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Page 74
"They've all gone away as ignorant as they were when they came," he
said, "but we must be due for a French visitor or two. After so long a
run of Germans we should have Frenchmen soon."
"I begin to believe with you that Lannes will arrive some time or other.
He flies fast and far and in time he must see our signal."
"I've never doubted it. Meanwhile I think I'll take a little luncheon,
and I'd advise you to do the same. We haven't had such a bad time here,
saving those random rifle shots from the biplane."
"Not at all. It's like watching a play, and you certainly have a clear
field for observation, when you look up at the heavens. The stage is
always in full view."
John was feeling uncommonly good. Their concealment while they watched
the scouts and messengers from the skies coming to see the meaning of
the flag had been easy and restful. Much of his long and painful tension
had relaxed. The hum of distant artillery was in his ears as ever, like
a moaning of the wind, but he was growing so used to it that he would
now have noticed its absence rather than its presence. So he ate his
share of bread and sausage with a good appetite, meanwhile keeping a
watchful eye upon the heavens which burned in the same brilliant blue.
It was now about noon. The rain the night before had given fresh tints
to the green of grass and foliage. The whole earth, indifferent to the
puny millions that struggled on its vast bosom, seemed refreshed and
revitalized. A modest little bird in brown plumage perched on a bough
near them, and, indifferent too, to war, poured forth a brilliant volume
of song.
"Happy little fellow," John said. "Nothing to do but eat and sleep and
sing."
"Unless he's snapped up by some bigger bird," said Weber, "but having
been an hour without callers we're now about to have a new one. And as
this comes from the west it's likely to be French."
John felt excitement, and stood up. Yes, there was the machine coming
out of the blue haze in the west, soaring beautifully and fast. It was
very high, but his eye, trained now, saw that it was descending
gradually. He felt an intense hope that it was Lannes, but he soon knew
that it was not lie. The approaching machine could not possibly be the
_Arrow_.
"It's a Bleriot monoplane," said Weber. "I can tell the type almost as
far as I can see it. It's much like a gigantic bird, with powerful
parchment wings mounted upon a strong body. The wings as you see now
present a concave surface to the earth. They always do that. The flyer
sits between the two wings and has in front of him the lever with which
he controls the whole affair."
"You seem to know a good deal about flying machines, Weber."
"Oh, yes, I've observed them a lot. I've always been curious about them
and I've attended the great flying meets at Rheims, but personally I'm a
coward about heights. I study the types of these wonderful machines, but
I don't go up in 'em. That's a little fellow coming now and he's seen
the flag."
"There's only one man in the plane, but as he's undoubtedly French what
do you think we ought to do? He can't carry us away with him in the
machine, it's too small. Do you think we should signal him to come to
the ground and have a talk?"
"Perhaps we'd better let him pass, Mr. Scott. We have no real
information to give. He might suspect that we are Germans and a lot of
time would be lost maneuvering. Suppose we remain in hiding, and say
nothing until Lannes himself appears."
"You still feel sure that he will come?"
"It's a conviction."
"Same way with me, and I agree with you that we'd better let our friend
in the Bleriot go by. He's descending fast now. The plane certainly does
look like a bird. Reminds me somewhat of a German Taube, though this
machine is much smaller."
"The pilot will take only a look or two at the flag. Then, if we don't
hail him, he'll sail swiftly back to the west."
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