The young aviator consulted his indicator. "Two thousand meters," he replied.
"Let's see," said Leon, trying to figure it out in his head, "there are a little over three feet in a meter and that would make two thousand meters about six thousand feet or over. There are five thousand two hundred and forty feet in a mile; that makes us a little over a mile high."
"Can they hit us at this distance?" asked Earl.
"They can, but I hope they don't," said Leon grimly.
"Funny we haven't seen any other machines," remarked Earl.
"Well we're right over the front trenches now and I guess plenty of people see us and are looking at us right this minute."
As he spoke a puff of white smoke suddenly appeared ahead of them but some distance below.
"They're firing at us," exclaimed Jacques.
"Shall we drop a bomb on them?" cried Earl eagerly. "We want them to know that we're alive, you know."
"Don't do it," cautioned Jacques. "It would probably be wasted here."