It was with mingled feelings of alarm and sorrow that Tom Raymond sent
the speedy Spad aeroplane on its homeward way toward the French lines.
He was worried, not chiefly about his own safety, but on account of
Jack; and his sorrow was in the thought that perhaps he had taken his
last flight with his beloved chum and comrade in arms. He could not see
where Jack had been hit, but this was because the other lad lay in such
a huddled position in the cockpit. Jack had slumped from his seat, the
safety straps alone holding him in position, though he would not have
fallen out when the machine was upright as it was at present.
“One of those machine gun bullets must have got him,” mused Tom, as he
started the craft on an upward climb, for it had darted downward when
Jack's nerveless hands and feet ceased their control. For part of the
steering in an aeroplane is done by the feet of the pilot, leaving his
hands free, at times, to fire the machine gun or draw maps.
Tom had a double object in starting to rise. One was to get into a
better position to make the homeward flight, and another was to have
a better chance not only to ward off the attack of the Hun planes, of
which there were now three in the air, but also to return their fire.
It is the machine that is higher up that stands the best chance in an
aerial duel, for not only can one maneuver to better advantage, but the
machine can be aimed more easily with reference to the fixed gun.
In Tom's case he did not have access to this weapon, which was fixed
on the rim of the cockpit where Jack could, and where he had been
controlling, it. With Jack out of the fight, through one or more German
bullets, it was up to Tom to return the fire of the Huns from his swivel
mounted Lewis gun. He was going to have difficulty in doing this and
also guiding the craft, but he had had harder problems than this to meet
since becoming an aviator in the great war, and now he quickly conquered
his worrying over Jack, and began to look to himself.
He gave one more fleeting glance at the crumpled-up figure of his
chum, seeking for a sign of life, but he saw none. Then he swung about,
turning in toward the nearest Hun airman, and not away from him, and
opened up with the machine gun, using both hands on that for a moment,
while he steered with his knees.
It was not easy work, and Tom hardly expected to make a direct hit,
but he must have come uncomfortably close to the Boche, for the latter
swerved off, and for an instant his plane seemed beyond control. Whether
this was due to a wound received by the aviator, or to a trick on his
part was not disclosed to Tom. But the machine darted downward and
seemed to be content to veer off for a while.
The third plane Tom soon saw was not going to trouble him, as it had not
speed equal to his own, so that he really had left only one antagonist
with whom to deal. And this plane, containing two men, with whom he had
not yet come to close quarters, was racing toward him at great speed.
“I guess there's only one thing to do,” mused Tom, “and that's to run
for it. I won't stand any show at all with two of them shooting at me,
while I have to manage the machine and the gun too. If I can beat 'em to
our lines I'd better do it and run the chance of some of our boys coming
out to take care of 'em. I'd better get Jack to a doctor as soon as I
can.”
And abandoning the gun to give all his attention to the motor, Tom
opened it full and sped on his way. The other machine's occupants saw
his plan and tried to stop it with a burst of bullets, but the range was
a little too far for effective work.
“Now for a race!” thought Tom, and that is what it turned out to be.
Seeing that he was going to try to get away, the Hun plane, which was
almost as speedy as the one Tom and Jack had started out in, took after
them. The other German craft was left far in the rear, and the one Tom
had shot at appeared to be in such difficulties that it was practically
out of the fight.
Thus the odds, once so greatly against our heroes, were now greatly
reduced, though not yet equal, since Jack was completely out of the
game--for how long Tom could only guess, and he seemed to feel cold
fingers clutching at his heart when he thought of this.
But Tom soon discovered, by a backward glance over his shoulder now and
then, that his machine, barring accidents, would distance the other, and
this was what his aim now was. So on and on he sped, watching the German
occupied French territory unrolling itself below him, coming nearer and
nearer each minute to his own lines and safety.
Behind them, he and Jack--for the latter had done his share before being
wounded--had left consternation in the German ranks. The bombs had done
considerable damage--as was learned later--and the dropping of packages
within the prison camp was fraught with potential danger to an extent at
which the Boches could only guess.
On and on sped Tom, sparing time, now and then, to look back at his
pursuers, who were, it could not be doubted, doing their best to get
within effective range. And, every now and again, Tom would glance at
the motionless form of his churn.
But poor Jack never stirred, and Tom was fearing more and more that his
chum had made his last flight. As for the Hun aviators, after using up
a drum or so of bullets uselessly, they ceased firing and urged their
machine on to the uttermost.
But Tom had the start of them, and he was also on a higher level, so
that the Germans must climb at an oblique angle to reach him.
And, thanks to this, Tom saw that, if nothing else happened, he would
soon be in comparative safety with the unconscious form of Jack. The
anti-aircraft batteries were firing in vain, as he was beyond their
range, and, far away, he could see the lines of the French armies,
behind which he soon hoped to be.
And then the unexpected happened, or, rather, it had taken place some
time since, but it was only then brought to Tom's attention. His engine
began missing, and when he sought for a cause he speedily found it.
Nearly all the gasoline had leaked out of the main tank. As he knew
that there had been plenty for the return flight, there was but one
explanation of this. A Hun bullet had pierced the petrol reservoir,
letting the precious fluid leak away.
“Now if the auxiliary tank has any in it, I'm fairly all right,” thought
Tom. “If it hasn't, I'm all in.”
His worst fears were confirmed, for the auxiliary tank had suffered a
like fate with the main one. Both were pierced. There were only a few
drops left, besides those even then being vaporized in the carburetor.
With despair in his heart, Tom looked back. If the Hun plane chose to
rush him now all would be over with him and Jack. He had only enough
fuel for another thousand meters or so, and then he must volplane.
He saw a burst of flame and smoke from the enemy plane, and realized
that he was being shot at again. But the distance was still too far for
effective aim.
And then, to his joy, Tom saw the pursuer turn and start back toward the
German territory. The firing had been a last, desperate attempt to end
his career, and it had failed. Either the Huns were almost out of petrol
themselves, or they did not relish getting too close to the French
lines.
“And now, if I can volplane down the rest of the way, I'll be in a fair
position to save myself,” mused Tom, as he made a calculation of the
distance he had yet to go. It was far, but he was at a good height and
believed he could do it.
Suddenly his engine stopped, as though with a sigh of regret that it
could no longer serve him, and Tom knew that volplaning alone would save
him now. He was still over the enemy country, and had his plight been
guessed at by the Germans, undoubtedly they would have sent a machine up
to attack him. But they were in ignorance.
There was nothing to do but drift along. Gravity alone urged the craft
on. As he swept over the German trenches Tom was greeted with a burst of
shrapnel, and he was now low enough to be vulnerable to this. But luck
was with him, and though the plane was hit several times he thought he
was unharmed. But in this he was wrong. He received a glancing wound
in one leg, but in the excitement he did not notice it, and it was not
until he had landed that he saw the blood, and knew what had happened.
On and on, and down and down he volplaned until he was so near his own
lines, and so low down, that he could hear the burst of cheers from his
former comrades.
Then he aimed his craft for a level, grassy place to make a landing,
and as he came to a gradual stop, and was surrounded by a score of eager
aviators, he cried out, as soon as he could speak, “I'm all right! But
look after Jack! He's hurt!”
A surgeon bent hastily over the huddled form, and with the aid of some
men lifted it from the cockpit. Jack's legs were covered with blood, and
when the medical man saw whence it came, then and there he set hastily
to work to stop the bleeding from a large artery.
“You got back only just in time, my friend,” he said to Tom, as Jack was
carried to a hospital. “Two minutes more and he would have been bled to
death.”