And this plane, containing two men,
with whom he had not yet come to close quarters, was racing toward
him at great speed.
"I guess there's only one thing to do," mused Tom, "and that's to
run for it. I won't stand any show at all with two of them shooting
at me, while I have to manage the machine and the gun too. If I can
beat 'em to our lines I'd better do it and run the chance of some of
our boys coming out to take care of 'em. I'd better get Jack to a
doctor as soon as I can."
And abandoning the gun to give all his attention to the motor, Tom
opened it full and sped on his way. The other machine's occupants
saw his plan and tried to stop it with a burst of bullets, but the
range was a little too far for effective work.
"Now for a race!" thought Tom, and that is what it turned out to be.
Seeing that he was going to try to get away, the Hun plane, which
was almost as speedy as the one Tom and Jack had started out in,
took after them. The other German craft was left far in the rear,
and the one Tom had shot at appeared to be in such difficulties that
it was practically out of the fight.
Thus the odds, once so greatly against our heroes, were now greatly
reduced, though not yet equal, since Jack was completely out of the
game--for how long Tom could only guess, and he seemed to feel cold
fingers clutching at his heart when he thought of this.
But Tom soon discovered, by a backward glance over his shoulder now
and then, that his machine, barring accidents, would distance the
other, and this was what his aim now was.
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