I

THE TEAR-BOMB ATTACK

It was certainly a thrilling moment for Perk as he crouched there in his
awkward cubicle back of the pilot and waited for the proper second to
arrive when his accuracy at throwing the bombs would be tested.

Jack meanwhile had his hands full attending to his part of the
business--it was of course of prime importance that they should drop
down as close to the deck of the schooner as possible so the full effect
of the bursting tear-bombs might be felt by those struggling smugglers
and hijackers, but there was the mast of the cruising vessel to bear in
mind since it towers many feet in the air.

To strike this spar would entail danger of a crash, or having their
landing-gear torn away, which would prove a disaster. Consequently Jack
held himself in readiness to once more start his engine when
sufficiently near the object of his attack.

Perk knew just when their downward velocity terminated, for not only
were they again on a level keel, but the motor commenced working with
its customary intensity and the whole fusilage quivered as usual when
they were under way.

All this had consumed mere fragments of a minute and Perk had already
drawn back his hand to make ready for his first toss. It was his
intention to follow this up with a second bomb, hurled in double-quick
order, for a dual fire would make the results more complete.

Jack left it completely to his comrade to decide just when to let fly,
relying on the lessons Perk had taken along those lines in order to make
himself as near perfect as possible. If it so chanced that their initial
attack turned out to be futile, it was always possible for the fighting
airship to swing around so as to permit a second attempt.

Much would depend on just how those who were struggling like mad wolves
on the deck of the schooner to gain or retain possession of the spoils
took the attack from the air. Jack rather fancied they would be panic
stricken at having a grim spectre of the skies descend on them like a
plunging eagle and before they could possibly recover sufficient energy
to strike back, the monster roc must have winged past, and the pungent
gas started to affect their eyes, rendering them frantic with a
threatened temporary blindness.

Then Perk began his share of the vicious attack. He followed out his
prearranged programme with machine-like movements, sending his first
bomb with such cleverness that it struck close to the stern, for Jack
h