|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 43
Now the Germans saw them. He knew it, as many of them looked up, and
some began to fire at the _Arrow_, but the aeroplane was too high and
swift for their bullets.
"Now!" said Lannes in sudden, sharp tones.
The aeroplane dipped with sickening velocity, but John steadied himself,
and watching his chance he threw four bombs so fast that the fourth had
left his hands before the first touched the ground. An awful, rending
explosion followed, and for a minute the _Arrow_ rocked violently, as if
in a hurricane. Then, as the waves of air decreased in violence, it
darted upward on an even keel.
John saw far below a vast scene of wreckage, amid which lay many dead or
wounded men. Motors were blown to pieces and cannon dismounted.
"Score heavily for us," said Lannes. "I scarcely hoped for such a goodly
blow as this while we were on our way!"
John would not look down again. Despite the value of the deed, he
shuddered and he was glad when the _Arrow_ in its swift flight had left
the area of devastation far behind.
"We're flying over the French now," he said. "So I expected," said
Lannes. "Can you see a hill crested with a low farm house?"
"Yes," replied John, after looking a little while. "It's straight ahead.
The house is partly hidden by trees."
"Then that's the place. You wouldn't think we'd come nearly fifty miles,
would you, John?"
"Fifty miles! It feels more like a thousand!"
Lannes laughed, this time with satisfaction, not excitement.
"You'll find there the general to whom we reported first," he said, "and
he'll be glad to see us! I can't tell you how glad he will be. His joy
will be far beyond our personal deserts. It will have little to do with
the fact that you, John Scott, and I, Philip Lannes, have come back to
him."
The circling _Arrow_ came down in a meadow just behind the house, and
officers rushed forward to meet it. Lannes and John, stepping out, left
it in charge of two of the younger men. Then, proudly waving the others
aside, they walked to the low stone farmhouse, in front of which the
elderly, spectacled general was standing. He looked at Lannes
inquiringly, but the young Frenchman, without a word, handed him a note.
John watched the general read, and he saw the transformation of the
man's face. Doubting, anxious, worn, it was illumined suddenly. In a
voice that trembled he said to the senior officers who clustered about
him:
"We're advancing in the center, and on the other flank. Already we've
driven a huge wedge between the German armies, and Paris, nay, France
herself, is saved!"
The officers, mostly old men, did not cheer, but John had never before
witnessed such relief expressed on human faces. It seemed to him that
they had choked up, and could not speak. The commander held the note in
a shaking hand and presently he turned to Lannes.
"Your fortune has been great. It's not often that one has a chance to
bear such a message as this."
"My pride is so high I can't describe it," said Lannes in a dramatic but
sincere tone.
"Go in the house and an orderly will give food and wine to you and your
comrade. In a half hour, perhaps, I may have another message for you."
Both John and Lannes needed rest and food, and they obeyed gladly. The
strain upon the two was far greater than they had realized at the time,
and for a few moments they were threatened with collapse which very
strong efforts of the will prevented. They were conscious, too, as they
stood upon the ground, of a quivering, shaking motion. They were
assailed once more by the violent waves of air coming from the
concussion of cannon and rifles past counting. The thin, whitish film
which was a compound of dust and burned gunpowder assailed them again
and lay, bitter, in their mouths and nostrils.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|