The Press., 1915-12-01

dropping the first bomb As soon as
/ had rolled it over, without waiting
to see If it proved effective, seized
another and another.
There came up from below the
sounds of many explosions, mingled
with the near singing of balls about
our ears. The attack occupied osly q
few minutes: then it was every aero
plane for itself. 1 only knew that the
machine on which 1 served received a
shot that put us in the position of a
bird with a broken wing. However,
We were not so much damaged but
that we could limp along. Other ma
chimes passed us in their fight, leaving
us far behind. we sinking toward the
earth.
Not knowing much about an aero
plane myself, / relied upon Lieutenant
Meeker entirely. He could do nothing
to help matters, for it was the fan OF
the propeller that was damaged, and
there was no way to fix it. He could
only put on all the force there was in
the engine and guide the machine over
such territory as would be best to fall
on in case there came a sudden col
lapse. Unfortunately, beneath us were
leafless trees whose branches seemed
to be ready to receive us on their
sharp points like bristling bayOnets. In
looking down at them / felt more fear
than at any time Of the fight, for
was unoccupied.
1t was soon very evident that we
would never get our machine back to
our lines, and since we must come to
earth in an enemy's country, IL our
machinery did not give out SO as to
drop us suddenly to death, we would
doubtless be made prisoners, which 1
dreaded more than almost any other
calamity.
BY skillful management the lieuten-
ant kept us afioat till it was quite
dark and we had reached a point not
many miles from our lines. Then we
came to earth in field covered with
snow. Looking back through what re-
manned of the twilight, l saw what
looked like a bird coming through the
air. l knew it for an aeroplane and
surmised that it belonged to the en-
envy, for doubtless all our machines
that had not been captured had gone
on ahead. Quite likely those in the
coming aeroplane had seen us go down
and would pounce upon us.
The lieutenant and 1 consulted hur-
riedly how we might escape capture.
We had our side arms and could fight,
but within the enemy's lines such a
course was not advisable. There were
doubtless German troops about us, but
if we could conceal ourselves we might
eventually get within our lines. We
felt sure we were in Belgium and
would therefore have what assistance
the citizens we might fall in with
could give us.
1t occurred to me to go as far as pos
sible from our wrecked aeroplane and
burrow in the snow, but the lieutenant
suggested that our tracks would con-
duct those looking for us to our hiding
place Hearing the jingle of sleigh
bells. we moved in that direction, ex-
pecting at least to find road. We
found one and a house on it. Entering,
we asked the persons there If they
were Belgians, and when they replied
atfirmatively we told them we were of
the British aviator corps and asked
them if they would help us.
Meanwhile the aeroplane we had
seen came up and lowered over our
wrecked machine but it was now too
dark for those in it to hunt for us to
advantage. Our host told us that the
road led to our lines and the snow on
it was so hardened that we would
make no tracks. The German rear was
about ten miles away and if we could
pass it we might emerge among our
own troops.
We resolved to undertake it. Leav-
ing the house, we mad not gone far be-
fore we heard some one asking for us
in German. Fortunately we made no
sound OH the packed snow and moved
on as fast as our legs would carry US.
We ran the greater part of the night
and toward morning climbed a hill.
from which we looked down on to the
trenches, which we recognized by the
desultory firing that marked the line.
We were perfectly safe where we
were. but it would be impossible to
pass that line and get behind our
trenches. Toward noon we saw aero
planes rising from the British region
and come toward us as If recon-
noitering. They were looking for such
machines of our expedition as had
been wrecked. Nearer they came, and,
the hill we were on being several hun
ired feet high, when they reached it
one of them flew near enough for us to
attract it's attention. 1t alighted in a
clearing, took us aboard and returned
with us to the other side Of the line Of
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