e it now. We're right over a big building that seems to be
untouched."

Down went the bombs, and such an explosion resulted that it could mean
but one thing. They had set off a munition factory. This, as the boys
afterward learned, was the case.

So great was the blast that the great plane skidded to one side, and a
moment later there came a cry of alarm from some of the crew.

"What's the matter?" shouted Tom.

"Out of control," was the answer. "One of the motors has stopped, and
we've got to go down."

"Can't we go up?"

"No!" was the despairing answer. "We've got to land within the German
lines."

And down the great Italian plane went, while her sister ship of the air
sailed safely off, for it would have been foolhardy for her to have
tried to come to the rescue.

The crew worked desperately to send their craft up again, but it was
useless. Lower and lower she went, fortunately not being fired at, so
great was the confusion caused by the destruction of the factories.

"Take her down as far away as possible from this scene," said Tom to one
of his men. "If we land in a lonely place we may be able to make repairs
and get up again."

"I will," was the answer.

Through the light from the burning buildings, a spot in a level field
was selected for a landing. And down the Italian plane went.

A hasty examination showed little wrong with the motor, and this little
was quickly repaired.

But the hope of getting the airship to rise again was frustrated, for
just as the raiding party was about to take its place in the machine
again, a company of German soldiers came running over the fields,
demanding the surrender of the intrepid men of the air. There was
nothing else to do--no time to set the craft on fire.

So it fell into the hands of the Germans! Tom, Jack and the others were
prisoners!

CHAPTER XXV

THE ESCAPE

"Well, this is tough luck!"

"Tough is no name for it, Jack. It's the worst ever! I don't suppose
they'll do a thing to us after what we did to the factories."

"No. We certainly scotched 'em good and proper. Everything went off like
a tea party, except our coming down. And we could have gotten up again,
only those Germans didn't give us a chance."

"You can't blame 'em for that."

"No, I suppose not. But it's hard lines. I wonder why they're keeping us
here?"

Tom and Jack were talking thus while held prisoners by the Germans,
after the airship raid over the Rhine. It was an