CHAPTER IX
THE PLAN WORKS--ALMOST
"Time to get busy."
It was Frank who spoke. All was quiet among the sand dunes. Thecommander of the Germans had laid down upon the ground, some distancefrom the others, half an hour before. Snores from various pointsannounced that most of the men were sleeping soundly.
Jack and Frank got to their feet
"Careful," said Jack as they separated. "Remember, don't give your mana chance to let out a cry."
Frank nodded in the darkness and walked slowly toward the sentinel hehad selected to silence. Jack moved in the other direction.
As Jack came within a few yards of his prey, the man raised his rifleand commanded:
"Halt!"
"It's all right," said Jack. "I couldn't sleep and it was lonesome backthere. I want company."
The German lowered his rifle.
"It's lonesome here, too," he said. "Wish you had been selected for myjob."
"I wouldn't have minded it tonight," said Jack, approaching closer.
The German reached in his pocket and produced a pack of cigarettes. Heextended the pack to Jack.
"Have one?" he invited.
Jack accepted a cigarette.
The German produced a match. He laid his rifle upon the ground as hestruck the match upon the leg of his trousers.
It was the moment for which Jack had been waiting.
Quickly his revolver leaped out. In almost the same instant he reversedit and before the German realized what was about to happen he broughtthe butt down on the man's head with great force.
The man fell to the ground without a sound.
Frank, advancing upon the other German, also was challenged when hedrew close, but he, too, engaged his prey in conversation. As the manturned his head for a moment to gaze across the dark sand, the ladstruck him violently over the head with his revolver butt. The Germandropped like a log.
A few moments later Frank and Jack met again near the first aeroplane.
"It'll have to be quick work here," Jack warned "We haven't a whole lotof time, you know."
Frank nodded that he understood. Rapidly they passed from one plane toanother letting out the gasoline. Five minutes later, with theexception of their hydroplane, which rested some distance away, everycraft upon the beach was dry. They were absolutely useless--or so thelads thought.
"Now for the papers," said Jack, as he straightened up after tinkeringwith the last machine.
Cautiously the two lads advanced upon the sleeping German. Frank raisedhis revolver and would have brought it down on the man's head had notJack stayed him with a gesture.
"No need of that," he said. "I don't like to hurt a man except when itis absolutely necessary."
Frank put the revolver back in his pocket.
Gently, Jack thrust his hand into the German's pocket. He fumbled abouta moment and then drew forth a paper. Turning his head aside he strucka match and glanced at the paper. Then he nodded his satisfaction.
"This is it," he said.
Frank, at that moment, had risen to his feet. Believing the work wasaccomplished, he was moving off toward the hydroplane. As Jack now madeto get to his feet, he chanced to glance at the German he had justrelieved of the papers.
The lad uttered an exclamation of surprise, and no wonder. The man'seyes were open and gazed straight at Jack. In his hand he held arevolver and it was levelled at Jack's head.
"Hands up!" said the German, quietly.
There was nothing for Jack to do but obey or be shot. His hands wenthigh in the air, but he still retained the valuable papers.
"Drop those papers," was the next command.
Jack obeyed and the papers fluttered to his feet. The German reachedout and picked them up with his left hand while with his right he stillcovered the lad with his revolver.
"So you're a spy, eh?" said the German.
Jack made no reply, but a gleam of hope lighted up his eye; for, Frank,chancing to turn for some unexplainable reason, had taken in thesituation and was now advancing on tiptoe to his friend's aid.
"How did you get here?" demanded the German, making ready to rise.
Again Jack made no reply; but none was necessary, for at that momentFrank had come within striking distance. His arm rose and fell, and ashis revolver butt descended upon the German's head, the latter toppledover in a heap.
Quickly, Jack stooped and again recovered the papers he had taken somuch pains to get.
"Come on!" cried Frank. "We haven't time to fool around here. The restof this crowd is likely to wake up in a minute or two."
Jack followed his friend across the sand. They laid hold of thehydroplane and rolled it toward the water. In it went with a splash andFrank cried:
"Climb aboard quickly!"
Jack needed no urging and a moment later the two boys were ready forflight. And then, suddenly, there was the crack of a revolver behindthem and a bullet flew close to Jack's ear.
The German leader had recovered consciousness, and springing to hisfeet, dashed to the water's edge and fired point blank at the machine.Fortunately, in his excitement his aim was poor and he missed. Beforehe could fire again, Frank wheeled about and his revolver spokesharply.
The German threw up his arms, and with a gasp, pitched headlong intothe sea.
But the sounds of the two shots had aroused the sleeping camp. Wildcries came from the shore, followed by heavy footfalls as the Germansrushed toward the water.
"Hurry, Frank!" cried Jack.
As lightly as a fairy the hydroplane skimmed over the water; then wentsoaring in the air. Frank gave a loud cheer.
"Safe!" he exclaimed.
But the lad was wrong.
From on shore came a chorus of angry cries and imprecations. Hastilythe Germans made a rush for their aeroplanes to give chase. None wouldmove. Followed more cries and angry shouts.
"Wait," said one German. "I've some gasoline."
Rapidly he opened up a big can, which he took from the bottom of hismachine. Quickly the tank was filled and the man climbed into thepilot's seat. Another jumped in with him.
"Give us some of that gasoline!" cried another.
The German shook his head.
"Not enough," he replied. "We'll overtake those fellows and then comeback for the rest of you."
The aeroplane leaped skyward and started in pursuit of Frank and Jack.
The two boys, believing that they were safe, were going along only at afair rate of speed when Jack's keen ears caught the sound of thepursuing machine.
"They're after us, Frank!" he called.
"Impossible!" replied Frank. "How can they fly without gas?"
"Well, they're coming, all the same," declared Jack.
He produced his two revolvers and examined them carefully.
"You run this thing and I'll do what fighting is necessary," he said."Wish I could shoot like you can; but I can't; and I can't run thismachine either."
The German aeroplane was gaining steadily.
"He can outrun us," said Frank, quietly. "There is only one, thankgoodness. You'll have to bring him down, Jack."
"I'll try," was Jack's reply. "If I had a rifle I might be able to pickhim off now."
"Well, he won't hardly have any the best of it," said Frank. "Thechances are he has no rifle either."
Frank was correct in this surmise.
Rapidly the German aircraft gained.
"Crack!" the German had fired the first shot.
It went wild. Jack fired, but with no better result.
"Hit anything?" asked Frank, without turning his head.
"No," said Jack, "but neither did the other fellow."
"Try it again," said Frank.
Jack did so; but again the bullet went wild. All this time the twocraft were flying straight out to sea.
Once more the German fired and Jack felt something whizz overhead.
"This is getting too close," the lad muttered to himself. Then hecalled to Frank.<
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"Slow down, quick!"
Frank had no means of telling what plan Jack had in mind, but he didnot hesitate. The hydroplane slowed down with a jerk.
The pilot of the German craft was caught off his guard. He dashed uponthe hydroplane. But as he neared it he swerved to the left to avoid acollision. It was what Jack had expected. Standing up in his precariousposition, Jack took a snap shot at the pilot as the German craft sweptby.
At that close distance, in spite of the rate of speed at which theenemy was travelling, a miss was practically impossible.
The German machine swayed crazily from one side to the other; thendived.
"I got him, Frank!" shouted Jack.
Both lads gazed over the side at the falling enemy.
Suddenly the machine righted and descended more slowly.
"By Jove! a cool customer," said Frank. "He's regained control of theplane. He'll be up again in a moment."
Again they watched the foe carefully.
"No, he won't," said Jack, "he's still going down."
"Then we may as well be moving," said Frank.
"Hold on!" shouted Jack. "We can't leave those fellows there. They mayget to shore or be picked up. Then they would give the warning and allour efforts would be for naught."
"Right," said Frank. "We'll go down after them."
The hydroplane descended slowly.