Air Service Boys over the Atlantic; Or, The Longest Flight on Record

w the enemy Gotha plane take a sudden significa

preceded it had struck a vital part of the rival

ive frantically to recover control. Jack, horror-stricken by what was happening, leaned

from overturning, but apparently his hour had struck, for the last Jack saw of the beaten Gotha it wa

was going on in other quarters. At the same time he proceeded to introduce a fresh belt of car

er of it. His interest focused chiefly on the bombing machines, which he found were now far away, moving along

as though disaster had overtaken its crew. No matter, even such a catastrophe must not

of chagrin steal over him, because so far no explosive seemed to have succeeded in attaining the great end sought. The bridge s

he bombs that had missed their intended objective. These lighted up the scen

t must be the missing bomber, he concluded, though the realization of the fact made him t

nkee plane had actually dropped down until they could not be more than a thousand feet from th

tion to what was passing below. Just in time did Tom look, for at that very moment there came another

and night the retreating Huns were taking their valuable guns and stores. A brief space of time did the scene bear the aspect

est satisfaction. Their raid would be one of tri

seemed to be greatly agitated. So he once more looked down, filled with a sudden fear

oomed. Jack's only consolation lay in the fact that the crew seemed to be in better luck than those of the stricken Gotha; for they managed to keep from tu

ied out, and further risks would be only a needless hazard. Then, too, the crews of the battle Gothas, realizing that they had failed to save th

ich meant that the raiding squadron should assemble above the reach of

was now really a thing of the past. The homeward trip would be a mere bagatelle, for surely no Huns would venture to attack them while on

ting that he had been near a serious accident, since a passing bullet had g

alarmed Tom, on seeing that the other was

the upper air currents sallied forth bent on adventure. "A miss is as good as a mile, you know, Tom. And I guess I have a hard

om felt relieved to know the worst. They were at the time

ked very much as though the loss of the big bomber was not the only penalty they had paid for their daring raid. But no doubt

front lines; but this time, taking a lesson from their previous experience

nes dropped on the open field where the hangars lay, like

on their feet and the waiting mechanics and hostlers looking aft

so well, Jack," he said earnestly. "If you look at our machine you'll see how near we c

here the Hun bullets had punctured different parts of the wings, or struck the fus

s they gathered in groups and compared experiences, as well as commente

rdonable pride. No member of that historical night raid, whereby the retreat of the Germans was so badly ha

unks in the former Hun dugout. All was now silence around them, the enemy batteries having ceased sending over even occasional she

erever they discovered that machine-gun nests had been placed these were "mopped-up" by surrounding them, and then attacking from the rear,

elt that they deserved it, for the destruction of that bridge was apt to be a serious stumbling-block in t

vily on his mind. He absented himself from the dugout which the air pilots continued to occupy and which they disliked giv

t he had not neglected this before going off, Tom, during the morning, found it absolut

sidered essential; and he might have consumed a still longer time but that

Nellie is looking fine, for a fact. They call her the most popular nurse at the front, and I've heard fellows in plent

orning. Of course Tom knew what it was that engaged the attention of his comrade, and he only hoped Jack might n

ill falling back, and word had been going around that by another day the Yankees would undoubtedly occupy the village th

his chum. Jack's face was gloomy, and he

ied to smile, but i

managed to get word after trying for hours, and have learned that my cou