"Sure, I'm right!" declared the other. "Can't I tell what a cannon shot sounds like? I ought to, for I heard them some time ago, but from the other side of the lines."
"You did?" asked Dave, interestedly. "How was that?"
"Why," went on Jimmie, with just a touch of pride in his voice, "we were in France with the airship we had built before this present one. We got nicely tangled up with the battling forces and nearly got blown to bits once. We got lost in the fog above the lines where the big shells were flying around like mosquitoes."
"My word!" was Dave's astonished ejaculation.
"Yes," continued the red headed lad, "we thought once or twice we were goners, but got out after all. The airship lived through all of it and finally was drowned in the North Sea as we were trying to get home. I was certainly sorry to lose that airship."
"But you were fortunate to escape without losing your lives."
"Sure were," was Jimmie's comment. "But look there! There's some movement on foot or I'm mistaken. Wonder what it is?"
The boys were not long left in doubt. An officer came toward them apparently in some haste. As he approached he signalled the two to follow him to a position where the Uhlans were mounting their horses.
"You will follow these men," he said, as the lads drew near. He indicated two soldiers nearby who were mounted and leading two horses.
"Hello, Otto!" said Jimmie with a smile, as he wrinkled his freckled nose. "And I declare! If little Fritz isn't on deck also!"