Fighting in France Part 29

"It won't hold us that far you think?" asked Earl anxiously.

"I am sure it won't."

"Can't we try it?"

"It would be foolish," said Jacques firmly. "Unless we land at once that wing may collapse and then we shall go spinning towards the earth just as fast as did those Germans."

"You know best," exclaimed Leon. "I hate to think of being taken to some German prison camp though."

"Perhaps we can make repairs," said Jacques. Carefully he descended, now and then casting an anxious look towards the weakened support.

Below was a heavily wooded valley with only an occasional small clearing where a tiny farm appeared.

"Can we land all right?" inquired Earl.

"We can with luck," replied Jacques grimly.

The big monoplane wobbled badly at times and the young aviator had to call upon all of his skill to prevent the machine from capsizing. As they neared the ground the three boys maintained a strict silence and with anxious hearts awaited the outcome.

A wide forest stretched beneath them. The waving tree-tops appeared soft and feathery from above, but the three boys knew that unless they could avoid the trees their doom was sealed. The open s.p.a.ce in which Jacques was trying to effect a landing seemed pitifully small.

The young Frenchman was a past master of aviation, however. With the greatest skill he directed the disabled machine until they were directly above the clearing. He shut off the engine, which had been running at only half speed lately; one final short turn and he brought the aeroplane safely to earth.

The landing was in a plowed field and as a result not as smooth as it would have been on the aviation grounds, but they were safe; that was the princ.i.p.al thing.

"Good work, Jacques!" cried Leon enthusiastically.

"We're safe from the air but how about the Germans?" demanded Jacques anxiously.

"Well they won't take us without an argument anyway," exclaimed Leon.

He drew his automatic revolver from its case and gazed apprehensively at the little white house which stood in one corner of the clearing.

"See if you can't repair that wing, Jacques," urged Earl. "We may be able to fix it and get back without any trouble at all."

"No Germans are apt to be around here anyway," exclaimed Leon. "Why we are miles and miles behind the front and in the middle of a big forest.

We could hide in these woods for weeks and never be discovered."

"German observers have undoubtedly seen our machine descend," said Jacques. "They are probably searching for us already."

"Look there!" cried Earl suddenly.

CHAPTER XXII

IN THE CLEARING

High in the air above the spot where the three boys were standing appeared an aeroplane.

"A German machine," exclaimed Leon.

"And looking for us," added Jacques grimly.

"Do you suppose he sees us?" asked Earl.

"No doubt of it," said Jacques confidently. "There'll be German soldiers here before you know it."

"Can't you repair the machine?"

"I think I could if I had some wire."

"I'll run over to the house and see if I can't find some."

"There may be Germans living there," objected Jacques. "You'd better be careful."

"He dropped a bomb," suddenly cried Leon who had not once removed his gaze from the flier high above their heads.

A tiny speck appeared under the aeroplane and rapidly approached the earth.

"Lie down," shouted Jacques, immediately suiting his action to the word. The two brothers instantly did likewise.

A moment later there was a sharp explosion. From the sound it was certain that the bomb had struck only a short distance away. A moment after hearing the report, however, the three young soldiers were on their feet.

"Where did it land?" demanded Earl.

"On that barn," exclaimed Leon. "Just look at it."

The roof had been partly blown off the little barn and already the structure was in flames.

"I hope he doesn't try it again," said Earl gazing skyward.

"I guess he won't," said Jacques. "He seems to be flying away."

"Yes," exclaimed Leon. "I suppose he's gone to tell where we are and to send somebody after us."

"If I only had some wire," said Jacques examining the broken support.

"Well I'm going over to see if we can't find something in that house,"

said Earl firmly. "It's funny there doesn't seem to be anybody around."

"The house must be empty," said Leon. "That bomb and the fire would certainly have brought any one out if the place was occupied."

At that moment, however, the door of the house opened and two men in priest's robes appeared. They glanced once in the direction of the damaged monoplane and then rushed towards the burning barn.

"They can't do much to stop that fire now," remarked Leon grimly. "By the way the barn burns it must be full of hay."

"I'll go speak to them," exclaimed Earl. "They may be able to give us some wire."

"I'd better go, I guess," said Jacques. "As my French is better than yours I can probably talk to them easier than you can."