already all the danger
we can handle without trying such a stunt as that!"

"All right, then, but it would be well to alter our course a bit."

"Here goes!" announced Ned, throwing his weight against one of the
levers controlling the horizontal rudders. "Stand by for a jerk!"

Scarcely had the Eagle swerved sharply from her course before the lads
heard a rushing, whistling sound. Far below on the ground a missle
fell. A dull boom came up. A cloud of smoke rising from the spot
indicated that the missle had been a bomb remarkably well aimed. They
realized that only by a narrow margin had it missed them.

"Plenty close enough," gritted Jimmie between his teeth. "Rise, if you
can, Ned, and give us a chance at them with our guns."

From his seat Ned glanced quickly downward and observed the cloud of
smoke about the spot where the bomb had landed.

"Give them another one, Dave," he cried, righting the Eagle and
altering the rudders so as to drive the machine higher.

Without waiting for further instructions, Dave seized his rifle again
and began firing as rapidly as he could load.

"We're getting over the French trenches now!" cried Harry in a moment.
"I can see the puffs of smoke from their guns, and the bursting shells
mean that the Germans are getting the range."

"Then we haven't far to go before we are going to be able to land."

"If we can hold this fellow off a while longer we'll be all right."

"Can you see any place, Harry, that looks like a landing place?" asked
Ned, anxiously. "We better look for a good spot pretty soon."

Harry turned the glasses to look forward. He swept the horizon with
eagerness. Presently he fixed his gaze upon one spot.

"I see another plane coming out to give battle to us and this chap!"

"Look out!" shrieked Jimmie. "See what Fritz is doing!"

The next instant he had thrown himself forward and over the edge.

CHAPTER XXV

ESCAPE

A gasp rose from the four boys as they saw Fritz hurl himself over the
rim of the car. They knew that nothing could be done, yet all threw
themselves toward the Uhlan in the vain hope of rescue.

It needed little exercise of the imagination to picture the result of
Fritz's rash act. Too well the boys understood what would happen when
the soldier fell from such an altitude.

"Good night!" gasped Jimmie, turning a pale face toward his friends.

"How did he do it?" asked Jack, a tremble in his voice.

"He must have been an a