Our Pilots in the Air

wing order was posted in the general

start. At each time three machines, each carrying eight 25 pound bombs, will bomb respectively R---, C---, L---. Secrecy is im

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 conquerin

re different. These night raids are a matter of cou

gar, everything was very quiet. A minute later they were climbing up into the inky darkness at the appointed sig

der of the squad, at the right tim

ed over No-Man's-Land, keeping at sufficient altitude, hugging the darkness, avoiding gl

Lafe"' said Orris at last. "

Keep easy! I'm going low

w dots of light that marked the ruins of the hamlet on which they were to

upply of bombs at a given signal from the leader. In this night raid an escorting

wenty-five pounds each. Others were at work also and the village below, already in half ruins, began to detonate with sh

l glimpses of hurried scurryings of the soldiers thus rudely disturb

and slighter physically, worked away

tile artillery. A shell exploded with a deafening report so near their Bleriot th

to sundry manipulations at certain levers and they began to climb spirally into the upper air, the powerful engines,

ear getting us then,

ee Erwin's slender figure drooping nervelessly, his head sinkin

ake buck up! I've still got to

ow capless, lay against his thigh. With one arm half around and upon that senseless head, holding the slight frame from slippin

aerodrome, which was now the goal of all. Meantime searchlights were flashing here, there, yonder through the inky sky. The s

en the last to quit, and they're

ed 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 ma

and dodged, mounting ever and ever higher. Yet his trend was

Archies broke loose. We'll have to stay quiet until this ruction below settles down." Lex and Milt were the p

Wakeup! Aren't yo

him more than once as he wondered if Erwin would not recover. Once only as Lafe mov

e 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 keepi

an undeniable kick. He was at last revi

re you coming

part of a struggle by

. Blaine therefore zigzagged more to westward, thereby throwing the reviving Erwin into an easier position. At this an eas

e got out of Archie's range, but I've one of their planes on our heels. Whist! Git do

achine guns made talk impracticable. Blaine was below, the Boche above,

ots, watching both Erwin's recovery and the Germa

counsel, they presented to the German only a collapsed form, half lea

enough now to

the still reviving Erwin. "

und in a decreasing glide, while Blaine,

," Blaine had said. "I'

d over the idea that he had captured an enemy machine with two men in it, also alighted fr

ly and still bleeding from the shrapnel that had at first str

pped in rather poo

d. Suddenly Blaine, who had tumbled to the ground at the first lan

he announced in clear

sense,

obeyed. To his further amazement, Erwin, now quite recovered, rose up, got

comrade over carefully, "are you rig

ale, while blood was coagulated in his curly short

his own machine, and I'l

d Fritzy lets us

he now sullen German standing by bound hand

llow of no small weight, and lifting, him into his own machine, a b

f 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 G

posts supporting the hollow chamber wherein pilot and o

rris 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

re 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

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.

ng the controls with the other. "Say, Fritzy," to the snarling German at his feet, who fairly writ

en change came