The Phantom Airman

s to stop, Captain!" sai

demanded the

t declare h

-piece of the wireless telephone to his ear, asked of the intruder,

rs you to stop!" came the reply from the aerial raider, who now rode

e!" thundered

came the quiet, cool reply, whic

s, you brigand!" continued

our wireless to pieces. I have two guns al

ning to the operator, he said, "Send the S.O.S. with the la

s,

e heard of at Delhi, b

machine gun, trained with wonderful accuracy, blew the main part of the wireless apparatus to pieces, and rendered it perfectly us

the central touring gondola on the starboard side, and, shaking his fist at the raider, who sailed calmly

ll speed ahead, was the only reply. Evidently this mad airman was enjoying th

u felon!" roar

?" came the the reply thro

ertain

the next instant, "Rep-r-r-r-r-r-r-r!" came another burst from tha

irely, and, for a moment, there was danger of fire in the gondol

absolutely at the mercy of this strange highwayman of the air. Evidently he was a determ

n mounted, for it was believed that a peaceful trader would never need it. The police patrols constit

at the machine had shot ahead at twice or thrice the speed of the Empress. The armoured conning-tower, over the top of which the heads of the pilot and his companion could just be seen, gave the skipp

ome foreign marauder, or perhaps even to a British renegade; for he knew not as yet who this bold fellow was. Then he thought of his passengers, those

've waited for the airship in this out-of-the-world spot. Confound them, but they shan't get it if I can help it!" and the capta

sailed close up again, and shouted through his megap

is time his voice wavered a bit, for he wonder

ound till he came up level with the great twin-engine in the rear gondola, which drove the giant propeller n

e more leeway than headway, for the only remaining engines which could

n to the remaining engineers

lay there helpless, levering away to windward, shorn of her pride, a

ng wildly around the beaten giant at enormous speed, in almost perfect silence, though his two propellers raced

as he watched all this. "It was only

d of three hundred miles an hour," added the na

annot help admiring the rascals, though

nd the next instant the raider throttled down, and came close up

and bring her to earth by that

want with us?" r

orts, and examine your

amazed commander. "What does he w

" remarked the n

rch for contraband, I should li

ed the raider, who now appeared

rowled t

at once, and let ou

rol had yet hove in sight, the captain of the liner reluctantl