Part 18 (1/2)
Meantime the pursuing planes, both Fokker scouting machines, drew still nearer and began to use their machine guns. The b.a.l.l.s pattered all about; but as yet neither he nor his plane was. .h.i.t. He was zigzagging, mounting, spiraling, but all in a much slower fas.h.i.+on than he had been used to do with this same plane before.
”What's the use?” he groaned. ”I can't get back at them, even if I am running away. It's got to come. What's the odds? I'll turn and give them one good try for their game, anyhow.”
He was already turning in his lame evolutions when something like a big shadow darkened the air for an instant overhead. It pa.s.sed. Then back came the shadow again, and a voice was megaphoning, not from below or in the rear but from right overhead. It said:
”Hey, you, Orry! You're crippled! I can see that. But why don't you come up higher? Get a move on!”
Erwin knew that voice. It was like a trumpet call to the lad.
Fiercely be seized his own megaphone and shouted back, while with one hand and his feet he kept his own flier still going.
”Yes? I'm crippled but all right. I can't rise except slowly. Better go while the going's good! Too many Archies below!”
While Orris was shouting, another shadow pa.s.sed overhead. It was Buck Bangs in his Nieuport. For hours they had been scouring the eastern air-zone in a vain search for Erwin, when the sudden roaring of the Archies turned them in this direction. While Orris was turning, trying also to rise, he saw as he faced to the rear that two planes instead of one were now charging the enemy. These had for a minute or more been directing their machine gun fire upon the new arrivals. Erwin had heard the noise of them, and wondered why he was not hit again. This was the reason.
”Great boys, they are,” he said to himself.
”But I hope looking for me has not led them where we all don't want to go,” meaning the prison camps of the Huns, from which had oozed stories of starvation and cruelty that were more than bad enough.
”Considering how I'm fixed, I'll lay low down here and watch my chance to help. That other chap must be Bangs. Well, those two have got nerve anyhow!”
CHAPTER XIII
AT THE RUINED CHATEAU
Having found the man they were searching for and in so perilous a situation, neither Blaine nor Bangs wasted time. If Erwin was crippled, so much the greater reason for them to relieve him. Only by direct attack could this be accomplished, if at all. Though the Archies were now roaring more than ever, Blaine and his observer, both machine guns pointed f or instant action, started straight at the pursuing planes. Buck was with him at a convenient distance.
Instantly the rattle of their guns pattered out in the air as a fusillade of bullets was showered at the foe.
The determined maneuvers of the new arrivals evidently daunted the Huns. One of them immediately turned tail. The other tried to do so but was intercepted by Blaine who, making an absolutely nervy side-loop, came up under the Fokker and began again discharging a deadly rain of bullets.
But one source of refuge was left the German. Up, up he climbed.
Being cut off from retreat towards his own lines, he struck straight across towards No-Man's-Land with the big biplane full pursuit and still firing.
Meantime Bangs took after the other, bringing it down under a detached fire from the Archies who were naturally more cautious now in firing, owing to the fear of hitting one of their own planes. Still they found chances to pepper the little Nieuport in which Bangs was darting to and fro like a hawk after a chicken. But before the Fokker was sent down, Buck knew that his own wings were seriously perforated. As yet his fuselage and tank, his engine and machinery were unhurt.
Without waiting to note the fate of his opponent, Bangs turned nimbly and struck out westward, following the crippled scout wherein was the man they had set out to find and rescue.
”I'll stick by Orry,” was Buck's conclusion. ”I guess Blaine and Stanley can take care of that other chap. I wonder where the rest of the Huns are. We are in the rear lines and there should be more Fokkers or Taubes around.”
This query was soon answered. Ranging alongside Erwin, but not too near, Buck megaphoned as follows:
”How you getting on anyhow? Had a h.e.l.l of a time findin' you. Didn't find you any too soon, eh?”
Erwin's replies were unimportant except that he was so crippled that he must get back to the base, or at least alight somewhere soon or he, would not be able to fly at all.
”Bent piston rods,” he also phoned. ”And I'm afraid my main propeller shaft has gone wrong somehow.”
”All right,” returned Bangs. ”I'll stick with you. Hullo! What's the matter with Blaine and his man?”
At this juncture the big biplane that had been pursuing the Fokker suddenly ducked, dove far beneath his adversary and came up on the opposing side, at the same time peppering the Hun with machine gun explosive bullets.