Books: Our Pilots in the Air
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Captain William B. Perry >> Our Pilots in the Air
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When Byers was told of the matter he first stared, then frowned, and
finally laughed, saying:
"I forgot that you had only been on duty here for a few days. When I
am detained here late, I have Pete or some of the hands send up a
certain kind of flare right down to where I live. That warns 'em I
won't be back before breakfast. Now trot right back now and let Pete
out, sending him to me. He knows this neighborhood where Blaine and
Erwin are now. We may need him -and need him bad."
Much crestfallen, the orderly obeyed, finding Pete fast asleep in a
corner, nor much put out when he found what a mistake had been made.
When they reached the gravelly levels near the hangars, two of the
largest biplanes in the aerodrome were already drawn up ready. In each
of these planes an experienced pilot was in the act of taking his seat.
One of these pilots was Byers himself.
"Come here, you, Pete!" called the captain, half laughing at Pete's
perplexed face. "You in here with me -- see?"
"You take me to Boche 'stead of black-hole? I no do harm anyone."
Pete spoke in a whining, ingratiating tone, but Byers only laughed,
saying:
"You are right, Pete. A mistake was made." Then turning to Stanley,
who had insisted on coming for final admonitions, "This is my friend
Pete, once servant of Baron Savahl. That I know. He is small and
light. He will guide us with the assistance that you, Stanley, have
given me. Brodno also is particularly well acquainted with that part
of the Belgian frontier. Get in, Pete!"
"But, Captain, how can we spare you?" This from Stanley anxiously.
"You will have to spare me. Sergeant Anson is handy, too. In the
early morning, if you see signs of our return, it would be well to send
out a few scouts. But we shall return. Those plans are too important
to King Albert of Belgium and our Allies here to risk any more
uncertainties than can be avoided."
"Are you sure of what you speak? I thought, from what those women
said, that they were private papers."
"Private they may be, in a sense. But they are important enough to all
of us, when you consider how vital they are to certain knowledge
necessary for our leaders to have in regard to a further offensive
which I believe is contemplated. Now back to bed, boy. You've warned
us and we who are well will do all that is needful."
About this time Brodno, waiting impatiently, gave a signal and the
plane, propelled along gravel by mechanics, soon rose lightly in the
air. Byers, having hauled Pete in, followed suit, waving good-night to
Senator Walsen and the ladies. In another minute both big biplanes
were lost to sight, so swiftly did they vanish in a easterly course
under the starlit heavens, shimmer of gray haze hugging the lower just
above the earth.
CHAPTER XV
MAKING READY FOR ANOTHER FORWARD DRIVE
After Stanley's sudden departure from the ruined chateau, the two boys
fretted ineffectually. Stanley was an observer, not a real pilot; he
might get into trouble; so worried first one and then the other.
"It seems to me, gentlemen," began Miss Daskam, "that instead of
fretting over this you better remain quiet and thus regain your
strength the sooner. We may need it yet."
"Allons, madame," began Brenda, speaking to the girl, yet carefully
refraining from looking at either of the boys, "we cannot tell what
time the Boches may break in on us. After that young man went up in
the German plane, I am sure I heard the sound of far-away explosions.
We are between the lines, yet off to one side, where the enemy are fond
of raiding. It was so a year ago when some of us still made our home
in or close to the chateau. We didn't mind the raiding. All they did
was to rob us of what little stock we had left. But now, since they
began the bombing that has finally ruined the Baron's home, nothing and
no one is safe. Ah -- what is that?"
But it was nothing much; yet it only typified the general nervousness
of the situation. Distant firing along the course they figured that
Stanley would take tended to make even the boys uncertain as to whether
he would get home or not.
"Anyhow, we may as well make up our minds to have to stick it out here
at least until tomorrow, or more likely tomorrow night. If they come
they must come in force, or we will never be able to make a get-away."
Thus spoke Erwin.
After more or less futile remonstrance, discussion and what not, they
finally settled down for the remainder of the night, the boys insisting
upon giving up the only habitable room to the women, though the latter
urged that the young men take at least a blanket or so along. Blaine,
being somewhat the stronger, declared that he would remain on watch for
the first two hours, adjuring Erwin to get all the sleep he could.
"Another thing; we haven't got much grub along. I don't know how much
the women have, but if it is scarce we must remember them."
In five minutes Orris was breathing heavily, taking full toll of
slumber, for he was not so very strong and the day's happenings had
exhausted him greatly. Blaine sought shelter under another angle of
the basement, and after a vigorous struggle against somnolence, finally
dropped off.
After that the old ruin was silent. Midnight passed. Unceasing
silence reigned. Suddenly there came a sound of planes coming down
from the upper air.
Finally a fretful voice rose up stridently, recklessly, saying through
a muffled megaphone:
"Ho, there -- below! Start up a flare -- a light, anything, so we can
know where and how to land."
Fortunately Erwin, who had really slept the longest, was roused by the
closing words. He heard the sound of wings above, and at once
apprehended. He had no flare, and no means at immediately to make a
light. What should he do? Suddenly he remembered that Blaine carried
a brilliant hand searchlight. In another instant he was rummaging
about among Blaine's personal effects where he lay snoring.
"G'way -- what you doin'? Who are ye, anyhow?"
While so ran the sleeper's drowsy remonstrances Erwin secured the
searchlight, and an instant later was sending its white rays upward. A
minute later the black shadow of a huge bi plane hovered in a circle
over the wide expanse of what once had been a trim lawn, but was now a
desert of dirt, ashes, and crumbling masonry loosened from the walls.
Meantime the added noise, further awakening Blaine, sent him scurrying
to rekindle the dying fire they had made earlier in the night. By the
time this was blazing one plane had alighted and the other was settling
down further out. From these big planes stepped Captain Byers and
Sergeant Brodno, both nervous, watchful, alert, and very wide awake.
To say the boys were pleased to see them would be to put it mildly. In
a few words the state in which Stanley and Bangs had reached the
Station was told, when Byers, evidently on edge by the peculiar
situation wherein they were now involved, spoke up sharply.
"Where is that Chicago girl with her attendant? Also those papers?
And how is it that I find you two so sleepy, way out here in the midst
of the Boches? Don't you know we've had all sorts of trouble dodging
in here so they wouldn't catch on? Oh -- h! Who is that?"
Captain Byers whirled and found that he was confronting a smiling young
girl, already bundled up as if for a journey. Behind her stood the
substantial form of Brenda, also well wrapped against the night's chill
and mist.
Confusedly Blaine presented the captain and Brodno, the latter grinning
amusedly. In fact, this affair had been more of a lark to the American
Pole than to Byers, who was oppressed with a sense of responsibility.
"We'll have to divide up, and at once," said the captain. "In fact,
ever since Erwin used that searchlight to show me the way down, I
haven't felt that we were safe here. Therefore I say all aboard just
as soon as we can be loaded in -- what is that?" as a sharp staccato of
shocks rose from Brodno's machine, the result of his tinkering with his
air-exhaust. Even as he made haste to stop them, time being all
important, Byers was placing the two women in his own plane, saying:
"It will be crowded, but you can stand that for a time, I guess. But
-- say! Hold on! I forgot. You have some important papers somewhere?"
"Yes. Brenda has them in her bosom. You may be sure we did not forget
those. Are they all right, Brenda?"
But here Brenda jumped up in the observer's manhole, and began hastily
fumbling among the folds of her ample garb. With a sudden half scream
she sprang out, seized the searchlight from the astonished Erwin and
made a dash for the basement again.
"Is what she is after important?" asked Erwin of Miss Daskam, who was
fidgeting uneasily. The girl nodded, adding:
"It may be; I cannot tell. How careless! Among those papers are some
very important plans that have reference, I think, to things our side
wished to do later on. Oh, dear! Will we ever get away?"
"God knows -- I hope so. It seems I hear sounds to the eastward. Ah
-- there they come again!"
Both Brenda and the captain, who had followed her, were returning. He
was stuffing a paper which Brenda had surrendered after some persuasion
into his breast pocket.
"All in!" called Byers. "No time to lose now."
Again the women reentered the captain's machine, who at once started
off along the level, open ground, at the same time calling on the men
to use the searchlight so he might rise successfully. Up they went,
and right after them came Brodno, with Blaine and Orris, now in the
observer's seat, feeling more comfortable as be laid his hand on the
Lewis gun ready to his use. Brodno had another. Both were listening
to the sounds which Erwin had noticed when with Miss Aida. Byers
passed them with a gentle rustling as of wings.
"Boys," he called back, "our defense rests mainly upon you. I have not
only these women to see after but also papers -- papers most important
to our side in the next offensive. Of course I'll fight, if I have to.
But the main thing is to get safely back and --"
His further words were lost on the wind as the captain raced ahead,
bound as straight as possible for their own lines.
"We will keep right on his tail, boys," said Brodno. "That noise
behind is Fritzy starting on a raid, no doubt. If he gets too close we
must either keep him back or lead him off after us."
The noise of whirring propellers increased rapidly. Doubtless scouting
planes were out. As a rule, they are faster than the big biplanes. In
view of this, Byers presently began to mount higher, the rear plane
maintaining its level with a view of attracting the notice of the
pursuing Germans. Then came a spatter of machine gun bullets that
rattled about their ears until Blaine, from his rear position, opened
on the Boches in turn.
After that the pursuit of Byers ceased, for Blaine and Brodno, with
their two weapons, aided by Erwin, who manipulated a Lee-Enfield rifle,
kept the three scouts busy for a time. A plane is a shaky place from
which to aim a rifle, but Orris, having had much practice at the
training butts, soon laid out one lone pilot and his scout went
trailing guideless out of range and action.
But about this time there came the heavier rumble of Archies from
below, and presently shrapnel began tearing into the wings of the
biplane.
"Up we go, boys!" said Brodno. "I guess Byers must be well on over by
now."
But about this time they heard the sounds of gun spatter far up above,
and mounting rapidly they saw two more Fokker scouts trailing after
Byers, who not only mounted still higher, but put Pete at the aft
machine gun, taking Miss Aida over inside his own manhole.
We haven't said much about Pete, for he was really timid, and lay low
wherever he was placed, without a word. But when he came over where
Brenda was and that sturdy Belgian watched his timid attempts to fire
the machine gun, she was disgusted.
"Pete, you no good! Have you forgot how the Baron hated a coward? Let
me in there!" She shoved Pete aside, took charge of the gun herself
and presently Byers was gratified to hear its active rattle as Brenda
rather clumsily yet effectually opened upon the Germans. Pete
assisted, handing fresh sheaves of ammunition and otherwise making
himself useful.
"Where you been, Pete?" she asked. "Why you leave us all?"
"I wanted to learn to fly. Americaines, they give me a chance."
The other plane, now spiraling upward, came within range of the
Fokkers, and altogether the united firing from the two big biplanes was
too much for the Boches, so they gradually retired with a loss of one
plane, whose pilot Erwin had disposed of, as we have seen.
Half an hour later they quietly dropped down at the aerodrome. The
first gray hues of morning were just diffusing a lighter pallor and the
stars were already dimming when on the deserted levels in front of the
hangars the biplanes finally came to rest. Then out from a sentry box
came the captain's orderly, who seemed much astonished.
"Well, sir, I didn't look for you all back so soon. I rather feared
that you might have to remain away another day."
"We had ladies to look after," remarked Byers. "That made us hurry
back sooner. Here is Pete, of whom you thought such dreadful things.
Pete is learning. Now, while we take Miss Daskam and her maid to their
quarters, I want you to go to the through line to Dunkirk, and ask for
Baron Suvahl. He should be somewhere about there, if we have been
rightly informed."
After that the captain with characteristic courtesy took the two tired
yet grateful women to the women's Red Cross station and left them in
kindly, congenial company. It was here Senator Walsen and his
daughters were staying. When they and Miss Aida became acquainted at
breakfast next morning it was astonishing how many mutual acquaintances
they discovered, yet mostly back in the dear old country across the
ocean.
About the middle of the morning a tall, spare, resolute young man,
accompanied by a plainly garbed lady, his wife, met Captain Byers at
the latter's office. Simultaneously there came two other personages
plainly garbed in Belgian costume, yet most distinguished aside from
that.
There was a certain respect, almost deference, in the way Baron Suvahl
and his wife met the King, for one of the visitors was really King
Albert of Belgium. His wife, the queen, was even more democratic. In
fact, in the manner of all, including the Americans, was that which
marked them as fully tinctured with the true democratic spirit that
this war has so fully brought out among all the Allies.
Several of the British and French generals dropped in. And there were
sundry secret and semi-secret conferences, one result of which was the
sending out that night of a number of our airmen on secret scouting
trips, none of which, however, resulted in much aerial fighting but
embraced a deal of sly spying upon enemy positions and also various
"look-ins" behind the lines.
Among other things Erwin, Blaine, Bangs, Brodno and others were adjured
by both Captain Byers and Sergeant Anson to be ready with their
machines for real active service at any time.
On the second night came a quiet meeting between certain French,
British, and American commanders. As the boys in the aerodrome
sauntered about the grounds, noting the drawn shades in the windows of
the headquarters office, and marking the lateness of the hour before
the consultation closed, they felt that things were drawing to a head
on that sector, and that they, the eyes of the army, would be expected
to do their part and even more, if necessary.
Senator Walsen, instead of going back to the capital as he had
intended, was drawn into the conference, while the ladies remained
quiescent but more and more expectant, though of what they hardly knew.
Perhaps the good young queen expressed the general sentiment among her
sex, when she said to the small group gathered about her at the half
shabby quarters where she and the king temporarily received their
friends,
"We never know much as to what is about to go on, but we are always
warned never to be unduly surprised at anything. Always make the best
of everything -- that is all we can do and what we must do.
CHAPTER XVI
THE CONFLICT
For another day many quiet yet suggestive movements were made in the
vicinity of these headquarters where most of the activities of this
tale have taken place. That night secret word went out among certain
picked birdmen that they were to be ready that night for literally
anything
"What do you think is up, anyhow?" asked Erwin, who had been busy with
a mechanic nearly all that day putting his favorite scouting flier
machine in complete readiness.
"How should I know?" snapped Anson, hurrying by. "We know we gotter be
ready any old time, night or day. I 'opes I may niver see Blighty
ag'in though, ef I don't think we're in fer somp'in' damn big and
hard." And he passed on, vouchsafing Orris a wink that might mean
anything.
That next night other planes from near-by sectors began flitting in
here, there, until, with the planes already at the aerodrome, there
must have been at least fifty of the various types of battle and
scouting planes on hand. Many of the airmen were French, many British,
not a few Americans, inclusive of the Lafayette Escadrille, composed
mainly of men from overseas.
The early evening passed, the dark hours flitted by, and so came
midnight with a long line of planes stretched far and wide over that
war-scarred expanse. Here and there the pilots had gathered in little
groups, receiving their last instructions from majors, captains,
lieutenants, even sergeants of the various aviation corps or squads who
had, in turn, received theirs from commands higher up.
Some of these groups were studying maps and photographs which had been
made by recent reconnaissance trips and prepared for distribution among
those whose task it was to proceed along the various lines thus
indicated.
One group near the center of the line deserves attention. There was
Erwin, Blaine, Bangs, Brodno, all seemingly in fine fettle, gathered
over sundry maps, photos, and instructions. Amid these was Captain
Byers, somewhat at the rear, conferring with Senator Walsen, who had
still deferred his return to Paris, more than likely through the
persuasions of his daughters.
Where were they? Let us look more closely among the airmen. Who is
that whispering coyly to Sergeant Bangs, who stands cap in hand,
despite the frosty night air? He talks earnestly, rapidly, western
fashion, ending with"
"I don't know bow I shall come out of all this! But I do know that
Montana and Idaho are side by side. May I come to see you then?"
"Yes, provided that neither you nor Mr. Blaine forget that Paris leave
which I feel sure you will get." And Avella Walsen blushed prettily.
"But I must go back to father now. Good-bye."
She was gone, flitting towards the rear not unlike a star gleam in
Buck's eyes as she vanished, leaving him to sigh regretfully.
Near by Andra Walsen had taken an almost tearful leave of stalwart
Ensign Blaine, now completely restored, and naturally keyed up by a
prevision of the night's probable happenings.
Further to the right both Brodno and Erwin, still fussing round their
respective planes, were interrupted by no less a personage than the
Belgian Queen, accompanied by Baroness Suvahl and her sister, Miss
Daskam, who had come round to them on their night round of visiting
encouragement which they were making among their acquaintances that
night.
"We are so glad to see you boys on duty again," said the Queen, who was
most unassuming and kindly in manner. "Both the King and the Baron had
to leave again for our front, but I persuaded them to let us bid you
lads good cheer and Godspeed in your risky night's adventure."
Meanwhile Miss Daskam was whispering to Erwin:
"Do you remember the last night at the chateau, how you would not take
all the quilts I wanted you to, though the night was cold and we had
plenty?"
"Indeed I do, miss!" Orris was grinning now. "I just knew we did not
leave you and Brenda enough! Did we, Brenda?"
Turning to that stalwart guardian in petticoats who watched over the
two sisters from Chicago, one of whom had married a Belgian nobleman,
Brenda shrugged her massive shoulders.
"You must ask Mademoiselle Aida. I was mooch too warm; yes, vera mooch.
Yes la -- la! We Flemings know what cold is more than what it is to be
too -- too warm. Don' you bodder, sar!"
And so the many more or less friendly, even solicitous conversations
went on until the midnight hour had fled. By then the groups of
friends and visitors had melted back to the rear into the misty regions
where lay the small French village that had sheltered them together
with the aerodrome itself.
It might have been one o'clock or later when a bugle sounded. Up and
down the long, long line aviators were scrambling into their machines
while the sputter and throb of many engines punctured the night air.
Some of these engines had as much as three hundred horse-power. The
long continuing roar was nerve grating, yet inspiring. Swarms of small
scouting machines were humming, spitting; these were the vipers or
wasps of the air service.
The fleet commander and his observer had taken their places and soared
into the night air. The other machines, some fifty odd in number,
swiftly followed him into the misty heavens, all maneuvering like a
flock of swallows until the air formation was at last right. Then a
crack from the commander's revolver, and they were off like bees,
following the queen, straight for the far-off enemy lines.
Much ammunition had been distributed, for they were going on a general
bombing and foraging expedition over those trenches upon which the now
ready offensive was to be let loose. Dimly they rose up, up, still up,
six thousand, eight, even ten thousand feet, the last height mainly for
the fighting scouts, the battle and bombing machines keeping lower down.
Over No-Man's-Land they flew towards the battle-torn trenches behind
which lay the Boches. Tiny specks began to rise up far to the eastward
in the German rear. They were the enemy planes coming to meet them.
In number they seemed to be somewhat equal to our own fleet. The
Allies might have fought these, but such was not the present game.
They were there to protect their side; while the Allies were out first
to destroy, to smash the morale of the soldiers below, to shatter and
mutilate and terrorize those in the trenches before our infantry, now
probably starting out, should be where their own conclusive work would
begin.
Those lads whom we have followed through these pages were flying close
together, keeping well to the front, watching signals from the
commander and ready, more than ready, each to do his part. With Blaine
was Stanley, his observer, both closely watching. When over the first
line trenches, they at once let go the first rack of bombs. All the
other planes, in accord with their individual capacity, did the same.
A veritable hell beneath was let loose by that swiftly moving line.
Lower down came the signals and more racks of bombs were let loose. So
swift were their movements that one might hardly see what results were
being obtained; but from the yells, shrieks, explosions and clouds of
debris below, it was evident that the destruction was great.
Lower and lower still they flew. Blaine's control was perfect. So was
that of his subordinates. Bangs himself, excited yet steady as a
clock, was talking to his plane as a cowboy might talk to his pony.
Machine guns could now be used most effectively. The cleaned, burnished
mechanism was already vomiting death. in showers upon the trenches
below. Their spitting, purring roars were drowning out the whir of the
engines.
All at once Blaine saw to his left a spurt of flame shoot upward from
below, and almost simultaneously a blinding glare arose from Brodno's
plane. For an instant he caught sight of the Polish face, ashen gray
as the night above, under which the fight was going on. His petrol
tank had been hit from an Archie below and exploded. Another burst of
flame and his plane swooped dizzily towards the mangled earth below.
"God help him!" gasped Lafe. "That must be the end of poor Brodno!"
Down it went, zigzagging crazily. All at once it dropped like a
plummet. For an instant Blaine felt sick; then he recovered. His own
situation, and that of Stanley, Erwin, Bangs and the rest was not less
risky. Yet only one thing was there to do. Fight it out -- fight it
out, to victory -- or death.
Then all at once the German planes were upon them. Where and how they
came was a matter of indifference. The thing was to meet and fight, to
out-maneuver them if possible. In another minute they were dodging,
diving, eluding, darting among each other, inextricably intermingled,
yet now, on the whole, rising higher. Just over to the right of Blaine
one of the Boche fliers was already dropping to the earth. Blaine saw
and noted the cause. It was Erwin, rising from a dexterous side-loop
to higher elevation, yet peering over at his fallen foe.
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