ound from the
effect of the explosion of the TNT contents of the bomb, said to be the
most powerful known for such uses, and handled by the engineers of all
the armies, under different names.

If the design of the Boche who swooped down for the purpose of waylaying
the cars carrying the French and American airmen was to rob the Allies
of the services of a dozen eminent pilots all at once, it failed in
execution.

At last the aviators arrived on the scene. It was lively enough, with
bombs still bursting here and there. Already considerable damage had
been done to some of the hangars.

The Allied pilots were "mad all the way through" at having been caught
napping by the foe. They paid no attention to the danger that still hung
over their heads, with the enemy's supply of explosives as yet
unexhausted. While the dreadful detonations continued, sometimes
exceedingly close by, the various pilots seized upon such mechanicians
as they could.

One by one the planes rolled along the field and began to climb upward
by way of the usual spiral staircase route, to give battle to the enemy,
regardless of any superiority in numbers.

Jack was dismayed to discover that his plane was badly wrecked by one of
the explosions. Indeed, it was afterwards found that he had to have a
new machine, since the repairs necessary to put the old one into service
again were too complicated to be done at the front.

Tom was more fortunate. His hangar had also suffered to some extent, but
so far as could be seen in a hasty examination his plane was not injured
in the least.

He too went up, burnt-corked face and all. There were clowns abroad that
night who could give Tom many points in the game, so far as comical
looks went, and still easily win the stakes. But all else was forgotten
under the spur of the moment, save that each man was eager to get in
touch with the Boche pilots who had almost spoiled their one great
evening.

But no longer were those crashing detonations coming. This told the
story only too well. The Germans had either exhausted their supply of
bombs, or else they deemed discretion the better part of valor. They had
evidently taken their departure before the first Allied pilot got up to
the elevation they had been using in their bombardment.

Nothing could be seen of them, though had the Allied pilots been able to
use their ears, which was impossible when their own motors were making
such loud noises, they might have heard,