ies of leadership. "They can't possibly see us here in the
gully which is lined thickly on either side with bushes."

"And you think if we lie quiet," said Wharton, "that they'll come down
lower to see what damage they've done."

"That's my idea."

"You do seem to have a good head on you for a Yankee," said Carstairs.

They were silent a long time. Two more bombs were dropped but they did
not strike near them. John heard the remaining horse straining at his
bridle, and threshing among the bushes, but he did not succeed in
breaking loose.

He was very comfortable among some leaves in the gully, but he was on
his back, and he did not cease to watch the aeroplanes, drifting lazily
between him and the heavens. It was hard to judge distances in the air,
but he had watched them so long and so closely that they seemed to him
after a while to be flying lower. Patient as the Germans were, they must
see sometime or other whether their bombs had destroyed the fugitives in
the grove.

"They're coming down toward the tops of the trees," he whispered. "Since
they haven't heard from us for so long they've probably concluded that
their bombs have finished us."

"They'll soon find out better," said Carstairs savagely. "That last
horse they killed was mine, and the poor brute was torn horribly by
pieces of the bomb."

John looked at him curiously.

"War is war," he said.

"I know it," replied Carstairs, "and that's why I shall be so particular
to take good aim, when they drop within range. Confound it, I wish they
didn't have those armored machines."

"Still they're bound to expose themselves now and then," said John, "or
they can't see us."

They now knelt in the gully waiting for the Taubes, which were softly
sinking lower and lower. All three were sharpshooters, and they had
anger and the love of life to wing their aim.

"Suppose we pick our men," said John. "The heavy plane near the center
of the group is undoubtedly the one that carries the machine gun, and so
it's our most dangerous antagonist. It's not likely to have more than
two men--otherwise the weight would be too great--one to steer and one
to handle the gun."

"Excellent," said Carstairs. "You're undoubtedly the best marksman,
Scott. Suppose when the machine tilts enough to give us aim you say:
'fire,' you taking the man at the rudder, while Wharton and I shoot at
the one with the gun."

"All right, if you say so."

"Then it's agreed?"

"Agreed it is