still stood intact, if
deserted, for he could catch glimpses of it when the smoke clouds were
drifted aside by the night breeze.

Fires were now burning in several quarters, started undoubtedly by some
of the bombs that had missed their intended objective. These lighted up
the scene and gave it a weird, almost terrifying aspect as witnessed from
far above.

All at once Jack saw some bulky object pass between their machine and the
ground below. It must be the missing bomber, he concluded, though the
realization of the fact made him thrill all over in admiration of the
nerve of those who could accept such terrible chances.

Yes, despairing of getting in a telling blow at such a height, the
reckless crew of the big Yankee plane had actually dropped down
until they could not be more than a thousand feet from the earth.
And now they were speeding forward, meaning to test their skill at
such close quarters.

Not being able to make Tom hear his voice, Jack gave the other a tug, and
so managed to call his attention to what was passing below. Just in time
did Tom look, for at that very moment there came another of those amazing
brilliant illuminations, and the dull roar greeted their ears a few
seconds afterwards.

They saw with staring eyes the air filled with the material that had once
constituted the wonderful bridge, across which day and night the
retreating Huns were taking their valuable guns and stores. A brief space
of time did the scene bear the aspect of chaos, and then, when the smoke
cleared sufficiently for them to see, they looked upon a void where the
bridge had stood.

Jack fell back appalled, yet quivering with deepest satisfaction.
Their raid would be one of triumph, since the main object had now
been achieved.

Hardly had he allowed himself to exult after this fashion than Jack
discovered that Tom seemed to be greatly agitated. So he once more looked
down, filled with a sudden fear lest the gallant fighters in that
adventurous bomber had paid dearly for their success.

He immediately saw that his alarm was not groundless. The big Yankee
plane must have been struck in some vital part, for it was rapidly
sinking as though doomed. Jack's only consolation lay in the fact that
the crew seemed to be in better luck than those of the stricken Gotha;
for they managed to keep from turning turtle; and unless striking the
ground with too great violence might yet come out of the affair alive,
even though findin