The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-12
AnAdventurous
American
By ALAN HINSDALE

Why Edward Delano. an American
with no especial sympathy with either
side In the pan European war, left 9
luxurious home TO take part in 1t seems
mystery And when we consider
that he entered the aviation service tC
face the dangers of the land far up In
the air, a position trying enough by
itself without adding to the fact that
one is liable TO be dropped, not from a
break Of machinery, but shot fired
| for the purpose, his action is hard to
| understand.
| Delano entered the French aviation
corps composed Of Americans. He
made fights from that part of Belgium
which is nearest Zeebrugge, the base Of
the German flying machines. One day
when he was sailing over the North
sea near the coast he saw a little
cigar shaped boat beneath him on the
for a submarine 1t occurred TO him
that If he could swoop down low
enough to get good aim he might
toss bomb on to 1t and sink it, He
didn't have much fear of it, for its
guns were not made for sending shot
into the upper air
Circling, he drew spiral down to
within couple of hundred feet. He
feared to lose the game by Its being
submerged. But the captain had no
tYah s..tn AL n
bomb. which stirred the water hun
dred feet from the submarine. Not
receiving shot In return, he descend
ed to within a hundred feet OF his
enemy and dropped another bomb
This struck the water about fifty feet
on the other side of the submarine.
He was getting a third bomb ready
when man with rife appeared on
the submarine and fred a shot which
exploded Ned's gasoline tank.
Ned was dropped into the water a
dozen feet from the submarine There
was nothing for him TO do but to
strike out for the cigar shaped boat
and give himself up. This he did and
was received on board with praise for
his daring.
However, there was no place to con-
fine him, and there seemed to be no
necessity to do so. He was made to
do the work of one of the crew, the
vessel being short handed, and this
gave him the liberty of man with
duties TO perform. His love for nov
city was satisfied for the boat fire.
quently dired, and when she did Ned
dived with her. Used as he was to
sailing up in the air. he could not re-
press sense of smosaering at going
Town under the water the first time.
One day when the submarine was on
the surface of the water ship came
IN sight flying the British flag. Ned |
saw at once that he was liable to wit |
hess the destruction of vessel. The !
submarine kept to the eastward of its :
Intended victim and when the evening
twilight came had the ship against il.
while the submarine was in darkness.
Then she pushed forward till within
striking distance and called on the
sritisher's crew to get into their boats
The order was obeyed, and a mum.
'er of shots were put into the huh be-
ow the water line Ned saw her 20
own stem first. almost as swimmer
aking dive. only the diver reap
ears. which the vessel did not.
While this IVES occurring darkness
vas falling. The last Ned saw of the
hips crew they were in their boSts.
be rowers resting on their oars watch
~ their ship make her last plunge.
What they did afterward could not be
een for the darkness. Ned wondered
hat they would do Would they pull
Or the English or the Belgian coast:
he distance TO land eastward was so
luch less than westward that he be-
eyed they would take that direction
likely they had taken a compass into
heir boats. which would give them
heir course.
Naturally the idea of escape from
10 submarine connected itself In his
lind with the boats. though the hope
reaching them seemed madness He
as obliged e. take his turn with the
atch on deck A couple OF hours aft
the sinking Of the ship he heard the
,und OF oars. InferrinG that they
ere from the boats OF the sunken
Zip. be listened eagerly The sound
ere were a number of boats pulling 4
from the west toward
q submarine. The crew Of the latter {
ard them. but. inferring that they Q
ere the sailors they had disposseSsed
I'd no atteutiOn to them.
Ned paid a good deal Of attention TO 1