The girl nodded, adding:
"It may be; I cannot tell. How careless! Among those papers are some
very important plans that have reference, I think, to things our side
wished to do later on. Oh, dear! Will we ever get away?"
"God knows -- I hope so. It seems I hear sounds to the eastward. Ah
-- there they come again!"
Both Brenda and the captain, who had followed her, were returning. He
was stuffing a paper which Brenda had surrendered after some persuasion
into his breast pocket.
"All in!" called Byers. "No time to lose now."
Again the women reentered the captain's machine, who at once started
off along the level, open ground, at the same time calling on the men
to use the searchlight so he might rise successfully. Up they went,
and right after them came Brodno, with Blaine and Orris, now in the
observer's seat, feeling more comfortable as be laid his hand on the
Lewis gun ready to his use. Brodno had another. Both were listening
to the sounds which Erwin had noticed when with Miss Aida. Byers
passed them with a gentle rustling as of wings.
"Boys," he called back, "our defense rests mainly upon you. I have not
only these women to see after but also papers -- papers most important
to our side in the next offensive. Of course I'll fight, if I have to.
But the main thing is to get safely back and --"
His further words were lost on the wind as the captain raced ahead,
bound as straight as possible for their own lines.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160