ead was begun.
A vast and excited throng increased in size about the building that had
been hit and there was much excitement for a time.

Tom and Jack managed to get to a place where they could get a view of
the havoc wrought to the structure itself, and the first thing that
impressed them was mentioned by Jack, who said:

"They didn't use a very big shell, or there wouldn't have been such
comparatively slight material damage done."

"The force was mostly expended inside the building," suggested Tom.

"Even so, if it had been a big shell, the kind they fired at Verdun and
Liege, there'd be a crater here big enough to put a church in. As it is,
only the two top stories are wrecked."

"That's right," agreed Tom. "I wonder what sort of explosive they are
using? Must have been one from a bombing aeroplane."

"No, monsieur," interrupted a _gendarme_ who was standing near. "Pardon,
for speaking," he went on, with a salute, "but there was no airship
observed over Paris at all. The shell came out of the clear sky."

"But it couldn't have," insisted Jack, in reply to this policeman. "If
the Germans are firing on Paris they must have some place from which to
shoot their gun. Either on the ground or from an airship."

"It was not an airship," insisted the _gendarme_. "Excuse me for
insisting this to one who is in the air service," and he pointed with
pride to the uniform the boys wore, "but I have seen several air raids,
and I know! There was no airship seen, or I would have blown the alarm,"
and he motioned to his whistle which he carried for that purpose.

"It could have come from an immense airship, so high up as to be beyond
observation," suggested Jack. "That's possible. Probably the Germans
didn't want to be bombarded themselves by aircraft guns here, and they
flew high."

The police officer shook his head. He was not convinced.

"But, man, how else could it be?" asked Tom, in some heat. "The Huns
have to rest their gun somewhere, and you--Say, Jack!" he suddenly
exclaimed, his face paling slightly, "you don't suppose they have broken
through, do you?"

"Through our lines about Paris? Never!" cried the police officer. "They
shall not pass! Our brave soldiers have said it, and they will maintain
it. They shall not pass!"

"And yet," mused Tom, as he looked at the rescue work going on, "what
other explanation is there? It's a bombardment of Paris all right, by
German shells. If they don't come from an aeroplane