Perspiration started out profusely on the boys’ foreheads. The huge German war balloons were approaching in a rapidly narrowing circle. There were at least fifty of them, and soon an advance patrol of military “Taube” aeroplanes came skimming back to support them. Cannon were shoved menacingly out of a score of portholes. There was no mistaking the determination of the Germans.
“Heavens!” groaned Alan, his cheeks blanched. “What shall we do? If we don’t stop in a minute, they’ll all get our range and blow even our stout magnalium covering to bits. We haven’t a single weapon on board that can compare with those heavy cannon!”
“Don’t surrender unless there is absolutely nothing else for us to do,” cried Buck.
Bob added: “No, because then they’d simply lock us up in some German prison and use the Flyer for their raid on England!”
The two nearest Zeppelins could now be seen letting gas out of their huge sausage-like bags as they settled down towards the almost stationary airship. As they changed position, it left a narrow break in the ring of enemies.
“Shall we risk a chance on breaking through there? That’s our only hope,” said Ned quietly.
“Yes, yes. Quick—full power ahead before they think to close the gap!”
Ned jammed the acceleration lever hard down in its socket; the machinery groaned with the pressure of too suddenly added power; the exterior planes folded automatically before the rapidly increasing rush of air. The Ocean Flyer swept upwards at an abrupt angle, heading straight for the only opening left unguarded.
Simultaneously the Zeppelin crews saw the boys’ desperate intent. Flame belched from twenty cannon mouths. Shells burst screaming all around. Four light aeroplanes skimmed like swallows up and over to cover the gap in the ring. The two huge Zeppelins bearing down upon the Flyer from above converged and charged her, head on.
“There’s only one thing for us to do,” groaned Ned, “and that is to ram them. We can do it, but it means that the Zeppelins we hit will be destroyed and with them I don’t know how many men. Those craft carry a crew of forty or more, you know.”