they were disillusioned by a sudden fire. They had scattered back
to the cover of a bank near the water--it was too far for them to reach
their machines again; they were lying and firing at the men in the
hotels and frame-houses about the power-works.

Then to their support came a second string of red flying-machines
driving up from the east. They rose up out of the haze above the houses
and came round in a long curve as if surveying the position below. The
fire of the Germans rose to a roar, and one of those soaring shapes gave
an abrupt jerk backward and fell among the houses. The others swooped
down exactly like great birds upon the roof of the power-house. They
caught upon it, and from each sprang a nimble little figure and ran
towards the parapet.

Other flapping bird-shapes came into this affair, but Bert had not seen
their coming. A staccato of shots came over to him, reminding him of
army manoeuvres, of newspaper descriptions of fights, of all that was
entirely correct in his conception of warfare. He saw quite a number of
Germans running from the outlying houses towards the power-house. Two
fell. One lay still, but the other wriggled and made efforts for a time.
The hotel that was used as a hospital, and to which he had helped carry
the wounded men from the Zeppelin earlier in the day, suddenly ran up
the Geneva flag. The town that had seemed so quiet had evidently
been concealing a considerable number of Germans, and they were
now concentrating to hold the central power-house. He wondered what
ammunition they might have. More and more of the Asiatic flying-machines
came into the conflict. They had disposed of the unfortunate German
drachenflieger and were now aiming at the incipient aeronautic
park,--the electric gas generators and repair stations which formed
the German base. Some landed, and their aeronauts took cover and became
energetic infantry soldiers. Others hovered above the fight, their men
ever and again firing shots down at some chance exposure below. The
firing came in paroxysms; now there would be a watchful lull and now a
rapid tattoo of shots, rising to a roar. Once or twice flying machines,
as they circled warily, came right overhead, and for a time Bert gave
himself body and soul to cowering.

Ever and again a larger thunder mingled with the rattle and reminded
him of the grapple of airships far above, but the nearer fight held his
attention.

Abruptly something dropped from the zenith;