Part 14 (1/2)

”Well, he won't hardly have any the best of it,” said Frank. ”The chances are he has no rifle either.”

Frank was correct in this surmise.

Rapidly the German aircraft gained.

”Crack!” the German had fired the first shot.

It went wild. Jack fired, but with no better result.

”Hit anything?” asked Frank, without turning his head.

”No,” said Jack, ”but neither did the other fellow.”

”Try it again,” said Frank.

Jack did so; but again the bullet went wild. All this time the two craft were flying straight out to sea.

Once more the German fired and Jack felt something whizz overhead.

”This is getting too close,” the lad muttered to himself. Then he called to Frank.

”Slow down, quick!”

Frank had no means of telling what plan Jack had in mind, but he did not hesitate. The hydroplane slowed down with a jerk.

The pilot of the German craft was caught off his guard. He dashed upon the hydroplane. But as he neared it he swerved to the left to avoid a collision. It was what Jack had expected. Standing up in his precarious position, Jack took a snap shot at the pilot as the German craft swept by.

At that close distance, in spite of the rate of speed at which the enemy was travelling, a miss was practically impossible.

The German machine swayed crazily from one side to the other; then dived.

”I got him, Frank!” shouted Jack.

Both lads gazed over the side at the falling enemy.

Suddenly the machine righted and descended more slowly.

”By Jove! a cool customer,” said Frank. ”He's regained control of the plane. He'll be up again in a moment.”

Again they watched the foe carefully.

”No, he won't,” said Jack, ”he's still going down.”

”Then we may as well be moving,” said Frank.

”Hold on!” shouted Jack. ”We can't leave those fellows there. They may get to sh.o.r.e or be picked up. Then they would give the warning and all our efforts would be for naught.”

”Right,” said Frank. ”We'll go down after them.”

The hydroplane descended slowly.