And though no particular incident marked the journey, Don and George were thoroughly glad when they reached their comfortable room in the ancient villa.
Tired, after the many hours of work and excitement, they immediately turned in.
And thus ended another day.
CHAPTER XV—A BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS
During the following afternoon Don Hale and T. Singleton Albert were detailed, with eight other pilots, to act as an escort to a big Caudron photographic machine, which was to make a trip to a point many miles inside the German lines in order to take photographs of a railroad centre.
Don Hale’s machine on this occasion was armed with eight rockets, with dart-like heads, four on either side of the fuselage. These are designed for the purpose of destroying observation balloons, bullets from the machine guns not being sufficiently large for the purpose. The rockets are projected into space at terrific speed by means of powerful spiral springs, and ignite at the instant of departure.
The art of photography has been a great factor in the world war, driving secrecy from its cover and enabling the opposing forces to make an almost complete record of what was taking place on the other side of the line.
The two-seater Caudron machine which the combat pilots were designated to protect was armed with only one swivel gun. The cameras, pointing downward, were attached to the sides of the fuselage, and in order to take a photograph it was necessary only to pull a string.
It was rather late when the commanding officer gave the signal for the departure. In a spiraling flight, the Nieuports rose in the air, and, at an altitude of about six thousand feet, waited for the photographic machine to meet them at their airy rendezvous.
Immediately arranging themselves in a V-shaped formation, with the big Caudron at the apex, the fleet of planes headed for “Germany.” Very soon some of the fighting Nieuports dropped below the machine they were escorting, while others soared a thousand feet above.