_Arrow_--I never fly now without 'em--little fellows, but tremendously
powerful. I shall dip and when we're directly over the ammunition depot
drop the bombs squarely into the middle of it."

"I'm ready," said John, feeling alternate thrills of eagerness and
horror, "but Philip, don't you go so near that if the depot blows up it
will blow us up too."

"Never fear," said Lannes, laughing, not with amusement but with
excitement, "I've no more wish to be scattered through the firmament
than you have. Besides, we've that message to deliver. Do you think the
Germans have noticed us?"

"No, a lot of smoke from their cannon fire has gathered above them and
perhaps it veils us. Besides, their whole attention must be absorbed by
the French army, and I don't think it likely that they're looking up."

"But they're bound to see us soon. We have one great advantage, however.
The target is much larger than the forty-two centimeter was, and there
are no Taubes or dirigibles here to drive us off. Ready now, John, and
when I touch the bottom of my loop you throw the bombs. Here they are!"

Four bombs were pushed to John's side and they lay ready to his grasp.
Then as the _Arrow_ began its downward curve, he laid his glasses aside
and watched. The most advanced German batteries were placed in a pit,
into which a telephone wire ran. Evidently these guns, like the French,
were fired by order from some distant point. John longed to hurl a bomb
at the pit, but the chances were ten to one that he would miss it, and
he held to the ammunition depot, spread over a full acre, as his target.

Now the Germans saw them. He knew it, as many of them looked up, and
some began to fire at the _Arrow_, but the aeroplane was too high and
swift for their bullets.

"Now!" said Lannes in sudden, sharp tones.

The aeroplane dipped with sickening velocity, but John steadied himself,
and watching his chance he threw four bombs so fast that the fourth had
left his hands before the first touched the ground. An awful, rending
explosion followed, and for a minute the _Arrow_ rocked violently, as if
in a hurricane. Then, as the waves of air decreased in violence, it
darted upward on an even keel.

John saw far below a vast scene of wreckage, amid which lay many dead or
wounded men. Motors were blown to pieces and cannon dismounted.

"Score heavily for us," said Lannes. "I scarcely hoped for such a goodly
blow as this while we were on our way!"

John wou