Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-02
but as it was he was advancing hardly

but as it was he was advancing hardly
| twenty.
| But If progress forward was slow, he
was mounting with tremendous rapid
| ity as he skillfully controlled his wa
verng reelng craft meeting every
slant and twist and break in the gale.
| And his heart was light despite the
struggle, for he had not misunderstood
the CHEEKY shouts of those who had
| sped him on his way. Never again
would his courage lie doubted!
| Now the battlefield was spread before
him like a dullv tinted map-the dun
colored sand dunes criss-crossed by
canals stretching away to the leaden
sea. To the right white puffs of smoke,
where shrapnel burst. marked the al
lied trenches; to the left he looked
down upon the fight along the canal
where the Germans had been checked.
He glanced to the south, and his eyes
narrowed behind the goggles; a survey
of the roads in the rear of the allied
trenches-then he understood:
No wonder it was imperative the
Zeppelin be driven away or destroyed
before it could signal information re-
garding what was going on below. On
keeping the Germans in ignorance of
the movements of the English troops
depended the safety of the allies left
wing. One brief message might mean
a colossal defeat for British arms.
Along the shank of the fishhook
marched two heavy columns of infan-
try moving to reinforce the hard
were no reserves in position to be hur-
ried to the threatened point. Trusting
to the gale to keep German aeroplanes
from observing the movement, the
English commander deliberately had
VI q n n Off OFT ic
f1ank-a move that would spell dfsaS-
ter. if known to the enemy.
Also. along canal to the south
which connected with the strip of
hook into which the allied line had been
bent. moved two fiat, oval shapes
monitors that soon would be in po-
sition to enfilade the German ranks.
They alone would be sufficient to stop
the attack once their guns commanded
the canal, and Kent realized the mean
ing of the massing of troops.
From the east reserves were coming
to strengthen the weakened place in
the English front, and once they ar
ton, a counter attack launched from
the point where the crook of the hook
joined the shank would cut off vir-
tually the entire column of the enemy
which had advanced through the gap
in the lines.
can hour" was the thought in Kents
mind as he gripped the steering post.
preparing for the perilous feat of turn
ing in the high wind. IAN hour is what
they need-and they'll get it,"
The Paragraph read 1000 feet as
Kent swung the monoplane to meet the
Zeppelin. The wind blew more stead
lily at that level, but turning an aero
plane in a gale ever is ticklish bust
ness and Kent set his teeth as he
tugged slightly at the controls SO as to
make the turn on an upslant, know
ing the danger of capsizing should the
wind get under the tail of the ma
chine
A dip. wild heave as the craft turned
sideways, but his hand on the steering
post had the soothing pressure Of mas
ter horseman's on a bride. The machine
steadiad, and he brought it around
rocketing down the wind at a speed of
120 miles an hour.
Back over the English lines he few,
and rounded to behind the Zeppelin
The speed of the aeroplane was far
greater than that of the airship and
Kent came up rapidly. keeping high in
gas bag protected from the fire of the
machine. guns in the car below; then he
pointed the nose Of his craft downward
at sharp angle and dived.
But the driver of the dirigible was both
skilled and resourceful. AS the aero
plane shot down to the attack he swung
the nose Of his craft to the east and the
full force of the blast caught the side
of the huge bag whisking it away like
bubble.
Kent grasped the meaning of the ma
neuver the instant the airship swerved,
and released bomb, but it missed by
narrow margin
Again the hazardous swing to fly with
the wind; again the rocketlike fight
down the gale again the monoplane
turned and went in pursuit Of the Yep
pelin.
This time the Englishman came UP
more slowly. throttling down until he
made little Roadway, steadying his ma
chine as he came closer to his prey,
ready to meet the airships swerve.
Down swept the monoplane a second
time as swiftly as a projectile. Below
the gas bag seemed to hang motionless,