Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-17
CHAPTER II
Foes in the Clouds


THE fighting airplanes were rushing right
L at Peggy and General Swallow. The
roaring whirr of the propelers gave warn
ing Of what would happen to any one caught
by them They would cut person or a bird
to pieces In a flash.
Quick - shouted Peggy, and her tiny
plane leaped out of the way. So did General
Swallow. who escaped only by inches.
As the fighters sped past Peggy saw on
the foremost one the black cross OF Germany
On the second was the striped hat of Uncle
Sam. Peggy caught only glimpse of the
Yankee aviator, but 1t a glimpse which
showed her splendid young chap, handsome
alert, brave and determined.
why, it's Teddy Rose, our neghbor," she
cried #
Teddy was putting up snappy. peppery
fight, and the German was trying his best
to escape the bullets that were being poured
at him. Suddenly the German dived down
ward, turned completely over in a loop the
loop and came up behind Teddy. Then the
Huns machine began to shower bullets at
the American plane.
But Teddy was not caught mapping. He
gave a sudden twist to get out of range.
dired and again came up behind the Ger
man. The German looped the loop again and
got in the rear. Teddy dove straight for the
earth Strengthened out, twisted around, and
came at the German from another angle.
This time his bullets went straight to the
mark for they put the Huns engine out OF
commission. The German machine Topped
| like wounded bird, whired around and
around as it dropped toward the ground. and
| then Strengthening out just asN 1t appeared
about to be smashed into bits, landed safely
| behind the American lines. where the aviator
| was quickly made a prisoner.
Peggy, who had gasped with horror as
| the German plane fell, gave sigh of relief
| as she saw that the birdman was captured
| and not killed
| Some dandy fight that !" shrilled General
| Swallow. I'D say that this American air
| man is a better fighter than any arbird I've
| ever seem
| Teddy, when he that his foe had been
| urlNen down, sailed away on the lookout FOR
| more enemies to conquer. He didn't have to
| look far for just Peggy and General Swal-
| low were swooping down for a closer inspec-
| ton of the captured German second Ger
man machine darted out of cloud right
behind Teddy. Peggy gave shout Of warn
| ing, but Of course Teddy could not hear. the
| roar of his engine and propeller drowning
out all other sounds While the shout was on
Peggys lips, a third German machine darted
| from the clouds, and then another and
| another, until there were seven foe machines
making straight for Teddy
The young American caught sight of the Ger
| mans, but pretended not to them until
Just as they were ready to open fire. Then
he dived and the acrobatics that followed
| brought him up behind the seven. Bravely
| he attacked the whole bunch
The Germans quickly lodged and dived
y to get out of his fire, their stunts being as
| spectacular as those in which Teddy had
| downed the first Hun machine. Then they
| closed in on Teddy, and 1t quickly became
apparent that they We're too many for him.
| He might be able to whip them one at a
| time. but he couldn't whip the whole seven
attacking at once and from several direc.
tions.
I'm going to help him." shrieked Peggy
though she didn't know what she could do.
so ann I =" shried General Swallow, put
ting on his fighting look.
Up they darted only to find themselves
caught in a perfect hail of bullets the
Germans tried to overwhelm Teddy Peggy
saw General swallow suddenly go tumbinG
head heels toward the ground as a
bullet struck him. Then her airplane waa
given terrific blow from behind and she
followed General Swallow, turning over and
over as she fell toward the earth