Our Pilots in the Air | Page 5

his own leg, pressing it unduly hard
against the other, Erwin gave another groan.

A whir as of wings sounded in his rear, and Blaine became aware of
shadowy movements through the faintly growing light in the east.
Undoubtedly it must be a hostile machine. He had been spotted as he
flew eastward. In addition to the now waning fire from the Archies,
planes were now out after him. Divining this, Blaine wheeled, put on
more power and flow towards the northwest, the German keeping after
him at increasing speed. As the light increased the clinging shadow in
the east grew more plain. Whoever it was, the pursuer was determined
not to be shaken off. Soon he would begin firing.
At this junction Erwin gave Blaine's leg an undeniable kick. He was at
last reviving. The pilot leaned towards his bunkie.
"Say, Orry, are you coming to at last?"
Another kick, evidently part of a struggle by Orris to right himself.
Blaine saw the German making the first spiral upward, in an effort to
attain a position suitable for using the machine gun. Blaine therefore
zigzagged more to westward, thereby throwing the reviving Erwin into
an easier position. At this an easier position. At this Blaine was pleased
to see his friend look wonderingly at him and the bowed head slightly
raise itself.
"Lay still right where you are, Orry," murmured Lafe. "There's a Boche
after us. We've got out of Archie's range, but I've one of their planes on
our heels. Whist! Git down lower! He's going to fire. If he does, I - I'll
crumple up. We'll land and - and -"
Further talk ceased as the simultaneous rattle and spatter of opposing
machine guns made talk impracticable. Blaine was below, the Boche
above, each whirling, diving, spiraling as dexterous pilots do in such
conflict.
True to his promise amid the first exchange of shots, watching both
Erwin's recovery and the German, now closer than ever, Blaine
concealed himself.

And now, seeing that Orris was quite revived, and following Blaine's
counsel, they presented to the German only a collapsed form, half
leaning as if hit again. Blaine, almost out of sight, steered groundward.
"Are you strong enough now to take my place?"
"I -- I think so," returned the still reviving Erwin. "What you going to
do -- land?"
At this juncture the machine hit the ground in a decreasing glide, while
Blaine, half rising, pitched forward as if dead.
"Take the machine, Orry," Blaine had said. "I'm dead; you're
wounded."
Knowing that Blaine had his plans laid, Erwin followed. Then the
Boche, feeling pretty good over the idea that he had captured an enemy
machine with two men in it, also alighted from his own a few rods
distant. To his view there appeared one man dead and another
wounded.
Covering Erwin with his revolver as he sat leaning back ghastly and
still bleeding from the shrapnel that had at first struck him down, the
German eyed his apparently helpless victims.
"Get oudt!" he snapped in rather poor English to Erwin.
The latter started to obey, still covered by the pistol at his head.
Suddenly Blaine, who had tumbled to the ground at the first landing,
now sat up, his own revolver pointed straight at the German.
"Throw down that gun!" he announced in clear, steady tones. "Quick!
No nonsense, Fritz!"
One brief stare. Then, realizing that he had been outgeneraled, he
sullenly obeyed. To his further amazement, Erwin, now quite recovered,
rose up, got out, and though weak tied the Boche hard and fast under
Blaine's direction.

"Now, Orry," said Lafe, looking his comrade over carefully, "are you
right enough to take our machine back?"
"Bet your sweet life I am!" Orry's face was still pale, while blood was
coagulated in his curly short hair. "I'm all right, Lafe. What are we
going to do?"
"We'll put this chap in his own machine, and I'll take it and him back."
"You mean provided Fritzy lets us get through safe."
"Und zat ve wond do! Forshtay?" This from the now sullen German
standing by bound hand and foot, yet mentally antagonistic still.
"Don't you worry, bo," said Blaine, coolly picking up the man, a follow
of no small weight, and lifting, him into his own machine, a big Taube
of many horse-power. "That is, if you've got petrol enough."
This was assured beyond doubt by subsequent examination. The
German safely stowed, Erwin and Blaine made a hurried yet accurate
inspection of both planes, and Orris at once started westward. Blaine
was about to follow when horse hoofs were heard beyond a hedge not
far away. The German's eyes flashed. He divined a forcible rescue. He
began to yell, but with a swift move Blaine gagged him with his own
bandanna