Part 20 (1/2)

”Suppose we launch the _Arrow_ at once,” he said. ”I'm ready to try anything with you.”

”I knew that, too. One thing in our favor is the number of clouds hanging low in the west, where their air fleet is. It's likely that most of the planes and dirigibles have gone to the ground, but they'll keep enough above to watch. The clouds may enable us to slip by.”

”If I had my way I'd wrap myself in the thickest and blackest of the clouds and float westward with it.”

”We'll have to go slowly to keep down the drumming of the motor. Now a big push and a long push. So! There! Now we're rising!”

The Arrow, the strength and delicacy of which justified all of Lannes'

pride, rose like a feather, and floated gracefully above the trees, where it hung poised for a few minutes. Then, as they were not able to see anything, Lannes took it a few hundred yards higher. There they caught the gleam of steel beyond the wood, and looked down on the camp of Uhlans.

With the aid of the gla.s.ses they saw most of the men asleep on the ground, but twenty on horseback kept watch about the field.

”One look is enough,” said Lannes. ”I hope I'll never see 'em again.”

”Maybe not, but there are millions of Germans.”

”That's the worst of it. Millions of 'em and all armed and ready. John, I've chosen our road. We'll go north by west, and I think we'd better rise high. During the night the German machines are likely to hang low, and we may be able to pa.s.s over 'em without detection. What do you think of those clouds?”

”They're not drifting much. They may hide us as a fog hides a s.h.i.+p at sea.”

The _Arrow_ began to soar. The Uhlans and the grove soon faded away, and they rode among the clouds. John's watch showed that it was about three o'clock in the morning. He no longer felt the chill of the air in those upper regions. Excitement and suspense made his blood leap, warm, through his veins.

Lannes, after his long sleep, was stronger and keener than ever. His hand on the steering rudder knew no uncertainty, and always he peered through the clouds for a sign of the foe, who, he knew well, was to be dreaded so much. John, gla.s.ses at eye, sought the same enemy.

But they heard and saw nothing, save the sights and sounds of the elements. A cold, wet wind flew across their faces, and the planet below once more turned in s.p.a.ce, invisible to eye.

”One could almost think,” said John, ”that we don't turn with it, that we hang here in the void, while it whirls about, independent of us.”

”I wish that were so,” said Lannes with a laugh. ”Then we could stay where we are, while it turned around enough beneath us to take the Germans far away. But don't you hear a faint buzzing there to the west, John?”

”Yes, I was just about to speak of it, and I know the sound, too. It's one of the big Zeppelins.”

”Then it's likely to be much below. I judge from the presence of the trees that, we must be somewhere near the German outposts.”

”I wish that we dared to descend enough to see.”

”But we don't dare, Monsieur Jean the Scott. We'd drop into a nest of hornets.”

”Better slow down then. Their scouting planes must be somewhere near.”

”Good advice again. Oh, you're learning fast. And meanwhile you're committing yourself more and more deeply to our cause.”

”I've already committed myself deeply enough. I've told you that your prediction about my joining a British force is true.”

”But you'll have to stay with us French until the British come. John, is it my imagination or do I hear that buzzing below us again?”

”You really hear it, and I do, too. It's a big Zeppelin beyond a doubt, and therefore we must not be far from a German base. You know they have to build huge sheds in which to keep the Zeppelins.”

”No doubt they have such a station near enough on their side of the border. But, John, I'm going to have a look at that air-elephant. In all this thick darkness they'd never know what we are. Are you ready for it?”