The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-05-01

turned from her with glow Of admi-
ration.
who is going to handle herr he
queried. glancing at the hood.
Il am" she replied. as quietly as II
answering query of no moment.
He held out his hand and shook hers
warmly.
From away in the outer distance.
where the angle was not too sharp to
prevent its elevation, came the sullen
report of a gun, and q shell few past
at such close range that its screaming
came to them through the thickness
of their plate and the open upper
ports, sounding its challenge and de-
fiance above the droning hum Of the dy-
namos. The girl glanced apprehensively
upward, but the admiral continued his
calm inspection of the Japanese feet
Again from vessel closer at hand
came series of sharp reports. The
radioplane felt shivering impact, and
careened slightly in answer to Its
force. The admiral was hurled
against her metal side, and one OF the
engineers seized a rail to prevent be-
ing thrown headlong against the ma
chinery
They're trying four-inch shells on
us! are they?" shouted Bevins. We'll.
well put an end to that right now!"
He sprang to the signal box, and
Norma, reading his intention, hurried
, to her post In the hood. He ordered
the other craft to increase speed and
traverse circles till he should notify
, them which war vessels of the feet be-
! meath were to be their individual prey.
!, | Now the small shells were fairly rend-
: ing the air around them. The sharp
/ clang of metal against metal and
E quick explosion told that hits were be-
. ing made, and through the ports the
e radioplanes which suffered could be
d seen to rock convulsively when struck
b The air seemed whining with death
!. which was clamoring for admission to
;, its prey. Shot and shell swept through
r space; but higher and higher scared
l. the radioplanes, while the old war dos
studied the formation of the feet be
If low.
my God! Seventeen is hit! Sew
enteen is hit!" screamed the lookout
and the admiral and Norma staret
through side port.
In long, weird, dizzy circles, like I
wounded man striving to recover hi
balance, a radioplane was dropping
slowly down toward the waters, IN
| effectually fighting to regain its bal
ance. The four-inch shells had don
no damage; but the far OUTLYING
cruiser had made an accidental hi
with a heavy gun. Zigzagging her
and there in cratic swoops the radio
plane continued to plunge. From tn
waters below came the sounds of e1
ultant cheering The enemy were gair
ing heart They had found what the
believed to be chance for hope an
an invulnerable spot in the Amer
cans armor. Norma started back t
her levers; but the admiral Gale
excitedly:
Look, look! Good boy. Nineteen
Good boy!"
Again she looked through the por
| and was transfixed with the daring a
tempt OF another radioplane. Min
teen, with its big white letters blazin
in the light, had taken swift dow
ward shoot.
Its Jenkins! It's Jenkins!" Norm
called in excitement, knowing that Il
little scientist was manning the hoo
Il of that craft
Then before she could say NOR
3 Nineteen's object was made plain. tt
great radioplane shot to lower al
II tude than that of its crippled fello'
II dove here and there like bat, caug
simultaneous speed, and roundiI
| upward in def swoop poised itse
] firmly beneath the lower plate of Sc
4 enteen. For an instant the two, lock-
together and overweighted, slid slow
4 downward through the air, and tn
1 Nineteen seemed to gather itself, car
to stop, hesitated for moment, Al
| began a steady upward movement.
AS If divining its purpose, two 9th
4 radioplanes swooped down toward t
II stricken monster till their sid
II touched, and then, like group of W,
"a riors carrying a wounded comra
II from the field, assisted the ascent In
VI the upper void. Focusing their IRE
II the group, the Japanese made it
- target, and the scream of shot a
shell broke into q pandemonium un
the air around was churned as by
ter mons wrath.
1nu Up-up they went till they W.
'wn mere specks against the dome
hip- the heavens, where they were beyo
na range and in the profound silence
TUG solitude. The others of the fleet,
'ne by the Norma, FASTENED to soar
aen ward them; but before they could
4s within speaking distance the wirel
iol brought to all radioplanes this m
sage:
l's Seventeen was struck by a tent