"I should say the Germans had something else to do than cross the North Sea in their Zeppelins to drop bombs on a harmless town like Haddisport," remarked Vera Redisham, one night at supper.
"They might do it for the sake of spreading panic," observed her mother.
"Or by way of preliminary experiment before making an air raid in force upon London," added Mark. "That's what they're planning, of course. They'd consider it as good as a naval victory if they could set London on fire. Hullo! what's wrong with the electric light? I put new bulbs on only yesterday!"
The light flickered for a moment or two and then went out, plunging the room in darkness.
"The hooter's sounding!" cried Vera. "Listen!"
"We'd better all get down into the basement," recommended Mrs. Redisham. "You mustn't go outside, Mark."
She had hardly spoken when the whole house shook, the windows rattled, and the air was split by a resounding explosion.
"Ah!" shouted Mark. "Zeppelins! Zeppelins!"
Mrs. Redisham made her way down the stairs to the basement to get the servants into a place of safety.
A second bomb sounded, and then there came the firing of an anti-aircraft gun.