Indeed, the entire performance did remind Hugh of occasions when he had watched a red-tailed hawk chasing a frightened bunny, now slowing up on quivering pinions, then making numerous pretended lunges in order to frighten the quarry still more, and finally ending the pursuit by a well-directed swoop that gave the bird of prey its fine dinner.
The two men were bewildered as well as alarmed. Another bomb exploded close behind them, and started them off on a new tack. Run which way they might, it seemed as though that terrible enemy in the air kept hovering above them, sending a little black object shooting earthward every half dozen seconds, to be followed by a sudden crash, many times magnified in their excited imaginations.
Once the taller man started to fire his automatic revolver upwards, as though in sheer desperation he hoped to cause the air pilot to give over the chase. The reports sounded like the detonation of toy fire-crackers to Hugh; and if the bullets came as far as the monoplane, he heard nothing that sounded like their passing.
Dodging this way and that as though almost panic-stricken, the spies finally betook themselves into the sheltering forest. Before they could hide under the branches of the oaks, the tall man was seen to stumble at the top of a rather steep declivity and roll all the way to the bottom, as though he might be a barrel that some mischievous lad had started downhill for the fun of seeing it jump.
Some seven of the little bombs had been used by the time both men vanished into the shelter of the woods a mile or so away from camp. The Lieutenant was laughing heartily as though he had enjoyed the diversion greatly.
"I imagine that will settle them, all right, Hugh," he remarked, as he once more turned the aeroplane back toward home.
At the same time he mounted higher for the final volplane downward. Since the other boys had enjoyed this novel sensation, it would be too bad if the patrol leader did not have the same chance to experience it.
"Do you think after that bombardment that they'll be apt to clear out and give over trying to learn what Uncle Sam is up to?" Hugh asked.
"That is my impression," replied the other. "All they can have learned is that we have a new explosive that excels all known destructive forces as five to one; and that our latest model of a war aeroplane bids fair to eclipse anything known in foreign parts. After all is said and done, son, you can trust the inventive ability of the Yankee to see anything done by others and go them one better. That is because we are the melting pot for all nations, and rewards for genius are so much greater here than abroad, that it spurs us all on to achieve wonderful things. It's a great privilege, Hugh, just to know that you are a nativeborn American. Never forget to be thankful for it."
Apparently this daring aeronaut was intensely patriotic. Hugh felt drawn toward him more than ever on this account, because he had his own ideas on this subject, and they coincided with those of Lieutenant Fosdick.