ough, the air service boys thought, to drive the captors
away, and enable Leroy and his fellow prisoners to be saved.

Jack punched Tom in the back and motioned for him to shut off the motor
a moment so that talking would be possible. Tom did this, and Jack
cried:

"Shall we take a chance?"

"Yes!" Tom answered in return.

Strictly speaking, having accomplished the mission they were sent out
on, they should have returned to their base for orders. But the airmen
were given more liberty of action and decision than any other branch of
the Allied service.

"Go to it!" cried Jack, and once more Tom started the motor and headed
the craft for the Hun prison.

Again the air service boys were hovering over the prison camp. They
could now see that there was much more activity around it than there had
been before the big battery was destroyed. The fight was coming closer,
and the Germans evidently knew it. Whether they were trying to arrange
to take their captives farther back, or merely seeking to escape
themselves from a trap, was not then evident.

And, having reached a position where they could see below them what
looked to be a concentration of German guns, perhaps to fire on any
force that might advance against the prison. Jack let fall one of his
two remaining bombs.

It swerved to one side, and though it exploded with great force, and
created havoc and consternation among the Huns, it did not fall where it
was intended. The second battery was still intact.

"My last shot!" grimly mused Jack, as he looked at the other bomb.

Tom maneuvered the aeroplane until he had it about where he thought
Jack would want it. The latter pressed the releasing lever and the bomb
descended. It was the most powerful of the lot, and when it struck and
exploded it not only demolished the defensive battery, making a hole in
the place where it had stood, but it tore down part of the prison fence,
and made such destruction generally that the Germans were stunned.

Instantly, seeing that all had been accomplished that was possible, and
noting that hovering around him were other Allied airmen who had agreed
to help in the rescue, Tom sent his craft down. There was a burst of
shrapnel around him and Jack, but though the latter was grazed by a
bullet, neither was seriously hurt. A Hun plane darted down out of
the sky to attack the bold Americans, but quickly it was engaged by a
supporting Allied craft. However, the Hun was a good fighter,