ly bright and blinding. Somewhat
ahead, and to the south, three large French observation planes were
coming up toward the lines at la Chapelle. They were just about even,
vertically, with the cloud bank over the Surmelin Valley. They would
pass almost directly under the bottom flight, led by Yancey.

Larkin watched them, somewhat idly. Photographic mission, probably.
Then, with little or no interest in them, his eye ran along the two
converging lines of planes that made up Yancey's flight. That moment he
noticed McGee's plane cut out of position and zoom up at an angle too
steep to be maintained. Then McGee's plane levelled off and was hurled
through a series of quick acrobatics. It meant but one thing--manoeuver!

Larkin jerked his head around and squinted into the sun. Not a thing
there--at least nothing he could see--and as soon as the stabbing
streaks of light left his eyes he glanced toward the cloud bank over the
Marne. Nothing there. The three French observation busses, far below,
were going gaily on their way. But McGee was still climbing and
stunting. Larkin knew that this was no idle exhibition. McGee didn't fly
that way. He was trying to draw their attention to something.

Larkin looked ahead at Cowan's plane. That moment the Major dipped his
plane twice. Now what in the world did he mean by that? Larkin wondered.
Merely that he had noticed McGee and was on the alert? Or did he mean
that he too had seen the enemy? Enemy! Where was the enemy?

Again Larkin turned his head to try the sun. Nothing there ... yes, by
George! there was a blur of black spots. But it was such a fleeting view
that he could not be sure, and tried again. Blast the sun! It made him
blind as a bat!

He closed his eyes to cut out the dancing sparks and pin wheels. He
opened them again, and on turning for one more trial at the sun his eye
fell upon the cloud bank to the north. Talk about being blind! Blind as
a bat was right!

There, dark, dim and shadowy against the cloud were more German planes
than he had ever before seen in one group, and their angle of direction
left no question as to their purpose.

Again he tried the sun. Yes, there they were! No question about it now.
They were coming down, and in so doing were no longer completely within
the eye of the sun. Pretty slick! A group behind to cut off retreat and
another group coming out of the clouds at an angle that would intercept
the line of flight. And that cloud was fairly