dden leap forward
he threw his weight into a low tackle and clasped his arms about the
other's legs. Both came heavily to earth.

Jimmie, having the advantage, was first to rise. As he jumped to his
feet he again turned to look for the oncoming plane.

The hum of the motors was plainly discernable. He thought he could
even hear a sharp command given by one of the boys in charge.

Almost overhead he saw the great wings outspread and knew that he had
been sighted and that his comrades were trying to afford him the
opportunity of escape he so much desired.

One glance revealed the strange lad clinging to a perilous seat on the
truss rod. With one hand the newcomer was balancing himself, while
with the other he was shaking out into plain view the noose trailing at
the end of a line hanging from the under side of the plane.

His actions clearly indicated that he wanted Jimmie to prepare to grasp
the loop and be drawn up to the airship as they rose above the camp of
Germans. Jimmie needed no second invitation.

Without paying the slightest heed to the efforts of Fritz to right
himself from the undignified position into which Jimmie's onslaught had
placed him, the lad dashed forward to a point from which he thought he
could most advantageously grasp the trailing loop.

Nearer and nearer came the dangling line. The boy, under the extreme
excitement of the moment, began to imagine the feel of the rope in his
hands, and reviewed the motions he would have to make in order to seize
the line and be drawn up to his comrades.

He gave a brief thought of thankfulness to the gymnasium training Ned
Nestor had so consistently urged upon the members of his patrol, and
flexed his biceps in anticipation of the strain they were to receive.

Ned seemed to be handling the Eagle with consummate skill. He had
brought the machine to an altitude that was nicely calculated to afford
Jimmie just the opportunity needed without trailing the line upon the
ground, yet not having it out of the lad's reach.

So absorbed were all the lads that they had not observed the activity
about the German camp caused by the approach of the aeroplane. They
failed to see several marksmen running toward their position with
rifles ready for instant use and with determination upon their faces.

For the moment the lads seemed to forget that they were approaching a
camp of men who suspected them of being Russian spies and who would
hesitate at nothing to