The boys had dropped back as flat as they could at Frank’s suggestion, and fortunately no one seemed to have been injured by the flying missiles and stones.
Immediately the chauffeur once more started forward, though of course he had to drive carefully.
“Oh! see the fierce hole it dug in the road-bed!” burst forth Billy, and they all stared hard at this positive evidence of the dreadful result of the explosion.
By judicious care the chauffeur managed to get around the obstruction without having one of his wheels sink into the gap. Of course the first squad of men passing along that way would fill in the hole; but the boys were certainly not bothering their heads over that at present.
They could see that the two daring aviators who seemed so bent on accomplishing the utter annihilation of the wonderful American invention, were not disheartened so far by their several failures.
“They don’t mean to give it up at that, Frank, believe me!” said Billy.
“Oh! they’re a stubborn lot, those Germans,” admitted Pudge, “and never know when to stop, once they’ve set their minds on a thing.”
“Third time may be the charm, you know,” croaked Billy, hoarse from the excitement under which he was undoubtedly laboring for all he appeared so cool. “Don’t I wish I had my trusty gun along right now. Mebbe I wouldn’t make those chaps sit up and take notice, and quit their fooling.”
“They’re dropping still lower, Frank!” said Pudge.
“I see they are,” answered the other, soberly.