"That's just what they're doing!" declared Harry. "They're coming fast, too. Can't we coax a little more speed out of this old tub?"

"You speak as if this were a ship in the water," responded Ned. "I want you to understand that this is an aeroplane and that it is performing a most remarkable feat in carrying five boys and two grown men, besides a quantity of luggage and supplies."

"I guess our ideas were all right, eh, Ned?" said Jack, as he ran an admiring eye over the rigging of the craft. "It's some boat!"

"It certainly is some boat!" declared Ned. "And I wish—"

"What Ned wished was never known, for at that instant a sharp report was heard and a bullet sang its way through the rigging of the Eagle with a vicious twang that made the boys wince.

"Wow!" was Jack's ejaculation. "That's too close for comfort!"

"May I reply to them?" asked Dave, picking up one of the German rifles that had been brought aboard. "I think I can get the range."

"I'd rather not shoot too close to them," Ned answered, manipulating the levers and valves in an effort to obtain more speed. "Perhaps we can run away from both. In that case we won't have to shoot any one."

"I think I'll take a crack at their propeller," announced Dave. "Maybe I can send a bullet through that, and if I can it will stop them."

As he spoke Dave took a quick sight, resting the rifle across the rim of the fuselage. A sharp detonation echoed above the hum of the motors. Dave peered eagerly toward the plane at which he had aimed.

"I got 'em, I got 'em!" he announced, slapping his thigh in glee.

"Who did you get?" asked Ned, without turning his head.

"I am sure I winged their propeller!" declared Dave, gleefully. "I aimed right at the circle in which the blades travel, and I'm sure I saw splinters from the wooden blades. They're slowing up, too!"

"Sure enough!" cried Harry, peering through the glasses. "You're some shot, Dave. I'll place all my bets on you hereafter!"

"But the other fellow is hot after us!" was Jack's announcement.

"Where are they? And what are they doing?" asked Ned.

"They're coming up fast from the left," said Jack. "I think they're trying to get over us so as to drop a bomb or so."

"I wish we didn't have these two prisoners with us!" Ned said, as he urged the Eagle to her best paces. "It takes a lot of power to keep up at this altitude when we're carrying so much weight."

"We'll make out all right," responded Jack, encouragingly. "We can take them along with us and when get across the French lines we'll just dump them down as prisoners of war and let them be exchanged."

"That would be a pretty good scheme," commented Harry. "The only thing I can see to interfere with it is that fellow on our left."

"He won't be able to do much when Dave gets in his work with the rifle again," cried Jimmie, admiringly. "Dave's the boy!"

"That was a lucky shot, though," protested Dave. "Don't expect every one to do as much execution as that one did."

"We'll have to take a chance, that's all!" urged Jimmie. "We won't let a little thing like that keep us from trying to make a landing."

"Perhaps not," went on Harry, "but at the same time it is a possibility and must be considered. Besides," he added, "we're not free from that fellow over here on our left yet. He's rising."

"Is he going over us?" asked Ned, anxiously. "I can't get much more speed out of this craft the way we're loaded."

"Yes," replied Harry, training his glasses aloft. "He is trying to pass above us. Perhaps he'll drop a bomb on us."

"That's exactly what he's trying to do!" declared Jack. "What can we do to prevent him? Dave, how about another shot?"

"I'll try," answered the boy, "but I'm not sure. There's considerable vibration here, you know, and I haven't a rest."

Presently he saw that unless he fired soon the other would be out of reach, and taking a chance discharged the rifle. As he had anticipated, the bullet went wild and resulted in no damage. Before he could reload and again take aim the other had passed to a point where the upper planes of the Eagle shut off his view.

"Now they'll be able to bombard us to their own pleasure!" declared Jimmie. "Gee, I wish I could climb up above this top plane and take a little crack at them myself! Can't I get up there?"

"None of that, Jimmie!" ordered Ned. "We have already all the danger we can handle without trying such a stunt as that!"

"All right, then, but it would be well to alter our course a bit."

"Here goes!" announced Ned, throwing his weight against one of the levers controlling the horizontal rudders. "Stand by for a jerk!"

Scarcely had the Eagle swerved sharply from her course before the lads heard a rushing, whistling sound. Far below on the ground a missle fell. A dull boom came up. A cloud of smoke rising from the spot indicated that the missle had been a bomb remarkably well aimed. They realized that only by a narrow margin had it missed them.

"Plenty close enough," gritted Jimmie between his teeth. "Rise, if you can, Ned, and give us a chance at them with our guns."

From his seat Ned glanced quickly downward and observed the cloud of smoke about the spot where the bomb had landed.

"Give them another one, Dave," he cried, righting the Eagle and altering the rudders so as to drive the machine higher.

Without waiting for further instructions, Dave seized his rifle again and began firing as rapidly as he could load.

"We're getting over the French trenches now!" cried Harry in a moment. "I can see the puffs of smoke from their guns, and the bursting shells mean that the Germans are getting the range."

"Then we haven't far to go before we are going to be able to land."

"If we can hold this fellow off a while longer we'll be all right."

"Can you see any place, Harry, that looks like a landing place?" asked Ned, anxiously. "We better look for a good spot pretty soon."

Harry turned the glasses to look forward. He swept the horizon with eagerness. Presently he fixed his gaze upon one spot.

"I see another plane coming out to give battle to us and this chap!"

"Look out!" shrieked Jimmie. "See what Fritz is doing!"

The next instant he had thrown himself forward and over the edge.



CHAPTER XXV

ESCAPE

A gasp rose from the four boys as they saw Fritz hurl himself over the rim of the car. They knew that nothing could be done, yet all threw themselves toward the Uhlan in the vain hope of rescue.

It needed little exercise of the imagination to picture the result of Fritz's rash act. Too well the boys understood what would happen when the soldier fell from such an altitude.

"Good night!" gasped Jimmie, turning a pale face toward his friends.

"How did he do it?" asked Jack, a tremble in his voice.

"He must have been an acrobat of the first water to manage such a thing!" declared Harry. "I thought he was as secure as anything."

"Too late now to help him, and we've still got the German aeroplane to reckon with," warned Ned. "Keep a sharp lookout for the fellow!"

"What is the stranger doing now?" asked Jack, pointing to the plane that had appeared from the westward.

"He seems to be heading directly for us," replied Ned. "I wonder if he takes us to be Germans, trying some trick or other."

"Better take off these German uniforms," advised Jimmie, stripping off his jacket as he spoke. "I'm going to drop mine overboard!"

As he spoke the lad flung the jacket as far as he could and watched its descent with interest. The others were not long in following his example.

"I'll tell you what we'll do!" offered Dave. "When we get near enough, shut off the engine so it won't make any noise and we'll all shout 'Vive la France!' at him. He'll know then we're not enemies."

"Good idea, but I can't speak French," returned Jimmie.

"Well, then, try something!" urged the lad.

"I don't believe anything at all is necessary," stated Ned as the two came nearer. "They seem to be after the Germans and not us!"

"What's that place down there?" asked Harry after some time. "It looks to me as if it were a camp of some sort. I see several tents."

"That's an aviation camp just like the one we saw when we came through France and gave General Joffre his fast ride!" declared Jimmie.

"Sure enough!" declared Ned. "They have painted the tops of the wings that peculiar color so that they cannot be readily seen from an enemy air craft. That's rather a good idea, too!"

With scarcely a bump the Eagle settled to the earth and was at once surrounded by French soldiers, some garbed in the well-known suits and helmets of aviators, others dressed as ordinary infantrymen, while still others wore greasy overalls and jumpers.

The language used was French, and they were at a loss to know what their questions meant.

"You'll have to talk United States!" declared Jimmie, rising and holding up a hand for attention. "We can't understand that stuff."

"Ah, so you speak English?" questioned one of the men.

All five boys gathered about their prisoner as he stood beside the Eagle.

As the lads looked at the newcomer they saw a short, broad shouldered man wearing a white moustache. The figure looked strangely familiar.

"Do you recognize that man, Jimmie?" asked Ned.

Jimmie's answer was lost in the roar of exhaust from one of the other aeroplanes parked nearby. All turned in amazement at the noise. With a rush the French plane swept by the group and began soaring into the air. One glance showed the lads that Otto was at the levers.

During the brief moment that their attention had been diverted, the Uhlan had taken advantage of their preoccupation and had silently stolen away to the machine whose engine had been left running. Now he was beyond recall, and in a short time would be again on the eastern side of the fighting line, where he would no doubt join his regiment.

Chagrined, the lads looked at each other with crestfallen glances.

As the clamor of the other motor died into a steady drone they turned to look again at the advancing figure.

"Why, that's General Joffre!" gasped Jimmie. "Hope he don't recognize us. I feel too cheap for anything!"

"I think I have seen these young men before," he began cordially. "You are the young men who were of so much assistance to me at one time."

"Thank you, General," replied Ned. "We are glad to see you again."

"And what can I do for you in return for that kindness?" asked the general without going into the details of the event with which those of our readers who have read the previous volumes of this series are already familiar. "If there is anything I can do, please command me."

"We'd only like safe conduct to some seaport, sir," answered Ned, "where we can take passage to the United States. We want to get home!"

"That can be arranged, I am sure!" stated the general, heartily. "But you must be rather hungry. Will you not step into the tent here and have some lunch? You can tell me of your adventures while you eat."

There they related to the general and some of his aides the incidents leading up to their flight of that morning, not omitting to tell of their neglect to retain the prisoner they had so strangely brought to camp.

As they finished, the general said, as he looked at Jimmie:

"And so the Germans are rushing train loads of soldiers to the front, are they? And are they bringing any guns?"

"They're bringing lots of troops," replied Jimmie, "but I didn't see any big guns. They've got some trains of ammunition on the way."

"Thanks!" acknowledged General Joffre. "That news is important!"

"Great Frozen Hot Boxes!" cried Jimmie, rising. "There I've gone and given away a lot of perfectly good information! And all the time I said I was going to remain perfectly neutral! Just my luck!"

"But at least," continued the general, "you have your packet and will be glad to return to your home so that you may carry out the wishes of your acquaintance who was responsible for so many of your adventures. Besides, you didn't intend to tell me anything, did you?"

"If you would consider selling your airship we would like to purchase it," the general said, turning again to Ned. "It appears to be a fine machine and I think we could use it to advantage."

"You are very kind, sir. We will be glad to sell it if you wish."

In a short time, details of the purchase had been arranged and the boys were on their way toward Havre, where they were to take boat for the United States. As they left the camp they gave three rousing cheers for General Joffre and swung their caps in farewell.

As the camp was left behind, Dave turned to his companions with grateful thanks for their kindnesses to him.

"Oh, pshaw!" declared Jimmie. "Don't say a word about that! You did as much for us as we did for you. Now we're headed for home again let's forget all about how we served under the Enemy and how the Forces escaped!"

"Just the same, I'll have a lot to tell the members of my Patrol when I get back to Vancouver!" declared Dave, earnestly. "I'm glad I had the chance to meet with the Black Bears and Wolves!"

"And I hope that the next time you meet any of the Bears and Wolves you won't have to come over here and meet them while they are in the German army," put in Ned. "Hereafter I'm going to be like Jimmie. I'm going to be neutral if I have to fight for it!"

THE END