"But we don't dare, Monsieur Jean the Scott. We'd drop into a nest of hornets."
"Better slow down then. Their scouting planes must be somewhere near."
"Good advice again. Oh, you're learning fast. And meanwhile you're committing yourself more and more deeply to our cause."
"I've already committed myself deeply enough. I've told you that your prediction about my joining a British force is true."
"But you'll have to stay with us French until the British come. John, is it my imagination or do I hear that buzzing below us again?"
"You really hear it, and I do, too. It's a big Zeppelin beyond a doubt, and therefore we must not be far from a German base. You know they have to build huge sheds in which to keep the Zeppelins."
"No doubt they have such a station near enough on their side of the border. But, John, I'm going to have a look at that air-elephant. In all this thick darkness they'd never know what we are. Are you ready for it?"
"Ready and anxious."
The Arrow dropped down toward the buzzing sound, which rapidly grew louder. John had heard that a silencer had been invented for Zeppelins, but either it was a mistake or they apprehended a hostile presence so little that they did not care to use it.
He was rapidly becoming inured to extreme danger, but his heart throbbed nevertheless, and he felt the chill of the high damp air. At the suggestion of Lannes, who called him the eyes of the ship, he retained the glasses, and, with them, sought continually to pierce the heavy masses of cloud. He could not yet see anything, but the heavy buzzing noise, much like the rattling of a train, increased steadily. The Zeppelin could not be very far beneath them now.