ed it difficult for him to hold converse with
his assistant.

"Felix, have you got your bearings sized up O K?" he called out.

"I could drop a bomb for a direct hit, Jack, if I had one," came the
confident answer.

"All right then; go to it."

As Morgan was the observer and signal man of the combination it now
became his duty to make use of the flags intended to convey the news
that one of those reported "strong nests," carrying from half a dozen of
the largest Boche machine-guns all the way up to twice that, had been
located.

Jack managed the machine so that his assistant might be best served. And
as Morgan knew just about where to look for an answering flag he
presently gave tongue in a way that told of success.

"Raised him, Jack!" he called out joyously. "Swing around more to the
left and we'll be exactly over that den. There! I can drop the smoke
signal now, all right, and well soon see what comes of it."

Immediately afterwards those in the distance who were eagerly watching
every action of the hovering plane must have seen through their powerful
glasses a trail of smoke dropping from its body. It signified that just
at that moment the Yankee flier was hanging over the object to which the
attention of the gunners was called.

Quickly would the necessary calculations be made, while Jack kept
circling around and around, just as a buzzard might when it had located
a promising feast below.

Jack, too, watched that sector as well as he could and attend to his
duties at the same time. He wished he had the binoculars in his hands
just then, while he steered with his knees; but it was more important
that Morgan retain possession of the glasses.

A yell from the observer announced that something had happened of a
pleasing character. Jack guessed its nature even before he heard the
other shouting.

"They've begun business, Jack! The whole battery let loose then in
concert! Say, there's yet another close by! And yes, they're breaking
into the game too! Oh, you Boche, I pity you now, nix!"

Jack looked directly below. He realized that a whole flock of Yankee
made shells was passing through the air, bound for the point of contact.
At the same time he wondered why there had not been a single shot fired
first as a feeler. The officers in charge must indeed be very confident
that they had figured to a fraction to thus risk wasting precious
ammunition.

A second, several of them, slipped away.

Then there came