New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-23

"Arc thcy-hurt7" I asked.
"Well, We know two are all ilght
and one we think is. but the other
rather pal of mine
"Do you often lose fellows?'
"Of and cn-you see, were hgnt-
ing suuadron-must take n bit OF RISK
now and then-it's the game, y'know!
He brought me where stood biplanes
and monoplanes Of all sizes and de-
signs and paused beside two-seater'
gunned fore and aft, and with ponder
Gus, wide flung wings.
Attacked by
Five Foes
"This," he explained, "is an old
battleplane, quite a veteran. too-Jolly
old bus in its way, but too slow; It's a
'pusher,' you see. and tractors are all
the go. We're having some over to.
day, top hole machines" Here ensued
much technical discussion between him
and n. as to the relative merits OF
traction and propulsion.
"Have you had many air duels J"
inquired at last, as We wandered on
through q maze of wheels and wings
and propellers.
"Oh, yes, one or two," he admitted
Though nothing very much" he hast
ened to add. "Some OF our chaps are
pretty hot stuff. though. There's b.,
now. BIS got nine, so far"
AN air fight must be rather ter
rible," said !.
"Oh, don't know" he demurred
gets a bit lively sometimes. c., one
Of our chaps, had near go coming
home yesterday-attacked by five
Boche machines, well over their own
territory, of course. They swooped
down on him out of a cloud. G. got
ono right away, but the others got
him-ncarly. They shot his gear all
20 pieces and put his bally gun out
OF commission-bullet clean through
the tray. Rotten bad luck! So, being
at their mercy, C. pretended they'd
got him-did turnover and nose
dived through the clouds very nearly
on two more Boche machines that
were waiting for him. So, thinking it
Was oil up with him, c. dived straight
for the nearest, meaning to take a
Boche down with him, but Hans didn't
think that was playing the game and
promptly hooked il. The other fellow
had been blazing away, and was get
ting new drum fixed when he saw
c. was on his tail making tremendous
business with his useless gun, so
Fritz Immediately dived away out OF
range and c. got home with about fifty
bullet holes in his wings and his gun
crooked and-oh. here he isl"
Flight Lieutenant c. appeared rather
he, 90, Il
der youth, with serious brow and
thoughtful eyes, whom forthwith ques-
toned as automatically as might be.
ooh. yesi" he answered. in response
TO my various queries. at was exciting
captain has been pulling your leg no
end. Yes, they smashed my gun. Yes
they hit pretty we'll everything except
me and my mascot-they didn't ge'
that. by good luck. No. I don't think
a fellow would mind getting it. in the
ordinary way--a bullet. say. But it's
the damned petrol catching alight and
burning ones legs" Here the speaker
bent 10 survey his long legs with seri-
Gus eyes. Burning isn't a very nice
finish somehow. They generally man
age to chuck themselves out-wher
they can. Hello-here comes one o.
our new machines-engine sounds nice
and smooth" said he, cooking an ear
Sure enough, came faint purr that
grew to hum. TO an ever-loudeninR
drone, and out from the clouds an air
plane appeared, which. wheeling in
graceful spirals, sank lower and lower
touched earth, rose, touched again and
so, engine roaring. slid smoothly tow.
ard us over the grass. Then appeared
men in blue overalls. who seized the
cleaning monster in unawed. accus-
toned hands, steadied it. swung II
around and halted it within speaking
iigtapce