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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a281cbc --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #51796 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51796) diff --git a/old/51796-0.txt b/old/51796-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 36a8be3..0000000 --- a/old/51796-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6393 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Secret Battleplane, by Percy F. Westerman - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Secret Battleplane - -Author: Percy F. Westerman - -Release Date: April 19, 2016 [EBook #51796] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE *** - - - - -Produced by R. G. P. M. van Giesen - - - - -[Illustration: cover] - - - - -THE GREAT ADVENTURE SERIES - -Percy F. Westerman: - THE AIRSHIP "GOLDEN HIND" - TO THE FORE WITH THE TANKS - THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE - WILMSHURST OF THE FRONTIER FORCE - -Rowland Walker: - THE PHANTOM AIRMAN - DASTRAL OF THE FLYING CORPS - DEVILLE MCKEENE: - THE EXPLOITS OF THE MYSTERY AIRMAN - BLAKE OF THE MERCHANT SERVICE - BUCKLE OF SUBMARINE V 2 - OSCAR DANBY, V.C. - -S. W. PARTRIDGE & CO. -4, 5 & 6, SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W.1. - - - - -THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE - - - - -[Illustration: "Blake released his grip of the rough-and-ready dart." ---_Page_ 65.] - - - - -THE -SECRET BATTLEPLANE - - - -BY -PERCY F. WESTERMAN - - - -AUTHOR OF -"THE RIVAL SUBMARINES," "A SUB. OF THE R.N.R.," ETC., ETC. - - - -[Illustration: logo] - - - -S. W. PARTRIDGE & Co. -4, 5 & 6, SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W.1 - - - - -MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN -_First Published 1916_ -_Frequently reprinted_ - - - - - CONTENTS - CHAPTER PAGE - I. SNOWED UP - II. A MYSTERIOUS BENEFACTOR - III. THE WONDERS OF THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE - IV. A TRIAL TRIP - V. SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR - VI. THE INTERRUPTED VIGIL - VII. THE BATTLEPLANE'S OFFICIAL DEBUT - VIII. A CROSS-CHANNEL FLIGHT - IX. A FIGHT TO A FINISH - X. TRICKED - XI. THE FATE OF A SPY - XII. SERGEANT O'RAFFERTY'S LUCKY BOMB - XIII. THE FRONTIER - XIV. ATHOL TACKLES VON SECKER - XV. GAME TO THE LAST - XVI. _À BERLIN_ - XVII. DISABLED - XVIII. TURNING THE TABLES - XIX. A DUEL WITH A ZEPPELIN - XX. LIBERATED - XXI. ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER - XXII. ALL GOES WELL WITH ENGLAND - - - - -CHAPTER I - -SNOWED UP - - -"THAT rotter of a garage fellow!" exclaimed Athol Hawke explosively. -"He hasn't done a thing to the wheel; and, what is more, he rushed -me sixpence for garaging the bike, the young swindler." - -"Didn't you go for him?" enquired his chum, Dick Tracey. - -"He wasn't there to go for," replied Athol. "He was away on some -job, and left the explanations to a youngster. But, my word, it is -snowing! Think she'll stick it with that groggy wheel?" - -The scene was the Market Square, Shrewsbury. The time, nine o'clock -on a Saturday morning, March, 1916. It was, as Athol remarked, -snowing. A week or more of intermittent blizzards had culminated in a -steady fall of large, crisp flakes, and judging by the direction of -the wind, the heavy, dull-grey clouds and an erratic barometer, the -worst was yet to come. - -Athol Hawke was a lad of seventeen, although he looked several years -older. He was tall, lightly yet firmly built, of bronzed complexion, -grey eyes and with dark hair. The fact that he was wearing waterproof -overalls, leggings and fur gloves tended to conceal his build. - -His companion, who was similarly attired, was Athol's junior by the -short space of three days. In height he was five feet seven--four -inches less than that of his chum; build, thick-set; complexion might -have been fair but exposure to wintry conditions had resulted in his -face being burnt to a reddish colour. His hair was light brown, with -a tendency to crispness; his eyes blue. By disposition he was -remarkably bright and cheerful, characteristics that served as a foil -to Hawke's almost invariable staidness. - -The two chums were riding a motor-bicycle and side-car. They had -"been on the road" nearly a week. What possessed them to select a -time of blizzard and equinoctial gales to go tearing across England; -why they were apparently "joy-riding" in wartime; why they chose a -district that was most decidedly within the region of activity of -hostile air-craft--all this will have to be explained in due course. - -At eleven o'clock on the previous day they had ridden into the quaint -and picturesque old town of Shrewsbury, having left Chester shortly -after daybreak. During the run they had made the disconcerting -discovery that several of the spokes of the side-car wheel had worked -loose, possibly owing to the drag of the snow and the atrocious -"pot-holes" and setts of Lancashire. The wheel might last out till -the end of their tour--and it might not. Dick suggested risking it, -but the ever-cautious Athol demurred. They would remain at -Shrewsbury, he declared, until the following day and get the damage -made good. - -A motor mechanic had promised faithfully to carry out the job, and -had let them down badly. - -"Well, what's the programme?" asked Athol. "We may be able to push -on, but I guess it's pretty thick over the hills. Already there's a -good two inches of snow--and it's still tumbling down." - -Dick surveyed his surroundings in his customary optimistic manner. -The cobbled square was already hidden by a dazzling white mantle. The -roofs of the old buildings and the detached pillared market-house -were covered with fallen flakes. A weather-worn statue, poised -stolidly upon a lofty pedestal, was fast resembling the time-honoured -character of Father Christmas. - -Save for a few belated lady-clerks of the Army Pay Department, who -cast curious glances at the two snow-flaked motor-cyclists as they -hastened to their daily toil, the square was deserted. At the corner -of an adjacent street two recruiting sergeants stood in meditative -silence, regarding with a set purpose the pair of strapping youths. - -"More of 'em, by Jove!" exclaimed Dick, as his eyes caught those of -one of the representatives of His Majesty's Army. "Here they come, -old man. Stand by to give 'em five rounds rapid." - -"Nothin' doing, sergeant," announced Athol as the foremost non-com., -beaming affably, vouchsafed some remark about the weather as a -preliminary feeler to a more important topic. His companion had -diplomatically "frozen on" to Dick. - -With a dexterity acquired by much practice each lad unbuttoned his -mackintosh coat and from the inner breast pocket of his coat produced -a formidable-looking document. - -"Bless my soul!" ejaculated the first sergeant. "Who'd a' thought it? -Very good, sir; we can't touch you--at least, not yet. You never -know." - -"You speak words of wisdom, sergeant," rejoined Athol, as he replaced -his paper. "Now, to get back to more immediate surroundings, what do -you think of our chances of getting to Ludlow to-day?" - -"On that thing?" asked the sergeant. "Not much. It's as thick as can -be over Wenlock Edge. This is nothing to what's it's like up there. -You'd never get through." - -The word "never" put Dick on his mettle. - -"We'll have a jolly good shot at it, anyway," he said. "Come along, -Athol, old man. Hop in and we'll have a shot at this Excelsior -business." - -Athol Hawke would like to have lodged a protest. He was anxious -concerning the groggy side-car wheel, but almost before he knew where -he was, Dick Tracey had started the engine and the motor was swishing -through the crisp, powdery snow. - -Down the steep Wyle Cop and across the narrow English Bridge they -went, then turning shook the snow of Shrewsbury from the wheels, -since it was literally impossible to shake the dust from their feet. - -Mile after mile they reeled off, the road rising steadily the while. -Tearing through the snow flakes was really exhilarating. The air was -keen and bracing; the scenery fairy-like in the garb of glittering -white. - -"Glad we pushed on," exclaimed Dick. "We're doing it on our heads, -don't you know. The little beast of an engine is pulling splendidly." - -The words were hardly out of his mouth when there was a perceptible -slowing down of the three-wheeled vehicle, although the motor -throbbed with increasing rapidity. - -"Belt slipping," declared Athol laconically. - -"It's the leather one," said his companion as he stopped the engine -and dismounted. - -"We'll shove the rubber one on. Leather always is rotten stuff to -slip in the wet, and yet there's a proverb, 'There's nothing like -leather.'" - -"Doubt whether the other one will do any better," remarked Hawke. -"See, the lowermost part of the belt rim has been ploughing through -the snow. This is the thickest we've had so far." - -"It is," assented Dick. "But we'll push on. It is a pity to turn -back. We can't be so very far from Church Stretton now. From there -it's downhill almost all the rest of the way." - -The change of belts was effected and the journey resumed. For the -next quarter of a mile progress was good, although great care had to -be exercised to avoid the snow-banks on either side of the road. - -Presently the road dipped with considerable steepness, and bending to -the right crossed a small bridge. Beyond, it again rose and with -increased gradient, and appeared to plunge directly between two lofty -hills. The rising ground was thickly covered with pine trees, each -branch bending under the weight of virgin snow. - -"Looks like a bit of Switzerland," observed Dick. "Hanged if I can -see why people want to go abroad to see scenery when there are places -like this at home. But, my word, we've a stiff bit of road to tackle! -Wonder if she'll do it?" - -"She's got to," said Athol grimly. He was one of those fellows who -embark upon an undertaking with evident misgivings, but when fairly -in the thick of it warm to their task and are undaunted in spite of -difficulties and rebuffs. - -But there are limitations even to the capabilities of a three and a -half horse power motor. Right nobly the engine did its work, but once -again the belt slipped with exasperating loss of power. So deep was -the snow at this point that the lower framework of the side-car was -ploughing through it, while the heated crank case coming in direct -contact with the snow was throwing off vapour like a high pressure -steam engine. To add to the difficulty an accumulation of compressed -snow had choked the front mudguard. - -"All alight here!" shouted Dick. "By Jove, we'll have to jolly well -push up this hill." - -With the engine still running on low gear the lads literally put -their shoulders to the wheel. It was hard work. In spite of the -lowness of the temperature they were glowing with exertion, as, under -their united efforts, they advanced at the rate of a mile an hour. - -"Jolly long way to the top," panted Dick. "Hope we don't get snowed -up. I say, that looks cheerful." - -He pointed to a derelict motor car, almost hidden in a drift by the -side of the road, where the bank of snow had risen to at least seven -feet in height. - -"Can't be much farther to Church Stretton," said Athol encouragingly. -"Buck up, old man." - -For another fifty feet they struggled manfully, until Tracey switched -off the motor and brought the bike to a standstill. - -"Spell-oh!" he announced, shaking the powdered snow from his cap. -"I've had enough for a bit." - -"If we stop we--like the drunken man--'goes over,'" declared Athol. -"Every minute things are getting worse." - -"Can't help it," rejoined Dick breathlessly. "Like the engine, I'm -badly overheated." - -For some moments the two chums stood still, taking in as much of the -scenery as the snowstorm permitted, for so thick was the air with -falling flakes that they could form no idea of the height of the -hills on either hand. - -Presently a horseman appeared, his mount floundering through the -snow. So narrow was the track that in order to pass the bike and -side-car he had to plunge into the drift. - -"Pretty thick," remarked Athol. - -"Ay, that it is," replied the man. "An' it's worse up yonder." - -"Any village about here?" asked Dick. - -"Not for some miles," was the reply. "And not a house, if it comes to -that." - -The man rode on. He seemed loth to waste time in conversation. - -"We've struck the worst part of Wenlock Edge, it seems," said Athol -consulting his road map. "It would have paid us to have stuck to the -Severn valley, only we both wanted to see Ludlow and its castle. -Well, ready?" - -Dick nodded assent, and restarted the engine. Although the belt -slipped frantically the slight friction of the pulley aided the -bodily efforts of the lads. By dint of much exertion another hundred -yards were covered; then despite their efforts they came to a dead -stop. - -"How about turning back?" suggested Dick. - -"No good," decided Athol. "We might get to the bottom of the -hill--might not. It's a moral cert we could not get up the rise on -the other side of the bridge." - -"And we can't leave the bike here," added his companion. "It would -completely block the road." - -"The road is blocked already, I fancy. The plain fact is this: we're -snowed up, and what's more the side-car wheel has gone to pot at -last." - - - - -CHAPTER II - -A MYSTERIOUS BENEFACTOR - - -"GET the luggage out, old man," said Dick. "We'll pad the hoof and -see if we can find a cottage. We might, with luck, get a fellow with -a horse to pull the bike to the top of the hill." - -"I guess the job's beyond the powers of a gee-gee," remarked Athol, -who, ankle-deep in snow, was unstrapping the luggage from the -carrier. "We'll have a shot at hiking the show into the drift. It -seems fairly firm snow on this side." - -By dint of strenuous efforts the two lads succeeded in lifting the -heavy side-car to the fringe of the road, leaving a space of less -than six feet between the wheel of the car and the snow-bank on the -opposite face of the track. Then, shouldering their belongings, the -weather-bound travellers trudged stolidly up the hilly road. - -"Here's a jamboree!" exclaimed Dick after a long silence. He was -regaining his breath and with it his exuberant spirits. "We'll have -something to remember. By Jove, isn't this a ripping country?" - -"It's all very fine," said Athol guardedly, "but, remember, we may be -held up for a fortnight. This stuff takes a jolly lot of thawing, -you know. Hulloa! There's someone hammering." - -"The child is correct," declared Dick with a laugh. "And hammering -metal work. I believe our friend the horseman was a little out in his -statements. There must be a human habitation of sorts, and, judging -by the direction of the sounds--unless the acoustic properties of a -snowstorm are erratic--the fellow is tinkering away on that hill on -our right. Yes, old man, here's a gap in the hedge. It looks -remarkably like a carriage drive." - -For the last hundred yards the road was bounded by a raised bank -surmounted by a thick laurel hedge. The gap that was just beginning -to become visible resolved itself into a pathway barred by a tall -gate tipped with a row of formidable spikes. - -"Wonder there isn't an array of notice-boards of the 'Trespassers -will be prosecuted' order," remarked Athol. "It seems to me that no -one has used this path since it started snowing. However, it must -lead somewhere, so let's investigate." - -Lifting the rusty latch the two lads pushed hard against the gate. -They had to force the bottom bars through eighteen inches of snow -before they could open it. - -The hammering noise was still maintained with hardly a break. The -workman, whoever he might be, was certainly industrious. - -For fifty yards the path ran straight up a steep ascent and then bore -abruptly to the left. Here Athol and his chum were confronted by -another gate which, unlike the outer one, was secured by a stout -padlock and chain. On either side ran a laurel hedge almost as tall -as the one separating the grounds from the highway. To the right hand -gate-post was attached a socket supporting a large bell, the clapper -being worked by means of a chain. - -"I say, looks a bit fishy, eh?" remarked Dick, regarding the barrier -with interest. "P'raps we've struck a private asylum." - -"Don't know. Suppose if the owner wants to keep tramps and stranded -wayfarers out, he's quite at liberty to do so," replied Athol. -"However, necessity knows no law, so let's agitate the piece of -sounding brass." - -He jerked the chain. The bell rang out with startling loudness, the -vibrations echoing and re-echoing between the pine clumps. The -hammering ceased abruptly. - -An old man, supporting himself by means of a stick, ambled through -the snow, appearing from behind the hedge on the left of the gate. He -was apparently about eighty years of age, wizened featured and white -haired. - -"What do you want?" he asked in a quavery voice. "My master sees no -one except by appointment. If you have one, well and good; if you -haven't, 'tisn't any use your stopping here." - -As he spoke he made a snapping sound with his fingers and, in answer -to the signal, two enormous bull-terriers lolled sullenly to the old -man's side, and with the precision of a pair of music-hall twins, -each bared his formidable teeth and growled menacingly. - -Athol stood his ground. The chilliness of his reception had "set his -back up." - -"Look here, my man," he said with asperity. "You've done your duty by -warning us, now go and tell your master that he is wanted--and look -sharp about it." - -Then, seeing the old fellow hesitate, he added, - -"Sharp about it, I said. I'm not used to giving the same order -twice." - -"And I am not used to having my servants ordered about by strangers," -exclaimed a deep, well-modulated voice. "Since your business seems -urgent perhaps you will kindly state it." - -The speaker was a tall, finely built man of about forty years of age. -His features were clear cut, his brow lofty, and his jaw massive. He -was clean shaven, revealing a pair of tightly pursed lips. His -complexion was pale, his eyes of a deep blue colour and set rather -wide apart beneath a pair of bushy, overhanging brows. Across his -forehead was a horizontal scar of old standing, showing white even in -contrast to his greyish complexion. His hair was dark brown tinged -with grey and growing high upon his temples. - -"We called to ask for assistance," began Athol. "Our motor-bike----" - -"Mechanical breakdown?" asked the occupier of the premises. - -"No; we're snowed up, and the side-car wheel has given out," -announced the lad. - -"H'm; well, I'm glad it isn't an engine fault," remarked the -stranger. "Had it been you would have had no sympathy from me. A -fellow who cannot tackle a refractory engine ought not to be allowed -in charge of one on the road. Where's your bike?" - -"About a hundred yards down the hill and in a snow-drift," replied -Athol. "We did our level best but the snow was too much for us. We -thought, perhaps, that we might find someone who has a horse----" - -"Horse," repeated the man. "It will want something better than a -horse, I'm thinking. Open those gates, Harvey, and look sharp about -it. Come in, both of you. I'll be with you in a couple of minutes." - -He gave the lads an approving smile as they both walked past the -bulldogs without the faintest hesitation. Then he disappeared up the -path, while the gatekeeper, having opened and unfastened the massive -portal, vanished between the laurel hedges. - -"We've struck a rummy show, old man," whispered Dick. "The old chap -isn't a bad sort, though. Wonder what he is going to bring out? A -traction engine?" - -Tracey's curiosity was speedily set at rest by the reappearance of -the stranger, dragging behind him a sleigh. The contrivance had no -runners; it consisted merely of a rectangular sheet of metal curled -at the foremost end. On it were thrown a couple of fir planks, about -six feet in length, and nine inches in breadth. - -"It's quite easy, thanks," said the stranger, declining the lads' -offer to assist in dragging the sleigh. "It's made of aluminium. You -will have to bear a hand when we get the bike on it. Best foot -forward. I have a lot of work to finish before lunch, you know." - -"Threaded?" - -"Yes, we cut the threads before we left." - -"Good men!" exclaimed their benefactor approvingly. "You both seem of -a mechanical turn of mind. Well, you can set to work. If there's -anything you require ring that bell. Lunch will be ready in an hour -and twenty minutes. If you haven't finished by that time there's four -hours between that and teatime. Excuse me, I must be off." - -The shed was well lighted and warmed by means of hot water pipes. In -one corner was a portable forge, in front of one window an up-to-date -lathe. Engineer's tools, all in excellent condition, occupied racks -on the walls, while on the beams overhead were bundles of white metal -rods and stacks of aluminium sheeting. - -"We've fallen on our feet, old man," remarked Dick. "Lunch, too, by -Jove! I'm hungry. Our scrumptious repast at Shrewsbury is but a -pleasant memory. I could do a jolly good tuck-in now." - -"Nothing like work to while away the time," asserted Athol, casting -off his motor-overalls and coat and rolling up his sleeves; "Buck up, -old fellow, and rip that tyre off." - -Soon the two young tourists were hard at it, and none was more -surprised than they were when the door of the shed was opened and -their host exclaimed, - -"Spell-oh! Down tools, lads. Why, you have made a show. You'll find -some cleaning stuff in that tin. I'll take you to the bathroom in the -house." - -"'Fraid we're in a jolly pickle," said Athol apologetically. - -"I'm used to that," rejoined the stranger, as he led the way to a -substantially-built stone-house standing in an open space between the -pine-trees. "If you like to take off your boots--they look pretty -saturated--I'll lend you some slippers." - -Having washed, the lads were ushered into a long dining-room. The -table was laid with covers for three. An old manservant, who might -have been a brother to the gatekeeper, waited until the diners' wants -had been attended to; then having thrown a couple of logs upon the -already briskly glowing fire, he went out. - -"Now to business," exclaimed their host. "First let me introduce -myself. My name is Desmond Blake. My age--an important consideration -in these strenuous days--is forty-two; my profession, an engineer who -has been cold-shouldered by a--but that can wait. Now, tell me, what -are your names? And what brings you in these parts?" - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE WONDERS OF THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE - - -"IT'S a long story," began Athol, having first given their questioner -their names. "We don't want to bore you, Mr. Blake." - -"Not at all," the host hastened to assert. "I am all attention." - -"Suppose I ought to go back to the early stages of the war," said -Athol. "You see, one yarn does for both of us, since we share and -share alike. Fifteen months ago we were at a boarding-school in the -south of England. It was only a small affair. We were prefects and -all that sort of thing, and had practically finished our education -before entering an engineering college. Dick's father is a major -serving in Mesopotamia, my governor is a lieutenant-colonel and a -prisoner of war at Meseritz. We have no relatives left in England. -After a time we ran away from school and enlisted. You see, we are -fairly big fellows and somehow we couldn't hang back. The training -part wasn't half bad, although we had a couple of gypsies, an -ex-convict, and a solicitor as billet-mates. Then we did five months -in France, and got on jolly well until we were both offered -commissions. That put the hat on the show." - -"How was that?" asked Mr. Blake. - -"The colonel sent us back to the regimental depot, and while our -papers were under consideration the War Office made us produce our -birth certificates. Then they found out that we were both under -eighteen, so they pushed us out of the army--worse luck." - -"Wouldn't even give us a chance to go back to the ranks," added Dick. -"And we were having quite a good time. We'd stuck it through the best -part of the winter, and the warmer weather was coming; but it was no -use. They turned us down." - -"And so we thought we'd have a fling before we settle down to -engineering," continued Athol. "We both have a little money. We -bought the motor-bike and side-car--got it dirt cheap from a fellow -who was going to join up. We started off through the Midlands, were -in the thick of the last Zepp raid in Northampton, went on through -Newark, York, Halifax, and Lancashire, and then to Cheshire. From -thence to Shrewsbury and here we are." - -"What regiment were you in?" enquired their host. - -The lads produced the documents that had effectually floored the -recruiting sergeants at Shrewsbury. They were their discharges from -the Loyal North Lancashires. - -"Wonder, with your mechanical turn of mind, that you hadn't tried for -the Royal Engineers or the Flying Corps," remarked Mr. Blake. - -"We did have a shot at the R.F.C., but there were no vacancies at -that moment," explained Athol. "We were rather cut up about it. But -we did see some flying out there. Once we saw our monoplanes bring -down a couple of Taubes one after the other; but sometimes we saw -what we didn't want to see--our machines outclassed by those Fokkers. -The brutes have the advantage, you know. They climb much more quickly -than ours. It's not that they are more powerfully engined. It's the -design. Our fellows are frightfully keen, but they are handicapped." - -"You seem keen on aviation?" - -"Rather," replied Athol, enthusiastically. - -"Then, perhaps, my modest workshop may interest you," remarked -Desmond Blake. "Pon' my word I don't know why I should allow you to -inspect my work; I have kept it a strict secret so far, even -dispensing with a staff of assistants in order to be untrammeled by -the unwelcome visits of more or less incompetent factory inspectors." - -He paused, pondering over in his mind some debatable point. - -"By Jove!" he exclaimed, noticing his guests' empty soup plates. -"We're supposed to be at lunch, and I had forgotten the fact." - -In answer to a summons on a bell the old servant reappeared, deftly -removed the plates and served the second course. This done, he went -out. - -"Since you have given me a résumé of your career," said Mr. Blake, -"perhaps you might like to hear mine, at all events since the -momentous day, the fourth of August, 1914. - -"At the outbreak of hostilities I was in South America, doing -remarkably well in mining engineering. A particular hobby of mine was -flying, and having made three or four successful experimental -machines, embodying features not previously known to aviation, I -naturally thought that my experience would be welcome to the War -Office. - -"Accordingly I settled my affairs out there with the utmost dispatch -and hurried home. My first interview with the authorities at -Whitehall was decidedly frigid. They were awfully polite, but somehow -they failed to come to any practical decision. Wanted a scale model, -as if that would serve the same purpose as the actual machine I -proposed to submit. I offered to have a battleplane complete, -including engines, for inspection and test within fifteen days, but I -was informed that this was unnecessary until the plans had been -inspected by a sub-committee. - -"Altogether half a dozen sub-committees tried their hands with my -plans and specifications. Afterwards I discovered that hardly a -single member knew anything about practical flying. Some of them -hardly knew the difference between an airship and an aeroplane--asked -questions on a par with those of the Yankee senator at the 'Titanic' -enquiry. - -"Without going into details I may say that my offer to the War Office -was finally declined with thanks. I had no better luck with the -Admiralty, for directly they learnt that the War Office had 'turned -me down' I was metaphorically shown the door. - -"I warrant that if I were a renegade and had taken my plans to Berlin -the German government would have snapped them up, either by fair -means or foul. As it is, their agents have been giving me a deal of -trouble. - -"However, foiled in my patriotic efforts I determined to erect a -private factory, build a really formidable battleplane and give a -practical demonstration over the heads of the War Office. My first -trouble was to find a suitable site. It had to be in a remote -district, far from a prohibited military area, yet fairly accessible -from the important industrial centres. I lighted upon this place, and -found it answered my purpose. - -"Everything I have to do single-handed. I dare not run the risk of -getting mechanics to help, partly, as I said before, owing to the -Factory Act restrictions, but more especially from a fear lest my -ideas should be filched. - -"And now the finished article lies in my grounds, ready for instant -flight, except for one drawback----" - -"The snow, I suppose," hazarded Dick. - -"Does not affect it to any appreciable extent," rejoined Desmond -Blake. "My battleplane does not require hard, level ground for a -'take-off.' It will rise almost perpendicularly. No, it is not the -climatic elements. To be concise I need a couple of capable and -willing helpers, and judging by what you have already told me, I -think you fellows have sufficient patriotism to volunteer your -services in that direction. Am I right?" - -Dick gave his chum an enquiring glance. Athol, naturally cautious, -knew that Dick would have jumped at the offer. - -"Your tempting invitation needs thinking over," replied Athol. "We -should----" - -"Of course," agreed Desmond Blake. "Of course. Suppose you defer your -decision until you have inspected my invention? You will, I feel -sure, treat the subject as one of a highly confidential nature." - -"Rather," agreed both lads simultaneously. - -"I knew you would," continued their host. "In any case you will be -here a week at least, for the snow lies about a long time, and the -roads will be simply impassable for motor traffic during the thaw. -That is, if you decide to continue your journey by motor. There is -always a means of getting to Church Stretton on foot and taking train -from there. On the other hand, if you decide to remain, my house is -at your disposal." - -"You are awfully kind," said Athol. - -"With an ulterior motive," added Desmond Blake. "You are the very -fellows I was looking for. I want to 'rope you in.' That's speaking -bluntly. I believe in saying what I mean without beating about the -bush." - -"You mentioned that you had trouble with the German agents," remarked -Dick. - -"I have reason to believe so," replied Blake. "I have no conclusive -proofs. I can only infer that spies are at the bottom of the trouble. -On three occasions my grounds were broken into. My gatekeeper, -Harvey, a tough old chap in spite of his years, was able to thwart -two attempts to break into my workshop. On the third instance I -scared the intruder pretty badly by means of a shock with a high -tension wire. At the same time the automatic shutter of a camera was -released in the hope of getting the likeness of the gentleman in -question. Unfortunately the magnesium flashlight failed to explode at -the same moment as the exposure of the lens. What I ought to have -done was to leave the lens uncovered. I shall know better next time." - -"Wouldn't the plate become fogged?" asked Dick, who was a successful -amateur photographer. - -"Oh no; you must remember the attempt was made at night. The sudden -flash of the magnesium acts much the same as the brief exposure of -the plate in daylight." - -The meal proceeded slowly, while conversation flowed briskly. Desmond -Blake knew the value of a good lunch as an incentive to amiability, -and had played his cards well. "Now for the hangar," he said, at the -end of the meal. "You smoke? No, good; I'm glad to hear it. It's an -expensive habit, although I have a great weakness in that direction. -In fact, I sometimes find myself on the point of smoking a pipe in -the petrol store." - -"We've seen fellows in the Royal Flying Corps drop the glowing ends -of their cigarettes in petrol just for sheer mischief," said Dick. -"Nothing happened." - -"But it might have," rejoined their host. "'Fraid it doesn't speak -for the good quality of the petrol or the common sense of the men who -fool about with it. It isn't the liquid petrol that is dangerous, but -the vapour it gives off. I've been experimenting in that direction, -trying to get a spirit that is non-inflammable under normal -atmospheric pressure and only exploded when under compression." - -"Have you been successful?" asked Athol. - -"To a certain extent; that is to say, I have treated petrol so as to -make it unresponsive at ordinary pressure except to a very hot -spark." - -Still conversing Desmond Blake led the way from the house, through a -dense belt of pine trees, to a small clearing. The greater part of -this space was occupied by a galvanised iron shed, at one end of -which were large double doors. Between the threshold and the nearmost -trees there was a distance of roughly ninety feet, the trees -themselves exceeding a hundred and twenty feet in height. - -"Here's the hangar," announced their guide, indicating the shed. - -"Curious situation, if you don't mind my saying so," observed Athol. -"You'll have to cut down more of those trees before the biplane is -able to take flight." - -"On the contrary there is more 'taking-off' space than is absolutely -necessary, and, I might add, the machine is not a biplane. It is -fashioned, as far as possible, on the principle of a bird, and unless -my memory plays me false, I know of no bird possessing more than two -wings. But here we are." - -Desmond Blake rolled back one of the doors of the shed. The other, -actuated by means of a flexible wire running over pulleys, slid back -too. - -"Merely a labour-saving device," said Blake. "I based my calculations -upon a one-man show. But what do you think of her?" - -In the dazzling reflected light from the snow the battleplane stood -revealed to the lads' eager gaze. At first sight it hardly resembled -a flying machine. It was more like a huge cigar raised at an angle of -forty-five degrees and supported by a pair of trellis girders each of -which in turn terminated in a couple of pneumatic-tyred wheels. The -planes were folded against the fuselage; there were no signs of -aerilons, horizontal or vertical rudders and other contrivances -common to aeroplanes. This creation had the appearance of a gaunt, -featherless bird standing erect on a pair of spidery legs. - -"What propels it?" asked Dick. "Where is the propeller? And the -planes? You said it was not a biplane. To me it looks like a -_non_plane. Hope I am not asking too many questions," he added -apologetically. - -"Fire away; as many as you like," rejoined Desmond Blake. "In the -first place there is no propeller, that is, if you mean a rotary one. -To go back to the simile of birds; they don't cleave through the air -under the action of a two-bladed propeller. That, after all, is a -tacit admission by aeronautical engineers that they are unable to -copy nature; so they make a substitute that fails to perform the -relative task that a bird's wings do with seemingly little effort. I -have dispensed with a propeller and substituted mechanical planes -that approximate very clearly the natural method of flying. Before I -explain further we must get aboard; I'll show you the way. One could -make use of a pair of steps, but they would be awkward things to -carry about, especially at the Front." - -With remarkable agility the inventor swarmed up a light aluminium -ladder built into the girder-legs of the battleplane. Thirty feet up -he disappeared from view through an aperture in the underside of the -fuselage. - -In a trice Dick followed, Athol ascending with more deliberation. The -latter was puzzled at the great rigidity of the aluminium girders. -Evidently Desmond Blake had solved the task of making the metal as -tough as steel without any marked increase of weight. Another thing -Athol noticed was that all the cross sections of the latticed girder -were pear-shaped, the blunt end facing the direction of flight, the -tapering end being aft. This was expressly for the purpose of -reducing the friction of the air. - -Squeezing through the trap door the lads found themselves on the -floor of the chassis, which was composed of a succession of broad -steps on inclined planes in order to afford a firmer footing when the -battleplane was at rest. Between the floor and the curved roof or -deck there was sufficient space for a tall man to stand upright. -Against the concave sides were folded cots, in which those of the -crew "off duty" could sleep during prolonged flights, while at -approximately one-third of the length of the fuselage from the blunt -nose was the motor room, a veritable nest of intricate, lightly-built -and powerful machinery. - -"Do you work the battleplane entirely from under cover?" asked Athol. - -"Oh no," replied Desmond Blake. "It is essential to have a wide field -of outlook. Here is the pilot's seat. Get in and see what it is -like." - -He indicated a circular seat perched about a foot beneath the deck, -from which an oval-shaped opening provided with a raised coaming had -been cut. Overhead was a light metal canopy which, when required, -could be lowered flush with the top part of the chassis. To gain the -seat from the floor of the fuselage it was necessary to make use of a -metal ladder. - -"Steady yourself by that horizontal bar," cautioned the inventor, -indicating a short rod on the fore side of the coaming. - -The warning was necessary, for, as Athol slid into the seat, the seat -slid from him. It was only by hanging on to the bar and allowing his -feet to dangle in the air that the lad saved himself from falling -four or five feet to the floor. - -"Don't say that I didn't give you fair warning," exclaimed Desmond -Blake, while Dick laughed at his friend's predicament. "Now, have -another shot at it. Lift yourself fairly into the seat. That's it." - -"What's the idea?" enquired Athol. - -"There are four seats like that, and each one is gimballed. That is, -it is suspended in a similar manner to a compass on board ship, so -that in spite of the motion the sitter is always 'right side up.' No -matter how the battleplane banks, nose-dives, or even 'loops the -loop,' the crew, seated in their allotted stations, are always in a -natural position." - -"That I can see," said Dick. "But how is a fellow to see where's he -going when the plane is upside down? In that event his head and -shoulders are inside the fuselage." - -"Only for a few moments," replied the inventor. "The plane is -self-righting, provided, of course, there is 'air-room.' Just give a -glance at your friend's feet. No, there's nothing wrong with them. -That's not what I meant. His feet are resting on a step, behind the -step is a sheet of burnished metal inclined at an angle of -forty-five. Now, in the event of the 'plane turning over on its major -axis that mirror would project below the inverted deck of the -chassis, and thus the pilot would still be able to 'look ahead.'" - -Facing the pilot's seat were a few indicators and levers, whereby the -altitude and speed of the plane could be determined and the aircraft -steered on her course. A voice-tube communicated with the -motor-mechanic who occupied the third seat. The second and fourth -seats were raised slightly above the others, and were intended for -the machine-gunners. - -"The offensive armament is not yet on board," explained the inventor. -"I have turned out a couple of automatic weapons firing eight hundred -shots a minute. Here is one of the cartridges," he continued, drawing -a metal cylinder from his pocket. "The calibre is 303, the same as -that of the small arms of the British Army, but you must observe that -the bullet is longer and different in other respects." - -"It certainly is longer," agreed Dick, as he handled the cartridge. -"But beyond that I see no difference." - -"Do you notice a minute line round the bullet?" asked Blake. "The -projectile is made in two parts. On leaving the muzzle the parts fly -apart, but are held together by a length of flexible wire. Thus each -bullet resembles a miniature chain-shot of the days of the old wooden -walls. A hostile plane would stand little chance if under the fire of -a hail of these bullets. There would be no clean holes in the fabric; -struts and tension wires would be severed and the whole contraption -would fall like a stone." - -"Then what propels the plane?" asked Dick, his interest in the motors -claiming precedence above all other constructional details. - -"This pair of engines, each of two hundred horse-power," was the -reply. "See, I actuate this lever and the wings--I prefer to call -them wings rather than planes--unfold." - -Swiftly, yet with an even movement, wings, hitherto lying snugly -against the chassis, were outspread. Taking into consideration the -length of the battleplane from nose to tail--barely fifty feet--the -space from tip to tip of the wings looked disproportionately small. -Each wing projected fifteen feet from the side, and curved backwards -like that of a bird. The fabric from which the wings were made was -composed of thin, specially-treated aluminium, in plates overlapping -each other like tiles on the roof of a house. - -"Now, Tracey," continued Desmond Blake, "see if you can coax the -motors to start. If you can manage a car-engine you will be able to -get them to fire. There's no danger of the bird taking flight. She's -pinned down to the floor securely. At the same time I don't think I -would run the motors all out, if I were you." - -Deftly Dick set to work turning on the petrol and flooding the -carburettor. - -"Is it necessary to prime the motors?" he asked. - -"They ought to fire without," replied the inventor. "There's the -self-starter--that lever on your right." - -At the first attempt the engines fired easily. In spite of being in a -confined space there was very little noise, thanks to the efficient -silencer. It was doubtful whether the purr of the motors could be -heard beyond the limits of the grounds. - -Yet, although the fabric of the battleplane trembled under the -pulsations of the motors, the wings remained motionless save for the -vibration imparted to the whole contrivance. Seeing Dick's look of -enquiry the inventor pointed to a lever close to the lad's right -hand. - -"Gently with it," he cautioned. Depressing the lever Dick was aware -of a terrific air-current rushing overhead. Dead leaves and pieces of -aluminium sheeting that were lying on the floor of the shed were -whisked up and flung about with great velocity. Peering over the edge -of the coaming Dick could see that both wings were now beating the -air with terrific violence, being actuated by a number of rods -working on concealed cams. Supplementary rods imparted a second -motion to the wings, the innermost and rearmost edges of which moved -up and down independently of the primary movement of the fore part. - -Stretching out his hand the inventor cut off the electric current, -and the motors came to a standstill. - -"Cannot afford to waste petrol in these hard times," he said with a -smile. "You've seen enough to form an idea of how the plane flies. -The mere up and down flap of the wings is insufficient; it is the -peculiar twist of the after part that does the trick--something after -the principle of a man sculling a boat by means of a single oar -working over the transom. If he were to waggle the blades of the oar -to and fro without giving a dexterous twist nothing would result -except a see-saw motion of the boat. It certainly would not move -ahead through the water, except for the tortuous movement of the -oar." - -"I should have thought that the wings were far too small," observed -Athol. - -"On the contrary they are just the right proportion compared with the -weight and power of the motors," replied Desmond Blake. "I have not -modelled my invention on the lines of an albatross, whose spread of -wings is enormous. I had the lark in my mind's eye. That little bird, -as you know, soars almost perpendicularly, yet the wings are small in -proportion to the size and weight of its body. Now you have had a -general idea of the secret battleplane. To return to the attack: are -you fellows willing to sign on as crew?" - -"Rather!" replied both lads without hesitation. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -A TRIAL TRIP - - -"A WILLING heart goes a long way," declared Desmond Blake. "On the -other hand there's a verse:-- - - "Give every act due deliberation; - Make no man your friend - Until his heart you know." - -"We'll risk that," rejoined Dick. - -"In that case we'll compromise matters," said the inventor. "Since -you have offered yourselves in all good faith, we'll run in joint -harness for the next fortnight. I'll show you the ropes, and if at -the end of that time you wish to dissociate yourselves with the -enterprise you may. In a fortnight's time I hope to be ready for an -experimental flight to London just to show the authorities what my -invention can do." - -"Hope the weather will be warmer," said Athol. "It must be cold work -flying on a day like this." - -"Not in a covered-in artificially-heated chassis," corrected Desmond -Blake. "Even the pilot's and observer's heads are protected by -transparent screens." - -"I should have thought that the snow driving against the screen would -obscure it," remarked Dick. - -"Then we'll put your theory to the test," declared the inventor -briskly. "No time like the present. I'll open the doors to their -widest capacity and fill up the tanks with fuel. You might also fix -the two automatic guns to their pedestals; it's as well to have a -trial flight with the normal weights on board." - -The hose communicating with a powerful suction pump was coupled on to -the tanks, and fifty gallons of fuel taken on board. - -"I've doctored the petrol," explained the inventor. "I introduce a -quantity of benzine in tabloid form. The result is--I am judging by -results obtained on a car--that I can get fifty per cent. more power -out of the motors. Now hold tight for the take off." - -The floor of the shed being slightly on the down grade the vibration -of the engines was sufficient to set the battleplane in motion until -it reached the open space in front of the doors. - -It was now snowing heavily. The tops of the pine trees were almost -hidden in the blurr of falling flakes. - -"Pull that slide over the rearmost seat, Dick," ordered the inventor. -"It won't be needed this trip. That is good. Now, stand by with the -ignition lever. That will be your only job for a while." - -Desmond Blake had climbed into the pilot's seat, and had raised a -hinged wind screen fitted with side wings and overhead covering. -Athol followed his example, taking his place at the second, or -machine gunner's seat. - -The snow laden air reeked with petrol fumes and the smoke from the -exhaust, but the noise of the motors was hardly audible without. The -throbbing sound seemed to be confined to the interior of the -fuselage. - -Both lads, agog with excitement, held on tightly. For some seconds -nothing appeared to happen; then with a sudden, powerful jerk the -battleplane seemed to stand on end. Kept in a natural sitting -position by a delicately-balanced seat, the two chums were forcibly -aware of a pain in their necks, as if they had banged their heads -violently against a door-post. The sudden starting or stopping of a -lift was nothing to the jerk, for the battleplane had to clear the -tree-tops with little lateral space to spare. - -For the present they could see nothing except the whirring tips of -the wings and the streaks of white as the machine soared against the -falling snow. Already the manometer registered a height of four -hundred feet and the needle was still moving rapidly round the dial. - -Presently the fuselage assumed a horizontal position. The movement -was now regular and free from vibration, for the direction of flight -was no longer in an inclined motion. - -"Easier than I thought," remarked the inventor. - -Without raising his voice he could comfortably communicate with the -rest of the crew, since the rush of air did not disturb the interior -of the fuselage. Nor did the snow accumulate upon the wind-screens as -Dick had surmised, for the nature of the transparent substance caused -the impinging flakes to disperse without any suspicion of moisture -being deposited upon the glass. - -Owing to the design of the wing-screens it was now possible for the -lads to learn and observe the ground almost immediately below them. -Eight hundred feet beneath was a blurr of white, across which were -traced several winding dark lines, for the battleplane had run out of -the falling snow and was now heading southwards. - -"Not much of a day for observation purposes," said Blake, who had -relinquished his grip on the levers and was now trusting solely to -the "stabilisers" or automatic devices for maintaining a straight -course. "We are now over Ludlow. That patch is the ruins of the -castle. You can just discern the town." - -"I thought Ludlow was built on the side of a steep hill," remarked -Athol. - -"It is," assented the inventor. "That street is almost as steep as a -roof of a house. Altitude tends to impart an appearance of flatness -to the landscape, especially in the snow. We'll turn now, and follow -the Shrewsbury railway. I don't like getting too far afield on an -experimental run when so many landmarks are obliterated. Now, Athol, -make your way for'ard and I'll show you how to manoeuvre the plane. -Dick will have his turn later. It is essential that every man of the -crew should know how to handle the steering and elevating gear." - -For half an hour Desmond Blake kept his understudy hard at it, -showing him how to make the battleplane bank almost horizontally, and -how to change the speed gear to enable the wings to overcome the -force of gravity during the vertical flight. - -"You'll do," declared the inventor admiringly. "Now back to your -perch. We are going to have a shot at looping the loop." - -Desmond Blake waited until Athol had regained the gimballed seat, -then, depressing a lever that had the double effect of lowering the -gearing of the engine and elevating the "aerilons," or wing-tips, he -caused the battleplane to soar almost vertically upwards. - -The lads wondered why the terrifically acute angle of ascent did not -cause the fuel to flow to the rearmost of the four connected tanks, -and thus affect the aircraft's lateral stability. The inventor, -glancing over his shoulder, must have read their thoughts. - -"Climbing to get a better chance in case she jibs," he called out. -"No need to worry about the petrol. Each tank has a reserve valve -that only operates when the angle of inclination exceeds fifteen -degrees." - -The arrangement of the tanks was another instance of Blake's -forethought. At normal flying positions the petrol in each tank was -practically at the same level in order to ensure constant trim of the -machine. But directly the tilt of the battleplane tended to allow the -volatile spirit to flow to the lowermost tank, automatic valves in -the connecting pipes came into action, thus causing each tank to -retain approximately the same weight of liquid fuel. - -For three minutes the battleplane climbed steeply and at a high speed -that had never yet been approached by the most daring aviator. Then, -following a hasty caution from the pilot, the aeroplane began to -describe a circle in a vertical plane. Although the seats retained -their normal positions, the centrifugal force tended to throw Athol -and Dick off their balance. The next moment their heads were within a -few feet of the up-turned floor of the fuselage, while their feet -were dangling in the space enclosed by the wind-screens. Five seconds -later the battleplane had regained its normal position, having -described a complete loop of a radius of less than a hundred feet. - -"That's good!" exclaimed the inventor with pardonable pride. "Now -look out to enjoy the sunshine." - -To the lads' surprise the battleplane was bathed in bright wintry -sunshine. The aeroplane had emerged above the bank of snow clouds and -was cleaving her way through the clear air. Away to the south-west -the sun was low in the heavens, for it was now within an hour of -sunset. - -"Time to get back," declared Blake briskly. "We've got to drop -through the snow-clouds beneath, and trust to luck to pick up our -bearings. 'Fraid I've overstepped the bounds of discretion, but it -was jolly well worth it." - -Actuating a lever he "locked" the wings. Like a giant seagull -swooping down from a lofty cliff the aeroplane began a steady -volplane towards the bank of clouds a thousand feet below. - -At a speed of well over a hundred and fifty miles an hour the -battleplane cleft the bank of suspended vapour. Almost pitch darkness -succeeded the clear sunshine of the upper air. The sudden transition -temporarily blinded the three aviators. - -Desmond Blake spoke not a word. With his eyes fixed upon the dials of -the manometer he gauged the earthward flight. At five hundred and -fifty feet, an altitude well above that of the highest hills on the -Welsh border, he checked the descent. Although the gloom was now less -it was still impossible to discern anything of the country beneath. -Evidently the battleplane was encountering a snowstorm heavier than -she had previously experienced. - -Standing by, ready to "flatten out" at the first sign of terra firma, -the inventor allowed the machine to continue its downward flight, -although at a greatly retarded velocity. - -Suddenly he thrust the vertical rudders hard over, at the same time -unlocking the wing mechanism. As he did so he had a momentary glimpse -of a tall slender spire within fifty feet of the tip of the left -wing. Immediately afterwards the battleplane almost skimmed a lofty -pinnacle that resolved itself into another snow-outlined spire. - -"By Jove!" ejaculated Blake as he set the battleplane to climb above -the danger area. "We're slightly out of our bearings." - -"Where are we, then?" asked Dick, who had also seen the fleeting -vision. - -"Over Coventry," replied the inventor. "We've narrowly escaped -colliding with two of the city's three famous spires. Take her, -Athol, and keep her as she is while I look at the map. It will be a -compass course back, with a good deal of guesswork thrown in." - -A hurried consultation told Blake that, allowing for the almost -cross-set of the northerly wind, half an hour's flight in a -north-westerly direction ought to bring them within recognisable -distance of home. - -"Birmingham's beneath us," observed Blake after a few moments' -interval. "Fine city, Birmingham, but a nasty place if one has to -make an involuntary landing." - -He had hardly uttered the words when with a disconcerting jerk the -motors faltered, picked up for a few pulsations, and then ceased -firing. - -The battleplane began to drop towards the labyrinth of buildings -that, hidden by the thickly-falling flakes, lay less than three -thousand feet below. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR - - -NOT for one moment did Desmond Blake's presence of mind desert him. -Quickly locking the wings in position to enable the battleplane to -maintain a maximum glide he turned her "down wind." Volplaning in the -teeth of the stiff northerly breeze would, he knew, result in a -cross-country gain of, perhaps, a mile or two; whereas, gliding with -the following wind there was more than a sporting chance of covering -sufficient distance to get clear of the thickly populated outskirts -of the Metropolis of the Midlands. - -Following the stoppage of the motors Dick slipped from his seat and -made his way along the floor of the fuselage till he came to the -silent machinery. Switching on an electric torch, for it was now dark -within the "hull" of the battleplane, and with the failure of the -motors the dynamo-run lamps had gone out, Dick made a hasty -examination. - -"Ignition," he reported. "Magneto, I fancy." - -"Guessed so," rejoined the inventor, laconically. "See if you can -rectify matters. I'll keep her steady as long as I can." - -Volplaning at fifty miles an hour does not give one much time for -effecting adjustments. Before the lad had been able to verify his -suspicions a peculiar motion warned him that the battleplane was -describing a semi-circular swoop. Ten seconds later, with hardly a -perceptible jar she came to earth, or rather, landed in a deep -snow-drift. - -"Had to risk it," declared Blake cheerily. "This will do for the -present. Night's coming on apace. Fortunately there are plenty of -emergency rations on board." - -"Where are we?" asked Athol. - -"Goodness only knows," said the inventor. "All I know is that we just -skimmed the tops of a tall building. It wouldn't be a bad idea to -land and have a look round. Nothing like fixing one's bearings in -case we have to clear out in a hurry." - -Although the fuselage when at rest had a normal inclination of about -forty-five degrees it now barely exceeded fifteen. On alighting the -airmen discovered that the battleplane was resting in the snow on a -shelving slope. Twenty feet from her bows was a stone wall in a -ruinous condition. Only the drag of the snow drift had prevented the -battleplane from hurling itself "nose-on" against the formidable -obstruction. - -Already the twilight was falling, the dim light rendered still -fainter by the steady drive of heavy flakes. Away to the right a dim -outline, silhouetted against the afterglow, denoted the position of -the building against which the battleplane had so narrowly escaped -being hurled. - -"A ruined castle," exclaimed Athol. - -"And, to me, a familiar spot," rejoined the inventor. "We couldn't -have lighted upon a better place. This is Kenilworth. There is little -fear of interruption, it is late in the day, and people would not be -tempted to wade through the snow drifts even if the grounds are not -closed. Yes; we'll do here very nicely. There's plenty of room for a -'take off.' Now for a meal, then we'll tackle the repairs. I don't -propose making a fresh start until just before daybreak." - -Returning to the battleplane the three aviators "battened" down to -guard against the possibility of any stray ray of light betraying -their presence. Two battery-charged electric lamps gave quite a -brilliant illumination. The meal, though frugal, was heartily -appreciated, while thanks to the amount of heat still retained by the -radiators fed by the exhaust the temperature bordered upon sixty -degrees. - -"One must be ready to profit by slight misfortunes," remarked Blake -during the the meal. "I have an idea. I'll have separate magnetos to -each engine." - -"Will that help us?" asked Dick. "If one engine fails one of the -wings will cease beating and the other will go on flapping. The -battleplane would be like a duck wounded in one wing." - -"So she would," admitted the inventor dubiously. - -"Separate magnetos by all means," continued Dick, "but it would be -well to fit a free wheel sprocket on the main shaft of each engine, -and arrange it so that each motor actuates both wings. Then if one -engine falters or stops the other will continue to propel the -battleplane. Of course you would only have half the power, but that -would be sufficient to keep her in the air." - -Desmond Blake thought deeply for a few minutes. - -"By smoke, Dick!" he exclaimed. "You've solved a knotty point. We'll -make the necessary alterations directly we return. You are quite -right about the power of each motor. Each possesses one and a half -times the lifting power necessary for the battleplane." - -By nine o'clock in the evening the adjustments to the magneto were -satisfactorily carried out, and the battleplane's wings having been -folded to escape an accumulation of snow, the airmen turned in for -the night. - -As Blake had surmised the night passed without interruption. Little -did the inhabitants of the picturesque village of Kenilworth suspect -that the most ingenious flying machine that the world had yet -possessed was resting quietly in the snow-covered courtyard of the -famous mediaeval ruin. - -So soundly did the two lads sleep in their comfortable bunks that the -first intimation they had of the arrival of another day was Desmond -Blake's voice exclaiming, - -"Now, then, you fellows. Five o'clock and a fine morning." - -A cup of hot coffee and some biscuits having been served out, the -airmen prepared to resume their flight. It was still twilight. -Snowflakes were falling, although not with the violence that -characterised yesterday's storm. From a not far distant farmyard -cocks were lustily heralding the dawn. - -Silently, under the guidance of the masterhand, the huge mechanical -bird left its roosting place on the snow covered ground and soared -swiftly upwards until it attained a height of two thousand feet. - -Suddenly a huge, ill-defined shape lurched past the battleplane, -passing less than two hundred feet underneath. In spite of the -terrific speed, for the two objects were moving in the opposite -direction and at an aggregate rate of one hundred and eighty miles an -hour, both lads recognised the shape as that of a Zeppelin. - -Desmond Blake saw it, too, and acted promptly. In a few seconds the -battleplane had made a semi-circular motion and, "all out," was -following the night-raider. - -Athol sprang to the machine-gun but the pilot waved his hand to -indicate that the weapon was not to be used. Already the Zeppelin, -having gained a great distance during the change of direction on the -part of the battleplane, was out of sight. - -"No use," he exclaimed hurriedly. "Only dummy cartridges. Must blame -the Defence of the Realm Act for that." - -Seven minutes later the Zeppelin was again sighted. Apparently she -had been engaged in a raid over the Midlands and had lost her way. -She was moving jerkily, and was down by the stern. Whether that was -owing to injury from anti-aircraft guns or merely through the -accumulation of snow on the upper part of her envelope the lads could -not decide. - -Unperceived by the crew of the Zeppelin the battleplane soared -majestically overhead until a vertical distance of less than a -hundred feet separated the gas-bag from her winged rival. - -"If we had ammunition we should have her at our mercy," remarked the -inventor. - -"Take charge for a few minutes, Athol. I want to give her a little -reminder of our meeting." - -The lad gripped the steering levers. So strong was his faith in the -masterpiece of the inventor that he handled the swiftly-moving -battleplane as faultlessly as if his acquaintance with the mechanical -bird had been of two years' duration rather than of a few hours. - -Meanwhile, Blake descended to the interior of the fuselage, returning -presently with a long steel marline-spike. Through the hole in the -rounded end he threaded a string of red, white and blue ribbons for -the joint purpose of steadying the improvised dart in its flight and -in order to leave no doubt in the minds of the Huns of the origin of -nationality of the weapon. - -Then, clambering into the seat vacated by the deputy pilot, Blake -lowered one of the wing-screens and poised the marline-spike over the -side. - -"Faster," he ordered. - -Dick touched the lever actuating the sparking-gear. Perceptibly the -battleplane increased her speed until she overlapped the unsuspecting -Zeppelin by almost two-thirds of the latter's length. - -Blake released his grip of the rough and ready dart. For a couple of -seconds it seemed to fall well in front of the swiftly-moving -Zeppelin, then, its course describing a gradually increasing curve, -it was observed to be making for the huge target. - -With a thud it struck the flattened part of the upperside of the -envelope about fifty feet from the tail. Completely perforating the -aluminium sheeting it vanished, leaving a few fragments of streamers -to mark the palpable hit. - -"There'll be some gas lost there, I'm thinking," remarked Blake -grimly. "Up helm, Athol. We have no more missiles at our disposal. -One thing, we've had practice at bomb-dropping." - -In a few seconds the errant Zeppelin was lost to sight in the -snow-laden atmosphere, as the battleplane was steadied on a course -that was to bring her back to her hangar. - -"There is our base," announced the pilot, pointing to a clump of -snow-laden pines almost hiding a lofty conical hill. "Make sure of -your bearings, lads; you never know when the knowledge will come in -handy. Now, stand by." - -Skilfully Desmond Blake brought the battleplane to a standstill with -her nose within five feet of the doors of the shed. - -"Now for a proper breakfast," he exclaimed cheerfully as the crew -alighted. "It won't take long to house the little beauty, then----" - -He stopped abruptly, his hands gripping the half-open doors. - -"The deuce!" he ejaculated. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE INTERRUPTED VIGIL - - -"WHAT'S wrong?" enquired both lads anxiously, for the worried -expression on the usually calm features of the inventor told its own -tale. - -In his agitation Blake failed to make reply. He dashed into the shed, -followed by his two assistants. Everywhere there were signs of -disorder as if some intruder had hastily overhauled the secrets of -the jealously guarded spot. The high tension wire that had previously -baulked a nefarious attempt had been severed by means of a pair of -insulated wire-cutters. The lens of the tell-tale camera had been -smashed and the dark slide removed and exposed to the light. - -A safe, cunningly built into a concrete pier of the shed, had been -forced open and its contents removed. - -"The spy has secured the plans; that's pretty evident," he declared. -"We can do no good here at present. What I want to find out is how -the fellow forced his way into the grounds." - -Accompanied by Athol and Dick, the inventor left the shed and hurried -across the snow-covered ground. Already the footprints of the -intruder had been obliterated by the falling flakes. He could not -have chosen a better time for his successful attempt. - -Along the path through the shrubbery the crew of the battleplane -hurried. At the inner gate the first sight that met their eyes was -the body of one of the bull-terriers half buried in the snow. The -other animal was discovered dead in the bushes, whither it had -crawled before expiring. Both animals had been poisoned. - -In the little lodge was the unconscious form of the aged porter. -Evidently he had put up a stiff fight, for there was blood upon the -floor, and a revolver with two chambers discharged was still grasped -in his right hand. - -Blake bent over his devoted servant. - -"He's alive," he announced. "I can find no trace of an injury. He -must have been tackled by two men. He's been chloroformed." - -The inventor's first task was to restore the unconscious man. His -anxiety on the porter's behalf seemed to banish all other thoughts -from his mind. The loss of the almost invaluable plans were as naught -compared with the state of his faithful retainer. - -"Shall I go for a doctor?" asked Athol. - -Blake shook his head. - -"I'm used to a land where doctors are few and far between," he -replied. "That makes every man there more or less of a medico. You -might start that fire again, Athol, and get a kettle on." - -Having waited until the patient had recovered consciousness, Desmond -Blake and Dick left the lodge, Athol having volunteered to remain -with the victim of the outrage. - -Letting himself in by means of a sidedoor the inventor soon found -that the house had not been an object of the spies' investigations. -The old butler was still asleep, ignorant of the attempt upon his -brother the porter. - -"This little business has upset my plans, Luck," remarked Blake. "Or, -rather, it will force my hand. It's no use trying to track the -thieves. For one thing we have no clues; for another we simply -haven't the time to waste. In the likely event of those plans -reaching Germany, another month will result in the appearance of -hostile battleplanes built to my specifications. So our task is to -convince the War Office of the outstanding nature of my invention, -and get the Royal Aircraft Factory people to set to work as hard as -they can." - -"You will have to make another set of working plans, I suppose?" -remarked Dick. - -"No, fortunately. As it happens I have both duplicate and triplicate -tracings deposited at a London bank. However, that is not our -immediate concern. What I propose doing is this. I'll motor into -Church Stretton this morning and take old Harvey to the cottage -hospital. Athol and you might make up arrears of sleep. This -afternoon we'll tackle that little job you mentioned in connection -with the dual drive. There are also a few adjustments necessary, -which I noticed during our trial trip--not important, but certainly -desirable. While I am in Church Stretton I'll engage a man and his -wife as caretakers of the house while we're away. One never knows -when we may be back. To-morrow at nine o'clock I intend starting on -our flight to London." - -Desmond Blake's plans worked smoothly. During the afternoon the -suggested alterations to the driving transmission gear were -satisfactorily carried out, and everything made ready for the -momentous flight. - -"I'm sending something of the nature of an ultimatum to the War -Office," he remarked during the course of the evening. "You see we -have to announce our arrival, otherwise the anti-aircraft guns might -favour us with their unwelcome attentions. On the other hand it's -worse than useless asking formal permission from the authorities to -fly over the Metropolis. The application would drift to and fro -between a dozen or more departments. Every little tinpot in office -would have some remarks to make--I know them of old. The chances are -that I would get an evasive reply in about a fortnight. Good heavens! -If we had an Admiralty and a War Office purged of the somnolent civil -element the war would be over by this time. So I've just cut in with -a bald announcement. I've left a telegram to be dispatched at nine -to-morrow--the time we start--stating that the Desmond Blake -battleplane will manoeuvre over the Horse Guards Parade at 10 a.m. -But we'll turn in now. It's getting late, and we've a full programme -in front of us tomorrow." - -"Do you mind if we sleep on board the battleplane?" asked Athol. - -"Mind? No, of course not. But what's the object?" - -"We've been talking it over," said Athol. "We thought that perhaps -those spy Johnnies might pay us another visit." - -"Hardly likely," replied Blake grimly. "They've collared the plans, -and those will keep them quiet." - -"I don't know so much about that," rejoined Dick. "They might think -that that is our opinion, and consider it a favourable chance of -returning and doing damage to the battleplane. That would give them a -tremendous start." - -"Perhaps you're right," declared the inventor. "Now I come to think -of it there is a possibility that the rascals will attempt to -culminate their efforts. We'll all sleep on board, and take turns at -keeping watch. I haven't bothered to fix up that high tension wire -again. 'Fraid they know too much. We'll arm ourselves and be ready to -give them a warm reception." - -"By the by," remarked Dick, "whilst we were repairing the side-car -wheel I noticed a 'buzzer' in the workshop." - -"Yes," replied Blake. "I bought it to practise Morse signalling. -Found myself awfully testy, by the by. But why do you ask?" - -"We could fix it up on board, muffle the sound and connect the -battery with a push on the door of the shed," said Dick. "We could -arrange it that as soon as the door opens wide enough to admit a man -a circuit would be complete." - -"Might try it," admitted Blake. "But you must remember these fellows -are prepared for all sorts of dodges. Well, we'll adjourn at five -minutes' intervals. The great thing is to get on board without being -seen, for ten to one if these rascals intend paying us another visit -they will be keeping a sharp look-out on the house." - -With a loaded revolver reposing in the side pocket of his coat, Athol -was the first to make for the shed where the battleplane was housed. -Slipping quietly through an open window in the rear of the house he -crept stealthily through the snow, keeping well under the cover of -the pinetrees. As an additional precaution he walked backwards, so -that should the spies subsequently examine the ground they would find -that the footprints led away from the shed. - -It seemed a long five minutes waiting for Dick to rejoin him. The -eerie shape of the battleplane, looming faintly through the darkness, -and the possibility that even now some miscreant might be hidden in -the hangar, gave the lad an unpleasant sensation that he had not -experienced since his first night on sentry in the first-line -trenches of Flanders. - -At length Dick arrived. Not a word was spoken. They stood motionless -until Blake joined them. Still in silence they ascended the aluminium -ladder and gained the interior of the fuselage. Already it had been -arranged that Athol was to have the first watch--from nine to -midnight. Blake had insisted upon keeping the next three hours. He -knew what the mental strain of that watch meant, when a man's diurnal -vitality is supposed to reach its lowest ebb. Out of consideration -for his young and efficient helpers he knew that by taking the middle -watch each lad would have six hours' continuous rest, unless -something unforeseen occurred. - -Lying at full length upon the floor of the fuselage Athol could -command a considerable extent of the shed, for the aperture by which -the crew had gained the interior of the battleplane had purposely -been left wide open. The double doors of the building had been locked -and the key removed, while Dick's contrivance had been fixed up, the -"buzzer" lying within a foot of the watcher's ear. - -The lad had no idea of the time. Already it seemed as though he had -been for hours at his post. The silence, broken only by the moan of -the wind in the pines, and the occasional thud of a heap of -accumulated snow from the roof of the hangar, was oppressive. - -"What's that, I wonder?" thought the lad as, after a seemingly -interminable lapse of time, a faint hissing, bubbling noise caught -his ear. For some seconds he listened intently. Then came the -unmistakable odour of the fumes of a powerful acid, mingled with the -spluttering of the drifting flakes as they came in contact with the -hot metal. - -The miscreant, whoever he might be, had fought shy of the task of -picking the lock, and was employing either sulphuric or nitric acid. - -Athol knelt up, gripping the coaming of the aperture and straining -his ears. Then, just as he was about to steal softly to his -companions, he felt a hand laid lightly upon his shoulder. - -Desmond Blake had also detected the signs of the miscreant's attempt. - -Without trusting himself even to whisper, Blake began to apply a -series of light touches to his assistant's arm. Athol, quick to grasp -the significance, understood. The inventor was employing the Morse -system of communication. - -"No action till I give the word," he tapped out. "Wake Dick." - -Although his chum was sound asleep Athol succeeded in rousing him in -silence, and the three airmen gathered round the aperture of the -fuselage, awaiting developments. - -Quite half an hour passed; then came the rending of the -chemically-treated corrugated metal sheeting. A muffled exclamation -of pain followed by a guttural oath plainly indicated that the fellow -had burnt himself with the powerful corrosive. - -Crawling through the opening the intruder hung a great coat over the -hole, to trap any rays of light from passing without, and switched on -an electric torch. For some seconds he stood gazing at the mechanical -marvel he meant to destroy. His scientific curiosity made him -temporarily set aside his purpose, for still holding the torch he -began to swing himself up the girder-ladder communicating with the -interior of the apparently untenanted battleplane. - -The reflected glare of the upturned torch made it easy for the lads -to follow the inventor's unspoken directions. Cautiously they backed -until they had placed the motor space between them and the aperture -towards which the fellow was climbing. - -The man seemed in no hurry, for some minutes elapsed before his head -and shoulders appeared in view. Then came another pause as, sitting -on the coaming with his feet resting on the topmost rung of the -ladder, he flashed his light around the interior of the mechanical -bird. - -The miscreant had little of the accepted appearance of a spy. He was -slight of build, although his head seemed out of all proportion to -his body. His features were round and florid, his eyes--as far as the -glare of the torch permitted them to be seen--large and exhibiting a -docile expression like that of a well-cared-for household cat. -Encountered under ordinary circumstances one would without hesitation -set him down as an easy-going, babyish man devoid both of mental and -bodily power. - -Judging him from a physical point of view Athol formed a rapid -conclusion that either he or Dick could tackle him with one hand. - -Still Blake gave no sign. He was too old a campaigner to throw away -his advantage by premature action. He resolved to wait until the -fellow had moved sufficiently far from the aperture to be unable to -make a quick dive for safety. - -Presently the German crept forward, still flashing his torch. -Evidently there was something that attracted his attention to a -greater: extent than did the motors and wing-actuating mechanism. - -"Hands up!" exclaimed Desmond Blake sternly, at the same time -flooding the interior of the fuselage with the dazzling rays of his -electric lamp. - -"Sorry--my mistake," replied the fellow coolly. "Mistook this place -for a barn, 'pon my word, I did. Beastly awkward mistake, don't you -know. Then, seeing what I took to be a novel sort of agricultural -implement I was curious----" - -"Are you putting your hands up?" enquired the inventor briskly. - -A pistol shot rang out. The spy, grasping the still-smoking weapon, -threw himself flat upon the floor to await the result of his shot. -Dazzled by the glare he had been unable to see his challenger; nor -was he cognisant of the fact that the two lads were present. The -result of previous investigations led him to believe that the -inventor was the only able-bodied man about the place, and, now that -the dogs had been disposed of, the odds were level. - -Greatly to the consternation of Athol and his chum, Blake began to -emit blood-curdling, hollow groans. They were on the point of -replying to the rascal's shot when Blake signed to them to keep under -cover, punctuating his groans by a series of winks that showed -plainly that there was plenty of "kick" left in him yet. - -The spy showed no immediate haste to follow up what he considered to -be first blood. The powerful rays of the lamp irritated him. Until -the brilliant light was put out movements would be too risky. He -looked about for something bullet-proof and portable that might serve -as a mantlet to cover his progress towards the lamp. - -Close at hand was a small teak box containing sand. Blake had placed -it on board in case of fire. It was certainly proof against a -revolver bullet--perhaps even sufficient to stop a rifle-bullet. - -Stretching out his arm the spy grasped the edge of the box and began -to draw it towards him. The act was his undoing, for a keen knife -whistled through the air with unerring aim, and the next instant the -German's left hand was transfixed and securely pinned to the hard -teak. - -"Drop that pistol and put your right hand up," ordered Blake, when -the fellow's cries for mercy had subsided sufficiently for the -inventor to make himself heard. - -The German obeyed. The excruciating pain had overcome all his cunning -and spirit of resistance. - -"That's reasonable," declared Blake, possessing himself of the -surrendered weapon. "Now, lads, lash his ankles. Hang it all! What -possessed the idiot to start blazing away? Goodness only knows what -damage he's done to the intricate mechanism. And he expected I'd -begin to pump nickel through my invention in the hope of plugging -him." - -"I thought you were hit," remarked Athol. - -"Hit? No fear," replied the inventor. "I wanted that fellow to think -he had given me a souvenir. It was a jolly good thing I learnt that -South American trick of throwing a knife. Didn't think much of it at -the time, but, by Jove! it served its purpose." - -Having removed the knife and dressed the German's hand, the airmen -moved their prisoner aft, securing him to a ring-bolt in the floor. -Then bidding Dick mount guard over the captive, Blake, accompanied by -Athol, searched the shed and its immediate surroundings. - -"There is only one of them this time," declared Blake. "Here are his -footprints. This looks cheerful, too." - -He stooped and picked up a couple of detonators and a coil of fuse. -The spy had set these on the ground at the foot of the tree, -apparently with the intention of fixing them up when he had satisfied -his curiosity concerning the battleplane. - -"It's most fortunate that you fellows suggested spending the night on -board," declared Blake fervently. "The battleplane would have been -blown sky high before morning if I hadn't listened to your advice. -Now I think I'll subject our Hun to a little cross-examination." - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE BATTLEPLANE'S OFFICIAL DEBUT - - -WITHOUT speaking a word Desmond Blake approached his prisoner and -regarded him intently. For a full minute he kept his eyes fixed upon -the German, who at first seemed indifferent to the attention paid -him. - -Presently the spy began to shift uneasily under the searching -scrutiny. Try as he would to avoid the penetrating look he found -himself unable to withstand the seemingly mesmeric influence. His -whole attitude was that of a dog cowed solely by the severity of its -master's gaze. - -"What is your name?" demanded Blake, breaking the strained silence. - -"Sigismund Selighoffer," replied the spy in a strangely subdued -voice. - -"A native of Germany?" - -"Of Halle." - -"A spy?" - -"Yes." The answer was given with considerable hesitation. It was the -man speaking in spite of his inclination to maintain silence and -discretion. - -"You stole my plans. Where are they?" - -"It was my employer, Karl von Secker, who took the plans. We were -here last night. He went away yesterday, taking the plans with him; -but before he went he gave me orders to destroy this machine." - -"You know where he is?" - -"On my honour, no. He could not tell me. Perhaps he will make his way -back to Germany. It is easy for him to do so." - -Blake asked several more questions, not once shifting his eyes from -the thoroughly cowed Hun. - -"Very good," he concluded. "In a few hours' time you will be handed -over to the authorities for trial. If it be any satisfaction to you I -might add that you will be the first German--and I hope the last--to -set foot on this battleplane." - -He turned and went for'ard. Directly his back was turned the spy -broke into a torrent of oaths, defying his captors and reviling -himself for having given away so much information. - -Blake merely shrugged his shoulders. - -"Simply the triumph of a strong mind over a weak one," he explained -to the lads. "Herr Selighoffer is merely a pawn in the game--a tool -of the more dangerous von Secker. Had we no other and more urgent -work in hand it would be a delightful task to run von Secker to -earth. Man-hunting is, from my personal knowledge, one of the -greatest thrills a criminologist can experience. Once I had to track -a Brazilian desperado across miles of country--but that story can -wait. We must trust the recovery of the plans to the authorities. -Now, lads, the pair of you had better turn in again. I'll keep watch, -although I don't anticipate any further trouble from prowling Huns. -It would be just as well to keep an eye upon that slippery customer, -Sigismund." - -The rest of the night passed without interruption. At seven the lads -arose, bathed and had breakfast; by eight-thirty the battleplane was -ready for her flight to London. - -"Better thirty minutes too early than thirty seconds too late," -remarked Dick. - -"H'm! perhaps in this case," rejoined Athol. "Do you remember that -morning in the trenches facing the Menin road? We were both a little -tardy in turning out to breakfast." - -"And what happened?" asked Blake. - -"Nothing as far as we were concerned," replied Dick. "Except that we -had no breakfast that morning. A shell had landed close to the stew -pot and the men with their rations were blown to bits. It was a case -of Nah Pooh with them." - -Without a hitch the battleplane was brought from the hangar, her -wings extended and the motors set running. It had now ceased snowing, -and although the ground was still covered with a mantle of white, -there seemed every prospect of a fine day. - -Making a splendid ascent the machine quickly attained an altitude of -twelve thousand feet, and a compass course was shaped to due east. -Blake had a definite object in flying high. The air was sufficiently -clear to distinguish prominent landmarks, but at that altitude there -was hardly any possibility of the battleplane being seen from the -earth. He wanted to make his arrival as dramatic and sudden as -possible. - -"We're touching one hundred and eighty miles an hour now," announced -the inventor. "Could do another twenty with ease if we wished. We'll -romp there hands down." - -"Why this easterly course?" asked Dick, who, having for the time -being finished with the motors, had taken his place close to the -pilot. "This will land us somewhere in Norfolk if we carry on." - -"Only till we pick up the North-Western main line," replied Blake. -"There's nothing like a railway to help you to fix a position. In -conjunction with a good map a railway lets you know where you are -almost to a mile." - -Forty-seven minutes from the time the battleplane left the ground a -dull haze upon the horizon indicated that the metropolis was in -sight. Quickly the intervening distance was covered, until at a -height of two thousand feet the airmen were immediately over the -Thames. - -"Good enough!" declared Blake, at the same time locking the wings. -Although the motors were still running they were acting merely as -"free engines," ready to be coupled up to the wings in a case of -emergency. For the rest of the distance the battleplane was to glide -under the attraction of gravity. - -Unerringly Blake brought the battleplane towards the gravelled -expanse of the Horse Guards Parade. Save for a few persons hurrying -across the place was almost deserted. Evidently there was no sign -that the aviators were expected. Either the telegram had been delayed -or the War Office officials had considered it a hoax. - -Suddenly Blake coupled up the wing-mechanism. The beating of the -wings caused several of the pedestrians to look skywards. For a -second or so they seemed hardly able to credit their senses. -Aeroplanes they knew, but the huge mechanical bird astonished them. -Right and left they scattered, leaving the parade as deserted as a -Siberian plain. - -Making a faultless landing the battleplane came to rest. Blake, -throwing back the wind screen, awaited developments. - -In less than five minutes the machine was surrounded by thousands of -curious spectators. It took all the efforts of a strong force of -police and soldiers to keep the crowd back. - -A way having been cleared through the press a group of military staff -officers came up. Amongst them Blake recognised a tall, alert figure -in the uniform of a major-general. - -"Good morning, Sir Henry!" he exclaimed. "You see I have carried out -my promise. Come on board, if you please." - -Agilely Sir Henry swarmed up the ladder. - -"A top-hole fellow," said Blake to his companions during the -officer's progress. "One of the few who were at least sympathetic -when I first submitted my plans." - -"By Jove, Blake!" exclaimed the newcomer, as, slightly breathless, he -gained the interior of the fuselage. "This is rather unexpected." - -"I warned you," replied the inventor. - -"You did, but, pardon my saying so, I was sceptical." - -"But not to the extent of some of your colleagues," added Blake with -a tinge of irony. "However, that's done with. Here is the -battleplane. I formally offer her to the Government. But before we go -farther. Do you know that there is a German spy here--actually within -the precincts of the War Office?" - -"Good heavens, no!" replied Sir Henry in astonishment. "How do you -know that?" - -"Optical proof," replied Blake. "If you'll come aft I'll show you." - -Briefly the circumstances under which Sigismund Selighoffer was -captured were stated, and in a very few minutes the spy was taken -from the battleplane and marched off under escort. - -"Now as far as I am concerned I hope I'll hear no more about that -fellow," commented Blake. "My time is too precious to waste in -attending courts-martial. All the same I should be particularly -pleased to hear that von Secker, the spy's accomplice--or rather, -employer--is run to earth. These fellows pay considerably more -attention to outside inventions than does the British Government, I'm -sorry to say. But let me show you round. Oh, yes, there's room for a -few more," he added as three or four staff officers shouted out for -permission to come on board. - -With them was one of the civil staff of the War Office. Blake eyed -him with a grim smile, for he was the man who had been so prominent -in cold-shouldering the inventor but a few months previously. - -"Yes, we should like to witness a flight," replied Sir Henry in -answer to Blake's proposition. "This ability to ascend almost -perpendicularly must be a unique, I might say, rather ingenious -property. No, I don't think I will accompany you this trip... another -time, perhaps." - -One by one the staff officers filed through the aperture in the floor -of the fuselage and descended to the ground, amidst the plaudits of -the crowd. The civilian official was the last to leave, when Blake -touched him on the shoulder. - -"You remember me?" he asked. - -"Of course, of course I do," replied the man pompously. "I never -forget faces. You will doubtless recollect that during our former -interview I expressed my opinion----" - -"That an ounce of fact is worth a pound of theory," rejoined Blake. -"In the circumstances the remark was uncalled for." - -"But in my position one has to look for results," stammered the man -nervously, for Blake had fixed him with that disconcerting look that -had so effectually cowed the spy. - -"The result is here," declared the inventor. "You are now going to -accompany us for a spin. You are not afraid?" - -If he were afraid the official was doubly afraid to admit it. He -nodded his head. - -"Good!" exclaimed Blake approvingly, as he closed the hatchway at his -feet. "Start her up, Dick. Open the exhaust full out. A little noise -will shift the crowd." - -Dick obeyed, using the "cut-out." Instead of the engines purring -almost noiselessly they roared like the concentrated discharge of a -battery of mitrailleuses. Then, with a mighty sweep of her wings the -battleplane appeared to stand on end. The next instant she was -soaring swiftly above the dirty grey stone work of the buildings of -the Horse Guards. - -The passenger seated in the balanced chair, and seeing the body of -the machine turning apparently around a fixed axis, was too -astonished even to ejaculate. At length, encouraged by the cool -demeanour of Dick and his chum, the official plucked up courage, and, -the battleplane having settled down to a steady position, peered over -the edge of the coaming. - -It was his first sight of London from a height of three thousand -feet. He was beginning to enjoy the sensation. - -Up and down, describing erratic curves, nose-diving, volplaning and -side-slipping with deliberate intent, Desmond Blake carried out his -spectacular and demonstrative programme. At one moment it seemed as -if the battleplane was diving under the Admiralty Arch; at almost the -next it was skimming the aerials on the twin domes of the -headquarters of the British Navy. Spinning round, almost on the tip -of one wing, the tractable machine circled Nelson's Monument, as if -to pay homage to the memory of the one-armed little man whose -traditions the Navy of to-day so gallantly uphold. Then, at a rate -equal to double that of an express train, the battleplane disappeared -from view, to circle over the Nore at a height far beyond the range -of the most efficient anti-aircraft guns that the Medway Defences -possessed. - -Fifteen minutes later the battleplane again came to rest on the Horse -Guards Parade. Her passenger, almost speechless with unbounded -admiration, did not hesitate to make his amends. - -Nor was Sir Henry less enthusiastic. - -Gripping Blake's hand as the inventor descended from the battleplane -he exclaimed, "Bravo! my dear sir; your aeroplane is simply great. -But why the deuce did you make such a show with it? By to-night all -the world will know about it." - -Desmond Blake shrugged his shoulders. - -"It was the only way," he replied. "Nothing else would have attracted -the attention of the War Office." - -"You certainly have now," said Sir Henry with a smile. "Suppose we -adjourn to my office. I'll summon my colleagues and we can discuss -terms." - -"There are no terms to discuss," objected the inventor. "The -battleplane belongs to the Empire unconditionally." - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -A CROSS-CHANNEL FLIGHT - - -"I AM off to France to-day, lads," announced Desmond Blake on -returning to the battleplane after the conclusion of the conference. -"It's sharp work, but now these gentlemen have warmed up they are -like high pressure blast-furnaces. I suggested handing the plane over -to one of the Flying Corps camps and remaining until a military crew -had been trained to its use. They weren't keen on that exactly, so -they made me promise to fly the machine across to the Front. I have -been given a commission as captain in the R.F.C., so the poor -neglected inventor blossoms out into a warrior of the aerial blue. -Well, lads, the best of friends must part----" - -"No, fear," declared Dick stoutly, and Athol backed him up in his -protest. "It's not fair." - -"On the contrary, it is perfectly fair," said Blake. "You have -rendered me great service, and I deeply appreciate it. But when the -battleplane goes abroad our implied contract is automatically -broken." - -"I don't see it," objected Athol bluntly. "We agreed to bear a hand -for a definite period. Locality didn't enter into the conditions. -Haven't we been entirely satisfactory?" - -"Entirely." - -"Then why are we to be pushed out of it? We are frightfully keen on -the job." - -"That I don't doubt," replied Blake. "It isn't that I don't want to -take you. It's the official regulations coupled with a desire on my -part not to run you into danger. You were turned back from the Front -once before, remember." - -"Hardly," replied Dick. "We were all right out there. It was coming -home that did us in as far as the Army was concerned. The rotten part -about the whole business is that the authorities insist upon a cast -iron rule concerning a fellow's age. The number of years that a -fellow has lived surely ought to be no criterion. A fellow might be -absolutely fit for active service at sixteen or seventeen; another a -physical wreck at thirty. It's jolly hard lines." - -"A youngster of sixteen or seventeen might think he's fit," remarked -Blake. "His heart is in his work and all that sort of thing, but his -constitution is not properly developed. He crumples up under the -strain, and additional and preventable work is thrown upon the -medical authorities. That's the Army view of the case, I believe, and -it's a sound view to take." - -"Yet we maintain that each individual case should be tried on its -merits," declared Athol. "To put the question bluntly: have you any -objection to our going?" - -"None whatever," replied the inventor. - -"Then let us make an application. If you back us up there'll be no -difficulty. You have the whip hand over this battleplane business." - -"I'll see," replied Blake, loth to commit himself. Secretly he was -pleased at the lads' determination and patriotism. Already he knew -that they were capable. Their previous record at the Front proved -that they were physically fit; and they had been strongly recommended -for commissions by the commanding officer of their regiment. - -"All right," he continued. "Come with me." - -Leaving a gang of men at work painting distinctive red, white and -blue circles on various conspicuous parts of the battleplane, Blake -set off to find Sir Henry. In the record time of less than half an -hour, so strongly did he set forth the charms of his youthful -assistants, Athol Hawke and Dick Tracey were gazetted second -lieutenants in the finest corps of airmen in the world. - -The next step was to undo the mischief Blake had practically been -forced to do by giving a public display of the marvellous -capabilities of the battleplane. Accordingly it was announced, with -all semblance of a confidential secret, that the machine had -developed serious defects, and had been rejected by the authorities. -Experience proved that by giving out the news in this manner it would -spread as quickly or even more rapidly than if it had been proclaimed -from the house-tops. No doubt there were scores of German agents -mingled with the throng on the Horse Guards Parade, and in spite of -all precautions a fairly detailed description of the battleplane, and -particulars of her destination, would speedily be transmitted to -Berlin. - -At two o'clock in the afternoon the battleplane started on her -cross-Channel flight. She rose awkwardly, side-slipping and missing -fire badly, thanks to Blake's elaborate deception, and heading in a -nor'-westerly direction was soon lost to sight. - -Still climbing Blake kept her on a course diametrically opposite to -her next landing-place until the battleplane attained the dizzy -height of sixteen thousand feet. At that altitude, favoured by a -slight haze, she was totally invisible from the ground. Then swinging -round she retraced her course, flying at a rate of one hundred and -eighty miles an hour towards the French coast. - -Forty minutes later the battleplane planed down. As she swooped down -out of a bank of clouds the lads could see what appeared to be a -comparatively narrow stretch of silvery plain that expanded almost -indefinitely in either direction north-east and sou'-west. It was the -English Channel in the neighbourhood of the Straits of Dover. Ahead -were the chalky masses of Cape Grisnez, the frowning promontory -"flattened" out of all recognition by reason of the immense altitude -of the observers. - -"Do you remember the first time we crossed Channel?" asked Dick of -his chum. "Sixteen solid hours of physical discomfort between -Southampton and Havre. We were jolly bad." - -"A submarine alarm would not have spurred us to energy," agreed -Athol. "Four hundred and fifty men who had been singing 'Rule -Britannia' at the top of their voices were lying on their backs, and -bewailing the fact that the lady with the trident didn't rule the -waves straighter. And now we are crossing the ditch in absolute -comfort." - -"Put on your flying helmets, lads, and lower the wind-screens," -ordered Blake. "Nothing like getting used to Service conditions. Be -careful as you lower away." - -The warning was most necessary, for when the struts supporting the -wind-screens were removed, it took practically all the strength at -the lads' command to resist the fearful pressure of the wind upon the -transparent panes. - -Speaking, save by means of the voice-tubes, was now an impossibility. -The furious air-currents, whirling past the airmen's heads, sounded -like the continual roar of a mountainous sea breaking upon a -rock-bound shore. The keenness of the wind cut the lads' faces; its -violence almost took their breath away. For the first time they fully -realised the sensation of speed through space. - -Suddenly Blake, leaning outwards, pointed at something almost -immediately beneath the fuselage. Following the direction of his -outstretched hand, the lads could see a small glistening speck -seemingly but a few feet above the sea. It was a monoplane. - -Bringing their glasses to bear upon the machine the lads could -distinguish it clearly. It was a British aircraft also making for the -French coast, although owing to the relative difference of speed it -looked as if it were flying stern foremost in the opposite direction. -It was staggering in the teeth of a strong north-easterly gale, the -effect of which was hardly noticeable in the upper air. The use of -the binoculars also revealed for the first time that there was quite -a mountainous sea running, while a patch of swirling foam betokened -the presence of the dreaded Goodwin Sands. - -Blake raised his wind-screen. His companions followed his example -with alacrity. Peace reigned within the body of the battleplane, and -conversation could be resumed. - -"Plucky fellow, that airman," remarked Blake. "It wants a bit of -nerve to set out across Channel on a day like this. Yet it is an -everyday occurrence, and mishaps are few and far between. Contrast -what that flying mail has to encounter with the conditions under -which Blériot flew from Grisnez to Dover. The Frenchman's -achievement was the talk of the world; probably only half a dozen -people know of that fellow's flight. Of course I don't want to -detract anything from Blériot's splendid feat, but--hulloa! what's -that?" - -Instead of the rhythmical purr of the motors came the unmistakable -"cough" that precedes the stoppage of the engines through carburation -troubles. In a trice Dick slid from his seat and made a hasty -examination. As he did so the motors ceased firing. - -"We're out of petrol," he reported. "Nonsense!" exclaimed Blake -incredulously. "The tanks were refilled when we started from London." - -"They're empty now, at any rate," added Dick. "Yes, I see what it -is, the pet-cock on the draining pipe is open." - -"Some of our visitors must have knocked it accidentally," declared -the inventor. "Be as sharp as you can, Dick. There are some spare -tins in the after compartment. One will save her. We're volplaning -rapidly and against the wind we won't be able to fetch the land." - -With her wings rigidly extended the battleplane was descending at an -angle of thirty degrees to the horizontal. In ordinary circumstances -she ought to be able to cover a distance of ten or twelve miles--more -than sufficient to land her in French territory--but owing to the -force of the hard wind her relative speed over the "ground"--which -happened to be a raging sea--would be less than a couple of miles. - -While Athol unscrewed the cap of the tank Dick crawled for'ard with a -two-gallon tin of spirit. Recklessly he poured in the precious -fuel, "tickled" the still warm carburettor and swung the engine. -Without hesitation the motors began purring in their normal and -businesslike manner. - -"Hurrah!" exclaimed Blake. "You were just in time. We were only fifty -feet up when she fired. Carry on with the other cans. There'll be -just enough to get us home." - -Dick was now painfully aware, as he carried can after can of petrol -from the store compartment, that the battleplane was in the grip of -the storm fiend. In her downward glide she had passed from the region -of comparatively uniform wind pressure to a stratum in which vicious -erratic currents assailed her on every side. In spite of the lad's -utmost caution he was continually hurled violently against the side -of the fuselage, while it was a matter of greatest difficulty to keep -his footing upon the heavy floor of the steeply-inclined machine. - -"Enough," ordered Blake. "Stand by. We're nearly there. I spot an -aerodrome. It may be a British one. At any rate, we'll land." - -Dimly wondering how the pilot would bring the huge battleplane to -earth in that howling wind, the lads "stood by." Their confidence in -Blake was unbounded. - -Head to wind the machine planed earthwards. The whole expanse of the -aerodrome seemed as if it were rising to greet the unique mechanical -bird. Men, to whom the almost hourly arrival and return of flying -machines caused little or no comment, emerged from their huts to -witness the landing of the weirdest battleplane they had ever seen. - -With almost an imperceptible jerk the landing wheels struck the sandy -soil. Simultaneously Blake "switched off" the motors and thrust a -lever hard down. The wings folding without a hitch no longer offered -resistance to the wind, and the battleplane, pinned down to the earth -by its own compact weight, rested firmly on the soil of France. - -* * * * * - -"So you have arrived," was the Wing Commander's greeting. "We were -expecting you. Had a fair passage?" - -"Fairly," replied Blake. "A slight mishap over the Channel well-nigh -landed us into the ditch. It was blowing very hard at the time." -"Seen anything of a monoplane on your way over?" enquired the flying -officer. "We had information that one of our latest type of machine -had left Newhaven a couple of hours ago." - -"Yes," was the reply. "We passed her about half-way across. She was -flying low and apparently making slow progress against the gale." - -"A tough task for a new hand," commented the Wing Commander. "The -youngster took his certificate only a fortnight ago, and this is his -first cross-Channel flight." - -"He would have done better if he had kept eight or ten thousand feet -up," hazarded Blake. - -"Possibly," rejoined his new chief drily. "Only it happens that our -new pilots are specially warned to fly low when making for the French -coast." - -"I had no such instructions," declared Blake. - -"Therefore it would not have been a great surprise to me if you had -carried on right over our lines and dropped gently on one of the -Germans' aviation grounds. We have already had one or two cases like -that. Our new pilots, not being sufficiently acquainted with the -locality, have overshot the mark. Deplorable of course, but the fact -remains." - -"Here comes the expected monoplane, sir," reported a young -flight-lieutenant. - -Still flying low and rocking under the influence of the eddying air -currents the monoplane battled towards the aerodrome. At that -altitude there was no mistaking the nationality of the men awaiting -the aviator's arrival. Two mechanics, detaching themselves from their -comrades, made ready to steady the planes when the machine touched -ground. - -With admirable precision the airman "flattened out." So well timed -was his descent that it was almost impossible to determine the -precise moment when the monoplane was air-borne and when it was -supported by its landing wheels. - -Rolling over the ground for nearly fifty feet the monoplane stopped -head to wind. The pilot descended, removed his goggles and flying -helmet, revealing the boyish, clear-cut features of a man barely out -of his teens. - -Numbed by the cold he walked unsteadily, rubbing his hands as he did -so in order to restore the circulation. - -"A bit nippy," he remarked casually, after he had formally reported -his arrival. "She did it jolly well, though. By the bye, I see you've -got here ahead of me," he added, addressing Blake and nodding in the -direction of the securely held battleplane. - -"I didn't imagine that you saw us; we were ten thousand feet up when -we overtook you," said Blake. - -"Neither did I," admitted the flight-lieutenant. - -"Then how----" began the battleplane's inventor, surprised at the -confession and at a loss to understand why the pilot of the monoplane -was able to report on the former's progress. - -"I'll let you into a secret," rejoined the young lieutenant laughing. -"Last Friday at a quarter to nine in the morning that weird-looking -'bus," and he nodded in the direction of the battleplane, "ascended -from a shed at a spot roughly twelve miles south of Shrewsbury, and -proceeded in a south-westerly direction. Quite a short flight, out -and home. Now, am I not correct?" - -Almost dumfounded, Blake had to admit that the airman's information -was correct. - -"How did you know that?" he asked. - -"Simply that instead of your being ten thousand feet above me I was -that height above you," was the astonishing reply. "The Intelligence -Department is not so sleepy as some people would have it believe. We -had orders to try to locate a mysterious battleplane that was -propelled by means of movable wings. I happened to be the lucky one -to spot you, so you see we are not exactly strangers." - -"And let us hope," added Desmond Blake, extending his hand, "that we -shall be pals." - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -A FIGHT TO A FINISH - - -FOR the next three days the crew of the battleplane were kept busily -employed in getting ready for active service against the Huns. With -the utmost expediency thousands of bullets made to Desmond Blake's -specification had been turned out in one of the British ammunition -factories and dispatched across to the aerodrome. Here they were -taken in hand by mechanics attached to the R.F.C. and fitted into -ordinary Service rifle cartridges for use with the automatic guns. - -Both Athol and Dick had to undergo a brief but efficient machine gun -course, and were instructed in the art of aiming at rapidly-moving -targets from an equally mobile platform. Several branches of the -flying officers' art they were not at present to touch. Blake's -battleplane was to be used for purely offensive purposes, so that -there was no occasion for the lads to be instructed in registering, -observation and reconnaissance work. Nor was there time to study -wireless. An apparatus had, however, been installed, and to work it a -fourth member of the crew was appointed--Sergeant Michael O'Rafferty. - -O'Rafferty was an Irishman by birth, name and characteristics. He was -a light-weight of eight stone seven pounds, as agile in body as he -was mercurial in temperament. Already he had two Hun biplanes to his -credit, and was one of the most reckless flying men of that -particular squadron. - -Amongst other alterations to the battleplane on becoming a Service -machine a regulation bomb-dropping device had been fitted in the -floor of the fuselage. Eighteen powerful bombs were to be carried, -and, when occasion arose, released by the application of the pilot's -foot upon a pedal, while for offence against bodies of troops boxes -of "flêches" or steel arrows were stowed on board. - -The arrival from London of their uniforms completed the lads' -preparations, and fully equipped they eagerly awaited an opportunity -of meeting the Hun airmen. - -The chance came sooner than they expected, for late one evening, when -most of the reconnaissance machines had returned to their hangars, -four enemy battleplanes were observed to be approaching. They were -flying high to avoid the anti-aircraft guns in the rear of the third -line of trenches. - -Enemy air-raids had been few of late. The Hun aviators for the most -part contented themselves by merely patrolling behind their lines on -swift Fokkers, swooping down upon the equally daring but -under-powered aeroplanes employed by the British for observation -purposes. On this occasion it was evident that a raid upon the -aerodrome was in contemplation. - -Instantly there was a rush to man the British aircraft. Three got -away before Desmond Blake could collect his crew and drag the -battleplane from her shed; but once the huge mechanical bird drew -clear of the ground her marked superiority in climbing became -apparent. - -Athol stood by the foremost quickfirer; O'Rafferty was at the after -one; Dick had perforce to tend to the motors since the slightest -hitch might result in victory to their opponents. Blake, cool and -collected, though it was the first time that he was opposed to a -hostile airman's fire, piloted the swift battleplane, manoeuvring to -gain the equivalent to the old time "weather-gage"--a superior -altitude. - -Observing the novel type of aircraft rising to meet them, two of the -Fokkers circled and prepared to dart down upon their opponent. Either -they misjudged the speed and power of the British battleplane or else -they deprecated the skill of her crew until it was too late. - -With her engines all out the battleplane darted across and far -beneath the downward course of the two German aircraft. A sharp burst -of machine gun fire from the Huns was futile, for under-estimating -the speed of their antagonist they made insufficient allowance in -their aim. Harmlessly a sheaf of several hundred bullets whizzed -astern of the secret battleplane. - -Round swung the Fokkers in pursuit. For the first time they realised -that in a climbing contest they were hopelessly beaten. In twenty -seconds Blake had secured an undisputable gain. He was nearly a -thousand feet above his opponents, and almost immediately overhead. - -In that position the British battleplane was immune from her -opponent's fire. The machine guns of the Fokkers were mounted so that -they could fire ahead between the blades of the swiftly-moving -propellers--less than five per cent. of the bullets being deflected -in their path through the arc of revolution. The guns could also be -swung round to fire on either side, but training of the weapons in a -vertical plane was considerably restricted. It was impossible to fire -at any target that was anything like overhead; a contingency that the -Huns had not provided for, since their hitherto superior speed -enabled them to decide their own conditions of fighting. - -"Stand by, Athol!" shouted Blake. - -Considering that Athol had been "standing by" during the whole of the -flight the order seemed unnecessary until the lad grasped the -significance of his superior officer's bidding. - -Like a kestrel the battleplane dived towards the nearmost of her -opponents. The pilot of the Fokker saw the danger. Discharging a -large smoke-bomb he strove to escape under cover of the dense pall of -vapour. For a few seconds it seemed as if the manoeuvre would prove -successful, until Blake turned his craft and brought her on a -parallel course to the escaping Hun. - -The Fokker could now use her machine guns, although aiming was a -matter of extreme difficulty. A hail of bullets clipping neat little -holes in the tips of the battleplane's wings showed how close the -shots were to securing telling hits. - -Athol and Sergeant O'Rafferty opened fire simultaneously, since both -machine guns could be brought to bear upon the German aircraft. -Caught by the stinging hail of bullets the Fokker's struts and -tension wires seemed to fly into fragments. Her shattered planes -tilted upwards as she commenced to fall earthwards. Then, bursting -into flames, the Hun machine crashed to the ground two thousand feet -below. - -A peculiar and disconcerting ping close to Athol's head warned him -that the fight was not yet over. The second Fokker, finding that the -mysterious aeroplane was directing its attention upon Hun No 1, had -manoeuvred for its favourite position, and owing to the battleplane -describing a circle the relative distance was now considerably -decreased. - -In a trice Blake banked steeply. As he did so O'Rafferty let loose a -couple of dozen rounds. The Hun, hit more than once, turned and fled. - -Giving a hasty glance round Blake took in the situation. The -remaining Fokkers had been disposed of by the British biplanes, but -not before one of the latter had to make an involuntary landing with -its petrol tank perforated like a sieve and its observer badly -wounded. There was now a fair chance of matching Blake's battleplane -against the vaunted and possibly overrated Fokker. - -The latter, with clouds of smoke pouring from her exhaust, was making -off towards her own lines. Before gaining shelter she would have to -pass over the British trenches less than thirty miles from the -encounter, even if she were successful in throwing off pursuit. - -Blake was equally determined to smash his opponent long before the -latter came within sight of the German trenches. It was essential -that in this early stage the secret battleplane should not show -herself to the Huns over their own lines. The systematic -disappearance of the "star" enemy airmen, without any hint of the -nature of their destruction, would have a telling effect upon the -_morale_ of their flying men. It was a parallel case to the steady -and unannounced decrease in the number of German submarines, scores -of which left port never to return, and leaving no record of their -disappearance save that known and jealously guarded by the British -Admiralty. - -"Now see what you can do, Athol," exclaimed Blake, as the -battleplane, gaining upon her antagonist hand over fist, was in a -favourable position to open fire. - -Glancing along the sights Athol pressed the thumbpiece of the -firing-mechanism. Some of the shots took effect, for the Fokker, in -spite of the frantic efforts of the pilot to keep it under control, -began to dive. - -Athol ceased firing. The hostile aircraft was done for. Humanity -urged him to let the Hun crew save themselves if it were possible to -avoid being dashed to pieces upon the ground. - -Erratically swaying, lurching and side-slipping, with one of the -wings twisted like a broken reed, the German aircraft fell through a -thousand feet of space before the pilot was able to check its -descent. For ten seconds it seemed on the point of recovering itself, -then the headlong flight was resumed. - -Well in its wake followed the British battleplane. Blake was resolved -to watch developments. He was curious to know the fate of the Hun -crew. - -Retarding the battleplane's flight the pilot kept her well under -control, circling around the path of his defeated antagonist. Just as -the Fokker was on the point of landing with an appalling crash the -machine tilted acutely, then making a tail-dive alighted heavily upon -the ground, throwing both pilot and observer from their seats. - -In an instant the redoubtable Hun pilot regained his feet. Although -fully expectant to be greeted by a discharge from the battleplane's -machine-gun he staggered towards the wreckage and dragged his -unconscious comrade further from the pile of tangled and twisted -metal and canvas. Then striking a match and igniting his celluloid -map he threw the blazing fabric into the petrol-soaked wreckage. - -Bringing the battleplane to earth within twenty-five yards to -windward of the burning aeroplane Blake descended, followed by Athol -and the sergeant. - -The Hun, revolver in hand, stood on the defensive, although no escape -was possible, for already soldiers were hurrying up from their -billets in a neighbouring hamlet. The Hun, not knowing what treatment -he would be accorded, was evidently under the impression that no -quarter would be given. - -"Hands up!" ordered Blake. - -"You no shoot, me no shoot," replied the German aviator, still -brandishing his pistol. "Spare my life and surrender I will make." - -"We respect a brave foe," exclaimed Blake. "But you are our -prisoner." - -The German dropped his revolver and folded his arms. Blake advanced -with outstretched hands to compliment his opponent on his bravery, -but as he did so the aviator reeled and fell senseless to the ground. - -"They'll both pull through, I should imagine," declared an army -doctor who with others had hurried to the spot. "They look a pair of -tough birds. But, by Jove! what type of aircraft have you here?" - -"Just an experiment," replied Blake modestly. "We haven't done so -badly for a first attempt. Hop in, Athol, night's coming on apace, -and I'd rather tackle half a dozen Huns than risk a landing in the -dark." - - - - -CHAPTER X - -TRICKED - - -"MORNIN', Blake," remarked the Wing Commander. "Feel like an -out-and-home flight? Thought so. Well, give a glance at this map." - -Three weeks had elapsed since the secret battleplane had worsted the -two Fokkers--three weeks of strenuous activity. The battleplane bore -many honourable scars, souvenirs of aerial combats. But as yet her -rôle had been a purely defensive one; she had never gone over the -German trenches, hostile anti-aircraft had not as yet sent their -shrapnel shells bursting all around her. Already the Huns had learnt -of the presence of a super-powerful aircraft of unique design, and -with feelings akin to dismay they realised that risky as it had been -to fly over the British lines it was no longer practicable anywhere -within the radius of action of the mysterious mechanical bird. - -"Look here," continued the Wing Commander, placing a long, slender -finger on the unfolded map that lay on the trestle table, "that's -Olhelt, a village or rather hamlet not far from Hasselt, and within -ten miles of the Netherland Frontier. - -"We've received information that the Bosches have a secret Zeppelin -base there, and that their new airships that are to be employed -solely for raids over England are finally tested there before passing -to active service. The place is strongly protected by Archibalds, and -there are a dozen planes constantly on duty. Now, I want you to make -a reconnaissance. If possible, bomb the Zeppelins to blazes. Would -you prefer to undertake the job alone or shall I send a supporting -squadron of swift battleplanes?" - -"We'll tackle it alone, sir, I think," replied Blake. "Our silent -motors are a decided factor in our favour, which would be thrown away -if we were accompanied by any biplanes." - -"So I thought, but I felt that I ought to give you the option," -rejoined the Wing Commander. "Now, there is another point. We have a -Belgian officer here, a man furnished with the highest credentials -from the Belgian headquarters. He's a Limburger, and knows the -district around Olhelt remarkably well. His name, let me see,"--the -officer referred to a docket--"yes, his name is Etienne Fauvart, a -lieutenant of the 21st Regiment of the Line. This man, for patriotic -and personal motives--it was he who first reported the Zeppelin base; -had the information from a relative living near Hasselt--wishes -particularly to take part in the raid. According to his story he has -a heavy account to settle with the Bosches near his home. It occurred -to me that he might be useful for pointing out the various landmarks. -From all accounts the place is rather puzzling for a strange airman -to find." - -"Whether he is to come with us or otherwise is for you to decide, -sir," said Blake. - -"Personally I am inclined to favour the suggestion," continued the -Wing Commander. "Since you are so good as to leave the matter in my -hands, I think you'd better take Lieutenant Fauvart. I'll have him -brought in." - -He touched a bell. An orderly appeared in the doorway. - -"Bring the Belgian officer here," ordered the Wing Commander. - -Lieutenant Etienne Fauvart was a loose-limbed man of about thirty. He -was of average height, broad of shoulder and dark-featured. Although -he clicked his heels as he saluted he lacked the alertness of the -typical British officer. - -"I am honoured to make your acquaintance, sir," he said in English -with a good accent when Desmond Blake and he were introduced. "Also I -esteem it an honour to go with you in your magnificent invention. I -hope that we are able to blow the Zeppelins to pieces. Ciel! I look -to the hour." - -"Certainly an enthusiast," thought Blake as the Belgian discussed -with his British confrères the plan of attack. - -It was eventually decided that the secret battleplane was to leave -the flying ground at an hour before sunset, soar to a great altitude -and arrive over her objective shortly after sunset. Elaborate -arrangements were made for her return, the aerodrome to be -brilliantly lighted on receipt of a wireless message from the -returning battleplane. In view of the possibility of a failure of the -wireless a red and a blue star rockets were to be fired by the -airmen. - -The Belgian officer formed a supernumerary member of the crew, since -Blake was loth to leave either of his three airmen behind. -Accordingly Fauvart was placed at the post usually occupied by Dick -when his duty with the motors had for the time been accomplished. -Young Tracey accepted the situation with the utmost good-nature. -Although reluctant to miss the visual part of the fun he realised -that it was "some" luck to be able to participate in the great raid. - -For the rest of the day the airmen were busily engaged in overhauling -the mechanism, studying maps and otherwise preparing for the task. -Etienne Fauvart, evincing great interest in the battleplane, had -taken a deep fancy to Dick, and followed him with keen zest, asking -innumerable questions. - -"The fellow bores me stiff," soliloquised the lad. "He seems a decent -sort, but he does ask awkward questions. He looks too cute to be -stuffed, and I don't like choking him off. The only thing I can -suggest is to refer him to Blake." - -The Belgian took the hint quite good-naturedly. He refrained from -asking any further technical questions, but Dick noticed that he made -no attempt to "freeze on" to the imperturbable inventor. - -At length, at the appointed hour, the battleplane started on her -adventurous flight, her crew being sent-off with the hearty good -wishes of their brother airmen--wishes for the most part expressed in -that bantering, happy-go-lucky style that characterises men who have -more than a nodding acquaintance with death. - -The thin air literally shook under the concussion of hundreds of -heavy guns as the battleplane swung high over the opposing lines. A -big "affair" was in progress--one of those furious exchanges of -strafing that are airily referred to in the official reports as "an -activity of some magnitude." Two mines had just been sprung, their -positions marked by huge clouds of smoke and dust. But of the actual -fighting none was visible to the crew of the battleplane. A dense -haze hid the khaki and grey fighting men from view, although rifle -firing and the rattle of machine-guns could be distinctly heard as -the see-saw struggle for the possession of the newly-made craters -continued with the utmost desperation. - -So intense were the undulations of the atmosphere over the terrific -cannonade that the battleplane rocked violently. Her wings, beating -the disturbed air with tremendous speed, seemed hardly able to -support the main fabric. While the flight over the scene of the -fighting lasted the mechanical bird was plunging and banking like a -ship in a heavy following gale. So severe was the strain that had any -of the metal-work been the least defective the weakness would have -shown itself with dire results. Even Blake gave vent to an -exclamation of relief as the machine drew safely away from the -disturbed area. - -"The spires of Hasselt," declared Lieutenant Fauvart, when, half an -hour later, one of many of the numerous Belgian towns appeared in -view, showing up clearly in the slanting rays of the setting sun. -"You see those forests to the north? Beyond them lies Olhelt. It is -in a valley, with trees all around. Already the valley is in shadow. -The time for vengeance is at hand." - -Evidently vengeance was the uppermost thought in the man's mind. Both -lads had been curious to know the reason for the Belgian's oft -reiterated words, but with their typical English reticence had -refrained from asking him for enlightenment. - -"I am cold," exclaimed Fauvart a moment later. "A man who is cold -cannot do his work well. I go and get my heavy coat." - -"And he wouldn't take my advice before we started," thought Athol, as -the Belgian slipped from his seat and disappeared within the -fuselage. - -"We are in sight of Olhelt," announced Fauvart to Dick, who was -sitting on the floor by the side of the motors. - -"Are we?" replied the lad. "Think I'll have a look out." - -He made his way to the Belgian's vacated post, and, leaning over, -took in the expanse of country far beneath. Blake was circling the -battleplane, since it was yet too early to volplane to the work of -destruction. At that immense height, and thanks to the almost total -absence of sound, the battleplane was safe from observation from the -earth. - -"I feel like a stoker in a naval engagement," thought Dick as he -returned to his post. "Nothing to see, and all up if anything goes -wrong. Another ten minutes will see the job through." - -It seemed an interminable time before an acceleration of the motors -announced that Blake had disconnected the wing mechanism and had -locked the wings for a spiral volplane. - -Dick promptly throttled down, and stood ready at the first sign to -open the motors all out. As he did so he became aware of a peculiar -smell. It was something like but not the same as that of burning oil. -Then with disconcerting suddenness the motors ceased firing. - -"Engine failure," reported the lad. - -"Hang it all!" ejaculated Blake. "Couldn't have occurred at a worse -time." - -The Belgian started and whipped out a revolver. - -"For me there is no surrender," he exclaimed dramatically. "I shoot -myself rather than be a prisoner of war to the Bosches." - -"Stop it!" exclaimed Blake, releasing his hold of the controls and -gripping the Belgian's arm. "We are not done in yet. Far from it. Put -that thing away and be reasonable. Look out and see if you recognise -a good landing-place." - -Fauvart, rallied by Blake's manner, did as he was told. By this time -the battleplane was less than two thousand feet up. Somewhat to the -airmen's surprise no shells came from the invisible anti-aircraft -guns known to be somewhere in the vicinity. - -"There!" exclaimed the Belgian, indicating a clearing in the woods, -where even in the twilight the grass showed distinctly against the -darker green of the treetops. "It may be safe to land there. If the -Bosches have not already seen us we may escape detection." - -"Any luck yet, Dick?" called out the pilot anxiously. - -"No, sir," replied the lad, still deftly juggling with the magnetos, -where apparently the fault lay. - -With his customary skill Desmond Blake brought the battleplane to -earth in the clearing pointed out by the Belgian lieutenant. His -first act after landing was to fix a detonator and time fuse in -position. Rather than allow the machine to fall into the hands of the -enemy Blake had resolved to blow her to fragments. - -"Be ready to slip it when I give you warning," he cautioned. "Stick -it, Dick, but don't stop a moment after I give the word." - -Some minutes passed but there was no sign of outside interruption. -Athol, Sergeant O'Rafferty and the Belgian alighted, leaving Blake in -the pilot's seat and Dick toiling at the motors, since the lad -preferred to work alone in the confined space between the engines. -The Belgian, having seemingly recovered his self-composure, began to -stroll towards the edge of the clearing, carrying a large can. - -"Where are you off to, Monsieur Fauvart?" asked Athol. - -The lieutenant half turned his head and put his finger to his lips. -Then signing to the lad to follow, he hastened his footsteps, -although treading as softly as before. - -O'Rafferty was about to accompany Athol when Blake called him back to -bear a hand at slewing the battleplane round head to wind. - -"They've gone to get some water for the radiator," said the pilot -reassuringly. "Fauvart knows of a spring close handy. Getting on all -right, Dick?" - -"I'm doing my best," answered the lad guardedly. - -The sergeant, lighting a cigarette, paced to and fro, with eyes and -ears alert to catch the first sight or sound of anything of a -suspicious nature. - -Suddenly, to Blake's intense satisfaction, the motors began to purr -smoothly. - -"You've found out what was wrong, then," he said, at the same time -motioning to the sergeant to take his place on board. "What was it?" - -Before Dick could reply a revolver shot rang out. Then came the -sounds of several men crashing through the brushwood. An instant -later twenty or more grey-coated figures appeared in sight, led by -the supposed Belgian officer. - -"Surrender instantly!" he shouted. "Lieutenant Hawke is our prisoner. -Do further damage to the battleplane and no quarter will be given. -Hands up and you will receive honourable treatment." - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE FATE OF A SPY - - -"ALL out, Dick," shouted Blake, at the same time coupling up the wing -mechanism. Sergeant O'Rafferty, springing to the after machine-gun, -swung the weapon upon the nearmost of the German troops. As he did so -a ragged volley greeted him, the bullets either passing through the -aluminium covering of the chassis or else whizzing harmlessly -overhead. - -With her wings beating the air with tremendous force the battleplane -drew clear of Mother Earth. Four or five Germans, rushing forward, -clung desperately to the framework of the landing wheels, amongst -them the Hun who had so successfully posed as a Belgian officer. - -Unfortunately for them they had totally under-estimated the lifting -power of the mechanical bird. Blinded by the cloud of dust thrown up -by the flapping of the huge wings and deafened by the roar of the -exhaust--for Dick had opened the cut-out in order to give the motors -full play--the Germans were unable to realise that their efforts to -keep the battleplane pinned to the ground were unavailing. - -Although the machine rose rapidly it lacked the speed that it usually -attained. Powerfully engined as she was the battleplane could not -ignore the additional weight of five burly Brandenburgers. - -"Motors running well, Dick?" asked Blake, shouting to make himself -heard above the terrific din. - -"Splendidly now," replied the lad. - -"Then see what's dragging her," continued the pilot, whose whole -attention had to be centred upon the steering of the machine. - -Dick made his way to the still open hatchway in the floor of the -fuselage. He was hardly prepared for the sight that met his gaze. - -Three Germans were astraddle of the horizontal girders supporting the -legs of the landing-wheels. Another had thrown arms and legs round an -upright and was bellowing lustily. The treacherous Hun who, under the -name of Etienne Fauvart, had all but succeeded in capturing the -secret battleplane, was clambering up the lattice work, with his -revolver hanging from his teeth by means of the lanyard. Dick -promptly shut the sliding hatch and made his way to his superior -officer. - -"We've a fine crew of Huns hanging on," he reported. "Five of them, -and that skunk Fauvart in addition. I'd like to get hold of him and -find out what's happened to Athol." - -"In that case we should have to make a prisoner of him," replied -Blake grimly. "No; he'll pay for his treachery now. I don't believe -in prolonging the agony. Pass the word to Sergeant O'Rafferty to hold -on tightly. And, please, muffle the exhaust. We'll alarm every Bosch -within ten miles of us." - -Directly the motors were silenced a deafening concussion was heard -close to the underside of the chassis. A shrapnell shell, one of -many, had just exploded. Some of the bullets perforated the wings or -pinged harmlessly against the armoured plating of the fuselage. Two -of the Huns, struck by flying fragments of metal, relaxed their grip -and fell through space on their long journey to the ground three -thousand feet below. - -"All ready?" shouted Blake warningly. - -The battleplane tilted abruptly and made a complete loop. In five -seconds she had regained her normal flying trim, but without the -treacherous German and his compatriots. They, unable to retain their -hold under the sudden change of direction, were hurtling earthwards, -their despairing screams still ringing in the ears of the horrified -Dick. - -But other work was on hand to distract the lad's mind from the act of -retribution. Desmond Blake's searching glance had discerned the roofs -of four large sheds almost hidden between the trees, the roofs being -mottled so as to resemble as closely as possible the characteristics -of the surrounding verdure. - -Rising to such a height that there was little danger from a direct -hit from the "Archibalds," the battleplane hovered over her -objective, spiralling in sharp curves so that the limit of her flight -brought her well within the perpendicular distance of her quarry. - -At the order Sergeant O'Rafferty dropped two bombs in quick -succession. The first, striking the ground close to the edge of the -clearing, exploded with terrific violence, felling huge trees like -ninepins and literally pulverising the nearmost shed. Almost -simultaneously the second bomb alighted fairly in the centre of -another Zeppelin house. A stupendous explosion followed, a blast of -lurid flame leaping skywards, and rending the gloom of twilight like -the concentrated flash of a dozen fifteen-inch guns. The roar of the -detonation was appalling. The battleplane, under the influence of the -far-reaching up-blast, shook like an aspen leaf, and fell vertically -through a distance of nearly five hundred feet before the resistance -of the wings restored her equilibrium. - -The appalling nature of the work of destruction so overwhelmed the -men at the anti-aircraft guns that they ceased firing. Undisturbed -the battleplane continued circling, although at a much lower -altitude, her crew examining the results of the bombs with studied -leisure. - -When most of the smoke had cleared away, although portions of the -wreckage still burned furiously, it was seen that there was no -necessity to drop more bombs. Not a single shed was left standing. -Gaunt skeletons of destroyed Zeppelins reared their bent and twisted -aluminium ribs betwixt the gaping metal sheets that a few minutes -previously had concealed some of the latest types of the Kaiser's -air-raiders. - -"Shall we give them another, just for luck, sir?" asked Sergeant -O'Rafferty. - -"Not necessary," replied Blake, as he turned the battleplane in the -direction of a faint yellowish path of light upon the horizon--the -last vestige of declining day. "Lock the bomb-dropping gear, -sergeant." - -O'Rafferty hastened to obey, but by pure accident his foot slipped -and came in contact with the disengaging pedal. Eleven seconds later -came the crash of the exploding bomb. - -"Sorry, sir," exclaimed the sergeant apologetically. - -"Let's hope it isn't wasted," rejoined Blake, ordering the motors to -be run "all out." - -In the darkness the battleplane passed high above the opposing lines -of trenches, their outlines rendered distinctly visible by the -flashes of rapid rifle and machine gun fire, and the occasional glare -of star-shells, punctuated by the high-explosive projectiles. - -"Give them a call up, sergeant," ordered the pilot. - -O'Rafferty brought the wireless into use, unwinding eighty feet of -"aerial" that trailed behind the swiftly-moving battleplane. In -answer to the message a blaze of electric arc lamps appeared upon the -flying-ground. - -Almost before the sergeant had wound in the aerial the battleplane -was ready for her earthward glide. Flattening out to a nicety she -landed within twenty feet of the door of the hangar, and was -immediately surrounded by a throng of eager flying men. - -"Instructions have been carried out, sir," reported Blake to the Wing -Commander. "Three, possibly four, Zepps have been destroyed." - -"Any casualties?" asked the commander. - -"Mr. Hawke missing, and believed a prisoner, sir. We had to make an -involuntary landing, and were rushed by a German patrol. In the -circumstances no attempt at rescue was possible." - -"And where is Lieutenant Fauvart?" continued the Wing Commander. - -Desmond Blake smiled grimly. - -"You palmed off a dud on us, sir," he reported, "so we dropped him. I -don't think he crashed more than a couple of thousand feet, but it -was quite enough to cause the German Intelligence Staff to lose one -of their pet stars." - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -SERGEANT O'RAFFERTY'S LUCKY BOMB - - -CAPTAIN DESMOND BLAKE had hit the mark when he described the -soi-disant Belgian lieutenant as a star. Subsequent enquiries -revealed the fact that the real lieutenant Etienne Fauvart had been -captured by the Germans in an affair of outposts near Dixmude. Armed -with the papers found in the prisoner's possession and clad in a -Belgian uniform a German staff officer had so successfully -impersonated Lieutenant Fauvart that he had deceived the British -staff officers. With the express purpose of luring the secret -battleplane he had offered his services, and had made a true -statement as to the position of the German Zeppelin sheds. Therein -lay the secret of his ruse, for the British Intelligence Division -already had some knowledge of the Zeppelin base, and finding that the -supposed Belgian officer's description tallied with their reports, -their suspicions, if any existed, were disarmed. If on the other hand -the spy had indicated a Zeppelin station that had an existence only -in his imagination he knew that he ran a grave risk of having his -information challenged and himself arrested, court-martialled and -shot. - -Confident in his belief that the British secret battleplane would be -rendered incapable of getting within effective distance of the -Zeppelin sheds of Olhelt, he did not hesitate to indicate their exact -position. - -Once he succeeded in getting taken as one of the battleplane's crew -he had no difficulty in compelling the machine to make a forced -landing. Taking advantage of the excuse to fetch his coat, he had, -during Dick's temporary absence, contrived to spray the high tension -wire with a powerful corrosive. The wire, it must be explained, led -from the magneto in a single length, afterwards branching into a -number of subsidiary wires to the respective sparking plugs of the -cylinders. By spraying the electric current conductor between the -junction and the magneto the whole of the firing was put out of -action simultaneously, after the acid had taken time to eat through -the guttapercha insulating cover. - -When Dick discovered the failure, but was unable at the time to -ascertain the cause, he fortunately removed the high tension wires -and replaced them with a spare set, which Blake, with commendable -forethought, had made in case of emergency. - -It will now be necessary to follow Athol Hawke's movements from the -time when he followed the unsuspected spy into the wood. - -Keeping close to the supposed Fauvart's heels the lad moved rapidly -and cautiously, carefully avoiding treading upon dry twigs that -littered the ground. - -At intervals the lieutenant turned to reassure himself that the -British airman was following, making signs to him to keep close. -Proceeding thus they covered about two hundred yards, when suddenly -the spy turned and grappled Athol by throwing both arms round the -lad's body and pinning his arms to his sides. At the same time Athol -saw numbers of German troops emerging from behind the trees. - -Like a flash of lightning the lad realised that Fauvart was a spy. -With a sudden wrench he freed his right arm, and drew his revolver, -and fired at his captor. Only by adroitly ducking his head did -Fauvart escape the bullet. As it was his forehead and hair were -singed by the blast from the muzzle. - -With a muttered curse the spy hurled the lad violently against the -trunk of a tree, at the same time ordering some of the soldiers to -secure the prisoner. Since Athol's shot had given the alarm, the -question of an effective surprise no longer held good. Led by the -officer in Belgian uniform the Germans, who had quite prepared for -the contingency, rushed through the wood towards the British -battleplane. - -Bruised and shaken by his fall, Athol found himself roughly pulled -upon his feet. With a burly Prussian on either side and a sergeant -following, holding a revolver--Athol's own--against the prisoner's -head, the lad was forced onwards, further and further away from his -comrades. - -Then came the sharp reports of a dozen rifle-shots followed by the -well-known sound of the battleplane's motors running "all out," and -the angry shouts of the foiled Huns. - -Soon Athol and his guards were overtaken by the soldiers who had -hoped to capture the British aircraft. Knowing the German language -tolerably well, the lad overheard their conversation, although the -disappointed mien of the Huns would have been sufficient to tell him -that their efforts had been foiled. - -To the accompaniment of the firing of the anti-aircraft guns Athol -was hurried along. Presently the party arrived at another clearing. -Here the Huns halted, looking skywards to see if the battleplane was -still in sight. Athol followed their example. - -What they saw did not help the Huns' good temper, for even as they -watched they saw the battleplane loop the loop in the misty twilight, -shedding several dark forms as she did so. Two of the bodies of the -luckless Germans fell with a sickening crash within fifty yards of -their watching comrades, while to Athol's intense satisfaction, -notwithstanding the horror of the scene, he saw the Belgian-uniformed -spy dashed to the ground almost at the feet of the men he had so -treacherously summoned to seize the secret battleplane. - -"Himmel!" ejaculated one of the Prussians. "They'll be dropping bombs -on us soon. Let us hasten." - -Still gripping their prisoner the men hurried off into the depths of -the woods, where under the trees it was hardly possible to see one's -hand before one's face. Stumbling over exposed roots, cannoning into -tree trunks, the Huns continued their way. Athol overheard one of -them say that the Zeppelin sheds were not a safe place for them, and -that they had better make off in a different direction until the -English aircraft had disappeared. - -Even as he spoke a lurid flash threw a vivid glare over the sky, the -gleam even penetrating the thick foliage. The crash that followed -shook the ground, and sent a shower of leaves and twigs whirling from -the trees. The Huns broke into a run, still retaining their hold upon -their captive. - -Another and yet another deafening detonation followed. The heavens -glowered with the blood-red flames from the blazing Zeppelin sheds. -Débris hurtled through the air all around the lad and his guards, -although the scene of the explosion was at least half a mile away. -The atmosphere reeked of the smoke of burning oil. - -Presently the Huns, well-nigh breathless, came to a halt. - -"It's all over now, Fritz," said one. "No more bombs have fallen. And -Herr Major would have us believe that the English airmen were no -good." - -"It is all very well for Herr Major," retorted the other. "He, no -doubt, is safe in his bomb-proof cellar. I, for one, should not be -sorry if an English bomb blew him sky high. He makes our existence a -misery. It is far worse than at----" - -A dazzling flash seemed to leap from the ground almost at Athol's -feet. He was dimly conscious of being hurled backwards, deafened by -the noise of the detonation. - -For quite a minute he lay still, not daring to move, and dimly -wondering whether he were yet alive. Then he opened his eyes. - -Some fifty yards off a fire was burning. In the centre of a circle of -up-torn trees flames were bursting from a mass of débris, and -throwing a ruddy glare upon the surrounding scene. The flames were -spreading in the direction where he lay. He tried to rise. At first -his efforts were unavailing. Something heavy was pinning him down: -that something turning out to be the unconscious form of one of his -guards. The other, huddled against an uprooted tree, was groaning -dismally. - -A sharp, burning pain on his right leg just above the knee warned -Athol forcibly of his peril. An ember from the conflagration had -settled on the limb and had burnt through his uniform trousers. -Giving a tremendous heave the lad freed himself of his encumbrance -and rose unsteadily to his feet. - -"I'll have to drag those beggars out of it," he muttered, as he -contemplated the helpless forms of his former captors. "They'll be -burnt to cinders if I don't." - -Suiting the action to the words he seized one of the Huns under the -shoulders. It was as much as he could do, strong as he was, to drag -the sixteen stone of listless humanity even a few yards. - -Suddenly he became aware that men were hurrying through the wood. For -the first time the realisation that there was a possibility of escape -flashed across his mind. Pausing only to recover his revolver and -ammunition he withdrew, intent upon putting a safe distance between -him and the approaching Huns before coming to any definite plan of a -bid for safety. - -"Jolly near shave," he soliloquised. "I reckon Desmond Blake didn't -know how close that last bomb came to blowing me sky-high." - -He had yet to learn that Sergeant O'Rafferty's awkwardness had been -instrumental in freeing him, temporarily at least, from the clutches -of the Huns. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE FRONTIER - - -NIGHT had fallen when Athol emerged from the dense wood. Overhead the -stars were shining brightly, although occasionally obscured by drifts -of pungent smoke from the still burning Zeppelin sheds. In front lay -an expanse of open fields, dotted here and there by isolated farm -buildings, while in the distance, and thrown into strong relief by -the flames, were the spires and roofs of a fairly large town. - -"The Dutch frontier: that's my objective," decided Athol. "It's not -more than ten miles away. North-west is the bearing, and I have about -seven hours of darkness before me. None too much time, if I have to -go cautiously." - -Fixing his direction by means of the North Star the lad set out, -treading softly and straining his ears to catch the faintest -suspicious sound. As he proceeded other problems confronted him. He -knew from report that the frontier was guarded and that a barbed wire -fence formed a formidable barrier. More, the fence had a live wire of -high voltage running through it, contact with which meant death to -the human being or animal that incautiously attempted to pass from -one frontier to another. - -Also, in the event of success in the matter of gaining Dutch -territory there was the almost certainty of being interned unless he -could discard his uniform and procure civilian clothes. Much, then, -had to be done before dawn. - -Although by order of the German authorities the Belgians in the -occupied territory were obliged to be within doors at sunset, the -roads were far from being unfrequented. Motor-cars, bearing excited -and furious German staff officers, rushed to and fro, for the -destruction of the Zeppelin sheds was a severe blow to the Teutonic -organisation. There was no rest that night for the Huns at Limburg. - -It was unsafe for Athol to keep to the highway. For hours he pressed -on, stopping frequently to take shelter while parties of Germans -hurried along the tree-lined roads. It was not half so dark as the -lad would have liked, and now that his eyes were accustomed to the -starlit night he found he could see with tolerable clearness for a -distance of several hundred yards. Conversely it was equally possible -for a German sentry to spot him from a like distance. Vainly he hoped -that it would rain, or that heavy clouds would obscure the -star-spangled sky. - -He was becoming very hungry. His latest meal was but a reminiscence. -Water, of which he found plenty, assuaged his thirst, but it was a -sorry substitute for the wholesome fare to which he was accustomed. - -Three times he had to make a detour to avoid various compact hamlets. -Once a dog began barking, rousing all the other canines in the -neighbourhood, with the result that the lad had to retrace his steps, -throw himself down and lie perfectly still until the clamour had -subsided--a loss of half an hour's precious time. - -"I can't be so very far off the frontier now," thought Athol. "Now -comes the crucial test." - -He found himself on the point of crossing a fairly broad highway, -unfenced but lined with gaunt trees. Almost before he was aware of -the fact he nearly collided with two German officers. - -Fortunately for Athol their backs were turned to him. They were -standing on the edge of the road close to a large tree that had -effectually prevented the lad from noticing their presence. They were -muffled in long cloaks through which the hilts of their swords -protruded. Their spurs shone dully in the starlight as they -impatiently shuffled their feet. In silence they stood, their gaze -fixed intently down the highway. - -With his heart in his mouth Athol backed with the utmost caution. As -he did so his foot broke a dry twig. He dropped lying face downwards -in the dewy grass, not daring to stir hand or foot until the Huns -moved away. They were officers, he knew, and not sentries. -Consequently there was no reason why they should stop there -indefinitely. At the same time Athol felt curious to know why a -couple of cloaked cavalry officers should be standing mutely on the -highway at the hour of midnight. - -Athol's fingers closed on the butt of his Webley. For the first time -he realised the companionship of his Service revolver. Without it -his whole attention would have been getting away unperceived; thanks -to the knowledge that he had a reliable weapon at his command he -could run the risk with comparative equanimity of tackling the pair -of Huns. But only should occasion arise. For the present he was -content to keep watch upon the mysterious inaction of the silent -twain. - -"Wish they'd get a move on," muttered Athol, after keeping in a prone -position for nearly twenty minutes. The night was bitterly cold. His -limbs were beginning to feel stiff and cramped in contact with the -damp ground. - -A sharp tug at his leather leggings almost caused the lad to utter an -exclamation of alarm. For the minute he imagined that he was again in -the grip of the Hun, until, turning his head, he saw a huge rat -scampering off. The officers heard the sound, too, for they both -looked intently in the direction of the startled rodent. Then one -moved a few paces towards the centre of the road. - -"They are coming, von Bohmer," he remarked. - -"And about time," grumbled the other. "And, even now, we do not know -whether von Secker will venture. If ever a man blunders through -excessive caution it is friend Karl." - -Von Secker--Karl. The names seemed familiar to the listening British -subaltern. Yes, by Jove he had it: Karl von Secker, the spy and -employer of the luckless Sigismund Selighoffer, and the fellow who -had made off with Desmond Blake's plans of the secret battleplane. - -Athol, with his ear almost in contact with the ground, could now -distinctly hear the rumble of cart wheels and the sharp clatter of a -horse's hoofs. A little later the vehicle pulled up, and a man -dressed as a Dutch peasant threw the reins across the animal's neck -and got down. - -"What, alone, Herr Stein!" exclaimed von Bohmer. "Von Secker, then, -has failed us. Has he sent any papers?" - -"He says it is not safe to leave Dutch territory," replied the -new-comer, "or, rather it is unsafe to enter it again from this side -He is nervous--just imagine our von Secker being nervous." - -The man addressed as Stein laughed uproariously. It was obvious that -he was a German officer in disguise, otherwise he would not have -dared to express his mirth in the presence of the haughty von Bohmer -and his companion. - -"But the documents, man!" exclaimed the latter impatiently. - -"He says they are too bulky to send without risk of detection by the -customs at the frontier. He assured me that the search is strict on -the part of the Dutchmen; far more so than by the Englanders at -Harwich." - -"Then in Thor's name, how are we to get them?" asked von Bohmer. -"Here they are, within five miles of German territory, and von Secker -is frightened." - -"I think that it is a question of payment," suggested Herr Stein. -"However, the plans are at his lodgings at the Sign of the Golden Key -in Weert. He says that early to-morrow morning he will photograph -them, so that should they be seized we will still have something to -work upon. And, I believe in consideration of a sum of gold in -advance, he will then hand the plans over to me." - -"Where can we get gold at this hour?" grumbled von Bohmer's -companion. "I can understand von Secker's anxiety to secure -photographs of the plans, since he is to be paid by actual results. -It would be well to call upon him to-morrow, and let him know -distinctly that it is the will of the General Staff that the plans -should be delivered to them forthwith. Is not that so, von Bohmer?" - -The officer addressed grunted in assent. - -"We must be off," he said. "To-morrow, Herr Stein, we hope to offer -you hospitality at the mess." - -The officers turned and walked rapidly down the road in the direction -of Hasselt, but before they had gone very far two orderlies leading -their horses slipped from under the cover of a tree. Although they -were less than a hundred yards from the spot where Athol lay, neither -he nor they had the faintest suspicion of their respective presence. - -As for the disguised German von Stein, he clambered into the cart, -and, setting the horse at a leisurely pace, drove off in the -direction of Weert, a town lying a few miles within the Dutch -frontier. - -Athol waited until von Bohmer and his companion had disappeared, -then, keeping close to the line of trees, broke into a steady run, -his boots making hardly any noise on the soft ground by the side of -the _pavé_. It was not long before he came in sight of the lumbering -vehicle, which, although proceeding slowly, made a loud clatter as -the ironshod wheels rolled over the rough stones. - -Unheard the lad overtook the cart and clambered softly on the -tail-board. Stein was sitting on a board resting on the side of the -cart, with his head on his hands and his elbows supported by his -knees. In this hunched-up position he looked half asleep, while the -horse, left to its own devices, walked stolidly along the centre of -the highway. - -Presently the road ascended a slight rise, which for this part of the -country might be considered as a hill. Athol could discern the -formidable line of barbed wire marking, the frontier boundary. -Apparently there were no troops guarding this particular section, -Already the majority of the Landsturm soldiers had been withdrawn -from the policing of the frontier and had been sent to fill up -appalling gaps in the German first-line trenches. - -"Sorry, my man," soliloquised the lad, "but needs must." - -He brought the butt end of his revolver smartly down upon Herr -Stein's head. Without a sound the Hun dropped senseless to the floor -of the cart. - -Leaping to the ground Athol stopped the horse. Then he listened -intently. Everything seemed quiet, although he knew it was quite -possible that a sentry, his suspicions aroused by the stopping of the -rattling vehicle, might appear upon the scene. - -Still keeping his ears and eyes keenly on the alert, Athol quickly -stripped the unconscious German of his coat, blouse, trousers and -wooden shoes, slipping the garments over his uniform. His boots he -was obliged to discard in favour of the ungainly "_klompen._" - -His next step was to release the horse from the shafts and to set the -animal adrift, after having removed the bit. This done Athol pushed -the cart to the edge of the road and on the grass. From this point -the ground shelved with comparative steepness to the barbed wire -fencing. - -"Wonder if it's heavy enough for the job?" thought the lad. - -He caught sight of a pile of large stones, the remains of a -demolished building. Working desperately he quickly transferred a -number of stones to the floor of the cart. Then he paused for a -well-earned breather. - -Giving a final glance at the luckless Herr Stein, who was now -breathing stertorously, Athol lifted the shafts and backed the cart -down the incline. Gathering way the now heavily laden vehicle dashed -towards the fence. Not until the back of the cart was within a yard -of the barrier did Athol relinquish his grasp of the shafts. - -Charging the wire fence fairly and squarely the novel battering ram -bore all before it, sweeping an expanse of nearly ten yards of -obstruction from its supports. The live wire, short-circuiting and -emitting a series of vivid blue sparks, was writhing like a snake. - -Using the wreckage of the overturned cart as a bridge Athol crossed -the once formidable barrier and gained Dutch territory. - -"So well, so good," he exclaimed thankfully. Then seized with an -inspiration, he added, "And why shouldn't I pay von Secker a visit at -the Sign of the Golden Key?" - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -ATHOL TACKLES VON SECKER - - -MAKING a long detour Athol eventually rejoined the road leading to -Weert, this time quite two miles from the frontier custom-house. By -his watch, which fortunately had escaped the unwelcome attentions of -his former captors, it was now half past three. Already the stars -were beginning to pale before the first blush of dawn. Ahead he could -discern the quaint gabled roofs of the little town where the spy -Secker had taken up his temporary abode. - -Crawling into a dry ditch, the now drowsy lad propped his back -against the sloping side and dosed fitfully. Once he was awakened by -the measured tread of armed men. It was now broad daylight. The -soldiers were Dutch troops going to relieve the frontier guards. - -Lying at full length in the ditch he was unnoticed by the soldiers. -Discovery at that early stage of the proceedings, although his -personal liberty was not likely to be interfered with except for a -short duration of investigation, was most undesirable. He had before -him a fixed purpose, far more important to the welfare of his country -than was his own freedom. - -"Enough sleep for the present," he exclaimed. "Why, it's close on six -o'clock, and, by Jove, I do feel peckish! Wonder what friend Stein -has in his voluminous pockets." - -A search provided nothing in the victualling department. There were a -bundle of papers, including a Dutch passport and a permit for Jan van -Wyck to cross the frontier; a purse containing fifteen gulden, some -German marks and a few copper and iron coins--the latter having been -issued in Germany to replace the withdrawn copper currency; and, what -was particularly handy, a large scale map of the district. - -Practically unnoticed by the throng of country-folk, for it happened -to be market day, Athol entered the town. A cup of coffee and two hot -rolls, purchased from a very deaf old Dutchwoman at a stall, served -to stave off the pangs of hunger, and the lad felt fit for the -furtherance of his daring venture. - -It was as yet too early to pay a call at the Golden Key. On the other -hand it was not advisable to defer the visit until the hour mentioned -by Herr Stein, for by that time the spy might have been warned of the -fate that had overtaken his intermediary. Waiting, Athol found, was -the most tedious part of the whole business. Thanks to his disguise -he attracted hardly any attention in the crowded market-place; nor -did his ignorance of the Dutch language cause him any inconvenience, -for the town was full of Germans, intent upon buying market produce -at fabulously high prices. - -Paper money, the lad noticed, passed freely, although at a low rate -of exchange. The astute Dutchmen had learnt to profit by the fall of -the mark, receiving payment in paper money and afterwards returning -the notes to Germany, where they were, by Imperial decree, to be -accepted at their face value. Judging by the conversation of the -German customers, whose tongues wagged with a freedom unknown across -the frontier, the civilian element was chafing under the shortage of -food and abnormal prices, and one and all seemed sick of the war, -which showed no signs of ending, and certainly not with the dazzling -success which the Kaiser had promised. - -Half-past seven was chiming as Athol ascended the flight of stone -steps leading to the door of the Golden Key. In answer to his knock a -short and very fat elderly woman appeared, and curtly demanded the -lad's business. Although the question was put in Dutch Athol guessed -its purport, and, replying in German, asked if Mynheer Jan van Wyck -lodged there? - -"Didn't you call upon him last night?" demanded the Dutchwoman -sharply. - -Athol was temporarily taken aback. He was priding himself upon his -diplomacy in asking for the spy under his Dutch _nom-de-guerre_, when -the woman's question "shook the wind out of his sails." - -Producing a couple of gulden Athol slipped the coins into the woman's -hand, and solemnly winked his left eye. The result surpassed his -wildest expectations, for standing aside, the _vrouw_ motioned for -him to enter. - -"Second door to the right on the first floor," she announced as she -pocketed the money, and without paying further attention to Jan van -Wyck's visitor she disappeared towards the back of the house. - -Ascending the worn oak stairs Athol, making certain that his revolver -was ready to hand, tapped very softly upon the door. Receiving no -answer he rapped again. Then he heard a key turn in the lock and the -door was opened for a space of about four inches. - -The spy had only just got out of bed. He looked but half awake. That -was, possibly, why he failed to distinguish between the genuine Herr -Stein and his impersonator, the appropriated clothes being a -sufficient disguise. - -"Come in," he growled. "You are much too early. Why didn't you give -the sign, or did you think I would not open if you did?" - -Still grumbling, and with his face averted, von Secker shuffled -across the room to a table on which were spread several sheets of -drawing paper and tracing cloth. - -"You are still too early," he continued. "I suppose you are here -again concerning the plans?" - -"I am, Karl von Secker," said Athol sternly, at the same time -covering the spy with his revolver. - -The effect of the words, spoken in English, was electrical. In an -instant the German's lassitude dropped from him like a shedded -garment. Seizing a lead paper-weight from the table he poised it to -hurl at the lad's head. - -Athol hesitated. Not that he was lost, but because he was confronted -with a tricky problem. Setting aside the compunction he felt at -shooting down a man, even though he were a dangerous spy, he realised -that the house would be alarmed at the report of the weapon. He was -out to regain possession of the battleplane's plans, not to get -himself arrested by the Dutch authorities on a charge of murder. - -It was as if von Secker read his thoughts, for the spy, scowling and -grinding his teeth, made no further attempt to hurl the lump of -metal. He, too, did not wish to be embroiled with the officials of a -neutral government, although here was a good chance of making his -escape across the frontier. - -Athol lowered his revolver. Von Secker replaced the paper weight, -although he still kept his fingers in contact with it. - -"You have come on a fool's errand, young man," snarled the spy. - -Athol, regretting that he had not discarded his clumsy wooden shoes, -looked his antagonist straight in the face. - -"We shall see," he retorted, then dropping his revolver on the floor, -he leapt upon the Hun. - -Too late von Secker grasped the paper weight. The next instant both -antagonists were locked in mortal combat, Athol endeavouring to pin -his opponent's arms to his sides, while von Secker did his level best -to free his hands and employ the truly Hunnish trick of twisting his -fingers in the other's hair and clawing at his eyes with his thumbs. - -As if by tacit consent they struggled in comparative silence, rolling -over and over on the massive oaken floor. It was a test of British -brawn and endurance against German trickery and bodily weight, Athol -striving to deal the spy a stunning blow with his fist. - -Once von Secker all but succeeded in blinding his antagonist. His -podgy fingers were entwined in the British lad's short hair, and his -long thumb nails were scratching their way over Athol's forehead when -the young subaltern butted violently. At the loss of a considerable -amount of hair Athol succeeded in dealing the German a terrific blow -at the chin with the top of his head. - -Uttering a subdued yell of pain the spy relaxed his grip, then -clutched blindly at the lad's throat. Over and over they rolled -again, until in the course of the deadly struggle a charcoal stove -was overturned. - -The glowing embers spreading across the floor emitted suffocating -fumes in the already ill-ventilated room, until it became evident -that the result of the combat would depend upon which of the twain -could longest withstand the asphyxiating smoke. - -Momentarily labouring under increasing shortness of breath, Athol -perceived that the effects of the fumes upon the Hun were telling far -more than they did upon him. The German's furious efforts showed -signs of slackening. His yellow features grew livid. Great beads of -perspiration oozed from his receding forehead. - -Wrenching himself clear Athol regained his feet. - -"Do you give in?" he demanded. - -Von Secker's reply was to draw up one leg and lash out as hard as he -could. Although barefooted he could kick with the force of an -experienced Continental boxer. Struck heavily in the side Athol -reeled half-way across the room, while his antagonist, quick to reap -the advantage, staggered to his feet. His strength was not equal to -his will power. His knees gave way under him as he lurched towards -the lad. - -Well-nigh maddened with the pain, the English lad saw an opening. -Breaking through the German's guard he planted his left with terrific -violence on the point of the Hun's chin. The fight was over. - -Far from showing elation over his victory Athol locked the door, -threw open the casement and sat down in a chair. The fact that none -of the rest of the household had appeared upon the scene puzzled him. -Perhaps, he argued, they were accustomed to brawls. - -Recovering his breath he set to work to stamp out the still smoking -charcoal. This done he dragged the unconscious von Secker on to the -bed and covered him with the clothes. Only a close examination would -reveal the fact that he was not asleep. - -The plans he folded into a small compass, applying pressure to make -them lie flat, and stowed them away under his uniform. The rest of -the documents, including the spy's code and maps he thrust into the -stove and set fire to them. Without the slightest compunction he -examined the contents of von Secker's pockets, taking his money, -hotel coupons, a ticket on the Dutch State railways and a return -between the Hook of Holland and Harwich. - -Unlocking the door the lad listened. Everything seemed normal. -Somewhere from a remote part of the house came the sounds of pots and -kettles being vigorously scoured. - -Passing out and locking the door on the senseless spy, the lad crept -downstairs as silently as his wooden shoes would permit. The outer -door was now ajar. Unseen he gained the open street, which -fortunately was in an unfrequented quarter. As he did so he heard the -old Dutch woman who kept the Golden Key shouting a farewell. In spite -of his precautions she had heard his footsteps. - -"The worst of doing things by stealth," thought Athol. "She will be -suspicious." "What time does the public coach leave for the -frontier?" he asked, bestowing another tip. It was, he reminded -himself, some of von Secker's money. - -"At half-past eight, from the Market Hall." she replied. - -Athol set off in the opposite direction to the one he intended -taking. It heightened the deception that he was making for the -frontier. Not until he had mingled with the throng in the market -square did he set of by a circuitous route, striking the Eindhoven -road. - -At that town, he found out by consulting the map, he could take train -to Bois-le-Duc, and thence through Utrecht to the Hook. - -"It won't be my fault if I am not home again within thirty-six -hours," he soliloquised. "So here goes. I wonder what von Secker will -say when he wakes up?" - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -GAME TO THE LAST - - -HAVING covered a considerable distance Athol sat down behind a tree -and made a hearty meal of some meat pies which he had taken the -precaution to buy in Weert. By this time the excitement and lack of -sufficient sleep were beginning to tell very forcibly. Even as he ate -he felt himself nodding drowsily. - -It was growing very warm as the sun rose higher in the heavens. The -air was close and oppressive. Away to the southward, dark -copper-coloured clouds were working up against the light breeze. -There was every indication of a thunderstorm breaking at no distant -time. - -Presently a dull intermittent buzzing sound fell upon the lad's ears. - -"An aeroplane," he muttered drowsily, hardly able to evince any -interest in the familiar noise, until by the erratic sound of the -engine he knew that something was amiss. - -"Another Aviatik out of its bearings, I suppose," he said to himself. -Then he looked upwards, trying to detect the plane against the -dazzling light overhead. - -The sound of the motor increased in volume. Chagrined at his failure -to locate the source of the noise, Athol's interest deepened. He -scanned the sky until he perceived the hitherto elusive machine. - -It was a monoplane, flying fairly low, and proceeding in a westerly -direction with a decided tendency to describe a right-handed curve. -Although not immediately overhead, it was sufficiently close for the -lad to distinguish the marking on the wings, fuselage, and vertical -rudder. - -Greatly to his surprise the monoplane bore the familiar red, white -and blue concentric rings that denoted it to be a British machine. - -"Whatever is that fellow doing over here?" wondered the lad. "He's -placed the whole of Belgium between him and our lines. By Jove, if he -starts dropping bombs about here there'll be trouble!" - -But the airman made no attempt to let fall his cargo of explosives. -Still describing a long erratic curve and decreasing his altitude as -he did so he was soon almost invisible from the place where Athol -stood--merely a shimmer of silvery-grey against the dark sky. - -"Wish the fellow, whoever he is, had stopped to give me a lift," said -the foot-sore subaltern as he resumed his dusty journey. "It's jolly -rotten having to pad the hoof after one has been used to a hundred -miles an hour or more through the air." - -A few minutes later he noticed that the monoplane had swung round and -was almost retracing its former course, and heading toward the -east--in the direction of Germany. - -"Perhaps he's trying to find Essen," thought Athol. "Krupp's place -can't be much more than sixty miles away. Evidently he's lost his -bearings and has just picked up a landmark. Yet it's strange that -he's flying alone and right over a neutral country." - -It was not long before the lad was forced to admit that his theory -was at fault, for the monoplane suddenly executed a sharp turn and -making a nose-dive was within an ace of crashing violently to the -ground. Only in the nick of time did the machine "flatten out," -alighting at a distance of almost two miles from the now -highly-interested lad. - -To see whether the pilot had effected a safe landing, or otherwise, -Athol was at that time unable to determine, owing to the slight -irregularity of the ground. He took to his heels along the highway in -the direction of the settled monoplane. - -Hitherto the road had been little frequented that morning, beyond a -few market carts and knots of country-folk making their way to town. -But now people appeared as if by magic. Every field seemed to -disgorge two or three, every house half a dozen or more, including a -large proportion of children--all intent on hurrying to see the -foreign aircraft. - -In less than twelve minutes Athol arrived upon the scene. The -monoplane was apparently undamaged save for a buckled landing-wheel, -until closer inspection revealed the fact that the 'plane was -honeycombed with bullet-holes. Jagged holes, too, were visible in the -fuselage, as well as the splaying marks of bullets that had failed to -penetrate the light steel armour. - -The pilot, a boyish-looking lieutenant, was behaving in a most -eccentric fashion. He had alighted and had discarded his yellow -leather coat and helmet. Across his forehead was a dark streak of -dried blood. With one hand in his trousers pocket he was walking -rapidly round and round the stranded monoplane, wildly waving his -disengaged hand and shouting in unmistakable and forcible English for -someone to oblige him with a match. - -As he walked he tottered slightly. More than once he collided with -the tips of the wings and brushed awkwardly against the rudder. The -crowd, keeping a discreet distance, watched with amazement; giving -back whenever a collision with the eccentric Englishman appeared -imminent. - -"Come on, you fellows!" he appealed. "Who'll oblige with a match? -Quickly, before those strafed Bosches come on the scene! A match. -Does no one understand?" - -To his intense satisfaction Athol saw that there were no soldiers or -civil guards amongst the throng, although at any moment the Dutch -military officials might appear upon the scene. The spectators were -for the most part men and women of the agricultural class. - -"Can I bear a hand?" asked the lad, elbowing his way through the -crowd. - -"Thank God, a British voice!" exclaimed the airman, coming to an -abrupt halt, and holding out his hand--not towards Athol but towards -a man some feet to his left. - -In a flash Athol understood. The luckless pilot of the monoplane was -almost blind. He grasped the airman's hand, and drew him back from -the crowd. - -"You are in Holland," he said. "I saw you descend, and I guessed -something was wrong. You've been hit pretty badly, I fear?" - -"Got it properly in the neck this time," declared the lieutenant -grimly. "Across the forehead--one eye gone, worse luck, and the other -almost bunged up. Much as I could do to see the land. Couldn't do it -now, by Jove! I've a chunk of one of their strafed Iron Crosses in my -thigh, too. It's not much, but mighty unpleasant. Wanted to burn the -machine, but found my matches had gone. Pocket of my coat shot clean -away. But who are you?" - -The flying man spoke in quick jerky sentences. His wounds were giving -him acute pain. Already he was bordering upon delirium, his injuries -aggravated by his inability, as he imagined, to prevent his machine -falling into the hands of he enemy. - -"Yes, you are in Dutch territory," Athol reassured him. Then, seized -with an inspiration he asked, "Is the plane all right?" - -"Far as I know," was the reply. "Why?" - -"Because I belong to the R.F.C.," announced Athol. "Came a cropper -near Hasselt yesterday and managed to get clear. If you can hold out -for a couple of hours we'll fetch our lines, barring accidents. I'll -take her when we're properly up, but it's the take-off and the -landing part that are beyond me." - -"Come along, then," exclaimed the other, his injuries forgotten in -the prospect of saving his machine. "She's only a single-seater, so -you'll have to perch up behind me." - -Athol had to assist him to his seat. Deftly the almost sightless man -tested the controls, and put the self-starter into operation. Without -a hitch the propeller began to revolve, the crowd giving back at the -first explosions. - -"Hurry, man, hurry!" exclaimed Athol. "There are Dutch troops coming -along the road." - -"No internment for me, if I can help it," shouted the other, in order -to make himself heard above the roar of the propeller. "So here -goes." - -Accelerating the engine, the lieutenant set the monoplane in motion, -Athol shouting directions into his ear to enable him to avoid various -obstructions in the way. For nearly two hundred yards the machine -rolled over the ground, wobbling under the erratic revolutions of the -buckled landing-wheel, until gaining sufficient momentum it rose -steadily in the air. - -"Now take her," exclaimed the pilot in a strong voice that surprised -his companion by the volume of sound. "Let me know when your -aerodrome is in sight. You'll find it easier than you would mine, and -after all it doesn't much matter so long as it is a British one." - -At a mean altitude of five thousand feet Athol steered the monoplane -on a compass course. The wounded pilot had changed places with the -lad, and was resting one hand lightly on the latter's shoulder. -Beyond the few sentences he had spoken on relinquishing the -steering-wheel the lieutenant maintained silence. - -The monoplane proved a veritable flier, for in a little more than -half the time Athol had estimated it was over the lines of the -opposing armies. - -Far beneath them a squadron of British aeroplanes was actively -engaged, for the British guns were strafing the Huns with terrible -violence. Not a single German aircraft appeared to join in combat -with the intruders over their lines, for the British machines were -doing good work by registering the results of the heavy shells. - -"The flying ground is in sight," reported Athol. "Will you take her -now?" - -"Right-o," replied the lieutenant. "Tell me when to flatten out." - -He depressed the aerilons. The monoplane's tail rose as it swept -landwards at terrific speed. Athol, holding the pilot's binoculars, -brought the glasses to bear upon the landscape. - -"Wind's dead against us," he announced. - -"That's good," rejoined the wounded man. "It will save us making a -turn. Say when." - -The ground seemed to be rising to meet them. Objects, a few seconds -before hardly discernible, resolved themselves into buildings of -various sizes, most of them roofless owing to the effects of repeated -bombardments. Little mud-coloured specks developed into khaki-clad -figures. And--a cheering sight indeed--there was the secret -battleplane just folding her wings before returning to her hangar. In -his imagination Athol felt certain that he could distinguish Blake -and Dick superintending the labours of half a dozen men as they -guided the huge bird into its nest. - -There was no time to use the binoculars. The ground seemed perilously -close. - -"Now," exclaimed Athol. - -With a perceptible jerk the direction of downward flight was checked. -Then, giving a decided bump as the buckled landing-wheel touched the -ground, the monoplane "taxied" for full fifty yards, and halted -within ten feet of a group of officers, who scattered right and left -as the machine bounded awkwardly towards them. - -Athol, kneeling on the deck of the fuselage, touched his companion in -order to guide him to the ground. The pilot, still holding the -steering-wheel, made no effort to move. - -"Do you want me to give you a hand?" he asked, touching him again, -Still no response. - -"What's wrong with your pilot?" enquired one of the officers -anxiously. - -Athol crawled forward and looked into his companion's face. The -lieutenant's blood-rimmed eyes were wide open and staring fixedly in -front of him, but they were the eyes of a corpse. The gallant pilot's -mind had triumphed over his physical injuries up to the very moment -that he had brought the monoplane safely to earth. He had gained at -least one desire: he had brought his machine back to the British -lines. - -* * * * * - -"Never expected to see you so soon, old man," was Dick's candid -greeting to his chum. - -"Nor did I," admitted Athol. "For that matter I wasn't at all sure -that you got away all right. I heard the bombs drop, so I knew that -the battleplane had set to work. In fact the last bomb you dropped -nearly settled my hash. Instead it did me a good turn." - -"And I went for Sergeant O'Rafferty for being such a clumsy -blighter," said Blake. "By Jove, Athol, you seem to have had a run of -luck. Sorry I can't say the same for the poor fellow who brought you -back." - -"Most remarkable case that," remarked an Army Medical Corps officer. -"Not only was his sight injured, he had received a piece of shrapnel -in his groin and a bullet lodged in his body in the region of his -heart. All the while he was piloting that machine back he was -bleeding to death internally. No wonder, with men of that stamp, that -we hold the individual mastery of the air." - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -_À BERLIN_ - - -HAVING, through Athol's instrumentality, recovered the battleplane's -plans, Desmond Blake resolved to run no more risks in that direction. -In spite of the most stringent precautions German spies were found to -be active behind the British lines. Confidential documents -disappeared almost under the noses of the authorities. So, rather -than run a chance of having the plans stolen a second time, he -destroyed them. - -"The details of one battleplane may be kept a secret, with reasonable -care," he remarked. "With a dozen in the making the odds are against -it, and since the authorities have told me pretty plainly that I am -of more use here than superintending the construction of other -machines at home, I am content. I have an idea that they've a pretty -stiff job for us to tackle before very long." - -Blake's surmise was correct, for a few days later he was ordered to -report himself at the Staff Office. - -"By Jove!" he exclaimed, taking Athol and Dick aside. "We're going to -put the wind up the Bosches this time. Half a dozen of our fastest -machines are detailed to make a raid--guess where?" - -The lads hazarded the names of several places, but without success. - -"Berlin," declared Blake. "Our people have been keen on the idea for -a long time, but the authorities at home have, for some unearthly -reason, deprecated the idea. Sickly sentimentality I call it. They -shrink from reprisals, although they know perfectly well that that is -the only way to bring the Hun to his senses. Events prove it. He was -the first to use gas shells; now he squirms and whines when we give -him a dose of his own poison. He gloated over the torpedoing of our -merchant ships, and squeals out piffling protests to neutrals when -our submarines tackle his trading vessels in the Baltic. The German -papers were full of bombastic rejoicing over the Zeppelin visits to -our undefended towns; the Kaiser weeps copious crocodile tears when -the Allied airmen knock his beloved Karlsruhe about a bit. I'd go a -jolly sight farther than the precept laid down in the old Mosaic Law. -'An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.' By Jove! Three British -shells for every German one, and a ton of high explosive for every -kilogramme of T.N.T." - -"When do we start?" asked Dick eagerly. - -"At three to-morrow morning," replied Blake. - -"It's blowing half a gale from the west'ard," said Athol, "and the -glass is falling rapidly. It's all right for the outward journey, but -we'll have a job to get back. Not that I am at all anxious about the -battleplane's capabilities," he hastened to add. - -"There will be no coming back," declared Blake. "At least, not at -present. We've been waiting for this westerly gale. With it the -squadron ought to do at least a hundred and sixty over the ground. -When we arrive over the German capital, by turning head to wind we -can keep almost stationary over any part we choose until all the -machines have dropped their bombs. Strict orders have been issued to -avoid hitting, as far as possible, the residential parts of the city. -Then, after that particular business is completed the machines are to -resume the westerly, or north-westerly course, and alight on Russian -soil, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Riga." - -"And then?" asked Dick. - -"Make ourselves useful until we get a fair wind back," replied Blake. -"But be careful," he added, "not to mention this business to anyone. -Even after the raid no communication will be made; the official -bulletins will ignore it. And, I fancy, the Germans won't care to -admit it, since they've boasted time after time that Berlin is -absolutely immune from air attacks. We'll see how far their boast -holds good." - -For the rest of the day preparations for the long flight were -diligently carried out. Blake and Dick overhauled the motors, oiled -and tested the wing-operating mechanism, and carefully examined the -controls lest any of the wires had developed designs of chafing. The -petrol tanks were replenished under Dick's supervision, while in -addition twenty cans of spirit were taken on board. Ammunition and -stores were also placed in readiness for the flight, Athol and -Sergeant O'Rafferty being responsible for the quantity and the -correct weight, since a lot depended upon the flying trim of the -mechanical bird. - -Similar scenes of activity were witnessed in other parts of the -aerodrome, while the individual units of the squadron detailed for -the raid were being prepared for the most extensive aerial operation -of the war. By nine o'clock everything was in readiness. The airmen -retired for a well-earned and necessary rest, while sentries were -posted at the door of each hangar to prevent any possibility of the -machines being tampered with. - -At two in the morning the pilots repaired to the Wing Commander's -quarters to receive final instructions. The machines were to proceed -in two columns, each biplane starting at two minute intervals, the -columns to be roughly three miles apart. Blake's battleplane was to -act as covering escort, flying at three thousand feet above the -others. No attention had to be paid to hostile aircraft unless -unavoidable. If the enemy should attack, half the squadron, assisted -by the secret battleplane, was to engage, while the rest pushed on -towards their objective. - -As soon as the German capital was sighted, a wireless message was to -be sent to the British headquarters; and then, and only then, was the -Russian General Staff to be informed of the projected visit of the -raiding aircraft. - -Punctually at the appointed time the first of the biplanes left the -aerodrome, followed at stated intervals by the rest. In spite of the -howling wind the ascents were carried out without a hitch. - -The secret battleplane was the last to leave. Almost silently as -compared with her consorts she rose evenly and swiftly from the -ground, and headed off in the direction the others had taken. - -In the pale morning light the far-flung double line of British -machines could hardly be distinguished against the angry red glow on -the eastern horizon, although in the upper regions the deep bass hum -of their exhausts could be distinctly heard. - -As they neared the lines of opposing trenches three or four Fokkers -rose with the evident intention of intercepting the raiding machines; -but thinking better of it, they volplaned earthwards. - -At length, far above the storm-driven clouds that hid every detail of -the country from their sight, the raiders pursued an even and -uninterrupted flight, piloted on a compass course by the flight -commander in the leading biplane of the right column. With the wind -almost dead aft navigation was a fairly simple matter. There was no -need to trouble about "side-drifts." All that had to be done was to -fly continuously in a straight line until it was judged that the -machines were approaching their objective and then descend below the -clouds and verify their position by reference to a map and a -recognition of conspicuous landmarks. - -The "maps" had been especially supplied for the raiding airmen's use -by the French government, and were the result of careful aeronautical -observation work in pre-war days. In a strict sense they could not be -called maps, as they consisted of an elaborate series of enlarged -photographic views taken from an altitude of about eight hundred -metres, and embraced practically every mile of country between the -Franco-German frontier and the environs of Berlin. Their compilation -was the direct result of the memorable visit of a Zeppelin to Nancy, -where, owing to an accident the gas-bag had been compelled to come to -earth. An examination proved conclusively that the airship had been -taking aerial reconnaissance of the French fortresses. The French -government did not protest: it merely retaliated by making the series -of photographic maps that were in the present struggle to play such -an important part. - -At a quarter to five the leading biplane of the right column began a -volplane, the rest of the machines following its example. It was a -test in order to verify their position. - -For full five minutes each was lost to sight of the other as the -air-squadron dipped swiftly through the dense, rain-laden clouds. -While it lasted the ordeal was a nerve-racking one, for not only was -there the danger of collision in the event of any of the biplanes -swinging out of position, but the air was filled with -"pockets"--partial vacuum of insufficient density to offer resistance -to the planes--into which the airmen fell like stones until the -machines "picked up" in the buoyant air beyond. Vicious and erratic -currents and eddies, too, added to the pilots' difficulties, while in -the midst of the layer of clouds it was almost as dark as midnight. - -As the battleplane emerged from the underside of the clouds the lads -could discern an extensive town through which flowed a broad river. -Viewed from the height of seven thousand feet the town, with the -numerous railways radiating from it, resembled a gigantic spider -lurking in the centre of its web. - -Already the leading biplanes were far beyond the maze of buildings, -so it was evident that the city was not Berlin. - -Blake noticed the look of enquiry on Athol's face. - -"Magdeburg," he announced laconically. "Know the place well. We're -fairly on the right road now--Brandenburg, Potsdam and then Berlin. -Another quarter of an hour." - -Up into the clouds climbed the raiding aircraft. The now furious gale -was completely in their favour, for it was impossible for the Germans -to send aloft any of their numerous captive balloons that formed a -part of the aerial defences of the capital. The wind was beginning to -rend the bank of clouds. Brilliant shafts of sunshine shot through -the rifts. Over the ground the shadows chased each other with a speed -that gave the aviators a knowledge of the strength of the gale. - -Blake, holding the steering wheel, spoke hardly a word. His whole -attention seemed to be centred upon the task of "keeping station" -with the rest of the squadron. His left hand was almost continuously -upon the timing lever of the motors, checking the speed of the -battleplane whenever, as frequently happened, she showed a tendency -to overhaul the biplanes. - -Far below lay an extensive and irregularly shaped lake with at least -two considerable towns on its banks. Surrounding the lake was a dense -forest, of which a large part had been but recently cleared, for -newly-felled trees were plentifully in evidence. - -"Potsdam," announced Blake. "If we imitated the methods of the -Kultured Huns we should drop a few bombs on Kaiser Wilhelm's palace. -That lake is the Havel. They've cleared a lot of the Spandau and -Potsdam forests, I see. Not that they are hard up for timber. I -suppose it is chiefly for wheat growing, in anticipation of the day -when the German frontiers are most considerably restricted. But stand -by--the leading machines are turning head to wind." - -The attack had been magnificently planned. One division of the -biplanes had flown over the southern environs of Berlin; the other -over the northern; now both were turning inwards and just holding -their own against the wind. They had the city at their mercy. - -Before the utterly surprised artillerymen manning the anti-aircraft -guns were fully aware of the presence of the British raiders, -powerful bombs were hurtling through the air, each missile aimed with -deliberate intent upon a specified objective and not dropped -haphazard under cover of darkness as in the case of the Zeppelin -raids over England. The railway stations and other public buildings -of military importance were carefully singled out by the airmen, in -spite of the now furious but erratic fire of the German guns, -particular attention being given to the official buildings in the -Wilhelmstrasse, not omitting No. 13--the headquarters of the Imperial -Admiralty. - -It was by no means a one-sided engagement, for shrapnel shells were -bursting heavily all around the British machines. As far as Athol and -Dick were concerned they rather welcomed the warm attentions of the -enemy. It was far better to run a fighting risk than to hover -deliberately over a defenceless town and hail projectiles upon a -populace unable to raise a little finger in self-protection. - -Already fierce fires were raging in a dozen different quarters of the -German capital. The air trembled with the terrific detonations of -exploding bombs. The dense columns of smoke, beaten almost flat with -the strong wind, prevented the airmen from making definite and -accurate observations of the result of their work, but on the other -hand the vapour hid the attacking aircraft from the artillerymen. -Nevertheless two British biplanes were hit. One, taking fire, -streamed earthwards, leaving a trail of smoke and flame in its wake. -The other, its engine disabled, contrived to land in Thiergarten, -where the pilot and observer were made prisoners. - -The secret battleplane had dropped her last bomb and was preparing to -resume her north-eastward flight when a shell burst almost -immediately above her. A hail of bullets rattled against her proofed -sides. One ripped a hole through Blake's airman's helmet, fortunately -without doing further injury. The wings were perforated in fifty -places, although the damage had little effect upon the speed of the -machine. The battleplane literally reeled with the concussion, -recovered herself, and then began to wobble alarmingly in spite of -the efforts on the part of the pilot to keep her on a straight -course. - -One of the actuating rods of the left wing, bent by the violent -impact of the base of the shell, was thrown out of action. Sooner or -later the machine would be obliged to descend upon hostile soil, -almost in the very centre of the German Empire. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -DISABLED - - -IT was indeed well that the battleplane was already flying "down the -wind." Locking the wings, and trimming them at the furthermost limit -of the bent actuating rod, Blake made the comforting discovery that -the planes were in the best possible position for a prolonged glide. -Aided by the following gale, the velocity of which was not far short -of seventy miles an hour, the battleplane ought to cover a distance -of from fifty to sixty miles before alighting. In that case he hoped -to effect a landing in the bleak and sparsely-populated district -drained by the sluggish River Warthe. - -Nursing the volplaning craft with the utmost care, Desmond Blake was -getting every possible foot of space out of the involuntary glide. -Perfectly calm and collected he bade Athol find a particular section -of the map of Prussia and Posen and fix it in the celluloid holder in -front of him. - -Dick, having shut down the motors, since they were no longer of -service, clambered into his seat, and made good use of his -binoculars; while Sergeant O'Rafferty deliberately fixed a time fuse -under the row of crank-cases so that in the likely event of the -presence of German troops, the battleplane would never fall into -their hands except as a twisted and tangled mass of metal. - -Fortunately the clouds of smoke issuing from the burning buildings -had prevented the Huns from observing the result of their chance -shot; and now the battleplane was at frequent intervals hidden in the -masses of scudding clouds. - -Apart from that there was little in her favour, for it was now two -hours before midday. The twilight that had afforded protection on the -occasion of the raid upon the Zeppelin sheds at Olhelt was denied -her. - -The manometer now registered a thousand feet. No longer the clouds -afforded protection. The country had the aspect of being fiat, and -almost destitute of trees; nor were there any signs of human -habitation. On the distant eastern horizon could be discerned the -smoking chimneys of a manufacturing town. To prolong the flight much -further would be literally throwing away the chances that the airmen -already held. - -"We'll descend here," announced Blake, turning the battleplane head -to wind. "Stand by to jump for it if the wind threatens to capsize -her on landing." - -The warning was necessary, for, owing to the jamming of the wing -mechanism, the wings could not be folded immediately upon contact -with the ground. The now rigid expanse of planes would have to -withstand the full force of the gale, and everything depended upon -the angle of inclination--whether it was sufficiently small to enable -the weight of the machine to pin it to the ground. - -Down planed the mechanical bird at a tremendous rate. Although it -cleft the air at nearly seventy miles an hour its progress over the -ground and against the wind was practically nil. In point of fact the -battleplane was dropping vertically earthwards at a rate of fifteen -feet per second. - -Quickly the almost uniform motion gave place to a series of erratic -jerks. The falling machine was in the influence of the rebound of the -wind from the irregular surface of the ground. The motion reminded -the lads of a small boat encountering the "wash" of a huge steamer. - -With a double bump the battleplane struck the ground, reared until -her landing-wheels were three feet in the air, and bumped again. Then -rocking violently she showed every inclination to capsize, until -Athol and the sergeant, sliding to terra firma at the risk of life -and limb, clung tenaciously to the partly-tilted wings. - -"Good men!" shouted Blake encouragingly, as he depressed the aerilons -to counteract as much as possible the lifting tendency of the wind -upon the wings. "A spanner there, Dick: shift those two nuts as sharp -as you can." - -Dick swarmed over the side, and clinging with one arm and both feet -to one of the vibrating trellis girders, set desperately to work on -the nuts and bolts securing the bent rod to the underside of the left -wing. With the removal of the metal bar the wings were folded, and -for the time being all danger of the battleplane being overturned by -the gale was at an end. - -"No signs of our friends the enemy," said Blake, standing erect upon -the deck of the fuselage and sweeping the treeless plain with his -binoculars. "There's a small village about three miles away. I can -see the church spire and the roofs of the houses; the place lies in a -hollow. Beyond that there are no signs of human habitation." - -"Don't you think, sir," asked Sergeant O'Rafferty, "that if we pushed -the machine a couple of hundred yards in that direction there would -be more shelter in that dip in the ground? It's not deep enough to -hide the battleplane entirely, but it may help things a bit." - -"Certainly, sergeant," agreed Blake. "Every little helps, and we'll -be less exposed to the wind in the hollow." - -It was a strenuous task pushing the machine dead in the eye of the -wind, but on gaining the spot that the sergeant had pointed out, the -airmen found that there was almost complete shelter from the full -force of the gale, while the highest part of the crippled machine -showed only a couple of feet above the high ground surrounding the -natural hollow. - -Heavy rain was now falling. The stranded aviators faced the -discomfort with rising spirits, for they knew that should the -downpour continue the ground would quickly become a quagmire, and -that the rain would keep the villagers within doors. Nevertheless all -precautions were taken against surprises, since it was quite possible -that workers in the fields had noticed the battleplane's descent, and -had set off to warn the military. - -Enveloped in their weather-proof coats, Athol and Sergeant O'Rafferty -mounted guard, taking care to avoid the sky-line. From their -respective posts they could command a vast tract of the neighbouring -countryside, so that, unless the battleplane was stalked by practical -scouts the danger of a surprise was completely obviated. - -Meanwhile Blake and Dick were hard at work removing the bent rod. -Upon examination the metal showed no sign of fracture, but it was -essential that it should be straightened before the wing-mechanism -could again be operated. - -"We've a tough job here, Dick," observed the inventor as he gazed -upon his damaged handiwork. "Now, if we were at home or at the flying -ground it would be a simple matter. A forge and a blacksmith's anvil -would enable us to rectify the injury in less than an hour." - -In vain they applied pressure to the bent rod. They jumped on it, -battered it with the heaviest spanners they possessed. The tough -metal sturdily refused to respond to the treatment. For the first -time since Dick had made Desmond Blake's acquaintance the inventor -showed signs of despair. - -"I have an idea!" suddenly exclaimed Dick. "It may work; it may not. -In either case there can't be much harm done." - -"Well, what is it?" enquired Blake hopefully. He had already good -cause to appreciate the intelligence of his young assistant, and a -ray of hope flashed across his mind at the lad's words. - -"Suppose I take the rod into the village and get them to straighten -it out," began Dick. - -Blake frowned. He was on the point of telling the lad not to be -idiotic, when Dick, reading his thoughts, hastened to explain. - -"I can speak German well," he continued. "You see, I was three years -at school in Mecklenburg--jolly rotten time I had, too!" he remarked -in parenthesis. "In this great coat and flying helmet I don't suppose -the simple villagers would guess that I was anything but a Hun -aviator. I could try the Kopenick hoax over again. You see, we are -bound to be captured if we can't get the job done, so it's all the -same in the long run." - -"There may be soldiers quartered in the village," objected Blake. - -"Hardly likely," said Dick. "It is not on a railway line, and -consequently troops are not likely to be stationed there. There might -be some of the Landwehr or Landsturm. If so, they are Prussians. By -passing myself off as a Saxon or a Badener I think that would account -for my slight difference in accent." - -"I'll go with you," said Athol. - -"No, you don't," objected Dick with a laugh. "This is my show. You -had your time the other day. If I pull it off all right, well and -good; if not, well, we'll most likely have the pleasure of one -another's society in a German prison camp." - -"Very well, carry on," said Blake cordially. "And jolly good luck to -you." - -The already torrential rain was in itself an excuse for Dick to wear -his aviator's coat buttoned tightly from his neck downwards, while -his padded helmet pulled down over his face left little of his -features exposed. As a precautionary measure he carried his revolver -in its holster conspicuously displayed outside his coat. - -Shouldering the bent bar, which, although remarkably tough, weighed -less than seven pounds, Dick bade his comrades "au revoir," and set -off on his three-mile tramp to the village. - -It was slow progress. There was no beaten path. The coarse grass-land -was ankle-deep in tenacious mud. The rain blotted out everything -beyond a distance of two hundred yards. Not only was there the risk -of missing the little hamlet, but the more serious danger of losing -touch with the stranded battleplane, which at a distance of a hundred -yards was an almost inconspicuous "hump" in the midst of a monotonous -terrain devoid of anything in the nature of "bearings." - -Trudging with his back to the gale Dick held on doggedly. Unless the -wind veered or backed he could be fairly certain of his direction. -With a change of wind, coupled with the fact that the sun was -completely overcast, there would be no means of finding his way. - -Before he had covered a mile and a half the lad encountered the first -inhabitant of that dreary district. An old peasant, his bent form -enveloped in a tattered cloak, was tending swine. Dick made no effort -to avoid him. This man's attitude towards him might be taken as a -specimen of the reception he would be likely to receive in the -village. On approaching, the peasant regarded the flying officer with -the undisguised curiosity that dwellers in rural districts invariably -bestow upon strangers; until, realising that the newcomer was one of -the military "caste," the old fellow bared his head, standing stock -still in the downpour until Dick, who curtly acknowledged the act of -homage, had walked past. - -A little further on the lad struck a lane, so deep in slime that it -was of no use as a means of progression. Worn several feet below the -surface of the adjoining ground it resembled a stagnant ditch of -liquid mud. However, guessing that it must lead to the village, Dick -struggled gamely on, keeping to the slightly firmer ground by the -side of the primitive by-way. - -In another quarter of an hour he descried the misty outlines of the -little village looming up through the mirk. - -With a quickening pulse the lad pressed on, and gained the outskirts -of the straggling hamlet. The road, even in the village, was little -better than the quagmire without. At first there were no signs of -human beings. A few ducks revelled in the slush and rain. A gaunt pig -wallowed in the mud, nosing amidst the garbage in search of food. -Peat-reeking smoke was issuing from some of the chimneys, and, beaten -down by the rain, was driving over the saturated ground in eddying -wisps. - -Dick hastened onwards in the direction of the church, the only -building with a pretence of importance in the squalid village. At the -same time he kept his eyes and ears on the alert in the hope of -finding some sort of a place where he could get the important work -carried out. There was almost a total absence of shops in this -particular quarter. Commercial intercourse, if any, must be carried -on in a very meagre fashion, he argued. - -Presently the lad's quick ear distinguished the clang of a -blacksmith's hammer--not the quick, merry ring that characterises the -smith's activity in Merry England, but the slow, listless hammering -of a toiler whose heart is not in his work. - -Guided by the sounds Dick turned down a narrow street until he came -to a low stone and plaster building, through the two glazeless -windows of which bluish smoke was issuing. Over the open door was a -sign, setting forth that Johannes Müller was a skilled worker in -iron-work, especially in connection with agricultural implements. - -Striding pompously to the door as well as the slippery nature of the -ground permitted, Dick entered the low smithy. Within were two men, -neither of whom, owing to the hiss of the bellows-fanned flames, had -heard him approach. The elder of the twain was a short, thick-set man -in a grey shirt open at the neck, a pair of trousers reaching but a -few inches below his knees, a pair of rusty boots and a paper cap. -His hairy chest and gnarled arms betokened great strength, although -his lower limbs were ill-developed, and seemed scarcely able to -support the weight of his body. His features were coarse and brutal, -the sinister effect being heightened by his soot-stained face and -yellow protruding eyes. He had just set aside a light hammer and was -resting upon the heavy "striker," while his assistant coaxed a mass -of iron into a state of white heat. - -The second man's features were hard to judge, for the lower part of -his gaunt face was hidden by a bushy, unkempt beard of a light brown -colour. His clothing consisted of a ragged shirt and trousers; his -toes, innocent of socks, peeped through rents in an odd pair of boots -that in England would look out of place anywhere except on a rubbish -heap. His movements were listless and dejected, and as, for the first -time, he caught sight of Dick, he shot a glance of mingled hatred and -contempt. He made no attempt to attract the smith's attention to the -new-comer, and it was not until the young officer stamped imperiously -upon the cobbled stone floor that the old fellow was aware of the -presence of his uniformed visitor. - -The conscript habits of by-gone years were still latent in the -smith's mind. Dropping his hammer, he brought his heels together, -drew himself up as far as his bent frame would allow, and saluted -smartly in the Prussian style. - -"I want this straightened out instantly, smith," said Dick, returning -the salute. "It is work of imperial importance." - -"Certainly, herr leutnant," replied the man, relieving Dick of his -burden. "A part of one of our incomparable flying machines? An -accident has taken place?" - -"Yes," replied Dick, then, realising that he would have to account -for the fact that an officer had to perform the menial work of -bringing the rod to the smithy, he added, "and my sergeant has broken -his leg--the idiot.... So I must needs fetch and carry. ...And not a -single peasant did I meet to relieve me of this weight. The mud and -rain, too, are vile." - -"There are few men left here," said the smith. "We are even obliged -to----. But how is this to go, herr leutnant? Are the two slotted -ends to remain in line or across each other, so?" - -He traced a rough diagram upon a board by means of a piece of chalk, -at the same time signing to his assistant to get to work with the -bellows. - -The man, his face working with anger, merely folded his arms. Again -the smith motioned to him. Dick began to think the assistant was deaf -and dumb, or, perhaps, of weak intellect. - -Still meeting with refusal the smith grasped a round bar of iron. The -other, stepping back to the wall snatched up a formidable pair of -tongs. - -"Hanged if I do a stroke of work to the job!" exclaimed the man in -unmistakable English. "Let the Bosche do a bit. It will do him good. -Nothin' doing here, old sport." - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -TURNING THE TABLES - - -FOR a few seconds Dick stood dumfounded. The smith, full of apologies -for the deliberate insolence of his assistant towards a German -officer, hurriedly explained. - -"The swine is an English prisoner," he said. "He was lent to me from -a camp at Meseritz. If the rest of these Englishmen give so much -trouble as this one I feel sorry for the good Germans to whom they -are hired out. I pay this rascal a mark a week and feed him, and only -by threatening to send him back to camp for punishment could I get -him to work at all. But I was beginning to think I had broken his -spirit, and now he goes back to his old ways." - -"Let me see if I can cow him, smith," said Dick. "You cannot speak -the English tongue, I suppose? No; well, I can, although it is a -barbarous language, hardly fit for good Germans to use. I will -frighten him. He will know what it means to refuse to work at the -orders of a Saxon officer." - -"The matter is in your hands, herr leutnant," replied the smith, -obsequiously. - -"It's all right, my man," began Dick, addressing his luckless fellow -countryman. "Don't look astonished. I'm supposed to be jawing you. -Look as sullen as you can. That's better. This is part of a British -machine. We're stranded three miles out. Set to work as hard as you -can, without giving the show away, and I'll do my level best to get -you away. We're in a bit of a hole ourselves, but with this job set -right we can make another start." - -"Thought something was fishy, sir," replied the man. "Hun flying -officers don't sport 'wings'; leastways, I've never seed 'em. Yours -puzzled me a bit, but I'm getting past being astonished at anything." - -"It's lucky for me that this old smith isn't as cute as you are," -rejoined Dick. "Now I'll tell him I've made you promise to slog in. -I'll let him know that you are to carry the rod back to the -battleplane. I'll order him, and he daren't refuse." - -"His bad fit is soon over this time, her leutnant," remarked the -smith, as the prisoner resumed his post at the bellows. "And this is -peculiar metal--so light. Do I temper it in water or oil?" - -"Oil," replied Dick promptly, not that he was sure of it, but because -it was unwise to profess ignorance. - -Half an hour later the smith, puffing and blowing like a grampus, -completed the task, apologising for the roughness of the finish. - -"It will be as strong as ever it was," he declared. "The roughness is -to be regretted, but after all, the makeshift job will last until you -return. Is it to the Russian front, herr leutnant?" - -"No, to the Bulgarian," replied Dick. "Only this terrific gale blew -us out of our course. We were indeed lucky to land at all, except as -a crew of corpses. Now, how much is your charge?" - -The smith named quite a small sum. Experience had taught him the -folly of demanding anything more of a German officer. - -Dick paid him by means of the mark notes that Athol had taken from -the spy, Karl von Secker, and with which his chum had thoughtfully -provided him before setting off for the village. - -"And now," he continued. "I must have your English prisoner to carry -the thing back. I will make him return within three hours." - -"He may take it into his head to escape, herr leutnant," objected the -smith. "You will understand that I am responsible." - -"I order you," said Dick sternly. - -"In which case I must obey," replied the German. "But if your -excellency will permit me, I will go with him. It will ease my mind -of a lot of worry, and in these times one has quite enough trouble -what with war taxes and food tickets." - -"It is forbidden to criticise the actions of the government," said -Dick sternly. - -"True, true, herr leutnant. I deeply apologise. I trust it will go no -further," said the smith tremblingly. "But it is permissible that I -go with the man?" - -"You seem fonder of the man than I do," grumbled the pseudo-Saxon. -"Does it always pour like this in Posen? Come along, then, we must -hasten." - -The English prisoner shot an enquiring glance at Dick as the smith -began to don a heavy coat. - -"It's all right," said the lad reassuringly. "The old fool insists -upon coming. We'll deal with him all right later on." - -With no additional protection from the driving rain, which was now -full in their faces, the thinly clad British Tommy shouldered the -repaired rod and followed Dick into the street. The smith brought up -the rear, cursing to himself as his weakly legs sank into the mud, -that he had to dance attendance on an officer and a Saxon. There was -one consolation, he argued. His patron might have been a Prussian, in -which case kicks, not paper-money, might have been his reward. - -Upon clearing the outskirts of the village Dick struck the sunken -lane, keeping, as before, on the higher ground by the side, although -by this time the deluge had left little to choose in the matter of a -firm footing. He kept steadily onwards, striving the while to locate -the place where he had to turn of across the trackless waste. The -British Tommy, he knew, would stick closer than a brother; whether -the smith would persist in forcing his company upon him troubled him -but little. Even if the fellow was shrewd enough to discover that the -battleplane was not a German one not much harm was likely to result, -unless the smith proved particularly obstreperous. - -Dick had already gained the comforting information that there were no -troops within twenty or thirty miles, and that the village was -practically devoid of able-bodied men; so that, in the event of -missing the spot where Blake and his comrades were, the lad would -have no hesitation in firing a revolver to attract their attention. -For the present, however, he refrained from using the weapon. For one -thing he was rather anxious to return unaided; for another the -direction and force of the wind rendered futile all sound signals -until he was very much closer to the stranded battleplane. - -At long intervals Dick glanced over his shoulder. The now drenched -soldier was trudging stolidly along; the smith was making heavy -going, and showing visible signs of distress. Had Dick wished he -could have outstripped the man without difficulty. - -"Can't be far off now," he soliloquised. "Seems to me I've tramped -nearly five miles." - -He stopped and scanned the surrounding countryside. As far as the -driving rain permitted the land presented a flat appearance without -any outstanding characteristics--a treeless expanse of mud. - -The smith must have guessed the lad's perplexity, for a curious look -overspread his coarse features. - -"Herr leutnant has lost his way?" enquired he. "Or, perhaps, the -machine has flown off?" - -"Silence!" exclaimed Dick fiercely. This time there was no need to -impersonate the irate officer: he was genuinely furious with the -fellow. - -"Some one signalling, sir, on our right," declared the Tommy, whereat -the smith, either surprised at the Englishman's audacity or anxious -to vent his spleen upon the luckless prisoner, stooped, picked up a -handful of mud and hurled it at him. - -"They are our friends," exclaimed Dick joyously. "Keep yourself under -control a few minutes longer. We mustn't let this low-down rascal -smell a rat until we're ready for action again. May as well make him -useful." - -"Stop there till I tell you," ordered the lad, addressing the German. -"You can keep a sharp eye on your assistant from where you are -standing." - -Then, bidding the Tommy follow, he hurried across the intervening -hundred yards that separated him from his comrades. Unbeknown to all, -Dick had actually passed within almost hailing distance of the -battleplane without seeing it or being seen by Athol and the -sergeant, until the hollow in which the machine rested was well on -his right hand. - -"Whom have you here?" asked Blake. - -"A British soldier, hired out as a sort of slave to the village -blacksmith," explained Dick. "We'll have to keep up the deceit until -we set the rod in position; then it will be a huge joke to enlighten -the rascally Hun on certain points." - -Having given a rapid report on what had taken place, Dick assisted -the inventor in replacing the actuating rod. In twenty minutes the -work was completed, although on testing the machine Blake discovered -that owing to some slight and almost imperceptible curve in the metal -the rod was nearly a quarter of an inch shorter than before. - -"May make a slight difference to our trim," said Blake. "However, -flight alone will prove that. You see we haven't been idle. We have -been repairing the larger rents in the wings. Now, all aboard. Dick, -show your protégé the way. We'll give him a dry suit and some hot -grub. Poor beggar, he's half dead with hunger and exposure." - -"'Arf a mo', sir," protested the man. "Before I go can I have a word -with yon chap?" And he indicated the still waiting smith, who was now -heartily sick of the whole business, and was wishing that he had -taken his chances in letting his assistant go alone. - -"Very good," agreed Blake, thinking that the Tommy wished -particularly to say something to the Hun. - -The man plodded stolidly towards the smith until he got within a -couple of yards. - -"Put your dooks up, old sport," he exclaimed, at the same time -"squaring up" to the astonished German. - -Having no longer an iron bar with which to assert his authority, the -smith showed no great eagerness to accept the challenge. If he -expected the officers to intervene he was grievously mistaken. - -At length in desperation, for the Tommy was edging nearer, with grim -anticipation written on his gaunt features, the Hun threw himself -into a defensive position. That was all his former assistant -required; for the next moment the bully was sprawling on his back in -a foot of liquid mud. - -Apparently the British soldier considered that old scores were wiped -out, for with the utmost magnanimity he hauled the helpless smith out -of the mire and set him upon his feet. This done he unconcernedly -strolled back to the battleplane. - -"Couldn't help it, sir," he explained apologetically. "Had to get it -off my chest. Let bygones be bygones, they used to drill into my head -at school. I reckon that proverb ought to be wiped off the slate -after what our chaps have gone through out yonder. Penal servitude -ain't in it: it's slaving with starvation chucked in." - -"Let's hope your troubles are now over, my man," quoth Blake as he -took his seat at the helm. "All ready, Dick?... Hold on a minute." - -The smith, finding that his assistant was on the point of being -spirited away in the huge flying machine, came floundering towards -them. Much as he feared being left alone with the pugnacious -Englishman he dreaded having to report his loss to the commandant of -the prison camp. - -"Good-bye, smith," shouted Dick in German. "Don't be in too great a -hurry to inform the authorities that you have been aiding the English -by repairing one of their battleplanes. Kaiser Wilhelm might be very -angry with you." - -The next instant the machine rose with a bound, and fleeting before -the still strong westerly gale, resumed her flight towards the -Russian frontier, leaving the astonished and dumfounded smith to -realise the magnitude of his unwitting offence against the German -Empire. - -For the next few hours the aerial voyage was comparatively -uneventful. The rescued prisoner, who gave his name as Private Tom -Smith, of the "Chalkshires," and who had been taken prisoner early in -the campaign, was now fast asleep, after a good hot meal and a change -of clothing. - -The battleplane, flying at an immense height, was now far above the -rain-clouds and bathed in brilliant sunshine. Looking downwards -nothing was visible of the earth, a seemingly unlimitable expanse of -dazzling white clouds forming an effectual screen between the airmen -and the dreary soil of East Prussia. - -"Time we descended to verify our position," announced Blake. -"Although in this case it is preferable to overshoot the mark we -don't want a long flight against this gale if we can help it." - -Cleaving her way through the clouds and leaving an eddying wake of -fleecy vapour behind her, the battleplane again came within sight of -the earth. - -It was no longer raining. A clear view could be obtained for -miles--but instead of the flat plains of Russia a vast sea met the -airmen's gaze. - -"We're a bit out," declared Blake. "We're right over the Baltic." - -Before either of the lads could comment upon the somewhat -disconcerting nature of the discovery Blake suddenly thrust a lever -hard over, automatically locking the wings. - -"Take charge, Athol," he exclaimed hurriedly. "Keep her as steady as -you can, and check any tendency for her to heel. I'm going outside -for a few moments." - -To the young airmen's astonishment the inventor began to discard his -heavy coat and boots. - -"What's wrong?" enquired Athol. - -"Only that rod," replied Blake. "The securing nut is working loose. -We can't afford to let both drop or it will mean complete disaster -for us all." - -"Then I'm the man for that job," decided the lad promptly. "I'm light -and agile and--and----" - -He stopped abruptly. It was on the tip of his tongue to add the words -"you are not," but checked himself in time. - -Every moment was precious. There was no time for argument. Blake -instantly realised the force of his young assistant's remarks and -acquiesced. - -Knotting a rope round his waist, and holding a spanner in his mouth, -Athol dropped lightly upon the rigidly locked wing, gripping the -foremost edge in order to save himself from being swept away by the -terrific rush of air. - -Foot by foot he made his way along the trembling fabric until his -head and shoulders projected beyond the tip of the aluminium wing. -Although by this time well acquainted with dizzy heights the lad dare -not look down upon the distant expanse of water. He kept his eyes -fixed upon the loose nut, a foot or so on the underside of the wing. -Only three or four threads were holding. In a few minutes, had not -the defect been noticed, the actuating rod would have become -detached, with the result that the wing, no longer held in position, -would have folded itself. Like a crippled bird the battleplane would -have crashed through thousands of feet with incredible speed, sealing -the fate of all on board. - -"Got you, you brute!" ejaculated Athol triumphantly as he gave a -final wrench to the now secure nut. - -The task accomplished it was no easy matter for the lad to regain the -chassis. Temporarily exhausted with his exertions and buffeted by the -cutting wind he lacked the strength to haul himself from the wing to -the upper side of the fuselage; but Dick came to Athol's aid, and at -length the lad was dragged into safety. - -"Good man!" exclaimed Blake approvingly as he again actuated the -wings. - -There was little margin to spare. Already the battleplane had -volplaned to within a thousand feet of the sea. - -It was not until the mechanical bird had regained her former altitude -that her crew were able to discuss the factor that had carried them -so far out of their course. An explanation was necessary in order to -explain satisfactorily why, instead of being over the province of -Courland, the airmen found themselves miles from land and over the -expansive Baltic. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -A DUEL WITH A ZEPPELIN - - -"THE gale must have backed to the south'ard," explained Desmond -Blake. "It has carried us well northward of our proper course. -There's a large vessel almost immediately beneath us, Athol. Get your -binoculars and see if you can make out her nationality, and, what is -equally important, the direction of the wind." - -"By Jove!" exclaimed Athol, after a brief investigation. "It is not a -vessel--it's a Zepp. She's not so very far above the surface; I can -tell that by the position of her shadow on the waves." - -"Here, take the helm," said Blake, handing over the steering wheel to -the lad. "Let her volplane in spirals. I must see what this game is." - -It did not take Blake long to form a pretty accurate idea of the -situation. The sea was fairly calm, showing that here, at least, the -gale had blown itself out. The water, too, was clear and -comparatively shallow, the bed consisting chiefly of white sand. -Visible against the bottom of the sea was a long grey object, -sufficiently distinct to enable Blake to decide that it was a -submarine. - -Less than three hundred feet above it hovered the Zeppelin, flying -slowly dead into the eye of the light breeze and thus endeavouring to -keep almost stationary over the submerged craft. - -On her part the submarine was creeping over the sandy bottom, -sometimes backing astern and striving to hide herself in the -disturbed water from the watchers on the Zeppelin. - -The airship, intent upon the destruction of the submarine, had now -descended to within two hundred feet and was dropping specially -shaped bombs resembling aerial torpedoes. On striking the surface of -the water these diabolical contrivances would plunge to the bottom -under their own weight and momentum, then exploding with sufficient -force to destroy any craft within fifty feet. Up to the present, -however, the Zepp had not scored, although the crew were getting -nearer their objective with each missile they dropped. - -A sharp order and Athol and the sergeant manned the two automatic -guns. Although the weapon did not fire shells, the peculiar nature of -the bullets would enable them to rip up the airship's envelope like -a jagged knife once the gun could be brought to bear. - -All intent upon the destruction of the submarine the crew of the -gas-bag had no inkling of the presence of the battleplane until a -regular sheaf of bullets struck the Zeppelin well for'ard. In a -couple of seconds the pilot's gondola was completely wrecked; but the -ballonets came off comparatively lightly. There was a rush on the -part of the Zeppelin's crew to man their guns, while with a bound the -airship shot vertically upwards, intent upon gaining a greater -altitude than that of her attacker. - -But for once the commander of the airship had underrated the climbing -capacity of a "heavier-than-air" machine; for, anticipating the -manoeuvre, Blake set the battleplane to climb at her maximum speed. - -With her fuselage pointing almost vertically the battleplane rose -under the powerful beats of her wings. Thanks to the balanced gear of -the seats, all four of her crew felt no inconvenience. Athol and -Sergeant O'Rafferty were pumping in hundreds of nickel bullets, until -it seemed as if the Zeppelin must be riddled through and through. - -Still the gas-bag rose. Two of her guns were replying to those of the -battleplane, firing a sort of combined high explosive and shrapnel -three-pounder shell. - -Long rents were now visible in the glistening sides of the envelope, -as the shower of bullets completely penetrated the frail covering to -the numerous gas-filled sub-divisions of the air-ship. Yet she showed -no tendency to drop. Her upward motion seemed uninfluenced by the -loss of hydrogen; but whether this was owing to the great reserve of -buoyancy or to the immense quantities of ballast thrown overboard, -none of the battleplane's crew could decide. - -While the British automatic guns were making hit upon hit the German -fire was becoming more and more erratic. The first few shells hurtled -perilously close to the battleplane; fortunately the time fuses had -been badly adjusted, for the missiles burst harmlessly a couple of -hundred yards beyond their objective. But after a few rounds a kind -of panic must have seized the Hun air-pirates. Perhaps they realised -that they were "up against" something that was their superior in -manoeuvring and offensive powers, for they blazed away recklessly -without scoring a single hit. - -Throughout the race skywards the battleplane easily held the -ascendancy, and as the Zeppelin reached a great altitude the -increasing rarefaction of the air, in addition to the loss of -hydrogen through the perforation of the ballonets, began to tell. - -"She's dropping," exclaimed Dick, enthusiastically, as the huge -fabric began to drop stern foremost. - -Right above the now doomed Zeppelin flew the battleplane. In this -position she could no longer give or receive blows, for the Zepp -mounted no guns on the upper side of the envelope while the -battleplane's automatic weapons could not be sufficiently depressed -to bear upon her antagonist. Had Blake any bombs in reserve he could -have easily destroyed the airship with one properly-placed missile, -but his last had already been used to good purpose in the raid upon -the German capital. - -In almost absolute silence the battleplane dropped in short spirals, -following the downward plunge of her defeated foe. - -Suddenly the British machine gave a terrific lurch. To the lads it -seemed as if the whole bulk of the mechanical bird was being hurled -sideways. They were dimly conscious of the fuselage turning rapidly -and erratically around the gimballed seats, while the air was rent -with vivid flames and pungent volumes of black smoke. - -In vain Blake attempted to lock the wings, The controls, fixed to a -dashboard on the coaming in front of his seat, were moving too -rapidly past his outstretched hand as the body of the machine rolled -over and over. - -The horrible thought that the battleplane was rushing headlong to -destruction gripped the minds of all on board, yet not a cry burst -from their tightly set lips. - -With a rending crash something penetrated the floor of the fuselage, -and, missing Athol's feet by bare inches, vanished outwards through -the deck, tearing a jagged gash through which the lurid smoke-laden -clouds could be plainly discerned. Fragments of metal, none of them -of any size, began to patter upon the aluminium framing. - -All this took but a few seconds, for with a rush like that of an -express train emerging from a dark tunnel, the battleplane, still -tilted on her side, shot into the pure sunlit air. Then, gradually -recovering her normal trim, she allowed herself to come once more -under the control of her designer, builder and pilot. - -Shaken and well-nigh breathless, for the atmosphere through which the -machine had plunged was highly charged with poisonous fumes, it was -some minutes before Athol and Dick fully realised that they were -still alive. Almost their first thoughts were concerning the -Zeppelin. In vain they looked over the side of the chassis in the -hope of seeing a tangible proof of their victory. The airship was no -longer in existence. An explosion, either the result of an accidental -ignition of the escaping hydrogen or of a deliberate act on the part -of the crew, had literally pulverised the huge and frail structure. -The battleplane, almost immediately above the source of detonation, -had narrowly escaped destruction, having been enveloped in the -terrific up-blast of the fiery gases. The sliver of metal that had -only just missed Athol's legs was a piece of aluminium sheeting from -the dismembered Zeppelin, for it was afterwards found bent round one -of the girders of the landing-wheel framework. - -"I'd like to wait till the submarine reappears," remarked Blake, "but -it's getting too late to-day. We are, I should imagine, less than a -hundred miles from Riga, and it wants but an hour and a half to -sunset. By the by, has any one seen anything of Private Smith?" - -No one had. When last heard of the ex-prisoner had been sleeping -soundly in one of the bunks. - -"See where he is, sergeant." - -O'Rafferty descended from his perch and entered the interior of the -fuselage. The bunk was empty. A couple of blankets hitched up upon -some hooks in the ceiling trailed forlornly to the floor. - -"You there, Smith?" shouted the sergeant. - -"Here, sergeant," replied a drowsy voice from the very after end of -the tapering body. "Have they finished strafing us yet?" - -Wedged in so as to be incapable of moving hand or foot was the -imperturbable Private Thomas Smith. When the battleplane had -commenced her almost vertical leap in her encounter with the Zepp, -the Tommy had been shot from his bunk. Alighting on the floor he had -slid aft to the position in which O'Rafferty had discovered him. -There, throughout the erratic and violent motions of the battleplane -following the explosion of the airship, he had lain, too sleepy to -realise what was taking place, and when roused by the Sergeant's -voice he was still under the impression that he was in a dug-out -somewhere in France during a heavy bombardment by hostile guns. - -The sun had dipped behind the waters of the Baltic as the battleplane -flew serenely across the broad waters of the Gulf of Riga. A thousand -feet beneath the airmen lay a powerful Russian squadron, including -dreadnoughts, armoured cruisers and destroyers. - -Keenly alert to the possibilities of hostile vessels from the air the -Czar's sailormen were quick to discern the approach of a strange and -altogether remarkable battleplane. Soon the distinctive tri-coloured -circles could be discerned. All doubt as to the nationality of the -mysterious aircraft was now at an end, and the British machine was -given three ringing cheers, the volume of sound being easily heard by -her crew. - -Five minutes later the battleplane came to earth upon the Ruski -Aviation Ground, a few miles eastward of the Slavonic stronghold of -Riga. - -Upon alighting Blake and his companions were warmly greeted by a -group of Russian staff officers, some of whom spoke English fluently, -while all could converse with the utmost ease French. - -"You are slightly beyond the scheduled time, Monsieur le Capitaine -Blake," remarked a courteous colonel of the Preveski Guards. "We -trust that you met with no misfortune?" - -"Slight mishaps that proved blessings in disguise," replied Blake, as -he proceeded to give a brief outline of the battleplane's adventures. - -"Extremely gratifying," declared the Russian. "And your compatriots -have done well in the raid, although, alas, they have lost heavily. -Of the number that left the soil of France for this lengthy flight -only six have contrived to arrive here." - -"And one cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs," added another -of the Czar's officers. "_Ma foi!_ From all accounts you British have -made a fine hash of Berlin." - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -LIBERATED - - -A PROLONGED spell of steady westerly winds delayed the British air -squadron's return to the Western Front. A week or more had passed -since the arrival of Blake and his companions on Russian soil, and -although the hospitality of their hosts exceeded all expectations, -the airmen eagerly looked for a favourable breeze to aid them on -their lengthy flight. - -Especially was there anxiety when they learnt the news--a widespread -secret--that the great Anglo-French offensive was shortly to take -place. On the Eastern Front, especially in Bukovina, the Muscovite -troops were displaying great activity. Already the Austrians were -being pushed back in headlong rout towards the Carpathians. In Italy, -too, their frenzied offensive, which in the first instance had pushed -Cadorna's troops from the Trentino Mountains, had been checked and -hurled backwards by the magnificent valour of the Italian armies. - -On the Western Front Verdun was still proving the grave of thousands -of the Kaiser's troops, who, in hopes of being able to announce a -splendid though costly victory, had been ineffectually hurled day -after day upon the grim, determined lines of Frenchmen backed by -their tremendously effective "Seventy-fives." - -Meanwhile in the neighbourhood of Riga Hindenburg had to be watched. -More, his projected offensive had to be met and broken. Here, too, -there was a good prospect of success for the Allied arms, for not -only had the Russians vast reserves of men and munitions, but since -the bad smashing of the German Fleet off the Jutland shore, the -danger of a naval attack upon Riga was at an end. And not only that; -the almost intact Russian Baltic Fleet, aided by a number of British -submarines, could co-operate with the land forces and seriously -menace the left flank of the German armies in Courland. - -Private Thomas Smith, who was now putting on weight rapidly and was -fast recovering his normal health and spirits, had been made a -supplementary member of the battleplane's crew. On learning the names -of his new officers he made the announcement that for three months -during his incarceration at Meseritz he had been acting as servant to -Athol's father. - -There were, he reported, four British officers at the prison camp, on -whom the task of maintaining discipline devolved; for, owing to the -horrible sanitary conditions and totally inadequate food, typhus had -broken out in the camp. It was Wittenburg all over again. The -Prussian guards, terrorised by the thought that they were exposed to -the dread disease, had kept well aloof from their prisoners, -supplying them food by means of iron trucks that were hauled in and -out of the camp by endless ropes. To make matters worse the trucks -were liberally sprinkled with chloride of lime, which had the effect -of making the already unwholesome food absolutely unpalatable. - -"Not a single man of us left the camp alive during those days," -continued Smith. "Afterwards it got a lot better, so they hired us -out like a lot of cattle. As things went it turned out all right for -me. No, sir, I haven't seen anything of Colonel Hawke for nearly six -months. He was all right then--as well as could be expected in that -horrible den." - -At daybreak on the following morning the rumble of guns, that for the -past week had been intermittent, increased into a continuous and -terrific roar. All along the Courland Front dense clouds of smoke -drifted slowly across the Russian lines. The ground, twenty miles -from the actual scene of the furious cannonade, trembled under the -pulsations of the concentrated artillery. - -"Would you like to have a nearer view of the action?" enquired the -courteous Russian colonel who acted as the British officers' -principal host. "To-day we hope to achieve something." - -"Our battleplane is at your service, sir," replied Blake. - -"No, no," protested the Russian. "That is not what I meant. Your work -is best performed on your own front when the climatic conditions -permit of your return. Here, while you are on Russian soil, it is our -duty to take good care of you. Nevertheless, should you wish to see -how your Russian brothers-in-arms can fight the Huns----?" - -"Assuredly," replied Blake. - -Within five minutes a swift motor-car was in readiness. Accompanied -by two Russian officers, Blake, Athol and Dick were soon speeding -over an excellent road that had only recently been completed--one of -the vast network of communications made by the Russians during the -winter of 1915-16, and which enabled them to move their troops with -the same facilities as did their highly-organised foes. - -"This is as far as I dare take you, gentlemen," announced one of the -Russian officers, as the car came to a standstill in the rear of a -slightly-rising ridge. "His Excellency Colonel Dvouski has impressed -upon me the necessity of caution. It will be fairly safe to walk to -the summit of this hill. From it we can see much of the operations." - -The party alighted and accompanied their guide. The view at first -sight was distinctly monotonous. Both the Russian and the German -triple lines of trenches were completely invisible, the zigzag lines -of clay being garbed in a verdant cloak of wavy grass interspersed -with gay-coloured flowers. But, although the trenches were concealed -from direct view the Russian gunners had the range of the hostile -guns to a nicety, thanks to the efficient aid given by their -observing aeroplanes. - -As far as the eye could reach the German lines were being subjected -to a terrific bombardment. Clouds of dust and smoke, mingled with -flying timbers, sandbags, human bodies and limbs testified to the -stupendous power of the high-explosive shells which Russia's -erstwhile foe was now lavishly pouring into her new ally's magazines. - -Two miles beyond the German third line trenches another deluge of -shells was falling, forming a "barrage" or impassable zone of fire in -order to prevent the enemy's reserves from being rushed up to assist -the already demoralised front line defenders. - -The Russian officer consulted his watch. - -"In seven and a half minutes from now," he announced laconically and -as calmly as if he were stating the time of departure of a train. - -Breathlessly Athol and Dick watched the bursting shells, mentally -comparing the hail of friendly projectiles with the state of affairs -when they were "foot-slogging" in the Flanders trenches. Then they -were in the unenviable position of being subjected to a heavy -"strafing" with the disconcerting knowledge that the Huns were -sending three shells to the British one. Now, thanks to energetic -measures to provide munitions, it was the other way about. The sight -that the lads witnessed near Riga was but a part of a similar and -concerted plan of action stretching between the Baltic and the -Carpathians on the Eastern Front; from the North Sea to the Swiss -frontier on the Western, and in no less a degree against the -Austrians on the Italian border. - -Suddenly the guns pounding the German first line trenches "lifted," -transferring their hail of projectiles to a line well beyond. -Simultaneously swarms of grey-coated Russian infantry appeared from -the invisible trenches, clambered over the parapets, and surged -shoulder to shoulder across the intervening "no man's land." - -Numbers fell, for the Huns had contrived, even amidst the inferno of -high explosive shells, to keep some of their machine-guns intact. - -But the Czar's troops were not to be denied. With the sunlight -glinting upon their long bayonets, and with a succession of rousing -cheers they swept forward unfalteringly and irresistibly. - -Penetrating the barbed wire entanglements they closed. Here and there -bayonet crossed bayonet, or clubbed rifle fell upon foeman's skull, -but for the most part the Huns, their spirits crushed by the -nerve-racking bombardment, threw down their rifles and raised their -hands above their heads in token of surrender. - -Over the parados of the captured trench swept the triumphant troops, -hurling hand grenades by hundreds into the second line of Hun -defences. The reserve trenches shared the same fate, and in less than -forty minutes the surviving Germans, unable to flee owing to the -steady barrage fire, surrendered to their hitherto despised foes. - -Already swarms of prisoners, closely guarded, were being marched to -the rear of the Russian positions, while a long line of wounded, some -supported by their comrades, others borne in stretchers, and others -walking slowly and painfully, testified to the stubbornness of the -conflict. - -"What are those fellows doing, I wonder?" asked Dick, indicating a -large body of unarmed men who were approaching with every indication -of delight. They were still some distance off, but by the aid of -their binoculars Blake and his party could see the men with -comparative distinctness. - -They were clad mostly in a motley of rags Their faces were black with -dirt and almost hidden by long, straggling beards. Yet in spite of -their battered and scarecrow appearances they marched with a good -idea of military order. - -"Poles, perhaps," suggested one of the Russian officers. "The Huns -have forced a lot of them into their ranks. That is what the Germans -meant by granting them self-government." - -"You are wrong there, Alexis Ivanovitch," said his brother officer, -speaking in French, for, out of politeness to their guests, they had -refrained from talking to each other in their native tongue. "Those -men are not Poles; they are English and French." - -"Surely?" inquired Blake incredulously. - -"I am certain of it," continued the Russian. "They are some of the -prisoners whom the Huns have sent from their concentration camps to -work in their trenches on this front. These Germans have a saying, -'Scratch a Russian and you will find a Tartar.' The whole civilised -world can now very well say, 'Show me a Hun and I will show you a -brute.'" - -Nearer and nearer marched the ragged regiment, proceeding along a -road that led about a quarter of a mile from the hillock on which -Blake and his companions were standing. - -"Let us go and give the poor fellows a bit of a welcome," he -suggested, to which the Russian officer agreed. - -Suddenly, to his comrades' surprise, Athol broke into a run and made -straight for the advancing men. His sharp eyes had discovered a tall, -attenuated figure at the head of the column. In spite of the grey -beard, the hollow cheek, and bent shoulders the lad recognised his -father. Not so Colonel Hawke; he never expected to find his son, a -tall strapping youth in the uniform of an officer of the Royal Flying -Corps, on this remote corner of Russian soil. - -When at length the colonel grasped the situation, he could only gasp -in speechless wonderment, while Athol shook his hands as if they were -a couple of pump-handles. - -The rest of the released prisoners, numbering half a dozen British -and French officers, and about four hundred men, halted, broke ranks, -and crowded round the rest of Blake's party, filled with delight at -the sight of the well-known uniforms once more. - -At the same time a Russian regiment on its way to the captured -positions halted. The troops with characteristic kindness were soon -offering their water-bottles, rations and tobacco to their starving -allies. - -"It has been simply hell," declared Athol's father, after he had -recovered from the surprise that had all but rendered him speechless -with emotion. "Those swine of Germans compelled our poor fellows to -slave in their first-line trenches. Our spirit was broken by hunger -and exhaustion. We would have welcomed a Russian shell, but even that -was denied us. They pushed us into dug-outs and mine galleries, and -kept us there for three days without food. Thank heaven, though, the -boys kept their end up pretty well. At least three large mines failed -to explode as the Russians stormed the first line trenches, and I -think I know why. We tampered with the wires." - -"We have a motor-car which is at your disposal, Colonel Hawke," said -the Russian officer responsible for the safety of the British airmen. -"It will indeed be an honour to offer you hospitality." - -Athol's parent shook his head. - -"Many thanks, sir," he replied, "but I must decline. Until I see -these men safely quartered and given a good meal my place is with -them. Well, good-bye, Athol, for the present. I'll try to look you up -this evening. I say," he added anxiously, "what's this we've heard -about a great German naval victory in the North Sea?" - -"If the fact that Wilhelmshaven and Kiel are chock-a-block with -crippled German warships, that a score or more are at the bottom of -the North Sea, and that Jellicoe's fleet still holds undisputed -mastery of the sea--if that constitutes a German victory they may -repeat their success as many times as they like," observed Desmond -Blake. "I suppose that in Germany the people still believe the tissue -of lies issued by the German Admiralty. Already neutrals know the -truth. I feel sorry for the Kaiser when his subjects learn the actual -facts." - -"I feel sorry for no German," declared Colonel Hawke. "I never was of -a vindictive nature, but--a Somali would give a Hun points as far as -'culture' is concerned, while an Afghan or a Turk is streets above -the brutal, degraded louts who sport the Kaiser's uniform. My great -wish at the present moment is to get back to England as soon as -possible, pick myself up--and I want a lot of feeding up, I -fancy--and then have another go at the Huns." - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER - - -FOR another three days the battleplane rested on Russian soil, the -climatic conditions remaining unfavourable for the much desired -return journey. - -During that period Athol saw a good deal of his father, for the -rescued prisoners were quartered in a little village within three -versts of the flying-ground. - -There was every possibility of the colonel's wish being speedily -gratified, for arrangements were already in progress for sending the -released officers and men back to England by ship from Archangel. - -Private Tom Smith elected to go with them, although not until he had -spent many an anxious hour deliberating the matter in his mind. He -was already a keen airman; he realised his debt of gratitude to Dick -and the battleplane's crew for getting him out of a most unpleasant -situation. On the other hand he was deeply attached to his old -master, Colonel Hawke. With him he had shared the horrors of the -Meseritz Prison Camp, and the private's sense of loyalty to his -chief, coupled with his desire to share in the colonel's resolution -to "get his own back" upon his former captors, decided him to throw -in his lot with his master. - -At five o'clock in the morning of the seventeenth day of their visit -to Russia the battleplane's officers were aroused by Sergeant -O'Rafferty announcing that the wind had veered and was blowing -steadily from the north-east and seemed likely to remain so. - -Wireless reports from Russian warships far out in the Baltic -confirmed the statement. There was every indication of the favourable -air-drift continuing for some days. - -Already the battleplane was in readiness for flight. Her tanks had -been replenished with petrol, her motors overhauled. There was still -an ample reserve of machine-gun ammunition, while the Russian -authorities had supplied a dozen bombs filled with a super-powerful -Japanese high-explosive. The rents in her wings and in the body of -the fuselage had been made good, numerous neat patches bearing a -silent testimony to the ordeal through which she had successfully -passed. - -In accordance with the perfect array that existed between all the -Allies Blake had given the Russian aeronautical engineer every -facility to study the constructive details of his invention; and it -was more than likely that before the war had come to a victorious -conclusion, battleplanes after the model of the mechanical bird would -be seen operating under the control of Russian airmen. - -Having taken farewell of their hospitable hosts the crew of the -battleplane prepared to set out on the return journey. This time they -flew alone, for the remaining British biplanes that had taken part in -the raid had already left. Acting under previous orders they had -flown southward, and after a rest at Odessa, had passed over -Constantinople, arriving safe and sound at the Allied Camp at -Salonika. - -Amidst salvoes of cheering from the swarm of grey-coated Russians the -battleplane--"secret" no longer--rose steadily and faultlessly, and -shaped a course towards the Baltic. - -"I've decided upon an alteration of plans," announced Blake. "The -deciding factor is the petrol question. If we fly direct and over -German territory, we may run short of fuel and have to descend. You -see, the spirit we are now using is different from the prepared -petrol that brought us here. Whether we can cover the whole distance -or not without replenishing remains to be seen. So I propose keeping -over the Baltic and thence over the Cattegat and Skager Rack. By the -time we are in the vicinity of the Skaw I shall be able to determine -whether there will be enough petrol to carry us the rest of the way." - -"And if not?" enquired Athol. - -"Details already arranged," said the inventor, with a grim chuckle. -"The Admiralty have instructed a tank-vessel, escorted by cruisers -and destroyers, to lie off the Norwegian coast, well outside the -three mile limit. That's a pretty tangible proof that we hold the -sea." - -At a rate approaching one hundred and eighty miles an hour the -battleplane was soon out of sight of land. She had at first held a -north-westerly course in order to avoid passing over Libau, then in -the possession of the Germans. Blake, although he would not have -declined another aerial fight, was anxious to traverse the Baltic -before the Huns were aware that he had left the Russian frontier. -There was work awaiting the battleplane in France--work of far more -importance than engaging individual hostile seaplanes in the -neighbourhood of the Cattegat. - -Fifty minutes after leaving Riga the Swedish island of Gothland was -sighted. At this point the course was altered to the south-west, -until the island of Bornholm was discerned. - -Although numerous Russian warships and patrol-boats had been sighted -at the entrance to the Gulf of Riga the Baltic was almost deserted, -except towards the Swedish shore, where several enemy merchantmen -were hugging the coast in order to avoid the studied attentions of -the British and Russian submarines. But of German warships there was -no sign. - -Presently Blake's trained ear caught a disconcerting sound that was -repeated time after time with increasing frequency. Dick, sliding -from his seat, made his way to the motor-room; then, after a brief -examination, approached his chief. - -"She's firing badly," said Blake gravely. - -"Yes," assented Dick. "It's not the ignition this time. It's the -petrol. It is my belief that either the stuff is very inferior or -else that it has been watered. Whatever it is the rotten stuff is now -passing through the carburettors. Hitherto we've been running on the -petrol we brought with us." - -"Was it strained?" asked Blake anxiously. - -"I stood by and saw it done," reported Dick. "Of course some one -might have tampered with the tanks during the night. There are spies -with the Russian troops as well as there are in the French and ours, -worse luck. There she goes again," he added, as the motors faltered -badly for several strokes and then spasmodically fired again. "Ought -we to turn back?" - -"I don't believe in turning back," said the inventor. "No, the sea is -calm, there are no vessels in sight. We'll volplane down, rest on the -surface and re-strain every drop of petrol on board." - -Preparations were quickly made for the venturesome enterprise. The -hatchway in the floor of the fuselage, which was already shut, was -now hermetically sealed by means of wing-nuts that jammed the metal -flap hard down upon an indiarubber seating. A similar watertight -covering closed the aperture through which the bombs were dropped in -action. The exhaust, which generally led through a pipe on the -underside of the rear part of the chassis, was diverted by means of a -two-way union so that the former escaped from an outlet and -projecting well above the deck. Thus, in less than five minutes the -hull of the battleplane was made absolutely watertight and ready to -float upon the waves. - -Being unprovided with floats like those fitted to naval seaplanes the -machine took the water clumsily. The sudden resistance of the girders -carrying the landing-wheels as they encountered the water, caused the -body to tilt nose downwards. With solid water well over her forepart, -the battleplane shook herself free, bobbed violently several times -and finally rocked easily upon the placid waters of the Baltic. - -Leaving Athol to keep watch all remaining hands set to work. First -the contents of the carburettors were strained. Globules too heavy to -pass through the fine meshed gauze confirmed Dick's suspicions. The -petrol had been heavily "doctored" with water. - -It was a lengthy and disagreeable task draining each of the tanks and -refiltering the liquid fuel. The atmosphere of the confined space -reeked of petrol fumes; the unusual motion of the hull as it pitched -and rocked to the action of the sullen waves added to the discomforts -of the highly necessary work. Sergeant O'Rafferty, almost overcome -with nausea, stuck gamely to his job, while both Dick and Desmond -Blake felt their heads whirling under the powerful influence of the -volatile gas. - -Suddenly Athol perceived two pole-like objects forging slowly through -the water at a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile. Only the -feather of spray caused by the resistance of the vertical objects -betrayed their presence. They were the twin periscopes of a -submarine. - -At his shout of alarm Blake and the rest of the crew left their task -and hurried to their respective flying-stations. Anxiously they -awaited developments. Was the submarine a friend or foe? - -Flight, under present conditions, was impossible. - -Until the whole of the petrol in the tank nearest the carburettors -was completely strained, it would be impossible to get the motors to -fire. - -Quietly Athol and the sergeant fitted ammunition belts to the two -automatic guns. Although the bullets did not possess sufficient -penetrative powers to perforate the shell of a submarine the hail of -projectiles would be sufficient to prevent any attempt on the part of -the vessel's gunners from using their quick-firers--provided they -kept within range. Nor could the submarine make use of a torpedo, for -the lightness of the battleplane's draught--floating she drew but -four or six inches--offered no target to an under-water missile -unless the weapon struck the girder-work of the landing-wheels which -projected several feet underneath the surface. - -Nevertheless the situation was a perplexing one. Should the submarine -prove to be German, she could either shell the battleplane from a -distance or else summon, by means of wireless, Zeppelins and -seaplanes to finish off the helpless aircraft by means of bombs. - -Several long-drawn-out minutes passed. The eyes of the periscopes -were steadily fixed upon the battleplane as the invisible submarine -slowly approached. At length, apparently satisfied with her -investigations, the submerged craft housed her periscopes and made -off, leaving a tell-tale swirl upon the surface of the water. - -"She's off, sir," exclaimed O'Rafferty. - -"Yes, for the present," replied Blake. "She'll be at it again, I -fancy. Come on, lads, let's carry on. Another half hour will see us -straight." - -Leaving Athol still on watch the rest of the crew resumed their -labours, but before they had been at work for another five or ten -minutes the submarine appeared upon the surface at a distance of -nearly two miles. - -"The brutes!" ejaculated Blake. "They've spotted our automatic guns. -We'll be having some three pounder shells this way before long." - -Bringing their glasses to bear upon the low-lying hull of the -submarine the airmen found that their fears were realised. The vessel -was a large _unterseeboot_ flying the Black Cross ensign of Germany. -She was lying broad-side on and forging ahead at a rate of about five -knots. The two quick-firing guns were already raised from their -respective "houses" or watertight troughs, and were being served by -their gunners. - -A flash followed by a dull crack announced that the submarine had -opened the ball. - -"You'll have to do better than that, old sport!" exclaimed O'Rafferty -disdainfully, as the projectile struck the water at a hundred yards -beyond the target, and ricochetting with a tremendous splash, finally -disappeared a mile and a half away. - -Again and again the Huns fired, each shell approaching with uncanny -and methodical exactness nearer and nearer the crippled battleplane. -They were blazing away with plugged shell, and that fact, combined -with the evident reluctance of the submarine's crew to score a direct -hit, told the airmen pretty plainly that the Germans wished -particularly for their surrender and the capture of the battleplane -intact. - -From time to time Athol and the sergeant let loose a few rounds of -ammunition, but in spite of the extreme elevation of the sights of -the automatic weapons the bullets all fell short. - -Suddenly Athol ducked his head as a projectile hurtled through the -air less than ten feet above him. He could distinctly feel the -windage of the missile, while the screech was appalling. The Huns, -getting out of patience with the resistance of the British -battleplane, were trying to shell it in grim earnest. - -But before another shell could be fired from the U boat, a column of -foamy water shot up a couple of hundred feet into the air. For a -brief instant the bow and stern of the submarine showed, tilted up at -different angles to the surface of the water. Then, as the muffled -roar of an explosion was borne to the ears of Blake and his -companions, their antagonist simply vanished, leaving a maelstrom of -boiling water to mark her tomb. - -"Hurrah!" shouted Dick, the first of the delighted and astonished men -to find his voice. "She's gone. Wonder what's happened?" - -"One of her torpedoes gone off by accident, I expect," hazarded his -chum. "It seemed like an internal explosion." - -"At any rate, she's gone," observed Blake thankfully. "Now, lads, -let's get on with the business, before there are a swarm of patrol -boats on the scene. I shouldn't wonder if the noise of that explosion -were heard fifty miles away." - -Leaving Athol again on watch the others continued their interrupted -labours; but before another ten minutes had elapsed came the -watcher's doleful shout:-- - -"Another submarine!" - -The new-comer had appeared upon the surface apparently without any -preliminary investigation. At least Athol had not noticed the -periscopes until the vessel rose at a distance of a cables length -away. - -She bore no number or distinguishing marks, but hardly was she awash -when the conning-tower hatchway was opened, and a seaman dressed in a -thick "fearnought" suit, appeared. Making his way aft he tugged at -the halliards of a short flag-staff, and instantly a flag was -"broken-out," fluttering proudly in the breeze. - -It was the glorious White Ensign. - -Others of the crew now appeared, as the submarine, forging gently -ahead like an enormous porpoise, closed with the battleplane that she -had so timely rescued. Then, slowing down, she came to a standstill -ten yards to windward of the crippled aircraft. - -"Heave us a line if you have one on board," shouted a boyish-looking -lieutenant-commander, who, as he smiled displayed a set of white -teeth that contrasted vividly with his deeply bronzed complexion. -"We'll have all on board in a jiffey." - -"We haven't a line," replied Blake courteously, "and we don't want to -come on board, thanks all the same. We're effecting repairs and then -we're off, I hope." - -"Thought that Hun was strafing you," remarked the young officer. - -"He was about to, when--I suppose you bagged him." - -"We did," agreed the lieutenant-commander with pardonable pride. -"We're out of your debt now, I take it." - -Blake was genuinely taken aback. - -"You've a bad memory, I'm afraid," continued the skipper of the -submarine. "T'other day a Zepp was strafing us, and you strafed the -Zepp. We came to the surface in time to see you sheering off. Nasty -quarter of an hour while it lasted, by Jove! So now we're quits. -Well, what's wrong?" - -The difficulty with the watered petrol was explained. - -"Don't bother about the rest," said the lieutenant-commander. "We've -plenty on board. Only replenished at Cronstadt yesterday, and we -don't do much surface running. We'll soon fix you up." - -In a brief space of time a delivery hose was passed from the -submarine to the battleplane, and with a prodigal generosity gallons -of petrol were pumped into the latter's tanks. - -During the operation Athol was engaged in conversation with the -sub-lieutenant of the submarine, each, with pardonable pride, -maintaining that his branch of the respective services afforded the -greater excitement. While the lieutenant-commander of the submarine -paid a visit to the battleplane, Athol went on board the naval craft, -and was shown most of the wonders of the latest type of under-water -warship. - -Just then the skipper of the submarine made a flying leap from the -deck of the battleplane to the platform of his own craft. - -"Back with you!" he exclaimed, addressing Athol, who was in the act -of emerging through a hatchway. "Sharp as you can, unless you want a -trip with us. There's another strafing match about to commence." - -High up and several miles away to the south-westward at least a dozen -black specks were visible against the cloudless sky. A fleet of -hostile seaplanes was approaching with the evident intention of -making it hot for the British submarine. - -"Sure you can start?" shouted the lieutenant-commander as he slid -down the conning-tower hatchway. - -Blake gave an affirmative reply, which was confirmed by the engines -being set in motion. - -"S'long!" was the naval officer's farewell greeting as he slammed the -rubber-lined hatchway cover. Then, forging quickly ahead the -submarine dipped her nose and slid swiftly beneath the surface. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -ALL GOES WELL WITH ENGLAND - - -WITH her replenished stock of fuel the battleplane had no difficulty -in rising once she was clear of the surface; for, owing to the -absence of properly contrived floats and the restricted limit of the -beats of her wings, the tips of which could not be dipped into the -water without considerable risk, she could not soar at her usual -angle. It was only after "taxiing" for nearly two hundred yards that -she was able to shake herself clear of the unnatural element. - -"Much more of this sort of business and I shall have to modify the -design," declared Blake. "Ah, here they are again," he added, -indicating the approaching seaplanes. - -"Stand by with the guns. I'm going right through them." - -With this laudable intention Blake took the battleplane up quite a -thousand feet above the altitude of the hostile aircraft, and at full -speed tore to meet the hostile seaplanes. - -By this time the Huns had learnt of the presence of the battleplane. -Recognising her by the beat of the powerful wings they one and all -declined combat, and scuttling like a flight of wild duck, made rapid -tracks for home. - -"That's decided me," declared the imperturbable pilot. "We'll make a -short cut for home. O'Rafferty." - -"Sir?" - -"Send off a wireless to the petrol depot ship. We are within call, I -fancy. Tell them not to wait. We have more than enough petrol to take -us home." - -"Now, Athol," continued Blake, "I'll give you fellows a sight of the -Kiel Canal and of Heligoland. I don't suppose any British airman has -seen Billy's ditch from the air before." - -At an immense altitude the battleplane swung round, crossing the -Schleswig-Holstein isthmus at a height of seventeen thousand feet. -Unseen--or if she were seen no attempt on the part of the Huns was -made to molest her--she glided serenely across to Heligoland Bight, -the islands of Heligoland and Sandinsel looking like mere dots in the -sea. Then following the chain of Frisian Islands she skirted the -Dutch coast on her way south-westwards. - -In about nine hours--including the stop for repairs--the battleplane -had covered a distance of nearly a thousand miles, and was within -half an hour's run of the opposing forces on the Western Front. - -Already the airmen could feel a strange rumbling sensation in the -rarefied air. It was not the thunder of the guns in Flanders--it was -something far louder than that. The concentrated fire of hundreds of -enormous allied guns was literally shaking the firmament. - -"I know where we are now," declared Blake. "That town we can see -ahead is Peronne. By Jove! we're in time to see the 'Big Push,' lads. -Look, our line is different from what it was three weeks ago. It's -beyond that village--Fricourt, I think is its name." - -In vast circles the battleplane volplaned earthwards, the two lads -and O'Rafferty surveying the scene of terrific carnage by means of -their binoculars. - -There was no doubt about it. Our khaki-clad troops, recking not the -stubborn resistance of the grey-coated Huns, were pressing forward -with bombs and bayonets. All along the line, as far as the limit of -vision permitted it to be seen, the lads could mark the irresistible -progress of their brave countrymen and the equally gallant French -allies. Overhead, although at a considerably lesser altitude, flew -swarms of aeroplanes, all bearing the distinctive marks of red, white -and blue. Of the Black Cross machines not one was visible. It was an -Allies' day with a vengeance. - -Unable to take part in the operations for want of previous -instructions, Blake manoeuvred the battleplane up and down the -changing line of opposing forces. The spirits of the two lads rose to -high water mark. They realised that this was the beginning of the -end; the set purpose, which after weeks and months of tedious and -seemingly wasteful inactivity, was to justify the waiting tactics of -the silent Joffre. - -Suddenly Athol noticed an ominous movement in our part of the -far-flung line. A village, although the buildings were almost -levelled by the accurate gunfire of the British, was still being held -with the utmost stubbornness by the Huns. - -Evidently the enemy had preserved a number of machine guns intact in -spite of the terrific hail of shells. The British, pinned to the -earth by the terrific machine-gun fire, were unable to advance; while -evading the "barrage" of shells, strong reinforcements of Germans -were being rushed forward to convert the British check into a -defeat--glorious but none the less a set-back that might adversely -influence the concentrated operations. - -And, with the exception of Blake's battleplane there was no other -British machine to warn the infantry of the approach of the German -reserves. - -"Now for it!" shouted Blake, the glint of battle in his eye. "Let 'em -have bombs and flêches when I give the word. Get ready with the -automatic guns." - -Athol, the end of the ammunition belt already in the breech -mechanism, depressed the muzzle of his weapon. O'Rafferty was ready -on his part, while Dick stood by to operate the bomb dropping gear, -keeping one hand on the lever that would release hundreds of steel -darts upon the close columns of German troops. - -Like a hawk the battleplane swooped down, descending to less than -four hundred feet. Greeted by a terrific fusillade from the rifles of -the astonished and demoralised Huns she returned the compliment with -interest. Bombs, darts and bullets wrought havoc in the crowded -ranks, until the survivors broke and fled, leaving a trail of dead -and wounded as they sought a doubtful shelter from the terror of the -skies. - -Dismayed by the rout of their supports the defenders of the ruined -village slackened their fire. Quick to seize the advantage the -British troops, with a cheer that could be distinctly heard above the -roar of battle, swayed forward on and over the rubble of masonry and -carried the position. - -This much Athol saw. Then his attention was attracted by a groan. -With his head and shoulder resting over the coaming lay Sergeant -O'Rafferty, the blood oozing from a bullet wound in his neck. Before -Athol could make his way to the sergeant's assistance Blake called to -him in an unsteady voice to take the steering-wheel. - -"The blighters have got me," he exclaimed. "Plugged through both -wrists." - -"Dick," shouted his chum. "Bear a hand with the sergeant. He's hit. -Sharp as you can, then stand by with the motors." - -"We'll have to come down," replied Dick. "Petrol tanks perforated." - -Only sufficient fuel for half an hour's run remained before the -damage was done; with the precious spirit trickling in a steady -stream it was doubtful whether the engines could be kept running more -than a few minutes. - -Dick, too, did not mention that he had stopped a bullet, which, -passing through the fleshy part of his right arm, had rendered that -limb useless and was causing him exquisite pain. - -Just then the motors coughed and stopped abruptly. Athol was only -just in time to grip the steering wheel when the long volplane to -earth began. - -He attempted to tilt the aerilons. The operating rods responded -stiffly to the action of the levers. The movable tips to the wings -were firmly locked. Absolute control of the battleplane was no longer -possible. - -"There'll be a most unholy smash!" muttered the lad between his -clenched teeth. - -The next instant the battleplane flattened out, not under the -influence of the pilot's guidance, but through some freakish -aircurrent. Then, before she could gather momentum for her tail-dive -she crashed to earth. - -Myriads of white lights flashed in front of Athol's eyes, and then -everything became a blank. - -* * * * * - -When Athol recovered consciousness he found himself in a base -hospital. By his bedside stood Desmond Blake and Dick, both swathed -in bandages. - -"How goes it?" asked Athol feebly. - -"The battleplane's done for," replied Dick. - -"She's done her bit, and for a wonder we're all here to tell the -tale." - -"But the Big Push?" persisted the lad. - -Desmond Blake's features were wreathed in a smile that betokened -confidence. - -"Don't worry, Athol," he replied. "So far all goes well with the arms -of England and France." - - - - -THE END - - - - -THE LONDON AND NORWICH PRESS LIMITED LONDON AND NORWICH ENGLAND - - - - - [Transcriber's Notes: - - This book contains a number of misprints. - The following misprints have been corrected: - - [Hop it and we'll] -> [Hop in and we'll] - [Ammunnition and stores] -> [Ammunition and stores] - [The moniplane's tail rose] -> [The monoplane's tail rose] - - ] - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Secret Battleplane, by Percy F. Westerman - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE *** - -***** This file should be named 51796-0.txt or 51796-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/7/9/51796/ - -Produced by R. G. P. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Secret Battleplane - -Author: Percy F. Westerman - -Release Date: April 19, 2016 [EBook #51796] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE *** - - - - -Produced by R. G. P. M. van Giesen - - - - - -</pre> - - -<a name="cover"></a> -<center><img src="images/01_cover.jpg" alt="Cover" style="width:100%; height:auto; max-width:600px;"></center> -<center>[Illustration: cover art]</center> - -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<table style="border:0px solid #000000;" summary="otherbooks" align="center"> - <tbody><tr><td> - </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><b>THE GREAT</b></td></tr> - <tr><td><b>ADVENTURE</b></td></tr> - <tr><td><b>SERIES</b></td></tr> - <tr><td><hr align="center" width="50%"></td></tr> - <tr><td><center><b>PERCY F. WESTERMAN:</b></center></td></tr> - <tr><td>THE AIRSHIP "GOLDEN HIND"</td></tr> - <tr><td>TO THE FORE WITH THE TANKS</td></tr> - <tr><td>THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE</td></tr> - <tr><td>WILMSHURST OF THE FRONTIER FORCE</td></tr> - - <tr><td> </td></tr> - - <tr><td><center><b>ROWLAND WALKER:</b></center></td></tr> - <tr><td>THE PHANTOM AIRMAN</td></tr> - <tr><td>DASTRAL OF THE FLYING CORPS</td></tr> - <tr><td>DEVILLE MCKEENE</td></tr> - <tr><td> THE EXPLOITS OF THE MYSTERY</td></tr> - <tr><td> AIRMAN</td></tr> - <tr><td>BLAKE OF THE MERCHANT SERVICE</td></tr> - <tr><td>BUCKLE OF SUBMARINE V2</td></tr> - <tr><td>OSCAR DANBY, V.C.</td></tr> - <tr><td><hr align="center" width="50%"></td></tr> - <tr><td><center>S. W. PARTRIDGE & CO.</center></td></tr> - <tr><td><center>4, 5, & 6 SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W.1.</center></td></tr> - - <tr><td></td></tr> -</tbody></table> -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<center> -<h1> -THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE -</h1> -</center> -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<center> -<a name="IMAGENAME"></a> -<img src="images/02_dart.jpg" alt="image: 02_dart.jpg" style="width:100%; height:auto; max-width:600px;"> -</center> -<center>[Illustration: "Blake released his grip of the rough-and-ready dart."<br>—<i>Page</i> 65.]</center> -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<center> -<h2>THE</h2> -<h1>SECRET BATTLEPLANE</h1> -<br> -<br> -<br> -<h5>BY</h5> -<h3>PERCY F. WESTERMAN</h3> -<h6>AUTHOR OF</h6> -"THE RIVAL SUBMARINES," "A SUB. OF THE R.N.R.," ETC., ETC. -<br> -<br> -<br> -<img src="images/03_partridge.jpg" alt="image: 03_partridge.jpg" style="width:100%; height:auto; max-width:110px;"> -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br>S. W. PARTRIDGE & Co. -<br>4, 5 & 6 SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W.1. -</center> - -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> -<center> -MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN -<br><i>First Published 1916</i> -<br><i>Frequently reprinted</i> -</center> - -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> -<h3 align="center">Contents</h3> -<hr width="25%" align="center"> -<table align="center" width="80%" summary="contents"> - -<tbody><tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">CHAPTER</td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> </td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">I. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter01">SNOWED UP</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">II. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter02">A MYSTERIOUS BENEFACTOR</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">III. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter03">THE WONDERS OF THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">IV. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter04">A TRIAL TRIP</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">V. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter05">SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">VI. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter06">THE INTERRUPTED VIGIL</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">VII. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter07">THE BATTLEPLANE'S OFFICIAL DEBUT</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">VIII. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter08">A CROSS-CHANNEL FLIGHT</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">IX. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter09">A FIGHT TO A FINISH</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">X. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter10">TRICKED</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XI. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter11">THE FATE OF A SPY</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XII. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter12">SERGEANT O'RAFFERTY'S LUCKY BOMB</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XIII. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter13">THE FRONTIER</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XIV. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter14">ATHOL TACKLES VON SECKER</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XV. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter15">GAME TO THE LAST</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XVI. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter16"><i>À BERLIN</i></a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XVII. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter17">DISABLED</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XVIII. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter18">TURNING THE TABLES</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XIX. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter19">A DUEL WITH A ZEPPELIN</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XX. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter20">LIBERATED</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XXI. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter21">ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER</a></td> -</tr> - -<tr> -<td align="right" valign="top">XXII. </td> -<td align="left" valign="top"> -<a href="#chapter22">ALL GOES WELL WITH ENGLAND</a></td> -</tr> - -</tbody></table> - -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter01"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER I</h3> - -<h4 align="center">SNOWED UP</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"That</span> rotter of a garage fellow!" exclaimed Athol Hawke explosively. -"He hasn't done a thing to the wheel; and, what is more, he rushed -me sixpence for garaging the bike, the young swindler."</p> - -<p>"Didn't you go for him?" enquired his chum, Dick Tracey.</p> - -<p>"He wasn't there to go for," replied Athol. "He was away on some -job, and left the explanations to a youngster. But, my word, it is -snowing! Think she'll stick it with that groggy wheel?"</p> - -<p>The scene was the Market Square, Shrewsbury. The time, nine o'clock -on a Saturday morning, March, 1916. It was, as Athol remarked, -snowing. A week or more of intermittent blizzards had culminated in a -steady fall of large, crisp flakes, and judging by the direction of -the wind, the heavy, dull-grey clouds and an erratic barometer, the -worst was yet to come.</p> - -<p>Athol Hawke was a lad of seventeen, although he looked several years -older. He was tall, lightly yet firmly built, of bronzed complexion, -grey eyes and with dark hair. The fact that he was wearing waterproof -overalls, leggings and fur gloves tended to conceal his build.</p> - -<p>His companion, who was similarly attired, was Athol's junior by the -short space of three days. In height he was five feet seven—four -inches less than that of his chum; build, thick-set; complexion might -have been fair but exposure to wintry conditions had resulted in his -face being burnt to a reddish colour. His hair was light brown, with -a tendency to crispness; his eyes blue. By disposition he was -remarkably bright and cheerful, characteristics that served as a foil -to Hawke's almost invariable staidness.</p> - -<p>The two chums were riding a motor-bicycle and side-car. They had -"been on the road" nearly a week. What possessed them to select a -time of blizzard and equinoctial gales to go tearing across England; -why they were apparently "joy-riding" in wartime; why they chose a -district that was most decidedly within the region of activity of -hostile air-craft—all this will have to be explained in due course.</p> - -<p>At eleven o'clock on the previous day they had ridden into the quaint -and picturesque old town of Shrewsbury, having left Chester shortly -after daybreak. During the run they had made the disconcerting -discovery that several of the spokes of the side-car wheel had worked -loose, possibly owing to the drag of the snow and the atrocious -"pot-holes" and setts of Lancashire. The wheel might last out till -the end of their tour—and it might not. Dick suggested risking it, -but the ever-cautious Athol demurred. They would remain at -Shrewsbury, he declared, until the following day and get the damage -made good.</p> - -<p>A motor mechanic had promised faithfully to carry out the job, and -had let them down badly.</p> - -<p>"Well, what's the programme?" asked Athol. "We may be able to push -on, but I guess it's pretty thick over the hills. Already there's a -good two inches of snow—and it's still tumbling down."</p> - -<p>Dick surveyed his surroundings in his customary optimistic manner. -The cobbled square was already hidden by a dazzling white mantle. The -roofs of the old buildings and the detached pillared market-house -were covered with fallen flakes. A weather-worn statue, poised -stolidly upon a lofty pedestal, was fast resembling the time-honoured -character of Father Christmas.</p> - -<p>Save for a few belated lady-clerks of the Army Pay Department, who -cast curious glances at the two snow-flaked motor-cyclists as they -hastened to their daily toil, the square was deserted. At the corner -of an adjacent street two recruiting sergeants stood in meditative -silence, regarding with a set purpose the pair of strapping youths.</p> - -<p>"More of 'em, by Jove!" exclaimed Dick, as his eyes caught those of -one of the representatives of His Majesty's Army. "Here they come, -old man. Stand by to give 'em five rounds rapid."</p> - -<p>"Nothin' doing, sergeant," announced Athol as the foremost non-com., -beaming affably, vouchsafed some remark about the weather as a -preliminary feeler to a more important topic. His companion had -diplomatically "frozen on" to Dick.</p> - -<p>With a dexterity acquired by much practice each lad unbuttoned his -mackintosh coat and from the inner breast pocket of his coat produced -a formidable-looking document.</p> - -<p>"Bless my soul!" ejaculated the first sergeant. "Who'd a' thought it? -Very good, sir; we can't touch you—at least, not yet. You never -know."</p> - -<p>"You speak words of wisdom, sergeant," rejoined Athol, as he replaced -his paper. "Now, to get back to more immediate surroundings, what do -you think of our chances of getting to Ludlow to-day?"</p> - -<p>"On that thing?" asked the sergeant. "Not much. It's as thick as can -be over Wenlock Edge. This is nothing to what's it's like up there. -You'd never get through."</p> - -<p>The word "never" put Dick on his mettle.</p> - -<p>"We'll have a jolly good shot at it, anyway," he said. "Come along, -Athol, old man. <span id="cor0001" class="corrected" title="[Original text: Hop it and we'll]">Hop in and we'll</span> have a shot at this Excelsior -business."</p> - -<p>Athol Hawke would like to have lodged a protest. He was anxious -concerning the groggy side-car wheel, but almost before he knew where -he was, Dick Tracey had started the engine and the motor was swishing -through the crisp, powdery snow.</p> - -<p>Down the steep Wyle Cop and across the narrow English Bridge they -went, then turning shook the snow of Shrewsbury from the wheels, -since it was literally impossible to shake the dust from their feet.</p> - -<p>Mile after mile they reeled off, the road rising steadily the while. -Tearing through the snow flakes was really exhilarating. The air was -keen and bracing; the scenery fairy-like in the garb of glittering -white.</p> - -<p>"Glad we pushed on," exclaimed Dick. "We're doing it on our heads, -don't you know. The little beast of an engine is pulling splendidly."</p> - -<p>The words were hardly out of his mouth when there was a perceptible -slowing down of the three-wheeled vehicle, although the motor -throbbed with increasing rapidity.</p> - -<p>"Belt slipping," declared Athol laconically.</p> - -<p>"It's the leather one," said his companion as he stopped the engine -and dismounted.</p> - -<p>"We'll shove the rubber one on. Leather always is rotten stuff to -slip in the wet, and yet there's a proverb, 'There's nothing like -leather.'"</p> - -<p>"Doubt whether the other one will do any better," remarked Hawke. -"See, the lowermost part of the belt rim has been ploughing through -the snow. This is the thickest we've had so far."</p> - -<p>"It is," assented Dick. "But we'll push on. It is a pity to turn -back. We can't be so very far from Church Stretton now. From there -it's downhill almost all the rest of the way."</p> - -<p>The change of belts was effected and the journey resumed. For the -next quarter of a mile progress was good, although great care had to -be exercised to avoid the snow-banks on either side of the road.</p> - -<p>Presently the road dipped with considerable steepness, and bending to -the right crossed a small bridge. Beyond, it again rose and with -increased gradient, and appeared to plunge directly between two lofty -hills. The rising ground was thickly covered with pine trees, each -branch bending under the weight of virgin snow.</p> - -<p>"Looks like a bit of Switzerland," observed Dick. "Hanged if I can -see why people want to go abroad to see scenery when there are places -like this at home. But, my word, we've a stiff bit of road to tackle! -Wonder if she'll do it?"</p> - -<p>"She's got to," said Athol grimly. He was one of those fellows who -embark upon an undertaking with evident misgivings, but when fairly -in the thick of it warm to their task and are undaunted in spite of -difficulties and rebuffs.</p> - -<p>But there are limitations even to the capabilities of a three and a -half horse power motor. Right nobly the engine did its work, but once -again the belt slipped with exasperating loss of power. So deep was -the snow at this point that the lower framework of the side-car was -ploughing through it, while the heated crank case coming in direct -contact with the snow was throwing off vapour like a high pressure -steam engine. To add to the difficulty an accumulation of compressed -snow had choked the front mudguard.</p> - -<p>"All alight here!" shouted Dick. "By Jove, we'll have to jolly well -push up this hill."</p> - -<p>With the engine still running on low gear the lads literally put -their shoulders to the wheel. It was hard work. In spite of the -lowness of the temperature they were glowing with exertion, as, under -their united efforts, they advanced at the rate of a mile an hour.</p> - -<p>"Jolly long way to the top," panted Dick. "Hope we don't get snowed -up. I say, that looks cheerful."</p> - -<p>He pointed to a derelict motor car, almost hidden in a drift by the -side of the road, where the bank of snow had risen to at least seven -feet in height.</p> - -<p>"Can't be much farther to Church Stretton," said Athol encouragingly. -"Buck up, old man."</p> - -<p>For another fifty feet they struggled manfully, until Tracey switched -off the motor and brought the bike to a standstill.</p> - -<p>"Spell-oh!" he announced, shaking the powdered snow from his cap. -"I've had enough for a bit."</p> - -<p>"If we stop we—like the drunken man—'goes over,'" declared Athol. -"Every minute things are getting worse."</p> - -<p>"Can't help it," rejoined Dick breathlessly. "Like the engine, I'm -badly overheated."</p> - -<p>For some moments the two chums stood still, taking in as much of the -scenery as the snowstorm permitted, for so thick was the air with -falling flakes that they could form no idea of the height of the -hills on either hand.</p> - -<p>Presently a horseman appeared, his mount floundering through the -snow. So narrow was the track that in order to pass the bike and -side-car he had to plunge into the drift.</p> - -<p>"Pretty thick," remarked Athol.</p> - -<p>"Ay, that it is," replied the man. "An' it's worse up yonder."</p> - -<p>"Any village about here?" asked Dick.</p> - -<p>"Not for some miles," was the reply. "And not a house, if it comes to -that."</p> - -<p>The man rode on. He seemed loth to waste time in conversation.</p> - -<p>"We've struck the worst part of Wenlock Edge, it seems," said Athol -consulting his road map. "It would have paid us to have stuck to the -Severn valley, only we both wanted to see Ludlow and its castle. -Well, ready?"</p> - -<p>Dick nodded assent, and restarted the engine. Although the belt -slipped frantically the slight friction of the pulley aided the -bodily efforts of the lads. By dint of much exertion another hundred -yards were covered; then despite their efforts they came to a dead -stop.</p> - -<p>"How about turning back?" suggested Dick.</p> - -<p>"No good," decided Athol. "We might get to the bottom of the -hill—might not. It's a moral cert we could not get up the rise on -the other side of the bridge."</p> - -<p>"And we can't leave the bike here," added his companion. "It would -completely block the road."</p> - -<p>"The road is blocked already, I fancy. The plain fact is this: we're -snowed up, and what's more the side-car wheel has gone to pot at -last."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter02"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER II</h3> - -<h4 align="center">A MYSTERIOUS BENEFACTOR</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"Get</span> the luggage out, old man," said Dick. "We'll pad the hoof and -see if we can find a cottage. We might, with luck, get a fellow with -a horse to pull the bike to the top of the hill."</p> - -<p>"I guess the job's beyond the powers of a gee-gee," remarked Athol, -who, ankle-deep in snow, was unstrapping the luggage from the -carrier. "We'll have a shot at hiking the show into the drift. It -seems fairly firm snow on this side."</p> - -<p>By dint of strenuous efforts the two lads succeeded in lifting the -heavy side-car to the fringe of the road, leaving a space of less -than six feet between the wheel of the car and the snow-bank on the -opposite face of the track. Then, shouldering their belongings, the -weather-bound travellers trudged stolidly up the hilly road.</p> - -<p>"Here's a jamboree!" exclaimed Dick after a long silence. He was -regaining his breath and with it his exuberant spirits. "We'll have -something to remember. By Jove, isn't this a ripping country?"</p> - -<p>"It's all very fine," said Athol guardedly, "but, remember, we may be -held up for a fortnight. This stuff takes a jolly lot of thawing, -you know. Hulloa! There's someone hammering."</p> - -<p>"The child is correct," declared Dick with a laugh. "And hammering -metal work. I believe our friend the horseman was a little out in his -statements. There must be a human habitation of sorts, and, judging -by the direction of the sounds—unless the acoustic properties of a -snowstorm are erratic—the fellow is tinkering away on that hill on -our right. Yes, old man, here's a gap in the hedge. It looks -remarkably like a carriage drive."</p> - -<p>For the last hundred yards the road was bounded by a raised bank -surmounted by a thick laurel hedge. The gap that was just beginning -to become visible resolved itself into a pathway barred by a tall -gate tipped with a row of formidable spikes.</p> - -<p>"Wonder there isn't an array of notice-boards of the 'Trespassers -will be prosecuted' order," remarked Athol. "It seems to me that no -one has used this path since it started snowing. However, it must -lead somewhere, so let's investigate."</p> - -<p>Lifting the rusty latch the two lads pushed hard against the gate. -They had to force the bottom bars through eighteen inches of snow -before they could open it.</p> - -<p>The hammering noise was still maintained with hardly a break. The -workman, whoever he might be, was certainly industrious.</p> - -<p>For fifty yards the path ran straight up a steep ascent and then bore -abruptly to the left. Here Athol and his chum were confronted by -another gate which, unlike the outer one, was secured by a stout -padlock and chain. On either side ran a laurel hedge almost as tall -as the one separating the grounds from the highway. To the right hand -gate-post was attached a socket supporting a large bell, the clapper -being worked by means of a chain.</p> - -<p>"I say, looks a bit fishy, eh?" remarked Dick, regarding the barrier -with interest. "P'raps we've struck a private asylum."</p> - -<p>"Don't know. Suppose if the owner wants to keep tramps and stranded -wayfarers out, he's quite at liberty to do so," replied Athol. -"However, necessity knows no law, so let's agitate the piece of -sounding brass."</p> - -<p>He jerked the chain. The bell rang out with startling loudness, the -vibrations echoing and re-echoing between the pine clumps. The -hammering ceased abruptly.</p> - -<p>An old man, supporting himself by means of a stick, ambled through -the snow, appearing from behind the hedge on the left of the gate. He -was apparently about eighty years of age, wizened featured and white -haired.</p> - -<p>"What do you want?" he asked in a quavery voice. "My master sees no -one except by appointment. If you have one, well and good; if you -haven't, 'tisn't any use your stopping here."</p> - -<p>As he spoke he made a snapping sound with his fingers and, in answer -to the signal, two enormous bull-terriers lolled sullenly to the old -man's side, and with the precision of a pair of music-hall twins, -each bared his formidable teeth and growled menacingly.</p> - -<p>Athol stood his ground. The chilliness of his reception had "set his -back up."</p> - -<p>"Look here, my man," he said with asperity. "You've done your duty by -warning us, now go and tell your master that he is wanted—and look -sharp about it."</p> - -<p>Then, seeing the old fellow hesitate, he added,</p> - -<p>"Sharp about it, I said. I'm not used to giving the same order -twice."</p> - -<p>"And I am not used to having my servants ordered about by strangers," -exclaimed a deep, well-modulated voice. "Since your business seems -urgent perhaps you will kindly state it."</p> - -<p>The speaker was a tall, finely built man of about forty years of age. -His features were clear cut, his brow lofty, and his jaw massive. He -was clean shaven, revealing a pair of tightly pursed lips. His -complexion was pale, his eyes of a deep blue colour and set rather -wide apart beneath a pair of bushy, overhanging brows. Across his -forehead was a horizontal scar of old standing, showing white even in -contrast to his greyish complexion. His hair was dark brown tinged -with grey and growing high upon his temples.</p> - -<p>"We called to ask for assistance," began Athol. "Our motor-bike——"</p> - -<p>"Mechanical breakdown?" asked the occupier of the premises.</p> - -<p>"No; we're snowed up, and the side-car wheel has given out," -announced the lad.</p> - -<p>"H'm; well, I'm glad it isn't an engine fault," remarked the -stranger. "Had it been you would have had no sympathy from me. A -fellow who cannot tackle a refractory engine ought not to be allowed -in charge of one on the road. Where's your bike?"</p> - -<p>"About a hundred yards down the hill and in a snow-drift," replied -Athol. "We did our level best but the snow was too much for us. We -thought, perhaps, that we might find someone who has a horse——"</p> - -<p>"Horse," repeated the man. "It will want something better than a -horse, I'm thinking. Open those gates, Harvey, and look sharp about -it. Come in, both of you. I'll be with you in a couple of minutes."</p> - -<p>He gave the lads an approving smile as they both walked past the -bulldogs without the faintest hesitation. Then he disappeared up the -path, while the gatekeeper, having opened and unfastened the massive -portal, vanished between the laurel hedges.</p> - -<p>"We've struck a rummy show, old man," whispered Dick. "The old chap -isn't a bad sort, though. Wonder what he is going to bring out? A -traction engine?"</p> - -<p>Tracey's curiosity was speedily set at rest by the reappearance of -the stranger, dragging behind him a sleigh. The contrivance had no -runners; it consisted merely of a rectangular sheet of metal curled -at the foremost end. On it were thrown a couple of fir planks, about -six feet in length, and nine inches in breadth.</p> - -<p>"It's quite easy, thanks," said the stranger, declining the lads' -offer to assist in dragging the sleigh. "It's made of aluminium. You -will have to bear a hand when we get the bike on it. Best foot -forward. I have a lot of work to finish before lunch, you know."</p> - -<p>"Threaded?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, we cut the threads before we left."</p> - -<p>"Good men!" exclaimed their benefactor approvingly. "You both seem of -a mechanical turn of mind. Well, you can set to work. If there's -anything you require ring that bell. Lunch will be ready in an hour -and twenty minutes. If you haven't finished by that time there's four -hours between that and teatime. Excuse me, I must be off."</p> - -<p>The shed was well lighted and warmed by means of hot water pipes. In -one corner was a portable forge, in front of one window an up-to-date -lathe. Engineer's tools, all in excellent condition, occupied racks -on the walls, while on the beams overhead were bundles of white metal -rods and stacks of aluminium sheeting.</p> - -<p>"We've fallen on our feet, old man," remarked Dick. "Lunch, too, by -Jove! I'm hungry. Our scrumptious repast at Shrewsbury is but a -pleasant memory. I could do a jolly good tuck-in now."</p> - -<p>"Nothing like work to while away the time," asserted Athol, casting -off his motor-overalls and coat and rolling up his sleeves; "Buck up, -old fellow, and rip that tyre off."</p> - -<p>Soon the two young tourists were hard at it, and none was more -surprised than they were when the door of the shed was opened and -their host exclaimed,</p> - -<p>"Spell-oh! Down tools, lads. Why, you have made a show. You'll find -some cleaning stuff in that tin. I'll take you to the bathroom in the -house."</p> - -<p>"'Fraid we're in a jolly pickle," said Athol apologetically.</p> - -<p>"I'm used to that," rejoined the stranger, as he led the way to a -substantially-built stone-house standing in an open space between the -pine-trees. "If you like to take off your boots—they look pretty -saturated—I'll lend you some slippers."</p> - -<p>Having washed, the lads were ushered into a long dining-room. The -table was laid with covers for three. An old manservant, who might -have been a brother to the gatekeeper, waited until the diners' wants -had been attended to; then having thrown a couple of logs upon the -already briskly glowing fire, he went out.</p> - -<p>"Now to business," exclaimed their host. "First let me introduce -myself. My name is Desmond Blake. My age—an important consideration -in these strenuous days—is forty-two; my profession, an engineer who -has been cold-shouldered by a—but that can wait. Now, tell me, what -are your names? And what brings you in these parts?"</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter03"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER III</h3> - -<h4 align="center">THE WONDERS OF THE SECRET BATTLEPLANE</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"It's</span> a long story," began Athol, having first given their questioner -their names. "We don't want to bore you, Mr. Blake."</p> - -<p>"Not at all," the host hastened to assert. "I am all attention."</p> - -<p>"Suppose I ought to go back to the early stages of the war," said -Athol. "You see, one yarn does for both of us, since we share and -share alike. Fifteen months ago we were at a boarding-school in the -south of England. It was only a small affair. We were prefects and -all that sort of thing, and had practically finished our education -before entering an engineering college. Dick's father is a major -serving in Mesopotamia, my governor is a lieutenant-colonel and a -prisoner of war at Meseritz. We have no relatives left in England. -After a time we ran away from school and enlisted. You see, we are -fairly big fellows and somehow we couldn't hang back. The training -part wasn't half bad, although we had a couple of gypsies, an -ex-convict, and a solicitor as billet-mates. Then we did five months -in France, and got on jolly well until we were both offered -commissions. That put the hat on the show."</p> - -<p>"How was that?" asked Mr. Blake.</p> - -<p>"The colonel sent us back to the regimental depot, and while our -papers were under consideration the War Office made us produce our -birth certificates. Then they found out that we were both under -eighteen, so they pushed us out of the army—worse luck."</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't even give us a chance to go back to the ranks," added Dick. -"And we were having quite a good time. We'd stuck it through the best -part of the winter, and the warmer weather was coming; but it was no -use. They turned us down."</p> - -<p>"And so we thought we'd have a fling before we settle down to -engineering," continued Athol. "We both have a little money. We -bought the motor-bike and side-car—got it dirt cheap from a fellow -who was going to join up. We started off through the Midlands, were -in the thick of the last Zepp raid in Northampton, went on through -Newark, York, Halifax, and Lancashire, and then to Cheshire. From -thence to Shrewsbury and here we are."</p> - -<p>"What regiment were you in?" enquired their host.</p> - -<p>The lads produced the documents that had effectually floored the -recruiting sergeants at Shrewsbury. They were their discharges from -the Loyal North Lancashires.</p> - -<p>"Wonder, with your mechanical turn of mind, that you hadn't tried for -the Royal Engineers or the Flying Corps," remarked Mr. Blake.</p> - -<p>"We did have a shot at the R.F.C., but there were no vacancies at -that moment," explained Athol. "We were rather cut up about it. But -we did see some flying out there. Once we saw our monoplanes bring -down a couple of Taubes one after the other; but sometimes we saw -what we didn't want to see—our machines outclassed by those Fokkers. -The brutes have the advantage, you know. They climb much more quickly -than ours. It's not that they are more powerfully engined. It's the -design. Our fellows are frightfully keen, but they are handicapped."</p> - -<p>"You seem keen on aviation?"</p> - -<p>"Rather," replied Athol, enthusiastically.</p> - -<p>"Then, perhaps, my modest workshop may interest you," remarked -Desmond Blake. "Pon' my word I don't know why I should allow you to -inspect my work; I have kept it a strict secret so far, even -dispensing with a staff of assistants in order to be untrammeled by -the unwelcome visits of more or less incompetent factory inspectors."</p> - -<p>He paused, pondering over in his mind some debatable point.</p> - -<p>"By Jove!" he exclaimed, noticing his guests' empty soup plates. -"We're supposed to be at lunch, and I had forgotten the fact."</p> - -<p>In answer to a summons on a bell the old servant reappeared, deftly -removed the plates and served the second course. This done, he went -out.</p> - -<p>"Since you have given me a résumé of your career," said Mr. Blake, -"perhaps you might like to hear mine, at all events since the -momentous day, the fourth of August, 1914.</p> - -<p>"At the outbreak of hostilities I was in South America, doing -remarkably well in mining engineering. A particular hobby of mine was -flying, and having made three or four successful experimental -machines, embodying features not previously known to aviation, I -naturally thought that my experience would be welcome to the War -Office.</p> - -<p>"Accordingly I settled my affairs out there with the utmost dispatch -and hurried home. My first interview with the authorities at -Whitehall was decidedly frigid. They were awfully polite, but somehow -they failed to come to any practical decision. Wanted a scale model, -as if that would serve the same purpose as the actual machine I -proposed to submit. I offered to have a battleplane complete, -including engines, for inspection and test within fifteen days, but I -was informed that this was unnecessary until the plans had been -inspected by a sub-committee.</p> - -<p>"Altogether half a dozen sub-committees tried their hands with my -plans and specifications. Afterwards I discovered that hardly a -single member knew anything about practical flying. Some of them -hardly knew the difference between an airship and an aeroplane—asked -questions on a par with those of the Yankee senator at the 'Titanic' -enquiry.</p> - -<p>"Without going into details I may say that my offer to the War Office -was finally declined with thanks. I had no better luck with the -Admiralty, for directly they learnt that the War Office had 'turned -me down' I was metaphorically shown the door.</p> - -<p>"I warrant that if I were a renegade and had taken my plans to Berlin -the German government would have snapped them up, either by fair -means or foul. As it is, their agents have been giving me a deal of -trouble.</p> - -<p>"However, foiled in my patriotic efforts I determined to erect a -private factory, build a really formidable battleplane and give a -practical demonstration over the heads of the War Office. My first -trouble was to find a suitable site. It had to be in a remote -district, far from a prohibited military area, yet fairly accessible -from the important industrial centres. I lighted upon this place, and -found it answered my purpose.</p> - -<p>"Everything I have to do single-handed. I dare not run the risk of -getting mechanics to help, partly, as I said before, owing to the -Factory Act restrictions, but more especially from a fear lest my -ideas should be filched.</p> - -<p>"And now the finished article lies in my grounds, ready for instant -flight, except for one drawback——"</p> - -<p>"The snow, I suppose," hazarded Dick.</p> - -<p>"Does not affect it to any appreciable extent," rejoined Desmond -Blake. "My battleplane does not require hard, level ground for a -'take-off.' It will rise almost perpendicularly. No, it is not the -climatic elements. To be concise I need a couple of capable and -willing helpers, and judging by what you have already told me, I -think you fellows have sufficient patriotism to volunteer your -services in that direction. Am I right?"</p> - -<p>Dick gave his chum an enquiring glance. Athol, naturally cautious, -knew that Dick would have jumped at the offer.</p> - -<p>"Your tempting invitation needs thinking over," replied Athol. "We -should——"</p> - -<p>"Of course," agreed Desmond Blake. "Of course. Suppose you defer your -decision until you have inspected my invention? You will, I feel -sure, treat the subject as one of a highly confidential nature."</p> - -<p>"Rather," agreed both lads simultaneously.</p> - -<p>"I knew you would," continued their host. "In any case you will be -here a week at least, for the snow lies about a long time, and the -roads will be simply impassable for motor traffic during the thaw. -That is, if you decide to continue your journey by motor. There is -always a means of getting to Church Stretton on foot and taking train -from there. On the other hand, if you decide to remain, my house is -at your disposal."</p> - -<p>"You are awfully kind," said Athol.</p> - -<p>"With an ulterior motive," added Desmond Blake. "You are the very -fellows I was looking for. I want to 'rope you in.' That's speaking -bluntly. I believe in saying what I mean without beating about the -bush."</p> - -<p>"You mentioned that you had trouble with the German agents," remarked -Dick.</p> - -<p>"I have reason to believe so," replied Blake. "I have no conclusive -proofs. I can only infer that spies are at the bottom of the trouble. -On three occasions my grounds were broken into. My gatekeeper, -Harvey, a tough old chap in spite of his years, was able to thwart -two attempts to break into my workshop. On the third instance I -scared the intruder pretty badly by means of a shock with a high -tension wire. At the same time the automatic shutter of a camera was -released in the hope of getting the likeness of the gentleman in -question. Unfortunately the magnesium flashlight failed to explode at -the same moment as the exposure of the lens. What I ought to have -done was to leave the lens uncovered. I shall know better next time."</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't the plate become fogged?" asked Dick, who was a successful -amateur photographer.</p> - -<p>"Oh no; you must remember the attempt was made at night. The sudden -flash of the magnesium acts much the same as the brief exposure of -the plate in daylight."</p> - -<p>The meal proceeded slowly, while conversation flowed briskly. Desmond -Blake knew the value of a good lunch as an incentive to amiability, -and had played his cards well. "Now for the hangar," he said, at the -end of the meal. "You smoke? No, good; I'm glad to hear it. It's an -expensive habit, although I have a great weakness in that direction. -In fact, I sometimes find myself on the point of smoking a pipe in -the petrol store."</p> - -<p>"We've seen fellows in the Royal Flying Corps drop the glowing ends -of their cigarettes in petrol just for sheer mischief," said Dick. -"Nothing happened."</p> - -<p>"But it might have," rejoined their host. "'Fraid it doesn't speak -for the good quality of the petrol or the common sense of the men who -fool about with it. It isn't the liquid petrol that is dangerous, but -the vapour it gives off. I've been experimenting in that direction, -trying to get a spirit that is non-inflammable under normal -atmospheric pressure and only exploded when under compression."</p> - -<p>"Have you been successful?" asked Athol.</p> - -<p>"To a certain extent; that is to say, I have treated petrol so as to -make it unresponsive at ordinary pressure except to a very hot -spark."</p> - -<p>Still conversing Desmond Blake led the way from the house, through a -dense belt of pine trees, to a small clearing. The greater part of -this space was occupied by a galvanised iron shed, at one end of -which were large double doors. Between the threshold and the nearmost -trees there was a distance of roughly ninety feet, the trees -themselves exceeding a hundred and twenty feet in height.</p> - -<p>"Here's the hangar," announced their guide, indicating the shed.</p> - -<p>"Curious situation, if you don't mind my saying so," observed Athol. -"You'll have to cut down more of those trees before the biplane is -able to take flight."</p> - -<p>"On the contrary there is more 'taking-off' space than is absolutely -necessary, and, I might add, the machine is not a biplane. It is -fashioned, as far as possible, on the principle of a bird, and unless -my memory plays me false, I know of no bird possessing more than two -wings. But here we are."</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake rolled back one of the doors of the shed. The other, -actuated by means of a flexible wire running over pulleys, slid back -too.</p> - -<p>"Merely a labour-saving device," said Blake. "I based my calculations -upon a one-man show. But what do you think of her?"</p> - -<p>In the dazzling reflected light from the snow the battleplane stood -revealed to the lads' eager gaze. At first sight it hardly resembled -a flying machine. It was more like a huge cigar raised at an angle of -forty-five degrees and supported by a pair of trellis girders each of -which in turn terminated in a couple of pneumatic-tyred wheels. The -planes were folded against the fuselage; there were no signs of -aerilons, horizontal or vertical rudders and other contrivances -common to aeroplanes. This creation had the appearance of a gaunt, -featherless bird standing erect on a pair of spidery legs.</p> - -<p>"What propels it?" asked Dick. "Where is the propeller? And the -planes? You said it was not a biplane. To me it looks like a -<i>non</i>plane. Hope I am not asking too many questions," he added -apologetically.</p> - -<p>"Fire away; as many as you like," rejoined Desmond Blake. "In the -first place there is no propeller, that is, if you mean a rotary one. -To go back to the simile of birds; they don't cleave through the air -under the action of a two-bladed propeller. That, after all, is a -tacit admission by aeronautical engineers that they are unable to -copy nature; so they make a substitute that fails to perform the -relative task that a bird's wings do with seemingly little effort. I -have dispensed with a propeller and substituted mechanical planes -that approximate very clearly the natural method of flying. Before I -explain further we must get aboard; I'll show you the way. One could -make use of a pair of steps, but they would be awkward things to -carry about, especially at the Front."</p> - -<p>With remarkable agility the inventor swarmed up a light aluminium -ladder built into the girder-legs of the battleplane. Thirty feet up -he disappeared from view through an aperture in the underside of the -fuselage.</p> - -<p>In a trice Dick followed, Athol ascending with more deliberation. The -latter was puzzled at the great rigidity of the aluminium girders. -Evidently Desmond Blake had solved the task of making the metal as -tough as steel without any marked increase of weight. Another thing -Athol noticed was that all the cross sections of the latticed girder -were pear-shaped, the blunt end facing the direction of flight, the -tapering end being aft. This was expressly for the purpose of -reducing the friction of the air.</p> - -<p>Squeezing through the trap door the lads found themselves on the -floor of the chassis, which was composed of a succession of broad -steps on inclined planes in order to afford a firmer footing when the -battleplane was at rest. Between the floor and the curved roof or -deck there was sufficient space for a tall man to stand upright. -Against the concave sides were folded cots, in which those of the -crew "off duty" could sleep during prolonged flights, while at -approximately one-third of the length of the fuselage from the blunt -nose was the motor room, a veritable nest of intricate, lightly-built -and powerful machinery.</p> - -<p>"Do you work the battleplane entirely from under cover?" asked Athol.</p> - -<p>"Oh no," replied Desmond Blake. "It is essential to have a wide field -of outlook. Here is the pilot's seat. Get in and see what it is -like."</p> - -<p>He indicated a circular seat perched about a foot beneath the deck, -from which an oval-shaped opening provided with a raised coaming had -been cut. Overhead was a light metal canopy which, when required, -could be lowered flush with the top part of the chassis. To gain the -seat from the floor of the fuselage it was necessary to make use of a -metal ladder.</p> - -<p>"Steady yourself by that horizontal bar," cautioned the inventor, -indicating a short rod on the fore side of the coaming.</p> - -<p>The warning was necessary, for, as Athol slid into the seat, the seat -slid from him. It was only by hanging on to the bar and allowing his -feet to dangle in the air that the lad saved himself from falling -four or five feet to the floor.</p> - -<p>"Don't say that I didn't give you fair warning," exclaimed Desmond -Blake, while Dick laughed at his friend's predicament. "Now, have -another shot at it. Lift yourself fairly into the seat. That's it."</p> - -<p>"What's the idea?" enquired Athol.</p> - -<p>"There are four seats like that, and each one is gimballed. That is, -it is suspended in a similar manner to a compass on board ship, so -that in spite of the motion the sitter is always 'right side up.' No -matter how the battleplane banks, nose-dives, or even 'loops the -loop,' the crew, seated in their allotted stations, are always in a -natural position."</p> - -<p>"That I can see," said Dick. "But how is a fellow to see where's he -going when the plane is upside down? In that event his head and -shoulders are inside the fuselage."</p> - -<p>"Only for a few moments," replied the inventor. "The plane is -self-righting, provided, of course, there is 'air-room.' Just give a -glance at your friend's feet. No, there's nothing wrong with them. -That's not what I meant. His feet are resting on a step, behind the -step is a sheet of burnished metal inclined at an angle of -forty-five. Now, in the event of the 'plane turning over on its major -axis that mirror would project below the inverted deck of the -chassis, and thus the pilot would still be able to 'look ahead.'"</p> - -<p>Facing the pilot's seat were a few indicators and levers, whereby the -altitude and speed of the plane could be determined and the aircraft -steered on her course. A voice-tube communicated with the -motor-mechanic who occupied the third seat. The second and fourth -seats were raised slightly above the others, and were intended for -the machine-gunners.</p> - -<p>"The offensive armament is not yet on board," explained the inventor. -"I have turned out a couple of automatic weapons firing eight hundred -shots a minute. Here is one of the cartridges," he continued, drawing -a metal cylinder from his pocket. "The calibre is 303, the same as -that of the small arms of the British Army, but you must observe that -the bullet is longer and different in other respects."</p> - -<p>"It certainly is longer," agreed Dick, as he handled the cartridge. -"But beyond that I see no difference."</p> - -<p>"Do you notice a minute line round the bullet?" asked Blake. "The -projectile is made in two parts. On leaving the muzzle the parts fly -apart, but are held together by a length of flexible wire. Thus each -bullet resembles a miniature chain-shot of the days of the old wooden -walls. A hostile plane would stand little chance if under the fire of -a hail of these bullets. There would be no clean holes in the fabric; -struts and tension wires would be severed and the whole contraption -would fall like a stone."</p> - -<p>"Then what propels the plane?" asked Dick, his interest in the motors -claiming precedence above all other constructional details.</p> - -<p>"This pair of engines, each of two hundred horse-power," was the -reply. "See, I actuate this lever and the wings—I prefer to call -them wings rather than planes—unfold."</p> - -<p>Swiftly, yet with an even movement, wings, hitherto lying snugly -against the chassis, were outspread. Taking into consideration the -length of the battleplane from nose to tail—barely fifty feet—the -space from tip to tip of the wings looked disproportionately small. -Each wing projected fifteen feet from the side, and curved backwards -like that of a bird. The fabric from which the wings were made was -composed of thin, specially-treated aluminium, in plates overlapping -each other like tiles on the roof of a house.</p> - -<p>"Now, Tracey," continued Desmond Blake, "see if you can coax the -motors to start. If you can manage a car-engine you will be able to -get them to fire. There's no danger of the bird taking flight. She's -pinned down to the floor securely. At the same time I don't think I -would run the motors all out, if I were you."</p> - -<p>Deftly Dick set to work turning on the petrol and flooding the -carburettor.</p> - -<p>"Is it necessary to prime the motors?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"They ought to fire without," replied the inventor. "There's the -self-starter—that lever on your right."</p> - -<p>At the first attempt the engines fired easily. In spite of being in a -confined space there was very little noise, thanks to the efficient -silencer. It was doubtful whether the purr of the motors could be -heard beyond the limits of the grounds.</p> - -<p>Yet, although the fabric of the battleplane trembled under the -pulsations of the motors, the wings remained motionless save for the -vibration imparted to the whole contrivance. Seeing Dick's look of -enquiry the inventor pointed to a lever close to the lad's right -hand.</p> - -<p>"Gently with it," he cautioned. Depressing the lever Dick was aware -of a terrific air-current rushing overhead. Dead leaves and pieces of -aluminium sheeting that were lying on the floor of the shed were -whisked up and flung about with great velocity. Peering over the edge -of the coaming Dick could see that both wings were now beating the -air with terrific violence, being actuated by a number of rods -working on concealed cams. Supplementary rods imparted a second -motion to the wings, the innermost and rearmost edges of which moved -up and down independently of the primary movement of the fore part.</p> - -<p>Stretching out his hand the inventor cut off the electric current, -and the motors came to a standstill.</p> - -<p>"Cannot afford to waste petrol in these hard times," he said with a -smile. "You've seen enough to form an idea of how the plane flies. -The mere up and down flap of the wings is insufficient; it is the -peculiar twist of the after part that does the trick—something after -the principle of a man sculling a boat by means of a single oar -working over the transom. If he were to waggle the blades of the oar -to and fro without giving a dexterous twist nothing would result -except a see-saw motion of the boat. It certainly would not move -ahead through the water, except for the tortuous movement of the -oar."</p> - -<p>"I should have thought that the wings were far too small," observed -Athol.</p> - -<p>"On the contrary they are just the right proportion compared with the -weight and power of the motors," replied Desmond Blake. "I have not -modelled my invention on the lines of an albatross, whose spread of -wings is enormous. I had the lark in my mind's eye. That little bird, -as you know, soars almost perpendicularly, yet the wings are small in -proportion to the size and weight of its body. Now you have had a -general idea of the secret battleplane. To return to the attack: are -you fellows willing to sign on as crew?"</p> - -<p>"Rather!" replied both lads without hesitation.</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter04"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER IV</h3> - -<h4 align="center">A TRIAL TRIP</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"A willing</span> heart goes a long way," declared Desmond Blake. "On the -other hand there's a verse:—</p> - -<div class="indent10 fontsize80">"Give every act due deliberation; -<br>Make no man your friend -<br>Until his heart you know." -</div> - -<p>"We'll risk that," rejoined Dick.</p> - -<p>"In that case we'll compromise matters," said the inventor. "Since -you have offered yourselves in all good faith, we'll run in joint -harness for the next fortnight. I'll show you the ropes, and if at -the end of that time you wish to dissociate yourselves with the -enterprise you may. In a fortnight's time I hope to be ready for an -experimental flight to London just to show the authorities what my -invention can do."</p> - -<p>"Hope the weather will be warmer," said Athol. "It must be cold work -flying on a day like this."</p> - -<p>"Not in a covered-in artificially-heated chassis," corrected Desmond -Blake. "Even the pilot's and observer's heads are protected by -transparent screens."</p> - -<p>"I should have thought that the snow driving against the screen would -obscure it," remarked Dick.</p> - -<p>"Then we'll put your theory to the test," declared the inventor -briskly. "No time like the present. I'll open the doors to their -widest capacity and fill up the tanks with fuel. You might also fix -the two automatic guns to their pedestals; it's as well to have a -trial flight with the normal weights on board."</p> - -<p>The hose communicating with a powerful suction pump was coupled on to -the tanks, and fifty gallons of fuel taken on board.</p> - -<p>"I've doctored the petrol," explained the inventor. "I introduce a -quantity of benzine in tabloid form. The result is—I am judging by -results obtained on a car—that I can get fifty per cent. more power -out of the motors. Now hold tight for the take off."</p> - -<p>The floor of the shed being slightly on the down grade the vibration -of the engines was sufficient to set the battleplane in motion until -it reached the open space in front of the doors.</p> - -<p>It was now snowing heavily. The tops of the pine trees were almost -hidden in the blurr of falling flakes.</p> - -<p>"Pull that slide over the rearmost seat, Dick," ordered the inventor. -"It won't be needed this trip. That is good. Now, stand by with the -ignition lever. That will be your only job for a while."</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake had climbed into the pilot's seat, and had raised a -hinged wind screen fitted with side wings and overhead covering. -Athol followed his example, taking his place at the second, or -machine gunner's seat.</p> - -<p>The snow laden air reeked with petrol fumes and the smoke from the -exhaust, but the noise of the motors was hardly audible without. The -throbbing sound seemed to be confined to the interior of the -fuselage.</p> - -<p>Both lads, agog with excitement, held on tightly. For some seconds -nothing appeared to happen; then with a sudden, powerful jerk the -battleplane seemed to stand on end. Kept in a natural sitting -position by a delicately-balanced seat, the two chums were forcibly -aware of a pain in their necks, as if they had banged their heads -violently against a door-post. The sudden starting or stopping of a -lift was nothing to the jerk, for the battleplane had to clear the -tree-tops with little lateral space to spare.</p> - -<p>For the present they could see nothing except the whirring tips of -the wings and the streaks of white as the machine soared against the -falling snow. Already the manometer registered a height of four -hundred feet and the needle was still moving rapidly round the dial.</p> - -<p>Presently the fuselage assumed a horizontal position. The movement -was now regular and free from vibration, for the direction of flight -was no longer in an inclined motion.</p> - -<p>"Easier than I thought," remarked the inventor.</p> - -<p>Without raising his voice he could comfortably communicate with the -rest of the crew, since the rush of air did not disturb the interior -of the fuselage. Nor did the snow accumulate upon the wind-screens as -Dick had surmised, for the nature of the transparent substance caused -the impinging flakes to disperse without any suspicion of moisture -being deposited upon the glass.</p> - -<p>Owing to the design of the wing-screens it was now possible for the -lads to learn and observe the ground almost immediately below them. -Eight hundred feet beneath was a blurr of white, across which were -traced several winding dark lines, for the battleplane had run out of -the falling snow and was now heading southwards.</p> - -<p>"Not much of a day for observation purposes," said Blake, who had -relinquished his grip on the levers and was now trusting solely to -the "stabilisers" or automatic devices for maintaining a straight -course. "We are now over Ludlow. That patch is the ruins of the -castle. You can just discern the town."</p> - -<p>"I thought Ludlow was built on the side of a steep hill," remarked -Athol.</p> - -<p>"It is," assented the inventor. "That street is almost as steep as a -roof of a house. Altitude tends to impart an appearance of flatness -to the landscape, especially in the snow. We'll turn now, and follow -the Shrewsbury railway. I don't like getting too far afield on an -experimental run when so many landmarks are obliterated. Now, Athol, -make your way for'ard and I'll show you how to manoeuvre the plane. -Dick will have his turn later. It is essential that every man of the -crew should know how to handle the steering and elevating gear."</p> - -<p>For half an hour Desmond Blake kept his understudy hard at it, -showing him how to make the battleplane bank almost horizontally, and -how to change the speed gear to enable the wings to overcome the -force of gravity during the vertical flight.</p> - -<p>"You'll do," declared the inventor admiringly. "Now back to your -perch. We are going to have a shot at looping the loop."</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake waited until Athol had regained the gimballed seat, -then, depressing a lever that had the double effect of lowering the -gearing of the engine and elevating the "aerilons," or wing-tips, he -caused the battleplane to soar almost vertically upwards.</p> - -<p>The lads wondered why the terrifically acute angle of ascent did not -cause the fuel to flow to the rearmost of the four connected tanks, -and thus affect the aircraft's lateral stability. The inventor, -glancing over his shoulder, must have read their thoughts.</p> - -<p>"Climbing to get a better chance in case she jibs," he called out. -"No need to worry about the petrol. Each tank has a reserve valve -that only operates when the angle of inclination exceeds fifteen -degrees."</p> - -<p>The arrangement of the tanks was another instance of Blake's -forethought. At normal flying positions the petrol in each tank was -practically at the same level in order to ensure constant trim of the -machine. But directly the tilt of the battleplane tended to allow the -volatile spirit to flow to the lowermost tank, automatic valves in -the connecting pipes came into action, thus causing each tank to -retain approximately the same weight of liquid fuel.</p> - -<p>For three minutes the battleplane climbed steeply and at a high speed -that had never yet been approached by the most daring aviator. Then, -following a hasty caution from the pilot, the aeroplane began to -describe a circle in a vertical plane. Although the seats retained -their normal positions, the centrifugal force tended to throw Athol -and Dick off their balance. The next moment their heads were within a -few feet of the up-turned floor of the fuselage, while their feet -were dangling in the space enclosed by the wind-screens. Five seconds -later the battleplane had regained its normal position, having -described a complete loop of a radius of less than a hundred feet.</p> - -<p>"That's good!" exclaimed the inventor with pardonable pride. "Now -look out to enjoy the sunshine."</p> - -<p>To the lads' surprise the battleplane was bathed in bright wintry -sunshine. The aeroplane had emerged above the bank of snow clouds and -was cleaving her way through the clear air. Away to the south-west -the sun was low in the heavens, for it was now within an hour of -sunset.</p> - -<p>"Time to get back," declared Blake briskly. "We've got to drop -through the snow-clouds beneath, and trust to luck to pick up our -bearings. 'Fraid I've overstepped the bounds of discretion, but it -was jolly well worth it."</p> - -<p>Actuating a lever he "locked" the wings. Like a giant seagull -swooping down from a lofty cliff the aeroplane began a steady -volplane towards the bank of clouds a thousand feet below.</p> - -<p>At a speed of well over a hundred and fifty miles an hour the -battleplane cleft the bank of suspended vapour. Almost pitch darkness -succeeded the clear sunshine of the upper air. The sudden transition -temporarily blinded the three aviators.</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake spoke not a word. With his eyes fixed upon the dials of -the manometer he gauged the earthward flight. At five hundred and -fifty feet, an altitude well above that of the highest hills on the -Welsh border, he checked the descent. Although the gloom was now less -it was still impossible to discern anything of the country beneath. -Evidently the battleplane was encountering a snowstorm heavier than -she had previously experienced.</p> - -<p>Standing by, ready to "flatten out" at the first sign of terra firma, -the inventor allowed the machine to continue its downward flight, -although at a greatly retarded velocity.</p> - -<p>Suddenly he thrust the vertical rudders hard over, at the same time -unlocking the wing mechanism. As he did so he had a momentary glimpse -of a tall slender spire within fifty feet of the tip of the left -wing. Immediately afterwards the battleplane almost skimmed a lofty -pinnacle that resolved itself into another snow-outlined spire.</p> - -<p>"By Jove!" ejaculated Blake as he set the battleplane to climb above -the danger area. "We're slightly out of our bearings."</p> - -<p>"Where are we, then?" asked Dick, who had also seen the fleeting -vision.</p> - -<p>"Over Coventry," replied the inventor. "We've narrowly escaped -colliding with two of the city's three famous spires. Take her, -Athol, and keep her as she is while I look at the map. It will be a -compass course back, with a good deal of guesswork thrown in."</p> - -<p>A hurried consultation told Blake that, allowing for the almost -cross-set of the northerly wind, half an hour's flight in a -north-westerly direction ought to bring them within recognisable -distance of home.</p> - -<p>"Birmingham's beneath us," observed Blake after a few moments' -interval. "Fine city, Birmingham, but a nasty place if one has to -make an involuntary landing."</p> - -<p>He had hardly uttered the words when with a disconcerting jerk the -motors faltered, picked up for a few pulsations, and then ceased -firing.</p> - -<p>The battleplane began to drop towards the labyrinth of buildings -that, hidden by the thickly-falling flakes, lay less than three -thousand feet below.</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter05"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER V</h3> - -<h4 align="center">SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">Not</span> for one moment did Desmond Blake's presence of mind desert him. -Quickly locking the wings in position to enable the battleplane to -maintain a maximum glide he turned her "down wind." Volplaning in the -teeth of the stiff northerly breeze would, he knew, result in a -cross-country gain of, perhaps, a mile or two; whereas, gliding with -the following wind there was more than a sporting chance of covering -sufficient distance to get clear of the thickly populated outskirts -of the Metropolis of the Midlands.</p> - -<p>Following the stoppage of the motors Dick slipped from his seat and -made his way along the floor of the fuselage till he came to the -silent machinery. Switching on an electric torch, for it was now dark -within the "hull" of the battleplane, and with the failure of the -motors the dynamo-run lamps had gone out, Dick made a hasty -examination.</p> - -<p>"Ignition," he reported. "Magneto, I fancy."</p> - -<p>"Guessed so," rejoined the inventor, laconically. "See if you can -rectify matters. I'll keep her steady as long as I can."</p> - -<p>Volplaning at fifty miles an hour does not give one much time for -effecting adjustments. Before the lad had been able to verify his -suspicions a peculiar motion warned him that the battleplane was -describing a semi-circular swoop. Ten seconds later, with hardly a -perceptible jar she came to earth, or rather, landed in a deep -snow-drift.</p> - -<p>"Had to risk it," declared Blake cheerily. "This will do for the -present. Night's coming on apace. Fortunately there are plenty of -emergency rations on board."</p> - -<p>"Where are we?" asked Athol.</p> - -<p>"Goodness only knows," said the inventor. "All I know is that we just -skimmed the tops of a tall building. It wouldn't be a bad idea to -land and have a look round. Nothing like fixing one's bearings in -case we have to clear out in a hurry."</p> - -<p>Although the fuselage when at rest had a normal inclination of about -forty-five degrees it now barely exceeded fifteen. On alighting the -airmen discovered that the battleplane was resting in the snow on a -shelving slope. Twenty feet from her bows was a stone wall in a -ruinous condition. Only the drag of the snow drift had prevented the -battleplane from hurling itself "nose-on" against the formidable -obstruction.</p> - -<p>Already the twilight was falling, the dim light rendered still -fainter by the steady drive of heavy flakes. Away to the right a dim -outline, silhouetted against the afterglow, denoted the position of -the building against which the battleplane had so narrowly escaped -being hurled.</p> - -<p>"A ruined castle," exclaimed Athol.</p> - -<p>"And, to me, a familiar spot," rejoined the inventor. "We couldn't -have lighted upon a better place. This is Kenilworth. There is little -fear of interruption, it is late in the day, and people would not be -tempted to wade through the snow drifts even if the grounds are not -closed. Yes; we'll do here very nicely. There's plenty of room for a -'take off.' Now for a meal, then we'll tackle the repairs. I don't -propose making a fresh start until just before daybreak."</p> - -<p>Returning to the battleplane the three aviators "battened" down to -guard against the possibility of any stray ray of light betraying -their presence. Two battery-charged electric lamps gave quite a -brilliant illumination. The meal, though frugal, was heartily -appreciated, while thanks to the amount of heat still retained by the -radiators fed by the exhaust the temperature bordered upon sixty -degrees.</p> - -<p>"One must be ready to profit by slight misfortunes," remarked Blake -during the the meal. "I have an idea. I'll have separate magnetos to -each engine."</p> - -<p>"Will that help us?" asked Dick. "If one engine fails one of the -wings will cease beating and the other will go on flapping. The -battleplane would be like a duck wounded in one wing."</p> - -<p>"So she would," admitted the inventor dubiously.</p> - -<p>"Separate magnetos by all means," continued Dick, "but it would be -well to fit a free wheel sprocket on the main shaft of each engine, -and arrange it so that each motor actuates both wings. Then if one -engine falters or stops the other will continue to propel the -battleplane. Of course you would only have half the power, but that -would be sufficient to keep her in the air."</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake thought deeply for a few minutes.</p> - -<p>"By smoke, Dick!" he exclaimed. "You've solved a knotty point. We'll -make the necessary alterations directly we return. You are quite -right about the power of each motor. Each possesses one and a half -times the lifting power necessary for the battleplane."</p> - -<p>By nine o'clock in the evening the adjustments to the magneto were -satisfactorily carried out, and the battleplane's wings having been -folded to escape an accumulation of snow, the airmen turned in for -the night.</p> - -<p>As Blake had surmised the night passed without interruption. Little -did the inhabitants of the picturesque village of Kenilworth suspect -that the most ingenious flying machine that the world had yet -possessed was resting quietly in the snow-covered courtyard of the -famous mediaeval ruin.</p> - -<p>So soundly did the two lads sleep in their comfortable bunks that the -first intimation they had of the arrival of another day was Desmond -Blake's voice exclaiming,</p> - -<p>"Now, then, you fellows. Five o'clock and a fine morning."</p> - -<p>A cup of hot coffee and some biscuits having been served out, the -airmen prepared to resume their flight. It was still twilight. -Snowflakes were falling, although not with the violence that -characterised yesterday's storm. From a not far distant farmyard -cocks were lustily heralding the dawn.</p> - -<p>Silently, under the guidance of the masterhand, the huge mechanical -bird left its roosting place on the snow covered ground and soared -swiftly upwards until it attained a height of two thousand feet.</p> - -<p>Suddenly a huge, ill-defined shape lurched past the battleplane, -passing less than two hundred feet underneath. In spite of the -terrific speed, for the two objects were moving in the opposite -direction and at an aggregate rate of one hundred and eighty miles an -hour, both lads recognised the shape as that of a Zeppelin.</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake saw it, too, and acted promptly. In a few seconds the -battleplane had made a semi-circular motion and, "all out," was -following the night-raider.</p> - -<p>Athol sprang to the machine-gun but the pilot waved his hand to -indicate that the weapon was not to be used. Already the Zeppelin, -having gained a great distance during the change of direction on the -part of the battleplane, was out of sight.</p> - -<p>"No use," he exclaimed hurriedly. "Only dummy cartridges. Must blame -the Defence of the Realm Act for that."</p> - -<p>Seven minutes later the Zeppelin was again sighted. Apparently she -had been engaged in a raid over the Midlands and had lost her way. -She was moving jerkily, and was down by the stern. Whether that was -owing to injury from anti-aircraft guns or merely through the -accumulation of snow on the upper part of her envelope the lads could -not decide.</p> - -<p>Unperceived by the crew of the Zeppelin the battleplane soared -majestically overhead until a vertical distance of less than a -hundred feet separated the gas-bag from her winged rival.</p> - -<p>"If we had ammunition we should have her at our mercy," remarked the -inventor.</p> - -<p>"Take charge for a few minutes, Athol. I want to give her a little -reminder of our meeting."</p> - -<p>The lad gripped the steering levers. So strong was his faith in the -masterpiece of the inventor that he handled the swiftly-moving -battleplane as faultlessly as if his acquaintance with the mechanical -bird had been of two years' duration rather than of a few hours.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Blake descended to the interior of the fuselage, returning -presently with a long steel marline-spike. Through the hole in the -rounded end he threaded a string of red, white and blue ribbons for -the joint purpose of steadying the improvised dart in its flight and -in order to leave no doubt in the minds of the Huns of the origin of -nationality of the weapon.</p> - -<p>Then, clambering into the seat vacated by the deputy pilot, Blake -lowered one of the wing-screens and poised the marline-spike over the -side.</p> - -<p>"Faster," he ordered.</p> - -<p>Dick touched the lever actuating the sparking-gear. Perceptibly the -battleplane increased her speed until she overlapped the unsuspecting -Zeppelin by almost two-thirds of the latter's length.</p> - -<p>Blake released his grip of the rough and ready dart. For a couple of -seconds it seemed to fall well in front of the swiftly-moving -Zeppelin, then, its course describing a gradually increasing curve, -it was observed to be making for the huge target.</p> - -<p>With a thud it struck the flattened part of the upperside of the -envelope about fifty feet from the tail. Completely perforating the -aluminium sheeting it vanished, leaving a few fragments of streamers -to mark the palpable hit.</p> - -<p>"There'll be some gas lost there, I'm thinking," remarked Blake -grimly. "Up helm, Athol. We have no more missiles at our disposal. -One thing, we've had practice at bomb-dropping."</p> - -<p>In a few seconds the errant Zeppelin was lost to sight in the -snow-laden atmosphere, as the battleplane was steadied on a course -that was to bring her back to her hangar.</p> - -<p>"There is our base," announced the pilot, pointing to a clump of -snow-laden pines almost hiding a lofty conical hill. "Make sure of -your bearings, lads; you never know when the knowledge will come in -handy. Now, stand by."</p> - -<p>Skilfully Desmond Blake brought the battleplane to a standstill with -her nose within five feet of the doors of the shed.</p> - -<p>"Now for a proper breakfast," he exclaimed cheerfully as the crew -alighted. "It won't take long to house the little beauty, then——"</p> - -<p>He stopped abruptly, his hands gripping the half-open doors.</p> - -<p>"The deuce!" he ejaculated.</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter06"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER VI</h3> - -<h4 align="center">THE INTERRUPTED VIGIL</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"What's</span> wrong?" enquired both lads anxiously, for the worried -expression on the usually calm features of the inventor told its own -tale.</p> - -<p>In his agitation Blake failed to make reply. He dashed into the shed, -followed by his two assistants. Everywhere there were signs of -disorder as if some intruder had hastily overhauled the secrets of -the jealously guarded spot. The high tension wire that had previously -baulked a nefarious attempt had been severed by means of a pair of -insulated wire-cutters. The lens of the tell-tale camera had been -smashed and the dark slide removed and exposed to the light.</p> - -<p>A safe, cunningly built into a concrete pier of the shed, had been -forced open and its contents removed.</p> - -<p>"The spy has secured the plans; that's pretty evident," he declared. -"We can do no good here at present. What I want to find out is how -the fellow forced his way into the grounds."</p> - -<p>Accompanied by Athol and Dick, the inventor left the shed and hurried -across the snow-covered ground. Already the footprints of the -intruder had been obliterated by the falling flakes. He could not -have chosen a better time for his successful attempt.</p> - -<p>Along the path through the shrubbery the crew of the battleplane -hurried. At the inner gate the first sight that met their eyes was -the body of one of the bull-terriers half buried in the snow. The -other animal was discovered dead in the bushes, whither it had -crawled before expiring. Both animals had been poisoned.</p> - -<p>In the little lodge was the unconscious form of the aged porter. -Evidently he had put up a stiff fight, for there was blood upon the -floor, and a revolver with two chambers discharged was still grasped -in his right hand.</p> - -<p>Blake bent over his devoted servant.</p> - -<p>"He's alive," he announced. "I can find no trace of an injury. He -must have been tackled by two men. He's been chloroformed."</p> - -<p>The inventor's first task was to restore the unconscious man. His -anxiety on the porter's behalf seemed to banish all other thoughts -from his mind. The loss of the almost invaluable plans were as naught -compared with the state of his faithful retainer.</p> - -<p>"Shall I go for a doctor?" asked Athol.</p> - -<p>Blake shook his head.</p> - -<p>"I'm used to a land where doctors are few and far between," he -replied. "That makes every man there more or less of a medico. You -might start that fire again, Athol, and get a kettle on."</p> - -<p>Having waited until the patient had recovered consciousness, Desmond -Blake and Dick left the lodge, Athol having volunteered to remain -with the victim of the outrage.</p> - -<p>Letting himself in by means of a sidedoor the inventor soon found -that the house had not been an object of the spies' investigations. -The old butler was still asleep, ignorant of the attempt upon his -brother the porter.</p> - -<p>"This little business has upset my plans, Luck," remarked Blake. "Or, -rather, it will force my hand. It's no use trying to track the -thieves. For one thing we have no clues; for another we simply -haven't the time to waste. In the likely event of those plans -reaching Germany, another month will result in the appearance of -hostile battleplanes built to my specifications. So our task is to -convince the War Office of the outstanding nature of my invention, -and get the Royal Aircraft Factory people to set to work as hard as -they can."</p> - -<p>"You will have to make another set of working plans, I suppose?" -remarked Dick.</p> - -<p>"No, fortunately. As it happens I have both duplicate and triplicate -tracings deposited at a London bank. However, that is not our -immediate concern. What I propose doing is this. I'll motor into -Church Stretton this morning and take old Harvey to the cottage -hospital. Athol and you might make up arrears of sleep. This -afternoon we'll tackle that little job you mentioned in connection -with the dual drive. There are also a few adjustments necessary, -which I noticed during our trial trip—not important, but certainly -desirable. While I am in Church Stretton I'll engage a man and his -wife as caretakers of the house while we're away. One never knows -when we may be back. To-morrow at nine o'clock I intend starting on -our flight to London."</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake's plans worked smoothly. During the afternoon the -suggested alterations to the driving transmission gear were -satisfactorily carried out, and everything made ready for the -momentous flight.</p> - -<p>"I'm sending something of the nature of an ultimatum to the War -Office," he remarked during the course of the evening. "You see we -have to announce our arrival, otherwise the anti-aircraft guns might -favour us with their unwelcome attentions. On the other hand it's -worse than useless asking formal permission from the authorities to -fly over the Metropolis. The application would drift to and fro -between a dozen or more departments. Every little tinpot in office -would have some remarks to make—I know them of old. The chances are -that I would get an evasive reply in about a fortnight. Good heavens! -If we had an Admiralty and a War Office purged of the somnolent civil -element the war would be over by this time. So I've just cut in with -a bald announcement. I've left a telegram to be dispatched at nine -to-morrow—the time we start—stating that the Desmond Blake -battleplane will manoeuvre over the Horse Guards Parade at 10 a.m. -But we'll turn in now. It's getting late, and we've a full programme -in front of us tomorrow."</p> - -<p>"Do you mind if we sleep on board the battleplane?" asked Athol.</p> - -<p>"Mind? No, of course not. But what's the object?"</p> - -<p>"We've been talking it over," said Athol. "We thought that perhaps -those spy Johnnies might pay us another visit."</p> - -<p>"Hardly likely," replied Blake grimly. "They've collared the plans, -and those will keep them quiet."</p> - -<p>"I don't know so much about that," rejoined Dick. "They might think -that that is our opinion, and consider it a favourable chance of -returning and doing damage to the battleplane. That would give them a -tremendous start."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you're right," declared the inventor. "Now I come to think -of it there is a possibility that the rascals will attempt to -culminate their efforts. We'll all sleep on board, and take turns at -keeping watch. I haven't bothered to fix up that high tension wire -again. 'Fraid they know too much. We'll arm ourselves and be ready to -give them a warm reception."</p> - -<p>"By the by," remarked Dick, "whilst we were repairing the side-car -wheel I noticed a 'buzzer' in the workshop."</p> - -<p>"Yes," replied Blake. "I bought it to practise Morse signalling. -Found myself awfully testy, by the by. But why do you ask?"</p> - -<p>"We could fix it up on board, muffle the sound and connect the -battery with a push on the door of the shed," said Dick. "We could -arrange it that as soon as the door opens wide enough to admit a man -a circuit would be complete."</p> - -<p>"Might try it," admitted Blake. "But you must remember these fellows -are prepared for all sorts of dodges. Well, we'll adjourn at five -minutes' intervals. The great thing is to get on board without being -seen, for ten to one if these rascals intend paying us another visit -they will be keeping a sharp look-out on the house."</p> - -<p>With a loaded revolver reposing in the side pocket of his coat, Athol -was the first to make for the shed where the battleplane was housed. -Slipping quietly through an open window in the rear of the house he -crept stealthily through the snow, keeping well under the cover of -the pinetrees. As an additional precaution he walked backwards, so -that should the spies subsequently examine the ground they would find -that the footprints led away from the shed.</p> - -<p>It seemed a long five minutes waiting for Dick to rejoin him. The -eerie shape of the battleplane, looming faintly through the darkness, -and the possibility that even now some miscreant might be hidden in -the hangar, gave the lad an unpleasant sensation that he had not -experienced since his first night on sentry in the first-line -trenches of Flanders.</p> - -<p>At length Dick arrived. Not a word was spoken. They stood motionless -until Blake joined them. Still in silence they ascended the aluminium -ladder and gained the interior of the fuselage. Already it had been -arranged that Athol was to have the first watch—from nine to -midnight. Blake had insisted upon keeping the next three hours. He -knew what the mental strain of that watch meant, when a man's diurnal -vitality is supposed to reach its lowest ebb. Out of consideration -for his young and efficient helpers he knew that by taking the middle -watch each lad would have six hours' continuous rest, unless -something unforeseen occurred.</p> - -<p>Lying at full length upon the floor of the fuselage Athol could -command a considerable extent of the shed, for the aperture by which -the crew had gained the interior of the battleplane had purposely -been left wide open. The double doors of the building had been locked -and the key removed, while Dick's contrivance had been fixed up, the -"buzzer" lying within a foot of the watcher's ear.</p> - -<p>The lad had no idea of the time. Already it seemed as though he had -been for hours at his post. The silence, broken only by the moan of -the wind in the pines, and the occasional thud of a heap of -accumulated snow from the roof of the hangar, was oppressive.</p> - -<p>"What's that, I wonder?" thought the lad as, after a seemingly -interminable lapse of time, a faint hissing, bubbling noise caught -his ear. For some seconds he listened intently. Then came the -unmistakable odour of the fumes of a powerful acid, mingled with the -spluttering of the drifting flakes as they came in contact with the -hot metal.</p> - -<p>The miscreant, whoever he might be, had fought shy of the task of -picking the lock, and was employing either sulphuric or nitric acid.</p> - -<p>Athol knelt up, gripping the coaming of the aperture and straining -his ears. Then, just as he was about to steal softly to his -companions, he felt a hand laid lightly upon his shoulder.</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake had also detected the signs of the miscreant's attempt.</p> - -<p>Without trusting himself even to whisper, Blake began to apply a -series of light touches to his assistant's arm. Athol, quick to grasp -the significance, understood. The inventor was employing the Morse -system of communication.</p> - -<p>"No action till I give the word," he tapped out. "Wake Dick."</p> - -<p>Although his chum was sound asleep Athol succeeded in rousing him in -silence, and the three airmen gathered round the aperture of the -fuselage, awaiting developments.</p> - -<p>Quite half an hour passed; then came the rending of the -chemically-treated corrugated metal sheeting. A muffled exclamation -of pain followed by a guttural oath plainly indicated that the fellow -had burnt himself with the powerful corrosive.</p> - -<p>Crawling through the opening the intruder hung a great coat over the -hole, to trap any rays of light from passing without, and switched on -an electric torch. For some seconds he stood gazing at the mechanical -marvel he meant to destroy. His scientific curiosity made him -temporarily set aside his purpose, for still holding the torch he -began to swing himself up the girder-ladder communicating with the -interior of the apparently untenanted battleplane.</p> - -<p>The reflected glare of the upturned torch made it easy for the lads -to follow the inventor's unspoken directions. Cautiously they backed -until they had placed the motor space between them and the aperture -towards which the fellow was climbing.</p> - -<p>The man seemed in no hurry, for some minutes elapsed before his head -and shoulders appeared in view. Then came another pause as, sitting -on the coaming with his feet resting on the topmost rung of the -ladder, he flashed his light around the interior of the mechanical -bird.</p> - -<p>The miscreant had little of the accepted appearance of a spy. He was -slight of build, although his head seemed out of all proportion to -his body. His features were round and florid, his eyes—as far as the -glare of the torch permitted them to be seen—large and exhibiting a -docile expression like that of a well-cared-for household cat. -Encountered under ordinary circumstances one would without hesitation -set him down as an easy-going, babyish man devoid both of mental and -bodily power.</p> - -<p>Judging him from a physical point of view Athol formed a rapid -conclusion that either he or Dick could tackle him with one hand.</p> - -<p>Still Blake gave no sign. He was too old a campaigner to throw away -his advantage by premature action. He resolved to wait until the -fellow had moved sufficiently far from the aperture to be unable to -make a quick dive for safety.</p> - -<p>Presently the German crept forward, still flashing his torch. -Evidently there was something that attracted his attention to a -greater: extent than did the motors and wing-actuating mechanism.</p> - -<p>"Hands up!" exclaimed Desmond Blake sternly, at the same time -flooding the interior of the fuselage with the dazzling rays of his -electric lamp.</p> - -<p>"Sorry—my mistake," replied the fellow coolly. "Mistook this place -for a barn, 'pon my word, I did. Beastly awkward mistake, don't you -know. Then, seeing what I took to be a novel sort of agricultural -implement I was curious——"</p> - -<p>"Are you putting your hands up?" enquired the inventor briskly.</p> - -<p>A pistol shot rang out. The spy, grasping the still-smoking weapon, -threw himself flat upon the floor to await the result of his shot. -Dazzled by the glare he had been unable to see his challenger; nor -was he cognisant of the fact that the two lads were present. The -result of previous investigations led him to believe that the -inventor was the only able-bodied man about the place, and, now that -the dogs had been disposed of, the odds were level.</p> - -<p>Greatly to the consternation of Athol and his chum, Blake began to -emit blood-curdling, hollow groans. They were on the point of -replying to the rascal's shot when Blake signed to them to keep under -cover, punctuating his groans by a series of winks that showed -plainly that there was plenty of "kick" left in him yet.</p> - -<p>The spy showed no immediate haste to follow up what he considered to -be first blood. The powerful rays of the lamp irritated him. Until -the brilliant light was put out movements would be too risky. He -looked about for something bullet-proof and portable that might serve -as a mantlet to cover his progress towards the lamp.</p> - -<p>Close at hand was a small teak box containing sand. Blake had placed -it on board in case of fire. It was certainly proof against a -revolver bullet—perhaps even sufficient to stop a rifle-bullet.</p> - -<p>Stretching out his arm the spy grasped the edge of the box and began -to draw it towards him. The act was his undoing, for a keen knife -whistled through the air with unerring aim, and the next instant the -German's left hand was transfixed and securely pinned to the hard -teak.</p> - -<p>"Drop that pistol and put your right hand up," ordered Blake, when -the fellow's cries for mercy had subsided sufficiently for the -inventor to make himself heard.</p> - -<p>The German obeyed. The excruciating pain had overcome all his cunning -and spirit of resistance.</p> - -<p>"That's reasonable," declared Blake, possessing himself of the -surrendered weapon. "Now, lads, lash his ankles. Hang it all! What -possessed the idiot to start blazing away? Goodness only knows what -damage he's done to the intricate mechanism. And he expected I'd -begin to pump nickel through my invention in the hope of plugging -him."</p> - -<p>"I thought you were hit," remarked Athol.</p> - -<p>"Hit? No fear," replied the inventor. "I wanted that fellow to think -he had given me a souvenir. It was a jolly good thing I learnt that -South American trick of throwing a knife. Didn't think much of it at -the time, but, by Jove! it served its purpose."</p> - -<p>Having removed the knife and dressed the German's hand, the airmen -moved their prisoner aft, securing him to a ring-bolt in the floor. -Then bidding Dick mount guard over the captive, Blake, accompanied by -Athol, searched the shed and its immediate surroundings.</p> - -<p>"There is only one of them this time," declared Blake. "Here are his -footprints. This looks cheerful, too."</p> - -<p>He stooped and picked up a couple of detonators and a coil of fuse. -The spy had set these on the ground at the foot of the tree, -apparently with the intention of fixing them up when he had satisfied -his curiosity concerning the battleplane.</p> - -<p>"It's most fortunate that you fellows suggested spending the night on -board," declared Blake fervently. "The battleplane would have been -blown sky high before morning if I hadn't listened to your advice. -Now I think I'll subject our Hun to a little cross-examination."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter07"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER VII</h3> - -<h4 align="center">THE BATTLEPLANE'S OFFICIAL DEBUT</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">Without</span> speaking a word Desmond Blake approached his prisoner and -regarded him intently. For a full minute he kept his eyes fixed upon -the German, who at first seemed indifferent to the attention paid -him.</p> - -<p>Presently the spy began to shift uneasily under the searching -scrutiny. Try as he would to avoid the penetrating look he found -himself unable to withstand the seemingly mesmeric influence. His -whole attitude was that of a dog cowed solely by the severity of its -master's gaze.</p> - -<p>"What is your name?" demanded Blake, breaking the strained silence.</p> - -<p>"Sigismund Selighoffer," replied the spy in a strangely subdued -voice.</p> - -<p>"A native of Germany?"</p> - -<p>"Of Halle."</p> - -<p>"A spy?"</p> - -<p>"Yes." The answer was given with considerable hesitation. It was the -man speaking in spite of his inclination to maintain silence and -discretion.</p> - -<p>"You stole my plans. Where are they?"</p> - -<p>"It was my employer, Karl von Secker, who took the plans. We were -here last night. He went away yesterday, taking the plans with him; -but before he went he gave me orders to destroy this machine."</p> - -<p>"You know where he is?"</p> - -<p>"On my honour, no. He could not tell me. Perhaps he will make his way -back to Germany. It is easy for him to do so."</p> - -<p>Blake asked several more questions, not once shifting his eyes from -the thoroughly cowed Hun.</p> - -<p>"Very good," he concluded. "In a few hours' time you will be handed -over to the authorities for trial. If it be any satisfaction to you I -might add that you will be the first German—and I hope the last—to -set foot on this battleplane."</p> - -<p>He turned and went for'ard. Directly his back was turned the spy -broke into a torrent of oaths, defying his captors and reviling -himself for having given away so much information.</p> - -<p>Blake merely shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>"Simply the triumph of a strong mind over a weak one," he explained -to the lads. "Herr Selighoffer is merely a pawn in the game—a tool -of the more dangerous von Secker. Had we no other and more urgent -work in hand it would be a delightful task to run von Secker to -earth. Man-hunting is, from my personal knowledge, one of the -greatest thrills a criminologist can experience. Once I had to track -a Brazilian desperado across miles of country—but that story can -wait. We must trust the recovery of the plans to the authorities. -Now, lads, the pair of you had better turn in again. I'll keep watch, -although I don't anticipate any further trouble from prowling Huns. -It would be just as well to keep an eye upon that slippery customer, -Sigismund."</p> - -<p>The rest of the night passed without interruption. At seven the lads -arose, bathed and had breakfast; by eight-thirty the battleplane was -ready for her flight to London.</p> - -<p>"Better thirty minutes too early than thirty seconds too late," -remarked Dick.</p> - -<p>"H'm! perhaps in this case," rejoined Athol. "Do you remember that -morning in the trenches facing the Menin road? We were both a little -tardy in turning out to breakfast."</p> - -<p>"And what happened?" asked Blake.</p> - -<p>"Nothing as far as we were concerned," replied Dick. "Except that we -had no breakfast that morning. A shell had landed close to the stew -pot and the men with their rations were blown to bits. It was a case -of Nah Pooh with them."</p> - -<p>Without a hitch the battleplane was brought from the hangar, her -wings extended and the motors set running. It had now ceased snowing, -and although the ground was still covered with a mantle of white, -there seemed every prospect of a fine day.</p> - -<p>Making a splendid ascent the machine quickly attained an altitude of -twelve thousand feet, and a compass course was shaped to due east. -Blake had a definite object in flying high. The air was sufficiently -clear to distinguish prominent landmarks, but at that altitude there -was hardly any possibility of the battleplane being seen from the -earth. He wanted to make his arrival as dramatic and sudden as -possible.</p> - -<p>"We're touching one hundred and eighty miles an hour now," announced -the inventor. "Could do another twenty with ease if we wished. We'll -romp there hands down."</p> - -<p>"Why this easterly course?" asked Dick, who, having for the time -being finished with the motors, had taken his place close to the -pilot. "This will land us somewhere in Norfolk if we carry on."</p> - -<p>"Only till we pick up the North-Western main line," replied Blake. -"There's nothing like a railway to help you to fix a position. In -conjunction with a good map a railway lets you know where you are -almost to a mile."</p> - -<p>Forty-seven minutes from the time the battleplane left the ground a -dull haze upon the horizon indicated that the metropolis was in -sight. Quickly the intervening distance was covered, until at a -height of two thousand feet the airmen were immediately over the -Thames.</p> - -<p>"Good enough!" declared Blake, at the same time locking the wings. -Although the motors were still running they were acting merely as -"free engines," ready to be coupled up to the wings in a case of -emergency. For the rest of the distance the battleplane was to glide -under the attraction of gravity.</p> - -<p>Unerringly Blake brought the battleplane towards the gravelled -expanse of the Horse Guards Parade. Save for a few persons hurrying -across the place was almost deserted. Evidently there was no sign -that the aviators were expected. Either the telegram had been delayed -or the War Office officials had considered it a hoax.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Blake coupled up the wing-mechanism. The beating of the -wings caused several of the pedestrians to look skywards. For a -second or so they seemed hardly able to credit their senses. -Aeroplanes they knew, but the huge mechanical bird astonished them. -Right and left they scattered, leaving the parade as deserted as a -Siberian plain.</p> - -<p>Making a faultless landing the battleplane came to rest. Blake, -throwing back the wind screen, awaited developments.</p> - -<p>In less than five minutes the machine was surrounded by thousands of -curious spectators. It took all the efforts of a strong force of -police and soldiers to keep the crowd back.</p> - -<p>A way having been cleared through the press a group of military staff -officers came up. Amongst them Blake recognised a tall, alert figure -in the uniform of a major-general.</p> - -<p>"Good morning, Sir Henry!" he exclaimed. "You see I have carried out -my promise. Come on board, if you please."</p> - -<p>Agilely Sir Henry swarmed up the ladder.</p> - -<p>"A top-hole fellow," said Blake to his companions during the -officer's progress. "One of the few who were at least sympathetic -when I first submitted my plans."</p> - -<p>"By Jove, Blake!" exclaimed the newcomer, as, slightly breathless, he -gained the interior of the fuselage. "This is rather unexpected."</p> - -<p>"I warned you," replied the inventor.</p> - -<p>"You did, but, pardon my saying so, I was sceptical."</p> - -<p>"But not to the extent of some of your colleagues," added Blake with -a tinge of irony. "However, that's done with. Here is the -battleplane. I formally offer her to the Government. But before we go -farther. Do you know that there is a German spy here—actually within -the precincts of the War Office?"</p> - -<p>"Good heavens, no!" replied Sir Henry in astonishment. "How do you -know that?"</p> - -<p>"Optical proof," replied Blake. "If you'll come aft I'll show you."</p> - -<p>Briefly the circumstances under which Sigismund Selighoffer was -captured were stated, and in a very few minutes the spy was taken -from the battleplane and marched off under escort.</p> - -<p>"Now as far as I am concerned I hope I'll hear no more about that -fellow," commented Blake. "My time is too precious to waste in -attending courts-martial. All the same I should be particularly -pleased to hear that von Secker, the spy's accomplice—or rather, -employer—is run to earth. These fellows pay considerably more -attention to outside inventions than does the British Government, I'm -sorry to say. But let me show you round. Oh, yes, there's room for a -few more," he added as three or four staff officers shouted out for -permission to come on board.</p> - -<p>With them was one of the civil staff of the War Office. Blake eyed -him with a grim smile, for he was the man who had been so prominent -in cold-shouldering the inventor but a few months previously.</p> - -<p>"Yes, we should like to witness a flight," replied Sir Henry in -answer to Blake's proposition. "This ability to ascend almost -perpendicularly must be a unique, I might say, rather ingenious -property. No, I don't think I will accompany you this trip... another -time, perhaps."</p> - -<p>One by one the staff officers filed through the aperture in the floor -of the fuselage and descended to the ground, amidst the plaudits of -the crowd. The civilian official was the last to leave, when Blake -touched him on the shoulder.</p> - -<p>"You remember me?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Of course, of course I do," replied the man pompously. "I never -forget faces. You will doubtless recollect that during our former -interview I expressed my opinion——"</p> - -<p>"That an ounce of fact is worth a pound of theory," rejoined Blake. -"In the circumstances the remark was uncalled for."</p> - -<p>"But in my position one has to look for results," stammered the man -nervously, for Blake had fixed him with that disconcerting look that -had so effectually cowed the spy.</p> - -<p>"The result is here," declared the inventor. "You are now going to -accompany us for a spin. You are not afraid?"</p> - -<p>If he were afraid the official was doubly afraid to admit it. He -nodded his head.</p> - -<p>"Good!" exclaimed Blake approvingly, as he closed the hatchway at his -feet. "Start her up, Dick. Open the exhaust full out. A little noise -will shift the crowd."</p> - -<p>Dick obeyed, using the "cut-out." Instead of the engines purring -almost noiselessly they roared like the concentrated discharge of a -battery of mitrailleuses. Then, with a mighty sweep of her wings the -battleplane appeared to stand on end. The next instant she was -soaring swiftly above the dirty grey stone work of the buildings of -the Horse Guards.</p> - -<p>The passenger seated in the balanced chair, and seeing the body of -the machine turning apparently around a fixed axis, was too -astonished even to ejaculate. At length, encouraged by the cool -demeanour of Dick and his chum, the official plucked up courage, and, -the battleplane having settled down to a steady position, peered over -the edge of the coaming.</p> - -<p>It was his first sight of London from a height of three thousand -feet. He was beginning to enjoy the sensation.</p> - -<p>Up and down, describing erratic curves, nose-diving, volplaning and -side-slipping with deliberate intent, Desmond Blake carried out his -spectacular and demonstrative programme. At one moment it seemed as -if the battleplane was diving under the Admiralty Arch; at almost the -next it was skimming the aerials on the twin domes of the -headquarters of the British Navy. Spinning round, almost on the tip -of one wing, the tractable machine circled Nelson's Monument, as if -to pay homage to the memory of the one-armed little man whose -traditions the Navy of to-day so gallantly uphold. Then, at a rate -equal to double that of an express train, the battleplane disappeared -from view, to circle over the Nore at a height far beyond the range -of the most efficient anti-aircraft guns that the Medway Defences -possessed.</p> - -<p>Fifteen minutes later the battleplane again came to rest on the Horse -Guards Parade. Her passenger, almost speechless with unbounded -admiration, did not hesitate to make his amends.</p> - -<p>Nor was Sir Henry less enthusiastic.</p> - -<p>Gripping Blake's hand as the inventor descended from the battleplane -he exclaimed, "Bravo! my dear sir; your aeroplane is simply great. -But why the deuce did you make such a show with it? By to-night all -the world will know about it."</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>"It was the only way," he replied. "Nothing else would have attracted -the attention of the War Office."</p> - -<p>"You certainly have now," said Sir Henry with a smile. "Suppose we -adjourn to my office. I'll summon my colleagues and we can discuss -terms."</p> - -<p>"There are no terms to discuss," objected the inventor. "The -battleplane belongs to the Empire unconditionally."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter08"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER VIII</h3> - -<h4 align="center">A CROSS-CHANNEL FLIGHT</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"I am</span> off to France to-day, lads," announced Desmond Blake on -returning to the battleplane after the conclusion of the conference. -"It's sharp work, but now these gentlemen have warmed up they are -like high pressure blast-furnaces. I suggested handing the plane over -to one of the Flying Corps camps and remaining until a military crew -had been trained to its use. They weren't keen on that exactly, so -they made me promise to fly the machine across to the Front. I have -been given a commission as captain in the R.F.C., so the poor -neglected inventor blossoms out into a warrior of the aerial blue. -Well, lads, the best of friends must part——"</p> - -<p>"No, fear," declared Dick stoutly, and Athol backed him up in his -protest. "It's not fair."</p> - -<p>"On the contrary, it is perfectly fair," said Blake. "You have -rendered me great service, and I deeply appreciate it. But when the -battleplane goes abroad our implied contract is automatically -broken."</p> - -<p>"I don't see it," objected Athol bluntly. "We agreed to bear a hand -for a definite period. Locality didn't enter into the conditions. -Haven't we been entirely satisfactory?"</p> - -<p>"Entirely."</p> - -<p>"Then why are we to be pushed out of it? We are frightfully keen on -the job."</p> - -<p>"That I don't doubt," replied Blake. "It isn't that I don't want to -take you. It's the official regulations coupled with a desire on my -part not to run you into danger. You were turned back from the Front -once before, remember."</p> - -<p>"Hardly," replied Dick. "We were all right out there. It was coming -home that did us in as far as the Army was concerned. The rotten part -about the whole business is that the authorities insist upon a cast -iron rule concerning a fellow's age. The number of years that a -fellow has lived surely ought to be no criterion. A fellow might be -absolutely fit for active service at sixteen or seventeen; another a -physical wreck at thirty. It's jolly hard lines."</p> - -<p>"A youngster of sixteen or seventeen might think he's fit," remarked -Blake. "His heart is in his work and all that sort of thing, but his -constitution is not properly developed. He crumples up under the -strain, and additional and preventable work is thrown upon the -medical authorities. That's the Army view of the case, I believe, and -it's a sound view to take."</p> - -<p>"Yet we maintain that each individual case should be tried on its -merits," declared Athol. "To put the question bluntly: have you any -objection to our going?"</p> - -<p>"None whatever," replied the inventor.</p> - -<p>"Then let us make an application. If you back us up there'll be no -difficulty. You have the whip hand over this battleplane business."</p> - -<p>"I'll see," replied Blake, loth to commit himself. Secretly he was -pleased at the lads' determination and patriotism. Already he knew -that they were capable. Their previous record at the Front proved -that they were physically fit; and they had been strongly recommended -for commissions by the commanding officer of their regiment.</p> - -<p>"All right," he continued. "Come with me."</p> - -<p>Leaving a gang of men at work painting distinctive red, white and -blue circles on various conspicuous parts of the battleplane, Blake -set off to find Sir Henry. In the record time of less than half an -hour, so strongly did he set forth the charms of his youthful -assistants, Athol Hawke and Dick Tracey were gazetted second -lieutenants in the finest corps of airmen in the world.</p> - -<p>The next step was to undo the mischief Blake had practically been -forced to do by giving a public display of the marvellous -capabilities of the battleplane. Accordingly it was announced, with -all semblance of a confidential secret, that the machine had -developed serious defects, and had been rejected by the authorities. -Experience proved that by giving out the news in this manner it would -spread as quickly or even more rapidly than if it had been proclaimed -from the house-tops. No doubt there were scores of German agents -mingled with the throng on the Horse Guards Parade, and in spite of -all precautions a fairly detailed description of the battleplane, and -particulars of her destination, would speedily be transmitted to -Berlin.</p> - -<p>At two o'clock in the afternoon the battleplane started on her -cross-Channel flight. She rose awkwardly, side-slipping and missing -fire badly, thanks to Blake's elaborate deception, and heading in a -nor'-westerly direction was soon lost to sight.</p> - -<p>Still climbing Blake kept her on a course diametrically opposite to -her next landing-place until the battleplane attained the dizzy -height of sixteen thousand feet. At that altitude, favoured by a -slight haze, she was totally invisible from the ground. Then swinging -round she retraced her course, flying at a rate of one hundred and -eighty miles an hour towards the French coast.</p> - -<p>Forty minutes later the battleplane planed down. As she swooped down -out of a bank of clouds the lads could see what appeared to be a -comparatively narrow stretch of silvery plain that expanded almost -indefinitely in either direction north-east and sou'-west. It was the -English Channel in the neighbourhood of the Straits of Dover. Ahead -were the chalky masses of Cape Grisnez, the frowning promontory -"flattened" out of all recognition by reason of the immense altitude -of the observers.</p> - -<p>"Do you remember the first time we crossed Channel?" asked Dick of -his chum. "Sixteen solid hours of physical discomfort between -Southampton and Havre. We were jolly bad."</p> - -<p>"A submarine alarm would not have spurred us to energy," agreed -Athol. "Four hundred and fifty men who had been singing 'Rule -Britannia' at the top of their voices were lying on their backs, and -bewailing the fact that the lady with the trident didn't rule the -waves straighter. And now we are crossing the ditch in absolute -comfort."</p> - -<p>"Put on your flying helmets, lads, and lower the wind-screens," -ordered Blake. "Nothing like getting used to Service conditions. Be -careful as you lower away."</p> - -<p>The warning was most necessary, for when the struts supporting the -wind-screens were removed, it took practically all the strength at -the lads' command to resist the fearful pressure of the wind upon the -transparent panes.</p> - -<p>Speaking, save by means of the voice-tubes, was now an impossibility. -The furious air-currents, whirling past the airmen's heads, sounded -like the continual roar of a mountainous sea breaking upon a -rock-bound shore. The keenness of the wind cut the lads' faces; its -violence almost took their breath away. For the first time they fully -realised the sensation of speed through space.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Blake, leaning outwards, pointed at something almost -immediately beneath the fuselage. Following the direction of his -outstretched hand, the lads could see a small glistening speck -seemingly but a few feet above the sea. It was a monoplane.</p> - -<p>Bringing their glasses to bear upon the machine the lads could -distinguish it clearly. It was a British aircraft also making for the -French coast, although owing to the relative difference of speed it -looked as if it were flying stern foremost in the opposite direction. -It was staggering in the teeth of a strong north-easterly gale, the -effect of which was hardly noticeable in the upper air. The use of -the binoculars also revealed for the first time that there was quite -a mountainous sea running, while a patch of swirling foam betokened -the presence of the dreaded Goodwin Sands.</p> - -<p>Blake raised his wind-screen. His companions followed his example -with alacrity. Peace reigned within the body of the battleplane, and -conversation could be resumed.</p> - -<p>"Plucky fellow, that airman," remarked Blake. "It wants a bit of -nerve to set out across Channel on a day like this. Yet it is an -everyday occurrence, and mishaps are few and far between. Contrast -what that flying mail has to encounter with the conditions under -which Blériot flew from Grisnez to Dover. The Frenchman's -achievement was the talk of the world; probably only half a dozen -people know of that fellow's flight. Of course I don't want to -detract anything from Blériot's splendid feat, but—hulloa! what's -that?"</p> - -<p>Instead of the rhythmical purr of the motors came the unmistakable -"cough" that precedes the stoppage of the engines through carburation -troubles. In a trice Dick slid from his seat and made a hasty -examination. As he did so the motors ceased firing.</p> - -<p>"We're out of petrol," he reported. "Nonsense!" exclaimed Blake -incredulously. "The tanks were refilled when we started from London."</p> - -<p>"They're empty now, at any rate," added Dick. "Yes, I see what it -is, the pet-cock on the draining pipe is open."</p> - -<p>"Some of our visitors must have knocked it accidentally," declared -the inventor. "Be as sharp as you can, Dick. There are some spare -tins in the after compartment. One will save her. We're volplaning -rapidly and against the wind we won't be able to fetch the land."</p> - -<p>With her wings rigidly extended the battleplane was descending at an -angle of thirty degrees to the horizontal. In ordinary circumstances -she ought to be able to cover a distance of ten or twelve miles—more -than sufficient to land her in French territory—but owing to the -force of the hard wind her relative speed over the "ground"—which -happened to be a raging sea—would be less than a couple of miles.</p> - -<p>While Athol unscrewed the cap of the tank Dick crawled for'ard with a -two-gallon tin of spirit. Recklessly he poured in the precious -fuel, "tickled" the still warm carburettor and swung the engine. -Without hesitation the motors began purring in their normal and -businesslike manner.</p> - -<p>"Hurrah!" exclaimed Blake. "You were just in time. We were only fifty -feet up when she fired. Carry on with the other cans. There'll be -just enough to get us home."</p> - -<p>Dick was now painfully aware, as he carried can after can of petrol -from the store compartment, that the battleplane was in the grip of -the storm fiend. In her downward glide she had passed from the region -of comparatively uniform wind pressure to a stratum in which vicious -erratic currents assailed her on every side. In spite of the lad's -utmost caution he was continually hurled violently against the side -of the fuselage, while it was a matter of greatest difficulty to keep -his footing upon the heavy floor of the steeply-inclined machine.</p> - -<p>"Enough," ordered Blake. "Stand by. We're nearly there. I spot an -aerodrome. It may be a British one. At any rate, we'll land."</p> - -<p>Dimly wondering how the pilot would bring the huge battleplane to -earth in that howling wind, the lads "stood by." Their confidence in -Blake was unbounded.</p> - -<p>Head to wind the machine planed earthwards. The whole expanse of the -aerodrome seemed as if it were rising to greet the unique mechanical -bird. Men, to whom the almost hourly arrival and return of flying -machines caused little or no comment, emerged from their huts to -witness the landing of the weirdest battleplane they had ever seen.</p> - -<p>With almost an imperceptible jerk the landing wheels struck the sandy -soil. Simultaneously Blake "switched off" the motors and thrust a -lever hard down. The wings folding without a hitch no longer offered -resistance to the wind, and the battleplane, pinned down to the earth -by its own compact weight, rested firmly on the soil of France.</p> - -<center>* * * * *</center> - -<p>"So you have arrived," was the Wing Commander's greeting. "We were -expecting you. Had a fair passage?"</p> - -<p>"Fairly," replied Blake. "A slight mishap over the Channel well-nigh -landed us into the ditch. It was blowing very hard at the time." -"Seen anything of a monoplane on your way over?" enquired the flying -officer. "We had information that one of our latest type of machine -had left Newhaven a couple of hours ago."</p> - -<p>"Yes," was the reply. "We passed her about half-way across. She was -flying low and apparently making slow progress against the gale."</p> - -<p>"A tough task for a new hand," commented the Wing Commander. "The -youngster took his certificate only a fortnight ago, and this is his -first cross-Channel flight."</p> - -<p>"He would have done better if he had kept eight or ten thousand feet -up," hazarded Blake.</p> - -<p>"Possibly," rejoined his new chief drily. "Only it happens that our -new pilots are specially warned to fly low when making for the French -coast."</p> - -<p>"I had no such instructions," declared Blake.</p> - -<p>"Therefore it would not have been a great surprise to me if you had -carried on right over our lines and dropped gently on one of the -Germans' aviation grounds. We have already had one or two cases like -that. Our new pilots, not being sufficiently acquainted with the -locality, have overshot the mark. Deplorable of course, but the fact -remains."</p> - -<p>"Here comes the expected monoplane, sir," reported a young -flight-lieutenant.</p> - -<p>Still flying low and rocking under the influence of the eddying air -currents the monoplane battled towards the aerodrome. At that -altitude there was no mistaking the nationality of the men awaiting -the aviator's arrival. Two mechanics, detaching themselves from their -comrades, made ready to steady the planes when the machine touched -ground.</p> - -<p>With admirable precision the airman "flattened out." So well timed -was his descent that it was almost impossible to determine the -precise moment when the monoplane was air-borne and when it was -supported by its landing wheels.</p> - -<p>Rolling over the ground for nearly fifty feet the monoplane stopped -head to wind. The pilot descended, removed his goggles and flying -helmet, revealing the boyish, clear-cut features of a man barely out -of his teens.</p> - -<p>Numbed by the cold he walked unsteadily, rubbing his hands as he did -so in order to restore the circulation.</p> - -<p>"A bit nippy," he remarked casually, after he had formally reported -his arrival. "She did it jolly well, though. By the bye, I see you've -got here ahead of me," he added, addressing Blake and nodding in the -direction of the securely held battleplane.</p> - -<p>"I didn't imagine that you saw us; we were ten thousand feet up when -we overtook you," said Blake.</p> - -<p>"Neither did I," admitted the flight-lieutenant.</p> - -<p>"Then how——" began the battleplane's inventor, surprised at the -confession and at a loss to understand why the pilot of the monoplane -was able to report on the former's progress.</p> - -<p>"I'll let you into a secret," rejoined the young lieutenant laughing. -"Last Friday at a quarter to nine in the morning that weird-looking -'bus," and he nodded in the direction of the battleplane, "ascended -from a shed at a spot roughly twelve miles south of Shrewsbury, and -proceeded in a south-westerly direction. Quite a short flight, out -and home. Now, am I not correct?"</p> - -<p>Almost dumfounded, Blake had to admit that the airman's information -was correct.</p> - -<p>"How did you know that?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Simply that instead of your being ten thousand feet above me I was -that height above you," was the astonishing reply. "The Intelligence -Department is not so sleepy as some people would have it believe. We -had orders to try to locate a mysterious battleplane that was -propelled by means of movable wings. I happened to be the lucky one -to spot you, so you see we are not exactly strangers."</p> - -<p>"And let us hope," added Desmond Blake, extending his hand, "that we -shall be pals."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter09"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER IX</h3> - -<h4 align="center">A FIGHT TO A FINISH</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">For</span> the next three days the crew of the battleplane were kept busily -employed in getting ready for active service against the Huns. With -the utmost expediency thousands of bullets made to Desmond Blake's -specification had been turned out in one of the British ammunition -factories and dispatched across to the aerodrome. Here they were -taken in hand by mechanics attached to the R.F.C. and fitted into -ordinary Service rifle cartridges for use with the automatic guns.</p> - -<p>Both Athol and Dick had to undergo a brief but efficient machine gun -course, and were instructed in the art of aiming at rapidly-moving -targets from an equally mobile platform. Several branches of the -flying officers' art they were not at present to touch. Blake's -battleplane was to be used for purely offensive purposes, so that -there was no occasion for the lads to be instructed in registering, -observation and reconnaissance work. Nor was there time to study -wireless. An apparatus had, however, been installed, and to work it a -fourth member of the crew was appointed—Sergeant Michael O'Rafferty.</p> - -<p>O'Rafferty was an Irishman by birth, name and characteristics. He was -a light-weight of eight stone seven pounds, as agile in body as he -was mercurial in temperament. Already he had two Hun biplanes to his -credit, and was one of the most reckless flying men of that -particular squadron.</p> - -<p>Amongst other alterations to the battleplane on becoming a Service -machine a regulation bomb-dropping device had been fitted in the -floor of the fuselage. Eighteen powerful bombs were to be carried, -and, when occasion arose, released by the application of the pilot's -foot upon a pedal, while for offence against bodies of troops boxes -of "flêches" or steel arrows were stowed on board.</p> - -<p>The arrival from London of their uniforms completed the lads' -preparations, and fully equipped they eagerly awaited an opportunity -of meeting the Hun airmen.</p> - -<p>The chance came sooner than they expected, for late one evening, when -most of the reconnaissance machines had returned to their hangars, -four enemy battleplanes were observed to be approaching. They were -flying high to avoid the anti-aircraft guns in the rear of the third -line of trenches.</p> - -<p>Enemy air-raids had been few of late. The Hun aviators for the most -part contented themselves by merely patrolling behind their lines on -swift Fokkers, swooping down upon the equally daring but -under-powered aeroplanes employed by the British for observation -purposes. On this occasion it was evident that a raid upon the -aerodrome was in contemplation.</p> - -<p>Instantly there was a rush to man the British aircraft. Three got -away before Desmond Blake could collect his crew and drag the -battleplane from her shed; but once the huge mechanical bird drew -clear of the ground her marked superiority in climbing became -apparent.</p> - -<p>Athol stood by the foremost quickfirer; O'Rafferty was at the after -one; Dick had perforce to tend to the motors since the slightest -hitch might result in victory to their opponents. Blake, cool and -collected, though it was the first time that he was opposed to a -hostile airman's fire, piloted the swift battleplane, manoeuvring to -gain the equivalent to the old time "weather-gage"—a superior -altitude.</p> - -<p>Observing the novel type of aircraft rising to meet them, two of the -Fokkers circled and prepared to dart down upon their opponent. Either -they misjudged the speed and power of the British battleplane or else -they deprecated the skill of her crew until it was too late.</p> - -<p>With her engines all out the battleplane darted across and far -beneath the downward course of the two German aircraft. A sharp burst -of machine gun fire from the Huns was futile, for under-estimating -the speed of their antagonist they made insufficient allowance in -their aim. Harmlessly a sheaf of several hundred bullets whizzed -astern of the secret battleplane.</p> - -<p>Round swung the Fokkers in pursuit. For the first time they realised -that in a climbing contest they were hopelessly beaten. In twenty -seconds Blake had secured an undisputable gain. He was nearly a -thousand feet above his opponents, and almost immediately overhead.</p> - -<p>In that position the British battleplane was immune from her -opponent's fire. The machine guns of the Fokkers were mounted so that -they could fire ahead between the blades of the swiftly-moving -propellers—less than five per cent. of the bullets being deflected -in their path through the arc of revolution. The guns could also be -swung round to fire on either side, but training of the weapons in a -vertical plane was considerably restricted. It was impossible to fire -at any target that was anything like overhead; a contingency that the -Huns had not provided for, since their hitherto superior speed -enabled them to decide their own conditions of fighting.</p> - -<p>"Stand by, Athol!" shouted Blake.</p> - -<p>Considering that Athol had been "standing by" during the whole of the -flight the order seemed unnecessary until the lad grasped the -significance of his superior officer's bidding.</p> - -<p>Like a kestrel the battleplane dived towards the nearmost of her -opponents. The pilot of the Fokker saw the danger. Discharging a -large smoke-bomb he strove to escape under cover of the dense pall of -vapour. For a few seconds it seemed as if the manoeuvre would prove -successful, until Blake turned his craft and brought her on a -parallel course to the escaping Hun.</p> - -<p>The Fokker could now use her machine guns, although aiming was a -matter of extreme difficulty. A hail of bullets clipping neat little -holes in the tips of the battleplane's wings showed how close the -shots were to securing telling hits.</p> - -<p>Athol and Sergeant O'Rafferty opened fire simultaneously, since both -machine guns could be brought to bear upon the German aircraft. -Caught by the stinging hail of bullets the Fokker's struts and -tension wires seemed to fly into fragments. Her shattered planes -tilted upwards as she commenced to fall earthwards. Then, bursting -into flames, the Hun machine crashed to the ground two thousand feet -below.</p> - -<p>A peculiar and disconcerting ping close to Athol's head warned him -that the fight was not yet over. The second Fokker, finding that the -mysterious aeroplane was directing its attention upon Hun No 1, had -manoeuvred for its favourite position, and owing to the battleplane -describing a circle the relative distance was now considerably -decreased.</p> - -<p>In a trice Blake banked steeply. As he did so O'Rafferty let loose a -couple of dozen rounds. The Hun, hit more than once, turned and fled.</p> - -<p>Giving a hasty glance round Blake took in the situation. The -remaining Fokkers had been disposed of by the British biplanes, but -not before one of the latter had to make an involuntary landing with -its petrol tank perforated like a sieve and its observer badly -wounded. There was now a fair chance of matching Blake's battleplane -against the vaunted and possibly overrated Fokker.</p> - -<p>The latter, with clouds of smoke pouring from her exhaust, was making -off towards her own lines. Before gaining shelter she would have to -pass over the British trenches less than thirty miles from the -encounter, even if she were successful in throwing off pursuit.</p> - -<p>Blake was equally determined to smash his opponent long before the -latter came within sight of the German trenches. It was essential -that in this early stage the secret battleplane should not show -herself to the Huns over their own lines. The systematic -disappearance of the "star" enemy airmen, without any hint of the -nature of their destruction, would have a telling effect upon the -<i>morale</i> of their flying men. It was a parallel case to the steady -and unannounced decrease in the number of German submarines, scores -of which left port never to return, and leaving no record of their -disappearance save that known and jealously guarded by the British -Admiralty.</p> - -<p>"Now see what you can do, Athol," exclaimed Blake, as the -battleplane, gaining upon her antagonist hand over fist, was in a -favourable position to open fire.</p> - -<p>Glancing along the sights Athol pressed the thumbpiece of the -firing-mechanism. Some of the shots took effect, for the Fokker, in -spite of the frantic efforts of the pilot to keep it under control, -began to dive.</p> - -<p>Athol ceased firing. The hostile aircraft was done for. Humanity -urged him to let the Hun crew save themselves if it were possible to -avoid being dashed to pieces upon the ground.</p> - -<p>Erratically swaying, lurching and side-slipping, with one of the -wings twisted like a broken reed, the German aircraft fell through a -thousand feet of space before the pilot was able to check its -descent. For ten seconds it seemed on the point of recovering itself, -then the headlong flight was resumed.</p> - -<p>Well in its wake followed the British battleplane. Blake was resolved -to watch developments. He was curious to know the fate of the Hun -crew.</p> - -<p>Retarding the battleplane's flight the pilot kept her well under -control, circling around the path of his defeated antagonist. Just as -the Fokker was on the point of landing with an appalling crash the -machine tilted acutely, then making a tail-dive alighted heavily upon -the ground, throwing both pilot and observer from their seats.</p> - -<p>In an instant the redoubtable Hun pilot regained his feet. Although -fully expectant to be greeted by a discharge from the battleplane's -machine-gun he staggered towards the wreckage and dragged his -unconscious comrade further from the pile of tangled and twisted -metal and canvas. Then striking a match and igniting his celluloid -map he threw the blazing fabric into the petrol-soaked wreckage.</p> - -<p>Bringing the battleplane to earth within twenty-five yards to -windward of the burning aeroplane Blake descended, followed by Athol -and the sergeant.</p> - -<p>The Hun, revolver in hand, stood on the defensive, although no escape -was possible, for already soldiers were hurrying up from their -billets in a neighbouring hamlet. The Hun, not knowing what treatment -he would be accorded, was evidently under the impression that no -quarter would be given.</p> - -<p>"Hands up!" ordered Blake.</p> - -<p>"You no shoot, me no shoot," replied the German aviator, still -brandishing his pistol. "Spare my life and surrender I will make."</p> - -<p>"We respect a brave foe," exclaimed Blake. "But you are our -prisoner."</p> - -<p>The German dropped his revolver and folded his arms. Blake advanced -with outstretched hands to compliment his opponent on his bravery, -but as he did so the aviator reeled and fell senseless to the ground.</p> - -<p>"They'll both pull through, I should imagine," declared an army -doctor who with others had hurried to the spot. "They look a pair of -tough birds. But, by Jove! what type of aircraft have you here?"</p> - -<p>"Just an experiment," replied Blake modestly. "We haven't done so -badly for a first attempt. Hop in, Athol, night's coming on apace, -and I'd rather tackle half a dozen Huns than risk a landing in the -dark."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter10"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER X</h3> - -<h4 align="center">TRICKED</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"Mornin'</span>, Blake," remarked the Wing Commander. "Feel like an -out-and-home flight? Thought so. Well, give a glance at this map."</p> - -<p>Three weeks had elapsed since the secret battleplane had worsted the -two Fokkers—three weeks of strenuous activity. The battleplane bore -many honourable scars, souvenirs of aerial combats. But as yet her -rôle had been a purely defensive one; she had never gone over the -German trenches, hostile anti-aircraft had not as yet sent their -shrapnel shells bursting all around her. Already the Huns had learnt -of the presence of a super-powerful aircraft of unique design, and -with feelings akin to dismay they realised that risky as it had been -to fly over the British lines it was no longer practicable anywhere -within the radius of action of the mysterious mechanical bird.</p> - -<p>"Look here," continued the Wing Commander, placing a long, slender -finger on the unfolded map that lay on the trestle table, "that's -Olhelt, a village or rather hamlet not far from Hasselt, and within -ten miles of the Netherland Frontier.</p> - -<p>"We've received information that the Bosches have a secret Zeppelin -base there, and that their new airships that are to be employed -solely for raids over England are finally tested there before passing -to active service. The place is strongly protected by Archibalds, and -there are a dozen planes constantly on duty. Now, I want you to make -a reconnaissance. If possible, bomb the Zeppelins to blazes. Would -you prefer to undertake the job alone or shall I send a supporting -squadron of swift battleplanes?"</p> - -<p>"We'll tackle it alone, sir, I think," replied Blake. "Our silent -motors are a decided factor in our favour, which would be thrown away -if we were accompanied by any biplanes."</p> - -<p>"So I thought, but I felt that I ought to give you the option," -rejoined the Wing Commander. "Now, there is another point. We have a -Belgian officer here, a man furnished with the highest credentials -from the Belgian headquarters. He's a Limburger, and knows the -district around Olhelt remarkably well. His name, let me see,"—the -officer referred to a docket—"yes, his name is Etienne Fauvart, a -lieutenant of the 21st Regiment of the Line. This man, for patriotic -and personal motives—it was he who first reported the Zeppelin base; -had the information from a relative living near Hasselt—wishes -particularly to take part in the raid. According to his story he has -a heavy account to settle with the Bosches near his home. It occurred -to me that he might be useful for pointing out the various landmarks. -From all accounts the place is rather puzzling for a strange airman -to find."</p> - -<p>"Whether he is to come with us or otherwise is for you to decide, -sir," said Blake.</p> - -<p>"Personally I am inclined to favour the suggestion," continued the -Wing Commander. "Since you are so good as to leave the matter in my -hands, I think you'd better take Lieutenant Fauvart. I'll have him -brought in."</p> - -<p>He touched a bell. An orderly appeared in the doorway.</p> - -<p>"Bring the Belgian officer here," ordered the Wing Commander.</p> - -<p>Lieutenant Etienne Fauvart was a loose-limbed man of about thirty. He -was of average height, broad of shoulder and dark-featured. Although -he clicked his heels as he saluted he lacked the alertness of the -typical British officer.</p> - -<p>"I am honoured to make your acquaintance, sir," he said in English -with a good accent when Desmond Blake and he were introduced. "Also I -esteem it an honour to go with you in your magnificent invention. I -hope that we are able to blow the Zeppelins to pieces. Ciel! I look -to the hour."</p> - -<p>"Certainly an enthusiast," thought Blake as the Belgian discussed -with his British confrères the plan of attack.</p> - -<p>It was eventually decided that the secret battleplane was to leave -the flying ground at an hour before sunset, soar to a great altitude -and arrive over her objective shortly after sunset. Elaborate -arrangements were made for her return, the aerodrome to be -brilliantly lighted on receipt of a wireless message from the -returning battleplane. In view of the possibility of a failure of the -wireless a red and a blue star rockets were to be fired by the -airmen.</p> - -<p>The Belgian officer formed a supernumerary member of the crew, since -Blake was loth to leave either of his three airmen behind. -Accordingly Fauvart was placed at the post usually occupied by Dick -when his duty with the motors had for the time been accomplished. -Young Tracey accepted the situation with the utmost good-nature. -Although reluctant to miss the visual part of the fun he realised -that it was "some" luck to be able to participate in the great raid.</p> - -<p>For the rest of the day the airmen were busily engaged in overhauling -the mechanism, studying maps and otherwise preparing for the task. -Etienne Fauvart, evincing great interest in the battleplane, had -taken a deep fancy to Dick, and followed him with keen zest, asking -innumerable questions.</p> - -<p>"The fellow bores me stiff," soliloquised the lad. "He seems a decent -sort, but he does ask awkward questions. He looks too cute to be -stuffed, and I don't like choking him off. The only thing I can -suggest is to refer him to Blake."</p> - -<p>The Belgian took the hint quite good-naturedly. He refrained from -asking any further technical questions, but Dick noticed that he made -no attempt to "freeze on" to the imperturbable inventor.</p> - -<p>At length, at the appointed hour, the battleplane started on her -adventurous flight, her crew being sent-off with the hearty good -wishes of their brother airmen—wishes for the most part expressed in -that bantering, happy-go-lucky style that characterises men who have -more than a nodding acquaintance with death.</p> - -<p>The thin air literally shook under the concussion of hundreds of -heavy guns as the battleplane swung high over the opposing lines. A -big "affair" was in progress—one of those furious exchanges of -strafing that are airily referred to in the official reports as "an -activity of some magnitude." Two mines had just been sprung, their -positions marked by huge clouds of smoke and dust. But of the actual -fighting none was visible to the crew of the battleplane. A dense -haze hid the khaki and grey fighting men from view, although rifle -firing and the rattle of machine-guns could be distinctly heard as -the see-saw struggle for the possession of the newly-made craters -continued with the utmost desperation.</p> - -<p>So intense were the undulations of the atmosphere over the terrific -cannonade that the battleplane rocked violently. Her wings, beating -the disturbed air with tremendous speed, seemed hardly able to -support the main fabric. While the flight over the scene of the -fighting lasted the mechanical bird was plunging and banking like a -ship in a heavy following gale. So severe was the strain that had any -of the metal-work been the least defective the weakness would have -shown itself with dire results. Even Blake gave vent to an -exclamation of relief as the machine drew safely away from the -disturbed area.</p> - -<p>"The spires of Hasselt," declared Lieutenant Fauvart, when, half an -hour later, one of many of the numerous Belgian towns appeared in -view, showing up clearly in the slanting rays of the setting sun. -"You see those forests to the north? Beyond them lies Olhelt. It is -in a valley, with trees all around. Already the valley is in shadow. -The time for vengeance is at hand."</p> - -<p>Evidently vengeance was the uppermost thought in the man's mind. Both -lads had been curious to know the reason for the Belgian's oft -reiterated words, but with their typical English reticence had -refrained from asking him for enlightenment.</p> - -<p>"I am cold," exclaimed Fauvart a moment later. "A man who is cold -cannot do his work well. I go and get my heavy coat."</p> - -<p>"And he wouldn't take my advice before we started," thought Athol, as -the Belgian slipped from his seat and disappeared within the -fuselage.</p> - -<p>"We are in sight of Olhelt," announced Fauvart to Dick, who was -sitting on the floor by the side of the motors.</p> - -<p>"Are we?" replied the lad. "Think I'll have a look out."</p> - -<p>He made his way to the Belgian's vacated post, and, leaning over, -took in the expanse of country far beneath. Blake was circling the -battleplane, since it was yet too early to volplane to the work of -destruction. At that immense height, and thanks to the almost total -absence of sound, the battleplane was safe from observation from the -earth.</p> - -<p>"I feel like a stoker in a naval engagement," thought Dick as he -returned to his post. "Nothing to see, and all up if anything goes -wrong. Another ten minutes will see the job through."</p> - -<p>It seemed an interminable time before an acceleration of the motors -announced that Blake had disconnected the wing mechanism and had -locked the wings for a spiral volplane.</p> - -<p>Dick promptly throttled down, and stood ready at the first sign to -open the motors all out. As he did so he became aware of a peculiar -smell. It was something like but not the same as that of burning oil. -Then with disconcerting suddenness the motors ceased firing.</p> - -<p>"Engine failure," reported the lad.</p> - -<p>"Hang it all!" ejaculated Blake. "Couldn't have occurred at a worse -time."</p> - -<p>The Belgian started and whipped out a revolver.</p> - -<p>"For me there is no surrender," he exclaimed dramatically. "I shoot -myself rather than be a prisoner of war to the Bosches."</p> - -<p>"Stop it!" exclaimed Blake, releasing his hold of the controls and -gripping the Belgian's arm. "We are not done in yet. Far from it. Put -that thing away and be reasonable. Look out and see if you recognise -a good landing-place."</p> - -<p>Fauvart, rallied by Blake's manner, did as he was told. By this time -the battleplane was less than two thousand feet up. Somewhat to the -airmen's surprise no shells came from the invisible anti-aircraft -guns known to be somewhere in the vicinity.</p> - -<p>"There!" exclaimed the Belgian, indicating a clearing in the woods, -where even in the twilight the grass showed distinctly against the -darker green of the treetops. "It may be safe to land there. If the -Bosches have not already seen us we may escape detection."</p> - -<p>"Any luck yet, Dick?" called out the pilot anxiously.</p> - -<p>"No, sir," replied the lad, still deftly juggling with the magnetos, -where apparently the fault lay.</p> - -<p>With his customary skill Desmond Blake brought the battleplane to -earth in the clearing pointed out by the Belgian lieutenant. His -first act after landing was to fix a detonator and time fuse in -position. Rather than allow the machine to fall into the hands of the -enemy Blake had resolved to blow her to fragments.</p> - -<p>"Be ready to slip it when I give you warning," he cautioned. "Stick -it, Dick, but don't stop a moment after I give the word."</p> - -<p>Some minutes passed but there was no sign of outside interruption. -Athol, Sergeant O'Rafferty and the Belgian alighted, leaving Blake in -the pilot's seat and Dick toiling at the motors, since the lad -preferred to work alone in the confined space between the engines. -The Belgian, having seemingly recovered his self-composure, began to -stroll towards the edge of the clearing, carrying a large can.</p> - -<p>"Where are you off to, Monsieur Fauvart?" asked Athol.</p> - -<p>The lieutenant half turned his head and put his finger to his lips. -Then signing to the lad to follow, he hastened his footsteps, -although treading as softly as before.</p> - -<p>O'Rafferty was about to accompany Athol when Blake called him back to -bear a hand at slewing the battleplane round head to wind.</p> - -<p>"They've gone to get some water for the radiator," said the pilot -reassuringly. "Fauvart knows of a spring close handy. Getting on all -right, Dick?"</p> - -<p>"I'm doing my best," answered the lad guardedly.</p> - -<p>The sergeant, lighting a cigarette, paced to and fro, with eyes and -ears alert to catch the first sight or sound of anything of a -suspicious nature.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, to Blake's intense satisfaction, the motors began to purr -smoothly.</p> - -<p>"You've found out what was wrong, then," he said, at the same time -motioning to the sergeant to take his place on board. "What was it?"</p> - -<p>Before Dick could reply a revolver shot rang out. Then came the -sounds of several men crashing through the brushwood. An instant -later twenty or more grey-coated figures appeared in sight, led by -the supposed Belgian officer.</p> - -<p>"Surrender instantly!" he shouted. "Lieutenant Hawke is our prisoner. -Do further damage to the battleplane and no quarter will be given. -Hands up and you will receive honourable treatment."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter11"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XI</h3> - -<h4 align="center">THE FATE OF A SPY</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"All</span> out, Dick," shouted Blake, at the same time coupling up the wing -mechanism. Sergeant O'Rafferty, springing to the after machine-gun, -swung the weapon upon the nearmost of the German troops. As he did so -a ragged volley greeted him, the bullets either passing through the -aluminium covering of the chassis or else whizzing harmlessly -overhead.</p> - -<p>With her wings beating the air with tremendous force the battleplane -drew clear of Mother Earth. Four or five Germans, rushing forward, -clung desperately to the framework of the landing wheels, amongst -them the Hun who had so successfully posed as a Belgian officer.</p> - -<p>Unfortunately for them they had totally under-estimated the lifting -power of the mechanical bird. Blinded by the cloud of dust thrown up -by the flapping of the huge wings and deafened by the roar of the -exhaust—for Dick had opened the cut-out in order to give the motors -full play—the Germans were unable to realise that their efforts to -keep the battleplane pinned to the ground were unavailing.</p> - -<p>Although the machine rose rapidly it lacked the speed that it usually -attained. Powerfully engined as she was the battleplane could not -ignore the additional weight of five burly Brandenburgers.</p> - -<p>"Motors running well, Dick?" asked Blake, shouting to make himself -heard above the terrific din.</p> - -<p>"Splendidly now," replied the lad.</p> - -<p>"Then see what's dragging her," continued the pilot, whose whole -attention had to be centred upon the steering of the machine.</p> - -<p>Dick made his way to the still open hatchway in the floor of the -fuselage. He was hardly prepared for the sight that met his gaze.</p> - -<p>Three Germans were astraddle of the horizontal girders supporting the -legs of the landing-wheels. Another had thrown arms and legs round an -upright and was bellowing lustily. The treacherous Hun who, under the -name of Etienne Fauvart, had all but succeeded in capturing the -secret battleplane, was clambering up the lattice work, with his -revolver hanging from his teeth by means of the lanyard. Dick -promptly shut the sliding hatch and made his way to his superior -officer.</p> - -<p>"We've a fine crew of Huns hanging on," he reported. "Five of them, -and that skunk Fauvart in addition. I'd like to get hold of him and -find out what's happened to Athol."</p> - -<p>"In that case we should have to make a prisoner of him," replied -Blake grimly. "No; he'll pay for his treachery now. I don't believe -in prolonging the agony. Pass the word to Sergeant O'Rafferty to hold -on tightly. And, please, muffle the exhaust. We'll alarm every Bosch -within ten miles of us."</p> - -<p>Directly the motors were silenced a deafening concussion was heard -close to the underside of the chassis. A shrapnell shell, one of -many, had just exploded. Some of the bullets perforated the wings or -pinged harmlessly against the armoured plating of the fuselage. Two -of the Huns, struck by flying fragments of metal, relaxed their grip -and fell through space on their long journey to the ground three -thousand feet below.</p> - -<p>"All ready?" shouted Blake warningly.</p> - -<p>The battleplane tilted abruptly and made a complete loop. In five -seconds she had regained her normal flying trim, but without the -treacherous German and his compatriots. They, unable to retain their -hold under the sudden change of direction, were hurtling earthwards, -their despairing screams still ringing in the ears of the horrified -Dick.</p> - -<p>But other work was on hand to distract the lad's mind from the act of -retribution. Desmond Blake's searching glance had discerned the roofs -of four large sheds almost hidden between the trees, the roofs being -mottled so as to resemble as closely as possible the characteristics -of the surrounding verdure.</p> - -<p>Rising to such a height that there was little danger from a direct -hit from the "Archibalds," the battleplane hovered over her -objective, spiralling in sharp curves so that the limit of her flight -brought her well within the perpendicular distance of her quarry.</p> - -<p>At the order Sergeant O'Rafferty dropped two bombs in quick -succession. The first, striking the ground close to the edge of the -clearing, exploded with terrific violence, felling huge trees like -ninepins and literally pulverising the nearmost shed. Almost -simultaneously the second bomb alighted fairly in the centre of -another Zeppelin house. A stupendous explosion followed, a blast of -lurid flame leaping skywards, and rending the gloom of twilight like -the concentrated flash of a dozen fifteen-inch guns. The roar of the -detonation was appalling. The battleplane, under the influence of the -far-reaching up-blast, shook like an aspen leaf, and fell vertically -through a distance of nearly five hundred feet before the resistance -of the wings restored her equilibrium.</p> - -<p>The appalling nature of the work of destruction so overwhelmed the -men at the anti-aircraft guns that they ceased firing. Undisturbed -the battleplane continued circling, although at a much lower -altitude, her crew examining the results of the bombs with studied -leisure.</p> - -<p>When most of the smoke had cleared away, although portions of the -wreckage still burned furiously, it was seen that there was no -necessity to drop more bombs. Not a single shed was left standing. -Gaunt skeletons of destroyed Zeppelins reared their bent and twisted -aluminium ribs betwixt the gaping metal sheets that a few minutes -previously had concealed some of the latest types of the Kaiser's -air-raiders.</p> - -<p>"Shall we give them another, just for luck, sir?" asked Sergeant -O'Rafferty.</p> - -<p>"Not necessary," replied Blake, as he turned the battleplane in the -direction of a faint yellowish path of light upon the horizon—the -last vestige of declining day. "Lock the bomb-dropping gear, -sergeant."</p> - -<p>O'Rafferty hastened to obey, but by pure accident his foot slipped -and came in contact with the disengaging pedal. Eleven seconds later -came the crash of the exploding bomb.</p> - -<p>"Sorry, sir," exclaimed the sergeant apologetically.</p> - -<p>"Let's hope it isn't wasted," rejoined Blake, ordering the motors to -be run "all out."</p> - -<p>In the darkness the battleplane passed high above the opposing lines -of trenches, their outlines rendered distinctly visible by the -flashes of rapid rifle and machine gun fire, and the occasional glare -of star-shells, punctuated by the high-explosive projectiles.</p> - -<p>"Give them a call up, sergeant," ordered the pilot.</p> - -<p>O'Rafferty brought the wireless into use, unwinding eighty feet of -"aerial" that trailed behind the swiftly-moving battleplane. In -answer to the message a blaze of electric arc lamps appeared upon the -flying-ground.</p> - -<p>Almost before the sergeant had wound in the aerial the battleplane -was ready for her earthward glide. Flattening out to a nicety she -landed within twenty feet of the door of the hangar, and was -immediately surrounded by a throng of eager flying men.</p> - -<p>"Instructions have been carried out, sir," reported Blake to the Wing -Commander. "Three, possibly four, Zepps have been destroyed."</p> - -<p>"Any casualties?" asked the commander.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Hawke missing, and believed a prisoner, sir. We had to make an -involuntary landing, and were rushed by a German patrol. In the -circumstances no attempt at rescue was possible."</p> - -<p>"And where is Lieutenant Fauvart?" continued the Wing Commander.</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake smiled grimly.</p> - -<p>"You palmed off a dud on us, sir," he reported, "so we dropped him. I -don't think he crashed more than a couple of thousand feet, but it -was quite enough to cause the German Intelligence Staff to lose one -of their pet stars."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter12"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XII</h3> - -<h4 align="center">SERGEANT O'RAFFERTY'S LUCKY BOMB</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">Captain Desmond Blake</span> had hit the mark when he described the -soi-disant Belgian lieutenant as a star. Subsequent enquiries -revealed the fact that the real lieutenant Etienne Fauvart had been -captured by the Germans in an affair of outposts near Dixmude. Armed -with the papers found in the prisoner's possession and clad in a -Belgian uniform a German staff officer had so successfully -impersonated Lieutenant Fauvart that he had deceived the British -staff officers. With the express purpose of luring the secret -battleplane he had offered his services, and had made a true -statement as to the position of the German Zeppelin sheds. Therein -lay the secret of his ruse, for the British Intelligence Division -already had some knowledge of the Zeppelin base, and finding that the -supposed Belgian officer's description tallied with their reports, -their suspicions, if any existed, were disarmed. If on the other hand -the spy had indicated a Zeppelin station that had an existence only -in his imagination he knew that he ran a grave risk of having his -information challenged and himself arrested, court-martialled and -shot.</p> - -<p>Confident in his belief that the British secret battleplane would be -rendered incapable of getting within effective distance of the -Zeppelin sheds of Olhelt, he did not hesitate to indicate their exact -position.</p> - -<p>Once he succeeded in getting taken as one of the battleplane's crew -he had no difficulty in compelling the machine to make a forced -landing. Taking advantage of the excuse to fetch his coat, he had, -during Dick's temporary absence, contrived to spray the high tension -wire with a powerful corrosive. The wire, it must be explained, led -from the magneto in a single length, afterwards branching into a -number of subsidiary wires to the respective sparking plugs of the -cylinders. By spraying the electric current conductor between the -junction and the magneto the whole of the firing was put out of -action simultaneously, after the acid had taken time to eat through -the guttapercha insulating cover.</p> - -<p>When Dick discovered the failure, but was unable at the time to -ascertain the cause, he fortunately removed the high tension wires -and replaced them with a spare set, which Blake, with commendable -forethought, had made in case of emergency.</p> - -<p>It will now be necessary to follow Athol Hawke's movements from the -time when he followed the unsuspected spy into the wood.</p> - -<p>Keeping close to the supposed Fauvart's heels the lad moved rapidly -and cautiously, carefully avoiding treading upon dry twigs that -littered the ground.</p> - -<p>At intervals the lieutenant turned to reassure himself that the -British airman was following, making signs to him to keep close. -Proceeding thus they covered about two hundred yards, when suddenly -the spy turned and grappled Athol by throwing both arms round the -lad's body and pinning his arms to his sides. At the same time Athol -saw numbers of German troops emerging from behind the trees.</p> - -<p>Like a flash of lightning the lad realised that Fauvart was a spy. -With a sudden wrench he freed his right arm, and drew his revolver, -and fired at his captor. Only by adroitly ducking his head did -Fauvart escape the bullet. As it was his forehead and hair were -singed by the blast from the muzzle.</p> - -<p>With a muttered curse the spy hurled the lad violently against the -trunk of a tree, at the same time ordering some of the soldiers to -secure the prisoner. Since Athol's shot had given the alarm, the -question of an effective surprise no longer held good. Led by the -officer in Belgian uniform the Germans, who had quite prepared for -the contingency, rushed through the wood towards the British -battleplane.</p> - -<p>Bruised and shaken by his fall, Athol found himself roughly pulled -upon his feet. With a burly Prussian on either side and a sergeant -following, holding a revolver—Athol's own—against the prisoner's -head, the lad was forced onwards, further and further away from his -comrades.</p> - -<p>Then came the sharp reports of a dozen rifle-shots followed by the -well-known sound of the battleplane's motors running "all out," and -the angry shouts of the foiled Huns.</p> - -<p>Soon Athol and his guards were overtaken by the soldiers who had -hoped to capture the British aircraft. Knowing the German language -tolerably well, the lad overheard their conversation, although the -disappointed mien of the Huns would have been sufficient to tell him -that their efforts had been foiled.</p> - -<p>To the accompaniment of the firing of the anti-aircraft guns Athol -was hurried along. Presently the party arrived at another clearing. -Here the Huns halted, looking skywards to see if the battleplane was -still in sight. Athol followed their example.</p> - -<p>What they saw did not help the Huns' good temper, for even as they -watched they saw the battleplane loop the loop in the misty twilight, -shedding several dark forms as she did so. Two of the bodies of the -luckless Germans fell with a sickening crash within fifty yards of -their watching comrades, while to Athol's intense satisfaction, -notwithstanding the horror of the scene, he saw the Belgian-uniformed -spy dashed to the ground almost at the feet of the men he had so -treacherously summoned to seize the secret battleplane.</p> - -<p>"Himmel!" ejaculated one of the Prussians. "They'll be dropping bombs -on us soon. Let us hasten."</p> - -<p>Still gripping their prisoner the men hurried off into the depths of -the woods, where under the trees it was hardly possible to see one's -hand before one's face. Stumbling over exposed roots, cannoning into -tree trunks, the Huns continued their way. Athol overheard one of -them say that the Zeppelin sheds were not a safe place for them, and -that they had better make off in a different direction until the -English aircraft had disappeared.</p> - -<p>Even as he spoke a lurid flash threw a vivid glare over the sky, the -gleam even penetrating the thick foliage. The crash that followed -shook the ground, and sent a shower of leaves and twigs whirling from -the trees. The Huns broke into a run, still retaining their hold upon -their captive.</p> - -<p>Another and yet another deafening detonation followed. The heavens -glowered with the blood-red flames from the blazing Zeppelin sheds. -Débris hurtled through the air all around the lad and his guards, -although the scene of the explosion was at least half a mile away. -The atmosphere reeked of the smoke of burning oil.</p> - -<p>Presently the Huns, well-nigh breathless, came to a halt.</p> - -<p>"It's all over now, Fritz," said one. "No more bombs have fallen. And -Herr Major would have us believe that the English airmen were no -good."</p> - -<p>"It is all very well for Herr Major," retorted the other. "He, no -doubt, is safe in his bomb-proof cellar. I, for one, should not be -sorry if an English bomb blew him sky high. He makes our existence a -misery. It is far worse than at——"</p> - -<p>A dazzling flash seemed to leap from the ground almost at Athol's -feet. He was dimly conscious of being hurled backwards, deafened by -the noise of the detonation.</p> - -<p>For quite a minute he lay still, not daring to move, and dimly -wondering whether he were yet alive. Then he opened his eyes.</p> - -<p>Some fifty yards off a fire was burning. In the centre of a circle of -up-torn trees flames were bursting from a mass of débris, and -throwing a ruddy glare upon the surrounding scene. The flames were -spreading in the direction where he lay. He tried to rise. At first -his efforts were unavailing. Something heavy was pinning him down: -that something turning out to be the unconscious form of one of his -guards. The other, huddled against an uprooted tree, was groaning -dismally.</p> - -<p>A sharp, burning pain on his right leg just above the knee warned -Athol forcibly of his peril. An ember from the conflagration had -settled on the limb and had burnt through his uniform trousers. -Giving a tremendous heave the lad freed himself of his encumbrance -and rose unsteadily to his feet.</p> - -<p>"I'll have to drag those beggars out of it," he muttered, as he -contemplated the helpless forms of his former captors. "They'll be -burnt to cinders if I don't."</p> - -<p>Suiting the action to the words he seized one of the Huns under the -shoulders. It was as much as he could do, strong as he was, to drag -the sixteen stone of listless humanity even a few yards.</p> - -<p>Suddenly he became aware that men were hurrying through the wood. For -the first time the realisation that there was a possibility of escape -flashed across his mind. Pausing only to recover his revolver and -ammunition he withdrew, intent upon putting a safe distance between -him and the approaching Huns before coming to any definite plan of a -bid for safety.</p> - -<p>"Jolly near shave," he soliloquised. "I reckon Desmond Blake didn't -know how close that last bomb came to blowing me sky-high."</p> - -<p>He had yet to learn that Sergeant O'Rafferty's awkwardness had been -instrumental in freeing him, temporarily at least, from the clutches -of the Huns.</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter13"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XIII</h3> - -<h4 align="center">THE FRONTIER</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">Night</span> had fallen when Athol emerged from the dense wood. Overhead the -stars were shining brightly, although occasionally obscured by drifts -of pungent smoke from the still burning Zeppelin sheds. In front lay -an expanse of open fields, dotted here and there by isolated farm -buildings, while in the distance, and thrown into strong relief by -the flames, were the spires and roofs of a fairly large town.</p> - -<p>"The Dutch frontier: that's my objective," decided Athol. "It's not -more than ten miles away. North-west is the bearing, and I have about -seven hours of darkness before me. None too much time, if I have to -go cautiously."</p> - -<p>Fixing his direction by means of the North Star the lad set out, -treading softly and straining his ears to catch the faintest -suspicious sound. As he proceeded other problems confronted him. He -knew from report that the frontier was guarded and that a barbed wire -fence formed a formidable barrier. More, the fence had a live wire of -high voltage running through it, contact with which meant death to -the human being or animal that incautiously attempted to pass from -one frontier to another.</p> - -<p>Also, in the event of success in the matter of gaining Dutch -territory there was the almost certainty of being interned unless he -could discard his uniform and procure civilian clothes. Much, then, -had to be done before dawn.</p> - -<p>Although by order of the German authorities the Belgians in the -occupied territory were obliged to be within doors at sunset, the -roads were far from being unfrequented. Motor-cars, bearing excited -and furious German staff officers, rushed to and fro, for the -destruction of the Zeppelin sheds was a severe blow to the Teutonic -organisation. There was no rest that night for the Huns at Limburg.</p> - -<p>It was unsafe for Athol to keep to the highway. For hours he pressed -on, stopping frequently to take shelter while parties of Germans -hurried along the tree-lined roads. It was not half so dark as the -lad would have liked, and now that his eyes were accustomed to the -starlit night he found he could see with tolerable clearness for a -distance of several hundred yards. Conversely it was equally possible -for a German sentry to spot him from a like distance. Vainly he hoped -that it would rain, or that heavy clouds would obscure the -star-spangled sky.</p> - -<p>He was becoming very hungry. His latest meal was but a reminiscence. -Water, of which he found plenty, assuaged his thirst, but it was a -sorry substitute for the wholesome fare to which he was accustomed.</p> - -<p>Three times he had to make a detour to avoid various compact hamlets. -Once a dog began barking, rousing all the other canines in the -neighbourhood, with the result that the lad had to retrace his steps, -throw himself down and lie perfectly still until the clamour had -subsided—a loss of half an hour's precious time.</p> - -<p>"I can't be so very far off the frontier now," thought Athol. "Now -comes the crucial test."</p> - -<p>He found himself on the point of crossing a fairly broad highway, -unfenced but lined with gaunt trees. Almost before he was aware of -the fact he nearly collided with two German officers.</p> - -<p>Fortunately for Athol their backs were turned to him. They were -standing on the edge of the road close to a large tree that had -effectually prevented the lad from noticing their presence. They were -muffled in long cloaks through which the hilts of their swords -protruded. Their spurs shone dully in the starlight as they -impatiently shuffled their feet. In silence they stood, their gaze -fixed intently down the highway.</p> - -<p>With his heart in his mouth Athol backed with the utmost caution. As -he did so his foot broke a dry twig. He dropped lying face downwards -in the dewy grass, not daring to stir hand or foot until the Huns -moved away. They were officers, he knew, and not sentries. -Consequently there was no reason why they should stop there -indefinitely. At the same time Athol felt curious to know why a -couple of cloaked cavalry officers should be standing mutely on the -highway at the hour of midnight.</p> - -<p>Athol's fingers closed on the butt of his Webley. For the first time -he realised the companionship of his Service revolver. Without it -his whole attention would have been getting away unperceived; thanks -to the knowledge that he had a reliable weapon at his command he -could run the risk with comparative equanimity of tackling the pair -of Huns. But only should occasion arise. For the present he was -content to keep watch upon the mysterious inaction of the silent -twain.</p> - -<p>"Wish they'd get a move on," muttered Athol, after keeping in a prone -position for nearly twenty minutes. The night was bitterly cold. His -limbs were beginning to feel stiff and cramped in contact with the -damp ground.</p> - -<p>A sharp tug at his leather leggings almost caused the lad to utter an -exclamation of alarm. For the minute he imagined that he was again in -the grip of the Hun, until, turning his head, he saw a huge rat -scampering off. The officers heard the sound, too, for they both -looked intently in the direction of the startled rodent. Then one -moved a few paces towards the centre of the road.</p> - -<p>"They are coming, von Bohmer," he remarked.</p> - -<p>"And about time," grumbled the other. "And, even now, we do not know -whether von Secker will venture. If ever a man blunders through -excessive caution it is friend Karl."</p> - -<p>Von Secker—Karl. The names seemed familiar to the listening British -subaltern. Yes, by Jove he had it: Karl von Secker, the spy and -employer of the luckless Sigismund Selighoffer, and the fellow who -had made off with Desmond Blake's plans of the secret battleplane.</p> - -<p>Athol, with his ear almost in contact with the ground, could now -distinctly hear the rumble of cart wheels and the sharp clatter of a -horse's hoofs. A little later the vehicle pulled up, and a man -dressed as a Dutch peasant threw the reins across the animal's neck -and got down.</p> - -<p>"What, alone, Herr Stein!" exclaimed von Bohmer. "Von Secker, then, -has failed us. Has he sent any papers?"</p> - -<p>"He says it is not safe to leave Dutch territory," replied the -new-comer, "or, rather it is unsafe to enter it again from this side -He is nervous—just imagine our von Secker being nervous."</p> - -<p>The man addressed as Stein laughed uproariously. It was obvious that -he was a German officer in disguise, otherwise he would not have -dared to express his mirth in the presence of the haughty von Bohmer -and his companion.</p> - -<p>"But the documents, man!" exclaimed the latter impatiently.</p> - -<p>"He says they are too bulky to send without risk of detection by the -customs at the frontier. He assured me that the search is strict on -the part of the Dutchmen; far more so than by the Englanders at -Harwich."</p> - -<p>"Then in Thor's name, how are we to get them?" asked von Bohmer. -"Here they are, within five miles of German territory, and von Secker -is frightened."</p> - -<p>"I think that it is a question of payment," suggested Herr Stein. -"However, the plans are at his lodgings at the Sign of the Golden Key -in Weert. He says that early to-morrow morning he will photograph -them, so that should they be seized we will still have something to -work upon. And, I believe in consideration of a sum of gold in -advance, he will then hand the plans over to me."</p> - -<p>"Where can we get gold at this hour?" grumbled von Bohmer's -companion. "I can understand von Secker's anxiety to secure -photographs of the plans, since he is to be paid by actual results. -It would be well to call upon him to-morrow, and let him know -distinctly that it is the will of the General Staff that the plans -should be delivered to them forthwith. Is not that so, von Bohmer?"</p> - -<p>The officer addressed grunted in assent.</p> - -<p>"We must be off," he said. "To-morrow, Herr Stein, we hope to offer -you hospitality at the mess."</p> - -<p>The officers turned and walked rapidly down the road in the direction -of Hasselt, but before they had gone very far two orderlies leading -their horses slipped from under the cover of a tree. Although they -were less than a hundred yards from the spot where Athol lay, neither -he nor they had the faintest suspicion of their respective presence.</p> - -<p>As for the disguised German von Stein, he clambered into the cart, -and, setting the horse at a leisurely pace, drove off in the -direction of Weert, a town lying a few miles within the Dutch -frontier.</p> - -<p>Athol waited until von Bohmer and his companion had disappeared, -then, keeping close to the line of trees, broke into a steady run, -his boots making hardly any noise on the soft ground by the side of -the <i>pavé</i>. It was not long before he came in sight of the lumbering -vehicle, which, although proceeding slowly, made a loud clatter as -the ironshod wheels rolled over the rough stones.</p> - -<p>Unheard the lad overtook the cart and clambered softly on the -tail-board. Stein was sitting on a board resting on the side of the -cart, with his head on his hands and his elbows supported by his -knees. In this hunched-up position he looked half asleep, while the -horse, left to its own devices, walked stolidly along the centre of -the highway.</p> - -<p>Presently the road ascended a slight rise, which for this part of the -country might be considered as a hill. Athol could discern the -formidable line of barbed wire marking, the frontier boundary. -Apparently there were no troops guarding this particular section, -Already the majority of the Landsturm soldiers had been withdrawn -from the policing of the frontier and had been sent to fill up -appalling gaps in the German first-line trenches.</p> - -<p>"Sorry, my man," soliloquised the lad, "but needs must."</p> - -<p>He brought the butt end of his revolver smartly down upon Herr -Stein's head. Without a sound the Hun dropped senseless to the floor -of the cart.</p> - -<p>Leaping to the ground Athol stopped the horse. Then he listened -intently. Everything seemed quiet, although he knew it was quite -possible that a sentry, his suspicions aroused by the stopping of the -rattling vehicle, might appear upon the scene.</p> - -<p>Still keeping his ears and eyes keenly on the alert, Athol quickly -stripped the unconscious German of his coat, blouse, trousers and -wooden shoes, slipping the garments over his uniform. His boots he -was obliged to discard in favour of the ungainly "<i>klompen.</i>"</p> - -<p>His next step was to release the horse from the shafts and to set the -animal adrift, after having removed the bit. This done Athol pushed -the cart to the edge of the road and on the grass. From this point -the ground shelved with comparative steepness to the barbed wire -fencing.</p> - -<p>"Wonder if it's heavy enough for the job?" thought the lad.</p> - -<p>He caught sight of a pile of large stones, the remains of a -demolished building. Working desperately he quickly transferred a -number of stones to the floor of the cart. Then he paused for a -well-earned breather.</p> - -<p>Giving a final glance at the luckless Herr Stein, who was now -breathing stertorously, Athol lifted the shafts and backed the cart -down the incline. Gathering way the now heavily laden vehicle dashed -towards the fence. Not until the back of the cart was within a yard -of the barrier did Athol relinquish his grasp of the shafts.</p> - -<p>Charging the wire fence fairly and squarely the novel battering ram -bore all before it, sweeping an expanse of nearly ten yards of -obstruction from its supports. The live wire, short-circuiting and -emitting a series of vivid blue sparks, was writhing like a snake.</p> - -<p>Using the wreckage of the overturned cart as a bridge Athol crossed -the once formidable barrier and gained Dutch territory.</p> - -<p>"So well, so good," he exclaimed thankfully. Then seized with an -inspiration, he added, "And why shouldn't I pay von Secker a visit at -the Sign of the Golden Key?"</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter14"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XIV</h3> - -<h4 align="center">ATHOL TACKLES VON SECKER</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">Making</span> a long detour Athol eventually rejoined the road leading to -Weert, this time quite two miles from the frontier custom-house. By -his watch, which fortunately had escaped the unwelcome attentions of -his former captors, it was now half past three. Already the stars -were beginning to pale before the first blush of dawn. Ahead he could -discern the quaint gabled roofs of the little town where the spy -Secker had taken up his temporary abode.</p> - -<p>Crawling into a dry ditch, the now drowsy lad propped his back -against the sloping side and dosed fitfully. Once he was awakened by -the measured tread of armed men. It was now broad daylight. The -soldiers were Dutch troops going to relieve the frontier guards.</p> - -<p>Lying at full length in the ditch he was unnoticed by the soldiers. -Discovery at that early stage of the proceedings, although his -personal liberty was not likely to be interfered with except for a -short duration of investigation, was most undesirable. He had before -him a fixed purpose, far more important to the welfare of his country -than was his own freedom.</p> - -<p>"Enough sleep for the present," he exclaimed. "Why, it's close on six -o'clock, and, by Jove, I do feel peckish! Wonder what friend Stein -has in his voluminous pockets."</p> - -<p>A search provided nothing in the victualling department. There were a -bundle of papers, including a Dutch passport and a permit for Jan van -Wyck to cross the frontier; a purse containing fifteen gulden, some -German marks and a few copper and iron coins—the latter having been -issued in Germany to replace the withdrawn copper currency; and, what -was particularly handy, a large scale map of the district.</p> - -<p>Practically unnoticed by the throng of country-folk, for it happened -to be market day, Athol entered the town. A cup of coffee and two hot -rolls, purchased from a very deaf old Dutchwoman at a stall, served -to stave off the pangs of hunger, and the lad felt fit for the -furtherance of his daring venture.</p> - -<p>It was as yet too early to pay a call at the Golden Key. On the other -hand it was not advisable to defer the visit until the hour mentioned -by Herr Stein, for by that time the spy might have been warned of the -fate that had overtaken his intermediary. Waiting, Athol found, was -the most tedious part of the whole business. Thanks to his disguise -he attracted hardly any attention in the crowded market-place; nor -did his ignorance of the Dutch language cause him any inconvenience, -for the town was full of Germans, intent upon buying market produce -at fabulously high prices.</p> - -<p>Paper money, the lad noticed, passed freely, although at a low rate -of exchange. The astute Dutchmen had learnt to profit by the fall of -the mark, receiving payment in paper money and afterwards returning -the notes to Germany, where they were, by Imperial decree, to be -accepted at their face value. Judging by the conversation of the -German customers, whose tongues wagged with a freedom unknown across -the frontier, the civilian element was chafing under the shortage of -food and abnormal prices, and one and all seemed sick of the war, -which showed no signs of ending, and certainly not with the dazzling -success which the Kaiser had promised.</p> - -<p>Half-past seven was chiming as Athol ascended the flight of stone -steps leading to the door of the Golden Key. In answer to his knock a -short and very fat elderly woman appeared, and curtly demanded the -lad's business. Although the question was put in Dutch Athol guessed -its purport, and, replying in German, asked if Mynheer Jan van Wyck -lodged there?</p> - -<p>"Didn't you call upon him last night?" demanded the Dutchwoman -sharply.</p> - -<p>Athol was temporarily taken aback. He was priding himself upon his -diplomacy in asking for the spy under his Dutch <i>nom-de-guerre</i>, when -the woman's question "shook the wind out of his sails."</p> - -<p>Producing a couple of gulden Athol slipped the coins into the woman's -hand, and solemnly winked his left eye. The result surpassed his -wildest expectations, for standing aside, the <i>vrouw</i> motioned for -him to enter.</p> - -<p>"Second door to the right on the first floor," she announced as she -pocketed the money, and without paying further attention to Jan van -Wyck's visitor she disappeared towards the back of the house.</p> - -<p>Ascending the worn oak stairs Athol, making certain that his revolver -was ready to hand, tapped very softly upon the door. Receiving no -answer he rapped again. Then he heard a key turn in the lock and the -door was opened for a space of about four inches.</p> - -<p>The spy had only just got out of bed. He looked but half awake. That -was, possibly, why he failed to distinguish between the genuine Herr -Stein and his impersonator, the appropriated clothes being a -sufficient disguise.</p> - -<p>"Come in," he growled. "You are much too early. Why didn't you give -the sign, or did you think I would not open if you did?"</p> - -<p>Still grumbling, and with his face averted, von Secker shuffled -across the room to a table on which were spread several sheets of -drawing paper and tracing cloth.</p> - -<p>"You are still too early," he continued. "I suppose you are here -again concerning the plans?"</p> - -<p>"I am, Karl von Secker," said Athol sternly, at the same time -covering the spy with his revolver.</p> - -<p>The effect of the words, spoken in English, was electrical. In an -instant the German's lassitude dropped from him like a shedded -garment. Seizing a lead paper-weight from the table he poised it to -hurl at the lad's head.</p> - -<p>Athol hesitated. Not that he was lost, but because he was confronted -with a tricky problem. Setting aside the compunction he felt at -shooting down a man, even though he were a dangerous spy, he realised -that the house would be alarmed at the report of the weapon. He was -out to regain possession of the battleplane's plans, not to get -himself arrested by the Dutch authorities on a charge of murder.</p> - -<p>It was as if von Secker read his thoughts, for the spy, scowling and -grinding his teeth, made no further attempt to hurl the lump of -metal. He, too, did not wish to be embroiled with the officials of a -neutral government, although here was a good chance of making his -escape across the frontier.</p> - -<p>Athol lowered his revolver. Von Secker replaced the paper weight, -although he still kept his fingers in contact with it.</p> - -<p>"You have come on a fool's errand, young man," snarled the spy.</p> - -<p>Athol, regretting that he had not discarded his clumsy wooden shoes, -looked his antagonist straight in the face.</p> - -<p>"We shall see," he retorted, then dropping his revolver on the floor, -he leapt upon the Hun.</p> - -<p>Too late von Secker grasped the paper weight. The next instant both -antagonists were locked in mortal combat, Athol endeavouring to pin -his opponent's arms to his sides, while von Secker did his level best -to free his hands and employ the truly Hunnish trick of twisting his -fingers in the other's hair and clawing at his eyes with his thumbs.</p> - -<p>As if by tacit consent they struggled in comparative silence, rolling -over and over on the massive oaken floor. It was a test of British -brawn and endurance against German trickery and bodily weight, Athol -striving to deal the spy a stunning blow with his fist.</p> - -<p>Once von Secker all but succeeded in blinding his antagonist. His -podgy fingers were entwined in the British lad's short hair, and his -long thumb nails were scratching their way over Athol's forehead when -the young subaltern butted violently. At the loss of a considerable -amount of hair Athol succeeded in dealing the German a terrific blow -at the chin with the top of his head.</p> - -<p>Uttering a subdued yell of pain the spy relaxed his grip, then -clutched blindly at the lad's throat. Over and over they rolled -again, until in the course of the deadly struggle a charcoal stove -was overturned.</p> - -<p>The glowing embers spreading across the floor emitted suffocating -fumes in the already ill-ventilated room, until it became evident -that the result of the combat would depend upon which of the twain -could longest withstand the asphyxiating smoke.</p> - -<p>Momentarily labouring under increasing shortness of breath, Athol -perceived that the effects of the fumes upon the Hun were telling far -more than they did upon him. The German's furious efforts showed -signs of slackening. His yellow features grew livid. Great beads of -perspiration oozed from his receding forehead.</p> - -<p>Wrenching himself clear Athol regained his feet.</p> - -<p>"Do you give in?" he demanded.</p> - -<p>Von Secker's reply was to draw up one leg and lash out as hard as he -could. Although barefooted he could kick with the force of an -experienced Continental boxer. Struck heavily in the side Athol -reeled half-way across the room, while his antagonist, quick to reap -the advantage, staggered to his feet. His strength was not equal to -his will power. His knees gave way under him as he lurched towards -the lad.</p> - -<p>Well-nigh maddened with the pain, the English lad saw an opening. -Breaking through the German's guard he planted his left with terrific -violence on the point of the Hun's chin. The fight was over.</p> - -<p>Far from showing elation over his victory Athol locked the door, -threw open the casement and sat down in a chair. The fact that none -of the rest of the household had appeared upon the scene puzzled him. -Perhaps, he argued, they were accustomed to brawls.</p> - -<p>Recovering his breath he set to work to stamp out the still smoking -charcoal. This done he dragged the unconscious von Secker on to the -bed and covered him with the clothes. Only a close examination would -reveal the fact that he was not asleep.</p> - -<p>The plans he folded into a small compass, applying pressure to make -them lie flat, and stowed them away under his uniform. The rest of -the documents, including the spy's code and maps he thrust into the -stove and set fire to them. Without the slightest compunction he -examined the contents of von Secker's pockets, taking his money, -hotel coupons, a ticket on the Dutch State railways and a return -between the Hook of Holland and Harwich.</p> - -<p>Unlocking the door the lad listened. Everything seemed normal. -Somewhere from a remote part of the house came the sounds of pots and -kettles being vigorously scoured.</p> - -<p>Passing out and locking the door on the senseless spy, the lad crept -downstairs as silently as his wooden shoes would permit. The outer -door was now ajar. Unseen he gained the open street, which -fortunately was in an unfrequented quarter. As he did so he heard the -old Dutch woman who kept the Golden Key shouting a farewell. In spite -of his precautions she had heard his footsteps.</p> - -<p>"The worst of doing things by stealth," thought Athol. "She will be -suspicious." "What time does the public coach leave for the -frontier?" he asked, bestowing another tip. It was, he reminded -himself, some of von Secker's money.</p> - -<p>"At half-past eight, from the Market Hall." she replied.</p> - -<p>Athol set off in the opposite direction to the one he intended -taking. It heightened the deception that he was making for the -frontier. Not until he had mingled with the throng in the market -square did he set of by a circuitous route, striking the Eindhoven -road.</p> - -<p>At that town, he found out by consulting the map, he could take train -to Bois-le-Duc, and thence through Utrecht to the Hook.</p> - -<p>"It won't be my fault if I am not home again within thirty-six -hours," he soliloquised. "So here goes. I wonder what von Secker will -say when he wakes up?"</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter15"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XV</h3> - -<h4 align="center">GAME TO THE LAST</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">Having</span> covered a considerable distance Athol sat down behind a tree -and made a hearty meal of some meat pies which he had taken the -precaution to buy in Weert. By this time the excitement and lack of -sufficient sleep were beginning to tell very forcibly. Even as he ate -he felt himself nodding drowsily.</p> - -<p>It was growing very warm as the sun rose higher in the heavens. The -air was close and oppressive. Away to the southward, dark -copper-coloured clouds were working up against the light breeze. -There was every indication of a thunderstorm breaking at no distant -time.</p> - -<p>Presently a dull intermittent buzzing sound fell upon the lad's ears.</p> - -<p>"An aeroplane," he muttered drowsily, hardly able to evince any -interest in the familiar noise, until by the erratic sound of the -engine he knew that something was amiss.</p> - -<p>"Another Aviatik out of its bearings, I suppose," he said to himself. -Then he looked upwards, trying to detect the plane against the -dazzling light overhead.</p> - -<p>The sound of the motor increased in volume. Chagrined at his failure -to locate the source of the noise, Athol's interest deepened. He -scanned the sky until he perceived the hitherto elusive machine.</p> - -<p>It was a monoplane, flying fairly low, and proceeding in a westerly -direction with a decided tendency to describe a right-handed curve. -Although not immediately overhead, it was sufficiently close for the -lad to distinguish the marking on the wings, fuselage, and vertical -rudder.</p> - -<p>Greatly to his surprise the monoplane bore the familiar red, white -and blue concentric rings that denoted it to be a British machine.</p> - -<p>"Whatever is that fellow doing over here?" wondered the lad. "He's -placed the whole of Belgium between him and our lines. By Jove, if he -starts dropping bombs about here there'll be trouble!"</p> - -<p>But the airman made no attempt to let fall his cargo of explosives. -Still describing a long erratic curve and decreasing his altitude as -he did so he was soon almost invisible from the place where Athol -stood—merely a shimmer of silvery-grey against the dark sky.</p> - -<p>"Wish the fellow, whoever he is, had stopped to give me a lift," said -the foot-sore subaltern as he resumed his dusty journey. "It's jolly -rotten having to pad the hoof after one has been used to a hundred -miles an hour or more through the air."</p> - -<p>A few minutes later he noticed that the monoplane had swung round and -was almost retracing its former course, and heading toward the -east—in the direction of Germany.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he's trying to find Essen," thought Athol. "Krupp's place -can't be much more than sixty miles away. Evidently he's lost his -bearings and has just picked up a landmark. Yet it's strange that -he's flying alone and right over a neutral country."</p> - -<p>It was not long before the lad was forced to admit that his theory -was at fault, for the monoplane suddenly executed a sharp turn and -making a nose-dive was within an ace of crashing violently to the -ground. Only in the nick of time did the machine "flatten out," -alighting at a distance of almost two miles from the now -highly-interested lad.</p> - -<p>To see whether the pilot had effected a safe landing, or otherwise, -Athol was at that time unable to determine, owing to the slight -irregularity of the ground. He took to his heels along the highway in -the direction of the settled monoplane.</p> - -<p>Hitherto the road had been little frequented that morning, beyond a -few market carts and knots of country-folk making their way to town. -But now people appeared as if by magic. Every field seemed to -disgorge two or three, every house half a dozen or more, including a -large proportion of children—all intent on hurrying to see the -foreign aircraft.</p> - -<p>In less than twelve minutes Athol arrived upon the scene. The -monoplane was apparently undamaged save for a buckled landing-wheel, -until closer inspection revealed the fact that the 'plane was -honeycombed with bullet-holes. Jagged holes, too, were visible in the -fuselage, as well as the splaying marks of bullets that had failed to -penetrate the light steel armour.</p> - -<p>The pilot, a boyish-looking lieutenant, was behaving in a most -eccentric fashion. He had alighted and had discarded his yellow -leather coat and helmet. Across his forehead was a dark streak of -dried blood. With one hand in his trousers pocket he was walking -rapidly round and round the stranded monoplane, wildly waving his -disengaged hand and shouting in unmistakable and forcible English for -someone to oblige him with a match.</p> - -<p>As he walked he tottered slightly. More than once he collided with -the tips of the wings and brushed awkwardly against the rudder. The -crowd, keeping a discreet distance, watched with amazement; giving -back whenever a collision with the eccentric Englishman appeared -imminent.</p> - -<p>"Come on, you fellows!" he appealed. "Who'll oblige with a match? -Quickly, before those strafed Bosches come on the scene! A match. -Does no one understand?"</p> - -<p>To his intense satisfaction Athol saw that there were no soldiers or -civil guards amongst the throng, although at any moment the Dutch -military officials might appear upon the scene. The spectators were -for the most part men and women of the agricultural class.</p> - -<p>"Can I bear a hand?" asked the lad, elbowing his way through the -crowd.</p> - -<p>"Thank God, a British voice!" exclaimed the airman, coming to an -abrupt halt, and holding out his hand—not towards Athol but towards -a man some feet to his left.</p> - -<p>In a flash Athol understood. The luckless pilot of the monoplane was -almost blind. He grasped the airman's hand, and drew him back from -the crowd.</p> - -<p>"You are in Holland," he said. "I saw you descend, and I guessed -something was wrong. You've been hit pretty badly, I fear?"</p> - -<p>"Got it properly in the neck this time," declared the lieutenant -grimly. "Across the forehead—one eye gone, worse luck, and the other -almost bunged up. Much as I could do to see the land. Couldn't do it -now, by Jove! I've a chunk of one of their strafed Iron Crosses in my -thigh, too. It's not much, but mighty unpleasant. Wanted to burn the -machine, but found my matches had gone. Pocket of my coat shot clean -away. But who are you?"</p> - -<p>The flying man spoke in quick jerky sentences. His wounds were giving -him acute pain. Already he was bordering upon delirium, his injuries -aggravated by his inability, as he imagined, to prevent his machine -falling into the hands of he enemy.</p> - -<p>"Yes, you are in Dutch territory," Athol reassured him. Then, seized -with an inspiration he asked, "Is the plane all right?"</p> - -<p>"Far as I know," was the reply. "Why?"</p> - -<p>"Because I belong to the R.F.C.," announced Athol. "Came a cropper -near Hasselt yesterday and managed to get clear. If you can hold out -for a couple of hours we'll fetch our lines, barring accidents. I'll -take her when we're properly up, but it's the take-off and the -landing part that are beyond me."</p> - -<p>"Come along, then," exclaimed the other, his injuries forgotten in -the prospect of saving his machine. "She's only a single-seater, so -you'll have to perch up behind me."</p> - -<p>Athol had to assist him to his seat. Deftly the almost sightless man -tested the controls, and put the self-starter into operation. Without -a hitch the propeller began to revolve, the crowd giving back at the -first explosions.</p> - -<p>"Hurry, man, hurry!" exclaimed Athol. "There are Dutch troops coming -along the road."</p> - -<p>"No internment for me, if I can help it," shouted the other, in order -to make himself heard above the roar of the propeller. "So here -goes."</p> - -<p>Accelerating the engine, the lieutenant set the monoplane in motion, -Athol shouting directions into his ear to enable him to avoid various -obstructions in the way. For nearly two hundred yards the machine -rolled over the ground, wobbling under the erratic revolutions of the -buckled landing-wheel, until gaining sufficient momentum it rose -steadily in the air.</p> - -<p>"Now take her," exclaimed the pilot in a strong voice that surprised -his companion by the volume of sound. "Let me know when your -aerodrome is in sight. You'll find it easier than you would mine, and -after all it doesn't much matter so long as it is a British one."</p> - -<p>At a mean altitude of five thousand feet Athol steered the monoplane -on a compass course. The wounded pilot had changed places with the -lad, and was resting one hand lightly on the latter's shoulder. -Beyond the few sentences he had spoken on relinquishing the -steering-wheel the lieutenant maintained silence.</p> - -<p>The monoplane proved a veritable flier, for in a little more than -half the time Athol had estimated it was over the lines of the -opposing armies.</p> - -<p>Far beneath them a squadron of British aeroplanes was actively -engaged, for the British guns were strafing the Huns with terrible -violence. Not a single German aircraft appeared to join in combat -with the intruders over their lines, for the British machines were -doing good work by registering the results of the heavy shells.</p> - -<p>"The flying ground is in sight," reported Athol. "Will you take her -now?"</p> - -<p>"Right-o," replied the lieutenant. "Tell me when to flatten out."</p> - -<p>He depressed the aerilons. <span id="cor0003" class="corrected" title="[Original text: The moniplane's tail]">The monoplane's tail</span> rose as it swept -landwards at terrific speed. Athol, holding the pilot's binoculars, -brought the glasses to bear upon the landscape.</p> - -<p>"Wind's dead against us," he announced.</p> - -<p>"That's good," rejoined the wounded man. "It will save us making a -turn. Say when."</p> - -<p>The ground seemed to be rising to meet them. Objects, a few seconds -before hardly discernible, resolved themselves into buildings of -various sizes, most of them roofless owing to the effects of repeated -bombardments. Little mud-coloured specks developed into khaki-clad -figures. And—a cheering sight indeed—there was the secret -battleplane just folding her wings before returning to her hangar. In -his imagination Athol felt certain that he could distinguish Blake -and Dick superintending the labours of half a dozen men as they -guided the huge bird into its nest.</p> - -<p>There was no time to use the binoculars. The ground seemed perilously -close.</p> - -<p>"Now," exclaimed Athol.</p> - -<p>With a perceptible jerk the direction of downward flight was checked. -Then, giving a decided bump as the buckled landing-wheel touched the -ground, the monoplane "taxied" for full fifty yards, and halted -within ten feet of a group of officers, who scattered right and left -as the machine bounded awkwardly towards them.</p> - -<p>Athol, kneeling on the deck of the fuselage, touched his companion in -order to guide him to the ground. The pilot, still holding the -steering-wheel, made no effort to move.</p> - -<p>"Do you want me to give you a hand?" he asked, touching him again, -Still no response.</p> - -<p>"What's wrong with your pilot?" enquired one of the officers -anxiously.</p> - -<p>Athol crawled forward and looked into his companion's face. The -lieutenant's blood-rimmed eyes were wide open and staring fixedly in -front of him, but they were the eyes of a corpse. The gallant pilot's -mind had triumphed over his physical injuries up to the very moment -that he had brought the monoplane safely to earth. He had gained at -least one desire: he had brought his machine back to the British -lines.</p> - -<center>* * * * *</center> - -<p>"Never expected to see you so soon, old man," was Dick's candid -greeting to his chum.</p> - -<p>"Nor did I," admitted Athol. "For that matter I wasn't at all sure -that you got away all right. I heard the bombs drop, so I knew that -the battleplane had set to work. In fact the last bomb you dropped -nearly settled my hash. Instead it did me a good turn."</p> - -<p>"And I went for Sergeant O'Rafferty for being such a clumsy -blighter," said Blake. "By Jove, Athol, you seem to have had a run of -luck. Sorry I can't say the same for the poor fellow who brought you -back."</p> - -<p>"Most remarkable case that," remarked an Army Medical Corps officer. -"Not only was his sight injured, he had received a piece of shrapnel -in his groin and a bullet lodged in his body in the region of his -heart. All the while he was piloting that machine back he was -bleeding to death internally. No wonder, with men of that stamp, that -we hold the individual mastery of the air."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter16"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XVI</h3> - -<h4 align="center"><i>À BERLIN</i></h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">Having</span>, through Athol's instrumentality, recovered the battleplane's -plans, Desmond Blake resolved to run no more risks in that direction. -In spite of the most stringent precautions German spies were found to -be active behind the British lines. Confidential documents -disappeared almost under the noses of the authorities. So, rather -than run a chance of having the plans stolen a second time, he -destroyed them.</p> - -<p>"The details of one battleplane may be kept a secret, with reasonable -care," he remarked. "With a dozen in the making the odds are against -it, and since the authorities have told me pretty plainly that I am -of more use here than superintending the construction of other -machines at home, I am content. I have an idea that they've a pretty -stiff job for us to tackle before very long."</p> - -<p>Blake's surmise was correct, for a few days later he was ordered to -report himself at the Staff Office.</p> - -<p>"By Jove!" he exclaimed, taking Athol and Dick aside. "We're going to -put the wind up the Bosches this time. Half a dozen of our fastest -machines are detailed to make a raid—guess where?"</p> - -<p>The lads hazarded the names of several places, but without success.</p> - -<p>"Berlin," declared Blake. "Our people have been keen on the idea for -a long time, but the authorities at home have, for some unearthly -reason, deprecated the idea. Sickly sentimentality I call it. They -shrink from reprisals, although they know perfectly well that that is -the only way to bring the Hun to his senses. Events prove it. He was -the first to use gas shells; now he squirms and whines when we give -him a dose of his own poison. He gloated over the torpedoing of our -merchant ships, and squeals out piffling protests to neutrals when -our submarines tackle his trading vessels in the Baltic. The German -papers were full of bombastic rejoicing over the Zeppelin visits to -our undefended towns; the Kaiser weeps copious crocodile tears when -the Allied airmen knock his beloved Karlsruhe about a bit. I'd go a -jolly sight farther than the precept laid down in the old Mosaic Law. -'An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.' By Jove! Three British -shells for every German one, and a ton of high explosive for every -kilogramme of T.N.T."</p> - -<p>"When do we start?" asked Dick eagerly.</p> - -<p>"At three to-morrow morning," replied Blake.</p> - -<p>"It's blowing half a gale from the west'ard," said Athol, "and the -glass is falling rapidly. It's all right for the outward journey, but -we'll have a job to get back. Not that I am at all anxious about the -battleplane's capabilities," he hastened to add.</p> - -<p>"There will be no coming back," declared Blake. "At least, not at -present. We've been waiting for this westerly gale. With it the -squadron ought to do at least a hundred and sixty over the ground. -When we arrive over the German capital, by turning head to wind we -can keep almost stationary over any part we choose until all the -machines have dropped their bombs. Strict orders have been issued to -avoid hitting, as far as possible, the residential parts of the city. -Then, after that particular business is completed the machines are to -resume the westerly, or north-westerly course, and alight on Russian -soil, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Riga."</p> - -<p>"And then?" asked Dick.</p> - -<p>"Make ourselves useful until we get a fair wind back," replied Blake. -"But be careful," he added, "not to mention this business to anyone. -Even after the raid no communication will be made; the official -bulletins will ignore it. And, I fancy, the Germans won't care to -admit it, since they've boasted time after time that Berlin is -absolutely immune from air attacks. We'll see how far their boast -holds good."</p> - -<p>For the rest of the day preparations for the long flight were -diligently carried out. Blake and Dick overhauled the motors, oiled -and tested the wing-operating mechanism, and carefully examined the -controls lest any of the wires had developed designs of chafing. The -petrol tanks were replenished under Dick's supervision, while in -addition twenty cans of spirit were taken on board. <span id="cor0002" class="corrected" title="[Original text: Ammunnition and -stores]">Ammunition and -stores</span> were also placed in readiness for the flight, Athol and -Sergeant O'Rafferty being responsible for the quantity and the -correct weight, since a lot depended upon the flying trim of the -mechanical bird.</p> - -<p>Similar scenes of activity were witnessed in other parts of the -aerodrome, while the individual units of the squadron detailed for -the raid were being prepared for the most extensive aerial operation -of the war. By nine o'clock everything was in readiness. The airmen -retired for a well-earned and necessary rest, while sentries were -posted at the door of each hangar to prevent any possibility of the -machines being tampered with.</p> - -<p>At two in the morning the pilots repaired to the Wing Commander's -quarters to receive final instructions. The machines were to proceed -in two columns, each biplane starting at two minute intervals, the -columns to be roughly three miles apart. Blake's battleplane was to -act as covering escort, flying at three thousand feet above the -others. No attention had to be paid to hostile aircraft unless -unavoidable. If the enemy should attack, half the squadron, assisted -by the secret battleplane, was to engage, while the rest pushed on -towards their objective.</p> - -<p>As soon as the German capital was sighted, a wireless message was to -be sent to the British headquarters; and then, and only then, was the -Russian General Staff to be informed of the projected visit of the -raiding aircraft.</p> - -<p>Punctually at the appointed time the first of the biplanes left the -aerodrome, followed at stated intervals by the rest. In spite of the -howling wind the ascents were carried out without a hitch.</p> - -<p>The secret battleplane was the last to leave. Almost silently as -compared with her consorts she rose evenly and swiftly from the -ground, and headed off in the direction the others had taken.</p> - -<p>In the pale morning light the far-flung double line of British -machines could hardly be distinguished against the angry red glow on -the eastern horizon, although in the upper regions the deep bass hum -of their exhausts could be distinctly heard.</p> - -<p>As they neared the lines of opposing trenches three or four Fokkers -rose with the evident intention of intercepting the raiding machines; -but thinking better of it, they volplaned earthwards.</p> - -<p>At length, far above the storm-driven clouds that hid every detail of -the country from their sight, the raiders pursued an even and -uninterrupted flight, piloted on a compass course by the flight -commander in the leading biplane of the right column. With the wind -almost dead aft navigation was a fairly simple matter. There was no -need to trouble about "side-drifts." All that had to be done was to -fly continuously in a straight line until it was judged that the -machines were approaching their objective and then descend below the -clouds and verify their position by reference to a map and a -recognition of conspicuous landmarks.</p> - -<p>The "maps" had been especially supplied for the raiding airmen's use -by the French government, and were the result of careful aeronautical -observation work in pre-war days. In a strict sense they could not be -called maps, as they consisted of an elaborate series of enlarged -photographic views taken from an altitude of about eight hundred -metres, and embraced practically every mile of country between the -Franco-German frontier and the environs of Berlin. Their compilation -was the direct result of the memorable visit of a Zeppelin to Nancy, -where, owing to an accident the gas-bag had been compelled to come to -earth. An examination proved conclusively that the airship had been -taking aerial reconnaissance of the French fortresses. The French -government did not protest: it merely retaliated by making the series -of photographic maps that were in the present struggle to play such -an important part.</p> - -<p>At a quarter to five the leading biplane of the right column began a -volplane, the rest of the machines following its example. It was a -test in order to verify their position.</p> - -<p>For full five minutes each was lost to sight of the other as the -air-squadron dipped swiftly through the dense, rain-laden clouds. -While it lasted the ordeal was a nerve-racking one, for not only was -there the danger of collision in the event of any of the biplanes -swinging out of position, but the air was filled with -"pockets"—partial vacuum of insufficient density to offer resistance -to the planes—into which the airmen fell like stones until the -machines "picked up" in the buoyant air beyond. Vicious and erratic -currents and eddies, too, added to the pilots' difficulties, while in -the midst of the layer of clouds it was almost as dark as midnight.</p> - -<p>As the battleplane emerged from the underside of the clouds the lads -could discern an extensive town through which flowed a broad river. -Viewed from the height of seven thousand feet the town, with the -numerous railways radiating from it, resembled a gigantic spider -lurking in the centre of its web.</p> - -<p>Already the leading biplanes were far beyond the maze of buildings, -so it was evident that the city was not Berlin.</p> - -<p>Blake noticed the look of enquiry on Athol's face.</p> - -<p>"Magdeburg," he announced laconically. "Know the place well. We're -fairly on the right road now—Brandenburg, Potsdam and then Berlin. -Another quarter of an hour."</p> - -<p>Up into the clouds climbed the raiding aircraft. The now furious gale -was completely in their favour, for it was impossible for the Germans -to send aloft any of their numerous captive balloons that formed a -part of the aerial defences of the capital. The wind was beginning to -rend the bank of clouds. Brilliant shafts of sunshine shot through -the rifts. Over the ground the shadows chased each other with a speed -that gave the aviators a knowledge of the strength of the gale.</p> - -<p>Blake, holding the steering wheel, spoke hardly a word. His whole -attention seemed to be centred upon the task of "keeping station" -with the rest of the squadron. His left hand was almost continuously -upon the timing lever of the motors, checking the speed of the -battleplane whenever, as frequently happened, she showed a tendency -to overhaul the biplanes.</p> - -<p>Far below lay an extensive and irregularly shaped lake with at least -two considerable towns on its banks. Surrounding the lake was a dense -forest, of which a large part had been but recently cleared, for -newly-felled trees were plentifully in evidence.</p> - -<p>"Potsdam," announced Blake. "If we imitated the methods of the -Kultured Huns we should drop a few bombs on Kaiser Wilhelm's palace. -That lake is the Havel. They've cleared a lot of the Spandau and -Potsdam forests, I see. Not that they are hard up for timber. I -suppose it is chiefly for wheat growing, in anticipation of the day -when the German frontiers are most considerably restricted. But stand -by—the leading machines are turning head to wind."</p> - -<p>The attack had been magnificently planned. One division of the -biplanes had flown over the southern environs of Berlin; the other -over the northern; now both were turning inwards and just holding -their own against the wind. They had the city at their mercy.</p> - -<p>Before the utterly surprised artillerymen manning the anti-aircraft -guns were fully aware of the presence of the British raiders, -powerful bombs were hurtling through the air, each missile aimed with -deliberate intent upon a specified objective and not dropped -haphazard under cover of darkness as in the case of the Zeppelin -raids over England. The railway stations and other public buildings -of military importance were carefully singled out by the airmen, in -spite of the now furious but erratic fire of the German guns, -particular attention being given to the official buildings in the -Wilhelmstrasse, not omitting No. 13—the headquarters of the Imperial -Admiralty.</p> - -<p>It was by no means a one-sided engagement, for shrapnel shells were -bursting heavily all around the British machines. As far as Athol and -Dick were concerned they rather welcomed the warm attentions of the -enemy. It was far better to run a fighting risk than to hover -deliberately over a defenceless town and hail projectiles upon a -populace unable to raise a little finger in self-protection.</p> - -<p>Already fierce fires were raging in a dozen different quarters of the -German capital. The air trembled with the terrific detonations of -exploding bombs. The dense columns of smoke, beaten almost flat with -the strong wind, prevented the airmen from making definite and -accurate observations of the result of their work, but on the other -hand the vapour hid the attacking aircraft from the artillerymen. -Nevertheless two British biplanes were hit. One, taking fire, -streamed earthwards, leaving a trail of smoke and flame in its wake. -The other, its engine disabled, contrived to land in Thiergarten, -where the pilot and observer were made prisoners.</p> - -<p>The secret battleplane had dropped her last bomb and was preparing to -resume her north-eastward flight when a shell burst almost -immediately above her. A hail of bullets rattled against her proofed -sides. One ripped a hole through Blake's airman's helmet, fortunately -without doing further injury. The wings were perforated in fifty -places, although the damage had little effect upon the speed of the -machine. The battleplane literally reeled with the concussion, -recovered herself, and then began to wobble alarmingly in spite of -the efforts on the part of the pilot to keep her on a straight -course.</p> - -<p>One of the actuating rods of the left wing, bent by the violent -impact of the base of the shell, was thrown out of action. Sooner or -later the machine would be obliged to descend upon hostile soil, -almost in the very centre of the German Empire.</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter17"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XVII</h3> - -<h4 align="center">DISABLED</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">It</span> was indeed well that the battleplane was already flying "down the -wind." Locking the wings, and trimming them at the furthermost limit -of the bent actuating rod, Blake made the comforting discovery that -the planes were in the best possible position for a prolonged glide. -Aided by the following gale, the velocity of which was not far short -of seventy miles an hour, the battleplane ought to cover a distance -of from fifty to sixty miles before alighting. In that case he hoped -to effect a landing in the bleak and sparsely-populated district -drained by the sluggish River Warthe.</p> - -<p>Nursing the volplaning craft with the utmost care, Desmond Blake was -getting every possible foot of space out of the involuntary glide. -Perfectly calm and collected he bade Athol find a particular section -of the map of Prussia and Posen and fix it in the celluloid holder in -front of him.</p> - -<p>Dick, having shut down the motors, since they were no longer of -service, clambered into his seat, and made good use of his -binoculars; while Sergeant O'Rafferty deliberately fixed a time fuse -under the row of crank-cases so that in the likely event of the -presence of German troops, the battleplane would never fall into -their hands except as a twisted and tangled mass of metal.</p> - -<p>Fortunately the clouds of smoke issuing from the burning buildings -had prevented the Huns from observing the result of their chance -shot; and now the battleplane was at frequent intervals hidden in the -masses of scudding clouds.</p> - -<p>Apart from that there was little in her favour, for it was now two -hours before midday. The twilight that had afforded protection on the -occasion of the raid upon the Zeppelin sheds at Olhelt was denied -her.</p> - -<p>The manometer now registered a thousand feet. No longer the clouds -afforded protection. The country had the aspect of being fiat, and -almost destitute of trees; nor were there any signs of human -habitation. On the distant eastern horizon could be discerned the -smoking chimneys of a manufacturing town. To prolong the flight much -further would be literally throwing away the chances that the airmen -already held.</p> - -<p>"We'll descend here," announced Blake, turning the battleplane head -to wind. "Stand by to jump for it if the wind threatens to capsize -her on landing."</p> - -<p>The warning was necessary, for, owing to the jamming of the wing -mechanism, the wings could not be folded immediately upon contact -with the ground. The now rigid expanse of planes would have to -withstand the full force of the gale, and everything depended upon -the angle of inclination—whether it was sufficiently small to enable -the weight of the machine to pin it to the ground.</p> - -<p>Down planed the mechanical bird at a tremendous rate. Although it -cleft the air at nearly seventy miles an hour its progress over the -ground and against the wind was practically nil. In point of fact the -battleplane was dropping vertically earthwards at a rate of fifteen -feet per second.</p> - -<p>Quickly the almost uniform motion gave place to a series of erratic -jerks. The falling machine was in the influence of the rebound of the -wind from the irregular surface of the ground. The motion reminded -the lads of a small boat encountering the "wash" of a huge steamer.</p> - -<p>With a double bump the battleplane struck the ground, reared until -her landing-wheels were three feet in the air, and bumped again. Then -rocking violently she showed every inclination to capsize, until -Athol and the sergeant, sliding to terra firma at the risk of life -and limb, clung tenaciously to the partly-tilted wings.</p> - -<p>"Good men!" shouted Blake encouragingly, as he depressed the aerilons -to counteract as much as possible the lifting tendency of the wind -upon the wings. "A spanner there, Dick: shift those two nuts as sharp -as you can."</p> - -<p>Dick swarmed over the side, and clinging with one arm and both feet -to one of the vibrating trellis girders, set desperately to work on -the nuts and bolts securing the bent rod to the underside of the left -wing. With the removal of the metal bar the wings were folded, and -for the time being all danger of the battleplane being overturned by -the gale was at an end.</p> - -<p>"No signs of our friends the enemy," said Blake, standing erect upon -the deck of the fuselage and sweeping the treeless plain with his -binoculars. "There's a small village about three miles away. I can -see the church spire and the roofs of the houses; the place lies in a -hollow. Beyond that there are no signs of human habitation."</p> - -<p>"Don't you think, sir," asked Sergeant O'Rafferty, "that if we pushed -the machine a couple of hundred yards in that direction there would -be more shelter in that dip in the ground? It's not deep enough to -hide the battleplane entirely, but it may help things a bit."</p> - -<p>"Certainly, sergeant," agreed Blake. "Every little helps, and we'll -be less exposed to the wind in the hollow."</p> - -<p>It was a strenuous task pushing the machine dead in the eye of the -wind, but on gaining the spot that the sergeant had pointed out, the -airmen found that there was almost complete shelter from the full -force of the gale, while the highest part of the crippled machine -showed only a couple of feet above the high ground surrounding the -natural hollow.</p> - -<p>Heavy rain was now falling. The stranded aviators faced the -discomfort with rising spirits, for they knew that should the -downpour continue the ground would quickly become a quagmire, and -that the rain would keep the villagers within doors. Nevertheless all -precautions were taken against surprises, since it was quite possible -that workers in the fields had noticed the battleplane's descent, and -had set off to warn the military.</p> - -<p>Enveloped in their weather-proof coats, Athol and Sergeant O'Rafferty -mounted guard, taking care to avoid the sky-line. From their -respective posts they could command a vast tract of the neighbouring -countryside, so that, unless the battleplane was stalked by practical -scouts the danger of a surprise was completely obviated.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Blake and Dick were hard at work removing the bent rod. -Upon examination the metal showed no sign of fracture, but it was -essential that it should be straightened before the wing-mechanism -could again be operated.</p> - -<p>"We've a tough job here, Dick," observed the inventor as he gazed -upon his damaged handiwork. "Now, if we were at home or at the flying -ground it would be a simple matter. A forge and a blacksmith's anvil -would enable us to rectify the injury in less than an hour."</p> - -<p>In vain they applied pressure to the bent rod. They jumped on it, -battered it with the heaviest spanners they possessed. The tough -metal sturdily refused to respond to the treatment. For the first -time since Dick had made Desmond Blake's acquaintance the inventor -showed signs of despair.</p> - -<p>"I have an idea!" suddenly exclaimed Dick. "It may work; it may not. -In either case there can't be much harm done."</p> - -<p>"Well, what is it?" enquired Blake hopefully. He had already good -cause to appreciate the intelligence of his young assistant, and a -ray of hope flashed across his mind at the lad's words.</p> - -<p>"Suppose I take the rod into the village and get them to straighten -it out," began Dick.</p> - -<p>Blake frowned. He was on the point of telling the lad not to be -idiotic, when Dick, reading his thoughts, hastened to explain.</p> - -<p>"I can speak German well," he continued. "You see, I was three years -at school in Mecklenburg—jolly rotten time I had, too!" he remarked -in parenthesis. "In this great coat and flying helmet I don't suppose -the simple villagers would guess that I was anything but a Hun -aviator. I could try the Kopenick hoax over again. You see, we are -bound to be captured if we can't get the job done, so it's all the -same in the long run."</p> - -<p>"There may be soldiers quartered in the village," objected Blake.</p> - -<p>"Hardly likely," said Dick. "It is not on a railway line, and -consequently troops are not likely to be stationed there. There might -be some of the Landwehr or Landsturm. If so, they are Prussians. By -passing myself off as a Saxon or a Badener I think that would account -for my slight difference in accent."</p> - -<p>"I'll go with you," said Athol.</p> - -<p>"No, you don't," objected Dick with a laugh. "This is my show. You -had your time the other day. If I pull it off all right, well and -good; if not, well, we'll most likely have the pleasure of one -another's society in a German prison camp."</p> - -<p>"Very well, carry on," said Blake cordially. "And jolly good luck to -you."</p> - -<p>The already torrential rain was in itself an excuse for Dick to wear -his aviator's coat buttoned tightly from his neck downwards, while -his padded helmet pulled down over his face left little of his -features exposed. As a precautionary measure he carried his revolver -in its holster conspicuously displayed outside his coat.</p> - -<p>Shouldering the bent bar, which, although remarkably tough, weighed -less than seven pounds, Dick bade his comrades "au revoir," and set -off on his three-mile tramp to the village.</p> - -<p>It was slow progress. There was no beaten path. The coarse grass-land -was ankle-deep in tenacious mud. The rain blotted out everything -beyond a distance of two hundred yards. Not only was there the risk -of missing the little hamlet, but the more serious danger of losing -touch with the stranded battleplane, which at a distance of a hundred -yards was an almost inconspicuous "hump" in the midst of a monotonous -terrain devoid of anything in the nature of "bearings."</p> - -<p>Trudging with his back to the gale Dick held on doggedly. Unless the -wind veered or backed he could be fairly certain of his direction. -With a change of wind, coupled with the fact that the sun was -completely overcast, there would be no means of finding his way.</p> - -<p>Before he had covered a mile and a half the lad encountered the first -inhabitant of that dreary district. An old peasant, his bent form -enveloped in a tattered cloak, was tending swine. Dick made no effort -to avoid him. This man's attitude towards him might be taken as a -specimen of the reception he would be likely to receive in the -village. On approaching, the peasant regarded the flying officer with -the undisguised curiosity that dwellers in rural districts invariably -bestow upon strangers; until, realising that the newcomer was one of -the military "caste," the old fellow bared his head, standing stock -still in the downpour until Dick, who curtly acknowledged the act of -homage, had walked past.</p> - -<p>A little further on the lad struck a lane, so deep in slime that it -was of no use as a means of progression. Worn several feet below the -surface of the adjoining ground it resembled a stagnant ditch of -liquid mud. However, guessing that it must lead to the village, Dick -struggled gamely on, keeping to the slightly firmer ground by the -side of the primitive by-way.</p> - -<p>In another quarter of an hour he descried the misty outlines of the -little village looming up through the mirk.</p> - -<p>With a quickening pulse the lad pressed on, and gained the outskirts -of the straggling hamlet. The road, even in the village, was little -better than the quagmire without. At first there were no signs of -human beings. A few ducks revelled in the slush and rain. A gaunt pig -wallowed in the mud, nosing amidst the garbage in search of food. -Peat-reeking smoke was issuing from some of the chimneys, and, beaten -down by the rain, was driving over the saturated ground in eddying -wisps.</p> - -<p>Dick hastened onwards in the direction of the church, the only -building with a pretence of importance in the squalid village. At the -same time he kept his eyes and ears on the alert in the hope of -finding some sort of a place where he could get the important work -carried out. There was almost a total absence of shops in this -particular quarter. Commercial intercourse, if any, must be carried -on in a very meagre fashion, he argued.</p> - -<p>Presently the lad's quick ear distinguished the clang of a -blacksmith's hammer—not the quick, merry ring that characterises the -smith's activity in Merry England, but the slow, listless hammering -of a toiler whose heart is not in his work.</p> - -<p>Guided by the sounds Dick turned down a narrow street until he came -to a low stone and plaster building, through the two glazeless -windows of which bluish smoke was issuing. Over the open door was a -sign, setting forth that Johannes Müller was a skilled worker in -iron-work, especially in connection with agricultural implements.</p> - -<p>Striding pompously to the door as well as the slippery nature of the -ground permitted, Dick entered the low smithy. Within were two men, -neither of whom, owing to the hiss of the bellows-fanned flames, had -heard him approach. The elder of the twain was a short, thick-set man -in a grey shirt open at the neck, a pair of trousers reaching but a -few inches below his knees, a pair of rusty boots and a paper cap. -His hairy chest and gnarled arms betokened great strength, although -his lower limbs were ill-developed, and seemed scarcely able to -support the weight of his body. His features were coarse and brutal, -the sinister effect being heightened by his soot-stained face and -yellow protruding eyes. He had just set aside a light hammer and was -resting upon the heavy "striker," while his assistant coaxed a mass -of iron into a state of white heat.</p> - -<p>The second man's features were hard to judge, for the lower part of -his gaunt face was hidden by a bushy, unkempt beard of a light brown -colour. His clothing consisted of a ragged shirt and trousers; his -toes, innocent of socks, peeped through rents in an odd pair of boots -that in England would look out of place anywhere except on a rubbish -heap. His movements were listless and dejected, and as, for the first -time, he caught sight of Dick, he shot a glance of mingled hatred and -contempt. He made no attempt to attract the smith's attention to the -new-comer, and it was not until the young officer stamped imperiously -upon the cobbled stone floor that the old fellow was aware of the -presence of his uniformed visitor.</p> - -<p>The conscript habits of by-gone years were still latent in the -smith's mind. Dropping his hammer, he brought his heels together, -drew himself up as far as his bent frame would allow, and saluted -smartly in the Prussian style.</p> - -<p>"I want this straightened out instantly, smith," said Dick, returning -the salute. "It is work of imperial importance."</p> - -<p>"Certainly, herr leutnant," replied the man, relieving Dick of his -burden. "A part of one of our incomparable flying machines? An -accident has taken place?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," replied Dick, then, realising that he would have to account -for the fact that an officer had to perform the menial work of -bringing the rod to the smithy, he added, "and my sergeant has broken -his leg—the idiot.... So I must needs fetch and carry. ...And not a -single peasant did I meet to relieve me of this weight. The mud and -rain, too, are vile."</p> - -<p>"There are few men left here," said the smith. "We are even obliged -to——. But how is this to go, herr leutnant? Are the two slotted -ends to remain in line or across each other, so?"</p> - -<p>He traced a rough diagram upon a board by means of a piece of chalk, -at the same time signing to his assistant to get to work with the -bellows.</p> - -<p>The man, his face working with anger, merely folded his arms. Again -the smith motioned to him. Dick began to think the assistant was deaf -and dumb, or, perhaps, of weak intellect.</p> - -<p>Still meeting with refusal the smith grasped a round bar of iron. The -other, stepping back to the wall snatched up a formidable pair of -tongs.</p> - -<p>"Hanged if I do a stroke of work to the job!" exclaimed the man in -unmistakable English. "Let the Bosche do a bit. It will do him good. -Nothin' doing here, old sport."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter18"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XVIII</h3> - -<h4 align="center">TURNING THE TABLES</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">For</span> a few seconds Dick stood dumfounded. The smith, full of apologies -for the deliberate insolence of his assistant towards a German -officer, hurriedly explained.</p> - -<p>"The swine is an English prisoner," he said. "He was lent to me from -a camp at Meseritz. If the rest of these Englishmen give so much -trouble as this one I feel sorry for the good Germans to whom they -are hired out. I pay this rascal a mark a week and feed him, and only -by threatening to send him back to camp for punishment could I get -him to work at all. But I was beginning to think I had broken his -spirit, and now he goes back to his old ways."</p> - -<p>"Let me see if I can cow him, smith," said Dick. "You cannot speak -the English tongue, I suppose? No; well, I can, although it is a -barbarous language, hardly fit for good Germans to use. I will -frighten him. He will know what it means to refuse to work at the -orders of a Saxon officer."</p> - -<p>"The matter is in your hands, herr leutnant," replied the smith, -obsequiously.</p> - -<p>"It's all right, my man," began Dick, addressing his luckless fellow -countryman. "Don't look astonished. I'm supposed to be jawing you. -Look as sullen as you can. That's better. This is part of a British -machine. We're stranded three miles out. Set to work as hard as you -can, without giving the show away, and I'll do my level best to get -you away. We're in a bit of a hole ourselves, but with this job set -right we can make another start."</p> - -<p>"Thought something was fishy, sir," replied the man. "Hun flying -officers don't sport 'wings'; leastways, I've never seed 'em. Yours -puzzled me a bit, but I'm getting past being astonished at anything."</p> - -<p>"It's lucky for me that this old smith isn't as cute as you are," -rejoined Dick. "Now I'll tell him I've made you promise to slog in. -I'll let him know that you are to carry the rod back to the -battleplane. I'll order him, and he daren't refuse."</p> - -<p>"His bad fit is soon over this time, her leutnant," remarked the -smith, as the prisoner resumed his post at the bellows. "And this is -peculiar metal—so light. Do I temper it in water or oil?"</p> - -<p>"Oil," replied Dick promptly, not that he was sure of it, but because -it was unwise to profess ignorance.</p> - -<p>Half an hour later the smith, puffing and blowing like a grampus, -completed the task, apologising for the roughness of the finish.</p> - -<p>"It will be as strong as ever it was," he declared. "The roughness is -to be regretted, but after all, the makeshift job will last until you -return. Is it to the Russian front, herr leutnant?"</p> - -<p>"No, to the Bulgarian," replied Dick. "Only this terrific gale blew -us out of our course. We were indeed lucky to land at all, except as -a crew of corpses. Now, how much is your charge?"</p> - -<p>The smith named quite a small sum. Experience had taught him the -folly of demanding anything more of a German officer.</p> - -<p>Dick paid him by means of the mark notes that Athol had taken from -the spy, Karl von Secker, and with which his chum had thoughtfully -provided him before setting off for the village.</p> - -<p>"And now," he continued. "I must have your English prisoner to carry -the thing back. I will make him return within three hours."</p> - -<p>"He may take it into his head to escape, herr leutnant," objected the -smith. "You will understand that I am responsible."</p> - -<p>"I order you," said Dick sternly.</p> - -<p>"In which case I must obey," replied the German. "But if your -excellency will permit me, I will go with him. It will ease my mind -of a lot of worry, and in these times one has quite enough trouble -what with war taxes and food tickets."</p> - -<p>"It is forbidden to criticise the actions of the government," said -Dick sternly.</p> - -<p>"True, true, herr leutnant. I deeply apologise. I trust it will go no -further," said the smith tremblingly. "But it is permissible that I -go with the man?"</p> - -<p>"You seem fonder of the man than I do," grumbled the pseudo-Saxon. -"Does it always pour like this in Posen? Come along, then, we must -hasten."</p> - -<p>The English prisoner shot an enquiring glance at Dick as the smith -began to don a heavy coat.</p> - -<p>"It's all right," said the lad reassuringly. "The old fool insists -upon coming. We'll deal with him all right later on."</p> - -<p>With no additional protection from the driving rain, which was now -full in their faces, the thinly clad British Tommy shouldered the -repaired rod and followed Dick into the street. The smith brought up -the rear, cursing to himself as his weakly legs sank into the mud, -that he had to dance attendance on an officer and a Saxon. There was -one consolation, he argued. His patron might have been a Prussian, in -which case kicks, not paper-money, might have been his reward.</p> - -<p>Upon clearing the outskirts of the village Dick struck the sunken -lane, keeping, as before, on the higher ground by the side, although -by this time the deluge had left little to choose in the matter of a -firm footing. He kept steadily onwards, striving the while to locate -the place where he had to turn of across the trackless waste. The -British Tommy, he knew, would stick closer than a brother; whether -the smith would persist in forcing his company upon him troubled him -but little. Even if the fellow was shrewd enough to discover that the -battleplane was not a German one not much harm was likely to result, -unless the smith proved particularly obstreperous.</p> - -<p>Dick had already gained the comforting information that there were no -troops within twenty or thirty miles, and that the village was -practically devoid of able-bodied men; so that, in the event of -missing the spot where Blake and his comrades were, the lad would -have no hesitation in firing a revolver to attract their attention. -For the present, however, he refrained from using the weapon. For one -thing he was rather anxious to return unaided; for another the -direction and force of the wind rendered futile all sound signals -until he was very much closer to the stranded battleplane.</p> - -<p>At long intervals Dick glanced over his shoulder. The now drenched -soldier was trudging stolidly along; the smith was making heavy -going, and showing visible signs of distress. Had Dick wished he -could have outstripped the man without difficulty.</p> - -<p>"Can't be far off now," he soliloquised. "Seems to me I've tramped -nearly five miles."</p> - -<p>He stopped and scanned the surrounding countryside. As far as the -driving rain permitted the land presented a flat appearance without -any outstanding characteristics—a treeless expanse of mud.</p> - -<p>The smith must have guessed the lad's perplexity, for a curious look -overspread his coarse features.</p> - -<p>"Herr leutnant has lost his way?" enquired he. "Or, perhaps, the -machine has flown off?"</p> - -<p>"Silence!" exclaimed Dick fiercely. This time there was no need to -impersonate the irate officer: he was genuinely furious with the -fellow.</p> - -<p>"Some one signalling, sir, on our right," declared the Tommy, whereat -the smith, either surprised at the Englishman's audacity or anxious -to vent his spleen upon the luckless prisoner, stooped, picked up a -handful of mud and hurled it at him.</p> - -<p>"They are our friends," exclaimed Dick joyously. "Keep yourself under -control a few minutes longer. We mustn't let this low-down rascal -smell a rat until we're ready for action again. May as well make him -useful."</p> - -<p>"Stop there till I tell you," ordered the lad, addressing the German. -"You can keep a sharp eye on your assistant from where you are -standing."</p> - -<p>Then, bidding the Tommy follow, he hurried across the intervening -hundred yards that separated him from his comrades. Unbeknown to all, -Dick had actually passed within almost hailing distance of the -battleplane without seeing it or being seen by Athol and the -sergeant, until the hollow in which the machine rested was well on -his right hand.</p> - -<p>"Whom have you here?" asked Blake.</p> - -<p>"A British soldier, hired out as a sort of slave to the village -blacksmith," explained Dick. "We'll have to keep up the deceit until -we set the rod in position; then it will be a huge joke to enlighten -the rascally Hun on certain points."</p> - -<p>Having given a rapid report on what had taken place, Dick assisted -the inventor in replacing the actuating rod. In twenty minutes the -work was completed, although on testing the machine Blake discovered -that owing to some slight and almost imperceptible curve in the metal -the rod was nearly a quarter of an inch shorter than before.</p> - -<p>"May make a slight difference to our trim," said Blake. "However, -flight alone will prove that. You see we haven't been idle. We have -been repairing the larger rents in the wings. Now, all aboard. Dick, -show your protégé the way. We'll give him a dry suit and some hot -grub. Poor beggar, he's half dead with hunger and exposure."</p> - -<p>"'Arf a mo', sir," protested the man. "Before I go can I have a word -with yon chap?" And he indicated the still waiting smith, who was now -heartily sick of the whole business, and was wishing that he had -taken his chances in letting his assistant go alone.</p> - -<p>"Very good," agreed Blake, thinking that the Tommy wished -particularly to say something to the Hun.</p> - -<p>The man plodded stolidly towards the smith until he got within a -couple of yards.</p> - -<p>"Put your dooks up, old sport," he exclaimed, at the same time -"squaring up" to the astonished German.</p> - -<p>Having no longer an iron bar with which to assert his authority, the -smith showed no great eagerness to accept the challenge. If he -expected the officers to intervene he was grievously mistaken.</p> - -<p>At length in desperation, for the Tommy was edging nearer, with grim -anticipation written on his gaunt features, the Hun threw himself -into a defensive position. That was all his former assistant -required; for the next moment the bully was sprawling on his back in -a foot of liquid mud.</p> - -<p>Apparently the British soldier considered that old scores were wiped -out, for with the utmost magnanimity he hauled the helpless smith out -of the mire and set him upon his feet. This done he unconcernedly -strolled back to the battleplane.</p> - -<p>"Couldn't help it, sir," he explained apologetically. "Had to get it -off my chest. Let bygones be bygones, they used to drill into my head -at school. I reckon that proverb ought to be wiped off the slate -after what our chaps have gone through out yonder. Penal servitude -ain't in it: it's slaving with starvation chucked in."</p> - -<p>"Let's hope your troubles are now over, my man," quoth Blake as he -took his seat at the helm. "All ready, Dick?... Hold on a minute."</p> - -<p>The smith, finding that his assistant was on the point of being -spirited away in the huge flying machine, came floundering towards -them. Much as he feared being left alone with the pugnacious -Englishman he dreaded having to report his loss to the commandant of -the prison camp.</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, smith," shouted Dick in German. "Don't be in too great a -hurry to inform the authorities that you have been aiding the English -by repairing one of their battleplanes. Kaiser Wilhelm might be very -angry with you."</p> - -<p>The next instant the machine rose with a bound, and fleeting before -the still strong westerly gale, resumed her flight towards the -Russian frontier, leaving the astonished and dumfounded smith to -realise the magnitude of his unwitting offence against the German -Empire.</p> - -<p>For the next few hours the aerial voyage was comparatively -uneventful. The rescued prisoner, who gave his name as Private Tom -Smith, of the "Chalkshires," and who had been taken prisoner early in -the campaign, was now fast asleep, after a good hot meal and a change -of clothing.</p> - -<p>The battleplane, flying at an immense height, was now far above the -rain-clouds and bathed in brilliant sunshine. Looking downwards -nothing was visible of the earth, a seemingly unlimitable expanse of -dazzling white clouds forming an effectual screen between the airmen -and the dreary soil of East Prussia.</p> - -<p>"Time we descended to verify our position," announced Blake. -"Although in this case it is preferable to overshoot the mark we -don't want a long flight against this gale if we can help it."</p> - -<p>Cleaving her way through the clouds and leaving an eddying wake of -fleecy vapour behind her, the battleplane again came within sight of -the earth.</p> - -<p>It was no longer raining. A clear view could be obtained for -miles—but instead of the flat plains of Russia a vast sea met the -airmen's gaze.</p> - -<p>"We're a bit out," declared Blake. "We're right over the Baltic."</p> - -<p>Before either of the lads could comment upon the somewhat -disconcerting nature of the discovery Blake suddenly thrust a lever -hard over, automatically locking the wings.</p> - -<p>"Take charge, Athol," he exclaimed hurriedly. "Keep her as steady as -you can, and check any tendency for her to heel. I'm going outside -for a few moments."</p> - -<p>To the young airmen's astonishment the inventor began to discard his -heavy coat and boots.</p> - -<p>"What's wrong?" enquired Athol.</p> - -<p>"Only that rod," replied Blake. "The securing nut is working loose. -We can't afford to let both drop or it will mean complete disaster -for us all."</p> - -<p>"Then I'm the man for that job," decided the lad promptly. "I'm light -and agile and—and——"</p> - -<p>He stopped abruptly. It was on the tip of his tongue to add the words -"you are not," but checked himself in time.</p> - -<p>Every moment was precious. There was no time for argument. Blake -instantly realised the force of his young assistant's remarks and -acquiesced.</p> - -<p>Knotting a rope round his waist, and holding a spanner in his mouth, -Athol dropped lightly upon the rigidly locked wing, gripping the -foremost edge in order to save himself from being swept away by the -terrific rush of air.</p> - -<p>Foot by foot he made his way along the trembling fabric until his -head and shoulders projected beyond the tip of the aluminium wing. -Although by this time well acquainted with dizzy heights the lad dare -not look down upon the distant expanse of water. He kept his eyes -fixed upon the loose nut, a foot or so on the underside of the wing. -Only three or four threads were holding. In a few minutes, had not -the defect been noticed, the actuating rod would have become -detached, with the result that the wing, no longer held in position, -would have folded itself. Like a crippled bird the battleplane would -have crashed through thousands of feet with incredible speed, sealing -the fate of all on board.</p> - -<p>"Got you, you brute!" ejaculated Athol triumphantly as he gave a -final wrench to the now secure nut.</p> - -<p>The task accomplished it was no easy matter for the lad to regain the -chassis. Temporarily exhausted with his exertions and buffeted by the -cutting wind he lacked the strength to haul himself from the wing to -the upper side of the fuselage; but Dick came to Athol's aid, and at -length the lad was dragged into safety.</p> - -<p>"Good man!" exclaimed Blake approvingly as he again actuated the -wings.</p> - -<p>There was little margin to spare. Already the battleplane had -volplaned to within a thousand feet of the sea.</p> - -<p>It was not until the mechanical bird had regained her former altitude -that her crew were able to discuss the factor that had carried them -so far out of their course. An explanation was necessary in order to -explain satisfactorily why, instead of being over the province of -Courland, the airmen found themselves miles from land and over the -expansive Baltic.</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter19"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XIX</h3> - -<h4 align="center">A DUEL WITH A ZEPPELIN</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">"The</span> gale must have backed to the south'ard," explained Desmond -Blake. "It has carried us well northward of our proper course. -There's a large vessel almost immediately beneath us, Athol. Get your -binoculars and see if you can make out her nationality, and, what is -equally important, the direction of the wind."</p> - -<p>"By Jove!" exclaimed Athol, after a brief investigation. "It is not a -vessel—it's a Zepp. She's not so very far above the surface; I can -tell that by the position of her shadow on the waves."</p> - -<p>"Here, take the helm," said Blake, handing over the steering wheel to -the lad. "Let her volplane in spirals. I must see what this game is."</p> - -<p>It did not take Blake long to form a pretty accurate idea of the -situation. The sea was fairly calm, showing that here, at least, the -gale had blown itself out. The water, too, was clear and -comparatively shallow, the bed consisting chiefly of white sand. -Visible against the bottom of the sea was a long grey object, -sufficiently distinct to enable Blake to decide that it was a -submarine.</p> - -<p>Less than three hundred feet above it hovered the Zeppelin, flying -slowly dead into the eye of the light breeze and thus endeavouring to -keep almost stationary over the submerged craft.</p> - -<p>On her part the submarine was creeping over the sandy bottom, -sometimes backing astern and striving to hide herself in the -disturbed water from the watchers on the Zeppelin.</p> - -<p>The airship, intent upon the destruction of the submarine, had now -descended to within two hundred feet and was dropping specially -shaped bombs resembling aerial torpedoes. On striking the surface of -the water these diabolical contrivances would plunge to the bottom -under their own weight and momentum, then exploding with sufficient -force to destroy any craft within fifty feet. Up to the present, -however, the Zepp had not scored, although the crew were getting -nearer their objective with each missile they dropped.</p> - -<p>A sharp order and Athol and the sergeant manned the two automatic -guns. Although the weapon did not fire shells, the peculiar nature of -the bullets would enable them to rip up the airship's envelope like -a jagged knife once the gun could be brought to bear.</p> - -<p>All intent upon the destruction of the submarine the crew of the -gas-bag had no inkling of the presence of the battleplane until a -regular sheaf of bullets struck the Zeppelin well for'ard. In a -couple of seconds the pilot's gondola was completely wrecked; but the -ballonets came off comparatively lightly. There was a rush on the -part of the Zeppelin's crew to man their guns, while with a bound the -airship shot vertically upwards, intent upon gaining a greater -altitude than that of her attacker.</p> - -<p>But for once the commander of the airship had underrated the climbing -capacity of a "heavier-than-air" machine; for, anticipating the -manoeuvre, Blake set the battleplane to climb at her maximum speed.</p> - -<p>With her fuselage pointing almost vertically the battleplane rose -under the powerful beats of her wings. Thanks to the balanced gear of -the seats, all four of her crew felt no inconvenience. Athol and -Sergeant O'Rafferty were pumping in hundreds of nickel bullets, until -it seemed as if the Zeppelin must be riddled through and through.</p> - -<p>Still the gas-bag rose. Two of her guns were replying to those of the -battleplane, firing a sort of combined high explosive and shrapnel -three-pounder shell.</p> - -<p>Long rents were now visible in the glistening sides of the envelope, -as the shower of bullets completely penetrated the frail covering to -the numerous gas-filled sub-divisions of the air-ship. Yet she showed -no tendency to drop. Her upward motion seemed uninfluenced by the -loss of hydrogen; but whether this was owing to the great reserve of -buoyancy or to the immense quantities of ballast thrown overboard, -none of the battleplane's crew could decide.</p> - -<p>While the British automatic guns were making hit upon hit the German -fire was becoming more and more erratic. The first few shells hurtled -perilously close to the battleplane; fortunately the time fuses had -been badly adjusted, for the missiles burst harmlessly a couple of -hundred yards beyond their objective. But after a few rounds a kind -of panic must have seized the Hun air-pirates. Perhaps they realised -that they were "up against" something that was their superior in -manoeuvring and offensive powers, for they blazed away recklessly -without scoring a single hit.</p> - -<p>Throughout the race skywards the battleplane easily held the -ascendancy, and as the Zeppelin reached a great altitude the -increasing rarefaction of the air, in addition to the loss of -hydrogen through the perforation of the ballonets, began to tell.</p> - -<p>"She's dropping," exclaimed Dick, enthusiastically, as the huge -fabric began to drop stern foremost.</p> - -<p>Right above the now doomed Zeppelin flew the battleplane. In this -position she could no longer give or receive blows, for the Zepp -mounted no guns on the upper side of the envelope while the -battleplane's automatic weapons could not be sufficiently depressed -to bear upon her antagonist. Had Blake any bombs in reserve he could -have easily destroyed the airship with one properly-placed missile, -but his last had already been used to good purpose in the raid upon -the German capital.</p> - -<p>In almost absolute silence the battleplane dropped in short spirals, -following the downward plunge of her defeated foe.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the British machine gave a terrific lurch. To the lads it -seemed as if the whole bulk of the mechanical bird was being hurled -sideways. They were dimly conscious of the fuselage turning rapidly -and erratically around the gimballed seats, while the air was rent -with vivid flames and pungent volumes of black smoke.</p> - -<p>In vain Blake attempted to lock the wings, The controls, fixed to a -dashboard on the coaming in front of his seat, were moving too -rapidly past his outstretched hand as the body of the machine rolled -over and over.</p> - -<p>The horrible thought that the battleplane was rushing headlong to -destruction gripped the minds of all on board, yet not a cry burst -from their tightly set lips.</p> - -<p>With a rending crash something penetrated the floor of the fuselage, -and, missing Athol's feet by bare inches, vanished outwards through -the deck, tearing a jagged gash through which the lurid smoke-laden -clouds could be plainly discerned. Fragments of metal, none of them -of any size, began to patter upon the aluminium framing.</p> - -<p>All this took but a few seconds, for with a rush like that of an -express train emerging from a dark tunnel, the battleplane, still -tilted on her side, shot into the pure sunlit air. Then, gradually -recovering her normal trim, she allowed herself to come once more -under the control of her designer, builder and pilot.</p> - -<p>Shaken and well-nigh breathless, for the atmosphere through which the -machine had plunged was highly charged with poisonous fumes, it was -some minutes before Athol and Dick fully realised that they were -still alive. Almost their first thoughts were concerning the -Zeppelin. In vain they looked over the side of the chassis in the -hope of seeing a tangible proof of their victory. The airship was no -longer in existence. An explosion, either the result of an accidental -ignition of the escaping hydrogen or of a deliberate act on the part -of the crew, had literally pulverised the huge and frail structure. -The battleplane, almost immediately above the source of detonation, -had narrowly escaped destruction, having been enveloped in the -terrific up-blast of the fiery gases. The sliver of metal that had -only just missed Athol's legs was a piece of aluminium sheeting from -the dismembered Zeppelin, for it was afterwards found bent round one -of the girders of the landing-wheel framework.</p> - -<p>"I'd like to wait till the submarine reappears," remarked Blake, "but -it's getting too late to-day. We are, I should imagine, less than a -hundred miles from Riga, and it wants but an hour and a half to -sunset. By the by, has any one seen anything of Private Smith?"</p> - -<p>No one had. When last heard of the ex-prisoner had been sleeping -soundly in one of the bunks.</p> - -<p>"See where he is, sergeant."</p> - -<p>O'Rafferty descended from his perch and entered the interior of the -fuselage. The bunk was empty. A couple of blankets hitched up upon -some hooks in the ceiling trailed forlornly to the floor.</p> - -<p>"You there, Smith?" shouted the sergeant.</p> - -<p>"Here, sergeant," replied a drowsy voice from the very after end of -the tapering body. "Have they finished strafing us yet?"</p> - -<p>Wedged in so as to be incapable of moving hand or foot was the -imperturbable Private Thomas Smith. When the battleplane had -commenced her almost vertical leap in her encounter with the Zepp, -the Tommy had been shot from his bunk. Alighting on the floor he had -slid aft to the position in which O'Rafferty had discovered him. -There, throughout the erratic and violent motions of the battleplane -following the explosion of the airship, he had lain, too sleepy to -realise what was taking place, and when roused by the Sergeant's -voice he was still under the impression that he was in a dug-out -somewhere in France during a heavy bombardment by hostile guns.</p> - -<p>The sun had dipped behind the waters of the Baltic as the battleplane -flew serenely across the broad waters of the Gulf of Riga. A thousand -feet beneath the airmen lay a powerful Russian squadron, including -dreadnoughts, armoured cruisers and destroyers.</p> - -<p>Keenly alert to the possibilities of hostile vessels from the air the -Czar's sailormen were quick to discern the approach of a strange and -altogether remarkable battleplane. Soon the distinctive tri-coloured -circles could be discerned. All doubt as to the nationality of the -mysterious aircraft was now at an end, and the British machine was -given three ringing cheers, the volume of sound being easily heard by -her crew.</p> - -<p>Five minutes later the battleplane came to earth upon the Ruski -Aviation Ground, a few miles eastward of the Slavonic stronghold of -Riga.</p> - -<p>Upon alighting Blake and his companions were warmly greeted by a -group of Russian staff officers, some of whom spoke English fluently, -while all could converse with the utmost ease French.</p> - -<p>"You are slightly beyond the scheduled time, Monsieur le Capitaine -Blake," remarked a courteous colonel of the Preveski Guards. "We -trust that you met with no misfortune?"</p> - -<p>"Slight mishaps that proved blessings in disguise," replied Blake, as -he proceeded to give a brief outline of the battleplane's adventures.</p> - -<p>"Extremely gratifying," declared the Russian. "And your compatriots -have done well in the raid, although, alas, they have lost heavily. -Of the number that left the soil of France for this lengthy flight -only six have contrived to arrive here."</p> - -<p>"And one cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs," added another -of the Czar's officers. "<i>Ma foi!</i> From all accounts you British have -made a fine hash of Berlin."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter20"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XX</h3> - -<h4 align="center">LIBERATED</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">A prolonged</span> spell of steady westerly winds delayed the British air -squadron's return to the Western Front. A week or more had passed -since the arrival of Blake and his companions on Russian soil, and -although the hospitality of their hosts exceeded all expectations, -the airmen eagerly looked for a favourable breeze to aid them on -their lengthy flight.</p> - -<p>Especially was there anxiety when they learnt the news—a widespread -secret—that the great Anglo-French offensive was shortly to take -place. On the Eastern Front, especially in Bukovina, the Muscovite -troops were displaying great activity. Already the Austrians were -being pushed back in headlong rout towards the Carpathians. In Italy, -too, their frenzied offensive, which in the first instance had pushed -Cadorna's troops from the Trentino Mountains, had been checked and -hurled backwards by the magnificent valour of the Italian armies.</p> - -<p>On the Western Front Verdun was still proving the grave of thousands -of the Kaiser's troops, who, in hopes of being able to announce a -splendid though costly victory, had been ineffectually hurled day -after day upon the grim, determined lines of Frenchmen backed by -their tremendously effective "Seventy-fives."</p> - -<p>Meanwhile in the neighbourhood of Riga Hindenburg had to be watched. -More, his projected offensive had to be met and broken. Here, too, -there was a good prospect of success for the Allied arms, for not -only had the Russians vast reserves of men and munitions, but since -the bad smashing of the German Fleet off the Jutland shore, the -danger of a naval attack upon Riga was at an end. And not only that; -the almost intact Russian Baltic Fleet, aided by a number of British -submarines, could co-operate with the land forces and seriously -menace the left flank of the German armies in Courland.</p> - -<p>Private Thomas Smith, who was now putting on weight rapidly and was -fast recovering his normal health and spirits, had been made a -supplementary member of the battleplane's crew. On learning the names -of his new officers he made the announcement that for three months -during his incarceration at Meseritz he had been acting as servant to -Athol's father.</p> - -<p>There were, he reported, four British officers at the prison camp, on -whom the task of maintaining discipline devolved; for, owing to the -horrible sanitary conditions and totally inadequate food, typhus had -broken out in the camp. It was Wittenburg all over again. The -Prussian guards, terrorised by the thought that they were exposed to -the dread disease, had kept well aloof from their prisoners, -supplying them food by means of iron trucks that were hauled in and -out of the camp by endless ropes. To make matters worse the trucks -were liberally sprinkled with chloride of lime, which had the effect -of making the already unwholesome food absolutely unpalatable.</p> - -<p>"Not a single man of us left the camp alive during those days," -continued Smith. "Afterwards it got a lot better, so they hired us -out like a lot of cattle. As things went it turned out all right for -me. No, sir, I haven't seen anything of Colonel Hawke for nearly six -months. He was all right then—as well as could be expected in that -horrible den."</p> - -<p>At daybreak on the following morning the rumble of guns, that for the -past week had been intermittent, increased into a continuous and -terrific roar. All along the Courland Front dense clouds of smoke -drifted slowly across the Russian lines. The ground, twenty miles -from the actual scene of the furious cannonade, trembled under the -pulsations of the concentrated artillery.</p> - -<p>"Would you like to have a nearer view of the action?" enquired the -courteous Russian colonel who acted as the British officers' -principal host. "To-day we hope to achieve something."</p> - -<p>"Our battleplane is at your service, sir," replied Blake.</p> - -<p>"No, no," protested the Russian. "That is not what I meant. Your work -is best performed on your own front when the climatic conditions -permit of your return. Here, while you are on Russian soil, it is our -duty to take good care of you. Nevertheless, should you wish to see -how your Russian brothers-in-arms can fight the Huns——?"</p> - -<p>"Assuredly," replied Blake.</p> - -<p>Within five minutes a swift motor-car was in readiness. Accompanied -by two Russian officers, Blake, Athol and Dick were soon speeding -over an excellent road that had only recently been completed—one of -the vast network of communications made by the Russians during the -winter of 1915-16, and which enabled them to move their troops with -the same facilities as did their highly-organised foes.</p> - -<p>"This is as far as I dare take you, gentlemen," announced one of the -Russian officers, as the car came to a standstill in the rear of a -slightly-rising ridge. "His Excellency Colonel Dvouski has impressed -upon me the necessity of caution. It will be fairly safe to walk to -the summit of this hill. From it we can see much of the operations."</p> - -<p>The party alighted and accompanied their guide. The view at first -sight was distinctly monotonous. Both the Russian and the German -triple lines of trenches were completely invisible, the zigzag lines -of clay being garbed in a verdant cloak of wavy grass interspersed -with gay-coloured flowers. But, although the trenches were concealed -from direct view the Russian gunners had the range of the hostile -guns to a nicety, thanks to the efficient aid given by their -observing aeroplanes.</p> - -<p>As far as the eye could reach the German lines were being subjected -to a terrific bombardment. Clouds of dust and smoke, mingled with -flying timbers, sandbags, human bodies and limbs testified to the -stupendous power of the high-explosive shells which Russia's -erstwhile foe was now lavishly pouring into her new ally's magazines.</p> - -<p>Two miles beyond the German third line trenches another deluge of -shells was falling, forming a "barrage" or impassable zone of fire in -order to prevent the enemy's reserves from being rushed up to assist -the already demoralised front line defenders.</p> - -<p>The Russian officer consulted his watch.</p> - -<p>"In seven and a half minutes from now," he announced laconically and -as calmly as if he were stating the time of departure of a train.</p> - -<p>Breathlessly Athol and Dick watched the bursting shells, mentally -comparing the hail of friendly projectiles with the state of affairs -when they were "foot-slogging" in the Flanders trenches. Then they -were in the unenviable position of being subjected to a heavy -"strafing" with the disconcerting knowledge that the Huns were -sending three shells to the British one. Now, thanks to energetic -measures to provide munitions, it was the other way about. The sight -that the lads witnessed near Riga was but a part of a similar and -concerted plan of action stretching between the Baltic and the -Carpathians on the Eastern Front; from the North Sea to the Swiss -frontier on the Western, and in no less a degree against the -Austrians on the Italian border.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the guns pounding the German first line trenches "lifted," -transferring their hail of projectiles to a line well beyond. -Simultaneously swarms of grey-coated Russian infantry appeared from -the invisible trenches, clambered over the parapets, and surged -shoulder to shoulder across the intervening "no man's land."</p> - -<p>Numbers fell, for the Huns had contrived, even amidst the inferno of -high explosive shells, to keep some of their machine-guns intact.</p> - -<p>But the Czar's troops were not to be denied. With the sunlight -glinting upon their long bayonets, and with a succession of rousing -cheers they swept forward unfalteringly and irresistibly.</p> - -<p>Penetrating the barbed wire entanglements they closed. Here and there -bayonet crossed bayonet, or clubbed rifle fell upon foeman's skull, -but for the most part the Huns, their spirits crushed by the -nerve-racking bombardment, threw down their rifles and raised their -hands above their heads in token of surrender.</p> - -<p>Over the parados of the captured trench swept the triumphant troops, -hurling hand grenades by hundreds into the second line of Hun -defences. The reserve trenches shared the same fate, and in less than -forty minutes the surviving Germans, unable to flee owing to the -steady barrage fire, surrendered to their hitherto despised foes.</p> - -<p>Already swarms of prisoners, closely guarded, were being marched to -the rear of the Russian positions, while a long line of wounded, some -supported by their comrades, others borne in stretchers, and others -walking slowly and painfully, testified to the stubbornness of the -conflict.</p> - -<p>"What are those fellows doing, I wonder?" asked Dick, indicating a -large body of unarmed men who were approaching with every indication -of delight. They were still some distance off, but by the aid of -their binoculars Blake and his party could see the men with -comparative distinctness.</p> - -<p>They were clad mostly in a motley of rags Their faces were black with -dirt and almost hidden by long, straggling beards. Yet in spite of -their battered and scarecrow appearances they marched with a good -idea of military order.</p> - -<p>"Poles, perhaps," suggested one of the Russian officers. "The Huns -have forced a lot of them into their ranks. That is what the Germans -meant by granting them self-government."</p> - -<p>"You are wrong there, Alexis Ivanovitch," said his brother officer, -speaking in French, for, out of politeness to their guests, they had -refrained from talking to each other in their native tongue. "Those -men are not Poles; they are English and French."</p> - -<p>"Surely?" inquired Blake incredulously.</p> - -<p>"I am certain of it," continued the Russian. "They are some of the -prisoners whom the Huns have sent from their concentration camps to -work in their trenches on this front. These Germans have a saying, -'Scratch a Russian and you will find a Tartar.' The whole civilised -world can now very well say, 'Show me a Hun and I will show you a -brute.'"</p> - -<p>Nearer and nearer marched the ragged regiment, proceeding along a -road that led about a quarter of a mile from the hillock on which -Blake and his companions were standing.</p> - -<p>"Let us go and give the poor fellows a bit of a welcome," he -suggested, to which the Russian officer agreed.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, to his comrades' surprise, Athol broke into a run and made -straight for the advancing men. His sharp eyes had discovered a tall, -attenuated figure at the head of the column. In spite of the grey -beard, the hollow cheek, and bent shoulders the lad recognised his -father. Not so Colonel Hawke; he never expected to find his son, a -tall strapping youth in the uniform of an officer of the Royal Flying -Corps, on this remote corner of Russian soil.</p> - -<p>When at length the colonel grasped the situation, he could only gasp -in speechless wonderment, while Athol shook his hands as if they were -a couple of pump-handles.</p> - -<p>The rest of the released prisoners, numbering half a dozen British -and French officers, and about four hundred men, halted, broke ranks, -and crowded round the rest of Blake's party, filled with delight at -the sight of the well-known uniforms once more.</p> - -<p>At the same time a Russian regiment on its way to the captured -positions halted. The troops with characteristic kindness were soon -offering their water-bottles, rations and tobacco to their starving -allies.</p> - -<p>"It has been simply hell," declared Athol's father, after he had -recovered from the surprise that had all but rendered him speechless -with emotion. "Those swine of Germans compelled our poor fellows to -slave in their first-line trenches. Our spirit was broken by hunger -and exhaustion. We would have welcomed a Russian shell, but even that -was denied us. They pushed us into dug-outs and mine galleries, and -kept us there for three days without food. Thank heaven, though, the -boys kept their end up pretty well. At least three large mines failed -to explode as the Russians stormed the first line trenches, and I -think I know why. We tampered with the wires."</p> - -<p>"We have a motor-car which is at your disposal, Colonel Hawke," said -the Russian officer responsible for the safety of the British airmen. -"It will indeed be an honour to offer you hospitality."</p> - -<p>Athol's parent shook his head.</p> - -<p>"Many thanks, sir," he replied, "but I must decline. Until I see -these men safely quartered and given a good meal my place is with -them. Well, good-bye, Athol, for the present. I'll try to look you up -this evening. I say," he added anxiously, "what's this we've heard -about a great German naval victory in the North Sea?"</p> - -<p>"If the fact that Wilhelmshaven and Kiel are chock-a-block with -crippled German warships, that a score or more are at the bottom of -the North Sea, and that Jellicoe's fleet still holds undisputed -mastery of the sea—if that constitutes a German victory they may -repeat their success as many times as they like," observed Desmond -Blake. "I suppose that in Germany the people still believe the tissue -of lies issued by the German Admiralty. Already neutrals know the -truth. I feel sorry for the Kaiser when his subjects learn the actual -facts."</p> - -<p>"I feel sorry for no German," declared Colonel Hawke. "I never was of -a vindictive nature, but—a Somali would give a Hun points as far as -'culture' is concerned, while an Afghan or a Turk is streets above -the brutal, degraded louts who sport the Kaiser's uniform. My great -wish at the present moment is to get back to England as soon as -possible, pick myself up—and I want a lot of feeding up, I -fancy—and then have another go at the Huns."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter21"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XXI</h3> - -<h4 align="center">ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">For</span> another three days the battleplane rested on Russian soil, the -climatic conditions remaining unfavourable for the much desired -return journey.</p> - -<p>During that period Athol saw a good deal of his father, for the -rescued prisoners were quartered in a little village within three -versts of the flying-ground.</p> - -<p>There was every possibility of the colonel's wish being speedily -gratified, for arrangements were already in progress for sending the -released officers and men back to England by ship from Archangel.</p> - -<p>Private Tom Smith elected to go with them, although not until he had -spent many an anxious hour deliberating the matter in his mind. He -was already a keen airman; he realised his debt of gratitude to Dick -and the battleplane's crew for getting him out of a most unpleasant -situation. On the other hand he was deeply attached to his old -master, Colonel Hawke. With him he had shared the horrors of the -Meseritz Prison Camp, and the private's sense of loyalty to his -chief, coupled with his desire to share in the colonel's resolution -to "get his own back" upon his former captors, decided him to throw -in his lot with his master.</p> - -<p>At five o'clock in the morning of the seventeenth day of their visit -to Russia the battleplane's officers were aroused by Sergeant -O'Rafferty announcing that the wind had veered and was blowing -steadily from the north-east and seemed likely to remain so.</p> - -<p>Wireless reports from Russian warships far out in the Baltic -confirmed the statement. There was every indication of the favourable -air-drift continuing for some days.</p> - -<p>Already the battleplane was in readiness for flight. Her tanks had -been replenished with petrol, her motors overhauled. There was still -an ample reserve of machine-gun ammunition, while the Russian -authorities had supplied a dozen bombs filled with a super-powerful -Japanese high-explosive. The rents in her wings and in the body of -the fuselage had been made good, numerous neat patches bearing a -silent testimony to the ordeal through which she had successfully -passed.</p> - -<p>In accordance with the perfect array that existed between all the -Allies Blake had given the Russian aeronautical engineer every -facility to study the constructive details of his invention; and it -was more than likely that before the war had come to a victorious -conclusion, battleplanes after the model of the mechanical bird would -be seen operating under the control of Russian airmen.</p> - -<p>Having taken farewell of their hospitable hosts the crew of the -battleplane prepared to set out on the return journey. This time they -flew alone, for the remaining British biplanes that had taken part in -the raid had already left. Acting under previous orders they had -flown southward, and after a rest at Odessa, had passed over -Constantinople, arriving safe and sound at the Allied Camp at -Salonika.</p> - -<p>Amidst salvoes of cheering from the swarm of grey-coated Russians the -battleplane—"secret" no longer—rose steadily and faultlessly, and -shaped a course towards the Baltic.</p> - -<p>"I've decided upon an alteration of plans," announced Blake. "The -deciding factor is the petrol question. If we fly direct and over -German territory, we may run short of fuel and have to descend. You -see, the spirit we are now using is different from the prepared -petrol that brought us here. Whether we can cover the whole distance -or not without replenishing remains to be seen. So I propose keeping -over the Baltic and thence over the Cattegat and Skager Rack. By the -time we are in the vicinity of the Skaw I shall be able to determine -whether there will be enough petrol to carry us the rest of the way."</p> - -<p>"And if not?" enquired Athol.</p> - -<p>"Details already arranged," said the inventor, with a grim chuckle. -"The Admiralty have instructed a tank-vessel, escorted by cruisers -and destroyers, to lie off the Norwegian coast, well outside the -three mile limit. That's a pretty tangible proof that we hold the -sea."</p> - -<p>At a rate approaching one hundred and eighty miles an hour the -battleplane was soon out of sight of land. She had at first held a -north-westerly course in order to avoid passing over Libau, then in -the possession of the Germans. Blake, although he would not have -declined another aerial fight, was anxious to traverse the Baltic -before the Huns were aware that he had left the Russian frontier. -There was work awaiting the battleplane in France—work of far more -importance than engaging individual hostile seaplanes in the -neighbourhood of the Cattegat.</p> - -<p>Fifty minutes after leaving Riga the Swedish island of Gothland was -sighted. At this point the course was altered to the south-west, -until the island of Bornholm was discerned.</p> - -<p>Although numerous Russian warships and patrol-boats had been sighted -at the entrance to the Gulf of Riga the Baltic was almost deserted, -except towards the Swedish shore, where several enemy merchantmen -were hugging the coast in order to avoid the studied attentions of -the British and Russian submarines. But of German warships there was -no sign.</p> - -<p>Presently Blake's trained ear caught a disconcerting sound that was -repeated time after time with increasing frequency. Dick, sliding -from his seat, made his way to the motor-room; then, after a brief -examination, approached his chief.</p> - -<p>"She's firing badly," said Blake gravely.</p> - -<p>"Yes," assented Dick. "It's not the ignition this time. It's the -petrol. It is my belief that either the stuff is very inferior or -else that it has been watered. Whatever it is the rotten stuff is now -passing through the carburettors. Hitherto we've been running on the -petrol we brought with us."</p> - -<p>"Was it strained?" asked Blake anxiously.</p> - -<p>"I stood by and saw it done," reported Dick. "Of course some one -might have tampered with the tanks during the night. There are spies -with the Russian troops as well as there are in the French and ours, -worse luck. There she goes again," he added, as the motors faltered -badly for several strokes and then spasmodically fired again. "Ought -we to turn back?"</p> - -<p>"I don't believe in turning back," said the inventor. "No, the sea is -calm, there are no vessels in sight. We'll volplane down, rest on the -surface and re-strain every drop of petrol on board."</p> - -<p>Preparations were quickly made for the venturesome enterprise. The -hatchway in the floor of the fuselage, which was already shut, was -now hermetically sealed by means of wing-nuts that jammed the metal -flap hard down upon an indiarubber seating. A similar watertight -covering closed the aperture through which the bombs were dropped in -action. The exhaust, which generally led through a pipe on the -underside of the rear part of the chassis, was diverted by means of a -two-way union so that the former escaped from an outlet and -projecting well above the deck. Thus, in less than five minutes the -hull of the battleplane was made absolutely watertight and ready to -float upon the waves.</p> - -<p>Being unprovided with floats like those fitted to naval seaplanes the -machine took the water clumsily. The sudden resistance of the girders -carrying the landing-wheels as they encountered the water, caused the -body to tilt nose downwards. With solid water well over her forepart, -the battleplane shook herself free, bobbed violently several times -and finally rocked easily upon the placid waters of the Baltic.</p> - -<p>Leaving Athol to keep watch all remaining hands set to work. First -the contents of the carburettors were strained. Globules too heavy to -pass through the fine meshed gauze confirmed Dick's suspicions. The -petrol had been heavily "doctored" with water.</p> - -<p>It was a lengthy and disagreeable task draining each of the tanks and -refiltering the liquid fuel. The atmosphere of the confined space -reeked of petrol fumes; the unusual motion of the hull as it pitched -and rocked to the action of the sullen waves added to the discomforts -of the highly necessary work. Sergeant O'Rafferty, almost overcome -with nausea, stuck gamely to his job, while both Dick and Desmond -Blake felt their heads whirling under the powerful influence of the -volatile gas.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Athol perceived two pole-like objects forging slowly through -the water at a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile. Only the -feather of spray caused by the resistance of the vertical objects -betrayed their presence. They were the twin periscopes of a -submarine.</p> - -<p>At his shout of alarm Blake and the rest of the crew left their task -and hurried to their respective flying-stations. Anxiously they -awaited developments. Was the submarine a friend or foe?</p> - -<p>Flight, under present conditions, was impossible.</p> - -<p>Until the whole of the petrol in the tank nearest the carburettors -was completely strained, it would be impossible to get the motors to -fire.</p> - -<p>Quietly Athol and the sergeant fitted ammunition belts to the two -automatic guns. Although the bullets did not possess sufficient -penetrative powers to perforate the shell of a submarine the hail of -projectiles would be sufficient to prevent any attempt on the part of -the vessel's gunners from using their quick-firers—provided they -kept within range. Nor could the submarine make use of a torpedo, for -the lightness of the battleplane's draught—floating she drew but -four or six inches—offered no target to an under-water missile -unless the weapon struck the girder-work of the landing-wheels which -projected several feet underneath the surface.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless the situation was a perplexing one. Should the submarine -prove to be German, she could either shell the battleplane from a -distance or else summon, by means of wireless, Zeppelins and -seaplanes to finish off the helpless aircraft by means of bombs.</p> - -<p>Several long-drawn-out minutes passed. The eyes of the periscopes -were steadily fixed upon the battleplane as the invisible submarine -slowly approached. At length, apparently satisfied with her -investigations, the submerged craft housed her periscopes and made -off, leaving a tell-tale swirl upon the surface of the water.</p> - -<p>"She's off, sir," exclaimed O'Rafferty.</p> - -<p>"Yes, for the present," replied Blake. "She'll be at it again, I -fancy. Come on, lads, let's carry on. Another half hour will see us -straight."</p> - -<p>Leaving Athol still on watch the rest of the crew resumed their -labours, but before they had been at work for another five or ten -minutes the submarine appeared upon the surface at a distance of -nearly two miles.</p> - -<p>"The brutes!" ejaculated Blake. "They've spotted our automatic guns. -We'll be having some three pounder shells this way before long."</p> - -<p>Bringing their glasses to bear upon the low-lying hull of the -submarine the airmen found that their fears were realised. The vessel -was a large <i>unterseeboot</i> flying the Black Cross ensign of Germany. -She was lying broad-side on and forging ahead at a rate of about five -knots. The two quick-firing guns were already raised from their -respective "houses" or watertight troughs, and were being served by -their gunners.</p> - -<p>A flash followed by a dull crack announced that the submarine had -opened the ball.</p> - -<p>"You'll have to do better than that, old sport!" exclaimed O'Rafferty -disdainfully, as the projectile struck the water at a hundred yards -beyond the target, and ricochetting with a tremendous splash, finally -disappeared a mile and a half away.</p> - -<p>Again and again the Huns fired, each shell approaching with uncanny -and methodical exactness nearer and nearer the crippled battleplane. -They were blazing away with plugged shell, and that fact, combined -with the evident reluctance of the submarine's crew to score a direct -hit, told the airmen pretty plainly that the Germans wished -particularly for their surrender and the capture of the battleplane -intact.</p> - -<p>From time to time Athol and the sergeant let loose a few rounds of -ammunition, but in spite of the extreme elevation of the sights of -the automatic weapons the bullets all fell short.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Athol ducked his head as a projectile hurtled through the -air less than ten feet above him. He could distinctly feel the -windage of the missile, while the screech was appalling. The Huns, -getting out of patience with the resistance of the British -battleplane, were trying to shell it in grim earnest.</p> - -<p>But before another shell could be fired from the U boat, a column of -foamy water shot up a couple of hundred feet into the air. For a -brief instant the bow and stern of the submarine showed, tilted up at -different angles to the surface of the water. Then, as the muffled -roar of an explosion was borne to the ears of Blake and his -companions, their antagonist simply vanished, leaving a maelstrom of -boiling water to mark her tomb.</p> - -<p>"Hurrah!" shouted Dick, the first of the delighted and astonished men -to find his voice. "She's gone. Wonder what's happened?"</p> - -<p>"One of her torpedoes gone off by accident, I expect," hazarded his -chum. "It seemed like an internal explosion."</p> - -<p>"At any rate, she's gone," observed Blake thankfully. "Now, lads, -let's get on with the business, before there are a swarm of patrol -boats on the scene. I shouldn't wonder if the noise of that explosion -were heard fifty miles away."</p> - -<p>Leaving Athol again on watch the others continued their interrupted -labours; but before another ten minutes had elapsed came the -watcher's doleful shout:—</p> - -<p>"Another submarine!"</p> - -<p>The new-comer had appeared upon the surface apparently without any -preliminary investigation. At least Athol had not noticed the -periscopes until the vessel rose at a distance of a cables length -away.</p> - -<p>She bore no number or distinguishing marks, but hardly was she awash -when the conning-tower hatchway was opened, and a seaman dressed in a -thick "fearnought" suit, appeared. Making his way aft he tugged at -the halliards of a short flag-staff, and instantly a flag was -"broken-out," fluttering proudly in the breeze.</p> - -<p>It was the glorious White Ensign.</p> - -<p>Others of the crew now appeared, as the submarine, forging gently -ahead like an enormous porpoise, closed with the battleplane that she -had so timely rescued. Then, slowing down, she came to a standstill -ten yards to windward of the crippled aircraft.</p> - -<p>"Heave us a line if you have one on board," shouted a boyish-looking -lieutenant-commander, who, as he smiled displayed a set of white -teeth that contrasted vividly with his deeply bronzed complexion. -"We'll have all on board in a jiffey."</p> - -<p>"We haven't a line," replied Blake courteously, "and we don't want to -come on board, thanks all the same. We're effecting repairs and then -we're off, I hope."</p> - -<p>"Thought that Hun was strafing you," remarked the young officer.</p> - -<p>"He was about to, when—I suppose you bagged him."</p> - -<p>"We did," agreed the lieutenant-commander with pardonable pride. -"We're out of your debt now, I take it."</p> - -<p>Blake was genuinely taken aback.</p> - -<p>"You've a bad memory, I'm afraid," continued the skipper of the -submarine. "T'other day a Zepp was strafing us, and you strafed the -Zepp. We came to the surface in time to see you sheering off. Nasty -quarter of an hour while it lasted, by Jove! So now we're quits. -Well, what's wrong?"</p> - -<p>The difficulty with the watered petrol was explained.</p> - -<p>"Don't bother about the rest," said the lieutenant-commander. "We've -plenty on board. Only replenished at Cronstadt yesterday, and we -don't do much surface running. We'll soon fix you up."</p> - -<p>In a brief space of time a delivery hose was passed from the -submarine to the battleplane, and with a prodigal generosity gallons -of petrol were pumped into the latter's tanks.</p> - -<p>During the operation Athol was engaged in conversation with the -sub-lieutenant of the submarine, each, with pardonable pride, -maintaining that his branch of the respective services afforded the -greater excitement. While the lieutenant-commander of the submarine -paid a visit to the battleplane, Athol went on board the naval craft, -and was shown most of the wonders of the latest type of under-water -warship.</p> - -<p>Just then the skipper of the submarine made a flying leap from the -deck of the battleplane to the platform of his own craft.</p> - -<p>"Back with you!" he exclaimed, addressing Athol, who was in the act -of emerging through a hatchway. "Sharp as you can, unless you want a -trip with us. There's another strafing match about to commence."</p> - -<p>High up and several miles away to the south-westward at least a dozen -black specks were visible against the cloudless sky. A fleet of -hostile seaplanes was approaching with the evident intention of -making it hot for the British submarine.</p> - -<p>"Sure you can start?" shouted the lieutenant-commander as he slid -down the conning-tower hatchway.</p> - -<p>Blake gave an affirmative reply, which was confirmed by the engines -being set in motion.</p> - -<p>"S'long!" was the naval officer's farewell greeting as he slammed the -rubber-lined hatchway cover. Then, forging quickly ahead the -submarine dipped her nose and slid swiftly beneath the surface.</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<a name="chapter22"></a> -<h3 align="center">CHAPTER XXII</h3> - -<h4 align="center">ALL GOES WELL WITH ENGLAND</h4> - -<p><span class="smallcaps">With</span> her replenished stock of fuel the battleplane had no difficulty -in rising once she was clear of the surface; for, owing to the -absence of properly contrived floats and the restricted limit of the -beats of her wings, the tips of which could not be dipped into the -water without considerable risk, she could not soar at her usual -angle. It was only after "taxiing" for nearly two hundred yards that -she was able to shake herself clear of the unnatural element.</p> - -<p>"Much more of this sort of business and I shall have to modify the -design," declared Blake. "Ah, here they are again," he added, -indicating the approaching seaplanes.</p> - -<p>"Stand by with the guns. I'm going right through them."</p> - -<p>With this laudable intention Blake took the battleplane up quite a -thousand feet above the altitude of the hostile aircraft, and at full -speed tore to meet the hostile seaplanes.</p> - -<p>By this time the Huns had learnt of the presence of the battleplane. -Recognising her by the beat of the powerful wings they one and all -declined combat, and scuttling like a flight of wild duck, made rapid -tracks for home.</p> - -<p>"That's decided me," declared the imperturbable pilot. "We'll make a -short cut for home. O'Rafferty."</p> - -<p>"Sir?"</p> - -<p>"Send off a wireless to the petrol depot ship. We are within call, I -fancy. Tell them not to wait. We have more than enough petrol to take -us home."</p> - -<p>"Now, Athol," continued Blake, "I'll give you fellows a sight of the -Kiel Canal and of Heligoland. I don't suppose any British airman has -seen Billy's ditch from the air before."</p> - -<p>At an immense altitude the battleplane swung round, crossing the -Schleswig-Holstein isthmus at a height of seventeen thousand feet. -Unseen—or if she were seen no attempt on the part of the Huns was -made to molest her—she glided serenely across to Heligoland Bight, -the islands of Heligoland and Sandinsel looking like mere dots in the -sea. Then following the chain of Frisian Islands she skirted the -Dutch coast on her way south-westwards.</p> - -<p>In about nine hours—including the stop for repairs—the battleplane -had covered a distance of nearly a thousand miles, and was within -half an hour's run of the opposing forces on the Western Front.</p> - -<p>Already the airmen could feel a strange rumbling sensation in the -rarefied air. It was not the thunder of the guns in Flanders—it was -something far louder than that. The concentrated fire of hundreds of -enormous allied guns was literally shaking the firmament.</p> - -<p>"I know where we are now," declared Blake. "That town we can see -ahead is Peronne. By Jove! we're in time to see the 'Big Push,' lads. -Look, our line is different from what it was three weeks ago. It's -beyond that village—Fricourt, I think is its name."</p> - -<p>In vast circles the battleplane volplaned earthwards, the two lads -and O'Rafferty surveying the scene of terrific carnage by means of -their binoculars.</p> - -<p>There was no doubt about it. Our khaki-clad troops, recking not the -stubborn resistance of the grey-coated Huns, were pressing forward -with bombs and bayonets. All along the line, as far as the limit of -vision permitted it to be seen, the lads could mark the irresistible -progress of their brave countrymen and the equally gallant French -allies. Overhead, although at a considerably lesser altitude, flew -swarms of aeroplanes, all bearing the distinctive marks of red, white -and blue. Of the Black Cross machines not one was visible. It was an -Allies' day with a vengeance.</p> - -<p>Unable to take part in the operations for want of previous -instructions, Blake manoeuvred the battleplane up and down the -changing line of opposing forces. The spirits of the two lads rose to -high water mark. They realised that this was the beginning of the -end; the set purpose, which after weeks and months of tedious and -seemingly wasteful inactivity, was to justify the waiting tactics of -the silent Joffre.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Athol noticed an ominous movement in our part of the -far-flung line. A village, although the buildings were almost -levelled by the accurate gunfire of the British, was still being held -with the utmost stubbornness by the Huns.</p> - -<p>Evidently the enemy had preserved a number of machine guns intact in -spite of the terrific hail of shells. The British, pinned to the -earth by the terrific machine-gun fire, were unable to advance; while -evading the "barrage" of shells, strong reinforcements of Germans -were being rushed forward to convert the British check into a -defeat—glorious but none the less a set-back that might adversely -influence the concentrated operations.</p> - -<p>And, with the exception of Blake's battleplane there was no other -British machine to warn the infantry of the approach of the German -reserves.</p> - -<p>"Now for it!" shouted Blake, the glint of battle in his eye. "Let 'em -have bombs and flêches when I give the word. Get ready with the -automatic guns."</p> - -<p>Athol, the end of the ammunition belt already in the breech -mechanism, depressed the muzzle of his weapon. O'Rafferty was ready -on his part, while Dick stood by to operate the bomb dropping gear, -keeping one hand on the lever that would release hundreds of steel -darts upon the close columns of German troops.</p> - -<p>Like a hawk the battleplane swooped down, descending to less than -four hundred feet. Greeted by a terrific fusillade from the rifles of -the astonished and demoralised Huns she returned the compliment with -interest. Bombs, darts and bullets wrought havoc in the crowded -ranks, until the survivors broke and fled, leaving a trail of dead -and wounded as they sought a doubtful shelter from the terror of the -skies.</p> - -<p>Dismayed by the rout of their supports the defenders of the ruined -village slackened their fire. Quick to seize the advantage the -British troops, with a cheer that could be distinctly heard above the -roar of battle, swayed forward on and over the rubble of masonry and -carried the position.</p> - -<p>This much Athol saw. Then his attention was attracted by a groan. -With his head and shoulder resting over the coaming lay Sergeant -O'Rafferty, the blood oozing from a bullet wound in his neck. Before -Athol could make his way to the sergeant's assistance Blake called to -him in an unsteady voice to take the steering-wheel.</p> - -<p>"The blighters have got me," he exclaimed. "Plugged through both -wrists."</p> - -<p>"Dick," shouted his chum. "Bear a hand with the sergeant. He's hit. -Sharp as you can, then stand by with the motors."</p> - -<p>"We'll have to come down," replied Dick. "Petrol tanks perforated."</p> - -<p>Only sufficient fuel for half an hour's run remained before the -damage was done; with the precious spirit trickling in a steady -stream it was doubtful whether the engines could be kept running more -than a few minutes.</p> - -<p>Dick, too, did not mention that he had stopped a bullet, which, -passing through the fleshy part of his right arm, had rendered that -limb useless and was causing him exquisite pain.</p> - -<p>Just then the motors coughed and stopped abruptly. Athol was only -just in time to grip the steering wheel when the long volplane to -earth began.</p> - -<p>He attempted to tilt the aerilons. The operating rods responded -stiffly to the action of the levers. The movable tips to the wings -were firmly locked. Absolute control of the battleplane was no longer -possible.</p> - -<p>"There'll be a most unholy smash!" muttered the lad between his -clenched teeth.</p> - -<p>The next instant the battleplane flattened out, not under the -influence of the pilot's guidance, but through some freakish -aircurrent. Then, before she could gather momentum for her tail-dive -she crashed to earth.</p> - -<p>Myriads of white lights flashed in front of Athol's eyes, and then -everything became a blank.</p> - -<center>* * * * *</center> - -<p>When Athol recovered consciousness he found himself in a base -hospital. By his bedside stood Desmond Blake and Dick, both swathed -in bandages.</p> - -<p>"How goes it?" asked Athol feebly.</p> - -<p>"The battleplane's done for," replied Dick.</p> - -<p>"She's done her bit, and for a wonder we're all here to tell the -tale."</p> - -<p>"But the Big Push?" persisted the lad.</p> - -<p>Desmond Blake's features were wreathed in a smile that betokened -confidence.</p> - -<p>"Don't worry, Athol," he replied. "So far all goes well with the arms -of England and France."</p> - -<br> -<br> -<br> -<center>THE END</center> -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<hr align="center" width="80%"> -<center class="fontsize60">THE LONDON AND NORWICH PRESS LIMITED LONDON AND NORWICH ENGLAND</center> - -<br> -<br> -<br> -<br> - -<div class="notebox fontsize80"> - Transcriber's Notes: -<br> -<div class="indent02"> -<br> The following misprint has been corrected: -<br> -<br> <a href="#cor0001">[Hop it and we'll] —> [Hop in and we'll]</a> -<br> <a href="#cor0002">[Ammunnition and stores] —> [Ammunition and stores]</a> -<br> <a href="#cor0003">[The moniplane's tail rose] —> [The monoplane's tail rose]</a> -<br> -</div> -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Secret Battleplane, by Percy F. 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