ction wrought on
the German base. So completely destroyed was it that few defense guns
were left in condition to fire at the aeroplane.

"Well, we did that in great shape!" exclaimed Jack, as they were on
their way over the Rhine again.

"Couldn't have been better," conceded Tom. "And, best of all, we have
dad with us."

"How did it all happen?" asked Jack.

"I don't know. We'll hear the story when we are safe in France."

And safe they were as the gray morning broke. They arrived just as the
crew of the other plane were relating, with sorrow, the fall of Tom,
Jack and their comrades, and the rejoicing was great when it was known
they were safe, and had not only outwitted the Huns, but had brought
away a most important prisoner.

"And now let's hear how it all happened," begged Major de Trouville,
when the injured had been made as comfortable as possible. There were
three of these, and one dead on the plane that returned first.

The story of the attack on the German base was given in detail, and then
Mr. Raymond took up the tale from the point where he had landed in
Europe.

He had started for Paris, just as he had written Tom, and had taken
lodgings in the Rue Lafayette. He went out just before the starting of
the bombardment by the big gun, and so escaped injury, but he fell into
the hands of some German spies, who were on his trail, and who
succeeded, after having drugged him, in getting him into Germany.

The spies had succeeded in getting on the trail of a new invention Mr.
Raymond had perfected, and which he had offered to the Allies. He had
come to Paris on this business. The Huns demanded that he devote it to
their interests, but he refused, and he had been held a prisoner over
the Rhine, every sort of pressure being brought to bear on him to make
him accede to the wishes of his captors.

"But I refused," he said, "and they decided I should be shot. Whether
this was bluff or not I don't know. But they never got a chance at me.
In the night I heard, in my prison, the sound of explosions, and I soon
realized what had happened. It was your bold airship raid, and one of
the bombs burst my prison. I ran out and saw the Italian planes in the
air.

"What then happened you know better than I, but what you probably do not
know is that you very likely owe your lives to a dispute that arose
between the German infantry and the air squadron division," and he
indicated Tom, Jack and the others who had been in th