.

Straight for the red machine rushed Tom, and a quick glance told him
that his companion was ready with the gun. The weapon to be worked by
the latter was mounted so that it could be aimed independently of the
aeroplane. Tom also had a gun in front of him, but it was fixed and
could be aimed only by pointing the whole craft. Once this was done Tom
could operate the weapon with one hand, steering with the other, and, at
times, with his feet and knees.

There came several sharp pops near Tom's head, and he knew these were
machine bullets from the Hun aviator's gun, breaking through the tightly
stretched linen fabric of the wings of his own plane.

"Let him have it before he plugs us!" cried Tom to his companion, though
of course the latter could not hear a word. An instant later Tom heard
the Lewis gun behind him firing, and he saw several tracer bullets
strike the Hun machine. But they were not near the aviator himself, and
did no material damage.

"Guess he's too nervous to shoot straight," reasoned Tom. "I'll have to
try my own gun," he decided.

Tom noticed that the Hun was climbing up, trying to get into a position
above the American plane, which is always an advantage. And the air
service boy knew he must not let this happen. Quickly he shifted the
rudder and began to climb himself. But he was at a disadvantage as his
machine carried double, while the red plane had only one man in it, an
ace beyond a doubt.

"I've got to get him now or never!" thought Tom. Once more he shifted
his direction, and then, as he had his gun aimed just where he wanted
it, he pressed the lever and a burst of bullets shot out and fairly
riddled the red plane. It seemed to stop for an instant in the air, and
then, quivering, turned and went down in a nose dive, spinning around.

"No fake about that!" mused Tom, as he leaned over and looked down from
the height. "He's done for!"

And so, the Hun was, for he crashed to the ground behind the American
lines. The incident did not affect Tom Raymond greatly. It was not his
first killing. But when he, glanced back toward his companion, he saw
that the other was shrinking back as if in horror.

"He'll get over that soon enough. All he has to do is to think of what
the Huns have done--crucifying men and babies--to make his heart hard,"
thought Tom.

Whether his companion did this or not, did not disclose itself, but the
fact remains that when Tom flew off to engage another Hun machine t