Though the Archies were now quite out of range, night was so near at
hand that this seemed good policy. Blaine now added:
"I'm goin' to give that Fokker another round. Be back with you in a
minute." Then on he went after the German.
What ensued was rather puzzling to both Bangs and Erwin. Blaine was
now evidently faster than the German, whose machine had apparently
sustained some internal injury. They saw the biplane close in on the
Hun amid a rapid fire of bullets from each at the other.
All at once the Hun began sidling irregularly towards the earth. By
this time both the others, having risen somewhat, caught glimpses
through their field glasses of a number of nearing planes winging from
the west. Below, as far as could be seen, stretched No-Man's-Land.
Behind was a growing blackness that denoted approaching night. To both
Bangs' and Erwin's astonishment, the biplane, instead of returning, was
pointing downward after the crippled Fokker.
Then from the north whirled a sea-fog that presently enveloped all,
obliterating what remained of light, hiding even Blaine and the
adversary he had pursued. It was strange, mysterious.
Erwin, who was lower than the others, here saw the crumbling walls and
towers of what had once been an old baronial chateau. Near this the
biplane had landed. No sign just then of the Fokker, though that must
have descended also, for the machine or the man in it was undoubtedly
injured. Erwin grabbed his megaphone, shouting up at Buck hovering
near, "I'm going down. Blaine's already landed. Come on!"
But for some reason Bangs declined. Being higher up, he had detected
signs of those other planes invisible to those below.
"Go on down," he shouted. "I want to do a little scouting." And off
he flew, determined all at once to find out who and what might be
approaching. But his purpose was defeated by the onrush of the fog,
that thickened still more, while those landed below were equally
invisible to Buck.
However having a general idea as to the direction best for him to take,
he turned that way after recklessly feeling out in vain for further
sight of the approaching squadron. Here we will leave him for the
present.
When Erwin at last brought his plane down beside the half ruined
chateau, he found both Stanley and Blaine stooping over a prostrate
form soon identified as that of the German aviator. Near by was the
Fokker, somewhat disabled, but not in such bad condition. The man
himself had just expired.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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