Jack could see the spiteful flashes of the numerous guns, and while the
sound of the discharges came but faintly to his ears, to his
consternation, all around them, as well as above and below, came sharp
crackling noises, accompanied by bursts of dazzling light.
They were actually in the midst of a storm of bursting projectiles and in
immediate peril of having some damage done to their swift-flying planes
such as would spell ruin to the enterprise, perhaps bring instant death
to some of the fliers!
CHAPTER VI
STRIKING A BLOW FOR LIBERTY
"Climb, Tom! Climb in a hurry!"
Jack Parmly shrilled these words close to the ear of his chum. Really,
there was no need of his saying a single word, since the pilot had sensed
their immediate danger just as quickly as had Jack himself. Already Tom
was pulling the lever that would point the nose of their aerial craft
upward toward the stars, and take them to a much loftier elevation.
The experience was very exciting while it lasted, Jack thought. He saw
the numerous planes, forming the raiding squadron break formation in
great haste, each pilot being eager to dodge the bursting shells and seek
an elevation where they could not reach his flimsy craft.
It would take only one accidental shrapnel shell to cause the destruction
of the best machine among them, and thus reduce the number of available
airmen serving the cause of liberty.
For a brief interval the explosions continued to sound all around them.
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