enly, between Parker and his own machine, and not so far below
him as he would have liked, white puff-balls began to appear. The
German anti-aircraft guns were at it. Parker began a wide sweep
to the left, then turned slowly right, then climbed swiftly. Jimmy
raised his machine at the same time, but, thinking to save the left
turn and unconsciously slowing in a little on the plane in front,
was reminded that he would be wise to change course a bit. The
ominous whirr of pieces of projectile told him that the German "Archie"
had fired a shot with good direction. He knew that shell might be
closely followed by another at a better elevation, so turned right,
climbing, until he had regained his eight hundred feet or more above
Parker.

As he did so Parker circled left once more, then flew at right angles
to the course he had originally selected. No more shells came near;
and again Parker changed course.

As Jimmy was trying to surmise where Parker would head next the swift
wasp in front dived suddenly, as if struck by one of the anti-aircraft
projectiles.

Quickly Jimmy dived also, and as he turned the nose of the machine
downward his heart gave a big bound, for right in front of Parker,
some distance below, was the wide wing-spread of a big German machine.
The enemy plane could hardly see Parker, save by some miracle, before
he had come sufficiently near to pour a murderous fire into it. With
a rush, his instructions came back to him. He must hover above and
watch, whatever the result of the combat below him. He straightened
out, and circling narrowly, scanned the air in every direction. As
he swung round he received another shock, a real one this time.

Straight before him, plainly coming as fast as they could fly, were
three planes of a type unfamiliar to him. They were at about his own
altitude. He called on his machine for all she could produce in the
way of power, and depressed his elevator planes. The moment the nose
of his plane turned upward, the three enemy planes began to climb also.
Jimmy dared not try a steeper angle of ascent. Any machine which he
had ever seen, save his new mount, would have refused to climb as she
was doing.

What should he do? For the moment he could not see the fight below
him between Parker and the plane Parker had started to chase. Surely,
with three to one against him, the best thing he could do would be
to keep his own skin intact. Intuitively glancing upward, wha