“A Zeppelin. Malediction!”
“Do you think she’ll attack us?” asked Jack.
“I don’t know. I can’t tell yet which way she is coming. Ah!”
A long ray of light, like a radiant scimitar, glowed suddenly from the mighty aircraft, 400 feet long and capable of carrying many men and tons of explosives.
Hither and thither the ray was flung.
“Zey heard our engines. Zey look for us!” exclaimed de Garros.
He shot up to a greater height. He was manœuvering to get above the Zeppelin, where her guns would be useless against the aeroplane, which was more mobile and swifter in the air than the Kaiser’s immense sky-ship.
But suddenly the glowing light enveloped them in its full blaze. Dazzlingly it showed them in its rays. It was the most peculiar sensation Jack had ever experienced. It was like being stood up against a wall with a fiery sabre pressed to your breast.
With a quick movement of the wheel, de Garros sent the aeroplane out of range of the revealing light. The next moment came a sharp crackle and something screamed through the air.
“Missed!” exclaimed the aviator with satisfaction.