The Washburn leader., 1908-07-10
ldied the formation Of the deet Sc:

ldied the formation Of the deet be
low.
Ny God! Seventeen is hit! Sew
enteen is hit!" screamed the lookout,
and the admiral and Norma stared
through side port.
In long, weird, dizzy circles, like
wounded man striving to recover his
balance, radioplane was dropping
slowly down toward the waters, In
efectually fighting to regain its bal
ance. The four-inch shells had done
no damage; but the far outlying
cruiser had made an accidental hit
with heavy gun. Zigzagging here
and there in erratic swoops the radio
plane continued to plunge. From the
waters below came the sounds Of ex-
ultant cheering. The enemy were gain
Ing heart. They had found what they
believed to be chance for hope and
an invulnerable spot in the Ameri-
cans armor. Norma started back to
her levers; but the admiral called
excitedly:
Look, look! Good boy, Nineteen!
Good boy!"
Again she looked through the port,
and was transfixed with the daring at
tempt of another radioplane Nine
teen, with its big white letters blazing
in the light, had taken swift down
ward shoot.
Its Jenkins! It's Jenkins!" Norma
called in excitement, knowing that the
little scientist was manning the hood
Of that craft.
Then before she could say more,
Nfneteen's object was made plain. The
great radfoplane shot to a lower alti-
tude than that of its crippled fellow,
dove here and there like bat, caught
q simultaneous speed, and rounding
upward in a deft swoop poised itself
firmly beneath the lower plate of Sew
enteen For an instant the two, locked
together and overweighted slid slowly
downward through the air. and then
Nineteen seemed to gather itself, came
to stop, hesitated for moment, and
began steady upward movement.
AS if divining its purpose, two other
radioplanes swooped down toward the
stricken monster till their sides
touched, and then, like group of war
riors carrying a wounded comrade
from the field, assisted the ascent into
the upper void. Focusing their fire ON
the group, the Japanese made it
target, and the scream of shot and
she'll broke into pandemonium until
the air around was churned as by de-
mons wrath
Up-up they went till they were
mere specks against the dome of
the heavens, where they were beyond
range and in the profound silence Of
solitude. The others Of the fleet, led
by the Norma, hastened to soar to-
ward them; but before they could get
within speaking distance the wireless
brought to all radioplanes this mes
sage:
Seventeen was struck by ten-inch
shell directly below her dynamos. The
jar caused temporary break which
cut off the current for short time.
This Is nearly repaired. No: damage
VI NOASO4O0AC0 las UCCA. NOhOS 0Au
she will report for duty within two
minutes"
Bevins and Norma looked. at each
other with great relief. THANK God
for that!" the admiral said,, and it was
echoed by his subordinate.
They turned again to the. port, and
as they did 80 they saw the specks
above disintegrate, and in. a. few mo-
ments Seventeen, repaired, and again
capable, was in line of battle. The
cheering below ceased; but from the
doomed battle ships and cruisers a
continuous hail of Intellectual shots
was fired, while the admiral Of the
aerial feet, his plans formed, was
calmly sending rs.
Number One II engage the cruis-
er on the extrem right. Two will at
tack the battle ship on the port bow
of the flagship Three will take the
battleship on the extreme left" and so
on, ending with the declaration that
the Norma would open the engage
\ ment by striking the Ito, at the head
Of the triangle.