“Holy Mike,” Rex groaned. “D’you reckon those birds are after us?”
“I fear so. Every air-park in the country must have been warned of our exploit at Romanovsk.”
Rex had already banked, and was heading away from the enemy flight towards the south when Simon touched him on the shoulder. He had crawled through the cabin. “Not that way, man,” he shouted. “Look below to the left — head north, Rex.”
Rex looked and swore — five hundred feet below him another flight was sailing. He tilted the ’plane sharply, to gain additional height, hoping to pass over them. That they were spotted was evident — the northern flight had wheeled swiftly and was climbing too.
“Hell’s luck,” Rex exclaimed. “Another couple of hundred miles and we’d have been safe home.”
“Do you think you can get through?” asked the Duke.
Rex shook his head. “You bet we’ll try, but there’s not a scrap of cloud to get lost in. Aw, hell! there’s another lot.”
Even as he spoke the Duke had seen them, too; a third formation, only specks in the distance, but in front, and flying high.
, “They’ve been sent up on purpose to intercept us,” he shouted. “We shall never get through this!”
Rat — tat — tat came the sudden warning note of a machine-gun in their rear.