we can do something else besides run for home -- eh?" + +Erwin shook his head dubiously as he replied: + +"I doubt if he gives us the Bleriot. It's French, you know. We're +practicing with the Tommies. He likes the way you handle things, but I +fear he don't build much on me." + +Lafe, of course, disclaimed any superiority, but Orris felt that way. +Later, when mid-day chow was over, Lafe found his way to where the +squadron commander was checking off the different machines and +assigning to each the various occupants. All this on a pad, in one of +the hangars, with no one else near, as the Sergeant thought. In Hangar +Four were two Bleriots all in trim order. The Sergeant stared at one +of them, grumbling to himself. + +"What will I do here?" he reflected, half aloud, though unconscious of +his words. "I forgot that Cheval's arm is giving him trouble. +Confound him! He's too risky. Won't do to leave one of these behind. +Hm-m-m! Who else --" + +"Your pardon, Sergeant!" A tall, athletic young American was beside +him, standing respectfully attention. "Why not take me? Give me a +chance!" + +So dominating, yet so deferential was Blaine's attitude and manner that +Sergeant Anson for the minute said nothing, but he stared at the lad. + +"I was with Monsieur Cheval, Sir, the night he got hurt, and I brought +the machine home, under his direction of course. You ask him if I am +not competent to handle that Bleriot. I'd much rather be in it than in +the big biplane I used last time." + +"But - but -- you're too young, too inexperienced, too - too --" + +"Now, Sir, please ask Cheval! You know what his judgment is. If I am +to have an observer, let Cheval go. He can sit, and - and observe --" + +"Dash your bally impertinence!" Anson was putting up a tremendous +bluff. He knew it, and he knew that Blaine probably knew it, but "What +do you know about Bleriots, anyway?" he asked. + +In five minutes by enticing talk and really export fingering of the +various parts of the admirable mechanism, Blaine half convinced his +superior. More, for by adroit manipulation of a certain lock, with +wrench and a pair of tweezers, he readjusted a certain valve hinge in +the petrol tank which he had heard Monsieur Cheval grumbling about +before. This he did with such dexterous rapidity and ease that Anson +expressed approval, adding: + +"Where did you pick up so much mechanical knowledge, Blaine?" + +"At Mineola, in the States. They kept every applicant in the shops -- +some of them for weeks, others permanently." + +"How happened it they didn't keep you there?" Anson was grinning now. + +"Well, Sir, I wanted to learn to fly -- high. That's what I went into +aviation for. Before that I worked for the Wrights at Dayton. Well, +when I tried flying, it happened there was a prize offered for flying +to Manhattan and back, going round the Liberty Statue. I got hold of +an old Curtis machine and somehow I came back second in the race. But +--" here Blaine grinned at his own recollection, "but I pretty near +busted up that old Curtis! After that they kept me flying until I +finally came over here." + +The Sergeant frowned then smiled and jotted something down on his pad. + +"Go and see Monsieur Cheval. If he is not well enough to go with you +-- well, have you anyone else in view?" + +"Yes, sir. My partner, who has gone with me on several raids. He's +all right --" + +"If you were disabled or killed, could he bring this machine back?" + +"Yes, sir. He is as good as I am. Cool as a cucumber, but he -- he's +rather modest. In fact, if I don't get Cheval, I must have him, with +your permission of course." + +"Or without it, eh?" Anson again smiled, this time genially. "Well, +well! Do what I have said. If you have to do without Cheval, bring +that youngster who is so modest to me. I will judge." And the +Sergeant turned off, resuming his penciling and further wandering as if +Blaine were not there. + +Half an hour later Lafe stood by the cot where a shallow-faced, +trim-mustached man lay groaning discontentedly. At sight of the young +American he raised up to a sitting position, disclosing his right arm +and wrist still in splints and bandages. Moreover the pains of moving +himself made him groan and ejaculate after the mercurial manner or the +Frenchman unused to lying still and eager always to be up and doing. + +"Ah, it ees mon comrade Blaine! Ver welcome -- mooch so! Wish mooch +you speak ze language, ze French." + +Monsieur Cheval, really a noted aviator, had chummed much with the +American contingent and had been in the States once, though only for a +short time. But he had learned "ze language" -- after a fashion. When +Blaine briefly explained what he wanted and what the squadron commander +had said, Cheval lay back with a deep sigh, saying: + +"Merci, comrade!" Here he chuckled. "I like to go: I want to go! But +I no use to you now. Not at all! I no use to myself. Voila! I got +well queek; better so here; not over yon in No-Man's-Land. But you be +sure bring my enfant back safe, my Bleriot -- Ah! A great baby is my +Bleriot!" + +Blaine promised to do his best. His pal and comrade, Orris Erwin, was +also good, safe -- in short, reliable. + +"Never fear, Monsieur Cheval! Unless they get us up yonder," pointing +vaguely upward into the sky, "we will fetch her back all right. Good +luck! Try to be out as soon as you can. We miss you on these little +trips after Fritzy." + +An hour later Blaine, accompanied by Erwin, stood before Sergeant Anson +in the latter's cubbyhole of an office, while a stream of khaki-clad +young men filed in one by one. Anson waved them aside until the others +had left, then turned to Blaine. + +"I saw Cheval myself," said the Sergeant grimly. "He wanted to go but +it will be a week before he can use that arm, aside from other +injuries. I spoke to Captain Byers about you. He was reluctant, but +owing to the newness of so many of you Yankee airmen, he was unable to +make suggestions. Only this- you two must be careful, cautious --" + +"Not too cautious, I hope, sir!" came promptly from Blaine, while Orris +smiled behind his sleeve. "A pilot has to risk things, you know." + +"Don't interrupt!" Anson ordered sharply, though his eyes twinkled. +"You know what I mean. Can you bring the plane back, Erwin, if +anything happens to Blaine?" + +"Yes, sir, I think so. I've often flown before, alone --" + +"Under fire?" This sharp reply from the Sergeant. + +"I was in the last raid after Vimy Ridge, Sir. Brenzer, the pilot, was +killed. I managed to get back to our lines." + +"You been over some time?" + +"Yes, Sir. Only part of the time I was stationed at Aldershot, as +assistant trainer for a bunch of raw rookies from our side." + +One long look at both Anson gave, then turned away with: + +"You'll do. Both of you be on hand for chow at regular time. Then +await instructions." He waved them off. + + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE WHIR OF WINGS + +Shortly after a bugle call the following order was posted in the +general mess hall for all concerned to read. + +"Members of Bombing Squadron No. - will carry out the following order. +10 a.m., 12 midnight, 2 a.m. are the respective times to start. At +each time three machines, each carrying eight 25 pound bombs, will bomb +respectively R-----, C------, L------. Secrecy is imperative. Each +member of the three squads thus assigned will be ready at Hangars No. +-, No. -, No. - at times mentioned above." + +Meantime each aviator, with his observer, had been privately notified +by the Sergeant in person. This was an every-day operation order and +was taken as a matter of course. These night raids are mostly for the +purpose of keeping the Boche busy and nervous after hard days and +nights in the front trenches, thus supposedly lowering his morale. +Usually the points thus selected are the shell-torn villages back of +the front, where Fritz has been sent for a brief period of rest before +being sent to the front again. About the time he lies down in the +half-ruined house that is his billet, and dreams of home and conquering +peace, a bomb falls inside. The walls are further shattered, some of +his comrades killed or maimed, he perhaps among them. Other bombs +fall, heavy explosions result, and Fritz finds that his night's rest is +lost in general turmoil. This continues night after night and the +damage to German morale is enormous. + +From the point of view of the air-service, things are different. These +night raids are a matter of course with the pilots. It is part of the +regular work. + +When Blaine and Erwin climbed into the Bleriot, bombs already stowed, +and it was wheeled out in front of the hangar, everything was very +quiet. A minute later they were climbing up into the inky darkness at +the appointed signal, the only noises being the whirrings of their own +and two other two machines appointed for the two A. M. hour. + +Watching for the signal of the leader of the squad, at the right time +they headed for the further front. + +Over the trenches star-shells from the infantry could be seen. Under +direction they headed over No-Man's-Land, keeping at sufficient +altitude, hugging the darkness, avoiding glints of light, dodging +occasional searchlights, and all practically without a word spoken. + +"You've been out here before, Lafe"' said Orris at last. "How much +further are we going?" + +"Be there in two minutes. Keep easy! I'm going lower. Get your bombs +ready." + +Silently Erwin obeyed. Below lay blackness, relieved at one point by a +few dots of light that marked the ruins of the hamlet on which they +were to let loose the bombs. So far no sign of life in the air or +below appeared. + +The three machines in this detachment had scattered in order to +distribute their supply of bombs at a given signal from the leader. In +this night raid an escorting fleet that usually accompanied the daytime +raids was omitted. There was little need. + +"Now!" cautioned Blaine to Orris and the latter began to drop his first +sheaf, a rather heavy one as the bombs weighed twenty-five pounds each. + Others were at work also and the village below, already in half ruins, +began to detonate with sharp explosions, lurid flashings and an uproar +of human cries. It was evident that the raiders had struck the right +spot. + +For some minutes the work went on, Blaine swooping still lower, until +glimpses of hurried scurryings of the soldiers thus rudely disturbed +were mingled with the larger glares from the continuous explosions. + +Orris Erwin, through though smaller and slighter physically, worked +away until the last sheaf was exhausted. + +Then, and only then, the scene below was illuminated by the flash and +roar of hostile artillery. A shell exploded with a deafening report so +near their Bleriot that it was evident that the firer had sighted them +during Lafe's last lower swoop. + +On the instant Blaine pressed a trigger, elevating the sharp nose of +the machine. As the deflected planes responded to sundry manipulations +at certain levers and they began to climb spirally into the upper air, +the powerful engines, exerting greater strength, shot them rapidly +upward where height and obscurity lessened the danger of further shots. + +"Well, Archie came near getting us then, eh?" This from Lafe. + +Receiving no answer, he glanced aside. What was his dismay to see +Erwin's slender figure drooping nervelessly, his head sinking, and the +emptied sheaf of bombs sprawling neglected in his lap! + +"You're hit, Orry? For God's sake buck up! I've still got to climb or +they'll get us yet." + +Clamping his knee round the wheel, he managed with one hand to pull +Orris forward and sideways, so that the boy's curly head, now capless, +lay against his thigh. With one arm half around and upon that +senseless head, holding the slight frame from slipping, he still +manipulated the alert Bleriot, that responded instantly to each human +spur with a mobility that was almost life-like. + +The two other machines had vanished in the darkness, doubtless cleaving +the higher air strata in a backward flight to the home aerodrome, which +was now the goal of all. Meantime searchlights were flashing here, +there, yonder through the inky sky. The swift reports of anti-aircraft +guns split the night's silence in a most disconcerting manner. Erwin +groaned and twisted his body. + +"Stay still, Orry! We must 'a' been the last to quit, and they're +making things hot back westward." + +Here a blinding gleam of light flashed athwart his eyes and , letting +go of Erwin, he darted aside suddenly on a differing course. Erwin's +body crumpled into a heap. A heavier man might have toppled over the +edge, perhaps hanging helplessly at peril of falling out, unless held +by the straps which many old aviators neglect. As it was, the +nerveless lad was held by the high rim of the opening that fenced them +both in. For the moment the boy was safe. + +Giving his whole attention to the machine, Blaine zigzagged and dodged, +mounting ever and ever higher. Yet his trend was unavoidably towards +the east, further within the enemy lines. + +"For the present I've got to go this way," he thought. "I hope Lex and +Milt got away west before those 'cussed Archies broke loose. We'll +have to stay quiet until this ruction below settles down." Lex and +Milt were the pilots of the two remaining machines of this, the third +and last section of the bombing squadron of that night. + +"Orry! Oh, Orry! Wakeup! Aren't you all right yet?" + +These and other adjurations Blaine would make from time to time. A +chill came over him more than once as he wondered if Erwin would not +recover. Once only as Lafe moved his own leg, pressing it unduly hard +against the other, Erwin gave another groan. + +A whir as of wings sounded in his rear, and Blaine became aware of +shadowy movements through the faintly growing light in the east. +Undoubtedly it must be a hostile machine. He had been spotted as he +flew eastward. In addition to the now waning fire from the Archies, +planes were now out after him. Divining this, Blaine wheeled, put on +more power and flow towards the northwest, the German keeping after him +at increasing speed. As the light increased the clinging shadow in the +east grew more plain. Whoever it was, the pursuer was determined not +to be shaken off. Soon he would begin firing. + +At this junction Erwin gave Blaine's leg an undeniable kick. He was +at last reviving. The pilot leaned towards his bunkie. + +"Say, Orry, are you coming to at last?" + +Another kick, evidently part of a struggle by Orris to right himself. + +Blaine saw the German making the first spiral upward, in an effort to +attain a position suitable for using the machine gun. Blaine therefore +zigzagged more to westward, thereby throwing the reviving Erwin into an +easier position. At this an easier position. At this Blaine was +pleased to see his friend look wonderingly at him and the bowed head +slightly raise itself. + +"Lay still right where you are, Orry," murmured Lafe. "There's a Boche +after us. We've got out of Archie's range, but I've one of their +planes on our heels. Whist! Git down lower! He's going to fire. If +he does, I - I'll crumple up. We'll land and - and -" + +Further talk ceased as the simultaneous rattle and spatter of opposing +machine guns made talk impracticable. Blaine was below, the Boche +above, each whirling, diving, spiraling as dexterous pilots do in such +conflict. + +True to his promise amid the first exchange of shots, watching both +Erwin's recovery and the German, now closer than ever, Blaine concealed +himself. + +And now, seeing that Orris was quite revived, and following Blaine's +counsel, they presented to the German only a collapsed form, half +leaning as if hit again. Blaine, almost out of sight, steered +groundward. + +"Are you strong enough now to take my place?" + +"I -- I think so," returned the still reviving Erwin. "What you going +to do -- land?" + +At this juncture the machine hit the ground in a decreasing glide, +while Blaine, half rising, pitched forward as if dead. + +"Take the machine, Orry," Blaine had said. "I'm dead; you're wounded." + +Knowing that Blaine had his plans laid, Erwin followed. Then the Boche, +feeling pretty good over the idea that he had captured an enemy machine +with two men in it, also alighted from his own a few rods distant. To +his view there appeared one man dead and another wounded. + +Covering Erwin with his revolver as he sat leaning back ghastly and +still bleeding from the shrapnel that had at first struck him down, the +German eyed his apparently helpless victims. + +"Get oudt!" he snapped in rather poor English to Erwin. + +The latter started to obey, still covered by the pistol at his head. +Suddenly Blaine, who had tumbled to the ground at the first landing, +now sat up, his own revolver pointed straight at the German. + +"Throw down that gun!" he announced in clear, steady tones. "Quick! +No nonsense, Fritz!" + +One brief stare. Then, realizing that he had been outgeneraled, he +sullenly obeyed. To his further amazement, Erwin, now quite recovered, +rose up, got out, and though weak tied the Boche hard and fast under +Blaine's direction. + +"Now, Orry," said Lafe, looking his comrade over carefully, "are you +right enough to take our machine back?" + +"Bet your sweet life I am!" Orry's face was still pale, while blood +was coagulated in his curly short hair. "I'm all right, Lafe. What +are we going to do?" + +"We'll put this chap in his own machine, and I'll take it and him back." + +"You mean provided Fritzy lets us get through safe." + +"Und zat ve wond do! Forshtay?" This from the now sullen German +standing by bound hand and foot, yet mentally antagonistic still. + +"Don't you worry, bo," said Blaine, coolly picking up the man, a follow +of no small weight, and lifting, him into his own machine, a big Taube +of many horse-power. "That is, if you've got petrol enough." + +This was assured beyond doubt by subsequent examination. The German +safely stowed, Erwin and Blaine made a hurried yet accurate inspection +of both planes, and Orris at once started westward. Blaine was about +to follow when horse hoofs were heard beyond a hedge not far away. The +German's eyes flashed. He divined a forcible rescue. He began to +yell, but with a swift move Blaine gagged him with his own bandanna +'kerchief. + +The German struggled but Blaine had tied him also to the posts +supporting the hollow chamber wherein pilot and observer sat, and now +springing in himself, he started off. + +Right then the heads of a column of cavalry debouched in the field. +The roar of roar of the Taube filled the air and in an instant they saw +what was happening. By this time Orris was well up in the air and +still spiraling higher. The Taube, with which Blaine was already +partly familiar through prior captured machines among the Allies, was +making its first upward curve, when a thought came to Blaine. A ruse! +The German lay still helpless, bound and gagged. Though struggling +with his bonds, his eyes were spitting anger. + +In its case, with pulley attached, was a small flag of one of the +larger German aerial squadrons. Blaine plucked it forth, jerked the +pulley cord, and there unrolled before all eyes the Imperial eagle, +with certain other designs, all on a black background, and with a +death's head in white at each corner. It was two or three feet square, +and as it floated from one of the poles sustaining the biplanes, no one +in the clear morning light could mistake its meaning. + +Blaine himself was not sure as to the flag. But it really was the one +used only by a certain squadron especially endorsed and. supported by +the Kaiser and the Royal House of Hohenzollern and of which the Crown +Prince was the special patron. By the time Blaine was above the +treetops, some twenty or thirty horsemen had debouched into the sheep +pasture where these happenings took place. They were lancers and, +mistaking the real nature of this maneuver, every lance was depressed +in salute and a horse shout rose up that sounded much like a series of +Hochs with Kaiser at the end. + +"Holy smoke!" said Blaine, getting the machine gun in shooting trim +with one hand while manipulating the controls with the other. "Say, +Fritzy," to the snarling German at his feet, who fairly writhed +at his bounds and gag, "your folks think I'm off after those English or +Yankee schwein! Savy?" + +But here a sudden change came over the scene. + + + + + +CHAPTER III + +FIGHTING BOTH ENEMY AND ELEMENTS + +The Bleriot which Erwin was now piloting, though far in the upper air, +was seen to be whirling round and returning, apparently to Blaine's +rescue. + +Evidently Orris had also seen the irruption of lancers and had no +intention of deserting his comrade and friend while in possible peril. +To intensify the strain he began to spray the Germans below with the +remaining sheaf of bullets in the magazine of the machine gun. + +Seeing no further need of camouflage on the part of the Americans, +Blaine, with one foot crushing down the German, who was now attempting +to rise despite his bonds, whirled the German machine gun round upon +the now suspicious lancers below. + +These were unslinging their carbines. Blaine anticipated them with a +spatter of bullets from their own weapon. At this bedlam broke loose +below. + +While Erwin had done little or no damage, probably owing to distance, +Blaine's discharge was pointblank and deadly. + +Meantime in some way the German managed to loosen one arm. Recklessly +he seized hold of one the controls, wrenching it violently. + +"You will, will you?" exclaimed the American, "We must get away from +here at any rate!" + +Releasing both hands, he seized the German by the throat, pinning him +against the rim of the hole that held both, and with his feet on the +accelerator rose rapidly upward. By this time bullets were spitting +round them, one of which seared the German's bare scalp deeply. +Uttering a curious groan, the fellow sank back and Blaine released his +throat. + +"He's out of it for the time being," thought Lafe. "Good thing, too. +Hard work to keep a strangle hold on that chap and keep his machine +right side up. Hey there, Orry!" + +By this time Erwin had forged so close in swinging round again that +only a few yards separated the planes. + +"Don't you go any nearer those Boches. I am all right. We got some of +them. Look at those riderless horses!" + +True it was that several riderless horses were careering about the +field below. Also at another angle some men were dragging forth an +antiaircraft gun, or so it looked to be by its peculiar carriage and +mounting. + +"Sure you are all right?" called Orris as the two machines sped along +side by side, all the while rising. "Didn't that fellow give you +trouble?" + +"None to speak of. I've looped a cord about his throat, and got the +other end round a cleat. If he tries to jerk away he'll strangle. Put +on more power, man! Can't you see they've dragged the Archies out and +are stuffing in sheaves of bullets?" + +"All right!" called Erwin, now spiraling higher, higher, climbing +cloudward. "Sure you got the Taube straight -- hey, Lafe?" + +"Course I have! Didn't I work one of them at --?" But the name was +lost to Orris as the distance increased. + +To Blaine's relief the Boche did not move for a moment or two. This +gave him time to twist that free arm back where Lafe could press the +weight of one big foot thereon, and also complete the adjustment of the +cord. He arranged it by looping twice round the cleat, the length +reaching to Fritz's throat being drawn taut. Moreover, as the German's +body was resting sidewise upon his other arm, still tightly bound, +Blaine felt that he had the man for the time being at least. + +Now came heavier roars from below. Not only one gun but several had +been brought up, trained on the fliers and were being fired rapidly at +the receding airplanes. + +Also the true nature of the situation aloft must have been divined. +Hence the extreme activity among the Germans, now trying desperately to +reverse the progress of events by bringing one or both machines down. +The fact that the life of one of their own comrades might be snuffed +out did not weigh with them at all. Such is the German militaristic +creed. The individual, his life, or welfare is as nothing when +compared with the welfare of the cause, the state, the whole brutal, +efficient system. + +After all, this comrade might be dead now. They must get at and, if +possible, overtake these schwein at all cost. Were not they retreating +with a choice Prussian machine, that even now flaunted in derision the +Death's Head Flag? + +No wonder the Boches were mad -- good mad! + +But our Yankee adventurers were by no means at the end of their raid. +The sun was rising. With the rare promise of a clear day, considering +the time and the region, it was more evident than usual that a very +high altitude must be reached and maintained. + +There were the German trenches to be passed, the trenches raided only a +few hours before, the No-Man's-Land, before the welcoming shelter of +friendly areas and support might be reached. At any rate, they could +see and signal other and also keep close together and be ready to +afford mutual support in case of meeting the foe. This last was soon +verified by the rise and approach of a small squadron of scout +cruisers, winged monoplanes, each with a ed monoplanes, each with a +single pilot only and one machine gun. + +"Keep well under them," signaled Blaine to his friend. "Got any +ammunition? What? The devil!" + +Orris had replied to Lafe's queries by shaking out the now empty +cartridge sheaves and dropping them again. Lafe, then swooping closer, +Called forth to his mate: + +"By its looks this gun is a rebuilt Lewis. Can you use any of mine? +You know the Boches are great in reconstructing captured weapons to +their own use. Get below me and to one side. Hurry up! I'll try to +toss you a sheaf. Here -- damn you!" + +This to the German who again evinced signs of life. Having no time to +spare, Blaine jerked the throat cord closer and gave a heavier foot +pressure to the prisoner's twisted arm. Meanwhile with no time to +lose, Orris swooped lower, rising gently under Blaine's right or +starboard side. The latter had to rise in order to toss the weighty +sheaf of cartridges exactly where he wished them to fall -- into +Erwin's lap. + +This he did successfully. But in so doing his weight relaxed upon the +Boche's arm. At the same time Orris, in catching the sheaf, allowed +his control grip to relax. The nose of Orris's machine, now rising, +bumped into Lafe's under plane, tilting it up sharply. + +Precisely at this juncture, and as Blaine's foot pressure on his +prisoner's arm relaxed, the tilting planes threw him sharply forward, +down and upon the German. The latter, seeing his one chance, wrenched +his partially released arm forward and caught it round Blaine's legs as +he stumbled. At the same time this double movement somehow operated to +release Fritz's other arm. + +By now, Orris, unconscious of the mischief his own upward shove had +caused, sheered his machine aside, still climbing upward and onward, +only to find three of the enemy scouts nearing rapidly and making ready +for an encounter. + +Looking back, he saw, in the place of Blaine's leather cap and goggles, +a dimly shimmering twinkle of arms and legs flashing above the rim of +the open enclosure where the pilots sit. + +"Great guns!" he ejaculated, his blood tingling with thrills. "That +chap has got loose and they're having it. What must I do?" + +Even while these thoughts were flashing, he was working. He dared not +turn to Blaine's relief. He did not know yet if the sheaf thrown him +would fit his own machine gun. But first he must dip, circle, come up +underneath and try his luck. + +As has been said, Orry was no novice. He had flown at the front for +months as one of the Lafayette Escadrille. Before that he had worked +his way up in aerial mechanics in the United States and also here in +France. + +Even while diving, circling, swirling in mid air, ten thousand feet up, +he was adjusting the new sheaf to his own gun. Happily it fitted. + +That was a good sign, and pirouetting, not unlike an expert dancer +executing a new turn, he dove aside and came up fairly behind the +nearest Boche. Without hesitation he began to spray the enemy with a +shower of their own bullets. It was indeed lucky the new cartridges +fitted. It was merely one blunder committed by the extra efficient +Germans in converting British weapons to their own use. + +Evidently the ammunition dealt out to the Death's Head Squadron was of +the best. It was intentionally so. Another proof of this lay in the +fact that the German plane thus attacked fell sideways, recovered, +plunged half staggering away, while a tiny spark of flame became +visible to Erwin as he sheered aside in the opposite direction and +prepared for a new onset from above by the second plane. So far as he +could see, the other plane was making for Blaine's machine that still +flow the Death's Head Flag. Yet it was acting strangely as seen from a +distance by the Boches, who might or might not be posted as to the +strange change of its ownership. + +The second plane, rendered more cautious by the fate of the first, +which was now descending a mass of flames, began a series of divings, +wrigglings, and even nose dips, in its efforts to confuse Erwin and +find a good position from which to shower the daring invader with +bullets. + +On his own part Orris went through the usual maneuvers customary when +two airmen, both skillful, are seeking the advantage of the other. +Well it was for the young man that his own Bleriot was one of the best +of the up-to-date fighting planes. + +Numerous shots were taken on both sides, and in the excitement f or the +moment Orris lost all sight of the fate of his partner. At last, in +trying by a desperate and perilous maneuver, to "get on the tail" of +his adversary by a side-loop in mid-flight, the Boche pilot, while +upside down, came for an instant fairly within range. Quickly Orris +took his advantage. + +He was above and to the right of the German, and with a single whirl of +his Lewis gun brought it fully in line with the Boche's head as he sat +head down, strapped in his seat, while his machine was swiftly turning +in its side evolution so as to bring him in the rear of his enemy. + +"Now!" gasped Orris, beginning his bullet spray. "Help me, Mars!" + +A queer prayer, but it was quickly answered. The German machine +righted more slowly, however. Erwin dove swiftly down and came upright +in the rear of his now swaying adversary. Then the lad saw what fate +had done for him. + +The German had collapsed in his seat, to which, as has been said, he +had strapped himself. His head lay on the rim, apparently a mass of +streaming crimson. His machine, a renovated Fokker, was tipsily +zigzagging along without any guidance except its stabilizer and its own +momentum. + +To say the boy was half paralyzed at first is not too strong. But a +revulsion swept through him in a flood. At the same time there came to +his brain a vivid flash, reminding him that while thus desperately +engaged for his own life, he had heard sounds of aerial battling +somewhere in his rear. + +While he was making up his mind what to do next, the whir of speeding +motors rose rapidly. Looking back, he saw the Death's Head flag waving +from the nearest one and soon distinguished Blaine, apparently all +right, but chugging away at top speed in Erwin's direction. + +Just now the Fokker with its dead occupant gave another side drop and, +uninfluenced by the usual controls, came nearly to a standstill. It +toppled again, then down it went earthward at increasing speed, +carrying its occupant along. + +"Hey-you!" This from Blaine as he swept up and by, while rounding to. +"Look behind! I dropped that chap -- the first one! But he's brought +a lot of others. Let's make for home, boy!" + +Apparently it was too late without a further scrimmage, for no less +than half a dozen Boche planes were swooping around their rear, some +already within range. In maneuvering into position Blaine again picked +up his megaphone, saying: + +"I saw you drop those chaps. Oh, you Orry! Here we go -- right for +some more of them! Whoopee!" + +It seemed little short of blasphemy -- this uproarious spirit, in the +face of the odds gathering in behind. But Blaine was built that way. +Danger, the closer and more menacing, instead of rousing fear, nerved +him to his best or, as it might turn out, worst. + +"Where's your prisoner?" shouted Erwin. "I feared he'd get you." + +"Nit, old man! I got hold of a monkey-wrench and knocked him cold. +But he was game, you bet!" + +"Where is he then?" + +"Cold and stiff under my feet. Watch out, Orry!" + +Megaphones cast aside, both Americans now addressed themselves to the +desperate task of fighting these new assailants and reaching their own +lines. + +But in the first firing that ensued Erwin's Lewis gun suddenly jammed. +This was probably one result of his having to use the German-made +ammunition tossed to him earlier by Blaine, when his own had been +exhausted. He signaled to his partner: + +"Gun jammed! Must cut for home -- understand?" + +"All right! Go up - up -" + +A burst of flame from Blaine's machine, and the toppling down of the +nearest adversary was the first result of this new encounter. +Evidently that flag waving from Blaine's captured plane had fooled the +Boches again. + +Down, down went the hostile machine, its pilot frantically but +ineffectually trying to right himself. + +Passing Erwin, the latter saw the Boche, evidently a mere lad, working +at the controls as the plane dropped down like a dead leaf in the air. + +"Poor fellow," sighed Orris, beginning to spiral upward. "What a +deadly cruel thing war now is!" + +Up, up he climbed, two of the enemy following, while Blaine was +engaging another, the last. The final view Erwin had of his bunkie the +two were engaged in a close duel, dipping, darting, flashing about each +other. Now came interchanging machine gun fire, with both gradually +following Erwin higher, higher, until the latter began to feel that the +thin air of these upper regions was getting on his nerves. A glance at +his own register showed eighteen thousand feet or thereabouts. + +Still his adversaries climbed after him. Now and then a spurt of flame +and a spatter of bullets indicated that his own plane was being more or +less perforated. The lad became doubtful as to the wisdom of waiting +longer for his comrade. Evidently Blaine would fight on as long as his +ammunition lasted or until disabled himself. After all, two hostile +planes dropped and the third one brought home with its occupant was not +a bad conclusion for a night's bombing raid on the enemy trenches. + +Here a sudden, fierce gust of wind from the north catching him unawares +half tilted his machine and then as he righted it sent him scurrying at +terrific speed southward. At the same time a black cloud, belching and +flaming thunder and lightning, swept down on him with almost the force +of a hurricane. + + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +WINNING PROMOTIONS + +Looking back, Orris saw his nearest foe, apparently caught by the same +whirlwind that had nearly unseated him, go side-looping over and over +as if in the grasp of mighty, invisible forces that he was unable to +meet or control. + +"It's safety first, I guess, for us all," he thought, at once diving +into the nearing thunder burst that closed round him like a black pall, +a pall now threaded and convulsed with electric forces that showed only +in vivid flashes and deafening thunders. + +The winds, too, picked him up, whirled him about and otherwise so +tossed his machine here, there, yonder, that for five fearful minutes +he hardly knew where or what he was. The wind, now bitter cold, would +have frozen his flesh but for his sheathing of wool and leather that +protected his face, arms and body. Blinding gusts of rain, sleet and +frozen snow buffeted the planes, the shield of the fuselage, and all of +himself that was visible. + +By this time Blaine, the German planes, his own late adversary, had all +vanished. He was alone, like a buffeted, tossed, shaken twig, in that +wild vortex of darkness and storm. + +With his machine gun jammed and his petrol running low, what was there +for him to do but descend and make for the home aerodrome? + +"Might as well," he reflected. "We've already overstayed our time." + +Pointing gently downwards, he suffered himself to drift. That is, if +one in the midst of a blinding storm and seated in a war-plane may be +supposed to drift. Rather it was being tossed about, constant +vigilance at the controls alone keeping his plane from literally +flopping over and somersaulting here and there, like a dead leaf. + +Then without warning he felt the machine dropping down, down, down. +Yet the planes were level and the whole natural resisting power of the +machine was at its usual operation. + +"By George! This storm has made an air cave underneath. I must get +busy." + +Another twist of the levers and the plane jumped forward, for the first +time feeling no resistance of the storm. And, while he was glancing +around for more light, out he shot like an arrow from a bow into the +clear sunlight, the earth near -- too near, in fact. + +Back of him the storm clouds were whisking themselves away so rapidly +that the transition was almost staggering. And below -- what was it he +now saw? + +For answer, almost before his own mind had sensed the change, there +came the spatter of Archies by the dozen and the menacing roar of +machine guns, sheltered here and there over the scraggy plain within +the pill-boxes that have of late been substituted for the vanishing +trench lines. Artillery bombardments by the Allies have so devastated +certain regions that trenches have become impossible; hence the +concrete pillboxes. + +"Lucky I've some gasoline left," thought Erwin, surprised but not +unduly alarmed. "It's a race now between me and the bullets." + +Instantly he put on high speed, at the same time rising in zigzags +while the bombardment continued increasingly. + +Right ahead, however, he saw what looked like a communicating +underground trench; and at certain intervals were openings. These +openings revealed to him a blurring, moving mass, muddy gray, yet with +glints here and there as of some substance brighter. Closer yet he +flew, regardless of safety. His air tabulator was not working. That +was a sign that he was within two to three hundred feet of the earth. +All at once something flashed out from this moving mass that presently +disappeared underground again. + +Archie had momentarily stopped. But an unmistakable whistle of lead +was accompanied by a metallic puncture below. The bullet hit the near +end of his petrol tank almost at his knee. Now he knew. + +"Lordy!" he palpitated. "That's too near!" Already his fingers were +twisting the speed accelerator, while up went the nose of his machine. +Still the Archies spake not, but the spat, spat, spat of real rifle +bullets followed his retreat. + +Just then his hand, feeling below, came in contact with the hand +grenades which he had forgotten amid the excitement of his later +flight. Ahead rose a swell of land that he knew terminated in a bluff +abutting upon one of the smaller streams of that region. This +underground trench, evidently dug at great cost of labor and life, went +straight for that bluff. + +Their own aerodrome lay only a few miles opposite. + +By actual and repeated reconnaissance both from below and in the air, +this bluff was considered as deserted, or held at most by a very small +force. This was owing to its supposed isolation. + +Evidently Erwin had just made a great discovery. At least he hoped so. + +On he flew. His machine was hit in many places, principally the wings, +the tail and along the under side of the fuselage. Through this had +come the ball that nearly perforated the tank. + +There was one more opening ahead and then the trench sank out of sight +near the base of the low bluff. Orry's hand closed over the first +grenade. He was really an expert bomb-thrower. At great risk he +dipped gradually until, when about at the point overhead he desired, he +threw two bombs in swift succession. Then-up, up rapidly. With all +the power of his engine he climbed, while two sharp explosions sounded +from below. + +Had the lad looked down he would have seen the trench walls at the open +space crumble inward, while the mass of moving gray appeared to +disintegrate, to vanish for the time being. + +But with the throwing of the bombs, Erwin had other work on hand. +Archie had broken loose again. One larger molded shot ripped through +the tail of the Bleriot, ricocheted obliquely and hit that same tank +again, but with more force. His head lowered, the lad saw what had +been done. More than that he saw what impended. The petrol was low. + +Being under fire, at any moment a stray shot might ignite what little +was left. Pointing the machine still more upward, he seized a bunch of +loose lint, used to sop up recurring leaks here and there, and with a +handy screw driver he managed to stop the rent in the metal with a few +sharp adroit punchings. + +Again to the machine, now over and beyond the bluffs; over the +crinkling muddy stream, now almost overflowing its banks. On the bluff +behind a squad of men in gray were training one of the Archies that had +been dragged up from somewhere underneath. + +"I've got to give her all the head she'll take," he thought. "That gun +will get me if they understand their business." + +Over beyond the stream a low embankment rose well up at perhaps three +to f our hundred yards from its first bank. Erwin was rising in a +steep climb, zigzagging crazily for the machine was giving out, owing +to lack of fuel. But he made a last effort to thus dodge the rain of +bullets that began to pelt upon him from the rear. Another larger gun +came up. Both joined in firing. + +A shell splinter struck his shoulder, tearing loose the leather +garment, while a searing, hot agony seized him, paralyzing his left arm. + +He was over the second embankment when the final crisis came. Were +these foes or friends that were popping up, pointing weapons at those +behind? Friends surely! Down he had better go. The pain was so acute +that only one arm was now at his service, while the dizziness that +accompanies the pain of severe gun wounds filled his brain, dimmed his +eyes, palsied his last despairing effort to land somehow behind that +sheltering embankment. + +Just then came a last explosion close behind. He seemed to be going +down, down -- where? + +Then a terrific shock, and all consciousness left him. The shock +seemed to drive from him all notion of anything or anybody. He knew +nothing, nothing - nothing -- + +When at last Orris Erwin again knew that he was in the land of the +living he was in a base hospital behind the front, and not far from his +own aerodrome. His shoulder was in bandages. His left arm was in +splints, but not painful. What seemed to be other bandages swathed his +lower legs. Altogether he felt himself to be in pretty bad shape. + +Then appeared Sergeant Anson who, seeing that Erwin was now awake and +sensible, paused, a dry grin upon his weather-worn visage. + +"Huh! Where's that Bleriot you or Blaine were to bring back?" + +But the smile that accompanied this was not condemnatory by any means. + +"I stuck to it, sir, long as I could stick to anything. How do I +happen to be trussed up this way here?" + +For a first reply the Sergeant threw back his head and gave vent to a +real laugh. Then he patted Orry's curly head gently. + +"You'll know in due time, youngster! Where's your pilot, Lafe Blaine?" + +"Isn't Blaine back, too, and in that Death's Head Boche plane he -- we +took from them back of their lines? As for the Bleriot, I was in it +last I remember." + +Here the door of the ward opened, and who should walk in but Blaine +himself, with Monsieur Cheval following. Cheval wore upon his breast a +silver medal resembling nothing so much as an ace. For a wonder Blaine +himself wore a tricolor ribbon with a tiny gold cross that Erwin was +sure he had never seen his athletic countryman have before. + +At sight of Erwin's pale face and rather fragile form, now animated +with conversational fire and energy, the big American turned to his +French comrade, saying: + +"There, my friend! Did I not tell you that our brave little comrade +would be more like himself today than he has been any time these ten +days? Say little one," bending over Orry affectionately, "have you got +over that nasty spell yet? Ha -- I guess so!" + +"Where's that Bleriot the Sergeant said we must bring back? I was in +it when -- when the Boches or -- or the devil got me." + +"That Bleriot, like yourself, mon comrade, is in the hospital; that is, +the repair shop." This from Monsieur Cheval, still wearing his right +arm in a sling, though now divested of splints. + +"Oh!" A flash of dim recollection came to Orry for a moment, "I kind +of remember. First there was a bluff, with what looked like a +communicating trench, in spots. Just as if most of it was covered. I +dropped some bombs I had left on the moving gray something I saw. +After that I skimmed over the bluff. Then there was a stream, and +another embankment beyond. After that I don't seem to remember much. +How did I get here?" + +"You got here, Orry, because the Boches downed you right over our front +trench at this angle, which is nearer the Boche line than anywhere in +this sector. We didn't even know that the enemy had dug a covered +trench to the far side of the bluff on the river bank until you let us +know by dropping bombs on them. This so angered them that they dragged +out two Archies and peppered you good. You fell into our trench, and - +and with the knowledge you gave us we directed our heavy artillery +right on that bluff. + +Here Blaine grinned complacently while patting Orry's head again, very +gently though, on account of the bandages. + +"Yes, mon comrade," supplemented Cheval. "It was to you that our +batteries owe their accuracy of firing in dealing with that bluff. Do, +you know that they must have been digging there for days, perhaps +weeks? The whole interior had been hollowed out, and there was a +picked battalion stationed there. La, la! It was a lucky accident +that led you in my own good Bleriot to lay open to us the secrets of +those over yonder, who are trying to enslave the world." + +"But -- but I didn't know," murmured Erwin gratified, yet somehow +feeling as if honors were being heaped gratuitously on his undeserving +head. Something of this escaped him the while. Monsieur Cheval held +up a protesting hand. + +"No, no! You must not! You shall know what France thinks of the +service you have done for her, and -- yes, for your own +brothers-in-arms as well. Listen! You are already promoted, Monsieur +Erwin. I may tell you that much. And so is your comrade, Blaine. +Look! He already wears his decoration." + +"Oh, well," said Orris wearily, "we didn't do so much after all. We +did our bombing -- what we were sent to do. Then we somehow had to go +down in back of the Boche lines. While there we took that German +machine. It was right handy, and no trouble. What else could I do but +bring back your Bleriot, leaving Lafe here to do all the work of +fetching in that Boche machine and the Boche himself? Got back all +right, did you, Lafe. Looked to me when that other crowd tackled us as +if you might have your hands full." + +Blaine here smiled, nodded, and playfully rejoined: + +"Looked to me as if you, too, would have some time getting back. And I +guess you did too, by the way you look now." + +All this was vaguely complimentary, yet rather overdoing the thing, or +so Erwin seemed to feel, for he sighed and turned on his pillow as if +weary. + +At this juncture the ward door again opened and there walked in several +uniformed men who had just stepped out of a military car, visible +through the temporarily open door. + +One of these strode forward, while the rest followed. This foremost +one was of distinguished appearance and bore on arm and shoulder the +insignia of a French general. The others were also in uniform, except +for one who wore a frock coat. + +Just at this minute another door opened and there entered a tall, +squarely built form in United States khaki, but without decoration +except for the stars of a major general modestly affixed to his +straight, stiff coat collar. + +"Why, there's General Pershing!" whispered Blaine, keeping his hand at +the salute which he had intuitively begun upon the appearance of the +French. + +"Petain and Pershing!" gasped Orris to himself, yet turning wearily +from a futile attempt at saluting like the rest. + +The two commanders greeted each other cordially, though the meeting was +rather unexpected on the part of both. Each had heard of the night +bombardment which had taken place only a few days back. Pershing was +on his way to some American billet not far from here. Petain, having +already received reports of the recent exploits of the two airmen, and +having decorated Blaine, was now bent upon doing similar things for +this wounded American lad who had unwittingly been of such service to +the French along its sector. + +In a kindly and unassuming way Petain, now reinforced by the presence +of the American general, complimented Orris on what he had done, +concluding with: "Not only did you and your comrade capture and bring +home a German aviator and his machine, but you have sent two others in +the earth and, after all this, while hard pressed by the enemy, you +managed to descend upon the foe right where they were preparing for +secret attack. This you frustrated, at great physical cost to +yourself. For all this my Government bestows upon you this decoration." + +While all the staff looked on, with nurses and flyers respectfully in +the background, the general pinned on Erwin's breast a decoration +similar to that bestowed upon Blaine. Continuing, the general said: + +"When you are again able to rejoin the squadron, you, like your friend, +will find that your own government has not only approved, but rewarded +you also for what you have done. Farewell!" The general with his +escort left. General Pershing stopped only long enough to shake hands +informally with those remaining, particularly with Cheval, Blaine and +finally with Erwin. Walking with Sergeant Anson towards the door, the +general turned, saying over his shoulder: + +"It wouldn't surprise me a little bit if the heads of the American +Corps at Washington did not send you two something in the near future. +If they do, try and live up to it. Good-bye!" + +He was gone. Monsieur Cheval had also followed, more slowly. + +Blaine and Erwin looked at each other meaningfully. + +"Reckon anything will happen, Lafe?" + +"How should I know, Orry? Wait awhile and see." + +Ten days later arrived two war medals, and two appointments; one for +Blaine as sergeant in the aviation corps, the other for Orry as first +corporal in the same. + + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE PRACTICE DRILL + +About the time that Corporal Orris Erwin was able to take his place +again as a fighting aviator, Sergeant Blaine, returning from a long +scouting raid over in the enemy's territory, met the boy in the broad +drive of the aerodrome looking about him rather strangely. He threw an +arm over Orry's shoulder, and drew him along to the door of the Aero +Club. + +"Been in here?" he asked. "It is great! They asking 'bout you the day +we left. Heard about Cheval?" + +Orris, not feeling like talking, shook his head, vouchsafing: + +"Nothing only that he went along with your squadron at the last +minute." + +"Poor chap! He won't raid with us again. He went down near Essen. +There was where we were to unload most of our bombs. But Archie got +him. Down he went -" Blaine's eyes grew moist at the memory. + +Erwin understood. "Nothing more?" he ventured. + +"Nary thing, except that we gave the Krupp works hell for about fifteen +or twenty minutes. You should have seen the explosions." + +"That part was good. Say, Blaine," Orris, was looking, thoughtful, +"has it ever struck you how terribly uncertain a thing life is --" + +"Oh, rats!" Blaine shook his smaller companion as they neared the club +door. "Stow that sort of talk and thought! Don't do you a bit of good +or those that hear you. See?" + +"Still, since my last flight with you, these thing will run across my +mind. What is up now ? You in on anything yet?" + +"I've heard -- but don't whisper a word -- that we're on for a job of +sausage driving next. Nothing sure, though." + +Sausages is the slang term for gas observation balloons which go up at +certain points and observe the enemy's positions or maneuvers before +and during battle on the earth below. Sausages do not fight back much +but are protected by support battle planes and in other ways. + +Reaching the clubroom door, they entered, Blaine pushing his comrade +forward and saying with mock politeness: + +"Let me present my comrade Erwin, or Orry, I like to call him. While +doing the Boches the other day at Appincourte Bluff, the Boches came +mighty nigh doing him. But here he is, what's left of him. Jolly him +a bit. He feels bad!" The last tweak in allusion to Orry's remark on +the uncertainty of life. + +'There were a dozen or more of the air lads in the room and cigarette +smoke tinged the air. Towards Erwin, now recovered after nearly a +three week's "lay-off" on account of his burns and other wounds, there +was a general rush of friendly hands and voices. + +"Oh, you bully l'ill boy! If I hadn't been kept so busy would have +gone round to jolly you up a bit. But I kept hearin' from you all the +same." + +This from Milton, or "Milt" Finzer, a Louisville lad, now in the Royal +Flying Corps for more than a year. "Don't it seem wallopin' to see you +in the clubroom again!" + +"Orry, you stale mutt," this from an Americanized Pole, without a trace +of foreign accent, "I'm too glad to see you to talk much about it. +When we bombers got back from the raid that night and neither you nor +Lafe had showed up, I felt bad enough. Later when Lafe came in with a +German plane and a half dead Boche inside, we felt better. But we +missed you, Orry." + +"Did you really and truly miss me?" Erwin asked, this not in a spirit +of doubt or incredulity, but only to hear his friend reemphasize it. +One likes at times to have welcome truisms reechoed over again. It is +human nature I suppose. + +"Look here, Lex Brodno, you're a Pole --" + +"Don't spring that on me again, even in joke I am an American, it my +folks did come over from Warsaw." + +"Bully! We're all one over here. That's the way to talk!" Erwin was +getting back his old-time spirits. "All one in the good old U.S. All +one over here -- eh? Oh, you sinner!" The two walked over to a table, +interrupted at every turn by those who wanted to welcome Orry back to +the club again. + +The following morning Erwin resumed his daily stunt of practice, but +was heightened mightily in spirit by noticing in the hangar where he +had usually gotten his machines a bright new scouting plane, small, +with a tail like a dolphin's, an up-to-date machine gun mounted along +the top, just where the one pilot at the wheel could handily squint +through the sights. + +"Why, it's British -- one of their latest makes," informed Erwin, much +pleased. "It's -- let's see." He was squinting at the monogram. +"B-X-3. No. 48." + +Just then Blaine and Finzer strolled up. + +"Going out for a little spin, Orry?" queried Blaine, throwing open +wider the hangar door. "Look at 'em! Ain't they beauts?" + +There was a row of eight of these snug-built machines, all the same +type and monogram, all with machine guns strapped solidly to the +fuselage of each, and with motors of great power and pliability. + +"You can do anything with these chaps," remarked Milt, "except fly to +the moon. But these motors would take you a long way. As for stunts +like diving, circling, dipping, playing dead and the like, you never +saw the like. I only hope we go out soon. I learn there's a new raid +on the taps." + +Blaine was nosing about one of the machines that was like the others, +only a trifle larger and had an observer's seat behind the pilot's. + +"That's your, Sergeant?" queried Erwin, slightly emphasizing the last +word. + +"Bet your bottee wootees, Corporal!" Another slight emphasis on the +last word. "As for yours, take your pick. They're all exactly alike. +We must go into preliminary practice today." + +For an answer Erwin mechanically rolled out the machine he had first +examined, and prepared for a short flight. + +"After all, all, these are much like the planes we used at Vimy last +year." + +"Some improvements and stronger motors added thought," said Blaine. +"Going to give it a try-out?" + +"Yep! Thought I'd like to get my hand in a bit before we go out in +squad formation." He nimbly vaulted into his seat over the rim of the +fuselage, or the body of the machine, as two mechanics pushed forward +behind the wings. + +An upward flip and the alert planes rose gently into the air, and Erwin +was off. His head was cool, his brain active, and more than all his +hands were steady. + +About this time Finzer had rolled out another plane and almost +immediately rose behind Orris. + +The two were at once climbing high, higher, until at an elevation of +two to three thousand feet they began to circle, climb and dip in a way +that reminded one of two high-flying birds playing at tag far up in the +blue expanse of sky above. + +Then Erwin's machine did a flip, bringing it above the other machine +and "onto its tail," the favorable position for aerial attack. +Suddenly Finzer turned his nose earthward and began a whirling dive. +Erwin followed; the other coming at once into horizontal poise, turned +his nose towards Erwin -- the perfect position for pouring a rain of +shot as the other passed. + +Of course all this was mere practice, the full handed exercise of the +fighting aviator, through which he keeps brain, eye and hand in trim +against the perilous, heroic few seconds when he must fight to save his +life and machine. + +Meantime Blaine, along with Brodno, the Americanized Pole, and one or +two others, strolled about, lazily watching the maneuvers above, and +telling stories more or less related to their and fighting experiences +flying. + +Presently down came the two fliers, each with heightened color and full +of that fresh buoyancy which short, lively flights are apt to create. +Both were flippantly arguing as to which one had got the best of the +other. + +"I own up that I am a little bit stale, Milt. But you wait until we go +out for squadron practice. I'll show you!" + +"Yes, you will," replied Finzer, good-naturedly caustic. "Perhaps I'll +show you another trick or two then." + +And so the chaffing went on as the lads adjourned to the eating-house +for lunch. + +This meal over, a bugle sounded from the parade ground near the grove +of trees. It was the general summons for squadron practice. As the +boys filed out, each in full flying rig, they saw Commander Byers on +the field, watching the mechanics roll out the machines. There were a +dozen or more of the fighting planes, like those which Erwin and Finzer +had used for morning practice. In the east, from over a monotonous +expanse of scarred and war-torn country, came the sullen roar of +artillery at the front, a stern reminder that real war was close at +hand. + +Each aviator at once mounted his own machine, Blaine as squad +sergeant in the one he had indicated to Erwin earlier in the day. +Erwin took his, while Finzer, Brodno, and a real American lad from +Butte, Montana, were assigned to others of these fast, nimble, scouting +planes that are really the wasps of the air, carrying their sting with +them, always ready and willing to bite. + +Meanwhile at each machine two mechanics, under the eye of the airman, +went carefully over the mechanism until all were satisfied. Up they +went, singly or in pairs, gyrating playfully, always climbing, and +swooping higher, higher, until to the naked eye they became mere dots +in the clear sky. + +By this time it was noticeable that they had somehow divided into two +squads or escadrilles; and at a signal from Commander Byers down below +they began maneuvering like two hostile squadrons about to engage in +aerial battle. Thereupon ensued a display of battle tactics that would +have been bewildering to an unaccustomed spectator. + +These vicious little fighting planes reminded one more of air insects +than of birds. In their forward rushes many of them were doing more +than two miles a minute. + +"Watch out!" said the Commander, his glass at his eyes. "The Sergeant +is going to loop." + +True enough, Blaine's machine took a nose flip. He was riding upside +down. Then he was level again. The rest of his squad followed suit, +then followed their leader at a daring angle, all of them straight and +level again. The first plane in the other line, driven by Erwin, began +to loop the loop sidewise, rolling over and over, not unlike a horse +rolls over when turned out to grass. The others behind him began much +the same tactics while the first line drew away as if preparing for +counter moves. + +Beyond, in the further sky, two opposing machines having detached +themselves from the rest were playing with each other like kittens with +wings. One was making rapid evolutions, the other following, and +clinging to the set course in a series of whirls with its own wing-tip +as a pivot. + +Below, the comments went on from the staff surrounding the Commander, +who would say now and then: + +"Look you there! Was that not fine?" + +"Hard to beat," seemed to be the general verdict. "Fritz will have to +open his eyes tomorrow." + +And so the show above went on. A flock of little birds chirped and +flopped past the group below. What pikers they seemed by comparison, +with the show going on above -- far above! And now they were +descending in long spirals, each squad by itself, yet preserving the +mathematical distance required, both from the opposing squad and at the +same time keeping the line prescribed for such tactics during drills at +the home grounds. + +Particularly did Blaine distinguish himself in the daring of his +stunts. Erwin was hardly behind him. They looped again, they rolled, +they did the wing and tail slides, doing the last until they fell +almost perpendicularly a thousand feet. Finally they righted hardly +two hundred feet above the earth; then shot upward again at almost +incredible speed. + + +And now the two leaders circled slowly as their respective squads +followed on towards the ground, some falling, drifting like dead +leaves, others slanting lazily as they passed the leaders, and on down, +alighting at last each in his appointed place or thereabouts. + +And then the two leaders began circling and swooping more and more +rapidly until those below felt the whirring rush of air as the two +planes swept by so low that one imagined that an arm would nearly touch +them. + +All hands knew it was rivalry -- the rivalry of stunts. Yet to stand +below and watch those steel engines falling down on you from the skies +took the same kind of nerve to keep from dodging as only airmen +themselves are gifted with by practice. + +Finally all this drew to a close. The machines at last ranged +themselves at opposite extremes of the landing stage and with a final +swoop both were apparently upon the spectators as with the rush of a +whirlwind. Yet, dizzy as it looked, it was mathematically timed. The +two planes flattened as if by magic; they rose, dipped again and, +passing each other in the down grade, saluted methodically as they +passed the Commander. Ten seconds later their wheels dropped gently on +the gravel at either end of the parade ground two tired looking +aviators left their the waiting mechanics and walked soberly to the +others. + +The stunts were over for the day. + + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +CATCHING THB SPY + +"Well, well, Orry! How do you feel after your stunts of yesterday?" + +This from Sergeant Blaine as he jumped from his bunk in the aerodrome +dormitory the following morning just as the dawn was breaking. + +Erwin, still drowsing, opened one eye. The next instant, remembering +what the day probably hold in store for him, he threw off the covers +and leapt from his bunk. At the same time, in order impress Blaine +with his general fitness, he hit the big Sergeant a mock blow on the +midwind region where, according to ring history, Fitzsimons dropped +Corbett in their historic championship fight. Then he sprang back, +arms and fists feinting. + +"Can't you see how I feel?" he retorted. "Want to try me more?" + +"Nit, you shyster, nit!" Blaine was laughing as he recovered, +retreating and grimacing, as if in mock misery. "I don't want no more +solar plexus stuff at this stage of the game. I guess you're all +right." + +"Bet your thick cocoanut I am! I was a bit drowsy at first. Say, +Lafe, you know I must be in on this, whatever it is." + +"Sure! I was at first a bit afraid that all those air stunts might +have frazzled you a little, seeing you are just out of hospital." + +"Honest Injun, Lafe, I'm all right! Don't you forget to remember that!" + +"Well, then, get your clothes on. I want to talk to you private like." + And Blaine sauntered off, lighting, a cigarette, while Erwin hastily +put on his clothes. Going out soon, he encountered Blaine on the +parade before the hangars where the starting of planes usually began. + +It promised to be a lovely day. Not a cloud was in the sky. Off to +the east a lone airplane was, soaring high over No-Man Is-Land, +doubtless one of the night scouts that are maintained along that +portion of the front. + +Said Lafe: + +"Last night after the rest of you had gone to the clubroom, Byers sent +for me and told me briefly what he wanted us to attempt today. You +know those sausages the Boches got now, over back of that bluff you +unearthed the day you came home after our last raid?" + +"Appincourte?" Orris blinked and nodded. "I ought to remember." + +"Well, the French have tried a time or two to get them, but the Boche +planes have been too much for them so far. Kept them so busy fighting +back, they had no time to do much bombing. And now word has come from +headquarters that they must go. Must! See?" + +Erwin nodded. He took a deep breath, feeling already the lift in the +pure morning air. Blaine continued: + +"Well, Anson was to have headed this raid, but he's been promoted also. + He's an ensign now. I am in his place and they made you corporal +under me for two reasons. One was on account of the stunts you did +along with me; then for what you did after you went on your own hook +and busted into that Boche communicating trench which made them try to +Archie you and thus exposed to us what they had done in making +themselves at home under Appincourte Bluff." + +"Yes, yes! Come to the point, Lafe! What is it you and I have got to +do today, or whenever it comes off?" + +"Don't be so impatient. The second reason is because they now think +you have nerve enough for most anything, and that we two, working +together might succeed in puffing off this sausage business best in our +own way." + +"You mean we are to bomb them where and when we please?" + +"No -- of course not! But Byers, who is the real head here, thinks you +and I, taking as many other chaps along as we please, can force our way +in our fighting planes to where these pesky gas keep hanging and spying +on us, and literally blow them to dashed smithereens. See?" + +"But how? Their Archies will blow us to Hades and be gone before we +reach anywhere near. It looks like a forlorn hope --" + +Blaine smiled, as he interrupted with: + +'Like Balaklava, eh? Or old Pickett's third day charge at Gettysburg?" + +Erwin did not reply. Blaine continued: + +"If we go strong enough and swift and low enough, we'll got there; and, +once there we'll do the bombing all righty!" + +"And in broad daylight, too?" + +"I don't say that, Orry. All this is strictly between you and me. +Byers rather favors a daylight raid as affording a better chance to +regain our own lines, either after bombing or in case we fail. But +we're not going to fail . These dratted sausages have got to come down!" + +"Are you sure they stay up at night?" + +"Ever since we busted up that bluff you exposed, there they stay day +and night, half a dozen or more. And my own notion is that if we have a +new offensive here, which I think looks likely to a man up a tree, +those blamed sausages will give the Boches too much leeway in nosing +out ahead what we might be trying to do in getting ready." + +"Well, what else? Will Captain Byers leave it to you? " + +"I think he will . Having tried every other way and failed, he will let +us -- you and me in private but me in public, decide upon the way we'd +prefer. Both of us have been over the ground. We know how far we have +to go. I also know about what the Boches have got behind those +balloons. It was only a few miles from there that we -- you and me -- +got that Taube and the German aviator. Believe me, unless things have +changed mightily, there isn't much there in the way of reinforcements +or more planes or anything." + +"You've been back there since?" + +"You bet! Finzer and I went over there the day before you left the +hospital. The Boches have no notion that our side is doing anything +here, except air-raiding in No-Man's-Land or using our planes. That is +one reason the headquarters thinks that it is a good place to -- to do +something." + +"Well Lafe," Orris spoke deliberately, "you know I am with you. Tell +me as much or as little as you please. I'll follow you to the last +notch." + +"I knew it!" Blaine grasped his comrade's hand and nearly wrung the +fingers off. "Well, keep mum! Don't say anything to anybody but me. +If Byers says anything, give him to understand you are in it from the +word go, but no more. We'll win out again. Hear me?" + +For reply, Erwin shook his released fingers, regarded Blaine with mock +reproach, and volunteered: + +"I'll agree to everything after that grip, I'm with you to the death. +But don't do that again." + +Blaine laughed gleefully as he turned away, patting Orris on the +shoulder approvingly. + +"I always thought you were a sticker, Orry." + +"That's better 'n being a slicker or a slacker, isn't it?" + +Again the big fellow laughed as he hurried off towards the Captain's +quarters at the far end of the grounds. + +The day passed quietly. From time to time, Blaine held private +conferences with various members of the flying squad. These were +mostly Americans who had either served a year or two at the western +front, or were more recent arrival who had joined because of special +aptitude for flying. + +During the day sundry scouts penetrated here and there over the enemy +lines and their report were favorable for the plan Blaine had in mind. +A risky plan, yet promising well if skillfully carried out. + +Towards night he had a last conference with Byers, who had more than +hesitated over the proposed program, yet gave in before the Sergeant's +enthusiasms. + +"I agree," said the commander. "But it is risky. It can be done. Yet +whether you are the man to do it -- well, we'll know in the morning. +Do your best. Be prudent; not too prudent; but at the same time try to +be wise to things as they come up. Remember I have more +responsibility than you. Your responsibility is only to me. It ceases +where mine begins." + +"Don't fear, Captain. Let what Erwin and I did the other night be duly +considered. I need your full support --" + +"Young man, you have it!" Here Byers took Blaine's hand and shook it +heartily. "Bring back as many of your squad as you can, but above all +carry out your program." + +Night came, and with it a comfortable fog that rose white and misty, +good for the purpose in hand. The clocks were pointing towards seven +when something like a dozen men, wearing the regulation uniform, +gathered at the usual open space, while from the doors of several +hangars mechanics were silently rolling out machines. + +Each aviator gave a few comprehensive looks and touches to his own +plane, just to reassure himself that things were all right. Then came +a brief moment or two of silent waiting. There were no, spectators. +Even the rest of the men at the aerodrome did not appear. This was +according to orders. + +Out in front stood Captain Byers, attended by Blaine and Erwin, talking +in low, indistinct tones. Finally Byers looked at his watch. + +"Time's up, I guess. Do your best, you two. You, Blaine, will veer to +the right as you approach the enemy trenches. You, sir," to Orris, +"will draw to the left. Your squads will follow their respective +leaders. Should you meet opposition before you reach the balloons, +don't flinch. Pour on more speed. Don't signal unless necessary but +obey signals when given. Au revoir, lads! Don't come back until you +have delivered the goods." + +Back went the Sergeant and Corporal, each to his own machine, which +headed a short double line holding six planes, or a dozen in all. + +At a quiet signal the leaders rose, spiraling into the upper darkness. +Presently all had vanished, zigzagging in an easterly direction. About +this time there came a sudden blue flare as a solitary rocket shot +upward from beyond the grove of trees that that marked the landing +place within the enclosed area that formed this aerodrome. + +Instantly Byers was on the qui vive, he being nearest the point +indicated by the blue flare. Bursting into a full run, he sped towards +the spot, at the same time breaking in on several sentries +unobtrusively posted about the grounds where the raiders had departed. + + +"Scatter lads!" he ordered. "Hurry! Spies at work! Halt any one you +see, no matter who! Bring 'em in!" + +Never halting in his race, he made directly for the spot whence the +flare of the rocket had gone up. As he neared the trees, the sounds of +a child's voice came to his ears, just inside the grove. It was +remonstrating to some one. + +"D -- don't, papa! I -- I want to get the pieces. My! Wasn't it +pretty --" + +Another voice, hoarse, gruff, stopped the childish words, but what it +said was indistinguishable. Byers looked around. Two of his sentries +were near, all of them running. + +"Did you hear that child?" queried the captain. "Scatter! Don't let +either child or the grow one escape. Be spry! Watch out!" + +As Byers uttered the last exclamation, a running figure emerged from +the shadow of the nearer trees and started full tilt towards the +quarters where the cook's galley was. All three, running hard had +slightly scattered, in order to intercept the fugitive should he try to +dodge amid the various buildings. + + +Swift as were the pursuers, the fugitive was more speedy. + +At one instant they saw him in a twinkling of light from one of the +open doors. The next instant the form was gone. There came a faint +echo of half-smothered infantile cries. + +Byers dashed by the lighted door, then stumbled over a small form on +the ground and there rose another wail, now of terror if not of pain. + +Quickly the captain picked up the small figure in big arms and ran on, +holding it gently, yet firmly, and saying: + +"There, there, little one! I won't hurt you!" + +"D -- don't you hurt my pa, " wailed the small figure in his arms. "He +-- was only making show for me --" More crying. + +Where was the man? Only one clew had the captain. The fellow was +round-shouldered, or seemed so in the glimpse Byers caught of them just +before he dropped the child. Presently, one after another of the +sentries came in, breathless yet unsuccessful. Somehow the fugitive +had vanished, and look as they might, no further sign of him was seen. + +"Skip around some more!" ordered the captain. "Try every door you +pass. The fellow must be around somewhere. Call me if necessary. +I'll be on hand." + +While the baffled sentries did as directed Byers who was a father +himself, placed the child on a convenient bench beside him, patting its +head soothingly with one hand while he searched his pockets with the +other. Then he produced the remnant of a package of chocolate drops, +part of the contents of a box recently received from home. + +"Like candy?" he asked, putting some of the candy in the child's lap. +"Good candy -- right, from my home across the sea." + +This in such French as Byers could command, which was plenty for the +purpose. At first the child, whom he now perceived was a girl, would +not try it, but presently a sight of the sweet was more than it could +stand. + +Seizing the offered sweets, it began to eat greedily. + +"My papa have no sweets like this," munching greedily. "Who you? +Where my papa?" + +"Know where your pa stays? I take you back to him." + +For an answer the girl jumped down, still clutching the candy. She +took Byers' hand, leading him back by another alley amid buildings here +devoted to the culinary department of that cantonment. One of the +sentries appeared. The child pushed on, leading Byers, who cautioned +the sentry to say nothing, but to follow. + +"What is your papa's name?" asked the captain. + +"He name Bauer -- Monsieur Bauer --" The child suddenly stopped. + +"What is the matter, little one?" asked Byers, pulses thrilling under a +vague suspicion. But here the sentry, forgetting the captain's +caution, interposed with: + +"I know him, Sir! Hermann Bauer, our assistant quartermaster -" + +'Hush-h-h!" admonished Byers, frowning, shaking his head and pointing +at the child, now staring at him wonderingly, then pouting as she +queried: + +"You no hurt my papa?" + +The door of a nearby house suddenly flew open and a fleshy, +round-shouldered man appeared. He saluted, then said: + +"Good evening, Messieurs! I see you have my little girl with you." + +"Monsieur Bauer!" The captain stood up, ignoring the other's salute. +"I suppose you know that you are now under arrest?" + +"It is what I feared. May I take my little girl inside?" + +"Yes, provided the sentry and I go with you." + +"You may as well: you'll go anyway. Please do not give me away." + +With remarkable nerve, Bauer lifted the wondering child to his arms and +led the way inside. + +Five minutes later he emerged, the captain and the sentry on either +side, and set out amid childish protests from within. + +"She overtook me while I was on my way," he confessed. "It is fate, I +guess." + +Then the three started on the way to aerodrome headquarters. + +About this time came the sounds of heavy firing over No-Man's-Land. + +"That is one result of your rocket, Bauer, Byers, grimly. + + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +DOWNING THE SAUSAGES + +Once clear of the Allied front line of trenches, the double platoon of +planes spread out on either hand, flying swiftly yet keeping near the +earth. This was strange for so formidable a squadron of fighting, +one-man planes that usually soar up to lofty heights, far from the +direct range Fritzy's Archies. + +But their instructions were clear, and each trained pilot knew just +what he had to do. Swiftly and still more swiftly they flew. The +night mists, growing yet more opaque, promised, favorably. Appincourte +Bluff, just beyond the little river, could hardly be seen at all, but +the roar of the motors overhead indicated that something might be on +the wing. Without question few advance sentries still remained near +the ruins that once had been a capacious subterranean chamber. From +there the Germans had doubtless expected to emerge in assault, while +their artillery made the essential barrage to stay any possible +resistance while their infantry crossed the stream. But the Allied +bombardment, made possible by Erwin's daring final flight across the +Bluff towards his own quarters, had made Appincourte futile so far as +that assault went. Still Fritz might be there. He was there -- that +is, a few of him. They were watching for a signal - the blue flare of +a rocket that should tell Fritz of another air raid. + +But the noise of motors close above confused his calculations. Why +were the Entente airmen flying so low? Might they not be up to more +devilment with regard to Appincourte? The blue flare had gone up. + +But it happened that Fritz did not see it. Fearing now that many bombs +might be dropped their defenseless heads, and with the whir of many +motors in their ears, all the time growing louder, nearer, the small +squad of night sentries, scudded as one man for the small dugout. This +had been made immediately after the Bluff was wrecked by the +bombardment. In there they cuddled, expecting the deafening explosion +of many bombs over or on their heads, determined to fly back to their +advanced trenches at the first let-up of the expected deluge. + +But no bombs descended. The motor thunderings passed, then dwindled, +but towards the east. What did that mean? + +Their sergeant was telephoning hurriedly as to what was happening: +"Airplane motors close overhead. No bombing yet. Watch out." + +Thus it happened that Bauer's first (and last) signal was rendered void +insofar as it went. The raiders escaped the German fire for the time +being. Moreover, they were puzzled. Why should the Allied "schwein" +fly so low, yet do no harm where once they had wrecked things only a +few days before? What were they up to, anyhow? + +This query was not answered at once. The telephones roused the Huns in +the front trenches. Yet it puzzled them, too. Hitherto the bombing on +both sides had been done mostly from far above. Such skimming the +ground across No-Man's-Land might mean anything. + +Presently the thrum of approaching planes became more and more audible +along that portion of the front. + +From his plane Blaine made private signal to the others to put on all +speed. Erwin did likewise. Consequently it was not a minute before +the raiders were upon the front trenches, going at the rate of two +miles a minute. Each man in those planes sat with an open nest of hand +grenades within easy reach. The handle of the gun crank was handy, +its deadly muzzle pointed along the top of the fuselage of each mobile +plane. + +Then a pistol shot rang out, and at the signal grenades were dropped as +the now far extended line passed over those open trenches in which +troops were massed. For, be it known, that fatal blue flare from the +aerodrome a dozen or more miles away had filled those trenches yet more +full of human cannon fodder. Hence the bombing was all the more deadly. + +Passing the trenches, at another signal, the hostile planes nimbly +wheeled, shot back again and poured forth more bombs upon those +trenches. Still again they wheeled and traversed them for the third +time. + +By this time machine guns began to spatter their deadly contents among +the darting planes, while further back the anti-aircraft guns gave +forth searching roars as to what they might should a plane be hit. + +It was enough so far as it went. Now for the gas-bags, the sausages; +for these observation balloons were the real object of all this +nocturnal pother. + +"Forward!" came the signal again and, steering to the left, rising +higher from the forty to fifty foot level they had hitherto kept, the +squadron made for the rear line. Here rose a shadowy line of oval +bags, so shaped as to qualify them for the term "sausage" as humorously +fitted to these defenseless spying observatories. In daytime their +elevation enabled them to see over a great expanse of that level, +war-ruined region. + +There they were, open carriages below, in each a small group of +Fritzies with machine gun and bombs handy for use in times like the +present. But here, too, Fritz was at a decided disadvantage. + +Evidently no raid was anticipated, for here they swung, hardly half +manned except by the few constituting the night watch. In and out +among them shot the fast planes, the machines belching their deadly +hail, with Fritz apparently too dazed by surprise to make much +resistance. + +Using explosive bullets that would flare sparks of fire at the moment +of contact, soon those bags of gas were ignited, one after another. +Down rope ladders the occupants climbed or dangled, dropping off to hit +the ground maimed or lifeless. By this time, however, the Archies were +pouring a rain of shells from the machine guns at the assailants with +murderous and often fatal effect. + +One plane after another sagged, lamely drooped and went to earth +crippled or in flames. It so happened that Blaine and Erwin nearly met +in, mid-air as each verged close in a final assault on the last balloon. + +Seizing his megaphone, Blaine shouted: + +"We'll down this one, then home!" + +Bang - puff! A burst of flame enveloped the last sausage, and Blaine +was already mounting higher, higher, when he saw Erwin's plane go +zigzagging earthward at a gentle angle. One of his wings had been +shattered, the remnants flopping as they fell. Orris, working at the +controls, partially righted, then staggered on, and finally mounted +upward, showing his chief that he would make the home trip if nothing +further happened. + +Blaine himself tried to follow. But something was wrong. He fell, +half gliding, and finally landed with his planes too much shot to up +for the machine to float longer. + +"I'm a goner, unless something happens," he thought. + +"Where was he? In that last staggering rise the sergeant was vaguely +aware that just beyond some trees under him was an open space of some +kind. Could he make that open space? The front enemy trenches and the +line where the vanished gas bags had swung were behind him. + +"Seems to me I saw one of our planes drifting over this way." + +On earth it was darker, more misty, more impenetrable than it had been +overhead. His watch, having an illuminated dial, indicated that the +time was about ten o'clock. In his rear the darkness was more dense +than ahead. Probably his plane had dropped just in the edge of that +open space he thought he had dimly seen while up in the air. + +While looking over his machine as best he could to see if there was any +chance to tinker it up so as to make another flight, he stopped short, +his pulse leaping. Then he stood motionless. + +"What was that?" he kept thinking, keeping as quiet as possible. + +After a lengthy interval he heard rustling amid the trees near by, then +a subdued crashing limbs, then an unintelligible moan or groan. After +that came a heavy shock as if something or some one had struck the +earth. + +"I must look into this," he reflected, listening now also for any other +sounds of human presence. But all was still near by. Back west there +came the dying echoes of the recent scrimmage with the raiders. Hans, +having gotten the worst end that deal, seemed to have subsided. + +"Fritzy is preparing to look into things. He must know that some of us +were knocked out. Doubtless he is getting ready for a more thorough +look around." + +Without formulating any definite plan, Blaine headed towards where the +last sounds of some thing or some one falling had come from. To the +left came the far rumble of trains crawling forward on one of the many +side lines used by the Huns for war transportation. + +From the right came the distant roar of heavy artillery, such as +enlivens the front night and day. Yet it was so distant as to insure +no connection with the finished air raid that now threatened disaster +to himself. + +Under the trees the darkness deepened, if such was possible. Where was +he going? Could he find his way back to his own crippled plane? + +A heavy, yet trembling sigh, terminating in a muffled groan, showed him +his next course. Stumbling forward, he almost fell over a body prone +across his path. Another groan, then: + +"Oh-h-h, Gawd -- Gawd!" Blaine thought he recognized something half +familiar in the words or voice. + +Stooping down, he felt a horrible slime and a mashed something that was +not like anything he had ever felt before. He dropped to his knees, +drew out his small flashlight, hitherto held in reserve for desperate +emergencies, and cautiously turned it on. + +It glimmered across a face -- a face at once familiar and horrible. A +well-known face, yet so ghastly in its bloody disfigurement that Blaine +shivered, drew back, then bent downward and forward. + +"Finzer!" he gasped. "My God! Is this you?" + +The one eye left faintly opened and the gashed lips muttered, though +Blaine shuddered as he saw by the flashlight that the man's face and +head were so torn by machine gun spatter that it was only a question of +minutes, if not seconds, before he would be dead. + +As it was, Finzer's one eye recognized his sergeant. He tried to +speak, but vainly. Finally, with an effort that must have been a last +clutch at his vanishing strength, he flung his mashed and bloody hand +on a paper pad, with pencil laying by. One sentient gleam; then he +gave up the ghost. What did Finzer mean by that last gesture? + +With reluctance Blaine picked up the pad and read the following words +now almost illegible with blood. + +"Boche got me. Machine back by log pile. Good shape. Landed in tree. + Done for. Saw you drift this way. Get machine if yours won't --" + +Sadly Lafe drew the body of his friend aside, covered it with his +leather blanket coat, piled brush over it, and drew meditatively back, +saying: + +"Poor Milt! It's all I can do for him now." + +Again he scanned the penciled lines, remembering that his own machine +was in bad shape. "Maybe Milt's will do better. I'll see. Where's +that log pile?" + +His question was suddenly answered by his stumbling against something +for he had already started on the search, having repocketed the +tell-tale flashlight. No knowing when a stray ray might be seen by +some enemy eye and its cause investigated. + +Groping about, he discovered Finzer's machine half slanting down one +side of the log pile. It had fallen through a tree top, hitting the +logs. Milt, already blind, wounded unto death, had tumbled out, +crawling a few feet, where he lay dying until Blaine heard and found +him. + +Swiftly Lafe righted and trundled the machine to a small, clear place. +Risking the flashlight again, he briefly inspected it. Aside from +sundry bullet perforations and certain unimportant scars in the wings, +it was all right. The tank was pretty full yet, the interior mechanism +in fair order, and the wheels propelling it in such good shape that +Blaine soon had it back in the open space where he had been compelled +to come down. As for the near-by woods, there was not much real life +there. Long ago the ruthless shelling had reduced most of the timber +to scraggy, scarred skeletons. Still they were dangerous to planes +when trying to land -- or to rise again. So he quickly transferred +such of his belongings as he cared to save, placing them in Finzer's +machine, and then assured himself that everything would work right when +it came to rising again. All was ready. Another thought came. + +"I ought to fire this plane of mine. Too good yet to fall into +Fritzy's hands. He'd soon have it ready again." + +Pushing Finzer's plane still further out m the open, he looked, +listened, but still detecting no sign of human nearness, he opened the +petrol tank of his plane, touched with a match the running liquid, and +jumped nimbly to his seat in Finzer's machine. Applying the power, the +plane rolled, skidded slightly then came to a full stop. + +"What the mischief is the matter now?" + +Out he jumped, vaguely fearful, while the other plane flared up +brightly, the red flame mounting high, higher, scarcely forty yards +away. In and out among the mechanism he fumbled, turned, twisted, +adjusted, until from a distance came the sound of hoofs -- galloping +hoofs. + +"Good Heavens! The Boches! They're coming? What will I do?" + +As he asked this question his eyes, wildly distorted, roamed round the +open space now lighted up for a hundred yards or more by the burning +airplane. + +Just then he happened to look upward, and all at once saw the cause of +his present trouble. One of the longer limbs of an old, battle-scarred +poplar, partly broken and hanging lower than usual, had caught in one +of the top wings, thus halting him as he was about to rise. + +"What a fool I am!" This while wrenching loose the ragged wing-end. +"Let me get out of this somehow!" + +Already he was again in his seat, turning on the power, swiftly yet +surely manipulating the controls. The high-powered scout and battle +plane rose with a rush and almost immediately began to climb, spiraling +in long acute sweeps and turns. + +"There they come!" breathed Lafe, venturing a last look around down +below. + +A field battery of horse artillery was emerging from the torn timber +into the open space, which the burning plane had already showed Blaine +to be a beet or turnip field of considerable extent. The constant +roaring of artillery and a continuous red glow on the western horizon +made known the cause of the uproar that had been growing for some time +back. + +"They're fighting hard," conjectured Blaine. "Guess wrecking them +sausages must 'a' stirred Fritzy up a bit. Hullo! What's that?" + +Already Lafe was a thousand or more feet up. The field battery was now +fading from view as the flames of the burning plane died down. + + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +BLAINE'S FURTHER ADVENTURES + +Once more sharp reports from the Archies came from below. Whether +these were by the battery he had seen Lafe could not now tell. So +thick was the fog, the gun flashings did not reach up to where he was +now spiraling still upward, in order to get beyond the chance effect of +some stray shot. + +All along the now distant battle line the dull red glow of bursting +shells lined the front as the rumble of sound jarred more clearly upon +his ears. Undoubtedly some kind of battle must be going on. Was it +one result of the night raid? Was Fritz, now that his observation +points were at least temporarily out of active service, taking his +revenge by another drive? And where the Allies would least suspect? +That is, right over the Appincourte Bluff? + +"What ought I do?" reflected Blaine, still gently climbing higher. +"It's a still night, foggy, good for most anything up here, except to +see or be seen and that's what I don't want. Wonder if poor Finzer had +his night signals along? Ah, here they are!" + +He was overhauling with one hand a small locker that was part of the +fuselage Moreover, there were still two unused sheafs of ammunition +for the Lewis gun and a few grenades and bombs. Finzer had not +expended all his allotment in the balloon attack. + +"Guess I'd better edge in towards where that drive seems to be +centering. That is the reason, probably, that this battery broke in +where I was on the point of going up again. Fritz is up to some new +thing, I'll bet." + +Taking his bearings as best he could, Blaine headed more westward, +keeping at an elevation of six or seven thousand feet. + +"Wonder what they'll think back at the station when they don't find me +among the ones that get back? Poor Milt! I lost my machine; he lost +his life. And there were others, too. That Montana chap Bangs. Last +I saw of him he was right under one of them sausages, letting Fritz +have it with the Lewis. Looked like something would get him -- heigho! + What is that?" + +Down below, slightly to his rear, there flashed through the fog a short +series of vari-colored lights, which to Blaine's active mind spelled +forth: + +"Boches 'bout to get me. Big drive on hand. Yonder they go -- watch +out!" + +That was all, but it was enough. Blaine knew that it must come from +another of the raiding scouts who had somehow gone down in +No-Man's-Land. It might come from a shell hole. Anyway, it was being +sent up by some one risking almost certain death in order to let the +Allies know that big things were already under way. + +"Where are the Boche planes?" Blaine had more than once asked himself. + The balloons were gone. The few enemy planes left to guard the +gasbags had been put to flight by the daring raiders. Blaine himself +had sent one down in flames. Others had followed the retreating +raiders. Now that a night drive was on, other planes would be +converging towards the salient thus suddenly selected for a night +assault. In another instant Blaine's mind was made up. + +"Here's at you, my friend," he said to himself. "I'll try to find out +who and what you are. Damn the risk!" + +With the thought he turned the nose of the triplane downward, so that +it was almost at a perpendicular angle. Before this he had noted that +around the point whence had risen that telltale signal there seemed to +be a foggy void. This meant to Lafe that, for the present at least, +there was nothing doing at this particular spot. Of course those +signal lights might draw dangerous attention, but Blaine had resolved +to risk the chances of that. Perhaps one of his comrades in distress +had deliberately courted death or imprisonment m order to let their +side know what was taking place. "Bully boy, whoever he is!" he +thought. + +Briskly yet carefully working his machine, Lafe descended until, when +he flatted out, he could see through the fog the darker background of +war-torn earth. + +"I'll flash our private signal," he resolved. "He may see it. So may +Fritz. But -- here goes!" + +Lafe pressed with his foot upon a certain button that was connected +with an electric flashlight fastened in a special groove at a downward +angle of the fuselage or body of the car. At each pressure certain +flashes emitted the message of inquiry in private code. + +"Where are you, pal? I'm coming. Let me know if you can." + +Circling round at an even slightly lower level, he continued to signal +but without avail. Just as he was about to quit and rise higher again, +he detected a faint red and blue gleam that apparently ceased without +rime or reason. One faint glimmer succeeded, but died out as if +suddenly broken off. + +Without waiting for more Blaine gave a searching look around but, +seeing nothing through the mist, gently, cautiously felt his way +downward, easing up in speed as best he could. The wheels jolted over +rough but level ground, until the nose of the plane shoved itself +against an abrupt angle of rough earth that brought him to a halt all +at once. Quickly he adjusted the controls and, revolver in hand, +boldly leaped out. + +Dark it was, except for the lurid flashings of distant artillery, while +to the west the roar of infantry battle sounded much nearer than when +Lafe was high up in the air. + +"Where am I?" he asked himself, reaching for his pocket flashlight. +"Surely this must be No-Man's-Land!" + +Thus thinking, he stumbled against another plane; not his, but the +wreck of another one. Intuitively he felt that he must have landed +right. Feeling round him, he detected certain signs that made him +almost sure one of the raiding scout machines had fallen here. + +"This must be one of those big shell holes," he thought. "Why -- what +if it is where those signals came from?" + +Just as Blaine was about to climb up the incline of disrupted earth, +his flashlight sending gleams here and there, a voice he recognized +,sounded: + +"Halt, you! I heard your motor, but you won't get me without a fight." + +"Damn if it ain't Buck all righty," said Blaine, still climbing. + +He turned his light to where the voice sounded, and bellowed, +regardless of consequences: + +"Don't you know your squad leader?" + +"Good gracious! You -- here?" The youth from Butte, Montana, was +peering down at advancing form, delighted amazement in face, but he +only said: "Shut off your light Sergeant! We're surrounded by - by - +them! That's better! Where'd you come from?" + +"Oh, I just dropped down in answer to your signal. I thought if the +Boches were about to get you, they might have another chance at me, +see?" + +A faint yet hilarious chuckle came forth. Then: + +"Say, Lafe, when I first tumbled down here, I thought I was a goner. +But I wasn't hurt much. My machine is smashed, though." + +"What brought you down? Why didn't you go a little further?" + +"I would have, but Archie got me just as I thought I was about safe. +That ain't all. I guess our downing them sausages was a bit too for +Hans. Directly after that they started the hottest barrage fire you've +seen in a month of Sundays. Keepin' it up yet, only they've slacked a +bit along here. I kept thinkin' how I was going to get out of this +when I heard the tramp and scuffle of advancing infantry. + +"All at once I knew. They're sour yet over busting up their big +underground at Appincourte Bluff; and now comes this raid of ours and +away goes that string of a dozen balloons. I guess it was too much." + +"Infantry! What infantry? Oh, you mean Fritzy!" + +"Who else? Well, Fritz came with such a rush he didn't look for me. +There was a lot of him passed. I scrunched down inside this crater the +best I knew how and directly I knew I must let our folks know. Then's +when I sent up my signals -- in code, of course." + +\"That's so, Buck. I saw 'em and read 'em." + +Buck was grinning to himself. + +"You?" Bangs looked his astonishment. "Well, if we warned our folks in +time, and I guess I did by the sounds, and then caught hold of you, it +was a lucky venture." + +"You caught me all right. But how are we going to get away? Say your +machine is busted?" + +"How'd ye know?" + +"Well, by the way it came down and struck. I have no tools with me, +and I had to crawl in here in a hurry." + +"Come on," ordered the Sergeant in his official tone. "We've got no +time to lose. I've got tools or rather Milt had." + +"What's the matter with Finzer?" Buck was keenly concerned for he and +Milt had been quite chummy. + +Blaine told him briefly all that had happened. + +"And you had to leave him back there? Well - well, it's war. Sure he +was dead? By thunder! I'll get even yet with Hans -- Gawd willin'. +The skunks!" + +All this and more while Lafe, now alert and busy, was getting out +Finzer's tools. Presently the two were examining Buck's plane which +they found was practically all right except for a big rent in two of +the wings. With the appliances at land this did not take long, for +both worked frantically, knowing that hostile planes from the +neighboring front would soon be hovering near and also that the +infantry was due either to reform the battle line or, if not, that +reinforcements might pass at any time. + +In a very short while the job was done. To Blaine's surprise Buck +began nimbly climbing back up the crater wall. + +"Where ye going?" he gently called, but only heard in reply: + +"In a minute -- in a minute!" + +But while Blaine was fuming, still getting things in readiness, Bangs +slid back down the embankment, dragging a shabby gray army overcoat. +Lafe looked disgusted. He snatched it, held it up, flashed his light +over it, then cast it down, saying: + +"That's a Boche infantry coat -- officer's, I reckon. What do we want +of that? Get into your place. I've turned your machine round." + +Both climbed in, Bangs stowing in his own machine the coat he had +delayed both to secure, a said the while: + +"When those charging battalions went by, of their officers threw away +his coat. They were on a double quick, to reinforce others that gone +on before I came down. + +"Lucky they happened to have no planes. Otherwise I'd never pulled +through. As it was she was a close squeeze. I slipped down, bagged +the coat, and here she is. You needn't laugh, Sergeant. There's maps +and papers inside. Might be wuth something to our side yet." + +"Bully for you, Bangs! I was wrong. Are you ready? Then follow me! +We're going to stick round the Boche flanks a bit and who knows what we +may run up against?" + +Without a bit of trouble Blaine's triplane glided upward after a short +slide over the rough level of No-Man's-Land, and he was off. Buck +attempted to follow but the machine skidded sideways, struck a slope +and after a mute struggle with adverse conditions came to a standstill. + Cursing to himself, Buck jumped out, forced his plane to a more stable +level, then mounting to his seat again he put on all power to try to +overtake his companion. But in that short interval Blaine had vanished +in fog. + +"If this isn't bad luck, I don't know what is!" soliloquized Buck, as +his Nieuport began to rise. "If I'd got off at first, I wouldn't 'a' +lost Lafe. Well, I must do a trifle of scouting on my own hook. " + +Buck was climbing, not too fast, for he watched, still hoping that +something might happen that he would sight Blaine again. Flying thus +easily, climbing still higher, he was all at once startled by a burst +of machine gun fire from the ground ahead. There came a reply higher +up, and he felt that this must come from Lafe. + +Mounting swiftly, he presently became conscious that a machine was +hovering above and behind, "getting on his tail" as the slang runs +among aviators at the front. The quickest way to avert the danger was +first to try the "side loop" which is a kind of "loop-the-loop" +sideways, a risky trick, yet a good thing if rightly done. Buck tried +it instantly. When upside down he darted ahead swiftly but in a +reversed course, bringing him fairly behind the other plane as he, +righted. + +As he came up to a level again, now behind his opponent, he saw for an +instant that the shadow looming scarce fifty yards ahead looked +strangely like Blaine's machine. What to do next -- before firing? +Use his private signal, of course. No sooner thought than done. Two +peculiar flares shot forth, each glowing brightly for an instant, then +vanishing. + +"But -- hey?" Bangs was ejaculating to himself excitedly. "Will he +answer?" + +Up, up climbed Buck, his pulses throbbing for one long instant, the +nose of his machine settling rapidly on the tail of the other plane. +Then came an answering flash. After that another. + +"Bully for you, Lafe! My, that was a close call! I mustn't lose track +of him again. We'll be there with the goods yet, if we stick +together." This to himself. + +Presently both machines were moving side by side, hardly fifty yards +apart. To come closer at this rate of speed these small scouting +planes maintaining would have caused a mutual air suction that might +cause a collision. This is the real cause of many of the accidents +that befall inexperienced aviators, when out flying, perhaps by +themselves. + +The night, of course, was far spent. The fog was lightening +imperceptibly. Their watches betokened that it was nearing three a.m. +Blaine got out his megaphone, for talking at high altitudes is much a +matter of expanded lung power. He began, as usual, with a joke. + +"Like to 'a' got you back there!" he shouted. "Where you been?" + +"Looking for you mainly. What you going do next?" + +"See that line of fire off norwest! We that's where our front and +Johnny Bull's join. Appincourte Bluff seems either to have been turned +or to have turned Fritzy off. Ready for a scrimmage?" + +"You ought to know, Lafe!" Bangs laughed easily into the megaphone. +"Ready for most anything." + +"Well, our front there is rather weak. Follow me. Don't lose me. +We'll give that infantry a time trying to find out who we are that's +spitting on them from overhead. Catch me?" + +"Yep-fire away! Suits me!" + +In another few seconds the two machines were flying through the +thinning fog, gradually lowering their altitude and nearing at a rate +of a mile and a half a minute the advancing lines of the enemy, +revealed only to these fliers by the close barrage fire maintained by +their artillery in the rear. + +Of course beyond this barrage must be certain observation planes. The +chance must be taken of meeting one of these. Meanwhile the first +thing was to begin upon the assaulting battalions with their machine +guns. + +Almost in an instant they were over the front platoons, flying as close +as they dared in order to escape the barrage that was passing overhead, +falling now behind the front trench line of the Allies. This in order +to stop, or at least hinder the arrival of such reinforcements as could +be thrown forward to strengthen this suddenly assailed point. + +These planes, being of a late design, had a device whereby the aim of +the Lewis gun could be instantly altered from a horizontal to a +perpendicular slant. Moreover both Blaine and Bangs had repeating +rifles, and revolvers. Great dexterity was shown by each as their +machines, slackening their speed to that most suitable for accurate +firing, their motors roaring right over the assaulting columns, poured +down a spray of bullets that inevitably found a human mark. + +Fritzy usually charges in dense masses. He is "cannon fodder"; he knows +it, but apparently doesn't care. Now, however, he dodged, dived, +hunted shell holes, and otherwise evinced extreme terror. First one +plane, then the other, at nearest safe distance apart, rained down +showers of death. Was this another repetition that earlier trench +assault that resulted in the destruction of the sausages? It looked +so. might also be other swift moving machines behind, each pouring +leaden showers on infantry now defenseless. Yet a moment before they +were placidly plodding on towards the death in front, for which they +had been driven forth by their officers that night. + +Occasional shots were fired upward by soldiers here and there. But +though close, so swift were the machines that they vanished almost at +once from the time of their first appearance at any given point. + +Only two? No more. Fritzy began to take courage. Both planes were +now whirring on somewhere else. But were they truly gone? + +Even while officers were taking heart and again driving forward their +men, back came the two planes upon their former path, but now going +south instead of north. + +Again were the former scenes repeated, with even worse results. + +But now arose another sound, a sound as of an advance from the Allied +trenches. What could be? + + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE FINAL FIGHT + +The two aviators, their planes much shot with holes but otherwise +unhurt, rose suddenly, swooping in long circles to higher and yet +higher altitudes. The first flushes of dawn were breaking. In the air +two observation planes flying over the Allied front were signaling to +the German batteries in the rear, from which came the barrage +protecting their infantry from Allied advances. At once they knew what +to do. + +Both drove on through the hostile fire and bore down upon these +observation biplanes. Observation planes are not good fighters. In +less than a minute after rising those two fighting planes had chased +the larger, slower machines off the ground. + +But what was Blaine's surprise to see Bangs, not a hundred yards away, +making bold signals strange code to the Germans back in the rear. Lafe +himself could not read them. What did it mean? For an instant there +flashed to him a suspicion that Bangs from Montana might not be just +plain American. + +"I won't think such a thing!" thought Lafe. "What is he up to?" + +Then he saw that the enemy barrage was falling further back, just about +where the recovering infantry was resuming its advance, after the short +shock occasioned by the two raiding triplanes that had suddenly gone +aloft. + +"Were the Allies in their turn assaulting the Boches? What could it +mean? In another brief interval Blaine found out, when sudden +demoralization set in at once. Without apparent cause the Boches, now +nearly upon the first Allied trenches, found that they were the center +of a bombardment from the rear. What did that mean? The fire was +withering. + +Could the foe they were attacking be taking them in the flank? The +idea was almost unbelievable. And yet the fire was also insupportable. + +With one accord the front lines recoiled, although their officers beat +the privates with their sword flats, cursing and reviling them as +cowards. Right on top of this, the queer noises in front materialized +into certainties. + +The Allies were advancing. Were there not also reinforcements behind? +Reinforcements hitherto kept back by what? The barrage. Where was +that barrage now? Falling not only on their rear but also further +back. How did this happen? Where were their own planes? + +Officers and men were dropping on every hand. A charging foe in front +was almost on them. After a minute or two of this, that whole section +of the advance appeared to melt like froth on the water. + +Meantime up above, and from a higher altitude than before, Bangs +continued his mysterious signaling; not to Blaine or to the Allies, but +-- wonder of all wonders -- to the Boches themselves. + +Blaine now understood this, for he had noticed that the barrage itself +had fallen back. Instead of covering and protecting the Germans, it +was slaughtering them even more than the two aviators had done with +their machine guns from a lower altitude. + +Upon the sudden rout below, which was sensed rather than seen by the +two fliers as the dawn rapidly grew, came the new rush of the Allies. + +By this time Blaine felt that he and Buck must do one of two things. +Those retreating observation planes would undoubtedly bring up air +reinforcements. The barrage had already stopped. This was good for +the charging Allies as well as the retreating Boches. + +"Buck and I have either got to get back inside our lines or fight," he +thought, carefully balancing his triplane against a rising breeze. "Or +we might rise higher and take another chance. One thing we have done. +We've helped bust up that charge, no matter how their advance has fared +at Appincourte or elsewhere." + +Forward went the Allied infantry, driving the now disrupted Huns before +them. The fog kept clearing. Presently both Blaine and Bangs saw +heavy masses of men advancing in platoon formation over the scraggy +battle-scarred plain. They were probably two miles distant from the +retreating Huns. + +Blaine darted back and sent out his signal flares, announcing the fact. + Indicating the probable distance, he waited for the barrage he was +sure would come. Bangs, seeing that Lafe was signaling, doused his now +useless Boche flares and confirmed what Blaine had signaled. Presently +the barrage began, and now both saw that it was incumbent on them to +remain up there as long as possible to assist the new Allied assault by +rendering their barrage effective. + +But Bangs once more perplexed Lafe by another manifestation of his way +of fooling the Germans. More and more Blaine was perplexed. + +"Where in sin did Buck get read up in Boche code flares like he is now? + I know a thing or two, but he's got me beat to the woodpile this time!" + +Bangs, spiraling upward and back towards the Hun front, was sending +forth flare after flare that was meaningless to Lafe, yet which was for +some purpose. Then suddenly Buck shot off on the side towards Blaine +the following words in the code familiar to all Allied spad-pilots. + +"Get back! Tell our folks to double their fire, keeping ahead of our +advance. Savvy?" + +Blaine mutely obeyed. The Allied fire was redoubled as per +instructions. Buck, by this time far to the east, could now be seen +making back towards the Allied front where Blaine was zigzagging to and +fro waiting for what might come. Suddenly, behind Bangs, he saw the +speck-like dots of Teuton planes emerging into the upper air and +rapidly approaching. At the same time other planes in the west +appeared, biplanes, scouts, and one or more heavy battle planes. +Evidently the cards were being laid for a squadron air battle unless +something else intervened. Instinctively Lafe thought of his +ammunition roll. He was well supplied at starting on this trip, and +had transferred his own remaining stock to Finzer's plane when +abandoning his own. But the most of it had already been used. It was +not likely that Buck was any better prepared in that line. At least +they might wait and join their own planes, now coming out of the west. + +In the east the hostile squadron came on rapidly. Deploying as they +advanced, both Blaine and Bangs could see that there were battle +planes, scouts, and heavy bombing machines. These last were sweeping +lower, trying to get in range of the advancing Allies. + +"Come on! Hurry up!" both aviators kept repeating to their own +advancing air fleet. "No time to waste! Let's get at 'em. They're +going to bomb our front lines." + +Almost immediately a number of fast triplanes forged on ahead of the +rest at a speed which a year before would have been deemed impossible. +Joining the two weary airmen who had been up all night, yet were still +full of the battle hunger, they swept low down and straight at the +bombing planes, now beginning to drop their deadly explosives along the +lines of advancing infantry. But only for an instant, as it were, did +they go uninterrupted. + +A hail of bullets from machine guns rained down upon them. In almost +no time two of these planes went staggering earthward. Blaine, +forgetting his almost empty sheaves of Lewis gun ammunition, hung upon +the tail of one, while Buck, with side loops and a nose dive, flung +himself almost literally on another. + +"Holy Moses!" ejaculated Buck as his last full sheaf went into the +cartridge roll, and he realized that with this gone he would be +absolutely helpless. "I don't want to quit. But if this don't fetch +another one, I'll have to. I'll have to anyhow." + +In the meantime, the Boche fighting planes had mixed in with the Allied +fighters, interrupting their assault upon the bombers. And such an +exhibition of diving, darting, nose dipping, looping, and what not had +seldom been seen along that extended front. + +Realizing the damage to be done by bombs on the unprotected infantry +charging below, both Blaine and his comrade kept strictly after the +bombing planes. Let those fresh arrivals who had plenty of ammunition +attend to the fighting Fokkers and other battling planes that had +arrived so inopportunely. + +By this time the anti-aircraft guns were getting in their work. With +the targets so close, though darting hither and yonder with bewildering +speed, two of the German fighting planes were soon zigzagging towards +the ground. One fell right in the path of a disorderly advance of the +infantry, which happened to be a well-known Canadian battalion. From +his perch, his own ammunition exhausted, Blaine saw those troops surge +around and over that unlucky plane, then pass on, leaving a flaming +wreck behind. + +The bombs began to explode. Blaine saw the danger to other troops +behind. It so happened that these troops were Sammies and Blaine, with +a swoosh, swept down to within a dozen yards right over the heads of +these men and the column heard his megaphone bellowing: + +"Watch out, bunkies! 'Ware that wrecked plane! She's full of Boche +bombs. Watch out -- spread out! Give it room! Oh, you doughboys! +Rah for Uncle Sam!" + +Recognizing the meaning and divining that it must be an American, the +Sammies shouted back as they divided and gave the necessary room: + +"Oh, you Spaddy! What you doin' down so low? Rah for you! Bully boy! + Rah, rah, rah! You're all right!" + +And on they went, comforted themselves, and comforting the weary, +ammunitionless aviator who now recognized that his present job was +about over. + +His plane was literally shot to pieces. The wings hung in tatters. +Only the vital mechanism that kept him moving, thereby supporting him +in the air, fortunately remained untouched. Even now he staggered and +with difficulty rose a trifle upward, while off to the right he saw +Bangs in even a worse fix. + +The latter, with his wings honeycombed by bullet holes, had received +the full charge of a machine gun from some passing battle plane in an +around his propellers. His supply of ammunition too was now exhausted. + +Could he make the ground in a safe place? With every ounce of power, +his propeller crank revolving like lightning, still he made alarmingly +slow progress. Good reason why. Two of his propeller blades were shot +off. The other two were revolving swifter than can be imagined. He +felt that he was drifting down, down, amid the riff-raff, smoke and +confusion of a battlefield over, which the thunders of conflict had +twice passed. + +Above, the aerial battle was still going on, though making towards the +east; for the Germans, following their retiring columns, were being +slowly yet persistently pushed back to their trenches. Occasional +bullets spattered about him. Day was fully on, and a rising sun +disclosed a prospect of clearing skies. + +There was a ruined house or cabin just ahead. Could he land there? It +lay deserted for the time being amid war wreck and ruin, its roof +battered in, its stone walls crumbling. Still it promised temporary +shelter. Blaine had vanished. Had his plane gone down? Was he +smitten by a stray bullet? Had his plane, unguided, crashed to the +earth? Would he, Bangs, live to? + +Buck's hurried thoughts were suddenly checked by a sharp, stinging +sensation that began at his side, then seemed to fill him completely. +At the same time he realized that his hands no longer hold the steering +wheel. He strove to seize it again, but his muscles did not obey. A +stupor was on him. The sunlight faded, gave way to a bewildering maze +of twinkling stars. His last conscious sensation was that his machine +was crashing downward. Then came a long mental blank. + +Meantime Blaine was having his own troubles. + +The rest of the air fighting had gone eastward, while he was contending +with the increased crippling of his planes. Overhead he saw only the +now clearing sky. Ahead of him, beyond a rippling stream, lay certain +trenches held, he felt sure, by his own side. But could be reach them? + Far behind the noise of battle rumbled. Where was Buck? Somehow he +had lost sight of his comrade within the last few minutes. + +"Buck is a good, bang-up fellow. We ought to go back together." + +But his power was waning. Try as he might, the plane was sagging +groundward. Only Blaine's skillful efforts kept it from dropping with +a crash which he knew would probably be the end of him -- Lafe Blaine. + +What was that just below him which some scraggy shell-torn timber had +kept him from seeing before? + +"Looks like a piece of a house," he muttered. + +Stoutly he tried to make the small open space around this half ruined +hovel. Almost he made, it. But just beyond a crumbling stone wall, +that once must have been the enclosure of a tidy yard, the tail of his +machine dipped all at once. It struck the wall, causing the heavier +bow, weighted with the propellers, the petrol tank and the machinery, +to crash downward with force. + +The recoil sent Blaine, now at the last physical gasp, plunging forward +over the almost perpendicular machine. He struck the earth heavily, +and lay there almost insensible, while the vanquished plane fell +sideways, striking wall and ground, then, with a last respiration not +unlike that of its master, it lay still, a wreck for the time being. + +From out the house two skirted figures ran, figures in nurse's attire, +with the omnipresent red cross blazoned conspicuously on their +white-capped headgear. + +"Oh, Andra, Andra!" cried the first to the one following. The last +cast a swift glance back inside the cabin. Then she, too, hurried to +the prostrate form lying beside the wrecked machine. + + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A QUICK CONVALESCENCE + +Two days later. The scene had changed. The Allied front, leaving the +rippling stream some two miles or more in the rear, was now showing a +convex bend towards the foe instead of a concave hollow, as was the +case before the :fighting. + +The little half-ruined cabin was in decidedly better shape than before. + A number of Red tents and temporary wooden shelters had risen if by +magic in the small open space around. Trenches stretched eastward, +communicating the new trenches now occupied by Americans French, with a +sprinkling of British forces. + +That the new front was considered as something to be held permanently +was further indicated the rapid construction of a new road for +automobiles and motor-car traffic along this new line. Even ties, +lumber and rails were being piled here and there, as foretokening that +one more of the many short lines of railway was now being prepared for +use in the near future. + +Still further back was another aerodrome, unfenced as yet, but nearly +completed. There was one reassuring sign of its ownership and +occupancy. As the light winds flared out its folds, so that all who +saw might read, there floated out our own national emblem, the Stars +and Stripes. + +Inside the restored hut lay Buck Bangs on a white cot, while on another +reclined the stalwart form of Lafayette Blaine. Both of these spad +pilots, though pale and looking rather the worse for wear, showed such +evidence of comfort and bodily ease that one felt sure things must have +happened to both. On the lapel of each coat was military decoration, +evidently very recently bestowed. + +Blaine at last threw down the magazine he was reading and glared at his +partner, who moved with more difficulty when he changed his reclining +position for one less unbearable. + +"What's got into you, Buck?" said Blaine impatiently. "Why don't you +go to sleep? Afraid you'll dream of that pretty girl what picked you +up?" + +"Little good I get dreaming of her, Lafe! But wasn't it queer? Just +as soon as you got straight and I was out of danger, off they +went-bang! Durn it! They was both here yesterday while the Doe and +Sawbones were at work. My, how that girl could smile -- and exclaim!" + +"That was one thing she could do, Buck." Blaine grinned. "All her +exclaiming was in good Yankee English -- real United States." + +"And what have we got waiting on us now? Ugh!" Buck made a painful +face, but whether caused by his thought or by having to change his +position again was not at first apparent. + +A middle-aged, rather homely, yet kindly nurse entered and puttered +round them both. At last she inquired in rather lame English: + +"Will Monseurs, so lately promoted for their gallantry -- will they +have anything more? I shall be delight to --" + +"No, no, Madame," broke in Buck, while Blaine furtively grinned. "We +are doing finely-finely -- ouch!" + +"Ees zat anew pain?" The elderly nurse was at once by his side. "We +must rest quiet, mon enfant. Quiet for joost one day more. Then you +will be moved to our nearest base -" + +"Say, Madame!" Buck was interrupting eagerly, "what has become of the +girls that were here yesterday?" + +"Ah-h! Yes, yes! They are grand Mesdemoiselles -- both. Reech! La, +la! I hear their +father owns r-railroads in your countree. Oui! Yiss, yiss, all right. + Zere! I am learning ze language. It cooms easy - adieu!" And she +vanished through the door. + +"What do you think of that, Lafe? Why were those two young girls, both +Red Cross apprentices, why were they left here alone? Don't they know +the Boches would rather bomb a hospital than eat wienerwurst for lunch? + And then as soon as the place became really safe, off they go; but +where?" + +"Say, Buck, you make me tired! Hush up! I guess we'll meet up with +them some day soon. If we don't -- what's the odds?" + +"And their daddy -- so this blessed old mollycoddle says -- owns real +United States railroads. Makes me sick! But -- say, Lafe! Wasn't +that youngest one a beaut? If ever I get a furlough, I'm going to look +her up." + +"And be a fool for your pains! Look here, you do have sense enough to +put up a good fight in the air. But on the ground, the real earth, +you're becoming a fool." + +But Buck rolled, and grumbled, and so wore himself out fretting that on +the next day it was decided to send them both to the base hospital for +a week, which was duly done. + +Three days more and Blaine, now an ensign, besides having his French +decoration) had so nearly regained his strength that he no longer lay +on a cot, but sat and walked about, a convalescent. + +Buck Bangs, now a sergeant, still fretted and grumbled, improving more +slowly. The new stripes on his arm cheered him somewhat, yet he +eagerly eyed each group of visitors who strolled through the wards, the +reading rooms, and other parts of the big base hospital where the two +were convalescing. But, so far, his longings were ungratified. + +A few hundred yards further back, on the edge of a French village that +now quartered a brigade of our Sammies, was the new aerodrome where +(quite a number of Uncle Sam's new aviators were on duty, day and +night. Most of those we have met before were there, all except poor +Finzer and a few others that had fallen in the various raids that had +taken place from time to time. There was Erwin, now a corporal; Lex +Brodno, His American Pole, and others . Byers was in charge, with Anson +and one or two other British aviators detailed to help the new American +airmen get into thorough shape and training. + +This recent transfer from the other station had taken place while +Blaine and Bangs were absent raiding and subsequently in the hospital. +Bauer, the fellow who had made the signal to the enemy the night that +raid started, had been tried by court-martial and was to have been shot +but on the night before the intended execution he managed to escape, +probably by connivance of somebody. It was afterward heard that he had +gotten back to Germany by some hook or crook. Would he ever pay the +penalty he had so richly deserved? That remains yet to be seen. + +On the day when Byers himself escorted Blaine and Bangs from the +hospital to the aviation camp, there were many visitors. Amid the +cordial welcomes given them by their old comrades and also many new +ones, Buck anxiously scanned each group of visitors as they passed. +Lafe joked him about this. + +"Why, you poor stiff," said the new ensign, "where are you looking? +What's wrong, anyhow? Gee! Isn't it jolly to be back among the boys +-- well, well!" + +Blaine interrupted himself when Buck, his eyes roving, suddenly espied +two young women, garbed as Red Cross nurses - novitiates -- wandering +amid the new hangars in which were a score or more of the American +machines. Straightway Buck had bolted. + +Blaine, following him with his eyes, saw Buck doff his aviator's cap as +he reached the group that also included an elderly man and lady, and +another matronly form which was easily recognized by many as the head +nurse in charge of the new Red Cross stations within the American +sector. + +"Durn me if he isn't shaking hands with those girls!" soliloquized +Lafe. "The cheek of him! If he wasn't such a mighty good fellow, I'd +call him down!" + +But Blaine was a pretty good chap himself. He and Erwin had come +together and were exchanging cordial small talk concerning what had +happened to each recently, when he again saw Buck with these visitors +strolling leisurely by towards the nearest landing stage. Towards this +place a pair of swift scouts were making, on their return from the +German front somewhere east. + +"Know those folks?" he idly queried of Orris, now a corporal. + +"Bet your life! Say, Lafe, who doesn't know of Senator Knute Walsen of +Idaho? He's a big man, over here to supervise our rail transportation +in France. See those two Red Cross girls? They're his daughters. +Taking courses in nursing, I hear, and right at the front too. +Wouldn't that get you? Who is that showing them round?" + +"That is Buck Bangs, from Butte, Montana -- Our old Buck! What d'ye +think of that, bo?" + +"He seems quite intimate with 'em, don't he? Where'd he meet up with +that crowd, Lafe?" + +"Well, he and I sort o' dropped in on the girls just before we were in +the relief station. Remember, don't you? It was while we were +returning home from that raid where poor Finzer got his." + +"Don't say! Yes, of course, we've all heard how you and Buck piloted +our fellows after you two had been out all night. Had a hell of a time +-- didn't you?" Suddenly Erwin looked his amazement. "Look here, +Lafe. Honest Injun! Were those two daughters of old Walsen in that +hut when you and Bangs just managed to make your landing there? +Whoopee!" + +Blaine had nodded, then looked after the receding group half +regretfully. Orris gripped the Ensign's arm, and began telling things. + +"They must be plucky girls, all right. It so happened that the older +nurse -- the one you and I saw later -- had gone away with a +desperately wounded man in an ambulance to the next base. After you +and Buck landed, you were both bad off, he worse than you. Well, sir, +the Boches shelled that hut before any one got back, and before our +boys had driven the Boches clear off. What do you reckon those two +girls did? They didn't holler: nary a squeal! But they stuck to you +two and to business, and nursed you both, so that by the time aid +arrived, you were all pretty comfortable. Some girls, those two! I +hear that the younger, Miss Andra Walsen, is going to remain. Maybe +they both are. And as for money, there's wads of it in the family, +believe me! No wonder Bucky is bucking up to 'em a bit!" + +After this lengthy exordium, Orris discreetly, changed the subject by +wanting to know when he and Buck would be assigned again to duty. + +"I'm ready right now. Whether Buck is or not I can't say. As for me, +I've got the old flying fever, big and hot. I suppose it rests with +Byers." + + Later on as the group whom they had been discussing approached, Blaine +and his friend were introduced. Andra, it was plain to see, had ready +given poor Buck a deal to think about later on. She was handsome, +dark-eyed, light-haired with a peachy complexion -- a combination hard +indeed for a susceptible youth to resist. Avella, her sister, +blue-eyed, dark-haired, a year older than her sister, was equally +fascinating, yet in a different way. + +Both were kindly, earnest, in love with their new work, and ready to go +anywhere or do anything that would serve the good cause. + +As a matter of course, when Erwin excused himself on plea of other +business and the Senator, looking at his watch, found he had an +appointment with Byers, the four young people were left alone. By +couples they strolled through the aerodrome, inspecting this, +commenting on that, while other fliers regarded the boys with more or +less envy. + +After a while several specks were seen in the eastern sky that +approached rather more rapidly than was usual with friendly planes at +such time of day. Blaine had his glasses out, while listening to the +comments of the girls on the difficulties they bad in bringing both +boys into that hut and dressing their wounds. + +"We had to go for water," said Avella. + +"You see we hadn't been there but a day or so. I went, and nearly got +lost among the old shell craters before I got to the spring that was an +awful distance off. It was dark, and so smoky! I was afraid something +might happen while I was away." + +"You sure were mighty good to us," remarked Blaine. "What luck! To +come way over here and be saved by two lovely girls right from our own +part of the world. Can you beat it, Buck?" + +"Don't want to beat it! Say, you ladies are our own kind of folks. +I'll be homesick when you two leave." + +"Perhaps we won't leave -- yet." Avella smiled enigmatically. "Papa +is willing for us to stay. At first I was going with him; but he says +Andra and I would need each other to keep from getting homesick." + +"Look, look!" Andra was gazing through Buck's glasses at the +approaching planes, which had a strange look as they flew at tremendous +speed in V formation. "What if they should not be friendly?" + +Just then Blaine closed his own glass for he saw flyers coming on the +run. + +"Are you two all right?" he called to the boys. "All our best men are +off on the daily run over the Boche trenches. I cannot think how these +fellows got by. Get down to the hangars, if you feel strong enough. I +may have to go up myself . They're making straight for us." + +The girls were looking on in wonder, whereat Byers turned to them. + +"You better get into the bomb-proofs," he said. "Your father's yonder." + +The Senator was seen hurrying from one of the buildings towards them. + +Both the aviators, seeing, Erwin and Brodno on the run, joined them and +hastened on down to where mechanics were trundling out a number of +machines upon the smooth level that was the starting point nearest. +With a word to the Senator, Byers followed, while the girls both waved +their handkerchiefs. Said Andra to her sister: + +"Let us go on down. I want to see them start. Do you think Mr. Bangs +is strong enough? Look at him run!" + +"I guess he is as strong as Mr. Blaine. But they both really ought to +have a few days' leave, don't you think?" + +Arrived on the driveway, half a dozen men, all in the leather uniforms +with caps and goggles to match, were mounting the machines nearest. +Blaine, having donned his rig on the run, as it were, was already in a +triplane much like the one he had last used. Turning to the mechanic, +he asked: + +"It cannot be my own machine, is it?" + +"Sure thing!" the man replied. "It was sent to us the day after you +got in. We fixed her up, thinking you might need it. Glad you are out +so soon, Ensign." + +"Thanks for that! I reckon we'll need all we got by the looks of that +squad that's coming. They're dropping bombs already." + +"Yes, sir," said another mechanic, using his glass. "And right over +where you and Sergeant Bangs came down." + + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE BATTLES IN THE AIR + +In a trice Blaine was rising in the air. The feeling that he had again +his old machine was reassuring. It put new life into his nearly +restored vitality. + +With Buck Bangs a close second and Orris Erwin right behind him, the +leading planes spiraled into the air, with the advancing Boches hardly +two miles away, their bombs dropping as they flew. + +Byers himself was getting into his own plane, a two-seated affair +equipped with two machine guns. With him was his own observer, an +excellent photographer and airman. The two opposing squadrons were +about equal. Dividing into two columns, with Blaine heading one and +Captain Byers the other, they bore directly off toward the enemy. + +Such a start had the Boches gotten, by somehow missing the Allied +planes that were supposed to be picketing the front, that a direct +attack was inevitable. Up or down they rose or fell, each plane +singling out its opponent, and each maneuvering for position. It was +here that the superior speed and nimbleness of the Allied triplanes was +soon apparent. + +Byers in his big biplane made straight for the leading plane opposed to +him and presently the rattle of machine gun fire interplayed with the +whirring sounds of the motors, while the diving, flipping, looping, +with all the other air stunts of sky battling, made the scene so +interesting to those below that the adjacent bomb-proofs were hardly +thought of. + +On a small knoll the American senator and his two daughters, glasses in +hand, were watching, listening, semi-oblivious as to any possible +danger to themselves. Finally a spatter of bullets and shell fragments +roused the father to a sense that more than himself might be in the +line of fire at any moment. + +"This won't do, girls!" he announced in peremptory tones. "Get into +that shelter!" pointing at a half underground dugout near. "Run, run!" + +Avella, without lowering her glass, replied: + +"In just a minute, papa. See Mr. Blaine! My! What's he doing to that +other horrid fellow?" + +Blaine was at the instant trying to got on the tail of a big Taube, not +unlike the one Blaine and Erwin had captured and used while on an +earlier scout, as may be recalled by the reader. What accentuated +Blaine's eagerness was the glimpse he caught of that Death's Head Flag, +which had also adorned the former captured machine. But the Boche +within this one was an adept and so maneuvered that Blaine, to save +himself from an onset from behind, was obliged to try the risky +side-loop, much to the surprise of the other. For Blaine, while upside +down, was already firing at his opponent, and as he rose was directly +on the tail. But to the girls below it looked as if Blaine was already +crashing towards the earth. Andra gave a nervous scream. Avella was +shocked, of course, but had her glass the next instant upon Buck Bangs, +at that moment engaged in a fierce duel with two enemy opponents. + +"Look! Look!" called Andra. "He's falling -- ah-h-h!" This last word +was long drawn out during which, to her intense joy, Blaine had righted +himself and was behind and below the other plane. Now she could see +the spitting of lire as he plugged bullets and shrapnel into his +astonished opponent. + +Scarcely did she breathe again before the Taube, its Death's Head Flag +collapsing about its staff, was tumbling down, almost over them. At +the same time one of the Huns battling with Bangs was hit in the tank +by a rain of bullets from Byers' machine which was striving to rise +above and behind the foe the captain had singled out for himself. + +Down went this one of Buck's opponents in flames. Both planes fell +just without the grounds, while the battle above filtered away towards +the German front, the invaders evidently having gotten enough. Two +other enemy planes were retiring in a crippled condition, all pursued +by the Allies, who had so far lost only one machine. + +The Senator, seeing little heed paid by his daughters to his commands, +was seized by the spirit of the combat and recklessly hurried off +towards the nearest wrecked plane that had fallen. The girls, with +others, followed. + +It was a sad sight. This machine, the wings still burning, lay in a +confused huddle over a crushed human body that still gave signs of +life. It was the plane that Byers bad sent down in flames. + +Aided by men from the aerodrome, they extinguished the fire with a +ready hose, the Senator and the girls assisting. Carefully they +dragged out a horribly mutilated yet youthful form. A surgeon, with +the girls aiding, tried to alleviate the, pain of the dying man. His +lips moved. + +"What's he trying to say, Vella?" demand the Senator. "You know some +German, don't you?" + +"Sounds like 'Schwein, Schwein!' Doesn't that mean pigs, papa?" + +"It sure does! There, he's talking again!" + +The girls listened, but could not understand; while the surgeon, +formerly an intern at one of the New York hospitals, smiled pityingly. + +"Poor fellow!" he volunteered. "He's not complimentary." + +"What's he saying now? Sounds like American -- then something else." + +"He says, 'Amerikaner-all swine-pigs,' and a lot more." + +They drew back somewhat; but the girls whose sympathy predominated, +continued to minister to his needs until the last breath announced that +one more Boche had gone to his account. + +It was an hour or so before the rest of the squadron again appeared. +With them were the scouting planes that had been wished for when the +enemy squadron so suddenly appeared. In the fights over the German +trenches another of our planes had somehow vanished. No one could say +further except that Erwin, the missing pilot, had been seen mounting +high up amid a scurry of clouds, with two pursuing Fokkers on his heels. + +Blaine and Bangs were in the midst of hearty congratulations from many, +including Senator Walsen and his daughters, when the news was brought +to them. + +They had just alighted and were standing beside their machines. +Instantly Blaine turned to Buck, saying: + +"You and your machine all right, Buck?" + +Andra, at this, regarded Lafe closely. + +"I'm O. K. and so is my bully little Nieuport. Say, old man, we've got +to go out and see what's gone wrong with that little snipe Orry, eh?" + +" Sure thing! Orry is a good fellow. I'm with you." + +The next instant Blaine was back in his seat. He turned to the +mechanic who had just finished examining the machine. + +"Fill up the tank, Bill," he said. "And hand me out a few more sheaves +of ammunition. Sure you've got enough, too, Buck?" + +"Do you -- do you -- you don't mean that you two are going up again?" +queried Andra, and for an instant Blaine detected something about her +that betokened a more than casual interest. + +"It's my -- it's our duty to go, Miss Walsen," said he, meeting her +eyes sympathetically. "Erwin is one of our best men. He's a true spad +pilot. Besides that, he and I are great cronies. Buck feels the same +way." + +"Oh, I -- I think I understand." But she spoke with a certain +repressed agitation. If Lafe had been less se1f-conscious he would +have understood and doubtless felt flattered. + +As it was, he turned to Bangs, the Montana lad, now also seated in his +pilot's place, with Avella on the other side saying something. He +heard Bangs reiterate: + +"Oh, sure, Miss Vella! We'll be careful -- very careful -- you bet! +I'm only too anxious to get back with Orry and see more of you two +girls. I say, Senator," to the father now looking approvingly on, +"this lost pilot is one of our best. He's a turnip -- a real joker! +We can't go back on him." + +"I guess you are right, Mr. Bangs. If you and your friends do return +to us, I will see that you all have leave to run back to Paris and at +least take dinner with us at our hotel." + +By this time the two young nurses were standing back, watching the +scene with the frank mien that American girls view something which they +regret, yet at the same time admire. Then up came Captain Byers +hurriedly, calling out: + +"Are you lads going? That's plucky! I was about to dispatch some one. + We cannot afford to lose Erwin. He's too valuable, and I know he'd do +the same by you!" + +"You bet, Captain!" This from Buck as his machine trundled off, +propelled by two mechanics until it rose. "That was bully the way you +busted that chap in the tank. He might have got me, else." + +Blaine was already in the air, with Bangs a close second. A moment +later and they were climbing rapidly, so rapidly that soon they looked +like two great birds winging their way over the Allied front and across +No-Man's-Land into the dark beyond. Blaine's observer, Stanley, was +also in his seat behind. + +When the two girls finally reached their quarters that night at the +small inn in the adjacent village they were both dispirited. The +Senator was writing letters while the girls were preparing for the +evening meal. + +"Funny, isn't it, how we seem to be interested in those lads?" said +Andra. "I think that young Blaine is just splendid." + +"He is no better than Mr. Bangs." This from Avella. "Just think, Buck +is from Butte! Why, that is right next door to us in Idaho." + +Then they both sighed, looked queerly at each other and finally +embraced and kissed. If both were somewhat smitten over the looks and +conduct of these aviators, acquaintances of only a few days, certainly +their stately father as yet could hardly suspect. + +After the evening meal was over, they cunningly tried to persuade him +to go with them down to the aerodrome to see if anything had occurred +there. Probably the boys had not yet returned. The Senator doubted if +they had. + +"Look here, girls," said be, after being told that he was needed as an +escort, "why are you so interested? They'll come back all right. And +I am busy." + +"Well, papa, said Avella, "we'd feel better to go down and inquire." + +"Yes, daddy dear! You must go with us, please!" + +The upshot of all this was as usual. The Senator went. + +At the station they found Captain Byers returning from an observation +post where he had been scanning the eastern heavens in a last effort to +discern something of the absent planes that had long since vanished +over No-Man's-Land into the unknown void beyond, which was enemy +country. + +"I am afraid for those lads," said he to the Senator after greeting all +three. "They are both too risky at times, and they were much stirred +up over Erwin's long absence. Great friends they were, too." + +The Senator and the girls expressed concern. Especially so was it with +the sisters, both of whom grew pale as they listened. Perhaps they +were pleased that owing to the darkness this manifestation of inward +concern was hidden from the others. They quietly pressed each other's +hands. + +Just then an orderly came up on the run, his night glasses in hand. + +"Oh, Captain," said he, "there's a plane returning. I couldn't make it +out clearly. It sags a bit is if it was crippled, sir." + +"Wait for me, Senator," called Byers, starting out almost on the run, +his night glasses again out. The orderly followed rapidly. + +"Let us follow them, father," urged Andra, while Avella tugged at her +sister's arm, sure that the Senator would go too. "Come on, papa." + +Both girls were off, while the Senator came after, though at a slower +pace. + +Reaching the observation post -- merely a platform erected on the +highest elevation near by, they saw the captain and the orderly both +scanning the eastern skies through their night glasses, instruments of +the latest design. To the girls' nothing was as yet was visible but +the stars now shining dimly through a thin haze that hung over h +landscape. + +"Let us go up. Papa will follow." This from Andra as they climbed the +steps to the little platform where the two aviators were scanning the +upper air. + +From the disjointed remarks of the airmen the realized that something +was in sight, yet hardly visible to the naked eye. At last, however, +came a gasp from one of the girls who pointed eagerly to the other. + +"Don't you see it?" exclaimed Andra. "Where are your eyes? My! It's +sagging downward. I wonder --' + +Here Avella interrupted with a slight scream as she too, caught sight +of a faint, filmy something that was teetering slowly down, but not in +straight lines as is usual when planes are descending in the regular +methods employed by aviators when striving to reach a certain landing. + +"What is the matter with it?" queried Andra to any one within hearing. + +"That you, ladies?" Byers turned suddenly, then his eyes sought his +glass again. "Why, it is quite evident that the machine is a Fokker +and disabled. He'll make it all right, I guess." + +"That is a German machine, isn't it?" asked Avella anxiously. + +"Mightn't it be a hostile one?" queried Andra. + +"The plane is of hostile make, Miss Walsen, but the chap inside is one +of us, you may be sure. There! I fear he is going to drop." + +Byers, followed by the orderly, was already running down the steps, +almost colliding with the Senator who arrived at this moment. After +the two aviators hurried the girls, meeting their father, and telling +him what was occurring. + +"And Captain Byers said that airman was about to drop - or fall out; I +don't know which." This from Andra. "Let us hurry after them, father, +and see what has happened." + +Senator Walsen, evidently used to these sudden whims on the part of his +daughters, turned and followed them, still in pursuit of the captain. +If he objurgated the haste, he did it silently. + +By the time the girls caught up with Byers, what had been a trim +airplane came thumping to the ground not more than two hundred yards +off in an unused corner of the big enclosure, its wings a mere mass of +tattered rags, its body riddled by many perforations of machine gun +bullets, fragments of shrapnel and so on. It was a marvel how it had +stayed up for so long, but it happened that neither the engine nor +petrol tank were vitally harmed. + +Still lashed to his seat, his arms hanging loosely, his head resting on +the rim of the small manhole, was the pilot, to all appearances +lifeless or else in a swoon. It was Stanley, Blaine's observation man. + + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE ADVENTURES OF ERWIN + +In the meantime, what had become of the two adventurous planes with +their occupants that had so blithely started out in search of the still +missing pilot and friend? Whither had their search carried them? How +was it that of the three who went forth only one had come back, perhaps +lifeless or barely alive, and in a German machine! + +Verily in this new warfare of the air strange are the daily happenings +on that fated West Front; nor can anybody foretell what stranger things +may happen than have happened before, even to the best pilots of them +all. + +During the air fighting when the Boches were sent back in retreat, with +some of their best planes missing, Erwin, after sending one already +half crippled Fokker crashing to earth, took after another German. +This last was a huge biplane manned by two men, one of whom lay +collapsed in his seat. The remaining pilot seemed bewildered. Already +the plane had received various punctures, though not sufficient to +prevent further flying. + +"No use to let that chap get away," reflected Orris. "He's lost his +observer, and his wings are in bad shape. Our fellows can attend to +the rest of these Boches. We've got 'em whipped anyway." + +Up, up went the German, with Erwin following, trying to circle round +into position to use his machine gun. But this was not easy. The +biplane, though crippled, was of such power and speed that it easily +kept well ahead of its pursuer who was yet far below. In fact, when an +altitude of several thousand feet was attained, the greater buoyancy of +the air at this stage was an aid to the half defeated foe. His vast +spread of double wings made it difficult for Orris, with his greater +motor power and reduced spread of planes, to much more than neutralize +their relative positions. + +Straight into the northeast fled the German. After him came Erwin, +still below and striving to get onto his adversary's tail. But despite +all he could do, it failed to bring him within the proper distance for +direct attack. + +"That is be up to now?" wondered the youth, for the Boche was half +rising in his seat, as if trying to lift something behind. "Hullo! +Blame me if he ain't trying to oust his dead mate!" + +This was exactly what the Boche pilot was trying to do. But for some +reason, not at first apparent, the man had difficulties. At last, by +letting go with both hands of wheel and controls, half turning in his +seat, Erwin saw him lift up the body of the observer and attempt to +fling it overboard. But even that was hindered for a moment, and in a +way that filled the watchful American with horror and disgust. + +Already the seemingly inanimate body was sliding over the sloping side +of the car, when Orris saw a hand stretch forth, seize the pilot's +extended arm and hang thus, half dangling over the side, the legs +kicking feebly. + +"Why, his mate's alive!" almost shouted the American, more shaken by +this exhibition than anything that had hitherto happened to him in his +short but risky campaign along the West Front. + +"Hey, there! You beast -- you villain!" Almost insanely Erwin was +shouting, for he was convulsed by a fury that made him for the time +being oblivious to the fact that he was too far away to be heard by any +one but himself. + +For another instant the half alive man hung on, then was shaken loose. +Down he came, passing rather close to the scouting pursuer, his arms +and legs still working convulsively, and so on down to his inevitable +fate. By this time, and while Erwin was recovering, the big biplane +had recovered and was shooting eastward as before though with +accelerated speed, being now relieved of much of its former dead weight. + +Still grinding his teeth, Orris shot after the foe, determined more +than ever to overtake and have it out with the inhuman beast, now alone +in his flight to safety but a mile ahead. + +All thought of immediate return to his own lines was lost, at least +until he could wreak vengeance on the man who had just shown such +inhumanity towards his own comrade and countryman. + +"Curse him!" still objurgated the youth. "It would be bad enough if it +was a foe -- one of us that was aboard that cursed craft!" Orris +expelled a deep breath, while he put on all the power his speedy plane +would stand. "I'll get him even if the Boches got me!" + +From the course followed by the biplane Erwin knew that he was already +well to the northward of the point of his own return, provided he was +able to make the trip back in safety. Also it was clear that they were +now well over the rear German trenches and not very far from where +Belgian territory bordered on that part of northern France -- now so +long held by the foe. + +So swift and fast did Erwin go that the transient aid afforded by +casting over the still living observer was soon more than neutralized. +The boy was almost within easy range. + +"Just a little further and I'll get him." So ran Erwin's thought. +"But I mustn't waste ammunition. There's no knowing when or where I'll +need all I've got. Curse that beast! He shall die or I'll know the +reason why, even if I get into a narrow squeeze myself." + +At last he felt that he might begin. He was on the tail of the +biplane, though underneath. To his gratification he also saw that in +nimble activity he was now the superior. And in close fighting it is +the nimble, ducking, dodging, twisting machine that usually has certain +advantage. + +Pointing upward, he began to rain bullets and shrapnel into the fleeing +German, his Lewis gun working automatically, and with such precision +that the German shot off at right angles, dived, and strove to come up +underneath his assailant. But he was too slow. After the dive, as the +biplane came up in reverse position Erwin, prepared for this, half +wheeled, and shot obliquely downward, pointed straight at his +adversary. While he darted at a two-mile-a-minute pace, the deadly +Lewis again began vomiting its flaming death straight at the man seated +amidships, who was frantically trying to train his own gun on the +advancing foe. + +On came the scouting plane from five hundred yards to less than two +hundred, almost while one drew an average breath. Evidently the German +misunderstood. He thought that the now reckless foe, casting +discretion to the wind, was bent upon something desperate. But -- +what? Again and again he tried to train his own gun on the American, +but the latter kept edging just out of range, while at the same time he +drew near, nearer. + +At last, when within fifty yards, Erwin let him have it. While his +Lewis was spitting forth a continuous fire, by some method not at once +comprehended by the other, Erwin ranged alongside, still at a distance +where he was free from air suction, and literally riddled that big +plane with holes. After a spattering fire that did no harm, the German +abandoned the gun and strove to nosedive, always a rather risky +proceeding in such a big plane when haste is apt to neutralize +efficiency. + +Instead of presenting a slanting pair of wings, the big machine was +tipped in such a way as to present for a minute, its whole under side +to Erwin's view. + +It was the critical moment. With feet on controls, and one hand on the +wheel, the lad managed to pour a continuous volley of those leaden +hailstones squarely into the entrails of the foe. Then up he climbed, +at almost lightning speed, and as he came to dancing level off the +German's tail, out from the sagging biplane pitched another human body, +this time not the murdered, but the murderer. + +"Good riddance!" almost gasped Erwin. "He's gone to hell, where he and +his like belong! But -- what's this? Glory! His tank is busted; his +plane goes down with him and on fire!" + +Erwin was correct. The biplane's tank -- always in danger in fights +like this -- had been badly punctured by the same hail of Lewis bullets +that had also hit the German, just as his plane got out of control. +Instantly the flames burst forth as the big airship plunged downward, +only a little behind the falling body of its pilot. + +With great effort -- for the excitement had weakened the lad -- did +Erwin bring his scouting plane to an easier level and gait. Then he +looked down. + +Already both burning biplane and falling pilot had vanished. Far +below, the earth was only faintly visible through the mantling haze +that now permeated the lower atmosphere. All directions looked alike. +The air was comparatively still, and only the far distant rumble of +artillery, seldom absent along that front, was audible. It sounded not +unlike intermittent thunder. What to do next? Which way should he go? + For the first time since starting he felt for his compass. It was +gone. + +"What'll I do now?" he asked himself. + +"Where is the sun? I suppose all the boys that started when I did must +have gone back long ago. The time must be at least mid-afternoon." +The mists below evidently were rising and thickening. The boy hated to +acknowledge to himself that he must be lost, but it looked that way. +Cautiously he descended to lower levels but the landscape thus opaquely +revealed showed but little that was definite. Lower still he flew. As +the earth grew more and more distinct its strangeness did not diminish. + +Though it was risky, he went lower still, until the tops of trees, the +signs of half ruined houses began to appear. But nothing familiar was +in sight. About this time, with day waning and his anxiety growing, +Erwin was at last rewarded by glimpse of the sinking sun, seen hazily +through a canopy of clouds. There was no mistaking that it was the sun +and Orris found that he must have flown wrongly ever since he had put +the Boche biplane out of commission. Already he was heading westward +when from below there came a series of sharp reports from artillery +evidently close by. + +"Surely they cannot be shelling our trenches from way back here. I +must be far behind the enemy lines -- much too far to suit me. Ah, I +what's that?" + +That was an unmistakable whistle of bullets too close to be +comfortable. At least one or two perforated his wings. Then Erwin +pointed higher at the same time trying to keep his sense of direction, +imparted by a momentary sight of the western sun. More gun shots: +still more whistling of balls, and all too close to be comforting. + +Up, up he went, veering more to the west. All at once came other +gunshots, this time in an extended roar from an area covering perhaps a +mile in extent. + +"The Archies are getting too familiar," he grumbled. "I must put on +more speed. Won't do for me to fail to return." + +About that time a breeze sprang up from the east and the skies cleared +through a narrow Vista, showing a war-scarred belt of country below +with a small town ahead; that is, toward the west. But before he had +time to consider this, he saw two airplanes rising from the main street +of the little town, while the detonations of the Archies grew into a +continuous roar. + +"Guess they think they've cornered me," he thought, "but I'll give them +a race at least. If I have to, I'll fight." + +While reflecting, his machine was still rising rapidly, with the two +Boche planes in pursuit. + +"They won't catch me unless I'm crippled by those pesky Archies." + +Even while he thought, a stray fragment of shell penetrated the +fuselage of the triplane and, striking one of the propeller shafts, so +bent it that the lightning-like blades began to revolve more slowly, +despite all his efforts to increase his motor power. + +For the first time Erwin became seriously alarmed. Try as he might, he +was in no position to stop to make repairs, nor could he descend with +safety. Apparently the only thing for him to do was to speed up as +best he could, try to avoid this pursuit and, if it came to close +quarters, put up the best fight possible under the circumstances. + +This, of course, he did. But the sight of their own planes pursuing, +and at the same time signaling to their friends below, caused Erwin at +once to become the target for a continuous line of Archies, extending +from the front line German trenches way back to the unknown distances +in their rear. + +When the pursuing planes drew nearer, the shelling from below grew +less, while the condition of his own plane was such as to cause alarm. +He knew that he was cornered. Cornered, too, in a way seldom happening +to the birdmen who became temporarily lost in a raid. He eyed the two +nearing scout planes with no little aversion. Not only was his machine +going at less speed, despite his efforts, but the difficulty in +steering was greater. Apparently if would only obey the rudder slowly, +no matter how hard he tried to "get a move on her." As for wheeling, +volplaning, spiraling or doing anything that occasioned quick action on +his part with rudder or planes, he was nearly helpless. + +Meantime the pursuing planes, both Fokker scouting machines, drew still +nearer and began to use their machine guns. The balls pattered all +about; but as yet neither he nor his plane was hit. He was zigzagging, +mounting, spiraling, but all in a much slower fashion than he had been +used to do with this same plane before. + +"What's the use?" he groaned. "I can't get back at them, even if I am +running away. It's got to come. What's the odds? I'll turn and give +them one good try for their game, anyhow." + +He was already turning in his lame evolutions when something like a big +shadow darkened the air for an instant overhead. It passed. Then back +came the shadow again, and a voice was megaphoning, not from below or +in the rear but from right overhead. It said: + +"Hey, you, Orry! You're crippled! I can see that. But why don't you +come up higher? Get a move on!" + +Erwin knew that voice. It was like a trumpet call to the lad. +Fiercely be seized his own megaphone and shouted back, while with one +hand and his feet he kept his own flier still going. + +"Yes? I'm crippled but all right. I can't rise except slowly. Better +go while the going's good! Too many Archies below!" + +While Orris was shouting, another shadow passed overhead. It was Buck +Bangs in his Nieuport. For hours they had been scouring the eastern +air-zone in a vain search for Erwin, when the sudden roaring of the +Archies turned them in this direction. While Orris was turning, trying +also to rise, he saw as he faced to the rear that two planes instead of +one were now charging the enemy. These had for a minute or more been +directing their machine gun fire upon the new arrivals. Erwin had +heard the noise of them, and wondered why he was not hit again. This +was the reason. + +"Great boys, they are," he said to himself. + +"But I hope looking for me has not led them where we all don't want to +go," meaning the prison camps of the Huns, from which had oozed stories +of starvation and cruelty that were more than bad enough. +"Considering how I'm fixed, I'll lay low down here and watch my chance +to help. That other chap must be Bangs. Well, those two have got +nerve anyhow!" + + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +AT THE RUINED CHATEAU + +Having found the man they were searching for and in so perilous a +situation, neither Blaine nor Bangs wasted time. If Erwin was +crippled, so much the greater reason for them to relieve him. Only by +direct attack could this be accomplished, if at all. Though the +Archies were now roaring more than ever, Blaine and his observer, both +machine guns pointed f or instant action, started straight at the +pursuing planes. Buck was with him at a convenient distance. +Instantly the rattle of their guns pattered out in the air as a +fusillade of bullets was showered at the foe. + +The determined maneuvers of the new arrivals evidently daunted the +Huns. One of them immediately turned tail. The other tried to do so +but was intercepted by Blaine who, making an absolutely nervy +side-loop, came up under the Fokker and began again discharging a +deadly rain of bullets. + +But one source of refuge was left the German. Up, up he climbed. +Being cut off from retreat towards his own lines, he struck straight +across towards No-Man's-Land with the big biplane full pursuit and +still firing. + +Meantime Bangs took after the other, bringing it down under a detached +fire from the Archies who were naturally more cautious now in firing, +owing to the fear of hitting one of their own planes. Still they found +chances to pepper the little Nieuport in which Bangs was darting to and +fro like a hawk after a chicken. But before the Fokker was sent down, +Buck knew that his own wings were seriously perforated. As yet his +fuselage and tank, his engine and machinery were unhurt. + +Without waiting to note the fate of his opponent, Bangs turned nimbly +and struck out westward, following the crippled scout wherein was the +man they had set out to find and rescue. + +"I'll stick by Orry," was Buck's conclusion. "I guess Blaine and +Stanley can take care of that other chap. I wonder where the rest of +the Huns are. We are in the rear lines and there should be more +Fokkers or Taubes around." + +This query was soon answered. Ranging alongside Erwin, but not too +near, Buck megaphoned as follows: + +"How you getting on anyhow? Had a hell of a time findin' you. Didn't +find you any too soon, eh?" + +Erwin's replies were unimportant except that he was so crippled that he +must get back to the base, or at least alight somewhere soon or he, +would not be able to fly at all. + +"Bent piston rods," he also phoned. "And I'm afraid my main propeller +shaft has gone wrong somehow." + +"All right," returned Bangs. "I'll stick with you. Hullo! What's the +matter with Blaine and his man?" + +At this juncture the big biplane that had been pursuing the Fokker +suddenly ducked, dove far beneath his adversary and came up on the +opposing side, at the same time peppering the Hun with machine gun +explosive bullets. + +The Fokker almost stopped and appeared to tremble. Both Bangs and +Erwin saw that some serious internal injury had occurred. The German +was furiously at work within his manhole, leaving the plane much to its +own devices. + +So patent was this that Buck, who was nearest, shot upward and let +drive at the Hun from below. But instead of giving heed to this new +attack, the Hun now recovered, shot off to the right and began climbing +rapidly. Bangs, in accord with his resolve to stick to Erwin, did not +follow, but Blaine did, at the same time megaphoning to both Buck and +Orris as follows: + +"I've been up higher than you fellows. There's a number of planes off +in the sou'west. Gettin' so dark could hardly tell 'em apart. Better +stick together and watch out!" + +Though the Archies were now quite out of range, night was so near at +hand that this seemed good policy. Blaine now added: + +"I'm goin' to give that Fokker another round. Be back with you in a +minute." Then on he went after the German. + +What ensued was rather puzzling to both Bangs and Erwin. Blaine was +now evidently faster than the German, whose machine had apparently +sustained some internal injury. They saw the biplane close in on the +Hun amid a rapid fire of bullets from each at the other. + +All at once the Hun began sidling irregularly towards the earth. By +this time both the others, having risen somewhat, caught glimpses +through their field glasses of a number of nearing planes winging from +the west. Below, as far as could be seen, stretched No-Man's-Land. +Behind was a growing blackness that denoted approaching night. To both +Bangs' and Erwin's astonishment, the biplane, instead of returning, was +pointing downward after the crippled Fokker. + +Then from the north whirled a sea-fog that presently enveloped all, +obliterating what remained of light, hiding even Blaine and the +adversary he had pursued. It was strange, mysterious. + +Erwin, who was lower than the others, here saw the crumbling walls and +towers of what had once been an old baronial chateau. Near this the +biplane had landed. No sign just then of the Fokker, though that must +have descended also, for the machine or the man in it was undoubtedly +injured. Erwin grabbed his megaphone, shouting up at Buck hovering +near, "I'm going down. Blaine's already landed. Come on!" + +But for some reason Bangs declined. Being higher up, he had detected +signs of those other planes invisible to those below. + +"Go on down," he shouted. "I want to do a little scouting." And off +he flew, determined all at once to find out who and what might be +approaching. But his purpose was defeated by the onrush of the fog, +that thickened still more, while those landed below were equally +invisible to Buck. + +However having a general idea as to the direction best for him to take, +he turned that way after recklessly feeling out in vain for further +sight of the approaching squadron. Here we will leave him for the +present. + +When Erwin at last brought his plane down beside the half ruined +chateau, he found both Stanley and Blaine stooping over a prostrate +form soon identified as that of the German aviator. Near by was the +Fokker, somewhat disabled, but not in such bad condition. The man +himself had just expired. + +"What do you think that chap asked us to do," said Blaine, regarding +the dead man solemnly. "It sort of mellowed me towards him, after His +father and mother live in Chicago, worked for some meat packers, and +his dad is making some money there. When he found that the bullets +that had hit him as well as his machine weren't goin' to let him live +much longer, he asked if either of us got back to our lines, to write +tell his mother. He gave me the name and I put it down in my pocket +pad book. He talked in good English and altogether seemed quite like +some of our home folks. He got into aviation over here and liked it. +But he's out of all that now and to make him feel better both Stan and +I promised to do as he wished. + +"He said his machine was all right; and if anything was the matter with +ours we might fix up his and make a get-away. Course there ain't +nothin' much the matter with mine, though yours may be crippled -- +hullo! What's that?" + +The loud report of an exploding bomb sounded as it fell not far away. +Instantly they scattered for such shelter as was obtainable. Other +bombs fell and for a few minutes the scene was indescribable. They saw +from the shelter both their own machines shattered too badly for +further immediate use, though the Fokker remained untouched, it being +some distance off and partially under the protecting shadow of a half +ruined arch of the chateau that overhung the main approach. + +Also they heard the whirring swish of the passing squadron as it +circled over the buildings. It afterwards appeared that the chateau +owner was for some reason specially obnoxious to the Germans in +Belgium. At last the bombing apparently ceased, but even this was +deceptive. Both Blaine and Erwin, followed at a little distance by +Stanley, ran out to look into the damage done to their machines. In +the darkness this was slow work. A fire was lighted, and while still +examining the wrecks another whirring overhead sounded. + +Stanley discreetly dodged under another projecting abutment, when down +dropped another bomb, probably thrown at a venture from some scattering +member of the squad that had just passed. From his shelter Stanley was +horrified to see both Blaine and Erwin, who were near the fire, thrown +violently down as the bomb burst appallingly near where they were +crouched. They; did not rise again. + +Without waiting to see if other bombs might fall, the observer ran +forward in great perturbation. Both aviators lay apparently senseless. + From Blaine's head blood was flowing from a flesh wound somewhere up +under his thick mop of short curly hair. His pulse, however, was +beating lively. + +As for Erwin, no visible wounds were apparent, yet he lay there deathly +pale while some of his clothing had been torn by fragments of the +exploding bomb. + +Of Buck Bangs there was no sign. + +Deeply depressed, for he was very young and impressionable, Stanley, +regardless of his own safety, punched up the fire and from his own and +his comrades' kits procured such remedies as aviators carry for just +such emergencies. In the dark he hunted for water but found none. +From a flask of good French brandy he managed to pour a spoonful or so +down each throat, taking a swallow himself, for he felt he sorely +needed it. + +Poor old Blaine never stirred. Erwin at last shivered slightly. + +"Isn't this a deuce of a fix?" he sighed at length. "Where are we? +For all I know, Blaines may be dead. Here, feeling again of Lafe's +pulse, its steady beat somewhat reassured Stanley. "How about Orris?" + +If anything, Erwin's pulse was coming back. The brandy had restored +such vitality to the lad that his arteries were again sending the +life-giving fluid upon its unceasing task. + +"What can have become of Buck?" Stanley replenished the fire with +stray fuel, for he knew that it would be a signal to Bangs and perhaps +to the enemy; but as to the last he hoped not, amid that chilly +darkness and night fog. + +Here a slight noise from his rear caused Stanley to wheel in his tracks +and stare stupidly at a dim figure under the shadow of a portico in +front of the basement of the main edifice, which was, in fact, about +the only part of that vast group of buildings that seemed unharmed. + +"Who are you? What brought you here?" came an unmistakably feminine +voice. + +More wonderful still, the language was English -- good English, too. +Was there not also an American twang about the tone and accent? +Stanley could have pinched himself, had he thought of it. But so +surprised was he that he seemed actually paralyzed, when an +unmistakably girlish figure emerged more into the light. + +Still the young observer stared, hardly noticed that another older form +had made a dim appearance. It, too, wore skirts, though rather raged +and soiled. The girl's habiliments also evinced that her recent abode +had not been where style and cleanliness were at all dominant. + +"You -- you are not Germans?" This tremulously from the girl. "You +understand me, don't you?" + +"Yes, ma am," Stanley almost stuttered. + +"Y-you s-see -- I'm some surprised --" + +"Some surprised!" The girl was smiling hopefully. "That sounds like +good old United States talk." + +"We heard so much noise overhead, then some nasty bombs exploding. So +Brenda and I have lain hidden in the cellars for -- for hours. Haven't +we, Brenda? The dim form in the rear nodded emphatically. "But who +are you?" + +Here she caught sight of the ruined planes and the prostrate forms of +Blaine and Erwin, with also the more distant figure of the dead German. + +"Oh -- oh!" She clasped her hands. "How dreadful! What can we do? +May we not help? Are they all dead?" + +The girl was genuinely aroused, so much so that her natural horror of +the strained situation was lost in genuine concern. Stanley briefly +explained the series of incidents that had preceded the present +situation, at the same time pointing at the dead German aviator, and +concluding with: + +"The poor chap used to live in Chicago. Before he died he gave us his +parents' address there. He spoke good English." + +"Why, Chicago is where I hail from," said the girl. "Good old Windy +City! I wish I was there now, although I have been over here many +months." + +Meantime Brenda, with the ready adaptability of Belgian women, had been +examining the persons of the two still insensible aviators. All at +once she rose up, saying to her mistress: + +"Pardon, miss." This in her own Flemish tongue. "We must move these +Americans to our under ground rooms. They will recover, but they need +attention." + +"You are sure right, Miss - Miss --" Stanley hesitated, but the girl +paid no heed. "We don't want to inconvenience you, but something will +have to be done right away." + +With the able assistance of Brenda, while the girl went ahead carrying +a small lamp that had been produced as if by magic from somewhere - +possibility by Brenda -- they picked up poor Erwin and followed. Down +some half ruined stone steps they went, then through a long passage, +then down more steps to a half open door. + +Once inside, Stanley saw he was in quite a sizeable room, with two +beds, one large, the other a mere cot. The girl led the way to the +large bed, and there they laid the still swooning man who gave a slight +groan as he was deftly covered by the girl who murmured as if to +herself: + +"Poor fellow, he has suffered!" + +Already Stanley was leaving, saying: + +"We must get Blaine down here quickly. He is in a bad way, I fear." + +Seizing the lamp, the girl hurried after. On reaching the other +stricken aviator, what was their surprise to find him leaning on one +elbow, trying to rise, but vainly. + +"Wha -- what's the matter? Where am I?" + +"You're with friends, old boy," soothed Stanley, seizing Blaine's arms, +while Brenda took up the lower limbs. With the wounded man muttering +aimlessly, again they wended their way to the lower chamber, evidently +used by the girl and Brenda as a temporary sleeping place. + +With deft efficiency the girl had snatched up Stanley's kit of +dressings and other medical paraphernalia and hurried on ahead with the +lamp. In a trice they had placed him on the cot. Immediately the two +women were busy with these things and some stored aids of their own, +dressing the bruises on both the boys and applying restoratives, so +that in a short time both were awake, sensible, and staring with +grateful wonder at these two women -- angels of mercy -- and the +strange yet comfortable surroundings. + +Mutual explanations had already begun when whirring, semi-thunderous +noises again were heard. Stanley was instantly on the alert. + +"All of you remain quiet while I slip up and see what is on," he said, +flinging back: "If your light is apt to shine through any hole or +opening, better douse it or hang up covers. Make no noises until you +hear from me." He was off, but not before the girl called to him: + +"Be very careful, sir! We cannot spare you - yet." + +"No, we can't, ma'am," remarked Blaine from the cot where he now sat +upright with a bandaged head. + +"Indeed, Sir," said the girl almost wistfully, "we cannot spare any of +you. Just think, we have been here a week, and with more or less +bombing going on each day and sometimes at night." + +"May I ask, mademoiselle --" began Blaine. + +"Just plain Miss," interrupted the girl. "Miss Daskam from Chicago!" + +"Well, well!" Blaine was smilingly openly now. "That surely sounds +homelike! Well, we're all Americans too. We were on an air raid and +had a good deal of mixed luck. Blaine's my name; that's Erwin over +there," pointing at the cot where Orris was grinning and smiling. "The +chap who went out just now is Stanley. He is my observer. But our +machine is smashed now and how we will all get back is more than I +know. Eh, Orry?" + +"Looks that way. But what's the use of worrying while we are in such +charming company? I'm all right." + +And to prove it Erwin stepped out on the floor, a little teetery +perhaps, but once more himself. He made a not ungraceful bow. + +"May I ask, Miss Daskam, how you happened to get cornered down here in +this poor old chateau? It must have been a grand place once -- but +now!" He shrugged slightly, regarding Miss Daskam sympathizingly. + +"The wife of the owner of this place is my sister. I came over as a +member of the Belgian Red Cross. Both my sister and her husband are, +or were, at headquarters when I left the Belgian lines. I had a permit +to visit his chateau; for in the days before I came over here I had +left there certain papers most important to them both. I wanted to see +the place and I had a friend that was chummy with the Boches in +Brussels. He had forwarded me a pass. So I insisted on taking Brenda +along and trying it alone. You know western girls are not much afraid +of things." + +"Well, you were plucky enough, anyhow, interposed Erwin and Blaine +nodded. + +"Up to that time, after the chateau had been bombarded by our Allies in +their final advance towards Paschiendale after Vimy ridge, it had +rested unharmed further." + +"But you can never count on what Fritz will do, or when he'll begin," +remarked Blaine. Then as the girl went on, Erwin sat down suddenly as +if something within him had all at once given way. + +"Keep still, Mr. Erwin," she cautioned. "You're not well vet. As I was +saving we got through the lines all right. If either my sister or the +Baron had gone, they would have been made prisoners at least. I was a +Red Cross nurse. We had done good work over there and even the Germans +were well disposed. But if it wasn't for Brenda, I hardly know how +we'd have managed Brenda is a -- a whole team, you know." She pressed +her servant's worn hand as she continued. "We reached the chateau, +secured the papers with out much trouble, for Brenda, being an old +family servitor, knew where to find them. That very night, while we +were in these underground rooms, the Germans began dropping bombs all +about. + +"It appeared that the Allies from over our way had gotten to raiding +behind the lines, not knowing we were here, of course. Otherwise they +would not have begun, for the Baron is highly respected among the +Belgians and other Allies Why not? He is one of their King Albert's +main leaders. Well, after that we simply had a terrible time. First +one side, then the other would either fight overhead, or pass to and +fro, dropping bombs here and there. Oh, it was terrible!" + +"Poor child!" This from Brenda. "She no harm no one; but dem Boche, +he no care what he do or where he do it. Ally not know either." + +"Well, we have been here ever since. Now you have come, perhaps we may +somehow find a way to get out." + +Here Stanley suddenly entered, looking strangely resolved. Above, the +explosive noises had gradually died out. Looking at Blaine, he said: + +"Lafe, I have fixed up that German's Fokker All it needs is more +gasoline and there's still some in your tank and Orry's. If you don't +care, I'll fly that Fokker over our lines before morning and manage to +bring some help. Neither of you are strong enough to go and I +understand Fokkers pretty well. What say?" + +"That won't do at all," exclaimed Erwin, making another violent effort +not only to stand but to walk. All at once he tottered and would have +fallen, but Brenda caught him, placing him back on the cot. + +"That'll do for you, Orris," began Blaine. "Shucks! I feel quite +pert. Just you watch me!" + +But it turned out that Blaine was, if anything, weaker than his friend, +and silence gave consent to his first proposal. Even Miss Daskam +assented, adding: "I hope when you do return with help, sir, that it +will be sufficient to enable Brenda and me to accompany you." + +For the first time Stanley seemed to catch the wistfulness in her eyes +and tone. He impulsively took her hand, saying: + +"Believe me, Miss Aida -- Daskam, I mean," (She had already whispered +to him her full name), "if any of us gets back out of this mess, you +may be sure you will be among them --" + +"And Brenda, too?" + +"Brenda, too! If I know anything of our folks back at the aerodrome, +we will have plenty of help." + +In another minute he was gone. Brenda went with him to help about the +gasoline, and in an short time, under her pilotage, he reached an open +spot where he could rise. + +They heard the whirring of his wings; he was gone. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +TWO PERILOUS NIGHT TRIPS + +It may be said that, once up in the air, Stanley lost no time in +heading into the west-southwest. He knew the way, and though it was +yet hardly midnight, he divined the safest way for him to make the +familiar aerodrome was to get there as soon as possible, regardless of +consequences. The night, though foggy, was sufficiently starlight to +aid in his sense of direction. It was hardly likely that there would +be further bombing raids that night, but one was never certain what the +Boches might attempt. Witness their recent raid upon the old chateau, +although they might know that planes had recently landed there. + +After the North Sea Wind fog, a general calm had settled down upon that +death-scarred region. Over the front and about No-Man's-Land an +occasional flare or star-shell would go up. One of these came +unusually close to the swiftly moving Fokker. Immediately after that +came bombing from Archies stationed along the enemy front. Among these +some, either accidentally or by design, sent bursting shrapnel all +around him. He heard the wings being struck repeatedly but, knowing +his great speed, he hoped to be out of range almost at once. + +With the sound of big guns the whole front was lighted up here and +there with flares and starshells, many being sent up from shell holes +concealed from all but their own side. + +More than that; for Stanley, leaning far over to scan the earth below, +suddenly saw men rushing some kind of a gun up a steep incline. Where +was that? It could not be the Appincourte Bluff, for that was now in +our hands. But he recalled another elevation near the small stream +behind. + +"Can it be the Boches have tunneled to that former another advancing +post?" + +Further thought was interrupted by a brilliant flash and a dull report +just underneath. At the same time he felt sharp stings pierce his arms +now stretched outside the fuselage as he leaned over. Something like a +needle seemed to pierce his brain. In the same instant he was aware +that in his eagerness to reach the base quickly, he had permitted his +plane to approach the earth a great deal nearer than before. + +He was tilting his rudder upward, while feeling at once that he was +about all in. But feverishly he gripped wheel and controls, more with +feet than hands, for he was growing more helpless each passing second. +The flashings below had shattered into many small scintillations as +they shot upward, while something sharp and metallic was rattling among +his planes. + +But he was mounting, he knew that. Dizzily, he managed mechanically to +turn the plane towards where he knew the broad aerodrome was situated. + +"Hope they haven't hit my tank," he maundered. "I -- I'll get there +--" But that was all he did say, for unconsciousness was coming fast. + +At the same time he sensed somehow that the Fokker -- already well +peppered by his own crowd on that same day -- was listing, sagging, so +that at last he could hardly keep his seat. + +"I -- I'm goin' -- goin'," he kept reiterating in his mind. "Goin' - +go'n -- go --" He lapsed into complete unconsciousness, with his last +sentient movement pressing the wheel and controls downward and towards +the left, where he finally half fell, as we have seen before. + +Byers and the orderly bore him quickly to the near-by dormitory, where +many of the fliers were temporarily lodged. Senator Walsen and the +girls followed, while some of the mechanics attended to the crippled +Fokker. + +In almost no time the surgeon on duty was there with two of the Red +Cross nurses. Though unconscious, Stanley was restless, uneasy, +evidently worrying. He muttered unintelligibly, tried to break forth +more loudly, but for the present was unable to make any meaning clear +to the others. + +"What gets me," remarked Byers while watching the deft manipulations of +the surgeon and the nurses, "is how he came here alone and in such a +rig. Why, that Fokker must have been taken from Fritzy! Why didn't he +return in one of our own machines? Where are the others? I tell you, +Senator, there is trouble afoot; I feel it in my bones!" + +As may be imagined, both Andra and Avella were much concerned, though +neither would admit it to the other or, for that matter, to any one +else. Only once Andra, clinging to her sister, whispered timidly: + +"Sup -- suppose this poor chap never does revive, Vella? How will we +ever know?" + +"We've got to know, Andra. Got to -- that's all I can say!" + +By these two whisperings aside each girl was conscious of betraying to +the other some sign of that deep, sudden interest with which at least +two of these dashing young aviators had inspired them. And they, the +fair daughters of a United States Senator! Verily strange and +surprising are the freaks of Cupid. But of this more later. The +physician was still busy over the slowly reviving patient, when the +watchful orderly hurried in to where the captain was watching and +waiting. + +"I thought I better go out and take a look, sir. While I was out at +the observation there came some signal flares out of the nor'-nor'east. + I wasn't certain, sir, so I waited. Along came another flash, adding +our most private code signal. After that I dared not hesitate, nor had +I time to run to you without answering. So I - so I --" + +"So you answered, eh? Well, that's all right. Did you show a flare, +also in code?" + +"You bet, sir! I think it's one of our missing men that may have lost +his way. Better come out with me. He'll be landing next." + +Without another word Byers accompanied the orderly out to a point near +the observation post, and almost instantly they heard the whir of +approaching wings, evidently spiraling down from greater heights. + +"Give him a light lad." said Byers to the orderly. "He knows where we +are, but in this black night he might hit some building or the fence. + +Down on the gravel ran the assistant, followed by Byers, who saw the +flare go up. In a minute a tattered triplane emerged into the light +and made an easy landing not far from where the unconscious Stanley had +previously been carried from his Fokker to the casual dormitory. + +Almost before they reached it two of the night watch among the +mechanics arrived and lifted out our old friend Buck Bangs from Idaho. +He was unconscious, the cause being a body bullet wound on the right +side, the bullet being later found bedded in the back of the seat in +his Nieuport. + +The machine was riddled even worse than Stanley's Fokker, but +fortunately not in any vital parts, nor had the planes, though +perforated like a sieve in many spots, been injured in any way to +impair their vitality for the frames and joints were all right. + +"Take him up to the Casual Dormitory boys," ordered Byers. "Careful! +We don't know how badly he is hurt." + +Up they bore him, leaving the machine where it stood. Into the +dormitory he was carried and laid on a vacant bed near the now +recovering Stanley. The latter had shown signs of resuscitation and +now, as they bore in poor Buck, his head hanging helplessly, his limbs +limp and unstrung, Stanley opened his eyes for the first time. They +fell upon Buck, on whom the full light happened to shine brightly. + +"Buck -- there's Buck!" gasped the wounded observer. "Where'd he come +from?" + +At this instant Vella, happening to glance up, saw Buck's pallid face +as it rested on the arm of one of his supporters who was helping to +place him on the ready cot. She gave a convulsive gasp, seized Andra +by the arm and pushed forward, hardly sensible of where she was, but +only that this youth from the State next to her own was apparently +fatally stricken. + +"Stay with me, Andra," she murmured. "I may faint. I don't want to +say! Is he alive? Oh, Andra; does he live?" + +Fully alive to the peculiar exigencies of the situation, and deeply +sympathizing with Avella, Andra clung to and supported her sister until +both were themselves again. Thereafter they watched, helped when they +could, and as a rule kept as quiet as mice. It was really a ticklish +situation for two young girls, both among the elite of official society +in Washington, though transferred of their own volition to strange +scenes and duties in this foreign land. Sisterly always, they now +clung together more than usual. + +"Is -- is poor Buck dead?" asked Stanley, gaining strength with each +word. "He left us to raid some more Boches and -- and get help." + +"The young man is all right." This from the surgeon who had just +finished his examination. "He will pull through with good nursing. +It's a bullet wound between the ribs and I f ear, although I'm not +certain yet, that in passing it pierced the lungs. It has gone out at +his back, near the shoulder, and that's a good thing. Leaves a clean +Wound." + +By degrees Buck was brought to, revived by a tonic, braced up by a +subtle injection of some kind, after which his wound was carefully, +thoroughly, and scientifically dressed. + +Laying back after this, the first person on whom his sleepy eyes opened +was Stanley, now raised on one elbow, so strong had he already grown, +regarding Bangs much as one might look at some one supposed to be dead, +but returned to life. + +"Hello, Buck!" Stanley actually tried to sit up in bed. "When we saw +you put out up in them clouds, I sure thought you were a goner!" + +Buck weakly shook his bead, but was restrained by the nurse from trying +to talk. "No use!" he whispered wearily. Then his eyes sought that +sweet girl again . She was still looking at him. He gave a sigh of +satisfaction and almost immediately fell asleep. + +All at once Stanley seemed to remember what he had come through a +flying death for. He cursed his forgetfulness, then said aloud: + +"I want to see Captain Byers. It -- it's important. Please send for +him." + +But Byers, already alert, was stepping close and; saying: + +"If it is important, go ahead. But if it can wait --" + +"But -- it can't wait, Captain," pleaded Stanley. "They sent me 'cause +they couldn't come. All our planes were bombed from overhead. Had to +use Fritzy's little old Fokker after we got him and his machine. +Believe me, they're a tight place, and there's two women with 'em, one +of them an American girl from Chicago; t'other a good old Belgian." + +"Go ahead, my man," urged Byers. + +Thereupon Stanley, refreshed by a mug of real Red Cross French wine, +proceeded to relate a succinctly as he could all that the reader now +knows Irwin, and Bangs, so far as Stanley had known. Also their varied +adventures after following the defeated Hun down amid the ruins of the +old baronial chateau. + +"Believe me, sir, they are in bad shape," continued Stanley earnestly. +"Both them chaps are clean knocked out for the time being, though I +know they will be able to travel by the time we get back there." + +"You say there are women there, too?" + +"Yes, sir; two of 'em. One is sister to the wife of the Belgian baron +who owns the whole chateau and estate. They got a permit somehow and +came through the lines; but in view of recent troubles around there +they don't know how to get back. "I'm sure sorry for them." + +"What did they go there for, knowing the Germans controlled all that +territory? Had they no better sense?" + +"So far as I could understand, they went in the first place for some +important papers hid away there, and which the Boches don't know of." + +"Private papers or papers pertaining to the, war?" + +"Don't know, sir. All I know is that they said, they had left safe and +were to bring them back if they ever do got back." + +Of course the surrounding group were listening. Among these was a +runty, pockmarked, weasel-eyed little chap who went by the name of +Pete, and whom was not much thought of, being considered by those who +knew him best to be more than half German by blood. Be this as it may, +he now began to edge outward from the group and gradually gravitated +towards a side door. + +However, he was already watched, and by no less a one than Byers' +orderly. Ever since the escape of Hans, every one suspected of German +connections had been under secret but thorough espionage. When Pete +went out at one door the orderly emerged at the other in time to see +Pete making for the observation post. + +"What can the fool want there?" wonder the orderly. In less than a +minute he was satisfied for, drawing from his pocket a peculiar flare +Pete lighted and sent it up, where it shivered into different colored +flashes, doubtless some kind of cheap signal to warn his countrymen +that some big was up. Perhaps also a signal for some one to meet Pete +somewhere. But the orderly had even less patience than discretion. In +two more minutes he had Pete under arrest and bound for the guard +house. One of the mechanics aided the orderly and despite Pete's +protests, he was shut up for the night. + +When Byers was told of the matter he first stared, then frowned, and +finally laughed, saying: + +"I forgot that you had only been on duty here for a few days. When I +am detained here late, I have Pete or some of the hands send up a +certain kind of flare right down to where I live. That warns 'em I +won't be back before breakfast. Now trot right back now and let Pete +out, sending him to me. He knows this neighborhood where Blaine and +Erwin are now. We may need him -and need him bad." + +Much crestfallen, the orderly obeyed, finding Pete fast asleep in a +corner, nor much put out when he found what a mistake had been made. + +When they reached the gravelly levels near the hangars, two of the +largest biplanes in the aerodrome were already drawn up ready. In each +of these planes an experienced pilot was in the act of taking his seat. + One of these pilots was Byers himself. + +"Come here, you, Pete!" called the captain, half laughing at Pete's +perplexed face. "You in here with me -- see?" + +"You take me to Boche 'stead of black-hole? I no do harm anyone." + +Pete spoke in a whining, ingratiating tone, but Byers only laughed, +saying: + +"You are right, Pete. A mistake was made." Then turning to Stanley, +who had insisted on coming for final admonitions, "This is my friend +Pete, once servant of Baron Savahl. That I know. He is small and +light. He will guide us with the assistance that you, Stanley, have +given me. Brodno also is particularly well acquainted with that part +of the Belgian frontier. Get in, Pete!" + +"But, Captain, how can we spare you?" This from Stanley anxiously. + +"You will have to spare me. Sergeant Anson is handy, too. In the +early morning, if you see signs of our return, it would be well to send +out a few scouts. But we shall return. Those plans are too important +to King Albert of Belgium and our Allies here to risk any more +uncertainties than can be avoided." + +"Are you sure of what you speak? I thought, from what those women +said, that they were private papers." + +"Private they may be, in a sense. But they are important enough to all +of us, when you consider how vital they are to certain knowledge +necessary for our leaders to have in regard to a further offensive +which I believe is contemplated. Now back to bed, boy. You've warned +us and we who are well will do all that is needful." + +About this time Brodno, waiting impatiently, gave a signal and the +plane, propelled along gravel by mechanics, soon rose lightly in the +air. Byers, having hauled Pete in, followed suit, waving good-night to +Senator Walsen and the ladies. In another minute both big biplanes +were lost to sight, so swiftly did they vanish in a easterly course +under the starlit heavens, shimmer of gray haze hugging the lower just +above the earth. + + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +MAKING READY FOR ANOTHER FORWARD DRIVE + +After Stanley's sudden departure from the ruined chateau, the two boys +fretted ineffectually. Stanley was an observer, not a real pilot; he +might get into trouble; so worried first one and then the other. + +"It seems to me, gentlemen," began Miss Daskam, "that instead of +fretting over this you better remain quiet and thus regain your +strength the sooner. We may need it yet." + +"Allons, madame," began Brenda, speaking to the girl, yet carefully +refraining from looking at either of the boys, "we cannot tell what +time the Boches may break in on us. After that young man went up in +the German plane, I am sure I heard the sound of far-away explosions. +We are between the lines, yet off to one side, where the enemy are fond +of raiding. It was so a year ago when some of us still made our home +in or close to the chateau. We didn't mind the raiding. All they did +was to rob us of what little stock we had left. But now, since they +began the bombing that has finally ruined the Baron's home, nothing and +no one is safe. Ah -- what is that?" + +But it was nothing much; yet it only typified the general nervousness +of the situation. Distant firing along the course they figured that +Stanley would take tended to make even the boys uncertain as to whether +he would get home or not. + +"Anyhow, we may as well make up our minds to have to stick it out here +at least until tomorrow, or more likely tomorrow night. If they come +they must come in force, or we will never be able to make a get-away." +Thus spoke Erwin. + +After more or less futile remonstrance, discussion and what not, they +finally settled down for the remainder of the night, the boys insisting +upon giving up the only habitable room to the women, though the latter +urged that the young men take at least a blanket or so along. Blaine, +being somewhat the stronger, declared that he would remain on watch for +the first two hours, adjuring Erwin to get all the sleep he could. + +"Another thing; we haven't got much grub along. I don't know how much +the women have, but if it is scarce we must remember them." + +In five minutes Orris was breathing heavily, taking full toll of +slumber, for he was not so very strong and the day's happenings had +exhausted him greatly. Blaine sought shelter under another angle of +the basement, and after a vigorous struggle against somnolence, finally +dropped off. + +After that the old ruin was silent. Midnight passed. Unceasing +silence reigned. Suddenly there came a sound of planes coming down +from the upper air. + +Finally a fretful voice rose up stridently, recklessly, saying through +a muffled megaphone: + +"Ho, there -- below! Start up a flare -- a light, anything, so we can +know where and how to land." + +Fortunately Erwin, who had really slept the longest, was roused by the +closing words. He heard the sound of wings above, and at once +apprehended. He had no flare, and no means at immediately to make a +light. What should he do? Suddenly he remembered that Blaine carried +a brilliant hand searchlight. In another instant he was rummaging +about among Blaine's personal effects where he lay snoring. + +"G'way -- what you doin'? Who are ye, anyhow?" + +While so ran the sleeper's drowsy remonstrances Erwin secured the +searchlight, and an instant later was sending its white rays upward. A +minute later the black shadow of a huge bi plane hovered in a circle +over the wide expanse of what once had been a trim lawn, but was now a +desert of dirt, ashes, and crumbling masonry loosened from the walls. + +Meantime the added noise, further awakening Blaine, sent him scurrying +to rekindle the dying fire they had made earlier in the night. By the +time this was blazing one plane had alighted and the other was settling +down further out. From these big planes stepped Captain Byers and +Sergeant Brodno, both nervous, watchful, alert, and very wide awake. + +To say the boys were pleased to see them would be to put it mildly. In +a few words the state in which Stanley and Bangs had reached the +Station was told, when Byers, evidently on edge by the peculiar +situation wherein they were now involved, spoke up sharply. + +"Where is that Chicago girl with her attendant? Also those papers? +And how is it that I find you two so sleepy, way out here in the midst +of the Boches? Don't you know we've had all sorts of trouble dodging +in here so they wouldn't catch on? Oh -- h! Who is that?" + +Captain Byers whirled and found that he was confronting a smiling young +girl, already bundled up as if for a journey. Behind her stood the +substantial form of Brenda, also well wrapped against the night's chill +and mist. + +Confusedly Blaine presented the captain and Brodno, the latter grinning +amusedly. In fact, this affair had been more of a lark to the American +Pole than to Byers, who was oppressed with a sense of responsibility. + +"We'll have to divide up, and at once," said the captain. "In fact, +ever since Erwin used that searchlight to show me the way down, I +haven't felt that we were safe here. Therefore I say all aboard just +as soon as we can be loaded in -- what is that?" as a sharp staccato of +shocks rose from Brodno's machine, the result of his tinkering with his +air-exhaust. Even as he made haste to stop them, time being all +important, Byers was placing the two women in his own plane, saying: + +"It will be crowded, but you can stand that for a time, I guess. But +-- say! Hold on! I forgot. You have some important papers somewhere?" + +"Yes. Brenda has them in her bosom. You may be sure we did not forget +those. Are they all right, Brenda?" + +But here Brenda jumped up in the observer's manhole, and began hastily +fumbling among the folds of her ample garb. With a sudden half scream +she sprang out, seized the searchlight from the astonished Erwin and +made a dash for the basement again. + +"Is what she is after important?" asked Erwin of Miss Daskam, who was +fidgeting uneasily. The girl nodded, adding: + +"It may be; I cannot tell. How careless! Among those papers are some +very important plans that have reference, I think, to things our side +wished to do later on. Oh, dear! Will we ever get away?" + +"God knows -- I hope so. It seems I hear sounds to the eastward. Ah +-- there they come again!" + +Both Brenda and the captain, who had followed her, were returning. He +was stuffing a paper which Brenda had surrendered after some persuasion +into his breast pocket. + +"All in!" called Byers. "No time to lose now." + +Again the women reentered the captain's machine, who at once started +off along the level, open ground, at the same time calling on the men +to use the searchlight so he might rise successfully. Up they went, +and right after them came Brodno, with Blaine and Orris, now in the +observer's seat, feeling more comfortable as be laid his hand on the +Lewis gun ready to his use. Brodno had another. Both were listening +to the sounds which Erwin had noticed when with Miss Aida. Byers +passed them with a gentle rustling as of wings. + +"Boys," he called back, "our defense rests mainly upon you. I have not +only these women to see after but also papers -- papers most important +to our side in the next offensive. Of course I'll fight, if I have to. + But the main thing is to get safely back and --" + +His further words were lost on the wind as the captain raced ahead, +bound as straight as possible for their own lines. + +"We will keep right on his tail, boys," said Brodno. "That noise +behind is Fritzy starting on a raid, no doubt. If he gets too close we +must either keep him back or lead him off after us." + +The noise of whirring propellers increased rapidly. Doubtless scouting +planes were out. As a rule, they are faster than the big biplanes. In +view of this, Byers presently began to mount higher, the rear plane +maintaining its level with a view of attracting the notice of the +pursuing Germans. Then came a spatter of machine gun bullets that +rattled about their ears until Blaine, from his rear position, opened +on the Boches in turn. + +After that the pursuit of Byers ceased, for Blaine and Brodno, with +their two weapons, aided by Erwin, who manipulated a Lee-Enfield rifle, +kept the three scouts busy for a time. A plane is a shaky place from +which to aim a rifle, but Orris, having had much practice at the +training butts, soon laid out one lone pilot and his scout went +trailing guideless out of range and action. + +But about this time there came the heavier rumble of Archies from +below, and presently shrapnel began tearing into the wings of the +biplane. + +"Up we go, boys!" said Brodno. "I guess Byers must be well on over by +now." + +But about this time they heard the sounds of gun spatter far up above, +and mounting rapidly they saw two more Fokker scouts trailing after +Byers, who not only mounted still higher, but put Pete at the aft +machine gun, taking Miss Aida over inside his own manhole. + +We haven't said much about Pete, for he was really timid, and lay low +wherever he was placed, without a word. But when he came over where +Brenda was and that sturdy Belgian watched his timid attempts to fire +the machine gun, she was disgusted. + +"Pete, you no good! Have you forgot how the Baron hated a coward? Let +me in there!" She shoved Pete aside, took charge of the gun herself +and presently Byers was gratified to hear its active rattle as Brenda +rather clumsily yet effectually opened upon the Germans. Pete +assisted, handing fresh sheaves of ammunition and otherwise making +himself useful. + +"Where you been, Pete?" she asked. "Why you leave us all?" + +"I wanted to learn to fly. Americaines, they give me a chance." + +The other plane, now spiraling upward, came within range of the +Fokkers, and altogether the united firing from the two big biplanes was +too much for the Boches, so they gradually retired with a loss of one +plane, whose pilot Erwin had disposed of, as we have seen. + +Half an hour later they quietly dropped down at the aerodrome. The +first gray hues of morning were just diffusing a lighter pallor and the +stars were already dimming when on the deserted levels in front of the +hangars the biplanes finally came to rest. Then out from a sentry box +came the captain's orderly, who seemed much astonished. + +"Well, sir, I didn't look for you all back so soon. I rather feared +that you might have to remain away another day." + +"We had ladies to look after," remarked Byers. "That made us hurry +back sooner. Here is Pete, of whom you thought such dreadful things. +Pete is learning. Now, while we take Miss Daskam and her maid to their +quarters, I want you to go to the through line to Dunkirk, and ask for +Baron Suvahl. He should be somewhere about there, if we have been +rightly informed." + +After that the captain with characteristic courtesy took the two tired +yet grateful women to the women's Red Cross station and left them in +kindly, congenial company. It was here Senator Walsen and his +daughters were staying. When they and Miss Aida became acquainted at +breakfast next morning it was astonishing how many mutual acquaintances +they discovered, yet mostly back in the dear old country across the +ocean. + +About the middle of the morning a tall, spare, resolute young man, +accompanied by a plainly garbed lady, his wife, met Captain Byers at +the latter's office. Simultaneously there came two other personages +plainly garbed in Belgian costume, yet most distinguished aside from +that. + +There was a certain respect, almost deference, in the way Baron Suvahl +and his wife met the King, for one of the visitors was really King +Albert of Belgium. His wife, the queen, was even more democratic. In +fact, in the manner of all, including the Americans, was that which +marked them as fully tinctured with the true democratic spirit that +this war has so fully brought out among all the Allies. + +Several of the British and French generals dropped in. And there were +sundry secret and semi-secret conferences, one result of which was the +sending out that night of a number of our airmen on secret scouting +trips, none of which, however, resulted in much aerial fighting but +embraced a deal of sly spying upon enemy positions and also various +"look-ins" behind the lines. + +Among other things Erwin, Blaine, Bangs, Brodno and others were adjured +by both Captain Byers and Sergeant Anson to be ready with their +machines for real active service at any time. + +On the second night came a quiet meeting between certain French, +British, and American commanders. As the boys in the aerodrome +sauntered about the grounds, noting the drawn shades in the windows of +the headquarters office, and marking the lateness of the hour before +the consultation closed, they felt that things were drawing to a head +on that sector, and that they, the eyes of the army, would be expected +to do their part and even more, if necessary. + +Senator Walsen, instead of going back to the capital as he had +intended, was drawn into the conference, while the ladies remained +quiescent but more and more expectant, though of what they hardly knew. + Perhaps the good young queen expressed the general sentiment among her +sex, when she said to the small group gathered about her at the half +shabby quarters where she and the king temporarily received their +friends, + +"We never know much as to what is about to go on, but we are always +warned never to be unduly surprised at anything. Always make the best +of everything -- that is all we can do and what we must do. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE CONFLICT + +For another day many quiet yet suggestive movements were made in the +vicinity of these headquarters where most of the activities of this +tale have taken place. That night secret word went out among certain +picked birdmen that they were to be ready that night for literally +anything + +"What do you think is up, anyhow?" asked Erwin, who had been busy with +a mechanic nearly all that day putting his favorite scouting flier +machine in complete readiness. + +"How should I know?" snapped Anson, hurrying by. "We know we gotter be +ready any old time, night or day. I 'opes I may niver see Blighty +ag'in though, ef I don't think we're in fer somp'in' damn big and +hard." And he passed on, vouchsafing Orris a wink that might mean +anything. + +That next night other planes from near-by sectors began flitting in +here, there, until, with the planes already at the aerodrome, there +must have been at least fifty of the various types of battle and +scouting planes on hand. Many of the airmen were French, many British, +not a few Americans, inclusive of the Lafayette Escadrille, composed +mainly of men from overseas. + +The early evening passed, the dark hours flitted by, and so came +midnight with a long line of planes stretched far and wide over that +war-scarred expanse. Here and there the pilots had gathered in little +groups, receiving their last instructions from majors, captains, +lieutenants, even sergeants of the various aviation corps or squads who +had, in turn, received theirs from commands higher up. + +Some of these groups were studying maps and photographs which had been +made by recent reconnaissance trips and prepared for distribution among +those whose task it was to proceed along the various lines thus +indicated. + +One group near the center of the line deserves attention. There was +Erwin, Blaine, Bangs, Brodno, all seemingly in fine fettle, gathered +over sundry maps, photos, and instructions. Amid these was Captain +Byers, somewhat at the rear, conferring with Senator Walsen, who had +still deferred his return to Paris, more than likely through the +persuasions of his daughters. + +Where were they? Let us look more closely among the airmen. Who is +that whispering coyly to Sergeant Bangs, who stands cap in hand, +despite the frosty night air? He talks earnestly, rapidly, western +fashion, ending with" + +"I don't know bow I shall come out of all this! But I do know that +Montana and Idaho are side by side. May I come to see you then?" + +"Yes, provided that neither you nor Mr. Blaine forget that Paris leave +which I feel sure you will get." And Avella Walsen blushed prettily. +"But I must go back to father now. Good-bye." + +She was gone, flitting towards the rear not unlike a star gleam in +Buck's eyes as she vanished, leaving him to sigh regretfully. + +Near by Andra Walsen had taken an almost tearful leave of stalwart +Ensign Blaine, now completely restored, and naturally keyed up by a +prevision of the night's probable happenings. + +Further to the right both Brodno and Erwin, still fussing round their +respective planes, were interrupted by no less a personage than the +Belgian Queen, accompanied by Baroness Suvahl and her sister, Miss +Daskam, who had come round to them on their night round of visiting +encouragement which they were making among their acquaintances that +night. + +"We are so glad to see you boys on duty again," said the Queen, who was +most unassuming and kindly in manner. "Both the King and the Baron had +to leave again for our front, but I persuaded them to let us bid you +lads good cheer and Godspeed in your risky night's adventure." + +Meanwhile Miss Daskam was whispering to Erwin: + +"Do you remember the last night at the chateau, how you would not take +all the quilts I wanted you to, though the night was cold and we had +plenty?" + +"Indeed I do, miss!" Orris was grinning now. "I just knew we did not +leave you and Brenda enough! Did we, Brenda?" + +Turning to that stalwart guardian in petticoats who watched over the +two sisters from Chicago, one of whom had married a Belgian nobleman, +Brenda shrugged her massive shoulders. + +"You must ask Mademoiselle Aida. I was mooch too warm; yes, vera mooch. +Yes la -- la! We Flemings know what cold is more than what it is to be +too -- too warm. Don' you bodder, sar!" + +And so the many more or less friendly, even solicitous conversations +went on until the midnight hour had fled. By then the groups of +friends and visitors had melted back to the rear into the misty regions +where lay the small French village that had sheltered them together +with the aerodrome itself. + +It might have been one o'clock or later when a bugle sounded. Up and +down the long, long line aviators were scrambling into their machines +while the sputter and throb of many engines punctured the night air. +Some of these engines had as much as three hundred horse-power. The +long continuing roar was nerve grating, yet inspiring. Swarms of small +scouting machines were humming, spitting; these were the vipers or +wasps of the air service. + +The fleet commander and his observer had taken their places and soared +into the night air. The other machines, some fifty odd in number, +swiftly followed him into the misty heavens, all maneuvering like a +flock of swallows until the air formation was at last right. Then a +crack from the commander's revolver, and they were off like bees, +following the queen, straight for the far-off enemy lines. + +Much ammunition had been distributed, for they were going on a general +bombing and foraging expedition over those trenches upon which the now +ready offensive was to be let loose. Dimly they rose up, up, still up, +six thousand, eight, even ten thousand feet, the last height mainly for +the fighting scouts, the battle and bombing machines keeping lower down. + +Over No-Man's-Land they flew towards the battle-torn trenches behind +which lay the Boches. Tiny specks began to rise up far to the eastward +in the German rear. They were the enemy planes coming to meet them. +In number they seemed to be somewhat equal to our own fleet. The +Allies might have fought these, but such was not the present game. +They were there to protect their side; while the Allies were out first +to destroy, to smash the morale of the soldiers below, to shatter and +mutilate and terrorize those in the trenches before our infantry, now +probably starting out, should be where their own conclusive work would +begin. + +Those lads whom we have followed through these pages were flying close +together, keeping well to the front, watching signals from the +commander and ready, more than ready, each to do his part. With Blaine +was Stanley, his observer, both closely watching. When over the first +line trenches, they at once let go the first rack of bombs. All the +other planes, in accord with their individual capacity, did the same. +A veritable hell beneath was let loose by that swiftly moving line. +Lower down came the signals and more racks of bombs were let loose. So +swift were their movements that one might hardly see what results were +being obtained; but from the yells, shrieks, explosions and clouds of +debris below, it was evident that the destruction was great. + +Lower and lower still they flew. Blaine's control was perfect. So was +that of his subordinates. Bangs himself, excited yet steady as a +clock, was talking to his plane as a cowboy might talk to his pony. +Machine guns could now be used most effectively. The cleaned, burnished +mechanism was already vomiting death. in showers upon the trenches +below. Their spitting, purring roars were drowning out the whir of the +engines. + +All at once Blaine saw to his left a spurt of flame shoot upward from +below, and almost simultaneously a blinding glare arose from Brodno's +plane. For an instant he caught sight of the Polish face, ashen gray +as the night above, under which the fight was going on. His petrol +tank had been hit from an Archie below and exploded. Another burst of +flame and his plane swooped dizzily towards the mangled earth below. + +"God help him!" gasped Lafe. "That must be the end of poor Brodno!" + +Down it went, zigzagging crazily. All at once it dropped like a +plummet. For an instant Blaine felt sick; then he recovered. His own +situation, and that of Stanley, Erwin, Bangs and the rest was not less +risky. Yet only one thing was there to do. Fight it out -- fight it +out, to victory -- or death. + +Then all at once the German planes were upon them. Where and how they +came was a matter of indifference. The thing was to meet and fight, to +out-maneuver them if possible. In another minute they were dodging, +diving, eluding, darting among each other, inextricably intermingled, +yet now, on the whole, rising higher. Just over to the right of Blaine +one of the Boche fliers was already dropping to the earth. Blaine saw +and noted the cause. It was Erwin, rising from a dexterous side-loop +to higher elevation, yet peering over at his fallen foe. + +"Good boy," murmured the ensign. "He'll do! No use to worry about +flying position now. It's fight or die!" + +What the Allies mainly cared about now was to dodge the enemy fliers, +and still pour the remainder of their explosives down upon the mangled +trenches until the Allied infantry should come up. By this time +Stanley, back at his old post, was whirling round on his seat for more +racks of bombs. He had already used his own machine gun with deadly +effect. Blaine was reaching for another drum of ammunition for his +Lewis when he saw Stanley lurch forward. He was hit. Not a word +though; not even a struggle. + +"My Gawd, man!" called Blaine. "Are you hit bad? Slip down under +cover!" + +No reply as the observer slowly sagged back and down into the manhole. + +Then a sudden rage filled the stalwart American. He loved Stanley, who +he knew was game to the core. Just then a German machine sped by full +tilt, sending spatters of bullets right and left. Instantly Blaine +tried the tail-dip, always risky yet worth while if successful. +Doubling under the tail of the passing Boches -- there were two of' +them in the machine -- Blaine came up right under the German's +propeller, his own gun in straight line for the center of the other's +fuselage. As he came up he began a spatter of bullets that fairly +riddled the body of the big Taube, and directly thereafter came a burst +of flame so bright and searching that Blaine had to dip again, sidewise +to avoid its scorching significance. The German's tank was exploding +and in a mass of flames the two men fell, the skeleton of their machine +about them as the whole dropped to the earth. + +Hardly had Blaine cleared this aerial ruin than came the commander's +signal to retire. Somehow, after that, Lafe felt that in a measure he +had a certain revenge from the Boches for poor Stanley's death; for +Stanley was dead -- no doubt of that. At least so Blaine thought. + +Up he mounted and presently saw Buck Bangs engaged with a rather clumsy +German, who seemed bent upon peppering Bangs and his machine full of +holes. He flew to Buck's assistance, when the German straightened out +and made for his own rear, with Bangs in full pursuit. In his present +mood, instead of returning with the rest of the home squadron, Blaine +took after the German, and for five minutes there was a mid-heaven race +towards Belgium. But Bangs, in his small scout, was easily the fastest +and soon he and the German were engaged in a running duel. + +All at once Buck signaled to Blaine in code: + +"Leave this Boche to me. There's a train off eastward. See if you +can't do something. Get up higher: you'll see better." + +Mutely Blaine obeyed and, as he rose up another thousand feet, he saw +more than one row of cars, upon a single track hurrying towards the +front, whence already the distant bellow of earthly struggles was going +on. Evidently the big Allied offensive was on. If he, Blaine, could +hinder the troop trains from reaching the front trenches, it might be a +big help to the infantry, that was now attempting its part of the big +stunt. + +Straightway the biplane, with the body of Stanley still nestling in the +bottom of the observer's, manhole, was shooting downward in a gradual +slant towards the two trains. One of these was filled with soldiers, +at least a brigade, for the train was a long one. The one ahead seemed +to be loaded with munitions and with artillery on the rear cars. + +Swooping down closer, Blaine laid his plan. When within three hundred +feet he saw some Archies posted at a crossroads who at once began +firing. In his present mood he would have cared little for any +obstacle as yet untried. + +Above the noise of his propellers he detected something behind, and, +turning, what was his amazement to see Stanley's ashen gray face +peering up over the observer's seat. Blaine was startled, as if he +looked at a ghost. + +"Get down, boy!" he adjured. "You ain't strong enough. Get down! +I've got a stiff job just ahead. Give me time and room." + +Whether Stanley understood or not Blaine was not certain. But just +then the stricken man crumpled back again into his former nest at the +bottom of the manhole. A slow groan came up. + +"Poor chap! He's in misery, no doubt. But I've just got to try this +job --" + +Just then the Archies began to cut loose, but Blaine went to +zigzagging, at the same time increasing his speed, swooping still lower +-- lower. At last directly over the front train, with machine guns, +Archies, and rifles peppering away at him, he let go with one side of +his bomb rack. With the sound of the resultant explosion he wheeled +and let go the other. + +Both racks landed directly upon the leading train loaded, as Blaine +suspected, with all sorts of ammunition. + +Instantly he pressed the upward controls and his machine darted on +towards the rear just in time to escape the tremendous blaze and roar +as that string of loaded cars began to explode one after another. The +noise, flames and confusion were indescribable. Regardless of the +still up flying shrapnel and shot, the daring man turned loose the +controls and instantly whipped into place another rack or two of bombs. + +By this time he was directly in the path and, right over the long troop +train already slowing down to avoid collision with the exploding +ammunition train. This in itself was almost impossible, so closely had +one train followed the other, a most incautious thing to do. + +He felt that his big spread of wings offered too great a bombarding +surface to the forces at the crossroads below, but he was bound to +finish the job so well begun, no matter what resulted to himself and +Stanley. + +Still further down he went, and at the pivotal instant began again with +the first rack of bombs. Down they flow, crashing upon car after car. +Though half conscious of something at his rear and left, he did not +dream the cause until, turning, he saw Stanley's pallid face +contracting with pain. The observer was shoving forward the second +rack into the essential groove for firing. Blaine in his baste had +missed fixing it in the notch necessary for accurate discharge. At +untold bodily cost to himself Stanley had again risen and completed the +task, just in time for the second rack to fall along the rear half of +the train, the last bombs crashing into the rear engine pushing the +heavy train from behind. + +So far as could be seen from above the wrecking of the two trains was +complete. Amid the din of exploding munitions rose the cries of +hundreds of wounded, dying men, while the debris of the burning +wreckage was strewn up and down the single track for a mile or more. + +As Stanley sank back again, more deathlike than ever, Blaine put on all +his power and strove to rise. Still roared the anti-aircraft guns, the +machine guns and the rest of the snipers below; that is, all that were +still on the job after the terrifying disaster so deftly accomplished +by Blaine. + +The biplane would not rise to any great degree. But it would travel at +a gentle upward trend and as rapidly as ever. + +Off he flew, more than anxious to get out of; range from the vengeful +fire that pursued him. + +Another groan from Stanley. Blaine, looking back, saw the lad +crumpling up with a new red stain trickling down his scalp. + +"How I would like to help him!" thought the pilot. "But the only +chance for either of us is to keep on and get out of this hell." + +For a wonder there did not appear any more Boche fliers, and as soon as +he was outside the immediate range of the Archies, Blaine found that he +was sailing northeastward over an opaquely indistinct expanse of +country which he felt in his bones must be that of the foe. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +BUCK AND THE BOCHE ALOFT + +Meanwhile what had become of Buck Bangs, whom we left following the +Boche flier that had first assaulted him, but who soon seemed to have +enough of the game? + +The truth was that Buck, who was plucky to the core, did not want to +give up and return to the home base any more than did Blaine. Both +were fighters and loath to abandon what looked like success as long as +there seemed a chance to win out. + +As he had told the Walsen girl once, when she remonstrated with him +upon his temerity in the face of what more than once looked like +certain death: + +"Reckon I don't know that, miss? You bet I do! But, somehow, death +don't come just then and -- and I keep on riskin' some more. I - I +guess I'm jest built that way." + +The German, who was rather clumsy, kept on along his eastward flight, +with Buck in hot pursuit. Getting closer, Bangs again opened up with +his Lewis. What was his surprise to see the clumsy German crumple up +in his seat and fall forward, his hands and part of his arms out of +sight, as well as the other could see in the starlit night. + +"I believe I got him at last," thought Buck, maneuvering to a closer +position. "I'll fill him and his tank full of holes, then see what has +happened." + +But just before Buck came into position, the German's plane suddenly +veered athwart the nose of the other and deftly dove almost directly +downward. The turn was a surprise. But Buck instantly knew that no +machine, unless some one was handling the controls, would do a thing +like that. Instantly he knew that the clumsiness of that Boche must +have been assumed for the purpose of inducing Bangs to follow, thus +leading the two planes away from the Allied squadron. + +"Fritzy is sharper than I gave him credit for being," thought Buck. +"But he'll not get under me in that way without doing more stunts yet." + Instantly the nimble scout machine darted upward, at the same time +turning on its tail in such a way as to bring both opponents side by +side with Buck now still higher up. By the time the German had gotten +into a firing position Buck had his Nieuport slanted nose downward and +pointing straight at the enemy. But scarcely had this been done, +before the German was veering off to the left and sliding down, down +with scarcely conceivable rapidity. + +Instantly Buck was after him, and for several minutes the two spiraled, +twisted, dove, looped and performed other aerial feats accomplished +only by expert fliers. By this time both were undeceived as to the +skill of their opponents. Each knew that his adversary was worthy of +all the dexterity and strategy the other might employ. + +And all this in the dark, as it were. That is, in the dark as darkness +is in the upper air, a sort of transparent twilight, when the mists are +either absent or the light haze is as a gauze curtain stretched between +our eyes and an upper light beyond. + +At length the German, no longer clumsy, but most expert, seemed to be +waving something that looked white. Then came a low megaphone call +that made Bangs wonder if his ears were all right. It came in good +United States English. + +"Hullo, you!" it began. "Let's rest a bit and have a pow-wow!" + +Buck could still hardly believe that he really heard, and he hesitated. +Finally he returned: + +"Don't know you! You talk like us, but you act like a Hun. Can't +trust you Huns further than you'd -" + +"Aw-come on down! I'm tired of fightin' a will-o'-the-wisp like you. +Been in Akron lately?" + +"Don't know the burg. Montana's my stampin' ground -- when I'm home." + +"I used to live in Akron -- worked in the rubber factories. Come on +down. I know a good place. We can yarn there -- mebbe have a +zwie-bier." + +The two machines were now hardly fifty yards apart, with the German +rather lower down than Buck. + +"Not much, old man! I don't know you, I say. Now -- you watch out! +I'm --" + +But Buck never finished that sentence. The German, having consumed as +much time as he thought proper with his hyperbolical peace propaganda, +suddenly dove sideways, executing what is now known as the Emmelin +turn, that would bring him, nose up, somewhat below and on the other +side of Bangs. + +But Buck was not to be caught napping by any Hun making seemingly +friendly proposals. Before the German had more than half executed the +maneuver, Bangs was already shooting upwards in a zigzag course and by +the time the other had gotten into position, Buck was swinging round +far above, from whence, to outdo the other, he pointed his Nieuport +downward pointblank at the fuselage of the German's Taube. + +Swiftly he came, apparently reckless of consequences. It so turned out +that the Boche did exactly what Bangs thought he would do: tried to +avoid the descending avalanche. His machine swung to the right, yet +not enough to clear the other. Full tilt the Nieuport struck the +nearly motionless Taube near the center of the fuselage. Nieuports are +strong and sharp in their prow, and the metal edge clove through the +side of the German machine not unlike one destroyer ramming another. + +At the same instant Bangs, pointing his Lewis gun obliquely downward, +sent a spatter of bullets full into his opponent just before the +collision occurred. + +Smash went in the side of the Taube. An instant before, the shower of +bullets had penetrated not only the petrol tank but also the body of +the too plausible German. Anticipating what might happen, Buck clapped +down upon his rudder, reversing his engine, and drew back from the +shattered enemy just in time to escape the burst of flame that almost +at once enveloped both man and machine. + +"I settled him, " panted Buck, almost breathless despite himself. "He +may have lived in the U. S., but he lacked much of American love for +fair play. I wouldn't have run into him if he had acted at all white." + +So ran Buck's thought as he sat breathing heavily, watching the plummet +flight of the dead German and his flame-shriveling plane to the earth. + +Rising again to a higher altitude, he surveyed the surroundings as well +as the night's dim light would permit. Nothing to be seen anywhere. +All at once Bangs thought of Blaine. Faintly he had heard the sound of +explosions down near the earth; but whether the same were bombs, or +guns, or if any other cause were responsible the lad did not know. + +"Ought I to look him up or not?" he more than once asked himself. "No +better chap anywhere than Blaine, or for that matter Stanley either." + +Circling round a wide aerial expanse while cogitating along these +lines, he thought he heard the sound of far-off explosions somewhere +below. His timepiece showed that the hour was near three A.M. +Daylight would soon be showing. In the far west and southwest the +thunderous roll of artillery was incessant, mingled with sharper minor +concussion of small arms, machine guns and musketry. + +"That drive must now be in full swing," he thought. "Ought I to circle +round there and see if I can do any good? Might take a squint at the +Boche front and let our artillery know." + +He was about to follow out this when another rattle from below came up. + Somehow he felt that it might be connected with Blaine and Stanley, +nor would the notion rest until he began to descend. + +The course followed took him somewhat to the north of where the great +battle was raging in the southwest, and presently he saw quite an +expanse of war-torn forest underneath, or so it seemed from the height +at which be flew. + +Then a third explosion shattered the air, seeming to rise from directly +below. Bangs hesitated no longer. Ascertaining that his petrol was +still plentiful, he began gliding downward, over a hamlet or two, +mostly in ruins, then over a few small fields, and at last over the +scraggy trees. Suddenly he saw to the right a broad oval with what +looked like a battered wall around it. It might have been three to +four hundred yards in length, by half that in width. + +The dim view perplexed him greatly as he flew, not more than from one +to two hundred yards above this singular ruin, completely surrounded, +as it seemed by forest, or the remains of forest. + +All at once, gliding from out some deep shadows, something came rushing +along inside this oval, and stopped. A moment later it appeared to +rush again over the same course but in the opposite direction. All +this dimly came to Buck, swinging easily along overhead. Then it was +all clear to him at once. + +"I'm certainly gettin' nutty," he owned to himself. "That's a plane. +Looks like a biplane and it's trying to rise. Why in Hades don't it +rise? Probably because it can't." + +He knew that the Boche in his Taube had gone down considerably to the +northeastward. And the Taube was on fire. No doubt about that. This +was not a hostile machine, was it? Bangs did not feel that it was. He +had heard along that front tales of a big concrete oval, once erected +in the small Duchy of Luxemburg, close to the town of Arion, which town +was near a large area of forest. It had been constructed about the era +when a revival of old-time Olympic games had roused more or less +interest in a modern worldwide participation in the same, as a sort of +antique revival of ancient times. Several celebrations had come off, +notably at Athens, at Paris, and elsewhere. Then the interest died out +but this concrete oval had remained. + +After certain minor uses it had fallen into neglect. When war came +that region became more or less ravaged, though somewhat off the track +of the main struggles. And here was Buck hovering over this modern +relic of an old-time futility, while below him was a mysterious plane +trying to rise but apparently not succeeding. + +With this train of thought, Bangs got out his remaining signal flares +and flashed one of the code signals most in use among the Allied +aviators along this front. His pulses leaped when it was answered. +Before Buck could do anything more, there came the sounds of a much +nearer explosion somewhat off to the south, fairly jarring the earth +with its impact. + +The plane below was now motionless. All at once a series of flashes +came upward that Buck instantly understood as saying: + +"You must be of our side. If not, I'll have to take a chance. We are +out of petrol: tank 'prang a leak. Can you help us out?" + +"You bet!" flashed back Bangs. "Got enough so that we can both get +home again. Who are you?" + +This last query was instantly replied to from below by the private sign +denoting that the parties below were of such and such squad or +escadrille quartered at Aerodrome No. -. + +Buck drew a long breath, then he flashed forth his own number and began +to descend. Nothing more happened until Buck brought his nimble +Nieuport to a smooth standstill a few yards distant from a big biplane +that Bangs at once recognized as Blaine's. + +"Well, well!" he exclaimed, dismounting and hurrying across the +intervening space. "Isn't this luck - why - why what's the matter, +Lafe? Sick?" + +But Blaine was only sick at heart. Already be had taken Stanley out of +the observer's manhole, had laid the lad down, pillowing his head on a +blanket, and was bending low, massaging Stanley's immobile limbs. +Stanley's face looked deathlike under the flare of Blaine's flashlight. + +In an instant Buck understood. Stanley had been wounded, perhaps +mortally, during the course of the night raid. Blaine, being unable to +keep on his course longer owing to the gradual draining of petrol from +the tank as the engines consumed the heat, had managed to descend to +this retired place. + +With not more than a word or two of explanation, Buck also set to, and +both lads did their best to revive Stanley, who had fallen again into +unconsciousness. The deadly swoon had been strengthened by Stanley's +effort to put the last rack of bombs fully in place during the train +bombardment, as we have already seen. + +They tried cold water, brandy, and also some medicine Buck produced +from his own kitbag, but all to no apparent avail. Meantime the +explosions to the southward were increasing and, worse still, were +drawing nearer, though slowly. + +"We got to get out of this," said Lafe at last. "While I put Stanley +back in the biplane yon draw as much of your petrol from your tank as +you can spare and put it in to mine." + +"All righty oh! We got to get a move on, too. Look yonder!" + +A bluish-green roll of flame was moving along the plain beyond the +forest, showing dimly above it certain flying specks that were +undoubtedly airplanes, but whether hostile or friendly was not apparent. + +"Course it's Fritzy, Lafe," was Bangs' comment who, after aiding Blaine +to stow the wounded man as comfortably as possible in his own manhole, +was already at work replenishing the biplane's tank from his own. "To +be square, I'll divide up, giving you a leetle the most. We gotter to +get back -- eh?" + +"If possible, yes. I don't hanker after a German prison camp. It +would sure kill Stanley, if he isn't dead already." + +By the time they had their brief preparations completed, the fire, +steadily approaching, struck the edge of an opening through the woods +and suddenly burst into tremendous flame, with an accompanying report. + +"Wait, Lafe," cautioned Buck, for both were in their seats. "Let, me +rise first. I'll mosey towards that fire. As for you and Stan -- you +make your get-away. Sooner you get back to the home plate, the more +you'll be apt to do for Stan. Stan's a bully chap -- durn 'im." + +Up into the air rose the Nieuport, while Buck was thus delivering +himself. Over towards the line of fires and the shadowy circling of +planes he went while Blaine himself made an attempt to rise. What was +the latter's consternation to find that his plane would not rise +sufficient to clear the concrete oval by which the open space was +surrounded! + +"What will I do now?" Blaine almost gasped. "Must be something wrong +with the machinery that I failed to notice." + +Another explosion, much nearer, that seemed to tear up trees within the +forest. At the same time he distinctly saw Buck's machine circling +round and round, high up in the air, and directly over where the last +explosion had occurred. It looked puzzling. But Lafe had no time just +then to observe Buck's doings except that, during the last flash, the +concrete oval had given way. + +Meantime the biplane was trying to lift itself a trifle higher, and +happened to be beaded towards where the explosions were occurring. + +"Damn if he ain't droppin' bombs, too," Blaine gasped, then quickly +solved the riddle of Buck's maneuvers. + +Without waiting further, but applying all his power, Blaine drove the +biplane forward at full speed, at the same time using both forward and +rear steering blades to assist further elevation of the prow. + +"Will we make it?" he asked himself. "If we do, what will we do then?" + +Too late to consider pros and cons now. The die was cast, either for +good or ill. Then, all at once, he saw Buck's small triplane rise at a +marvelous speed, while from the south came several other planes, almost +skimming the ground in their onward rush. Also, still further on, was +a confused mass that was struggling rearward, though what it could be +was puzzling. It was still too dark to distinguish things clearly when +unaided by the fires. + +A whistling, whirring swish swept startlingly near his own plane, now +at last rising high over the ruins of the oval, forty yards of which +were scattered over the earth. From this sounded a well-known voice +through a megaphone: + +"Follow me -- you -- Lafe! Boches ahead. Follow me -- dodge 'em." + +That was all, but it was enough. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +BACK HOME + +Blaine knew good advice when it came. His own more cumbersome machine +having at last the right slope for rising, even in its crippled state, +did rise, and rapidly, so that Lafe was much encouraged. + +Bangs, still overhead, darted forward at a startling pace directly for +the nearest enemy plane that intuitively dodged. He swooped to the +left and engaged in the subtle, lightning-like maneuvers which so often +accompany the opposing efforts of two skilled antagonists seeking to +gain the advantage one over the other. + +This, as it was intended, gave Blaine his first chance to rise +uninterruptedly and gain such height and distance as he desired. +Meantime the gray dawn was slowly growing, enabling him to see in the +south certain masses of men, disordered, yet moving with a common +impulse towards the east. Undoubtedly they were the retreating +Germans, at last giving way before the offensive that had been launched +upon them by the Allies early the evening before. + +The series of explosions and flames that they had seen dimly, from the +forest surrounded oval, was the destruction made by the enemy along the +lines of their night's retreat. They were going back to what has +become known as the famed Hindenburg line or base, which for some time +marked the end of the now retirement of the Boche forces on the west +front. + +Having attained sufficient height, Blaine turned more westward; on +account of Stanley, he was determined to make the shortest cut towards +the home aerodrome. But here, too, another flock of enemy fliers was +hanging over the advancing Allies so that Blaine, for sake of caution, +rose up, up, still higher in the effort to avoid these new antagonists. + +Looking back, Blaine now saw Bangs engaged, in fierce conflict with two +of the rearward squad of Boche fliers. Again he admired the marvelous +speed and dexterity of his chum as the circlings of the three were +faintly apparent. + +All at once came a burst of flame from one of the three and down went +the burning plane like so many had gone before. + +"Was that Buck?" gasped Blaine, greatly excited. "The other two seem +strangely harmonious. I must see more." + +Round he wheeled and sailed towards the two remaining planes that were +zigzagging about each other a mile or more in the rear. + +At a speed of two miles a minute, Blaine found himself almost +immediately being circled by the first plane, which was so much like +Buck's that he at first distinguished no difference. What first +aroused him was a roar of sound and a spatter of bullets that stabbed +his planes as the stranger flew by. + +"By hokyl It's a Boche!" Blaine was already maneuvering to get some +shots himself when from the second plane, came a code signal that +instantly informed him of his first mistake. + +"Go home!" the flashes commanded. "Leave, me to take care of Fritz." + +Quick as a wink Blaine turned to the homeward flight again. But his +plane moved heavily. Back again came the German, but Bangs suddenly +intruded and the two scouts were soon banging, diving, dodging each +other while Blaine, pursued his former course as best he might. + +But his speed was strangely slow. He had trouble in maintaining an +even flight, and there were more planes coming from the west. This was +the rear squadron of Germans, that had been overhanging the Allied +advance and signaling their own men further east. + +"Buck and I -- we'll be overwhelmed, " though Lafe. "I'm growing +weaker. What the hell is the matter with me anyhow?" meaning his +planes of course. + +But before the approaching Boches could surround Blaine or Bangs, still +fighting his foe, there rose suddenly out of a cloud to the southwest a +new flock of airplanes that instantly attacked the retreating foe. + +All this time a terrific artillery fire was roaring out of the east, as +the result of the Boches signaling from their rear squadron, now being +rapidly whipped into flight by the new onslaught of Allied planes. + +Where was Bangs? Just then Blaine saw the solitary Boche flier that +had first attacked him and afterwards got it hot from Buck, speeding at +a crippled pace towards the east. It passed Blaine who, having a sheaf +of ammunition ready, turned loose upon it forthwith as it passed. + +This was all it needed, for the foe, one wing swinging loosely, sagged +earthward at a great pace, its pilot working frantically to keep on an +even keel. + +Two passing Allied planes each gave it a shower of bullets that caused +it to topple over in mid-air, and go crashing down towards that grim +and gory field below. But where was Bangs? + +Blaine's anxieties were deflected from Buck to his own plane which at +last turned earthward, not, crippled more by enemy aid, but - but -- + +"Why -- confound it! I'm out of gasoline again. Well, here goes!" +And he proceeded to carefully spiral down as gently as he could, no +easy job when all motive power is suddenly exhausted. + +He landed in a broad shell-hole and at once began to apply restoratives +to Stanley who, very weak yet undaunted, asked where they were. + +"Why, we're somewhere behind the Allied drive in what was +No-Man's-Land. But don't you bother! What I've got to do is to get +you back to our base somehow." + +"You've been mighty good, Lafe. I'll do my best to help by laying +still and trying to get a mite stronger." + +Here a groan was heard that caused Blaine to begin to investigate their +immediate surroundings. Nearby was a wrecked plane in which we two +Germans, one dead through the fall, and the other evidently dying. The +dying man was conscious and had heard Blaine and Stanley talking +together. Then came the groan. Instantly Blaine, rushing over, +recognized him. + +"Why, it is Herman Bauer!" he exclaimed, as much for Stanley's benefit +as to show Bauer that he recognized him. "Anything I can do for you, +Bauer?" + +"N-nein -- no," Bauer corrected himself. "I've got mine. Himmel! Eet +vas to me coming I guess -- vat?" + +Here Bauer was seized by another convulsion that left him speechless, +staring and all but dead. + +Blaine surveyed him coldly. + +"I didn't know you were much of a flier," he said. "Were you that +chap's observer? Well, you must have photos, plans or something." + +Then Blaine coolly proceeded to search both men, the dead pilot and the +one about to die. Bauer's eyes gleamed with hate as he managed to say: + +"Gott strafe Englander!" He choked, panting, then whispered with his +last breath: "Gott strafe Amerikanner - schwein -- sch--" + +The whisper died away in a choking deep in the throat. Bauer was dead. + He had paid the last great penalty. Blaine, still cool and unruffled, +continued his search until he was in possession of all the two men had +that was worth the trouble of taking. Among these were maps, air-craft +photos of the Allied trenches and one valuable map the communicating +transport and railway lines behind the new Tlindenburg front to which +Germans generally were retiring. + +With Bauer dead and Stanley more comfortable, Blaine began looking over +his machine. It seemed all right but for lack of petrol and wings +being more punctured and ragged than usual. + +"Where can I get petrol?" he more than once asked himself. "I could +either get on myself and join our men, or get back to the station. But +I can't leave Stanley. Hang it all! What'll I do?" + +Lafe was about to give it up for the present, when Stanley from his +recumbent position said: + +"Why don't you try that Boche plane? Seems like I heard Bauer say +something about petrol. Then he swore because he could not get up. I +didn't know then it was Bauer." + +"Right you are, Stan! Why didn't I think of that before? I hope the +fall didn't smash their tank." + +It so happened the tank was nearly all right, only a little of the oil +having leaked out through a twisted nut. Blaine got busy and in ten +minutes he had transferred the German petrol to his own tank, and +thereupon felt, as be phrased it, quite "like a new man." + +Meantime stray shells were falling here and there, but none within a +dangerous margin. Still, it would be better to get somewhere else. + +"Come on, Stan," said Blaine. "I don't like these stray duds and +coal-boxes. One of them might drop too near. Let me put you back in +your manhole." + +Before this could be accomplished, Blaine heard another nearing noise, +at first high up in the air. Looking up he saw a tiny burst of flame +from a dark, swirling object that was plainly descending fast, then +faster still. + +"Why, that must be a falling plane!" he exclaimed. "It's coming down +mighty close, too. What'd I better do?" + +Apparently there was not much to do for half a minute but to watch. +And watch both he and Stanley did, wondering if it was enemy or friend, +for the burning plane was careening, fluttering -- not unlike a +broken-winged bird. In the gray dawn they could see the pilot, still +seated, dexterously manipulating every agency that might enable him to +keep his balance without falling out. + +Down, down he came, finally plumping to earth, just outside the broad +shell-hole with a gentle crash. With this the flames burst up anew, +enveloping the crushed wings, and rendering the very nearness a danger. + But the goggled, leather-coated masked man had already sprung out, his +personal belongings in hand, and stumbled up the outer slope of the +crater. Suddenly he was halted by the stern command: + +"Hands up -- you!" There was no mistaking Blaine's voice by one who +had often heard it before. + +"Why, hullo, Lafe!" And Blaine and Stanley both recognized the wrecked +intruder. "I thought you had made the home base." + +Sure enough it was Buck Bangs himself, breathless from exertion, yet +full of vim and energy still. He climbed nimbly up the slope and +gripped Blaine's hand, then stooping, greeted the still weak, yet +slowly recovering Stanley. + +"I would have got there," said Blaine, replying to Buck's first remark, +"but my petrol all at once gave out. I barely managed to save a fall +by alighting here. How came you in this fix?" + +"That's soon said. While I was fighting that plane that was after you +and you were on the way home, as I thought, along came two other +Boches. Well, we had it hot for a minute or so. I downed one +somewhere along here." + +"Yonder it lies," and Blaine pointed at the ruins of the other plane, +near which lay Bauer and the other dead German. "Bet you'd never guess +who one of them two Huns is." Lafe eyed Bangs quizzically. + +"Nix! I ain't much on blind guessing. I saw my chap was crippled and +I went back after the other, to keep him off you. I'd lost sight of +you, but I reasoned you'd be on the way home. I knew you couldn't go +very fast. Then all at once I saw I was afire. One of my wings had +caught from something -- probably an explosive shell. Well, I had to +turn back. Meantime those planes arriving from our side had swept the +Boches clean off. I saw I wasn't getting much of anywhere and I just +managed to light down here." + +"But what about that chap over there?" + +"Bother! I don't know beans about him; only if I helped bring him down +I guess it was a good job." + +"Better job than you think! You remember Bauer, the chap that was +caught in the spy act back in the old station?" + +Bangs nodded. + +"He's one of the two over there," pointing at the airplane wreck, "and +he was alive when I heard him. I went to him, but he was practically +gone. Will say this for him though, he was a Hun all right, and he +died cussing us all, Johnny Bull, Uncle Sam, as 'Schwein, schwein!' Oh +yes, be was true German to the backbone. Between you and me I'm right +glad that it fell to us to do him up, and that we will all know he got +the reward due his abominable treachery." And Blaine nodded his head +emphatically. + +Bangs walked across, eyed the dead Hun a moment, and came back, saying: + +"Will your plane carry us -- but pshaw! You're out of gasoline, man!" + +"No - we're not. Got a tank half full!" + +"Too thin, old man! Why, then did you stop here? You didn't know I +was going to drop down, and you knew Stanley ought to be in the +hospital instead of lying here listening to you and me gabbing this +way." + +"Why haven't you got some invention, Buck?" Blaine was grinning as he +rose up to prepare for early departure. "I 'lowed that if Bauer had +enough gasoline to get this far, if his tank wasn't busted, he might +have more. I took what they had and was about to leave when down you +came. Come on -- let's go!" + +With great care Stanley was placed as comfortably as possible inside +the biplane, which the two aviators trundled to the edge of the +shell-hole. A moment later, with Bangs giving the plane a downward +push, then leaping lightly up behind Blaine, they easily rose to a +requisite height and glided over the shell-torn plain. + +Far away to the east and southeast rumbled the roar of battle, while +with the gray dawn, now mantling into rose pink, then red, and finally +melting into the brightest of gold, at last came the morning's sun, +leaping from its nightly nest and flooding half the world with the +day's celestial glory. + +Luckily their plane was not hit or in danger from the occasional shells +that still came screaming over the lines across the scraggy war-torn +land over which they flew. Stanley, though very weak, was still alive. + Loss of blood was the main cause of his weakness. Upon recovering +from his first state of coma, after sustaining his injury, he had borne +the long, wearisome ride, the spatter and peril of conflict without +complaint. + +At Appincourte Bluff, where was now a base hospital, he was taken from +the plane and put under adequate medical care. For twenty-four hours +he dozed and slowly strengthened; but when be finally waked again to +life and its daily events, there was Miss Daskam's fair young face at +his bedside. Needless to state that Stanley's recovery was rapid under +these auspices. + +Meantime Blaine and Bangs made their further, way in the plane over the +few miles intervening between the hospital and the aerodrome. + +Most of the boys were away, scattered along the now advancing front but +by night some of them began to straggle back. Poor Finzer and Brodno +would never come back. That both Lafe and his companion well knew. +But they had died like true men, fighting for the cause they believed +in. + +Captain Byers was also at the front, now many miles to the east. But +the veteran Sergeant Anson was on hand and in partial charge. He it +was who brought to the boys some sealed envelopes, saying: + +"You chaps have been gone a goodish while. And you've managed to lose +one bully scouting plane. But I guess you've done your bit all right." + +"Well, sergeant," remarked Blaine quizzically, "I don't know what you'd +call doing our bit. Buck here has brought down, with my help at times, +several Boche planes. I managed to knock spots out of a troop and +ammunition train or rather two of them. Better than all, we helped +bring down another plane with two Huns in it, one dead, another dying. +Guess who the last one was?" + +Anson grinned, frowned, then shook his head. + +"Bother the guessin'! I ain't as bally good at that as you Yanks. Was +it any one we knows?" + +"You remember Bauer?" + +"That rotter what was found guilty of spyin' for the enemy? Yes, I +knew the blighter, the traitor?" + +"Well, he's dead. When his plane fell on fire, I had to drop down in a +shell-hole back yonder. Bauer and his pilot had fallen near there just +before. He was cussing us all out, Boche fashion. But it was from +their machine that I got enough petrol to fetch us three safely back. +So you see Bauer was some good after all. Of course he was a traitor +and should have been hung." + +"Well, you two haven't done so bad. Before Senator Walsen and his +daughters left they gave me these things for you two, if you had the +luck to get back. And Captain Byers, before going on this raid, left +this permit, together with all necessary papers for you two to go on +leave for ten days." + +"That reminds me, said Blaine, fishing in his own pockets. "Here are +some photos, maps and so on that I got from those two dead Germans, +Bauer and his pilot. They may be of service up at headquarters." + +And he handed them over, Buck supplementing them with a few he too had +taken on his various ventures within the last day or two. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +CONCLUSION + +Two days later a couple of rather spruce looking young men alighted +from an eastern train in Paris and, strolling forth in the crowd of +passengers, looked about them rather curiously. + +Both had passed through the French capital before, but more as +strangers and foreigners than as ally Americans, visiting a city famed +as the center of all that is best in French history and tradition. + +"Looks much like little old New York," remarked Buck, "only I don't see +so many skyscrapers." + +"I like that!" said Blaine. "I never did fall in love with fifty-story +shacks that seem to resent the sunlight down here below. I wish Stan +could be with us, don't you?" + +"Yep! But I bet he's satisfied with the nursing he's getting off that +pretty Chicago girl we left him with. What we better do? Wait for +something to happen?" + +"'Looks that way. Our wire said for us to wait at the depot." And +Blaine, looking curiously around, happened to be turned the wrong way +when a uniformed porter came up to Bangs, touched his cap and said: + +"Pardon, messieurs, but will you come with me?" And be presented a +card upon which was engraved the name of Senator Walsen. Under this +was hastily penciled in a feminine hand: "We are waiting. Please follow +the porter." That was all. + +Buck, slightly confused, tugged at Blaine's sleeve, saying: + +"Come on! They're waiting for us - somewhere." + +With a start of surprise Blaine obeyed, and each bearing his hand-bag, +they set out dumbly after the station official who had already picked +up a couple of suit-cases. + +For a minute or more they threaded the mixed throngs of civilians, +officials, soldiers of all grades and many nationalities, together with +trainmen, guards, gendarmes and what not, to a line of waiting cabs, +taxies, motor-cars just beyond a series of high iron gates. At one of +these a sentry, together with a railway official, examined their +tickets, and more important still their passes or permits. After this, +both sentry and guard, respectfully saluting, stood aside and the +porter took them to a big gray limousine drawn up near by. A uniformed +driver sat in front, while the porter placed the luggage in a rear rack +and climbed up behind himself. + +All this was comparatively unnoticed, for the door opened and two +lovely faces peered out as the young men came up. + +Just then Blaine felt unduly conscious of one or more court-plastered +places upon his cranial anatomy, while Buck felt that a wound or two on +arm and neck somehow detracted from his natural freedom of movement. +And yet neither had given the matter a thought before. These were the +chances of war. Chances with ladies, however, were just then much more +important. + +But the two young women, charmingly dressed, were all smiles and +cordiality. + +"You will excuse father, won't you?" lisped Andra, while both made way +inside the tonneau for the two to enter. There they were eagerly +greeted by no less a personage than Orris Erwin, also on leave, who +shook bands heartily. + +In the tonneau were two seats, each roomy enough for three. As the car +started on, all chatting eagerly, Avella supplemented Andra's remark +with: + +"Papa had to attend some kind of a war meeting at Versailles. He +deputized us to welcome you., Mr. Erwin insisted oncoming, too." + +"Why, this is great, great!" enthused Blaine, his awkwardness all gone +under the cordiality of this greeting. "I always wanted to get leave, +you know. So did Buck. Orry seems to have got in ahead on the leave +business." + +He grinned at Erwin, but Andra put in with: + +"Well, we're all on leave only, aren't we, Mr. Erwin?" + +"You gir -- you ladies, too?" essayed Bangs, while Erwin nodded. + +"Why, yes. We're enlisted in the Red Cross, you know, and they're so +strict about letting us off. But we, too, got our ten days. It will +give us time to show you boys about the city a bit. And we're so glad +you got back safe and are in time. Besides, tonight is going to be the +big time for you boys." + +"You are right, Vella." Andra smiled roguishly. "Mr. Erwin has been +so curious. He's always wanting to know." + +Clearly something was up, but recognizing that good manners were now a +point to be duly considered, the young men managed to conquer their +curiosity and confine their attention to other not less agreeable +things. + +They motored out to the Walsen residence, near the American Embassy, +and were ensconced with Erwin in a suite of apartments much superior to +what they had been used to of late. + +The day passed. Senator Walsen returned. With him was the American +Ambassador and a stout, elderly, yet martial looking man, already one +of the most famous of the high Marshals of France, and now well known +in the United States. + +There was a dinner of state that evening, to which not only these three +aviators were invited, but also various other French and Americans who +had more or less distinguished themselves. + +At the hour appointed no less a personage than the President of the +French Republic, with several of his leading supporters also came. +Altogether some twenty or more were assembled in the Walsen +drawing-room just before the dinner hour. + +Somewhat nervous, yet hopeful, our youngsters carefully prepared +themselves for what Bangs confessed was "a blame sight more trying than +any of the Boche scrimmages we have tackled of late." + +"You are making mountains out of mole-bills; you know you are." Andra +and Avella were smiling now, both doubly charming in their new Red +Cross gowns. + +As a matter of fact all three lads in their clean, trim aviation +uniforms presented both a manly, martial and genteel appearance. At +the last moment in came Captain Byers just in from the front; and with +him was Stanley, pale and rather thin, yet surprisingly strong, +considering his severe experiences. Miss Daskam was not there, but if +one had looked closely at Stanley's pockets, the edge of a small photo +of that young lady might have peeped out. Most likely this would have +aroused Erwin's jealousy. Who knows? + +When all were assembled and the usual round of introductions had been +gone through with, Senator Walsen rose, introducing the Marshal, and +concluding as follows: + +"We not only love our French brothers-in-arms, but we know they love +us. Our distinguished leader here," indicating the Marshal, "'wishes +now to substantially prove this." And he gave way to the great +Frenchman, who motioned to our lads to stand up, and then proceeded to +pin on each young breast a cross of honor, bestowed for gallantry on +the west front. + +Directly Captain Byers also came forward and read an order from our War +Department authorizing the General commanding our forces in France to +declare the following promotions: + +Lafayette Blaine to be First Lieutenant in the new American Aviation +corps, Buck Bangs to be Second Lieutenant in same; and Orris Erwin and +George Stanley to be First Sergeants. Effect to be immediate. Also +furloughs granted to each for ten days at full pay. + +Then the Marshal, whose command of English was limited, briefly yet +succinctly complimented them all, especially Captain Byers, who had +just come back from the line pressing the retiring enemy. + +After that, of course, there was nothing to do but announce the dinner. + +"How do you feel after all this?" curiously asked Andra Walsen of +Blaine while waiting for a succeeding course in the rather stately +march of the repast. "Do you feel good?" + +"I always feel best when you are with me," he simply replied. + +"Oh!" she replied, and there was unwonted color in her face as she +looked down at a rose he had given her, now pinned right over her heart. + +Both Buck and Avella looked quite as if they had been discussing the +fact that, after all, were they not natural neighbors? Was not she +from Idaho -- he from Montana? What more would anybody have? + +And so let us leave them. The war still goes on, grows in bitterness, +fierceness, cruelty, all or mostly inaugurated by Fritz the Hun. + +How neat, how appropriate the name! + +Let us, good reader, hope that if these young folks do survive the war +and return to their homes alive, that some of their dawning dreams may +come true, despite the Hun and all his works. + +THE END + + + + + + + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, OUR PILOTS IN THE AIR *** + +This file should be named 6082.txt or 6082.zip + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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