The Bottineau courant., 1909-03-26

Oldest DdQQoT III Luc WOllu, dAu IAV
one they had been taught through
months Of consideration to despise.
Stars on a field of blue, fit emblem for
warriors of the clouds! And then ere
the first flag had Strengthened out its
heavy folds, the colors fluttered from
each birdlike craft, challenge to bat
tie in which the odds were against
them.
Aloft in that feet of the air, where
all was quiet, there was no sudden call
of excitement. For hours they had
watched and waited for the appear
ance of the enemy, and when he was
sighted far below in the 1nurk of the
dawn each man took his post without
words; but the martial spirit which
sends men to battle burned clear and
high. The supreme test was at hand,
and the wait and preparation were at
the gods.
The Norma had been the first to de-
cry the oncoming feet, and Fighting
Bevins with his own hand had sig
nailed his followers to reduce speed.
Now he stood at the transparent ports,
heard the sudden booming alarm, wit
messed the excitement on the decks,
and smiled with grim Joy. BY his side
stood Norma, and not even he, trained
to strife and accustomed from early
manhood to scenes of carnage, was
more cool or determined. He looked
at her questioningly, wondering
whether or no he should read in her
eyes sign Of regret or weakness, and
turned from her with a glow of admi-
ration.
''Who is going to handle herr" he
queried, glancing at the hood.
'I am," she replied, as quietly as If
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 it's elevation, came the sullen
report of gun, and a shell flew past
at such close range that it's screaming
came to them through the thickness
of their plate and the open upper
ports, sounding it's challenge and de-
fiance above the droning hum of the dy
namos. The girl glanced dapprehensively
upward, but the admiral continued his
calm inspection of the Japanese fleet.
Again from a vessel closer at hand
came series of sharp reports. The
radioplane felt shivering impact and
careened slightly in answer to it's
force The admiral was hurled
against her metal side, and one of the
engineers seized rail to prevent be-
ing thrown headlong against the ma
chinery.
"They're trying four-inch shells on
us! are they?" shouted Bevins. "Well
we'll 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 fleet be
meath were to be their individual prey.
Now the small shells were fairly renl-
ing the air around them. The sharn
SItL VI llt(Cl dSdIuS( IlGldl u.tG
quick explosion told that hits were be-
ing made, and through the ports tie
radioplanes which suffered could Lc
seen to rock con n.u!s ve1y when struc,;;
The air seem9i whining with dea'1
which wae e DNOricg for adNics.t,n
its pray Shot a0t shell swept tlil<.i =,
space; but higher and higher SCARE
the radiOplanes. while the old war deg
studied the formation of the fleet be-
low.
my God! Seventeen is hit! Sew
enteen is hit" screamed the lookout,
and the admiral and Norma stared
through sid, port.
In long, weird, dizzy circles, like
wounded man striving to recover his
balance. a radioplane was dropping
slowly down toward the waters, in
effectually fighting to regain it's bal
ance. The four-inch shells had done
no damage; but the far outlying
cruiser had made an accidental hit
with a 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 transf1xed with the daring at
tempt Of another radioplane. Nine
teen, with it's big white letters blazing
in the light, had taken a 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,
Nineteen's object was made plain. The
great radioplane shot to a lower alti-
tude than that of its crippled fellow,
4