"Give him another volley, Leon," urged Jacques.
They were directly above their opponent now. Pointing the machine-gun straight downward the two brothers sent another hail of bullets whistling towards their foe.
The German machine fluttered for a moment like a wounded bird. Suddenly a blaze appeared from a spot near the gasoline tank; a moment later there was a burst of flame enveloping nearly the whole machine. It reeled drunkenly for a moment and then fell.
Fascinated, the two brothers watched its descent. Like some great flaming meteor it hurtled earthward. Down, down, down it plunged into the distant valley below. A sheet of fire trailed behind until finally it struck the earth with a crash; there was a burst of smoke and with a start the young Americans came to themselves again.
The horror and the awfulness of their opponent's death had had a profound effect upon them and for the moment they had forgotten everything else. Still, this was war and death is part of the game.
Jacques, however, had paid no attention to the fate of the German flier. All he knew was that his own machine was disabled and that he and his companions were in deadly peril.
"What do you think, Jacques?" demanded Leon. "Will that wing hold up?"
"I do not think so," replied Jacques soberly. "I think we must land."
"Where are we?"
"Inside the German lines."