heless Tom was secretly glad to discover that the plane was being
fairly well guided to earth, showing that the German pilot, though he
had lost his fight, could not have been killed outright, or even
mortally wounded.

Tom now found a chance to look around, and note what was going on. It
was just then that one of the leading American aviators drove at his
antagonist in a series of zigzag spins that must have bewildered the
German, he never having run up against such tactics before.

The consequence was the enemy met defeat. Tom knew what was going to
happen as soon as he saw the chief star of the Lafayette Escadrille
start his favorite attack. And ten seconds afterwards a second Teuton
plane was whirling around aimlessly and falling. It turned in its flight
so that its white belly showed plainly just as a fish will in its death
throes.

But the pilot was game to the finish, and managed in some wonderful
fashion to swing his damaged craft around again, so that when it landed
with a crash it fell bottom-down, and the motor did not come on top of
him.

Later on Tom learned that the man was badly injured, and made a
prisoner. Eventually he pulled through, though it was reported he would
never be fit for flying again, even if he gained his freedom.

The other two Germans had retreated, deeming the Americans too strong
for them. And Tom hoped it would be some time before others could muster
up sufficient courage to go aloft, to pit their machines with those of
the members of the Lafayette Escadrille.

CHAPTER X

AFTER THE BATTLE

During all this turmoil the fire-control plane pilot had kept his
machine at work. While the fighting guard engaged the German, the
observer aboard the larger craft continued to send his signals to the
batteries far in the rear of the French advanced lines; and through the
successful working of the undertaking a number of heavy Teuton guns had
already been silenced.

Tom now found time to look down, using his glasses for the purpose,
since the air in their immediate vicinity was clear of enemy planes. He
could see something of the battle, though so much smoke lay above the
battleground that it was only when this lifted temporarily that an
occasional fugitive glimpse could be obtained of the earth.

The French were undoubtedly pushing the Germans well out of their
advance trenches. They had already gone forward far enough to redeem a
fairly wide stretch of territory that had been