Our Pilots in the Air

nd, flying swiftly yet keeping near the earth. This was strange for so formidable a squadron of fight

t 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 th

were the Entente airmen flying so low? Might they not be up to mo

g 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 ther

underings passed, then dwindled, but

ephoning hurriedly as

se overhead. No bomb

ped the German fire for the time being. Moreover, they were puzzled. Why should the Allied "schwein" fly so

ches. Yet it puzzled them, too. Hitherto the bombing on both sides had been done most

planes became more and more audib

e 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 gre

pen trenches in which troops were massed. For, be it known, that fatal blue flare from the aerodrome a dozen or more

heeled, shot back again and poured forth more bombs upon those trenc

ng the darting planes, while further back the anti-aircraft guns gav

ags, the sausages; for these observation balloons

ron 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

Fritzies with machine gun and bombs handy for use in times like

constituting the night watch. In and out among them shot the fast planes, the machines belc

another. Down rope ladders the occupants climbed or dangled, dropping off to hit the ground maimed or lifeless. By this time, h

pled or in flames. It so happened that Blaine and Erwin nearly met in

megaphone, B

this one,

ging earthward at a gentle angle. One of his wings had been shattered, the remnants flopping as they fell. Orris, working at the controls, pa

. He fell, half gliding, and finally landed with his pl

ess something hap

nd some trees under him was an open space of some kind. Could he make that open space? Th

ne of our planes dri

ed dial, indicated that the time was about ten o'clock. In his rear the darkness was more dense than ahead. Pro

e was any chance to tinker it up so as to make another flight,

ept thinking, keeping

a subdued crashing limbs, then an unintelligible moan or groan. After

sence. But all was still near by. Back west there came the dying echoes of the recent scrim

know that some of us were knocked out. Doubtless h

ome thing or some one falling had come from. To the left came the far rumble of trains

ns the front night and day. Yet it was so distant as to insure no conne

ch was possible. Where was he going? Could h

, showed him his next course. Stumbling forward, he almost

ought he recognized something ha

ything he had ever felt before. He dropped to his knees, drew out his small flashli

e. A well-known face, yet so ghastly in its bloody disfigurement

asped. "My God

as he saw by the flashlight that the man's face and head were so torn by machine gun s

t must have been a last clutch at his vanishing strength, he flung his mashed and bloody hand on a paper pad, w

he pad and read the following word

back by log pile. Goo

ft this way. Get mach

vered it with his leather blanket coat, piled br

's all I can d

hat his own machine was in bad shape. "Maybe Milt'

already started on the search, having repocketed the tell-tale flashlight. No kno

It had fallen through a tree top, hitting the logs. Milt, already blind, wounded unto death

d 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

s plane of mine. Too

He'd soon have

nearness, he opened the petrol tank of his plane, touched with a match the running liquid, and jumped nimbly to

schief is th

unting high, higher, scarcely forty yards away. In and out among the mechanism he fumbled,

Boches! They're com

ted, roamed round the open space now lighted up f

. One of the longer limbs of an old, battle-scarred poplar, partly broken and hanging lowe

is while wrenching loo

out of thi

pulating the controls. The high-powered scout and battle plane rose with a rush

hed Lafe, venturing a la

already showed Blaine to be a beet or turnip field of considerable extent. The constant roaring of artillery and a c

. "Guess wrecking them sausages must 'a' st

The field battery was now fading from view