ut a
murmur, but grimly determined.

Jack having attained the required altitude commenced "fishing." That was
his way of describing the means employed for learning where the Huns
were lying in wait, ready to pour in a deadly machine-gun fire on the
first detachment of Yankees that came along.

The darting plane would dive down close to the tops of the tall trees,
and thus offer such a tantalizing bait that the concealed Hun gunners,
unable to resist the temptation, were likely to shoot at the cruising
machine.

Of course this would expose their secret hiding-place, but inaccurately
located in the darkness the night before, and it was the business of the
observer to signal his discovery back to those who were on the watch.

The consequence would be that instead of making a frontal attack on that
particular nest, the infantry would resort to Indian tactics, making a
flank movement that would carry them past, then closing in from the
rear. At a given signal some of their mates would make a hostile
demonstration in front to chain the attention of the gunners, while
others would creep up so close from the rear that they would be able to
get both men.

Of course this meant that the venturesome fliers would be taking
additional risks. When that machine-gun should start to pepper their
plane they were likely to be struck by one or more of the shower of
missiles coming hissing up like enraged hornets. What matter, when they
were accepting chances just as desperate every minute of the time they
remained aloft?

Jack and his assistant, Morgan, found themselves busily engaged inside
of ten minutes. They swooped so low that suddenly there was a burst of
fire, and bullets commenced to cut through both wings of their plane.
The body had been sheathed in metal that would serve to ward off most of
this hail, but despite this they took many chances of a mishap.

Immediately Morgan noted the exact spot from which the firing came, so
he could locate it in sending out his signal of warning. Jack meanwhile
was doing his part, dodging in zigzag curves in all directions in order
to baffle the aim of the Hun gunners.

Then, too, the trees helped greatly to conceal them from the observation
of the enemy below; so that the firing kept up for a very brief time
only. But their trick had succeeded. The Boches dared not come out from
their place of concealment lest they be discovered and shot down by the
stealthily advancing Americans. Perh