unners are all around it,
and infantry with rifles are near, but I'm going to make a swoop within
five hundred feet of it. Whenever we're directly over it drop two of the
bombs. It may be, it's most likely in fact, that neither will hit, but
I'll swoop down again and again, until we do, unless they get us first."

"I'm ready," said John, who had steeled every nerve, "and I'll do my
best."

He felt the rush of air as the _Arrow_ increased her speed, and shot
downward in a slanting curve, and he heard also a shout from below, as
the sinister shadow of the aeroplane showed black between the gunners
and the sky.

He leaned over and watched. He saw hundreds of eyes turned upward, and
he heard the crackle of many rifles, as they sent their bullets toward
the Arrow. Some whistled near, but the darting target, high in air, was
hard to hit and none touched it.

John paid no heed to the bullets, but watched the huge cannon with its
monstrous mouth upturned at a sharp angle to the sky. When he thought
they were directly over it he hurled two of the bombs at the caisson,
but they missed. They struck among the men, and several were killed, but
the gun and its equipment remained unharmed.

"Never mind," said Lannes, knowing that John felt chagrin. "You came
pretty close for a first trial. Now, ready, I'm going to swoop back
again."

The second attempt was not quite as good as the first, and a bullet
tipped John's ear, drawing blood. Off in the east the black specks were
growing larger, and they knew but little time was left to them now. The
German aeroplanes were coming.

The third swoop and with an eye and hand in perfect accord John threw
once and then twice. A terrific roar came from below. The giant cannon
had been blown from its concrete bed and lay a vast mass of shattered
steel and iron, with dead and dying men around it.

"One mighty blow for France!" exclaimed Lannes, and exultant they flew
westward, dipping low, now and then behind the trees to hide their
flight.

"Well consider it a good omen," said John.

"Are any of the Taubes pursuing now?" said Lannes.

"There's nothing in sight," replied John, after a long examination
through the glasses.

"Then, they can't find us," exclaimed Lannes, joyfully, "and now for
glorious Paris!"

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GUNS OF EUROPE***

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