some interruption. Afterwards the actors, and those who had enjoyed the
performance from in front, agreed that they had been exceedingly lucky
as it was, and that "half a loaf was much better than no bread at all."

Those whose turns were finished remained, of course, as part of the
audience. Some of the black-faced artists lingered in the so-called
"wings" to watch what was going on, desirous of getting all the fun
possible out of the evening.

It was not a case of "eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die;"
but "have all the happy times you can, fellows, while the going is good,
for to-morrow we fight."

Sergeant Barney McGee was on again, and the audience was convulsed with
laughter over his ludicrous antics. He appeared to be a born actor and
mimic; and had they not known otherwise Tom and Jack could have declared
that the comedian who was under contract with an American film company,
and doubtless in California making pictures at that moment, had been
suddenly transported to the French fighting front to entertain the
soldiers.

Suddenly the laughter came to a stop. The building in which the show was
being held shook as though a violent thunderclap had rocked the earth.
This loud detonation that broke upon their hearing, however, was only
too familiar to all those army aviators. They understood its dread
meaning.

The enemy had taken this opportunity to send over a squadron of raiding
Fokkers to bomb the hangars of the French and American fliers at
Bar-le-Duc!

CHAPTER XII

CLOWNS ON THE WING

Boom!

What followed that first heavy detonation was very much like a riot. The
audience became frantic under the belief that it meant an attack on the
town, and that the missiles would presently drop upon the roofs, working
destruction to everything around.

It was the actors, however, who were the most exercised. One and all
they understood what it meant to them. Their planes were in danger of
being demolished! In some way the Teutons must have learned about the
entertainment, and realized that almost every Allied pilot would want to
attend it. They rightly guessed that for once the guard about the
aviation field and numerous hangars where the dozens upon dozens of
planes of every description were housed when not in use, would be
unusually light. They had also taken advantage of the bright moonlight
to make a bold sally over the French lines and reach this distant point
undiscovered.

Boom! boom