"No. Quite true," and the pilot nodded. "But what——"
"Just one thing to do. Hold steady and don't rock the boat. I'm going over the side, Captain," and Sanderson unhooked his belt.
"Great heavens, Sandy! You can never do that!" yelled the pilot.
"Don't—tell—me—what—I—can't—do," was the reply as the young American clambered out on the wing.
Lefevre almost held his breath. He dared not look around again. To climb down and unhook the bomb was like mounting to the main truck of a ship in the teeth of a hurricane.
From the wing Sanderson swung himself down upon the running-gear. He held on with one hand and carefully loosed the bomb. To drop it might cause disaster below. He had, therefore, to climb back to his seat with the explosive projectile, which was a greater task than getting down into the chassis, for he had to hang on literally with one hand and his teeth.
But he did it! He came in safely to his seat in the rocking aeroplane and again Lefevre spiraled earthward. As they drifted over a hollow in the hillside beyond the camp, Sanderson dropped the bomb where it would do no harm as it exploded.
"Some boy!" was Lefevre's only comment when they landed. Nor did either of the young men talk much about the adventure. There are too many hair's-breadth escapes in flying for one peril to be marked much above another.
From Captain Dexter, Sanderson heard that the army corps headquarters had again sent out feelers to learn, if possible, Belinda Melnotte's fate. On his own part the shipmaster had communicated with the American embassy in Paris, and efforts would be made through friendly sources at Berlin to trace the lost Red Cross nurse.
Diplomatic relations had been recently broken between the United States and the German Government and the two countries, it was believed, were verging toward war. The threat of unrestricted U-boat warfare had roused a fever of indignation in America. Germany might intern any and all Americans found within her lines—Red Cross workers not excepted. Her friends, however, desired to be assured of Belinda's safety, if nothing more.