“There it goes!” shouted Billy, after which they all stared, and listened to ascertain what the result of the cast would be.
There came an upheaval, accompanied by a billow of flame and dense black smoke that rose in a cloud. The aviator had succeeded at great peril to himself in dropping his bomb directly on the tank, with the result that a large quantity of precious gasoline or oil was lost to the enemy.
Even as high up as the Sea Eagle chanced to be at the time, those who were seated in the car could feel the wave of air concussion. The seaplane from which the fatal bomb had been dropped was seen to rock and plunge very much as a ship would in a gale at sea; but the navigator who controlled the levers knew his business, and managed to keep from turning turtle, a fate that all aviators view with unpleasant sensations.
Having accomplished his part of the raid, and earned the commendation of his superiors, the gallant airman began to climb the spiral staircase again, seeking a safer altitude. If all the others could do one-half as well as he had this raid would not soon be forgotten by the defenders of Zeebrugge.
“Not a single Taube have we seen since starting out!” said Pudge.
“Well, can you blame them for keeping under cover?” demanded Billy. “What could they do against thirty big seaplanes such as we’ve got with us? A rain of bombs would be the portion of any German pilot rash enough to put up a fight. He’d be courting sure death if he as much as showed his head.”
In the beginning of the war the Germans were far superior to either the British or the French with their aircraft. Their Taubes and Zeppelins caused much alarm in many a French and Belgian city as they flew over and dropped destructive bombs in the endeavor to terrorize the enemy.
That time, however, had gone by, and the assembling of this fleet of big British seaplanes was a plain notice to the Kaiser that the day of his supremacy of the air had passed into other hands, and that henceforth his aviators were to find themselves outclassed for daring and skill.
Around and around the hostile planes circled, each spitting out from time to time a fresh supply of deadly missiles that rained destruction on the military works below. Of course, it would presently come to an end. Then the wonderful fleet, having exhausted their supply of ammunition, would take up the return journey, leaving to the defenders of Zeebrugge the unpleasant task of counting up their great losses, and trying to conceal much of the truth, as all sides invariably do under similar conditions.
Frank was anticipating seeing some signal flying from the chief seaplane, a sort of “cease firing” order. It was just at this time that Billy discovered another exciting event being enacted, and called the attention of his companions to the fact.