The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-08-25

out, by suitable conversation, where
this big CONSTITUTIONAL depot is in
Schleswig, and then yo get to your
machine as quickly as you can and
fly off back. The surface ships of
your escort will be gone, but there"
be a submarine on the lookout for
you off the coast. You'll fly high as
you come over the water, and fire
signals with your pocket pistol as
come up and take you off, Naturally
there are risks"
There are said Henshaw. The
schemes honeycombedr. with them.
But it's a good one all the same, and,
of course, I'm on
The small squadron had been
cruising on the German side of the
North Sea-, waiting for twilight to
deepen into dusk. Then, moving I'M
der cover of the growing darkness,
they threaded the minefield south of
HeIigoland, and pushed in shoreward
near Cuxhavens 1t was a dark night:
the breeze was light; there were
clouds here and there at a fair alti-
tude.
Henshaw stood on the bridge OF
the seaplane-carrier beside. its com
nlander. IS "A
Were taking you. in as near as
we dare" said the. latter. when
you ascend, you'll lay your course
E.S.E. This machine of yours should
Go a fraction over 100 miles an hour.
Your trip from the coast to Berlin is
about 225 miles-a flight of a little
more than two hours. There's
north set in the breeze, and you'll
have, to make an allowance for lee
way; but then. Of course, you'll see
lights and towns
Henshaw. nodded. He was muf-
fled up already in his flying garb.
Then he and the commander went
the vessel. Here, at the end of a
gangway. stood the biplane Henshaw
was. to use. It's six-cylinder motor,
dominating the hull, gave it a pugna-
/, cious. over-developed look-like that
of some excessively muscled athlete.
[Henshaw climbed into his seat
within the. tubular hull He switched
on several small electric lights,
which cast bleam on the dashboard
in, front of him, where his instru-
ments were fixed. A word or so
| more, a look to see that his map was
right; then he called out the word,
! Contact" and switched on his ign1-
ton. A moment later the big motor
Henshaw listened for a second or
SO to the rythm of his engine. Then
he opened the throttle, threw up an
/ arm as the signal that the craft
] should be released, and a moment
later was in the air. There was moth
ing ahead but darkness, so. he did
not look ont, from behind his wind
screen. All he wanted to know for
the moment could, be learned from
inside his little cockpit. An, incIino-
meter told him the angle his ma
chine was assuming as 1t assembled.
IA gauge registered his speed in rela-
/! ton to the air. A dial showed how
many revolutions a minute his en-
CINE was making; while the needle
of the height-rscorder indicated in
feet the rate of his ascent as he. left
/ the sea. below. So Henshaw drove
upward into the darkness.
/ Soon he had reached an altitude of
several thousand feet. Then he
i brought his craft round accurately
on it's compass course Below, when
he glanced over into the rush Of
wind. nothing could be seen distinct
ly in the grey black obscurity. He
was alone above sea. and earth, his
life depending on the motor which
droned away in front of him.
u I1euSfldW WAS 5cOuC6PnGo LOT a time
as he passed inland, with gaining al
ttitude. EThen, at ten thousand feet,
he settled down to his long. flight. He
j did not feel that the time dragged.
There was much for him to do in. his
electrically-lit- cockpit, or, rather,
j much to see. His eyes roved con-
stantly, from the needle of one dial
to the needle of another, and he
: pumped occasionally to maintain
! pressure in his supplementary, petrol
supply tank,
) Primarily, of course. he was busy
: with his compass, steering as accu-
rate course as skill would permit
Points here and there he recognized
on the dark enemy land below; occa-
/ sionaIfy there were the tights Of big
! towns. Luckily there was no. ground
mist, nor did the slight set of the
wind from the north Cause him to
make any appreciable leeway
) Presently, away ahead Of him and
I little to the north, Henshaw saw a
heavy yellow-white haze. He looked
! at its shrewdly for a. time Then
i noting from. the clock on his dash
, board the length of time he had been
3 in the air-he felt convinced and al.
, Etered his course slightly.
. Berlin it is" he whispered to
/, himself.
3 He held on steadily. and before
{ long-being well acquainted with the
t topography of Berlin-he was able
: to distinguish, on the carpet of lighr
that now lay spread before him, Ger.
: tain points which enabled him to fiji
, his bearings.
/ It's blessing" he murmured
: that they've had no accession yet tt
: dim their lights ~
: He got his course for Johannisthal
t aided by the ray of a searchlight HI
: lad been descending steadily as he
l reared his goal, and now he reached
3 down beside his seat and took ou
the signal-pistol. Slowing his ma.
chine a little by movement sof the
! throttle lever, he stretched out z
hand into the wind and fired hi.
signals quickly. Then, turning hi.
( craft in a circle he repeated them
Now the searchlight found him
g throwing an inquiring beam on hi
: machine. Then it moved off con
: 1siderately, SO not to dazzle him
8 with its radiance, and the next mo
n ment, neatly outlined below, there
n lsprang into view the system of cleo
!, trio ground signs which guide ayta
. tors on their landings from night
!; flights.
Y For the next minute or so. en-
hu ho foo mt -