On a small knoll the American senator and his two daughters, glasses in
hand, were watching, listening, semi-oblivious as to any possible
danger to themselves. Finally a spatter of bullets and shell fragments
roused the father to a sense that more than himself might be in the
line of fire at any moment.

"This won't do, girls!" he announced in peremptory tones. "Get into
that shelter!" pointing at a half underground dugout near. "Run, run!"

Avella, without lowering her glass, replied:

"In just a minute, papa. See Mr. Blaine! My! What's he doing to that
other horrid fellow?"

Blaine was at the instant trying to got on the tail of a big Taube, not
unlike the one Blaine and Erwin had captured and used while on an
earlier scout, as may be recalled by the reader. What accentuated
Blaine's eagerness was the glimpse he caught of that Death's Head Flag,
which had also adorned the former captured machine. But the Boche
within this one was an adept and so maneuvered that Blaine, to save
himself from an onset from behind, was obliged to try the risky
side-loop, much to the surprise of the other. For Blaine, while upside
down, was already firing at his opponent, and as he rose was directly
on the tail. But to the girls below it looked as if Blaine was already
crashing towards the earth. Andra gave a nervous scream. Avella was
shocked, of course, but had her glass the next instant upon Buck Bangs,
at that moment engaged in a fierce duel with two enemy opponents.

"Look! Look!" called Andra. "He's falling -- ah-h-h!" This last word
was long drawn out during which, to her intense joy, Blaine had righted