The Magic Quadruple,--the successive defeat of four airplanes, was Guynemer’s achievement, one of which was downed in one minute, on May 25, 1917, according to the following schedule: 1st airplane, 8.30, 2nd airplane, 8.31, 3rd airplane, 12.01, 4th airplane, 6.30. [Illustration: THE DEBRIS OF THREE AIRPLANES BROUGHT DOWN BY GUYNEMER IN ONE DAY] Four airplanes beaten down on one day by the same aviator was a record. On February 26, 1916, Navarre secured his first “double.” Nungesser, on the Somme, destroyed a balloon and two airplanes on a single morning. But by his quadruple victory Guynemer exceeded these two earlier records and the one established by himself in the Lorraine when he brought down three airplanes in one day. On the morning of May 25th Guynemer saw three enemy airplanes flying in concert toward French lines. He pounced upon them, and they took to flight. He attacked one of them, maneuvering to get him in the line of fire, then fired, and after the first shots the enemy machine dived and fell in flames. Meanwhile the danger for the single-seated machine was surprise from the rear. While he was attacking in front, it was necessary for Guynemer to watch the rear. Guynemer turned, and saw a second adversary coming full at him, trying to reach him. But he had fired already from above downward, and hit him with an explosive bullet. Like the first, this airplane took fire. The victories of Guynemer were lightning-like, requiring only a few seconds of fighting. [Illustration: GUYNEMER BROUGHT DOWN BY A SHELL FROM A HEIGHT OF OVER 9,000 FEET His only injury was a bruised knee] Towards noon an audacious German airplane flew over the aviation field. French squadrons have taught the enemy respect for their lines and the unfortunate fellow who ventures above them seldom returns home. It was something of a mystery how this one had broken through the barrage. But to ascend to the sky after him and to reach him, no matter how speedy the machine, required several minutes, time enough for the enemy to flee, his mission accomplished. All of the machines had come down except the one driven by Guynemer. Guynemer came upon his adversary like a whirlwind. He fired. Only one shot from his machine-gun was heard. The airplane fell, the propeller revolving at full speed, and dug itself into the earth. Guynemer had killed the pilot with a bullet in the head. That evening Guynemer went out for the third time. It was about seven o’clock, over the gardens of Guignicourt (geen-ye-koor), that a fourth machine, beaten down by him, fell in flames. And as the young conqueror came down at sunset, he executed all kinds of fancy figures in the air to announce his victory to his comrades,--all the turns, and twists and loopings of which he was so great a master. [Illustration: LAST PAGE OF GUYNEMER’S FLIGHT-BOOK Recording his final departure]