The Khaki Boys at the Front; or, Shoulder to Shoulder in the TrenchesChase, Josephine
General
The Khaki Boys at the Front; or, Shoulder to Shoulder in the Trenches
Chase, Josephine
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- France -- Juvenile fiction
With the German lines safely passed, the plane flew steadily onward
toward its objective point. Engaged in keeping track of the squadron,
Jimmy felt relieved when, one by one, they began to draw closer. They
were gathering for the attack. He decided that it must be nearing four
o'clock. From then on he kept his eyes trained downward in an effort to
pick up a long, dark outline, which would be the supply train. Though
it was still dark it was the gloom that precedes dawn's first faint
light. A few minutes and he should be able to see the earth below quite
plainly.
Presently Voissard began to spiral down. His example was followed by
the pilots of the other planes. With motors shut off the squadron
volplaned. Jimmy could now distinguish the thin black line. It appeared
to be creeping very slowly. In the bomber's seat, Gaston was making
ready to drop his bombs. As flight-captain, Voissard would give the
signal. In turn each machine would come to an even keel at a point set,
drop its bombs and dart away. Voissard's machine would be the last to
go. The whole performance would last hardly more than a minute.
As each plane did its work and scudded off, another took its place.
Each bomber strove to land his bombs where they would do the most good.
Peering downward with strained eyes, Jimmy saw and heard that which
filled him with delirious joy. Amid continuous explosions and angry
tongues of fire, the long black line appeared suddenly to completely
dissolve, and disappear. Few of the bombs had missed their mark. Jimmy
could well imagine the devastation attending that raid.
It was over now. Gaston had done his bit and Voissard was flying for
home. Directly behind him came the fighting Nieuports, ready to cover
the retreat of the bombing planes. They would be needed. Across the
rapidly coming dawn half a dozen German Aviatiks were hastening to
the fray. From below Boche antiaircraft guns were now pegging at the
returning bombing party.
The speed of the Aviatik being very great, five of them soon drew upon
the Nieuports and attacked them viciously. The first Aviatik to the
scene swept straight over in pursuit of Voissard, opening fire upon the
plane. Very trickily it kept behind and a little lower, thus making it
impossible for Gaston to pepper it with machine-gun bullets.
Voissard, however, had no intention of permitting the Aviatik this
liberty. By a clever ruse he caused his plane to dive sharply, as
though hit and disabled. Allowing it to careen wildly for an instant,
he made a lightning drop in front of the German plane, then swept past
it like a flash. When he again brought it to an even keel it was under
the Boche plane and a little to its rear.
Gaston whooped with joy and turned the machine gun upon it. Incidental
with this, one of the Nieuports came to the rescue. Under a heavy
fusillade the Aviatik promptly took to her heels and sailed out of
danger.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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