It so turned out
that the Boche did exactly what Bangs thought he would do: tried to
avoid the descending avalanche. His machine swung to the right, yet
not enough to clear the other. Full tilt the Nieuport struck the
nearly motionless Taube near the center of the fuselage. Nieuports are
strong and sharp in their prow, and the metal edge clove through the
side of the German machine not unlike one destroyer ramming another.
At the same instant Bangs, pointing his Lewis gun obliquely downward,
sent a spatter of bullets full into his opponent just before the
collision occurred.
Smash went in the side of the Taube. An instant before, the shower of
bullets had penetrated not only the petrol tank but also the body of
the too plausible German. Anticipating what might happen, Buck clapped
down upon his rudder, reversing his engine, and drew back from the
shattered enemy just in time to escape the burst of flame that almost
at once enveloped both man and machine.
"I settled him, " panted Buck, almost breathless despite himself. "He
may have lived in the U. S., but he lacked much of American love for
fair play. I wouldn't have run into him if he had acted at all white."
So ran Buck's thought as he sat breathing heavily, watching the plummet
flight of the dead German and his flame-shriveling plane to the earth.
Rising again to a higher altitude, he surveyed the surroundings as well
as the night's dim light would permit.
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