e
air, were searching for signs of the Hun planes. As yet none were in
sight, but it would not be long before they would come out to give
battle.

Whatever else may justly be said about the Germans, their airmen are no
cowards, and, when conditions are favorable, they seldom decline a
chance to combat above the clouds, or lower down. So it could easily be
guessed that when Tom, Jack and the others found themselves over the
German lines that the Boches would be out in force.

Somewhat off to the left Tom caught sight of a captive German balloon,
looming through the mist, and as it is always the desire of a French
flier to destroy one of these, thus preventing the observer from sending
by wireless news of the Allied front, he started for this enemy. Jack
saw his friend's act, and, desiring to aid, turned his machine in the
same direction.

But they had not gone far before they observed a number of black specks
in the sky over the German lines.

"The Huns are coming," reflected Tom. "Now for some hot work."

And it came to him, to Jack, and the others, almost before they realized
it. Tom never got a chance to attack the balloon he hoped to force to
descend or to set on fire, for his attention was taken up by two German
machines, which, separating from the others, headed straight for him.
The lad gave one glance in the direction of Jack, and noted that a
single Hun craft was about to engage with his chum.

"It's a regular German circus," thought Tom, referring to the number of
hostile craft. "They delight to go out in numbers."

By this time the battle in the air had begun. It was a fight above the
clouds, for both the French and the German machines were flying high,
and had gone up above the bunches of fleecy vapor that now hid the
ground from sight.

Tom headed straight for one of the Hun machines, seeking to get above
it, always a point of vantage in an air battle, and as he rushed on he
realized that his machine was being hit by bullets from one of the Hun
guns.

Each bullet, as it struck, made a loud noise, as it punctured the
tightly-drawn linen that covered the wings. But Tom knew that his craft
could stand a number of such holes, if only the struts, the supports,
and the guy wires were not broken. He had no time, now, to note what
Jack or his comrades were doing, for his whole attention was taken up
with the two Hun machines engaging him.

One seemed to be more skillful than the other, and to this one T