er lying down!"

"You're right of course," said Wharton. "It's all as simple as day now.
There goes the second!"

Came another flash and roar, but this time the bomb fell farther away,
and the metal fragments flew high over their heads. A third followed
with the same result, and they began to feel encouraged.

"Of course they have to drop them at random," said John, "and throwing
down bombs from an aeroplane high in air is largely an affair of
chance."

"Still," said Wharton, "I feel as if I would like to burrow in the
earth, not merely for a foot or two, but for at least a hundred feet,
where the biggest bomb ever made by the Germans couldn't reach me."

Carstairs uttered a cry of joy.

"What can you find to be glad about in a situation like this?" asked
Wharton.

"I've been poking through the bushes and I find just beside us a deep
gully."

"A trench made and ready for us! Come, we'll be the boys in the
trenches!"

They passed through the bushes and dropped down in the gully which was
in truth a great natural help to them. It was certain that in time a
bomb would strike near, but unless it dropped directly on them they
would be protected by their earthen walls from its flying fragments. And
the odds were greatly against a bomb falling where they lay. The
revulsion of feeling was so great that they became jovial.

"You've never agreed with me more than once or twice, Carstairs," said
Wharton, "but I don't think you'll dispute it, when I say this is a
fine, friendly little ravine."

"The finest I ever saw. I'm an expert in ravines. I made a specialty of
'em all through my boyhood, and I never saw another the equal of this."

"Now, they're guessing badly," said John, as a bomb burst in the far
edge of the grove, some distances away.

"I wish we could find shelter for our horses," said Carstairs. "Those
fellows in the air undoubtedly have glasses, and, not being able to see
us, they may choose to demolish our remaining two beasts."

"There goes one now!" exclaimed John, as another bomb burst and a shrill
neigh of pain followed.

A horse had been struck by two fragments, and wild with pain and terror
it reared, struggled, finally broke its bridle, and galloped out into
the fields, where it fell dead from loss of blood.

"Poor beast," muttered Carstairs, "I've always loved horses, and I'd
like to get a little revenge."

"Maybe we can get it by waiting," said John, who was rapidly developing
the qualit