side, and
shouting harshly as they realized how close they had come to catching
those they sought.

CHAPTER XVII

MORE TROUBLE FOR THE CHUMS

It had been a close call for the two air service boys. Had they been
delayed just a minute or two longer escape might have been impossible.
And to have been caught with the spy's paper of information in their
possession might have proved a very serious matter.

Some of the mob, that had come from Metz itself, were German soldiers.
They carried guns with which they opened a hot fire on the departing
plane.

Again the lucky star of Tom and Jack seemed to be in the ascendant, for
they did not receive even a scratch. Later they found reason to believe
that a number of the leaden missiles had come very close to their
persons; for the marks upon the body of the plane itself, as well as the
tiny holes in the stout linen covering of the wings, told where bullets
had passed. Possibly, though, these had come from the rapid-fire gun
handled by the Boche airman.

The plane had left the ground and started to mount when this shooting
occurred, so that the marksmen had at least had a fair target at which
to fire. But as the departing airplane was speeding away from them the
rapidly increasing distance may have disconcerted the Germans. At any
rate they failed to bag their game.

The boys were now mounting upwards again, filled with joy over their
recent escape. Jack felt sure that Tom had the precious paper; for he
well knew the other would never have returned so quickly had not success
rewarded his search.

They were soon heading directly for their distant base. Tom could now
give his aerial steed the rein, and get all the speed possible out of
the cumbersome two-seater. There was no longer any necessity for
"loafing on the job," to allow a tardy moon to come in sight, as had
been the case before. Home, and at top speed, was the slogan now.

But, alas! it was not long before Tom realized that something was wrong
with the plane. He found it increasingly difficult to manage the engine,
and the machine began to give erratic jumps that alarmed Jack.

Had it been possible to make himself heard above the clatter of the
motor and the propeller, Jack would have been much inclined to shout
out, and ask his more experienced comrade what had happened.

Still he could give a shrewd guess. One of the bullets fired by the
Teuton soldiers must have struck some part of the motor, and done